The Wedding Goat: A Cautionary Tale for All Writers

One of the things that might surprise you about me is my culinary flair.

Seriously.

I’m an awesome cook. Gourmet, even.

In fact I once catered a wedding for 150 guests. It was a union of a southern belle with Pennsylvania roots to the love of her life, a handsome gentleman from Cameroon. The exotic menu included goat, plantains and mangos… personal requests of the bride and groom.

It surprisingly went off without a hitch. The happy couple is still happily hitched ten years later… and neither I nor my mother will ever forget deboning a goat the midnight before the wedding. It was, well, scarring. *lol*

The point to all this rambling is that I enjoy cooking.

The fact that I detest eating is a fact I’ve learned to ignore, mostly. (Chloe Stowe Mental Problem #173)

I cook for others, and when others aren’t around I cook things that can be frozen and enjoyed when company does come a-calling.

This year, I’ve been incredibly remiss in practicing my kitchen magic.

That has now come to an end.

Today, when I should have been preparing to start my 750 word-a-day two-month binge tomorrow, I’ve been baking chocolate cakes. Decadent little achievements I’m quite proud of.

Later this evening, I will be preparing Rigatoni with Sausage, Parmesan and Portobello Mushrooms…

Why am I telling you all this?

Simple.

Because if you’re like me, obsessively honed in on writing, you sometimes forget to sharpen the other talents that have been lying around dusty in your repertoire.

Writing is not a case of either / or.

In fact, it is a career which embraces all fields of creativity and study. It thrives on such outlandish talents like deboning goats.

I forget that sometimes.

I hope you don’t.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

The Need for Motivation

With the weather clearing and a new month on the doorstep, it’s time to get back to clocking some serious daily word counts.

I’ve calculated it out (and sprained some rarely used math muscles) that if I write 750 words on “The Lion and the Steed” series Book Two, the novel will be done and nicely fat for its July 1 deadline.

Now, I’ve just got to get back in the mood. *chuckles sadly*

With Writhe’s release still being delayed for reasons I’m not entirely sure of, I’m finding it kind of hard to get enthused about writing its follow up… and I hate that.

Really, really hate that.

*grrrs*

*my dog looks at me and rolls her eyes*

But the work will be done and it will be done with style and grace, damn it!

*snickers*

It’s going to be hard putting the “Six Brothers” project on the backburner though. I’ve gotten really cozy with the story (and am desperately afraid that the literary agent will shoot the idea down with a laughing “You silly, silly girl.”)

Not to mention The Sun and the Sand Cat Romance Thriller which I waded back into for the agent query.  Now that I’ve gotten my feet wet again in that story, I’m having to force myself not to dive right back into it.

And then there’s poor “Sicily,” my genre-conflicted short story that has been terribly neglected…

*shrieks in utter frustrations*

*dog leaves the room*

Ok, enough of all this whining!

 I am blessed to have all these projects to work on and the time and opportunity to do so… would somebody please embroider that onto a pillow and whack me on the face with it a couple dozen times until I finally freaking get it?

Thank you.

I’d appreciate that very much.

*smiles and goes to find my dog*

Until tonight…

Chloe

The Drop-Kicking of Donald Sterling

A mighty fine drop in the bucket.

Bravo Adam Silver, Commissioner of the NBA!! Banning Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling for life was freaking brilliant! Well done!!

*stands up and applauds wholeheartedly*

The mentality some hold (hello, Mr. Sterling) that white people “give” minorities their livelihoods by “allowing” those “lower and more bedraggled” races to work for them is mournful, sickening and needs to be scrubbed from America’s mindset forever. (Anybody got a really big steel-wire brush?)

Of course, that scrubbing is not going to happen anytime soon. I know that. You know that. The Sterlings in the world know that and thrive upon it with smug vigor.

But…

Every time society as a part or as a whole takes such a step as the NBA has done today, the world gets a little bit closer to that once impossible dream.

The one thing I truly hate is bigotry.

