Bipolar and Writing and Websites OH MY!!!

These seem to be the three things taking up ALL my free time lately. The other hours are spent playing the part of Cinderelli Poppins of course. (cook, clean, parent the children)

And the saddest part is, that all three of the these free time subjects intertwine together into a lovely little knot.

So if I've been missing a bit lately (have I already mentioned this in previous blogs? it's been that kind of week so it wouldn't surprise me.) I have been frazzled and in my own world.

I think it's time to go visit Chateau Poppins again. Don't you?

Today's post: A teenagers take on being "labeled" with bipolar disorder. (Click Here)

Getting a Little Personal...An Announcement (or two)

I mean who wouldn't want to know a little personal bit about me? I am pretty awesome and all!

So here it goes *takes a deep breath*

Back in February I wrote a post called A Question of Intense Interest where I came out of the Bipolar Closet, so to speak. Then I questioned how others (as apparently some agents do) have an interest in books about children and teens with a mental illness. The responses I got were so very encouraging.

So for the past six months I have spent much time soul searching and researching. (Imagine me on the top of a big fat hill sitting with my legs crossed, hands together and repeating "Ohm" over and over again...I mean that's not really how it went. But wasn't the mental picture fun!)

About a month ago the idea finally hit me. (It didn't slap me in the face or anything...that would be mean. It was more like a poke on the shoulder.) I began researching harder. Reading all the books about juvenile and adolescent bipolar disorder, joining blogs, joining support groups, reading through forums...it has been amazing. Not only has it been very beneficial in finding support and answers to deal with both my son and I, but after meeting some new people and and searching my heart I knew what the next move would be.

Thus announcement number one:

I've placed my current novel on the back burner (for now) and started a new, and insanely exciting to write, novel.

Taming the Crazies

Annabelle Jones is struggling through her teenage years riding the coat tails of her bipolar brother while also coping with her bipolar mother. Though a break up with her boyfriend starts the ball rolling, one bad choice (or three) from her brother could possibly ruin her life forever. As it is in her nature, she takes it upon her self to right his wrongs (as some bipolar siblings tend to do) and make sure both his life and hers get back on track. The problem is, she's pretty sick of his crap. She has to decide to suffer the consequences his actions have had on her and just move on, or continue to clean up his messes in order to get her life back.

It's a story about the impact having bipolar has on our friends and family told from a very raw and real perspective...and I am in love with it! Not only am I writing YA Fiction, but I'm also writing about something I am passionate about. Something to help others feel they are not alone in these situations.

But for some reason, knowing that although the potential is there, I have no idea if I will ever get this story published, thus I felt I needed to do more! (I'm Catholic...it's a guilt thing...it makes me a really good Catholic...or something like that)

Thus announcement number two!

With the help of an amazing girl, who also struggles with this illness, I have started a new blog/website targeted to anyone who struggles with OR knows someone who struggles with bipolar disorder.

Ask a Bipolar is a place where people can come and ask real questions to people who have dealt with these issues. We can cover topics in all areas as I have a child with bipolar, she is a teen with bipolar and I am an adult with this illness. They are in no way professional answers or opinions, BUT sometimes I think people just want to hear it from someone who REALLY gets it. At least I know I do.

Visit the site. Let me know what you think! Feel free to share the link with everyone you know. I'd love for it to be a success!!!

Ok enough of my shameless self promotion. Back to writing (apparently people have threatened to hurt me if I don't give them new chapters...I have mean friends...)

Adrenaline

Adrenaline -[uh-dren-ul-in] A highly intoxicating substance released in the body when one is doing something totally bad-ass.

• Also known as the rush you get when you're writing that scene where your MC is about to kiss the Hero and you get all tingly just thinking about it.

• Also known as the feeling you get on that last quarter stretch of the mile you're running.

• Also known as the substance that keeps your body functioning when you are insanely over extended but still seem to get it all done.

