Thursday Night Check In: Because I felt like talking. #blogging

I thought I would swing by the blog and check in since I have mostly been posting other peoples writing and events the past few posts. Besides, I like to think you follow the blog because you’re genuinely interested in what I’m up to, or better yet, are a fan of my writing. (hey, a girl can dream)

Anyway, here’s what is up with me. 🙂

Nano comes to a close tomorrow and quite frankly, I won’t be winning two years in a row. Bummer — kinda. I mean, I’m not all depressed about it, but I am a little disappointed in myself. I’ve never been an excuse maker, so while I have theories on what worked against me (aside from my own excellent procrastination skills), it really doesn’t change the missed goal.

I basically content myself with the knowledge while I didn’t win last year either, I did finish Call of the Sea during Nano in 2011. Back then, it had the working title, The Pirate and The Selkie (real original, right?) The point here being — I “won” in the end, since you all know Call was published by Inkspell in June 2012.

The holidays are around the corner, and I’m stuck in that in between space where I want to get excited for Christmas, but it’s too early to see the Christmas specials and the commercial bombardment advertising its arrival. So, I’m in this weird sorta protest against getting into the Christmas spirit –yes, I am stubborn, a bit bull headed, and very Irish. 😛

My alter ego has had a busy month last month promoting authors for her publisher, Evernight –but her first of 3 December releases on 3rd. Hehe — three on the third — go figure. Feel free to go give R. Brennan some love if you are over 18 and enjoy erotica and erotic romance. (http://bexbooknook.wordpress.com)

December will be a VERY busy month for the blog with visits from every author in the J. Taylor Publishing release, MAKE BELIEVE. As one of my favorite YA authors would say — I’m chuffed about that.

So that’s what I’ve got brewing. What’s up with all of you. Any of you have news to share with the class? Feel free to shout it out in the comments section. 🙂

Y is for Youth… Man, I miss having that… #atozchallenge #blogging #writing

Ahh, to be young again… to not feel the aches and pains of age, or notice the little gray hairs starting to come in at my temples. To be able to look at the world with all the excitement and vigor of a child… what a neat thing that would be, eh?

Now, if I were truly pressed, and had to choose to go back and live my childhood again or stay where I am now, Im not sure I would really go back. I mean, heck, there were a lot of hard life lessons between then and now, some of which I have absolutely no desire to see again. But, there are some moments in my youth, if given the choice, I would decide to live in forever and ever. I would agree to never grow up if I could just experience what I did on a particular day, or feel what I felt at a particular moment.

Then I take a look at my children. My oldest is grown and on his own now, starting a life with his girlfriend and my job where he is concerned is done. My two daughters are still home with me, but the oldest, Casey is 17 and a senior in HS — off to college in the fall and on to adulthood. My youngest daughter, Shelby is 11 (12 June 1st) going on 35, and while she is the one I will get to experience childhood with for just a little longer, soon she will find Mom as boring as the other two did when they got a bit older. But, each time I look at what they have each grown to become, I smile — I am so proud of them, and of me for all the things we overcame and did together.

Being a single parent isn’t easy, and some days I feel a hell of a lot older than my mere 42 years, but when things get hard and I start to feel old, I just look at my kids, spend a bit a time with them, and that youth each of the oozes seems to rub off on me just a little bit, and once more I feel like a little kid, excited by a new sunrise and the prospects of a play date after school.

Thank God enthusiasm and feeling young is contagious! I may never grow up at this rate 🙂

For fun, I thought I would share some before and after pics with you — an illustration of youth, as it were.

This is my very special gang 🙂

STEVEN:

CASEY:

SHELBY:

WHERE THEY ARE NOW — TIME FLIES!!!

Me and My Little Gang of Youthful Exuberance!!

I Gots Me a Real Library of Congress Copyright #Squee #writing

When my book was accepted for publication by Inkspell Publishing, they suggested I have my work officially copyrighted with the government. I hadn’t realized this was even necessary until this publishing foray, but apparently it protects me with a bit more oopmh than a standard copyright notice in the book when it comes out.

Anyway, I must squee, share and wiggle, because the official copyright arrived in yesterday’s mail. Isn’t it just so purty?

I think this just might make it official… My novel is going to be published!!

Happy Friday to Me!!

The Clan Takes Boston… Kinda. (part 1) #travel

As I promised earlier today, it’s time to share the deets on the Harko/Hart/Sharp (sorry, we’re a modern family) gang’s recent sojourn to the great and historically rich city of Boston, MA.

With my full-time job and my two daughters in school, we don’t find much time for “family vacations”. with my two daughters off from school this week, I decided to treat them and take the week off from work as well.