From my childhood growing up as the lone white girl in a neighborhood vibrant in African-American culture, I’ve despised racism. It’s stupid and indefensible, and I’ll hate it with my dying breath.

The LGBT community faces the same idiotic bigotry. It’s disgusting. I proudly write of the beauty, the fire, the dignity of same sex relationships in part to do my bit in fighting the stigma the LGBT community has been forced to bear.

I realize my writing is only a drop in the bucket of what needs to be done in this cause, but it is a drop.

Put enough drops in the bucket and change will come.

Maybe this blog will one day be such a drop.

Wouldn’t that be grand?

*smiles*

Until tomorrow…

Chloe, now firmly dismounted from her high horse  *lol*

Spoofing the Positive

This glass is half full.

Alive but not completely functional, I am here!

*waits for the thunderous applause to die down*

*ignores the occasional boos and hisses*

After a frantic evening of tornado prep, which included but was not limited to: cramming everything of dire importance into an already stuffed walk-in closet, filling up 6 big jugs of water for drinking and hygiene purposes, freaking my dog out completely by putting her harness and leash in said-closet, boiling eggs and descending into rational panic… I am pooped.

Thankfully, we only had one real scare when a tornado was reported on the ground with 165mph winds moving our way.  Yep, fun stuff. (By the way, that was the tornado that ended up taking a chunk out of Athens, Alabama and killing 2 people. Why my parents insist on living in north Alabama I have zero idea. *sighs*)

Another day of meteorological mayhem is on tap for this afternoon and into tonight, so the amount of actual work I get done will most likely border on the slim to none. But we’ll see.

On the work front, I was notified by AOL this morning that my work email account that had been hacked two weeks ago, had in fact only been “spoofed.”

Well, that makes that sooooo much better.

At least, the fault was not on my end. Apparently 2 percent of all AOL accounts were affected by the security breach and spoofed.

Bottom line: I am not infected.

There is no virus running rampant though silently through my system just waiting to strike again.

That’s all good and we’re going to concentrate on the good… not the trouble it caused.

See, this is me thinking positive.

*shivers*

Feels kind of creepy, doesn’t it? *lol*

Until tonight…

Chloe

Yellow Crayons

As we’ve just been put under a PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Tornado Watch by the National Weather Service, I’m posting early before bad things start popping down from the skies.

Go ahead, color me a coward.

I look magnificent in yellow crayon.

*smirks*

I did want to let you guys know that I sent off my much anticipated and overly ballyhooed (on my part) letter to the literary agent. Packed with four attachments and paragraphs of brilliant literary ideas (in my mind, at least *lol*), the missive is on its way to New York.

The weeks of waiting for a reply have officially begun!

Frank, my specter of imminent failure, is grinning hungrily at me from his tent in my back yard. What do you think the chances are that Mother Nature can take the lardy ghoul out but leave me and my mine alone? *sighs*

Anyhow, I’m out of here.

Sorry this is short.

Sorry this is early.

Sorry in advance if I miss a few postings due to extraneous meteorological activities.

Know I will return as soon as possible.

Stay safe. Stay sane.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Ruby Flip-Flops at the Ready

Shall we all play pretend?

No, nothing quite as fun as playing pirates on your backyard swing set. Or as sweet as playing princesses in your grandmother’s garden. (Although I’m always up for a fine game of pirates. Yo ho ho! *smiles*)

Unfortunately, I’m just talking about pretending that all of the really bad weather has just disappeared.

POOF!

Blue skies, an occasional white puffy cloud to add contrast and lazy spring breezes are all we’re facing today, ok?

Come on, everybody, if we all pretend really, really hard maybe we’ll make it come true!

*Mother Nature cackles from the west*

Despite the turbulent heavens scoffing at me, I’m going to give it a shot… And we’ll start now with this blog.

With nothing to concern myself with today except my letter to the at-the-moment-interested-in-Chloe-Stowe literary agent, we’ll talk that this morning.