• Also known as the wooziness you get after sending off a shit ton of query emails, then just to make things more stressful, you send off one more.

I have been running on pure Adrenaline lately. Today I'm pretty sure I hit an adrenaline malfunction. It was like all the adrenaline disappeared and my mind just came to a stop, but my actions didn't.

So what was I running on?

Fumes....

Yet I still managed to get 2 Hours of a project done AND 4 hours of Editing. I'm just oozing out the heavy fumes yo!

Ever been here? Did the ice cream and chocolate chips work as well on you as they did on me?

In which I talk about my opinions of Koolaid and their possible relationship to writing and/or parenting...

OH YEAH!!!!


Sorry I couldn't help myself there.

It never fails, I'm laying in bed last night attempting to sleep and my brain says, "But WAIT! I have some ideas."

And I say, "Um I'm trying to sleep here!"

At which it replies, "But these are really good ideas. You should totally take your daughter to get her hair cut after here First Communion. Isn't it funny that she wants a blue extension. Ha ha ha. OMG do you remember..."

"Yo Brain, I'm getting annoyed...though seriously...it is kinda funny."

"No seriously! Remember that time you died your hair with Kool-Aid when you were 13!"

"Oh yeah! And then the mom at the slumber party we were at got all mad and one of the girls told her it was her shampoo that did it. Good times..."

So I'm kinda laughing at this point...

"Dude! You should write a facebook post about that!"

"Um yeah, I'm trying to sleep here."

I sigh....the brain reminds me that my Crackberry is right next to my bed and convinces me to do a tiny quick little post.

Marybeth Geer-Smith I miss The Great Bluedini. not only was it the best Kool-Aid flavor ever, but it was also an excellent hair dye.

And THEN it has the tenacity to correct me!

"Oh come on Marybeth, you know that Kickin Kiwi Lime was the BEST Kool-Aid flavor ever!!!"

Good point...Kickin Kiwi Lime was totally the most rockin flavor ever.

So um here is the point where I tie this whole Kool-Aid episode into writing and/or parenting.

...

Um...

......

So writing is like Great Bluedini Kool-Aid, you start drinking it and you think it's the best thing ever!!! But THEN someone places a big fat glass of Kickin Kiwi Lime in front of you and says, "Try this, you won't regret it!"

But you say, "No! This Great Bluedini is the best there is!"

And they say, "Just try it!"

So you do ... and you can't help it, it's better. Well not only is it better, it's Fantastic!

It happens. We write something wonderful and think we could never do anything better, but then we do. We scratch it out and write something phenomenal. And that's ok. As long as we aren't afraid to try that new flavor (aka technique).

As for parenting, give your kids Kool-Aid. It builds lasting memories. And it's ok if they die their hair with it. It washes out. I promise!

So every time I pass the Kool-Aid isle I look for Kickin Kiwi Lime, always end up disappointed though. Now they only make flavors like Watermelon Cherry. UM HELLO! Nobody likes Watermelon Cherry! (Ok so I've never tried it ... I suppose I should give it a try.)

A Question of Intense Interest

I was not sure if I was going to write or not today, considering my mind is still in query mush mode, but then I came across some tweets from yesterday that got my mind going and I felt the need to post.

I was going to apologize for sharing this personal information with you, but in all retrospect, I don't feel sorry about it. I can't help who I am, and I rather like who I've become as a result of it. Please note however that I am not looking for sympathy, I am just looking for an answer.

That being said...

Through a series of agent posts I noticed a couple (unnamed) agents saying they wish they would see more books about children/teens with mental illnesses and psychological disorders.

This struck me as odd.

As a person with a very serious (and unfortunately misdiagnosed through most of my life) mental illness myself, I don't understand the intrigue. Growing up with bipolar disorder was difficult and depressing, especially as it went untreated until I was 17, then mistreated until I was 26. I've lived a life of making poor and irrational decisions while on highs and lows. Decisions that have left me with a world of messes to clean up as an adult.

