Curve balls, mistakes and soul sucking teens

Today is definitely a Monday. Yes a Monday.

In the last couple weeks I have had very dramatic ups and downs. I'm not talking speed bumps, I'm talking hills and valleys.  Steep climbs of elation and big drops of disappointments, annoyances, worry and facing things that are unknown.

The good: I've written quite a bit the last couple days and it's felt good.

The ugly: I realized I wasn't going to get my books in time for my release party (apparently there was an oversight on my part at Lightning Source, an approval I thought I'd done, which I hadn't) so I had to pay up the yin yang for expedited shipping.

The good: I went to the Seahawks game yesterday and it was a beautiful day and fun and I had a great time with family and friends.

The ugly: I have an issue with my car (totally  my stupid fault that I'm not going into) that's going to cost me money.

The good: My kids and I, aside from cleaning issues, are great.

The ugly: I was tagged by two teens in another state on Twitter, and when I jokingly said something about them making fun of an old lady, I mean, I am a teen writer, I thought I would try to engage. I was told to "fuck off" by one, then asked if I send nudes by the other. Um, dudes, you tagged me. Sooo, instead of dealing with that any more, I just blocked them.

The good: I finally got a decent amount of sleep last night, and I didn't even care
that I slept through the Walking Dead to get it.

The ugly: Relationships in my life, well, let's just say they're not easy.

My life is chaotic, I get that. Some of it I create, I know this. It's like I can't function without some amount of drama in my life, but some of this crap falls in my lap, unexpectedly.

I know I'm not mother of the year. I know I could be a better all around person. I have too many vices, my schedule is too busy, my house is cluttered, but I try the best I can and I volunteer my time and donate to charitable works. I try not to miss a soccer game or a music gig if I can help it and I always try to help my parents, family and friends out when they need me.

I guess I'm not really asking for anything in return, I already have much. I still have my parents. I have two healthy kids. I get along with my ex. People like my writing (I mean, some people hate it too but more people like it, so there's that). I have good friends, great family, clothes on my back, a roof over my head, a car to drive  (once I get my tire fixed).

I guess this is just one of my ranty venting blogs when I'm stressed out and you are my sounding board.

And those parent's of those boys on Twitter...they should have taught them better manners and to respect their elders. I mean, really...nude pictures...

Monkey Madness Monday

It certainly feels like a Monday, that's for sure.  I slept like crap last night. Ugh. 

I need a vacation. Seriously.  I've been doing all this marketing work for the book  (discussion guides, postcards, bookmarks, etc, etc, etc, and the day job has been INSANE!!

But I have no vacation time until next month.  And even then, I probably need to save it because I have no idea what I'm going to need once this book comes out.

So, I have my first author gig this Friday.  A reading, Q&A with a few other writers, Danny Marks, a fellow 2k12er whose book, Velveteen releases next fall, Kim Derting, Gwen Hayes, and Tom Llewellyn.  It's a teen after hours party at the Dupont Library.  They only have 15 spots left, so if your 12-18 year old is interested in going, click here to register.

I'm completely nervous.  I have to pick an excerpt from my book to read, which I should have done ages ago yet didn't.  I need to pick one like tonight so I can practice. Ugh.

This will give me some good practice though because I have another event in October, Bookfest NW where I'm going to be on a panel with a few other 2k12ers and Apocalypsies.

Wish me luck and happy vibes that I don't throw up all over my audience.

Happy Monday.

Monkey Madness Monday

Tamarin monkeys

Look at these monkeys <-------- They're so cute they look like stuffed animals.

So, I had an eventful weekend.  A writer meetup with my fellow Harbingers of Doom, Danny Marks, J. Anderson Coats, and Marissa Burt -- two 2K12er and an Apocalypty. 

Then I got a bout of the 24 hour flu.  Good times.  I hate being sick.  I'm not good at standing still, especially when there is so much to do.  It was hard to walk by a weed without pulling it, look at the dishes in the sink, see the mound of laundry.  But I always overdo it when I'm sick, prolonging my illness.  I was a good girl this time.

Then I stressed, panicked, and nearly collapsed over my option book.  If you don't know what an option book is, it's when your publisher has right of first refusal over  your next novel.  It's a lot of pressure.

On a more positive note, I'm taking an HTML class today.   My goal: to be self sufficient at producing websites and maintaining the one at my day job.  I bought a book, but I'm much better at being shown how to do something.  So I'm very excited.  Then I have a four day writer's retreat I'm conducting at the ocean with four friends.  We're each giving a presentation, writing, having fun, and socializing.  I'm really looking forward to it.  We're going to come up with a pithy name for it and do it annually.

That's about that for a Monday.

How's your Monday so far?

Manic Monday

Yes, new ideas to keep me blogging.  So today is Manic Monday where I basically get to rant about all the wrong in the world.

I expected to be writing about holiday travel, since I came back home from a weekend at the ocean, but honestly, it wasn't that bad except for the two or three drivers, who drove right next to each other, at a pace I can only compare to watching grass grow.  They held up traffic for miles.  And I had to speed up, slow down, change lanes, jockey for position to get around them.  This took 1 1/2 hours.  Once I got past them the last half hour was smooth sailing.

And how about them Seahawks, huh?  Nothing like being the king of the losers.  We're going to be in the play offs and get our asses kicked by the wild card team.  That will be a sad, sad day in Seattle.

My girls and I tried to find a Christmas movie to watch on TV last night.  We found two and they were boring and lame.  What happened to the day when the Christmas movies were funny and fun and original and made of clay?  Now they're all heartwarming and cheesy.  We ended up putting Edward Scissorhands in the DVD player.  Yes it IS a Christmas movie.

Well, that's my first Manic Monday.  And I didn't think I had anything to write about.  Come back tomorrow for 2fer Tuesday. (anyone want to blog with me tomorrow?)




Catch you on the flip side,

Megan