Happy, Happy, Happy

It's the time of the month when I update this blog. And for those that still check in regularly I have great news-I've finished revising my wip and have finally gotten to the query stage of my writing career. The Schoolmarm's Seduction is now sitting in several agent's inboxes. Yay! Time to saddle up and move on to the next story.

What I've Been Reading

Reading was slow this month as I put myself on a deadline and meant to keep it come Hell or high water. I've only managed to read three new books. The husband and I each went and picked out a new book by our favorite authors, but I ran across a new hardback by another fave and hubby let me slip it in. The hardback I picked up was Odd Hours by Dean Koontz. This was another great installment to the Odd Thomas saga, which I am a rabid fan of. For those that read it, I like the new addition of Ole Blue Eyes in this book and his turn as a poltergeist. Great scene. I can't wait to see what Odd and Frank are up against next.

I also picked up Suzanne Enoch's After the Kiss. (Sigh), I just love Suzanne Enoch's books. She always packs so much into each book, I find that I can't put them down until I've read every word, and I usually end up re-reading them to death. I really liked Sullivan Waring and the angst he goes through to embarrass his father and half-brother. And Lady Isabel may be my favorite Enoch heroine to date. She starts out blackmailing Sullivan, simply because she can. That is so realistic. First she gets curious, and then she gets infatuated. And finally she falls in love with the most unlikely man-the thief who broke into her home! It's a great book and I highly recommend it.

The last book is my hubby's pick. It is so funny to see my big macho hubby so excited over a romance book that he tracks down an employee of the book store and demands to know why the book wasn't on the shelf! He informs her that he receives the authors newsletter and he knows that today is the release date. The girl, she was a young teenage girl, keeps looking at him like he is pulling a joke on her and looking around for the camera crew. Finally, I tell her the name of the book, Into the Shadow by Christina Dodd, and she goes and looks for it. She comes back with the book and my dearest practically tackles the girl to snatch it out of her hand! I swiped the book from him one evening and read it. I could have waited but it takes him a while to read a book and I enjoy the taunting factor too much to pass up the opportunity. Yeah, we're like that. It's another good read. I'm not too much into the paranormals, but I really enjoyed it.

I tackled my synopsis and am happy to report that it didn't kill me like I feared it would. I couldn't manage to get it any lower than four pages and still make it interesting and informative. I hope the agents understand. I need to give shout outs to Gillian and Erin for all of their help with the synopsis and query letter. I tell you guys, my critique partners are the best! They're always willing to help and hold my hand when nerves attack. I don't know what I'd do without them.

Congratulations must be sent to my other critique partner, Louisa Cornell, who has also finished her revisions and started on the great agent search. I know she'll have an agent soon.

Hubby bought a new car. It's a really bright red Impala SS and it came with a curse. That's right. Curse. Everytime I drive that thing I get stuck in a storm. EVERYTIME! I have managed to dodge tree limbs, saved it's hydroplaning rearend from crashing, and had to sit through a hailstorm while my teenage son practically cried over the damage that he was sure I was inflicting on it. Those were all on different days, by the way. This has been the wettest summer that I can remember.

I've been hearing the plaintive cries that every mother or caregiver dreads during summer vacation. 'I'm Bored!' My youngest is the worse. It is so hard to keep a hyperactive seven year old occupied. He discovered his older brother's X-Box and I've had a time keeping him from spending all day in front of it. I told him today to go outside and play in the sun a while. After a five second trip to the front porch, he came back in complaining that it was HOT outside. Imagine that. A trip to the craft store is necessary, it seems.

Well, faithful readers, how goes your summer so far? Anyone else hearing the dreaded howl of bored children? Anyone else wrap up revisions and launch their baby out into the cold cruel world?

I am off to start a new story.