To make matters worse, this disease is genetic, leaving me feeling incredibly guilty about my 7 year old son who was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder as well. Watching him is heart breaking and a nightmare. It reminds me of things I felt when I was young and as a parent makes me feel terribly helpless.

So my question is, why would people want to read about any of this? What would be entertaining about reading the experiences of a child struggling with depression?

Do you understand the intrigue? Would it interest you to read a book of this nature?

Life Changes

My life has gone through some abrupt and large changes lately. Unfortunately not the kind of changes I would prefer. (AKA Getting "The Call" and becoming a widely known author) but I am now forced to adjust.

Adjusting can be difficult. Even when it is adjusting to the changes that we DO prefer.

So then the question swarmed through my mind, "How will I adjust to the changes that come with publishing?"

Wow! Big question!

I'm used to being a writer. I'm used to writing my novels for me. I'm used to agonizing over query letters. I'm used to my heart breaking over rejection.

But...

How will I get used to having an agent? How will I get used to finding a publisher? How will I get used to finally fulfilling my dream!?!?

These are going to be some pretty big life changes. And don't get me wrong, I am SOOOOO ready for them. If they want to pile up on me tomorrow, it's all good!

But do you ever ask yourself these questions? Do you ever wonder HOW your life will changes when you finally reach success?

Are you ready?

If you see me on a Milk Carton...

You may have noticed on your blogs lately that I have been a little MIA. With everything going on in my life lately I have barely had the time, or the concentration, to write a blog. So reading and commenting have been even more difficult!

I'm almost done with my WIP and plan to start querying next week. So this week I am doing the final run through of my MS, write my query (which is coming along WAY better than I anticipated) and writing a synopsis. All that in between real life, which on it's own has been super hectic and drama filled.

My priorities look something like this...

Family (Which is demanding A LOT of my attention these days)

My MS

Blogs

Twitter (Which may weazle it's way in between my MS and Blogs...but come on...it's Twitter!)

So if you see my face on the back of the Milk Carton, know I am still here. I still love you all. And I am perusing your blogs at every chance I get.



Do you ever feel too overwhelmed to get everything done? How do you order your priorities? Have you had to push any to the side lately to get things done?

Even I have Goals!!!

It looks to me like everyone is coming up with lists of goals as 2009 draws to an end. I simmered on this for a moment, considered whether or not I should do it myself. I mean I'm not much for following trends, BUT then I decided to go with the flow. It sounded fun enough!

So here we have it kids.

Poppins 2010 Goals

1. Consider giving up dairy. I feel that as long as I am giving it consideration I am making a large step forward. Maybe next year I'll actually do it. But I really like cheese!


2. Acquire more gnomes. I have come to the heart felt decision that 4 gnomes and 2 gnome pictures are not NEARLY enough for a Gnome Connoisseur like me. (That's right! I no longer feel that the term 'Gnome Lover' applies to me! I'm SO much more than that!)

OMG Someone PLEASE make me some of these!!!

3. Stay free and clear from #blogwars! While at the very same time making sure to enjoy every moment of them. (Now this is going to be more difficult than one might expect. I have to watch my P's and Q's and make sure to NOT AT ANY TIME let anything embarrassing about me slip. I'm really good at embarrassing myself on this blog so it's going to be quite the challenge!)

4. Finish editing my book, write a KILLER query, score a perfect agent and sign for an awesome book deal with a HUGE publishing house. It can happen...you just wait and see!

5. Go to the movies ... a lot ... this is going to be one of the best movie years EVER! Percy Jackson, Toy Story 3, Eclipse, The Deathly Hallows, Shrek 4 ... and seriously the list goes on. I'm stoked!


6. Get a second car. I'm hoping this can be accomplished after I complete number 4. I'd REALLY like a mini van with a DVD player and heated seats. Is that really too much to ask for?

