Faith's Enclave News

trip thoughts

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:01:38 GMT

As I plan for my trip across the midwest, all the way to the lower Rockies, I've had a few thoughts. So, randomly....

1. The price of gas in an RV will totally suck. Don't ask the MPG. I won't tell. Except to say it'll cost us 5 bucks to get out of town.

2. I have lots of cute summer clothes to wear. But that means I have to lug them to the RV. And -- drumroll -- I've lost 5 of the 15 pounds I gained and I look better in the clothes.

3. Dinkums is become much more demanding. Whining for attention -- which he is getting BTW. Barking when he is ready to eat or when I run up stairs for a sceond. (He now thinks he should come with me everywhere.) I wonder how he will handle the trip as a solo dog.

4. Delta will not be with us on this trip. She used to lay on the dash, watching the world go by, barking at cows. She knew we didn't like her to bark. So, she taught herself to *silent bark*. She would make the barking motions, but no sound would come out. And... Delta will not be with us. No dash-dog...

5. Mom is better, finally. Whoowhoo! I feel I can leave safely, with her getting well.

6. All the deadlines (including the 2 I didn't remember I'd have. Oiy) will be finished today. I can really relax and write if I get in the mood, laptop propped on my lap in the passenger seat, watching the world go by.

7. Still need to go to the bookstore and WalMart for trip supplies.

8. Need money. Here's hoping a writing check will come this week. I have three due, but they usually take forever, you know?

9. Painted the livingroom. It is so pretty I want to sit in there and enjoy. Instead I'm taking off. The house sitter will like it, I suppose.

10. Hummm. This is why I didn't make this the top ten of anything. I don't have a number 10.

Random thoughts done. Back to deadlines

Faith

vacation...

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:00:36 GMT

Top Ten Things to DO on Vacation

1. Sleep (OMG, no alarm clocks. YES!)

2. Read books (note to self, go buy books)

3. See part of country I never saw before (Never drove past the Mississippi. Looking forward the Ozarks and Rockies.)

4. Find new states to see and hunt up new rivers to run (I am so excited about taking some new, scenic rivers. Hubby has been investigating which ones look good and which route we'll travel. I love Tennessee, but, been there. Want to see something different.)

5. Run LOTS of rivers (Whoowhoowhoowhoo!!!)

6. Pick a river to set next book on (Part of tax deduction purposes)

7. Go to WorldCon in Denver : SiFi / Fantasy conference (Second part of tax deduction. I have 4 panels and a writing seminar if they remembered to get the seminar on the schedule)

8. Hike some rolling hills (I am getting ... um ... soft. Pudgy. Need exercise.)

9. Eat better. No, really. I am going to eat better. I AM! Stop laughing. Oh yeah? Chocolate *is* good for you! It is!

10. Spend time with hubby *not* working. Yeah. Not working. *Not.* Wow.... That sounds so strange....

Faith

magicalwords.net

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:42:28 GMT

I posted today about edits and the biz of writing at
www.magicalwords.net
Faith

pets and a new, sadder, life

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:23:30 GMT

Delta passed away two weeks ago tomorrow. Rod and I are officially a one-dog-family, now. It takes a lot of getting used to. When we took him for his walk, a neighbor asked where the other little dog was. I explained, and he was sooo sad. It was sweet. And as we walked away he said, "She was so pretty." And I burst into tears.

Sorta spoiled our walk as I boo-hooed. I'm better now. And yes, Delta was so pretty. And sweet. And loyal. I am honored to have had her in my life.

Dinkums, who was Delta's pup, has never been alone in his life. Until now. This weekend, he got depressed with Rod and me both gone and at work. He is lonely, a bit confused, and seeking attention. Today he got a haircut.

Most Pom owners don't get their dogs clipped, because part of the joy of Pom ownership is the long, puffy, fluffy, flowing coat. However, Dinkums, a diabetic with hypothyroidism, gets heat stroke, and so we clip him. Today he got hsi summer clip and he is so happy! He looks so cute. Adn I am so happy and lucky to have him!

Almost done on the rewrite... It has taken 4 weeks longer than I expected, what with Mom in hospital and now with a raging UTI, and with Delta dying. But the words are getting done. And I am getting used to my new life.

