Catching a Lifeline and Just Catching Up

I have been writing The Bad Death like my head's on fire. That's why I haven't been blogging. I had the antebellum, interracial vampire slayer novel slated for publication this summer, but my imagination had other plans, so all I can say is -- folks, it's gonna be great! Not only is the novel taking off, I feel refreshed and excited about the year ahead as a new philosophy and new goals take shape. This sea change went from a ripple to a surfable wave on a recent business trip to Colorado Springs.

At the time I felt my Firm had misfired by sending me. I was unfamiliar with the client's methods and jargon. I tried hard to contribute but ended each day feeling that I'd failed. I went to bed every night expecting the next day to be worse in unimaginably horrible ways. The Bargain Books Warehouse in downtown Colorado Springs turned out to be a lifeline.

I've always believed in the power of cats to bring luck and healing. Sure enough, this little lady named Pages walked across the paperbacks to say hello. After that I found an old hard copy of Dale Carnegie's How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. I read the first three chapters that night. Its plain-speaking and practical advice turned the trip around for me.

Near the end of my two-week stay, I'd created the structure our group needed to build the products we intended. Before flying home, I stopped in Bargain Books Warehouse again and met their other resident cat, Booker.







This time I bought: Henry David Thoreau's Walden, Anna Quindlen's A Short Guide to a Happy Life, Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea, and Anderson Cooper's Dispatches from the Edge. I also bought NPR's Story Corps collection Listening is an Act of Love; a cool, mature romance by Cheryl Reavis titled Blackberry Winter; and Suzanne Finstad's Sleeping with the Devil, a true crime with an inspiring heroine. I flew home with heavier luggage but a lighter heart.

I'll share my insights and opinions of these books in future, but first I'll be guest-posting on M.R. Gott's blog Cutis Anserina. More details on that next week.

Quick Blog Before Dashing to Work

My favorite part in the movie Constantin is when Keanu Reeves' character, John Constantin, asks the Devil something like, "so how are things going?" And Satan shrugs, rolls his eyes, and says, "Oh ...busy, busy, busy!" Ha ha. Yeah, Satan. I know just what you mean.

So among the million things I'm doing, I attended Shelley Hitz's weekly webinar on Facebook marketing. I've learned so many useful things. She offers a free self-publishing checklist at www.selfpub.me/pub-checklist. And you can see her video on the subject here: http://youtu.be/tIkbBNutGzk.

Now, I gotta motor. You know ... "busy, busy, busy!"

Where I've Been

My dog and cat died within the last three weeks. It knocked me down hard. And I'm having a hard time. Magsie, my dog, was with me for 13 years. Boo was with me for 8. Boots is still with me, which is a comfort. I'll show you a picture of my sweet gal. She's very literary, you know. Calls my writing desk her second home.

I have been writing the scene I last described for House of the Apparently Dead. I've brought Julian from being completely undone by the supernatural stuff he saw to being his old Man with a Plan clueless Alpha male self. I'd like Anika and Prince, his valet, to have more influence into his plan. Hopefully, I'll get some inspiration on that. But this is working out nicely because Julian's plan will drive the action for the citizens of Charleston in the next few chapters.

Boots