7. Have fun with my blog and remember it's not about how many followers you have, it's about how many of those follower love you! (Luckily for me ALL of my followers love me ... right? Right! RIGHT?!?!)

8. Continue building awesome relationships with all you awesome bloggers and writers and mommies. You guys have truly made 2009 one of the best years ever! I'm in love with each and every one of you. But I'm sorry, I'm married. So I'm going to have to keep our love at bay.

9. Find new and innovative ways to waste time and/or keep up my obsessions with twitter and Facebook. (Easiest goal to obtain EVER!)


10. Be me .... um ... or figure out who me is. That might be a better start.

So what are your goals for 2010? Has 2009 been good to you?

You might not know this, but...

I guess people kinda like me. They possibly even think I'm funny! Do you think it's the Wind In My Haaaaaiiiiiirrrr?

Well because of this love (Yeah I totally took it up a step. I'm pretty sure they love me. I mean have you seen me? What's not to love?) I have been given a few awards! So put on your best dresses and those lovely little tuxedos (Not both at once ... how awkward would that be!) and come walk the red carpet with me.

Check out my dress!

I totally look JUST like that in it too!

So my first award arrived from Elizabeth at Mystery Writing is Murder. (Who by the way wrote an AWESOME book!!! Read about it here, then buy it!) I love this award because it comes with NO rules. I like awards with no rules! (Cuz there have been some hideous rules going around out there...and I swear that even though I created the award, I had nothing to do with the rules! But I am enjoying them.)

She awarded me the Blogging Writer Award.


At which I say ... write back at you lady! You are a ROCKIN writer!!!

My next award has been presented by Natalie (OMG I love that name!) from her self titled blog Natalie Bahm (I mean listen to the way it just rolls off your tongue...Natalie...Ok I'm gonna stop sounding like a creeper now.)

She awarded me with the Loyal Friend and Visitor award.


This award also did not come with any rules (YAY AWARD!) but I decided I wanted to award my top 5 most loyal visitors regardless. Because without you, my comments section would go empty!

1. Julie over at Foursons seems to really like my blog :) I see her comments almost every day. I like Julie! Her Thank You Very Much posts are by far my favorite! Thanks for being loyal Julie!

2. Jessica over at BookingIt has been a loyal follower and commenter since almost the very beginning! I throw big smiles towards Jessica! Her blog is always thought provoking and super informative in the writerly world. Thanks for always coming back Jessica!

3. T. Anne over at White Platonic Dreams was pretty much one of my first followers. And can you believe she keeps coming back for more. Even after all my crazy posts about Harry Potter and Gnomes, she's never walked away! Her blog is wonderful resource for writers as well. (Not to mention entertaining!) Thanks for not letting my gnomes and Harry Potter be a turn off!

4. Jody from another self titled blog, Author, Jody Hedlund has also been around for quite some time. Jody is a super busy lady with her new agent Rachelle Gardner (JEALOUS) and her book deal! If you want to know what it's like step by step in the publishing world surf through Jody's blog. Absolutely informative and fantastic. Thanks for still visiting me even while your busy lady!

5. Katie from another self titled blog Katie Ganshert (What's up with the self titled blogs yo? It's like you are all authors or something!) She also recently signed with Rachelle and is working to get her book ready for publication. She's got great info about editing and writing and has such a blessed heart! Thanks for not thinking I'm too crazy to keep following!

And there are tons more but if I keep listing all you guys, I'll be here all week!

So my final award came from the two Shannons! (Did you girls plan this?) Shannon Messenger from Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and Shannon O'Donnell at Book Dreaming. Both awesome girls and super new followers. (Maybe that's why they are handing out awards, they just don't know how crazy I am yet?!?!)


Now this little ditty came with Rules. Sigh....(mumbling possibly naughty words...possibly...)

Rule Number One!

Write 7 Things about You (Me)

Rule Number Two!

