The Un-glamourous Life*

Can it really be the start of autumn already? Just seconds ago, I swear I was in a fabu dress at the ill-fated GH/Rita ceremony, ready for my close-up.

Hmm, signs that it's now the end of September:

1) Gained back the few pounds I lost leading up to RWA Nationals.
Not that I'm one of those who obsess about my weight, but hey -- I drank mega watermelon-smoothies during the month of July to look good. Now, all the cute stuff I bought for the trip has, um, shrunk in the wash... Stupid hot water detergent.

2) The apples are ready on our trees.
Yeah, so I don't can green beans, but I do make a kick-ass apple pie. Already baked my first one. Of course, my health-conscious DH has only had one slice. So... yeah, see number one above about the laundry problems.

3) School is back in session.
Love this one. Can't count the number of hugs I received my first day back teaching at the elementary. The kids have evolved so much over the summer -- especially the first graders now going into second. Huge.

4) The Pink Salmon are in.
Couple this with my DH's revamped website and our phone is ringing off the hook. Am forced to be nice and answer many, many, many fishing questions in the middle of writing intense YA scenes.

5) The Golden Heart application is in RWR.
Ack. Am still trying to decide if I'll enter again (probably will). Pushing ahead on my WIP so it will be ready in time.

Would love to do the Stiletto, too. But, I feel compelled to focus on my writing right now, so I may let that one slide by me. Still remember my odd conversations with Diana P. last year when she called to tell me I was a Stiletto finalist. I was like, "About time you called me. I was thinking something was off with the universe." Gah.

That kind of belief is a little scary. I really thought that my MS was the best I had ever written. But then, I didn't win the Stiletto and I was pretty crushed. Had to talk myself out of my dark, dark place. Then I got the call from Nikki B. telling me I was a GH finalist and I was rockin' again. This really is an up and down business. We emotional types get sucked into the drama big time.

I guess what I learned was to pull back and not get too invested in things. But, getting emotionally invested is what also makes me a good writer. It's that "heroic flaw" thing you always read about in books on writing. I so have that.

6) Good TV returns. Everyone is blogging about this. So, I'll add that good movies return to the theaters in the annual race to the Oscar deadline. Love the movies. Had originally wanted to be a screenwriter. (Took Syd Field's Screenplay with me on my H.S. graduation trip to Hawaii.) Funny how I'm right back where I started and frequently use that book during plotting snafus.

Okay, so I've rambled on. It's time to get back to my YA before the phone rings with some life-or-death fishing question. Batman has the batphone, right? So I guess we have the fishphone. Lovely.

HK

*With all apologies to Sheila E.