As I reported before, my package for my f/m Romance Thriller The Sun and the Sand Cat is ready to go. The shine on that thing will hopefully dazzle. Hopefully. *sighs nervously*

As for my more-mainstream project of the “Six Brothers,” I’m not going to be able to give her anything but a rough summary of the major plot points I’m aiming for. (Yeah, I know, not impressive in the least. I tried to get a proper chapter outline going last night but there’s simply too much work left to do on it to make that presentable.)

I’m also going to send my f/m historical romance novella “To Steal the Sunrise” which was released by the now defunct Noble Romance in late 2012. I’ve got the letter reverting the complete rights back to me, and since they didn’t publicize it AT ALL and I don’t think more than maybe four lonesome copies of it were ever sold before Noble packed up and called the publishing business a day, I figured why not see what the agent says about it, right? (Wow! What a fantastically, ridiculous run-on sentence that was. I’m either impressed or horrified. *lol*)

We’ll see if any of this actually gets sent to the agent today as my blue skies, white puffy clouds and lazy spring breezes might take up unexpected pockets of time today. *smirks*

Please, keep your fingers crossed for me on all fronts this afternoon!

Thank you.

Stay safe, everyone.

Until tonight…

Chloe, packing for Oz

Binge-Watching the Weather Channel

*steps up to the microphone*

*clears throat*

*with a stern face and a no-nonsense voice begins”

Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time we have a serious talk about weather.

And I’m not talking rainbows, snow flurries or late summer drizzle.

I’m speaking of fist-sized hail, bastardly winds and “strong, long-track” tornadoes (as the National Weather Service likes to call the very best twisters).

I’m talking about weather bearing down on dozens of millions of people.

I’m talking about weather bearing down on me.

*stops and ever so slyly checks pulse*

*frowns*

*breathes in and out… in and out…*

No, I’m not panicking. Being a girl with a 20 year old panic disorder, I know a panic when I see one.

This, friends, is rational concern heightened by my recent experience (hello, tornado outbreak of April 2011 when we lost power for FIVE freaking days!) and a dastardly imagination that often does not do a body good.

Currently, I’m binge watching the Weather Channel, while the school systems one by one cancel classes and all activities tomorrow.

“Ring around the rosie, a pocket of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down.”

The fact that this is circling my head like some kind of buzzard on the scent of soon-to-be fresh storm-kill isn’t very encouraging for either my mental health (which was, as you know, tenuous at best) or this blog.

Speaking of this blog, I plan on posting throughout the severe weather outbreak whenever I have power and internet. If I happen to miss a post I hope you won’t hold it against me.

Mother Nature can be a real bitch and I tremble cowardly in her path.

*giggles nervously*

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Babe in the Big, Scary Woods

As my headache from yesterday has decided to stay the weekend, I am going to make this little and sweet. Think of this blog as your very own hollow chocolate Easter bunny. Nibble his ears gently. You don’t want the poor guy to crack up prematurely. (Apropos coming from me, right?)

I’ve got The Sun and the Sand Cat all done up in its Sunday’s finest and ready to head to the literary agent tomorrow. With the Romance Thriller being almost ¾ written, I think it’s my best shot at getting a positive response from the agent… but what the heck do I know? Babe in the woods, here.

Today, I’m going to try to put the “Six Brothers” project into some kind of comprehensible order. I’ve just started outlining the thing into chapters so I’m not really sure what I’m going to give her. However, it is an idea that is definitely more mainstream than the majority of my previously published works, so I think it’s important to put the “Six Brothers” out there. .. Again, babe in the woods. Just hoping no stray huntsman chops me into pieces while I’m all swaddled and innocent in the forest.

Ok, since I’m mixing analogies with ghastly results, I will leave you kind folks there for the morning.

Have a magnificent Sunday!

Until tonight…

Chloe

Into Africa

To nobody’s surprise, the creative juices are still damned up in my head.

No story writing has taken place today.

Not a single, solitary word.