Pass it on to 7 Friends

Rule number two comes first. I'm going to make you wait to learn 7 new things about me. (Can you imagine there being 7 things you DON'T already know about me?)

7 Friends

Shannon @ Ramblings of Wannabe Scribe (She gives away signed copies of twilight...just sayin)

Frankie @ Frankie Writes (Wind in my HAAAAAIIIIIRRR)

Elana @ Elana Johnson, Author

Kiersten @ Kiersten Writes

Carrie @ Carrie Harris

Mindy @ CMOM Productions

Scott @ A Writer's Blog (Bombard him with comments so he can't play Bejeweled!)

So um...can you tell I'm a writer? Yeah me either!

Now...sigh... 7 Things About Me (Are you even still reading this???)

1. I have 4 Blogs ... That's right, 4. Sigh....why can't I get anything done again?

2. I get goosebumps when I hear children's choirs sing my favorite Christmas songs.

3. I have 8 Novels started, 2 Finished and a new idea in my head right now!

4. The first Roller Coaster I ever rode was The Raptor at Cedar Point and all the Roller Coasters I rode after that sucked. You couldn't force me to go on a Roller Coaster now! (Unless you offered me an agent, then I'd totally consider it...eh eh eh *wags finger*...I said CONSIDER!)

5. I'm paranoid. Like really paranoid. As in my phones need to be right next to my bed in case someone has to call me in the middle of the night for an emergency. As in I won't even let my 8 yr old go outside for more than a minute without me. As in I know I'm dying soon, I just don't know how yet. That kind of paranoid. I'm pretty sure its a side effect from reading too many books.

6. Because of number 5 I do NOT read Steven King or Dean Koontz. I made that mistake once.

7. (YAY SEVEN!!!) Hmmmm...this needs to be a good one... When I was little I was terrified of fires and my siblings teased me that my room was going to start on fire so at night I would unplug EVERYTHING from my walls just in case. (I mean I'm not really THAT paranoid...just a little bit. It's practically just an ounce of paranoia...my leg hurts, do you think it's gangrene? Should we amputate?)

So there, now you have a clearer picture of how crazy I am. Now you better leave lots of comments or I might get paranoid that you don't like me!!!

Congrats to all my award winners!!! And thanks for all the awards!!!

Recomendations and Agents

Husband Poppins My dear loyal and absolutely devoted, not to mention handsome husband (Is that better dear?) and I got in a chat about recommendations. He's big into Linked In. I like the site too, though it's not twitter. (Just sayin...)

On Linked In you put your resume up and connect with former/current employers and/or employees and/or co-workers. As you connect you are able to leave each other recommendations (As long as you have worked together in the past) and boost one another's credibility. It's an awesome feature and I don't doubt it helps in the hiring process.

Our conversation began when we started talking about agents I like and how I know some of their clients via blogging/twitter.

He said, "You should get recommendations!"

Now I think this a great idea, but I felt like 'eh'.

I explained that to me it seems like an unspoken rule between writers that we don't cross that boundary. Kinda like the unspoken rule that you never date your best friends ex. Or the one where it is mandatory to tell a good friend that they have food in their teeth.

Nobody flat out makes these rules, they are just kinda there.

OR maybe it's just me. I love my bloggy friends! I would never want them to think I am stalking following them just to earn me some recommendations. That is totally NOT the reason I stalk follow/read my favorite blogs and chat it up with my twitter folk! (Now in twitter language would that be Twolk? I'm totally trade marking that one!)

So what are your thoughts? Would you ask a friend for a recommendation before you queried their agent? If you have an agent, have you ever had anyone/everyone ask for a recommendation?

Please share your feelings. I am incredibly curious! (And I'd love to prove to the man that I am right about my unspoken rule that I may or may not have created all on my own)

Its A Christmas Miracle!

Oh little Tiny Timmy, how did you know such good things would happen!?!?

So far December has been a lovely month! This week is full of accomplishments!

I must share...it would be wrong to leave you out of the loop.

