LaserQuest

Looks like I'm off to play lasertag this weekend with a bunch of cool teenagers. Yes, I know, I'll totally kick their butt because that's what us older, creakier boned folks do--what??? You're not buying this? Alas, you're probably right. I'll likely get my patootie tagged quite often. My son #2 asked for a LaserQuest adventure as his birthday party, so that's why we're headed that direction. Actually, I think it'll be lots of fun.

I worked on Medical #3 again today. This book is giving me fits. I wrote both of the first two medicals in right at a month. A month has come and gone and this books isn't 1.) finished 2.) right as far as characterization and GMC and such. It's driving me batty. I have 208 pages written, which should be done, right???? But I'll end up cutting about 40 pages from this book which is huge cuts for me. :( Still, I know it needs it so I'd rather make the revisions and feel like I have it right prior to sending it to my editor and having her know what a crappy first draft I wrote this time around. Actually, the problem with this book is that I made my heroine too agressive. BIG SURPRISE, huh? For the Medical line I just don't get the impression this would work and because a lot of the plot seemed to hinge around her personality, when I change that, a lot of the scenes have to be rewritten. But finally after working on it today I have a clear picture in my head on where I need to go with it and how to keep the emotional punch high. These books are very emotional. Whereas JANE MILLIONAIRE was fun and light and sassy, my medicals are boohoo books. Okay, so that's what my first agent called the books I write that make people cry. They're supposed to be deeply emotional so that they touch your heart. I feel like I accomplished that with the first two, and after today, the foundation is in place for doing that with medical #3. If I don't injure myself playing lasertag on Saturday, I should finish this one within the next week. Yea!!!!

I plan to jump into some single title ideas I have once I get medical #3 off to my editor. So, basically, I had a good writing day although admittedly not enough time to write as much as I'd like. ((Breakfast with the parents, grocery shopping, running errands, lunch with parents & sister, taxi service for kids, dinner with hubby & kids, movie with hubby, gee, it's a wonder I got any writing done at all come to think of it. ;) ))

Uhm...wonder if Matthew likes Lasertag??? I'm thinking my aim might drastically improve if he was my target. I mean, that would be an excuse to keep him in my sights, right?

More Westwood Play Pictures

I sat in the back of the auditorium last night so that my tripod wouldn't bother anyone & I could keep an eye on it. Tonight I sat in the front row so I could get some good still pictures. They're definitely much, much better! The play was awesome and the kids did great.


Baker Pierre explains to the King that the cream puff cookbook sprouted legs and walked away (the cookbook was cursed by the Witch of All Witches).

Baker Pierre tells the King the secret ingredients of the cream puffs--cream & puffs.


After being ordered to take the cream puffs apart crumb by crumb with the help of the Herald, Baker Pierre is "pooped" & so is the Herald. They reportedly examined each and every crumb and deduced that the cream puffs are made up of "millions and millions of crumbs".


After the King's daughter rescues the cream puff recipe for the Witch of All Witches, Baker Pierre makes a new batch of cream puffs. They are superb. The lightest, most wonderful he's ever made (0f note, Baker Pierre & the King really did bake the cream puffs--yes, I am impressed by this and feel it deserves a second mention. ;) )


After the Witch of All Witches succumbs to the cursed cream puff, Baker Pierre hauls her off to the dungeon.


The Witch of All Witches little sister (who saved the princess from a poisonous concotion the WoAW tried to destroy her with) is dubbed the new Witch of All Witches.


The Page who wants to marry the princess is really a prince who wandered off in the forest at 2 yrs old. The new WoAW recognizes him.


The WoAW asks for the princess's former fiance so he can feed her bats. The king gives him to her. :)

Baker Pierre & the King enjoy a cream puff (that they baked themselves--yes, this impresses me. I've never made a cream puff before, but now that my son knows how... ;) ) And this is the end of the play. :) (And for all you writers out there, I basically just wrote a short synopsis of the play).


"Baker Pierre" presents Mrs. Robbins & Mrs. Wainwright with bouquets of roses.


The King presents Mr. Matthews with a cream puff.


Baker Pierre with 'his girls'.

Westwood Play

My son played the role of a baker in the school play tonight, The King's Creampuffs. They have a 2nd performance tomorrow night. He was awesome. Actually all the kids did a great, great job. Here's some pictures. :)

So very proud of them all, but particularly my Jessie! And for the record, he and the King really did bake the cream puffs prior to the play. :)

Romantic Weekend Get-away

Superman took me to the Opryland Hotel again this weekend. What an experience! I don't know exactly what he did but we got the royal treatment. The service was impeccable. From the time we checked in and they asked us if we'd like something to drink! to when we left our room that evening to go to dinner and came back to find they'd re-straightened the room while we were out, right down to opening the soaps and placing them in the dishes. We ate at the Old Hickory Steakhouse. Way too expensive for me to ever choose to eat there again, but again, the service was flawless. Superman's steak was really good and my smoked salmon was, too, but honestly when I get served a salad I just want a good old fashioned salad. Superman's came out as a 6th of a wedge of lettuce with some dressing and bacon sprinkled on the side. Mine was sun-dried tomatoes mixed with feta cheese & something else that I don't recall, with lettuce & potatoe sprigs on top with dressing to the side. Not that it was bad (although I don't particularly like sun-dried tomatoes--give me a juicy, home-grown one any day!), but it just wasn't my ideal salad. Country girl, I know.

The next day we went to the Guitar Center and bought my youngest son an acoustic Fender guitar. He was totally ecstatic when we gave it to him. It was a belated birthday gift that he knew was coming, just didn't know what. So cute to watch him play.

Superman and I also went to REI to check out the backpacking stuff, then on to the bookstore. That particular Borders had one copy of JANE MILLIONAIRE in stock. Still gives me a thrill to see a book I wrote on a bookstore shelf. I doubt that joy will ever cease because it just seems such a miracle.

My pal Tawny sent this photo to me--such a good friend!!! I'm not to sure she was impressed with his sense of fashion, but I, of course, think he's adorable. Oh, the tatoo on the arm is a fake for his up-coming surfer movie. Thank goodness because I'd hate the thought of him marring that bod!