However (and this might be my brain’s saving grace), I have gotten considerable work done on the project package I’ll be sending to the literary agent on Monday.

Yeah, me!

(Tooting one’s own horn is an acceptable practice in a writer’s life. It is. Really.)

I have jazzed up the query letter, the synopsis and I’m currently working on perfecting the first three chapters of The Sun and the Sand Cat, my f/m Romance Thriller set in modern day West Africa. I have 40k written on the novel (about 2/3 to ¾ of the expected total word count). This is the book I had planned to use to launch my new and final pen name of Cora Douglas Sands. I think it’s good. I guess we’ll see about that.

It’s amazing how much one’s writing improves just through the process of writing. I last worked on The Sun and the Sand Cat (www.coradouglassands.com) last year and while I believe it was the best I’ve written up to that point, I read through it now and see how many places I can tweak it to make it just a tiny bit better.

Hopefully, all those “tiny bits” gleaned from years of writing will finally pay off. Keep your fingers crossed for me, please.

I am currently fighting through a headache the size and breadth of Ben Hur, so I will be keeping this short tonight.

Consider the brevity a gift from me to you.

You’re welcome.

*winks*

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

The Mind in Running Shoes

I need to write.

I need to let the juices flow out all over a piece of crisp white paper.

Adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases and ellipses (I love me some “…”s *lol*) all need to crawl out of my head and find new homes in a story.

The body was thoroughly and grumpily exhausted last night.

The mind was up for a brisk jog around the block.

Put these two together and you get sleep sporadic in its best. (We won’t even talk about the dreams other than to say I had Popes popping up everywhere, including in an episode of “MacGyver.” It was rather disturbing. *shivers dramatically*)

Penning blogs, letters to literary agents and UK book reviews apparently doesn’t count toward the writing muscles screaming for attention.

It’s been days since I’ve sat down and spun out a good 500 words of utter imagination. I’m going to fix that today.

500 words of fiction are going to be dragged out of these fingers today even if I have to hire a tow truck to assist.

There’s going to be some tale weaving today, damn it!

I’m going to pump out some mighty powerful rounds of fiction. It’s going to be brutal… or however “brutal” romance with a touch of smut can get.

*pregnant pause as realization strikes*

Unfortunately, we all know now that I have just jinxed myself as to the creating thing today. A “suddenly” or a “sweet curve of his ass” might putter out, but the flow thing is almost assuredly out the door and hopping into the cab of the tow truck I won’t be needing after all.

*sighs*

Nevertheless, I vow to try.

Hand to my heart, I promise you, dear readers, I will give it my best shot… unless, of course, the tow truck driver is hot and then, well, I’ll let your imaginations take it from there. *winks*

Until tonight…

Chloe

Spinning in the Twilight

The war-torn lovers have reunited, the credits have rolled and only a few movie goers remain in the still darkened theater...

Suddenly, just when the few stragglers are sure that the show is really, truly over, a blog flashes across the screen crowing proudly…

“Chloe Stowe is here! The blogging streak lives!”

Whether rotten tomatoes are then tossed at the screen or a smattering of applause is heard, I could not tell you because I am currently lying flat on my back on the floor, having been run to the ground by a 3 ½ year old little whirlwind of a boy.

*grins the grin of the happily exhausted*

Yes, my nephew, the bestest and brightest light in my life, is to blame for the lateness of this post.

I’d apologize but I just had too much fun to ever let the word “sorry” cross these smiling lips when it comes to spending time with that wonderful boy.

Ok, enough bragging. The aunt has left the room and the writer has reappeared, if only momentarily.

I did in fact write the literary agent a heavily modified version of what I laid out for you this morning. Now, I’ve got two days to get my literary act together and make myself and my words look damned good.

That’s all.

Time to crack open the oyster and fake a pearl.

???

Yeah, that didn’t make any sense. I think my brain is still out spinning my nephew around in the twilight.

Better to leave the blog there, I think… out twirling in the sunset.