So without further ado!

• Last weekend I baked 2 dozen cookies! The real accomplishment is the fact that I baked anything at all. I don't bake. I DO however burn, add too much flour and deflate cakes! But I successfully created two batches of Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies last Saturday. AND....People liked them.

• I showered yesterday. Um...wait...that was a daily accomplishment...scratch that!

• Can you believe someone is giving away MY award today!!! How exciting is that! Maybe one day it will make it back to me. I'd be thoroughly entertained. But just the thought of my little gnome creation going into circulation has me smiling.

• My children cleaned their rooms yesterday ... WITHOUT complaining. HUGE Christmas Miracle!!!

• Harry Potter comes out on DVD today...well I guess that's not an accomplishment...or a Christmas Miracle. BUT it is still exciting!!!

• We saw Santa across the street from Blockbuster last night. He stood waving to all the cars. Not really sure why, but it entertained my son. I can't believe he made his way to our city. What an awesome man!

So there you have it. A list of Christmas Miracles.

Oh yeah! And I forgot to mention, I guess I kinda finished my book yesterday too.

What? You need me to repeat that? Sure!

I FINISHED MY BOOK YESTERDAY!

(Sorry I didn't mean to yell...)

So I finished my second novel and the decided to have a moment of stupid when I thought it would be a great idea to join Krista and Sherrinda (and I think T. Anne now too?) in an Editing Contest.

The entire book edited by January 1st, 2010! What was I thinking! Better go get to work.

On Publishing....

As many of you know I have been eluding to some news regarding my writing career...

WELLLLLL

You have to go HERE if you want more details ;)

Where you can find me...

HERE on If You Give a Girl a Pen. Check me out. I'm awesome! As are all the writers on this site.

Things of Vast Proportion

Definition: vast
Pronunciation: \ˈvast\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin vastus; akin to Old High German wuosti empty, desolate, Old Irish fás
Date: 1585

: very great in size, amount, degree, intensity, or especially in extent or range
synonyms see enormous

— vast·ly adverb

— vast·ness \ˈvas(t)-nəs\ noun

There is always the big great vast vessel!


Or a vast amount of time
(although I'm more likely to witness a vast vessel before that!)


A Vast Mountain



Vast Wilderness

I think at this point we can all agree that vast is a LARGE amount! Right?!?!

So when I had a Publishing House told me they were vastly interested in reading my work ... I about fell in love with them!

I'm off to make some last minute revisions. Wish me luck!!!

I feel like this Separation isn't Working Out

So I've traveled back to the writers seat again ... and I'm LOVING in! But I'm having a hard time with the whole blogging world. Well my blogging world that is.

A few months back I got my website up and running and decided to devote all my fun loving writer words to that blog and that blog only, but my writer words miss this blog. And unfortunately all my visitors go to this blog, which in turn means less comments and not nearly enough advice on that one. So I'm not sure what to do!

(Oh listen to me whining like a little girl ... well in all retrospect, I am a "little" girl...so it's totally ok!)

Part of me wonders if it is because that blog is on WordPress and this one is on Blogger. I myself must admit it is MUCH easier to follow a blog on Blogger. I just head over to my dashboard and scroll through all my favorite bloggers (which by the way I have way too many because you all freaking rock!) and click in and out of each blog. WordPress isn't that easy. With word press you have to click on the RSS feed to know when I update or watch through my fan page and/or this blog for posts that I've updated. That's really quite a bit of work.

So do you visit many WordPress sites? Do you own a WordPress site? How do you keep your followers updated? Does anyone else have this frustration? Any advice? Should I just double post and bring my writing posts back to my Poppins world as well? Have I asked enough questions yet? Would you like me to ask a few more? Are you sick of my questions? Do you know why the sky is blue? Did I tell you I can totally make a website in WordPress?

Dual Awesomeness!

As if I thought I didn't have enough time in the day before...

