Maybe my stars are aligned...

Kismet is a word derived from Turkish and Hindi-Urdu. It means, fate, or destiny. A predetermined course of events. I used to like the word kismet, because the words "fate" and "destiny" seemed way too powerful. Kismet seemed a little more light and fluffy, therefore maybe not as permanent?

I doubted fate. Doubted it was truly possible. Until maybe recently.

A tiny course of events took place leading to one idiosyncratic moment that is way too weird to be written off as coincidence. It makes me seriously wonder if fate truly does exist.

Then the subsequent series of events that have taken place since seem so organic, so natural, it's like everything that's happened has fallen in place, exactly where it's supposed to.

So, that one incident, the one occurrence that puts everything in motion, that has in a sense predetermined the next course of events, is that fate?

Or is it merely chance?

And even if it is fate I'll never know, because I have no idea what is supposed to come next. I guess right now I'm not going to even think about it. There's no reason to. I think I'll just sit back and let fate take it's course.

So tell me, do you believe in fate?

Monkey Madness: Time to Pull the Purse Strings

Monday again. These last couple years have been a bit crazy and a total money drain. Between getting divorced and having to furnish a new house, buying a car, and publicizing my novel, let's just say the saving is running dry.

Plus, I'm taking a vacation to AZ in hopes of replenishing my vitamin D levels, AND I'm headed to New York in June for Book Expo America.

The problem? I'm not a good saver. In fact, I'm the opposite of a good saver. First and foremost, I'm going to prepare my kids. I'm usually pretty liberal with the spending money. They're definitely going to have to earn it, and they only get what they earn.

Me, well, I'm going to have to make a list of what's important and go from there. First thing to go is cable television. I don't watch it. Kids don't watch it. Right there I'll save about$30 a month. Wants vs needs. ugh.

Do you have any good strategies for saving money?

F³A: In hindsight...

For weeks I was dreading this week and looking forward to this week. I terrified me, yet I knew it was going to be fun. Four author events, three cities, three nights (saying that totally makes me feel like a rockstar).

I was dreading it only for the fact that I knew it would be exhausting for me. I've been run down anyway the last few weeks, having gone off my vitamin regimen (which I am now back on, I know, my stupid fault), and I've been sleeping like CRAP, yes, with a capital C-R-A-P, for a good couple months at least.

However, the dread was heavily outweighed by the rest. I got to spend time with three amazing writers that I've met before, Kiki Hamilton (The Faerie Ring), Helen Landalf (Flyaway), and Carole Estby Dagg (The Year We Were Famous), PLUS, I got to meet two more writers who are very cool, Kendare Blake (Anna Dressed in Blood), and Kathy McCullough (Don't Expect Magic).

AND I got to connect with writers, readers, teachers and librarians at Third Place Books, Capital High School, Olympia Timberland Library, and Garfield Books.

So, while today I might be run down (as you can see, this blog post is a day late), it was definitely worth it.

Okay, Friday Scribbles:

Random iPod Shuffle Song: Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine

Book of the Week: I started reading the ARC of my friend Danny Marks, Velveteen. So good, so far. :)

Netflix of the Week: Watched a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother last week. That's some funny stuff.

Quote of the Week: "I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." ~ Thomas Carlyle

It's not Friday?!?! And authors band to help small town destroyed by tornado

Why did I think it was Friday? sigh.

It's not, it's Thursday.

But you probably knew that.

Anyway, I wanted to share a link.

The fabulous Julia Karr (XVI) set up an Authors for Henryville auction to benefit the small town, destroyed by a tornado recently.

A bunch of us authors got together to donate signed books and swag, etc. So go check it out and bid on some stuff if you're interested.

Here are a couple photos to give you an idea of the devastation this tornado caused.

Weather Identity Crisis

We need to put an end to this horrible climate change problem we're having. The weather in the Pacific Northwest, usually just gray and rainy is having a major identity crisis. Wind, rain, hail, sleet, snow!?!?! I mean, really? Snow? WTF?

Our poor little tulips and daffodils are trying to bloom and the skies keep dumping snow down on their freezing little bulbs.

Thing One's first tennis match is today...IN THE SNOW!!!!! Um, no, not watching tennis in the snow. Yes, I'll play the bad mom card today. We're all allowed a few bad parent moments, aren't we?

Please, reuse, reduce, recycle. Your footprint is too big for my PNW weather. In a couple years, I will be living in a tundra like climate. I'm not meant for the tundra. I'm meant for the sun with sporadic months of rain intermixed!

Think of the polar bears!!

Al Gore, I'm begging you, get your earth saving ass in higher gear!
God, stop toying with us, we get it, we're bad excessive people. Lesson learned!
And all of you who don't believe in climate change, get your heads out of your arses!! It's real. I'm feeling its wrath!!!
Ellen, Oprah, read my book!!! (sorry, I digress)

For the love of all that's good and pure, give me some effin' sun!!!