We discussed options for short trips (ones we could afford) and the Boston Aquarium came up as an option. Pete and I booked a room at the Marriott Custom House which according to Google maps was smack next to the Aquarium and Quincy Market. Plus it was better for Pet and I than a standard hotel room with two double beds, as it was a suite. Private bedroom with king and a fold out queen bed for the girls. Kitchenette for breakfast. I’m now thinking mini fridge and microwave. Rock on. I can make good coffee when I get up. Book it, baby!

We even had the forethought to make an online reservation (omg, I’m such a net geek sometimes) at the nearby, and supposedly famous, Union Oyster House, also within walking distance of the Custom House the night of our arrival in Beantown.

Now for the fun part, the actual trip. (Fasten your seatbelts)

The first thing I have to say about Boston, is this. Never, EVER, drive in Boston. I cannot even begin to explain the maze that makes up the streets of this city. Before I went, I thought, “How hard can it be? I’m from New York.” Welp… it was NOT pretty. Picture Pete driving, me looking at a pittance half marked piece of map we got off the hotel site in a maze of one way streets curving and merging from every conceivable direction. The girls did mention they saw two vagrants, and were disturbingly excited by this apparent coup. They went on to explain that we didn’t see them “because you were too busy yelling at Pete.” (In my defense, he had just almost run over a pedestrian taking his life in his hands by crossing against the light)

We literally spent an hour driving in circles trying to find State Street, only to finally find it but it’s a one way street leading away from the part of it we needed to be on. Are you freaking kidding me?

The gang was quite pleased to finally manage to find the traversable end of State Street and were able to find our lodgings at the Custom House. YAY!

I have to tell you, the place was GORGEOUS. Far beyond my expectations based on the website information. Turns out, a “resort” facility. As you can see in this first pic, it comes complete with its own clock tower. The green strip above the clock face is the lookout. More on that later.

 Our room was on the 19th floor and check in was a breeze. Valet parking. You had to pay extra for parking, by the way ($39 for the overnight). The lobby was beautiful, with a three-story domed ceiling. The girls nabbed a snap of that. Check it out.

Sweet, right? It was what I would imagine the inside of the White House dome might look like.

The hotel is also quite secure. You needed your room key to operate the elevator up. Smart and helped ease my concerns on the choice we had made sight unseen (basically).

I mentioned earlier we were on the 19th floor, right? Well, let me tell you, the view from the windows of the suite was killer! Here’s a quick menage.

Yup. Jackpot.

The room itself was just as impressive.  I would show you nice pics of that, but apparently I didn’t take any that didn’t contain my dear, Pete in his undies and Shelby’s Silly Balloon Hat (more on that later, too). This is the only one I managed free of rated PG-13 material. It’s the view of the room from its entrance foyer (yes, it had its own posh little foyer inside the door).

View from Room Entrance Foyer

Oh, there’s the Silly Hat I mentioned. I promise we are almost to that part of the trip. Patience, eh? 

Once we arrived in Beantown and settled out stuff, the gang headed out to explore Quincy Market and see if we could really reach the restaurant we’d made reservations at on foot. I did not relish the idea of more city driving. been there, done that.

Considering it was the dead of winter in the Northeast, the weather was wonderfully accommodating. A cold brisk wind, but certainly not the chilling temps expected in the region (like the rest of this winter has been). We toured a row of shops and indoor carts, not really paying too much attention. Just getting a lay of the land, as it were.

Pete was ready for a beer and I wanted some sort of snack, having only had sandwiches we’d packed for the drive. A beer sounded pretty good to me, too.

We headed into the Salty Dog Tavern. It seems we entered the bar side, so we were directed through the think kitchen area in the center (dish station, I believe) into the back where the tables were located. It was small but quaint, and the gang took a load off and had a bit of fun.

I didn’t tell you I had a normal family or anything, right? I should tell you all now — if you didn’t know this already — my daughter, Shelby is quite unique. She refuses to take a “normal” picture. So, you will not see one here.

Pete had a beer, but they didn’t have Corona, so I opted for a soda. The girls had sodas as well. We ordered a bucket of clams to share and Casey (who doesn’t eat seafood, really) had an order of fries. Pete added some Oyster Stew and I had a bowl of New England Chowder. I guess, technically, Boston Chowder in this case. ($65 for the whole kaboodle) Tasty vittles and the server was friendly and efficient. Casey and Shelby came up with a saying while we were there, though I couldn’t tell you now why. The Salty Dog, Where Anything Can Happen. (*shrugs* not sure – they’re kids, after all)

That’s all for now. I’ll finish up the fantastic clan adventure in another post tomorrow. I can’t be hogging all your time with my silly family slide shows.

If you have been to these places and have experiences to share, or just want to post a comment or question on the trip so far, just drop me a line. 🙂

Until, tomorrow… and the saga continues.