Bucket List

There are several items on my Bucket List:

-Travel to Greece

-Travel to Italy

-Travel to Paris

-Spend a week at Disney World

-Spend a day or two at Universal

-Go back to Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Cypress Gardens

-Go back to St. Pete Beach/Treasure Island/Madeira Beach area

-Be a signing author at Penned Con

-Be a signing author at Weekend With The Authors

-Return to Ottawa in the summer (last time was over Christmas 2004 and COLD!)

Anyone seeing a THEME?

In short, TRAVEL is on my bucket list!

Non-travel items would simply be to fix up my current house; get my Brown House emptied and my office set up; and my Green House torn down.

What About You?  What’s on YOUR Bucket List?

I’m off to Heroes For Kids Con this weekend in Perrysville, MO!  Friday night has a Meet-n-Greet at Villianous Grounds, then Saturday is the convention.  I think I’m going to see how sales go before I decide whether or not to check out and drive home Sat, or spend another night in the hotel.  Expenses are tight, since I spent a little too much at the fair last week, and wasted $24 on a meal that wasn’t appetizing.

I’ll post some pics next week, since this post is a little long.  Have a great weekend!

“Psst….Here’s My Life Story!” #MFRWAuthors #29

One day I was minding my own business, in that dreamless area between sleep and consciousness, when I became aware of a rather angry gentleman expressing his unhappiness with our current economy, the government, his current circumstances, and how he planned to make a statement.  Then he repeated it.

The third time I repeated his story, I got up and wrote it down……and he ‘left’.  So now I have this angry, three page mantra….now what do I do?

Take it to my writer’s group and see if anyone else can make sense of it.

One guy piped up, “Oh , I sooo see zombies in the next scene!”

Ummmmm….I’m neither a horror writer, nor do I write zombies!  I put it away.

Flash-forward a year or two, when I’m sucked into Season #2 of The Walking Dead.  After a couple of episodes, I remembered that Angry Man story, and it has evolved into a twisted saga that I’m still trying to make sense of!

Status:  Unfinished

A few months ago, I was sitting in church, and for whatever reason, looked up at Fr. Dave, who had a strange expression on his face.  The thought popped into my head, “What if a pastor/priest could see the auras of his congregants, and could tell who was pious and who was not?”

Suddenly, a little boy decided to enter my head and tell me how it all began!

Status:  Unfinished

More recently, a vendor’s attitude at the Indianapolis Christmas Toy and Hobby Show upset me so much, I decided to make him the focus of a short story, in which I’d hurt him slowly and painfully.  What evolved turned out to be the 3rd story in my time-travel trilogy, where an interesting twist to ‘Uncle Charles’ is revealed.

Status:  Complete, but now have to finish the SECOND story in that saga!

My point is, inspiration hits anywhere.  People watching, dreams, wondering ‘what if’.

And yes, I hear voices in my head.  Not the sadistic kind, just the ones who want me to write down their life stories!

What About You?

I’m off to my 35th Class Reunion this weekend!  Where, coincidentally, classmates tossed ideas to me at the 25th, and ‘Class Reunion’ was born four months later.  Also at the 30th, a classmate came up and suggested not only a character name, but a title.  Six months later, ‘Kira’s Slice of Pizza’ was born.  Wonder if anyone will have plot suggestions after they’ve been into the alcohol this time?

I also plan to visit the 4-H fair on Sunday:)

Have a great weekend!

“My Name Is Amy, Keri, Gretchen, Tammy, Courtney…” #MFRWAuthors #28

“Hello, my name is Amy, which is my author’s favorite name.  I also tell a fictionalized story of the author’s tumultuous 8 years she was in love with a man in the AF.”

“Hi, I’m Keri, and I represent the author’s love of the Indy 500 and also her relationship with three men in her past.”

“Greetings!  My name is Gretchen and my story is the fictionalized version of showing how a strong woman can get sucked into the trap of emotional abuse.”

“Hello, my name is Tammy and my story was inspired by a man my author met at baseball practice and ‘what if’ she was single instead of Very Married?”

“Hi, I’m Courtney, and several of the experiences I relate at the country club actually happened to my author.”

Get the picture?  There are several aspects of ‘me’ in nearly everything I write.  When we as authors put a little bit of ourselves in the story, it helps the reader relate better to the main characters…..at least that’s the way I see it.  When I’m reading a book, I like to imagine myself as the main character, or at least A character in the book.

So  my initial response to the question of putting oneself in our books was, ‘Doesn’t everyone?’

To see if everyone shares my view, or to express your own, go here.

I actually have an ‘off’ weekend!  I plan to veg out on the couch with my cross-stitch and do absolutely NOTHING this weekend.  Trying to finish great-grandson Phoenix’s baby quilt (he turns 1 on Sunday), and while I won’t have it finished by then, I’m hoping to get it finished by his mommy’s 18th birthday next month!

Want to see some hilarious pics of InConJunction Convention?  Keep scrolling!

The Scooby Gang aka The Shake Ups entertained us all weekend:)

 

The ‘Fun Police’ posted various flyers around!  I’ve posted a few more, so keep scrolling!

 

Me, in a full corset.  I look so skinny!

(Next pic):Me, in the under corset:  I look like a bar wench, lol!  Not sure why I can’t post this under the pic….

Don’t you find these funny?

 

LOVE this final one!!!

Dress For Success! #MFRWAuthors #27

This week’s post is going to be short and sweet, concerning the topic of dressing up.  Is it a chore?  Is it a pleasure?

These days, it’s a pleasure, since I’ve spent the past twenty-eight years in jeans, leggings, and T-shirts.  I used to only get dressed up on Sundays or holidays.  But now, I get to make myself look pretty when I have a signing, or attending a Con.

Since I’ve got this damn heel spur, I can’t wear pretty shoes, but I decided I’m starting a new trend:  Wearing nice jeggings/capris (depending on the temperature!) with a nice top, makeup, and tennis shoes.  I wasn’t able to wear my nice riding boots last winter, due to the ankle brace, but now that I have my new orthotics, I might be able to slip them into my boots next winter!  So no sandals for me this summer.

If we’re talking ‘dressing up’ meaning Cosplaying, the only time I do this is at Halloween, but I’ve considered adding a Fae outfit to my wardrobe, since my Time Travel story will be out sometime next year.  What kind of outfit is unknown at this time.  I do enjoy taking pictures of everyone else’s costumes!  My fear is showing up and being the only one dressed as a character.  Last year, I’d planned to dress as Daenarys Targarian, but by the time of the costume party, my energy was zapped.  So maybe next year?

What about You?

Orthotic Update:

They are here, as mentioned above, but I can only wear them for an hour or so at a time, until my arches get used to them.  I’m up to 90 minutes; hopefully next week I’ll be able to wear them for half a shift.  I go back to the ortho dr at the end of August, but for now, I’m not limping and pain is at a TWO, compared to the Level 7 when I limped into be fitted!

I’m off to the InConJunction Convention in Indianapolis this weekend!  Last year was my 1st time, and was thrilled to sell 8 books.  I have my own table this year (last year was with my publisher, meaning I could only sell my one book at that table, but a fellow author had space on her table for my others!), so hoping to do as well, if not better!

Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend and Happy 25th Birthday to my daughter Sara!  (July 3rd)