Happy Birthday, Grandmother

Every February 28, I think of my grandmother. She's the only grandmother I ever met and she was a humdinger. In her 60s she would go hiking with us grandkids and we would tramp all over the mountain on her farm. I remember her taking me to where the spring that ran through their property came out of the mountain. I've never drank such clean, cold water since.

The view was beautiful from the huge rock that jutted close to the top. My favorite thing was reaching that top. My grandfather planted corn in the field up there. After walking along a path with trees shading the way, dark and cool, to emerge in the field with tall, green stalks waving in the middle with the sun shining down, it was a beautiful sight. Maybe a little bit of a miracle.

Happy 115th Birthday!

Love, Carla

What's happening?

I've gotten two manuscripts off to three editors. Let's see what happens next. I have a book to finish in case one editor asks for a full.

Quote For The Day

It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.
Helen Keller

Writing Men

I like writing because it’s as close as I can get to bossing all the men around in my little world. Of course, occasionally they stage a coup and do what they want, but I usually get them in line pretty quick and have them apologizing on their knees to their women.

True Love

I don’t believe I ever felt truly loved until I had children. Nothing better.

What's Been Happening?

I wish I could say something wonderful has happened to cause me to be absent from my blog. But there hasn't. At least, nothing bad has happened either. Just been concentrating on writing though I feel as if I'm running in water. Slow. Awfully slow.

It's the usual dilemna I face every year. I have no one to write for but me. Published authors all the time say this is a wonderful time. No pressure to finish something certain in a limited time. But it makes it hard to concentrate on one project. I'm one of those people who enjoys boundaries.

Of course, you're thinking, but how can she write by the seat of her pants if she feels that way. Well, it like this. All my stories have happy endings. So I know where I'm going in that regards. Only I like to write contemporaries, historicals and paranormals. If I sold a story, I would then know the type of story I needed to concentrate on. See. My usual dilemna.

Same Song Different Verse

The other day I received some comments on a contest I finaled in. Here's a couple comments.

You write WELL. I can see Olivia breaking down the gun, see her in her black silk outfit trying to be cool on the plane, sizing Joe up, offering him a particular smile…

I’m caught and reeled in. I’d enjoy reading the rest to see how you worked out the conflicts and got the two on the same side and into each other’s hearts.

Quote Of The Day

There are only really a few stories to tell in the end, and betrayal and the failure of love is one of those good stories to tell.
Sean Lennon

A Comment Worth Repeating

In response to a post by Lynn Raye Harris, author of several Harlequin Presents books, click here to read it, I commented how hard it is to be a published author. Her post is certainly a good one for all want-a-be authors out there.

I'm looking forward to the harder part.

The day job I'm in now, I thought I was nuts applying for it. It appeared harder than the one I had before. And it was. For three years I wanted to quit. I cried so much, let's say I even embarrassed myself a couple times. Then finally something happened. I realized I needed to quit worrying about it and just do it. I won't say it's easier, but at the end of a 13 million dollar job that went smoothly, I feel I've accomplished something. It gave me confidence that poured over into my dream. I finally thought if I can do this day job, who can dare tell me I can't get published.

Though it has been more than three years of trying, I know it will happen and I look forward to the scary parts. It'll make me a better person and a better writer.

Traveling From Home

Thursday morning, I decided to take pictures along the way to work. We had snow (again), though thankfully not much. A few of the photos are blurred, but that's understandable. Right? The traffic was so thin (almost like a Sunday morning) going through downtown, I wasn't a danger to anyone. Just thought people would find it fascinating. It starts off on my road, then on I-20, followed by I-59 and ending with I-65. Yes. I have to drive on three different interstates to reach my job. The next to last photo shows what it looks like from my parking space and the last one is my "cube."

The picture of the block-like building taken out of my side window is the FBI office. I just thought it looked awesome and added it to the bunch.