I've decided to make a leap dabble a bit in web design. I have to say, I thought I wouldn't find it very entertaining and had a feeling I wouldn't really enjoy it. I was SO wrong!

With my first website almost completed I can confidently say that I am loving it. The design part was a bit more difficult than I had imagined, but at the same time I am much better at it than I thought I would be. And shhhhhhhhhh don't tell my husband, but I find the coding aspect down right interesting. All these formulas and problem solving ... it's like little "I Spy" games ... just with words instead of pictures!

I feel like I have a super heads up in the competition however because I can also write. Writing copy alone can be made into a super successful career ... add web design/development into it. I'll be like a goddess in this world! I'm dually awesome! (ok well I'm WAY more awesome than that ... but we're just talking about in this aspect, no need to go getting all concerned!)

So the challenge is ... how do I balance this new found hobby with my old found love of writing! Well for answers to that question ... you'll have to visit my website!

ALSO!!! Help me celebrate...today is one year since the day I started my book!!!!
(Ok,not so sure I should be celebrating that it's taken me over a year to finish this, but hey ... it's a mile stone!)

Poppins as compiled by facts and numbers...

I've decided there are some facts, statistics, and numerical things you must know about me. I'm not sure how or why I have decided this, but the decision was made this morning when I dropped my phone...

Fact Number One - I have dropped my phone and estimated 329 times in the last 6 months, which is about 123% more times than the average cell phone owner. This is the reason why I do NOT own an iPhone.






Fact Number Two - If I consume one container of Raspberry Sorbet (it must be the Meijer Brand...) at any given time, I will then proceed to consume at least 17 more containers in the following month because one container simply can not fulfill the craving. Because of this, the sales for Meijer containers of Raspberry Sorbet go up at least 15% with each month that I crave this desert.


Fact Number Three - If I put off the laundry for more than 5 days I will then have approximately 50% more laundry than anticipated and exactly 99% less motivation to fold it. For this reason it took me 2 hours to fold laundry for a family of 5 yesterday.


Fact Number Four - The number of gnomes owned in my house - 3 to be exact, unless you count the picture my father gave me for my birthday, then there are 4 - is not proportionate to the number of gnomes I NEED to own. It's about 412% less.



Fact Number Five - If I invite friends to a Pity Party there will be an abundance of chocolate and not nearly enough Margaritas or Wine. The portion of Wine and Margaritas to chocolate is off by at least 50%. I will remember to bring more booze to the next Pity Party, while at the same time I will keep in mind that the chocolate will be properly taken care of.



Fact Number Six - Now that School has started I am now in the car driving 25% of my day at the very least. This is exactly 24% more than I would prefer to be in the car which in my ideal world would only be 15 minutes. Regardless of whether or not the mathematical equation works for this scenario is not important.



Fact Number Seven - I've written approximately 1 and 1/8 novels. The average number of novels written by a writer who scores an agent is 5. So if I spend 12 hours a day every day of the year writing I may possibly have an agent in the next 5 years, however this does not equate to the direct number of brain cells that will in fact be destroyed in the remaining 12 hours of the day where I have gone crazy. Due to this fact I probably will not publish a book until I am at least 47 years old.

Fact Number Eight - As shown by this craptastic blog post, it is obvious that I have spent too much time (at least 2 hours a day which is only 75% of the preferred amount) reading "An Abundance of Katherines" and am now thinking about everything in theories and equations. It is possible that maybe I will go back to being normal once I have finished the book, but the probability is unlikely!



There...I feel much better now that you know these things about me. Sometimes it's just good to get things off your chest! (We won't even go into the numbers and statistics about my chest and/or lack there of......)

I am Raising a Future NY Times Best Selling Author

,
Now...it is possible I say this because of her awesome poem that she Wrote...but let's face it ...we all know the truth! She had me "Gnome"!!!