*smiles*

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

The Night of the Many Tissues

Although off to a slow and bumpy start, Friday is here and aren’t we glad? *smiles long and lazily*

I actually slept in this morning, an extremely rare feat that had less to do with my enjoying a good snooze than the allergies that tackled my nose last night. Nearly two hours of middle of the night sneezing lends itself to late starts.

Surprisingly, the late afternoon news of a literary agent asking to see my work (EEEK!!) did not send me off into a downward spiral of panic. (A little nausea and light-headedness is to be expected even with normal minds, right?)

Anyhow, the plan is to write the agent back today and tell her the following, more or less…

 “I’d love for you to have a look at my stuff (“stuff” will not be used here, of course; neither will “genius” *lol*). I’d like to take this weekend to get everything fancied up (again, word replacement desperately needed), so that I can send you my portfolio (my oeuvre? my literary take on the romance genre? *smirks*) on Monday.”

Well, you get the picture.

This will allow me time to get my s**t together and, hopefully, not embarrass myself too much when I shove a whole bunch of Chloe Stowe onto her unsuspecting lap.

Sounds like a plan, right?

So, after blogging and perhaps forcing some food down to my uncooperative stomach, I’ll get that done.

Then, I’m off to the see my doctor for a scheduled mental health check. (How ironic is that timing, huh?)

Then, I need to write back to MM Good Book Reviews who’d like to do an interview with me to coincide with the release of “Ravenscar” in June.

At that point, I will collapse and my always insightful dog will write this evening’s blog.

Throw in a bit of sneezing and the ever-present freaking out and I’d say my day is done.

Goodie.

Now, where did I put that darn air sick bag?

Until tonight…

Chloe

Bring in the Bats

Big news in the Chloe Stowe literary world! Not quite as earth shaking as the goings-on in “Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla” which is currently wreaking poorly done havoc on my television screen, but news that is momentous in its own non-catastrophic way.

I heard back from the literary agent I had that lead on!

She understands that I want to go more mainstream in my writing with the help of an agent. And she wants to see any projects I’m working on!!!

(SIDE NOTE: The excessive use of exclamation points in this post is absolutely called for and will most likely be rather garish. Pardon.)

I’m excited, stunned, nervous and nauseous… and frankly I have no idea what to do next. *lol*

Should I bombard her with all my current projects (i.e. my m/m short story “Sicily,” my f/m romance thriller The Sun and the Sand Cat, and my mainstream historical fiction “Six Brothers”) and finished projects waiting to find a home (i.e. my f/m historical romance novella To Steal the Sunrise, etc.)?

Or should I be more circumspect, just giving a broad sense of what I’d hope to work on in the future and just ask for advice? (Not seeing me going this route, just saying. I’m not going to waste this opportunity.)

What are literary agents generally looking for? Do you send a work’s outline, its synopsis, the first three chapters or the whole thing if you’ve got it?

This is going to take some research.

This will probably also take an air-sick bag.

Tonight, I’m just going to concentrate on breathing, keeping my stomach from crawling up my throat and working on keeping the nuts in the backroom of my mind from going too batty.

Tall order, ain’t it?

*grins*

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Leading You Astray

Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt are joining me this morning as “Twister” roars from my television screen.

They are chasing tornadoes.

I am chasing a few hours of sweet writing time.

For the next few weeks I will be having company. Real, flesh and blood company, the kind who haven’t sprouted just out of my imagination but at some point actually emerged out of somebody’s loins. In other words, I’m not talking Frank.

While this is wonderful and promises genuine fun, my writing will have to be tucked into crevices and squeezed into nooks of time usually reserved for just breathing.

This will also be affecting the timing of the blog posts.