Faith

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:34:51 GMT

Lunch today with Tamar Myers was so much fun. We chatted for 90 minutes, and compared notes on the pub industry from a mystery genre standpoint (which is very different from the fantasy genre). It is changing all the time and the shifts in the market make writing mystery like walking on quicksand.

Tamar had just returned from Isreal, and she brought me a 2000 year old Roman shirt (toga?) clasp. I am going to make a killer necklace out of it!

More later,
Faith

entropy

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:55:45 GMT

Entropy is what life is not. Living, real living, is fear and uncertanity and growth and change. Real living is lessons learned the hard way. Love lost. Birth and death. All that, "there is a time for..." crap.

I know all that on a mental level, but on an emotional level, I disagree. On an emotional level I want what I want when I want it and I want it to last forever. So sue me.

Right now, I am in middle of rewrites that I totally hate. I want to throw the book into the garbage. I want to burn it. I want it to be *freaking over with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

The only parts of the week that resonate as good are:
Lunch with Misty Massey.
Tea with Kim Harrrison.
Massage by Diane Stordock.
Yes, I am shamelessly name dropping.

Hmmm.
Okay. All that sounds pretty good. Guess I'll stop whining now.
Faith

X-posted to blogs

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:11:14 GMT

Difficult week.

Mom spent two days in the hospital this week, and what we found is, it isn't her heart. Yippee! But it may be esophageal spams, (kudos to the one who suggested that!) or something wrong with kidney, or something deeply skeletal. So we don't know what the cause of the ongoing pain is, only that is not heart, which is great! She came home from hospital last night to sleep in her own bed.

But many of you know that I have beloved dogs, older and so very loved.
Delta died last night when I walked in the door from Mom's bedside. She had curled up under Ren/Rod's hand for attention for 2 hours, and he knew something was wrong.
This take charge dog, who loved so very deeply, waited for me to get home to die.

Sounds weird, but I know it's true. She did the same thing when she was pregnant. We *had* to go to my dad's even though I *knew* she was in labor. When we walked in the door Delta ran to her nest and popped up out a puppy...

Dang. Crying again. But life is like that, the good and the bad on parallel tracks.
But thank you all for your prayers for Mom and your good wishes....
Faith

hawks and shorn hair

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:08:25 GMT

The hawks are going nuts today!

We have two different species teaching young to hunt. If you never saw that happen, it is amazing. I once saw a mama hawk (daddy hawk had been hit by a car) teach three young to hunt, in/over a recently plowed field. I just pulled the car over and watched. Was late to work but didn’t care. Anyway, today hawks are freaking everywhere!

When I pulled in from the vet’s (Delta has a slipped disc) there was a brown speckled one in the front yard. It flew off before I got a good look at it. I have to pull out a bird book and see what it was.

In the back yard the red-tailed hawks were perched on the RV (up high) and on a dead limb. Screaming like crazy! Then they started dive-bombing, and one just flew by the back window carrying a field mouse. Earlier, Hubby saw one with a snake.

Oh – I got my hair cut. I am scalped! But it feels good.

Faith

Totally cool!

Top Ten for June, So Far

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:07:06 GMT

The Best Top Ten Things about June... So Far, Including Plans for Tonight... (this is for you, Diane)

1. The magician / massage therapist who keeps my shoulder unfrozen, lose, and totally supple, (and the rest of me ditto) came to my house and gave me a one hour massage. Diane Storedock, you are a goddess!

2. The new teas. I'm a tea snob, and so is my new character, skinwalker Jane Yellowrock. So far the teas of 2008 are the best in years, smooth and mellow. Red Emporer is fabulous, and I am drinking a gallon, iced, every two days...

3. Hubby and nephew Ben and I took a whole day off and ran the Saluda River through the middle of Columbia on Thursday. I came away so very relaxed! I *love* that river!

4. I spent some time last week making jewelry. With deadlines and all, I hadn't touched it in months! I made several necklaces, one that I think I will give away as part of the promotion for the massmarket paperback releases of the Rogue Mage books later on this year.

