October 27, 2010

Things, They are a'Changing.

Well, looks like my worries have paid off, so to speak. I'll be moving back to the "hole", in the dark, away from the big, sunny windows at the front counter. My manager informed me today that beginning on Monday I'll move back to the classified department and my partner, Amy will be manning the front counter all by herself.

I'm not happy about the change, but at least there are some good things in it for me. Like, I can focus more on my incoming calls and hopefully make goal more often which means more money for me. Then there are the not so good things like I still have to take care of any walk-in customers, only now I have to walk in from the other room, take the customer back to my desk & enter their ad, then walk them back up front to pay for it. Makes no sense to me, but I'm just a peon so my opinion doesn't count.

Now, Amy, on the other hand, has nothing good to come of the whole situation. She'll be taking care of all customer who walk in the door, with no help from anyone. Security is usually gone a good bit of the day making rounds or whatever so anyone who comes through the front door would have to be taken care of by Amy. That means anyone. Even the weirdos and crazies. I feel bad for her and wish I could do something but of course that's not possible.

Why do the "powers that be" make decisions that affect the people who do the work, without knowing exactly how that person will be affected?

October 20, 2010

Happy Birthday, Josh

Twenty years ago today I gave birth to my middle child by C-section. The little squirt couldn't wait and had to come six weeks early, weighing a whopping 5 lbs & 2 oz. His lungs weren't fully developed and they told me he might not make it. But before the nurse took him away she let me touch him in his little incubator and asked me his name. Since he was so early we didn't have a name picked out so I'm not sure where I came up with it, but there it was. And so he became my little Osh Kosh B-Josh. He was flown to Little Rock because the hospital couldn't handle high risk births and spent 31 days in the hospital, the first couple of weeks on a respirator to help him breathe. He was a tough little thing even then and fought each day to get stronger.

Now 20 years later he's still going strong. He's not afraid of anything and has broken bones and scars to prove it. LOL I'm proud of the way he turned out and I know he'll continue to make me proud.

Happy Birthday, Joshie!!

October 18, 2010

Book-in-a-Day

Deb Dixon was awesome on Saturday. Her Book-in-a-Day workshop is based on her book GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict; The Building Blocks of Good Fiction and I learned tons of stuff that I can use to help bring out the hero of my WIP. Deb is funny, smart and knows what she's talking about. If you ever get a chance to go to one of her workshops, don't miss it. I guarantee you'll find something you can use. And you'll have a great time.

October 14, 2010

SFoB Was A Hit!!

The Southern Festival of Books was awesome last weekend!

Saturday I attended a panel called "Seduced, Tangled and Corrupted: Three Mysteries" with J.T. Ellison, Libby Fisher Hellmann, Erica Spindler. These women were great. I've ready all of J.T's books and loved them. I got a copy of Erica's book "Blood Vines" and can't wait to get started on that one. They were all wonderful speakers, funny & witty, and I enjoyed the session very much.

After this session I attended "Spies on Both Sides: True Stories of Civil War Spies" with Gail Jarrow & Camilla Wilson. I guess I expected this one to be more than it was. The spies they discussed were ones I'd read about in other books and there was nothing new to add. The topic was one I'm interested in but the presentation was a bit on the boring side.

Sunday was the MCRW panel. These women are a great bunch and I'm glad to be a part of their group. "Cops, Kilts and Vampires: The Many Faces of Romance" with Trish Milburn, Jennie Bentley, Ramona Richards, Annie Solomon, Jody Wallace, and Beth Pattillo was an awesome session. I bought a book by each and got the ladies to sign them for me. Now my TBR pile is higher than it's been in a while and I'm loving it. Can't wait to get through them all.

Next year's Southern Festival of Books can't get here soon enough for me! But in the meantime I've got Book-In-A-Day with Deb Dixon this weekend. How exciting!!

October 07, 2010

Southern Festival of Books

This weekend is the Southern Festival of Books in Downtown Nashville. Over two hundred authors will be available for booksignings, panel discussions, readings and more. If you're in town this weekend, drop by.

Music City Romance Writers, the local chapter of Romance Writer's of America, is hosting a panel titled "Cops, Kilts and Vampires: The Many Faces of Romance". The panel runs Sunday, October 10th from 12 Noon to 2 p.m. It's sure to be a great discussion and I can't wait to hear what these awesome ladies have to say. Join us. You'll love it!

October 03, 2010

Poisoned Kisses


He can wear the face of anyone who has ever hurt him...

This former soldier-turned-gun-runner thinks his true identity is safe, but a mysterious woman is about to force him to face the tragic past he thought he left behind.

She can disguise herself as the only woman he's ever loved...

It's not easy to be a Daddy's Girl when your father is Ares, Greek God of War. To thwart her father and all those who serve him, Kyra intends to assassinate a modern day hydra. To kill him, she needs to seduce him, but Marco Kaisaris isn't the monster she thinks he is--and even if he doesn't break her heart, he may still be the death of her.

Can they see past each other's masks to find a love that's more than skin deep?

October 01, 2010

Lois McCollough McDaniel

This past Sunday my very best friend got a phone call that changed her life forever. Her mother passed away. She wasn't sick with any kind of terminal illness. She didn't have a known heart condition. She simply woke up one morning, got out of bed to get the paper from the porch, came back inside and died of a heart attack (according to the coronor's office without benefit of an autopsy).

When I was five years old I met Tammy, who turned out to be the best friend anyone could ever have. Her mother Lois and my mother were friends and I considered Lois my second mother all through our teenage years. I didn't see her much once I got married and moved away from our small town, but I knew everything about her from Tammy. She was a good woman who loved her children even if she didn't know how to express it the way she wanted to.

Tammy loved her mother with all her heart and will miss her deeply. And so will everyone who knew her. RIP Lois McCollough McDaniel.

Let not your heart be troubled.
Let not your soul despair,
For I am in God's keeping,
His arms surround me there.

My troubles now have eased their hold,
My pains no longer mine,
For God my master's face I see
His light for me does shine.

Dry your tears and smile for me.
I watch you from above,
And know dear ones that all is well.
I live now in God's love.