Both morning and evening posts will probably be an hour or so later than normal. Hopefully this will not shatter your existences too terribly, as I realize this blog is the core of your universe. (SIDE NOTE: That was sarcasm, not one of my infamous delusions of grandeur. *lol*)

Good news to pass along this morning… I actually worked on my writing last night so Frank (my specter of imminent failure) is back in his tent in the far corner of my backyard. The freezer and the table have been returned to their proper places and the door is now clear for comings and goings of a non-ghoulish nature. (See last night’s post if this last sentence has left you scratching your head.)

My “Six Brothers” Revolutionary War-era project got my attention last evening. The outline is finally taking shape as I have decided on a spine for my story from which all other storylines will flow. If you remember, I had four major storylines planned. Now, I’ve got a lead storyline with three beefy followers…

Yeah, yeah, I’ve strayed into mixed metaphors. Retrace your steps exactly and you should be free and clear of all Chloe very soon. *grins*

Until tonight…

Chloe

Don't Answer that Door

Wednesday is laughing it’s ass off at me.

All my grand plans of crafting literary glory today died on the vine, wilting before they even gained color or shape.

It’s a sad, sad day at the Stowe House of Words this afternoon. Not a single syllable found paper or screen.

Can we say Failure, everyone?

*RAP, RAP, RAP! at the back door*

Crap.

Frank.

My specter of imminent failure, the ghoul who’s been camped out in the far corner of my backyard the last few days, is now grinning at me like a lardy loon through the window pane.

“the kitchen table scrapes and shrieks across the floor as it’s shoved against the door*

I am not letting that bastard back inside over one failed day of writing.

Admittedly, it’s now three days since I’ve actually done any writing, but company, car wrecks and hackers have to take precedence at certain times, right? So while I may feel guilty for neglecting my fictional pursuits (No, let’s change that to “pursuits in fiction;” yeah, that sounds much, much better *lol*), I will not cave to Frank’s stalking.

I will not.

Nope.

At least not until tomorrow.

If I can’t get at least a couple hundred words of something beyond blog written I will have no choice but to let the foul-mouthed spook back in.

But not tonight.

No way.

Pardon me while I go tip the freezer against that darn rapped-upon door.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

When Wednesday Winks

Wednesday has lumbered over the horizon with a mischievous look in its eye.

I have all these grand plans of settling down in one spot, dog snuggled at my side, and binge writing away the day… the same day that is winking suspiciously at me.

*sighs*

Well, I’m not letting that deter me. Me, pup and a pad of paper have a date that is not going to be put off. Heck, I might even invite along a pencil to really liven the writing sit-in up.

I have three active writing projects that could all use my attention. Poor “Sicily” has especially been showing signs of severe neglect.  Briggs and Damiano are nothing but skin and bones. It’s really kind of sad and I hope to plump them up a little today. *fingers crossed*

Of course, by my actually stating these intentions, said-intentions have probably just been tossed out of the window and are now lying splat-like on the pavement.

*Wednesday giggles maliciously, as if a master plan has just been put into motion*

 Still no further word on Writhe. I will not take this as a bad sign for progress on that front this week. I’m just stating the fact and letting it sit out there and breathe. (Yeah, even I don’t know what that means but it sounded pretty cool in my head before, you know, the keyboard was brought into the situation. *lol*)

Alright, I’ll leave you to your own Wednesday now. Hope yours gives you less attitude than mine.

Until tonight…

Chloe

Smidgeons and Specks

I’m very proud to report that I did not a smidgeon of work today.

Not a speck.

Not the barest fraction of an iota.

Zilch, ladies and gentlemen. Zilch.

It’s my birthday and I am refusing to feel guilty about it. That feather in my already overloaded hat of guilt will just have to float away on the birthday breeze… yeah, well, you get the idea.

Last night, however, I was able to get a little bit of work done on my Revolutionary War-era project “The Six Brothers.” Admittedly it was only a drop in the bucket of what needs to be done to get the plot and outline into some kind of shape, but it was progress.