5. Tonight, mom and bunch of her friends (and two of mine) and I will go to a cooking class/dinner at a shop here in town where you can learn to cook and then eat a fancy meal. Whoowhoo! (I go for the food and friendships, not the lessons.)

6. I feel better. I had gotten run down from stress and deadlines and I have the worst ones off of me. Whoowhoo, again!

7. I heard from one of my agents last week, and he seems very upbeat about my carreer... Hummmm.

8. I taught/spoke at the Santee/Wateree Writing Project last week and it was huge fun time for me with 18 teachers (50% of whom want to be writers. Go figure!)

9. We hit a big stancheon light in a parking lot with the RV, damaging the rear panel and rear side panel. And I wasn't driving! And no one got hurt, and no other cars were injured either.

10. I lost 5 pounds!

Whoowhoo!
Faith

agent

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:06:25 GMT

PS -- I blogged today about agents on
www.magicalwords.net
Faith

the business of living

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:04:20 GMT

I've been in hiding lately. Not like hunched down behind the couch, quivering in fear, but like actually resting some. It is amazing how much better I feel today. R&R is very important for a writer. We don't -- well I don't -- take advantage of it enough. Sooo... What have I been doing?

Um...a rewrite. Which is actually fun this time! The rewrite letter (5 pages single spaced,) urk, looked horrible, but hasn't been. I am doing the hard copy portion streched out on the couch. Resting...

I also spent four hours yesterday making jewelry. Understand, that making jewelry is a way for my soul to relax. It uses totaly different parts of my brain from writing. I love it. And because of deadlines, I have not touched it for over eight months. Eight...months.... So I had all this stone-creative-energy damed up in me and it just poured out. I made two necklaces for Kim Harrison to look at and approve (note to self, email her about them,) and four necklaces for me! LOVE two of them!

On a less sitting-on-butt note, I also have been running a few rivers. Hubby and I took the Lower Green River in North Carolina in our hard boats. Hair-heads (hard-core, whitewater paddlers) will scoff at the Lower Green, but hubby and I are newbies and the Class IIs were about right for us. Maybe we'll run it again when it rains and the water level is higher. That will change the nature of the rapids and add a lot of spice to the run. We saw some amazing birds! Two males of different species who took the river part way with us. Got to ask David B. Coe about them.

Tomorrow we are heading downstate to run a river that runs through the state capitol. There is a small run of rapids that should be nice, and we can work on our paddling skills on the stretches of flat water.

My AKA, Gwen Hunter, has a writers seminar on Friday in the library of the small town of SUMTER, SC. I'm looking forward to it. And to signing in the local, Sumter, Waldenbook store.
Back to the restful grind of the rewrite!
Faith

the business of living

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:48:41 GMT

blog to follow -- JK HOLMES

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:46:41 GMT

JK Holmes will be blogging on Friday June 13 on magicalwords.net. Her subject matter will be about how she found publication in today's fantasy market.

Bio:

Jeannie Holmes is a native of southwest Mississippi. Before receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of South Alabama, she worked in a variety of interesting jobs, including emergency rooms, independent auction houses, and even a brief stint in a funeral home. Her debut novel, CRIMSON SWAN, a dark urban fantasy set in a small Mississippi town, is due for release in September 2009. In addition to working on the sequel, she is finishing her Master of Arts degree in English at the University of South Alabama. She lives in Mobile, AL with her husband and
four neurotic cats.

Blurb for CRIMSON SWAN:

Alexandra Sabian, a vampire and Enforcer with the Federal Bureau of
Preternatural Investigation, moved to Jefferson, Mississippi six years ago to escape the ghosts of her father's murder and a past filled with violence. Now a killer stalks the vampires living in the small town and the deaths are resurrecting the past she thought she left behind. Alex must fight bigotry, the media, and herself in order to stop the killings before her brother becomes the next victim.

heat wave

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:39:45 GMT

As many of you know, I work at a hospital lab.

