NaNoWriMo Write-In’s in Pittsboro

Since I’m an adjunct instructor with the Central Carolina Community College Creative Writing Program,
and because I plan to challenge myself next month with NaNoWriMo, I’m excited to announce
there are going to be some write-in’s in Pittsboro!

Want a fun self-challenge that may get you closer to your goal of publishing? Join our NaNoWriMo Write-In’s!

• Kick-Off: Thursday, November 1
• Regular Write-In’s: Mondays & Wednesdays (Nov. 5 – 28)

All Write-In’s at Central Carolina Community College are from 1:00 – 3:00 PM in Room 225 at the Pittsboro Main Campus.

Not familiar with NaNoWriMo?

– – > Read more here: https://nanowrimo.org/about. And here: https://nanowrimo.org/how-it-works.
– – > Or download this flyer!

 

Well, another summer in the books … which means it’s time to go back to college

I made it through another college departure, as our son headed off for his junior year after dinner.  And I didn’t even cry in front of him. much. We did it, I remind myself, as my emotions run the gamut from heartbroken to overjoyed … because all of our hoping, dreaming, planning, and saving have made it possible for him to return for another year to university, to pursue the things that most interest him, and will help build the man he is to become. But I’m sad … now it’s just me and Steve. Well, and my husband (who’s way better than Steve). Summertime is the best because we get in so much adventuring and dreaming and all the stuff. Sigh. Good luck to all the college-bound kids out there, and good luck to all their parents. You did it, even though it breaks your heart to know the future is just that much closer. If I close my eyes, I can still feel his little heart beat against my chest.

We adventured in Colorado this summer.

Romantic inclinations

I was excited to go to the Romance Writers of America national conference in Denver last week. Not only did I get some great insight on plotting (which my poor TBI brain needs to learn … pantsing isn’t doing it for me lately), but I got a hot jolt of inspiration and rejuvenation! I got to see some of my favorite writer pals, and best of all, our son traveled with me to do a little adventuring. What a week!

I’m trying to learn to reform my pantser tendencies. It isn’t easy.

Sarra Cannon

Rachel Grant

Kerry Adrienne

Rebecca Zanetti

Mandy Lawler, who’s also a Contributor with me for USA Today’s Happy Ever After!

Twenty-Four!

Today, my husband and I are celebrating our 24th anniversary. Wahoo!

 

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Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey are divided into 24 sections. There are 24 letters in the Greek alphabet. Twenty-four is the number of carats in pure gold. And 24 is the number of hours in a day that I love, with all my heart, my soul mate.

 

Doodles

I was a military brat until elementary school, when my parents divorced, and my mom and I put down roots. After college, and marriage and having our son, we moved into a small town in North Carolina where we put down more roots. We lived there for 19 years–the longest I’ve lived in one place. When we moved to our new house out in the meadow last summer, I did not enjoy the moving process. Selling and building a house: yes. Packing up our shit and then unpacking it: no.

One highlight was the bookshelves. I got in the habit of tucking important things in between books at random. Handwritten notes, letters to Santa, cards, photographs, playbills, admission tickets to the ballet I wrote … things like that. I also maintain a notebook for everything. I got in the habit of that years ago. I like a basic Mead 3-ring binder; nothing fancy or leather. To my delight, I discovered our son is a doodler, like me. I was getting my notebook cleaned organized so I can keep track of my WIPs, and ran across this doodle–one of my favorites. Think I’ll shake out the shelves, so to speak, to see what fun stuff I can find. Stay tuned!

New Year, New Opportunity!

It’s exciting to have made another lap around the sun. The new year, for me, is lining up to be pretty exciting. Beginning today, I’ll be blogging with USA Today’s Happy Ever After community, making recommendations for my favorite romantic suspense books!

Check it out when you get a chance … I’ll be posting on Thursdays.

• January 2, 2018 : Must-read 2017 RS: Don’t miss books by Marie Force, Tara Wyatt, Rachel Grant,
  Monica McCarty, Rebecca Zanetti, and Katee Robert

Happy New Year, y’all!

Putting it all together

The continuing education creative writing adjunct instructors at Central Carolina Community College were asked to provide bios and headshots, and images of their book covers for the upcoming Carolina Women’s Show. My mom loves stuff like this, so we’ll most likely swing through. It’s kind of cool to see all of seven of my book covers put together. It reminds me that my TBI is nothing but a blip in my career, a five-year hiatus seasoning my imagination so my forthcoming books will be even more exciting. Onward and upward!

New semester, new venue!

I’m excited that my Business of Writing for Children class took this semester at Central Carolina Community College. It’s fun to be at a new school, in a new county, in our new community. Fresh faces smiled back at me last night as we kicked off what promises to be an interesting couple of weeks.