Speaking of progress, my poor, new Honda Civic is supposed to be put back together again from the rumble with the Ford Explorer on May 16. Three and a half weeks without a car… Not a problem! *lol*

Speaking of not a problem, Frank (my specter of imminent failure) has moved off of my front stoop. The tent he’s pitched in the far corner of my backyard is a lot less troublesome than the tubby ghoul hanging out at the front door. (The neighbors were beginning to talk.)  At least that’s one thing that’s come out of Writhe’s delay. A non-corporeal silver lining you might say.

Alright, I’m off to enjoy the last 7 hours of my big day. Enjoy a few of those hours yourselves, ok?

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Over 14

One of my garden's beauties.

“I know something you don’t know!” The annoying five-year old child that lives in us all has escaped from my adult clutches this morning and is now yodeling at you.

Excuse her.

Excuse me.

Because the secret that she is taunting you about is… “It’s my birthday!”

Yes, April 22 saw the birth of your Chloe Stowe 42 years ago and isn’t the world a madder place because of it?

42 is a magnificent number, especially when you were convinced you’d never see the age of 14. (I had convinced myself when I was about 10 that I had a fatal heart condition and that there was no way I’d ever reach 14. Seriously. Dead serious, I’m afraid. *sighs* This was one of the first signs of the madness I brought with me into the world. I was a jolly little child. *lol*)

Anyhow, that is why I’m late posting the morning blog today. I actually slept in past sunrise. That hasn’t happened since the middle of January.  But a brand spanking new 42 year old deserves some leeway in this I suppose.

I’m hoping to get a tiny bit of writing done today, perhaps tucked in between switching email accounts thanks to my friendly neighborhood hacker and checking on my poor car’s diagnosis from the body shop.

Of course there is also the matter of presents to address. There’s a gorgeous collection of wrapped goodies on my mantle that will need to be opened today. Such drudgery.

*smirks*

Hopefully, I will have a spot of writing news to report to you this evening.

Hopefully, the annoying five-year old child will be back under control and far from the keyboard too.

No guarantees on anything, however.

After all it is my birthday!

Until tonight…

Chloe

Delusions of Zeus

The slow, laborious process of changing email accounts has begun. Yippee.

My new car has been towed away for 3 weeks of body work. Outstanding.

I have gotten zero writing done today. Freakin’ fantastic.

Other than all that, the Monday has been beyond beautiful. Highs in the mid-70’s, deep blue skies, a kiss of wind. Heaven.

It makes for an emotionally see-saw kind of a day. But I’m a scary rollercoaster kind of a gal so I’m trying my very best  to enjoy the ride. (The key word here is “trying.” Effort is being made to force out a giggle every once in a while.  So while I may not earn a gold star for my attempt, I’d better be getting one heck of a silver one. Just sayin’. *lol*)

The waiting pattern continues as to Writhe’s arrival. I wonder if the fifteenth child usually gives the mother this much trouble during delivery? By this point I’d think the little squiggly thing should be shooting out into the world lickety-split style.

Hopefully all my fictional characters are enjoying their break from my messing with their lives. By Thursday I should be back creating chaos and panning out unlikely romance at their every turn… so far in my literary life I have erupted a volcano, hurled Memphis into ruins with a spectacular earthquake and torched just about every building in a little town in Kansas.

Hmm…

I wonder if Zeus ever got hacked?

I know you’d never catch the guy in a Civic.

Oh well, another delusion of grandeur shot to hell.

*chuckles*

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Civic Responsibility

It's not this bad, but... *lol*

Another work week bears down upon us and I for one am not ready for it.

If you don’t mind, I’d like to get my spate of whining done right up front so that we can all move on from there with a smile.  I promise to be brief while keeping the self-pity at bay, mostly. *grins*

I’ve still got the hacked email fiasco to deal with. While I’ve blanketed out my new contact info to my address book, I need to personally write the publishing houses to inform them to the changes. Then, I need to change all my websites, author pages, RWA, RRW, etc. to reflect my new email address. This is going to take FOREVER! (Alright, that’s a bit of an exaggeration but my aggravation got the better of me for a moment and exploded into all caps. Pardon me.)