I am such a child of my (current) time.
The hospital had electrical problems yesterday. The lab lost:
AC
Internet
Sweet-smelling employees
Three major (temp sensitive) machines

The lab had:
Trays of ice all over the floor
Doors propped open to let the machine-heat out
Fans blowing over sensitive machines that we had to keep running to help patients
And hot-flashing women standing barefoot in the ice trays to cool off

I got home after an 18 hour day to a cool house and all the comforts of home.
I remember when the world was always hot and miserable.
There's a short story in here somehwere.
Faith -- who is glad to be home

Top Ten Mistakes

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:51:05 GMT

Top Ten things *Not* to do at a Writers Conference

1. Not have a ready blurb

2. Not know your market

3. Not have three copies of the most important things in your writer’s world in your go-bag (see below)

4. Not share your book blurb *because someone might steal your idea*

5. Tell an agent you have the, *Next Bestseller* to show him

6. Tell an agent you will make him rich

7. Chase an editor or agent into the bathroom

8. Sleep on the floor outside of an agent’s room to be the first person he sees in the morning

9. Ditto an editor’s room

10. Get drunk and throw up on an editor or agent

Yep, I've seen them all!

Three things to be carried in your go bag at all times: three copies of a one page synopsis, three copies of the first three chapters of your novel (up to 50 pages) and three cover letters, all ready to distribute, all in proper format. If you don’t know the proper format, then do some homework. There are plenty of places on the web that will tell you how and what.

Faith

Fri, 30 May 2008 01:58:41 GMT

I know ya'll think I've been ignoring you.
I have. *Hangs head in shame.* I'm sorry.
But it's because I've been on the deadlines from...um...heck.
But...
<drumroll...>
I just wrote the last scene of Skinwalker!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whoowhoowhoo!

And for ya'll who are addicted to reality dancing TV, you will love
this scene in the middle of the book. It is so hot! A vamp-and-skinwalker-dancing kinda hot! OMG, it was so fun to write!

Ahem...
Sorry about that.

Time to get ready for ConCarolinas, starting Friday in Charlotte, NC. Guests David B Coe, Misty Massey, and Gail Z Martin, among others, will be there too. Come join us!

But--Skinwalker was a total riot!
Whoowhoo!
Faith

blogging

Wed, 21 May 2008 16:04:18 GMT

New blog up at

www.magicalwords.net
Faith

Fri, 16 May 2008 23:16:32 GMT

wooowhoowhoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finished my short story for the anthology STRANGE BREW (with Jim Butcher as headliner).

I am celebrating!

One deadline to go, the rewrite of Skinwalker.

Vacation looms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Faith

help!!!!

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:25:48 GMT

I need the Celtic translation for a spell:

"Healing, healing, bloody blight." or death.
or "Heal, heal, bloody blight,"
or "Heal, heal, bood soaked blight,"
or "Heal, heal, blood soaked death?"

Can anyone help?
faith hunter

blogging

Wed, 14 May 2008 16:48:10 GMT

I blogged at
magicalwords.net
today.
This is a group blog by David B Coe, Misty Massey, C.E. Murphy, and me.
All about writing.
Visit us today!
Faith

mick, michael, tea, and boring stuff.

Mon, 12 May 2008 15:33:02 GMT

Lots of random thoughts today. None of them important to anyone but me. But it's my blog, so maybe today is just a quiet, boring day and maybe I'm just going to blog about what that means to a writer... First, Mick and Michael. Then tea.

Michael is my brother, whom everyone but Mom and me calls Mike. He and wife had a son late year, Michael Junior. Now, everyone but Mom and me calls the Jr, *Michael*. We call Jr. *Mick*. It gets complicated. Especially for Mick and Michael. But, hey, lifelong habits are hard to break.

I am babysitting Mick while Michael goes on a business apt. Remember. Michael is the daddy. He's old enough to do buisness. Well, so is Mick, but the business he does is totally different. I'll probably get to see both kinds today... Ick.

The dogs are good with babies. They take a look and then go on about their business. But it's been a while, and Dinky has gone nearly blind. He came over to the carseat / chair thingy and sniffed. Was about to walk away. Mick moved. Scared Dinks to death! The little 8 lb dog jumped back about 3 feet and looked at me with a *did you see that?* expression. I was giggling by then.

Mick is one of those truely happy babies. He's been sitting in his carseat / chair thingy *talking* to me. Right now he's in my lap watching me key. He seems ok with it. But he's a talker. Even before he knows how!