Gnomes by Awesome Daughter Smith

I was in a garden. A gnome looked at me. Then another. Then another. Then all of them looked at me. They looked creepy. Then I looked at them. I thought I was in Hogwarts. But they weren't real gnomes. they were wind-up gnomes that talked. I didn't understand why they were alive. I shouldn't have gone in moms garden anyways.

The End!

Sniff Sniff....***Eyes Glistening and Heart Racing***...isn't she the best daughter ever! (and hahaha Hogwarts!)

Announcement!

As some of you saw on Facebook this weekend (then whined about it when I wouldn't share the news **cough cough Scott cough cough**) I have an awesome announcement to make!

**Trumpets sound as the red carpet rolls out and I walk across it in my slinky silver evening gown to proclaim my wondrous news!!!***

(Reality...I'm sitting at my desk in my pajamas with a hint of lingering morning breath and a couple crusties that I forgot to wipe out of my eye ... but who's worried about details!)

On Friday afternoon, amidst a gloomy day (and we aren't talking about a lack of UV Rays out doors) while my mood was doing the exact opposite of sky rocketing after a long drawn out Grocery Shopping trip with my children ... I got a phone call ...

**Gasps sound across the room **

Was it THE Call?

OMG!!!

Sigh....no...BUT

This call was almost as exciting as THE Call!

My phone call was an invitation to join the Website/Blog of If You Give a Girl a Pen!!!!

Slightly like the story If You Give a Moose a Muffin ...


but closer to the story If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Considering the height difference and all...)


But with WAY less mess ... unless you consider the red pen that was scratched across my first and second drafts a mess. Cuz it super looked like a mess! ...

So a big thank you to the girls over at If You Give a Girl a Pen for accepting me into their group and for being crazy smart enough to notice my strange awesome writing talents!



Please take a minute to visit their site...and of course follow it since it's another place that you get to read my awesome writing advice! You can welcome me here.

Another Book Review

... Caution... MIGHT be controversial ... but with love ...

I woke up this morning after dreams of the Priory of Sion, cryptexes and trying to escape from the Louvre. That right kids, I am reading the DaVinci Code.

GASP!!! OH NO!

I think that somehow makes me a bad Catholic? Or is it the fact that I am really enjoying it and I super loved watching the movie last night that brings my faith into question?

POSSIBLY it may have something to do with asking my husband Friday night if he thought anyone would be offended if I brought the book into St. John Vianney's with me during the wedding rehearsal. (At which point I got a look that said, "That better be a rhetorical question!" Which it was...but it was entertaining to see his reaction nonetheless! I should have asked the priest if he'd mind....ok ok...too far I know!)

Well in actuality I don't think that enjoying this book has anything to do with my Faith or how good or bad of a Catholic I may or may not be. I mean let's be frank here (why yes, that is your new name for the moment...ok, well you can be Fred if you really want to!) - so let's be Fred for a moment here....nope...see it doesn't work...sorry - So being frank let me say, Dan Brown is a Darn Freaking Awesome writer! And THAT my friends is why I am enjoying the book so much.

I've seen the beginning of the movie a couple times before but never really found it interesting and always fell asleep, but the moment I started reading that book I was glued. And you can bet I didn't take my eyes off the tv the entire time we watched the movie last night!

Being a writer myself (in theory) I am amazed at how this man can spin his own set of historical facts -that aren't actually facts at all - and make them seem so believable. Amazing I tell you! I truly aspire to be as wonderful and talented as him.

So what is the point of this post do you say? Well as always there is absolutely no point to my post or else that would make this a purposeful blog. I merely just wanted to share my little views on Dan Brown as an author. Regardless of how controversial his books may or may not be, definitely worth reading, ESPECIALLY as an aspiring novelists!

Have you read any of his books? Did you enjoy them? Do you find them as controversial as others say they are?

Don't worry, I will return to my regularly scheduled snarkastic and pointless blogging about mommyhood and wifedom tomorrow :)

How I measure Success - A little question and answer time about my views on success during my writing journey.