Next, there’s the little problem of my car. You remember, my new little Honda Civic who got fairly mangled (not an exaggeration, I’m afraid) by the big Ford Explorer Saturday afternoon.

Thankfully, the other driver has taken complete responsibility as has their insurance company. But I’ve still got to get the car fixed, a process I’m pretty sure is going to take a considerable amount of time, manpower and, did I mention, time? It’s frustrating but as long as nobody (including my dog) got hurt, it’s really no problem whatsoever. The aggravation, however, remains.

Whining is now over.

Thank you for your indulgence.

Now, on to writing!

I should hear about Writhe this week… déjà vu, anyone? *lol* Once I get that release date, I can maneuver everything else around the big push (at this point, probably more of a nudge, but it will be darn enthusiastic nudge! *grins*)

My author page at Dreamspinner is apparently ready to go. I just got the word this morning on that, but haven’t had time to check it out yet. When I do, expect that to be enthusiastically nudged at you as well.

Writing, the actual process of putting thought into word and onto paper, is going to be taking a backseat today, unfortunately… I feel so much better about myself when I write.

Ok, I believe I have yapped at you long enough for a Monday morning.

Have a fantastic day! And keep your Civics out of the Explorer’s way.

Until tonight…

Chloe

Peeps and Lilies

As another Easter fades away into sweet memories of Peeps and lilies lining the church aisles, we all turn our gazes to spring and the whispers of summer it promises.

Living in Florida, I am blessed to have had spring tickling my fancy for several weeks now. And despite the clouds that have hung low over one of the Holiest of days, my little garden of flowers and fruit and vegetables still called to me this afternoon.

After nearly six inches of rain this last week, my yard, alas, is in no condition for company not packing webbed feet. So I’m left fondling seed packets and surrendering to delusions of horticultural grandeur.

With my pitiful dreaminess cresting to new heights it seems today, I will not even pretend to weave talk of work into tonight’s blog. Work will still be waiting for us tomorrow, so today let’s just stop and smell a few of my roses.

Above, below and possibly wrapped around the sides (depending on which blog machine you’re reading this from) you will find a few gems from my garden.

Can you believe I had a hand in creating something so beautiful?

No, neither can I.

*grins*

Have a wonderful night, folks!

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

 

 

 

 

Fragility

Feeling a little fragile this Easter.

Happy Easter, everyone!

I’m a teensy bit jittery still from yesterday’s car accident, so forgive the rattling of the teacup as I place it back in its porcelain saucer. I’ll try not to crack anything precious.

With the second email hacking fiasco yesterday along with the bit of “excitement” on the road, are you terribly shocked to hear that I got zero work done? Oh well. It was really the least of my concerns Saturday.

I have out-of-town company coming this afternoon so I’m afraid the writing will again have to suffer. I think the smut/romance world will survive one more day without Chloe Stowe adding to the already crowded market.

In a bit of really spectacular news almost lost in the chaos of yesterday, the lead on the literary agent continues to grow stronger. The owner of the agency (the former owner of one of the publishing houses I’ve written for) told me that she is going to have her agent contact me.

Whew.

I had already started to warm up the panic engines about how I was going to approach the agent. The vice versa option is completely unexpected and ridiculously welcome.

Whew. (Yes, it deserves repeating. *lol*)

Another piece of nifty news I discovered yesterday was realizing that the deadline for Book Two of “The Lion and the Steed” series isn’t until July 1, not the June 15 I had been thinking.

I’d throw another “Whew!” out at you but I hate needless redundancy. It’s so gauche. *rolls the eyes and snickers*

Tonight’s blog might be a little later than usual, but fear not it will be there. I started this “twice a day, every day” blog mania in late January and I haven’t missed a post yet. I’m enjoying the streak and priding myself in it. Breaking it is not on the agenda (barring huge Ford Explorers crashing the party.)

Enjoy this glorious Easter, my friends!

Until tonight…

Chloe