Tea... My writer pal Tamar Myers gave three days worth of herbal tea made by an eastern/western doctor she goes to. You make a decoction and drink a third before each meal to clense your body. The dry tea looks like something swept off the forest floor. Brewed, it tastes like that too. Yuckers. But I am intrested in herbal stuff. Always have been. Hope the clense is worth the taste.

Time for Mick's nap, and time for me to write. *Must* finish a book today. Then start and finish a short story this week. Sigh...

Deadlines, you know? And I still have to do the laundry. See what I said about a boring day? But boring is good. Everyone needs a little boring in their lives.

Awww. Mick's asleep. Just that fast!

Faith

resting and deadlines

Fri, 09 May 2008 22:55:34 GMT

The rest did wonders for me. Hubby and I took theLower Green in the two-man inflatable ducky. The water was running at 100% according to the dam that feeds it, which means that one sluice was open. Last time we ran it, there were two sluices open, and the river was running at 200%. The wording and the percentages seem wrong, but then I am not an engineer. To me, 100% would mean that all sluies are open. Anyway, the run was much less challenging this time and I liked it better. Next time I run it? It won't be challenging enough! I'll be ready for the 200%, which means I'll need to go up after a hard rain.

After the full Lower run, we still had plenty of time until the dam shut off, so hubby and I ran the last mile, or mile and a half, in our hard boats -- kayaks. I *loved* it! It was so freaking much fun! Not that there are anything but Class II rapids on the Lower Green, but it was just challenging enough for this noob. And I am ready to do it again!

We had a wonderful time!

On the way home we stopped at an outlet and I bought two new rugs, black and brown, in the same style as the black and brown and burgundy rug in the dining room. Now, the living room and the foyer look so fresh and new! I love it!

So -- today I wrote 11 pages (so far) and am ready to put this baby to bed!

Later, Ya'll!
Faith

Friends and Deadlines

Tue, 06 May 2008 20:03:04 GMT

Deadlines loom over me. So I am not writing. Not yet. Right now I'm kvetching and sharing. Sometimes they are the same thing, you know?

This morning I went to the doctor, and there was was a mix up in their apt. system and I didn't get in. I was totally ticked off. That is today's kvetch session, which seems relatively painless for you guys. At the time I was fuming. Good thing I didn't blog then...

After that debacle, I had lunch with Tamar Myers, my bestest pal / mystery writer. If you haven't read her cosy mysteries you are missing a laugh a minute. She and I eat at the Cracker Barrell once a month, except in December, and talk about all things publishing and books. And we laugh. And I relax, which is why you guys got off so easy on the kvetching portion of today's blog.

Later today...I'm going to take off more time to relax. You, know. Because of the deadlines. Counter-intuitive? Yes. It is. But it is fact too. If I don't relax I'l never meet the deadlines. So, tonight, hubby and I are heading to the Green River to run the Lower section in our two-man ducky and our kayaks all day tomorrow. Whoowhoo!

Later guys!

Faith

good books

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:26:44 GMT

Just a quick note for readers who want to know what a good reviewer sees in books before you risk buying the book...

I am impressed with Tez, (hey, she likes my work!) and here's her site.

http://tezmilleroz.wordpress.com/

Faith

Friends and Good Days

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:16:39 GMT

Today has already been for for several reasons. First, I got my hair cut last week and I just totally LOVE it! It is SHORT! I mean SHORT! And spikey and kinda sassy. And Miz Kim (Harrison) and I had tea, and she loved it too. I haven't posted about the hair cut, because I wanted to surprise her. <grins> And she loved it as much as I.

Tea for us is a visit to Starbucks, curling up in a corner, and talking about writing, our carrers, travel for our books, signings, and also about the life of a writer -- our SOs, families, pets, etc. It is something relaxing that I do about 2 times a month. And it keeps me sane. It gives me an hour away from the desk. Away from the phone. I come away refreshed and ready to write, ready to see things (life, my WIP, problems, whatever) differently.

Now I'm ready to write. Whoowhoo! And at 4 PM I am meeting with a foundation grant person to talk about my new project. As if I don't have enough to do, I am thinking about this Traveling Writer in Residence Program for the fiscally challenged schools in my state.

Sigh... Good day!

Faith