Just stuff

Just stuff / books / my books — 1 Comment
21
Mar 10

It’s March already?

Heck, it’s nearly April!

So where have I been? Working the day job, being sick, working the day job and being sick some more… seriously, I’m so over being ill in some manner or form.

First it was a doozy of a cold – which I’d half expected with the whole going back to work thing and exposing myself to all those extra germies – then just as I got that sorted the trees started dropping pollen. Now I’m not sure if it’s just a Florida thing, or maybe a very lower southern states thing, but holy-high-pollen-count-Batman! Everything, and I mean everything, gets coated in a thick layer of fluorescent yellow gack. That yellow gack is pollen, and this year oh-lordy-me did my body decide to have a field day with it. I seriously considered nose removal surgery. Adding into all of that I’ve been having some major tooth/jaw problems – like migraine-put-me-in-a-dark-room-and-let-me-scream problems.

The tooth problems *crossfingers* are the only lingering issue at the moment. And even those I think are on the mend. YAY!

Is it April yet? ‘Cause I’m really quite done with March! :)

Many of you have been emailing asking after Huntingdawn 3. After the washout writing-wise that was ‘09, these little emails – even if they are as short as ‘when’s the next one?’ totally, and I mean totally make my day. As a reader I know what it’s like when there is a big gap in a series you like, so I just want to say thankyou for putting up with this slow-arsed writer who is finally getting her act together. I won’t give a timeline (mainly because I do hope to break it) but the 3rd book is being actively worked on, with some thoughts for a story a little outside the main prophecy storyline for a certain pesky jaguar cousin.

Oh and if you hadn’t seen earlier posts Dave (from the Diner) and a new girl to town Betty are the main couple in the next story.

Just stuff / Ranty McRant — 3 Comments
27
Jan 10

And just why does the second husband always die?

Like many of you I trundled along to see one of the big hits of 2009, 2012. (Yes, that does look odd written that way, doesn’t it). And since I’m a great fan of totally ridiculously impossible action-adventure stories featuring feats of magnificence no mere mortal has a hope of reproducing (aka we have no MacGuyver abilities whatsoever) I thought it was pretty good.

But I walked away from the movie with one big disappointment.

Why-oh-why did the nice, turned-out-to-be-quite-the-hero second husband have to die? It would have been rather refreshing to have a story where for once the poor second husband didn’t get gypped for taking on the first marriage baggage and making it work anyway.

Maybe I’m projecting too much reality into my movie watching desires, after all the amount of divorces that end up in a remarriage are rather slim. I would very much believe a ‘we’ve been able to become friends again’ scenario though.

Especially in 2012, as husband #2 might have been a little bit of a milquetoast safe-bet of a partner after the ups and downs of husband #1, but he stepped up to the plate when push came to shove to save the ones he loved (and some he didn’t). In fact, the story hinges on husband #2’s abilities to be able to fly a plane; yet die—and pretty dramatically—he does.

Do scriptwriters think it’s impossible for viewers to expand their view to encompass an ending where marriage #2 is a winner? Do they think all divorced people are secretly still moping over partner #1?

And why is this the polar reverse to Romanceland?

In Romances it’s traditionally the other way around. The first husband dies (sometimes of a banal reason like she was married off to an old codger and his heart gave out; others because they deserved it for their violent behaviour/actions) leaving the floor clear for that first young love to come back and take his rightful place. It’s not a commonly found story where the heroine was quite happy with marriage #1 and looks back with fondness, love and heartache at having lost their first husband.

Movies often have marriage #2 only exist until partner #1 pulls their head out of their arse, Romance has #1 existing only as a placeholder (and giver of angst/drama) until husband #2 comes along to save the day. I wonder why such different points of view about marriage (and subsequent divorce) #1 from movies to romance reading?

Just stuff — 1 Comment
27
Jan 10

Tough stuff this balancing act

Coming down sick has really screwed over this weeks plans :( So much for uber organised Anne this week.

Just stuff / news — No Comments
24
Jan 10

Acronyms Ahoy!

The husband told me that 2010 would be the year I’d have to move from being a S/WAHM back to a WOHM, unless I had a book hidden away that came with a ‘very nice deal’ advance attached to it. Alas, that ‘very nice deal’ wasn’t even a sparkle in this authors eye, so it was looking for jobs for me.

Frankly, I’d not thought to find something as fast as I did – I sent out a resume on Monday, heard from an employer Wednesday, and by Friday I had a job offer in hand. It seems I was just the right person in the right place at the right time, WAHOO! Well, wahoo kinda…

I’d worked right trough my 99/00 pregnancy, then after a few months off had gone back to work again, but then in Sept 2001 we came to the USA. While my husband had a valid visa for work, I didn’t so I became an enforced SAHM. And that way I stayed until Jan 2010. Eight long years out of the workforce, so it was a little nerve wracking to know that in just two days I’d be back amongst the working again.

That first half a week? OMG what a killer – I was in bed and deep asleep by 9pm each night. Last week at least I managed to get all the way through Castle on Monday and Fringe on Thursday :) Forget about housework… and writing.

This week though I have grand plans of being a together and with-it WOHM. At least an hour each night dedicated to writing – more if I’m not having to prop my eyes open with toothpicks.

It sounds sad to say it, but it’s taking some work to get back to being a normal working person – you know the one that doesn’t fall face first into her bed when she gets home, but first makes dinner, catches a tv show, does some craft/oddjobs (in my instance, filling orders from Anne’s Addictions), and puts some time in on her hobby before heading for some well earned zzz.

I used to be able to, hopefully it won’t take too much longer to get back into the habit ’cause I’ve got stories to get written!

(PS. For the acronym impaired: SAHM – stay at home mother, WAHM – work at home mother, WOHM work out of home mother)

(PPS. I’m back working in an Optometry Practice – oh my, how insurance makes things sooo different)

(PPPS. Nice deal $1 – $49,000, very nice deal $50,000 – $99,000, good deal $100,000 – $250,000, significant deal $251,000 – $499,000, major deal $500,000 and up)

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