El Segundo Author Fair  

Well I just got an e-mail from my editor and she has finished with book 2 - A Commitment to Murder. Now I just have to go into the file and make the recommended changes. She's all ready for number three! Thanks a billion to Cynthia for all her hard work and dedication. She edited the manuscript while working on her doctorate.

Check out my pictures page and see the graduation shot for my daughter. Lessa graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor's in Sociology June 16th. She will be starting her Masters in Library and Information Science this fall at UCLA. That will be after her wedding in August. Look for those candid wedding shots then.

I got the promotion at work, so now am back to doing what I love to do! That will be board approved in July. I need to write in the worst way. But now that I have editing to do, it will have to wait just a little longer. For all of you who are waiting on the second installment of Lydia and Company - It's on its way!!!!

Okay so my husband gets himself a MySpace space. He HAD to become a member of it...now the rest of the family is trying to talk me into it. I'm like - guys - I can barely remember to blog half the time, how the heck do you want me to keep up with another web site? If people really want to communicate with me there is IM, Messenger and my web page for crying out loud! So for now this is my space (all the pun in the world is intended).

So I got the room cleaned and got the DAR scrapbook caught up and then my husband descended with his sewing so I am out again. My laptop is a prisoner of the desk upstairs (I'm using my 7 year old's laptop at the moment). We are off to see Pirates tomorrow night at the El Capitan and the fair people are all dressing up (go figure). There are almost 40 of us. It should be fun. Oh sorry I forgot to explain the sewing--the patterns and material are for a pirate costume for the event. Remember the movie is about Pirates and heaven forbid my family goes in any cheap and tawdry costumes. We'll look like a part of the cast.  

Then Sunday - my birthday - I am spending alone since my spouse has a travel show to attend. I can't get too mad since it always falls on Father's Day and he gets railroaded every year. But one year it would be nice to eat out on my birthday. Since all my children fall right around my BD (no intentional fault of my own - blame it on a higher power) I have never really had one in 22 years. But then I get to celebrate through them - 3 different times. How bad can that be?

Job interview next week and my entire being is in another hemisphere entirely. That event takes place on my son's 17th birthday. What timing? Next week my Fridays off begin and I will write...write...write darn it!!!!!! It's a promise. Since the wedding is right around the corner I need to get in what I can before my laptop is exiled again upstairs amongst patterns, material and hysteria. Maybe I'll remember to rescue it before the wedding.

And what's up with the ants?

Well I was quite honored yesterday when my youngest daughter came home with one of my books. Her teacher ordered it from Amazon and wants me to sign it. We had met last fall, just after it had been released, for a parent-teacher conference and ended up talking about our love of reading and then I shyly mentioned that I had written one. She was so enthusiastic she asked where she could get one. I figured she was like most polite people and was just trying to make me feel good...but darn it if she didn't actually do it! So I need to come up with something clever to write before Monday. She was impressed with the author shot too--especially when my youngest - her student - told her she had taken the picture. 

I am getting ready for the book interview (what else do you call it when a bunch of people have read your book and then ask you questions about it?) at the end of the month, along with wedding activities (not mine - my oldest) and graduations (the oldest again with a Bachelors in Sociology).

So much to do and so little time. And surprisingly I was able to squeeze in some writing time recently. Reading time too. I have gotten 3 read in just the last month...

My present plan is to re-work the "craft" room as it is now called. I finally booted my almost 17 year old (2 weeks) to his room with his X-Box and computer. Now all his smelly socks, dirty dishes and left over food will be in one room. The door remains open at all times (except sleeping - and I trust him on that one) and he is the one who has to deal with the toxic fumes (hmmmm something else to incorporate into my next book -- toxic fumes from a teenager's room). I can then finally scrapbook and sew in clean smelling bliss.

The joys of parenthood...until next time.