In My Mailbox

I cannot keep from buying books anymore. I don't know what it is. I used to use my library all the time, but I can't seem to not order books. My collection continues to grow.

My latest Amazon delivery actually included three different media. The first was a newly released first book from one of my favorite authors (I have MANY), Patricia Briggs. I'm a really big fan of her Mercy Thompson and the Alpha & Omega series.









On an editorial comment, I don't like the covers for the Mercy books. My daughter Erin told me about them and said they were very good. They dress Mercy like a skanky ho, which she absolutely is not. She's a mechanic and dresses in jeans and t-shirts. Personally I question the wisdom of putting misleading covers on books. People who are looking for nickle nasties may be drawn to such a cover but will be disappointed when the character doesn't act like the cover implies. If you're like me and avoid the nickle nasties, you will avoid books with covers like that. I think it's stupid.

/endrant

Back to my delivery. Briggs's first book was called Masques. From her bio, it didn't sell well and she nearly quite writing. She's rereleased this first book and a sequel to it will be coming out on Tuesday.

I'm going to need to hurry and get it read, since Tuesday is also the release of the next to the last book in the Wheel of Time series, Towers of Midnight. Can't WAIT for Tuesday!











In my mail also came the DVD of The Scarlet Pimpernel with Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour, and Ian McKellan. Love this version!

I also received a new Wii Game called Just Dance. Haven't had a chance to play it yet (for exercise, I hope) because I'm furiously trying to write up my outline for my NaNoWriMo project. I should be doing that rather than updating my blog. =D

Halloween

Here's Kelsey, Paul, and Adam (after we tried curls on him):














After this picture, they went shopping and got Adam a pair of matching pants. Then they did his makeup. We all went to Pirate Island, and the waitress asked if they played with a band. Well, of course Paul said they did--which was kind of the truth, since they play Rock Band together, and Paul and Adam write music. They just haven't had any gigs yet.

Adam dyed his hair black last night and also purchased curlers, so he and Paul could compete. Here's Adam taking the curlers out this morning. When we got back from church three hours later, his curls are still SERIOUSLY curly.

Shirley Temple Paul

ROFL - Kelsey sent me this picture of Paul. She said he'd slept in curlers last night. It must be for a Halloween costume.

Witch Palooza

What a crazy week it's been this week. Monday I went right from work to that writing/publishing seminar. Tuesday I took minutes at a VERY long city council meeting (from 4 to 11:30 p.m.--and of course I couldn't fall asleep until 1 a.m. and still had to be at work at 8 a.m.).

But last night I went to Gardner Village with my daughter-in-law Kelsey (Paul's wife), her mom, sister, and grandmother. They got tickets for the dinner theater there called Witch Palooza. Erin and I had talked several years about possibly going but never made it. It was SO fun! They paid extra to get premier seats, and we were dead center up front. It was great. Thanks, Kelsey for inviting me! Maybe Erin will be visiting for Halloween some time ...

Interesting Seminar on Publishing

I attended a very interesting "class" or seminar last night at the local university as part of their continuing education program. The instructor, Bobbie Christensen, takes a very different approach to getting yourself published in one of her books "Writing, Publishing & Marketing Your 1st Book (or 7th)". She's got 13 books in publication right now and is supporting herself on her income from sales.

Something I found particularly interesting was her disdain for agents. I was surprised about this because I've read so much online about agents being how it's done now. When I attended UVU's Book Academy the end of September I was glad to hear that most of the the local publishing companies prefer not to work through an agent.

The instructor said she (not an agent) submitted her first book to a bazillion (obvious exaggeration here) publishing companies. Surprising to her, the publisher who chose her book was one that had said they would only work through agents.

Ticker Update

I saw my doctor on Thursday, and the news is good--I guess. The heart monitor only showed a few little flutters that are nothing to worry about. The underlying beat is good, my cholesterol is low, and my blood pressure is great. The fact that during my little "episode" I was short of breath, light headed, and dizzy is an indication that blood wasn't being pumped adequately, which is something that didn't happen the first two times.

I told my doc that I figured if it happened again I would just rush over to the hospital near my home (about 1/2 a mile) and have them hook up their little machine to record what's going on. They don't want to start giving me meds when they don't know what it is exactly that's happening.

That's good news right?

Of course, the best news would be that my heart just gives up Hip Hop altogether. =D

I am so busted!

I got so busted this week -- twice! A little background first, though. Every once in a while I have an electrical malfunction in my heart, also known as heart palpitations. I've had weird little flutters since my son Robert was a baby (so for 25 years). I asked my doctor at the time about it, and after asking me a few questions he said there was nothing to worry about.

Only three times have I had any concern about it. The first time was perhaps 10-12 years ago when I was exercising (in fact, that's the only time it's ever happened while I was exercising) it didn't stop for perhaps half an hour. I went to the doctor afterward and he did an EKG and referred me to a cardiologist. Everything was fine. They would have liked me to wear a 24-hour heart monitor, but the frequency of the flutters was so irregular--I could literally go months with nothing--that they decided it wouldn't help.

A couple of years ago, it happened again and lasted long enough that hubby and I decided a visit to the ER (it was in the middle of the night of course) might be in order. Unfortunately it had stopped by the time we got there, and since everything else was fine, they sent me home.

Early Tuesday morning of this week I had another episode. This was a little different from the previous two because it was much more vigorous, but also because this was the first time I experienced dizziness, light headedness, and shortness of breath (symptoms of a heart attack).

At first I thought to describe the sensation of this episode as various parts of my heart dancing different dances all at the same time (one doing Hip Hop, one doing the Twist, while the others were doing the Waltz). But I realized last night that the best description for one section was like holding one of those big bouncing balloon-type balls with a large rubber band and bouncing it off your hand as hard a you can. The ball goes every direction and you move your fist so you can impact with it and send it back out flying again. That really portrays what it felt like in the bottom left part of my chest--someone was doing that to a section of my heart.

Hubby and I went to the ER, and for the first time someone was able to hear it (the triage nurse). Unfortunately it had stopped by the time they got me hooked up to the machine to record it. Because of my other symptoms they drew blood (looking for an enzyme that's produced during a heart attack), did an EKG, and even X-rayed my heart (this visit is going to be expensive). The blood work came back negative for a heart attack (good news), but they do need to figure out what's going on. They gave me a page and a half list of the different kinds of Cardiac Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat). Who knew there were so many types?

Because my heart was being defiant and wouldn't act up for an audience, they put me into a 24-hour, take-home heart monitor and sent me on my way. I'm too old to do well with short nights, and I have a hard time sleeping during the day, so I felt pretty crappy--I would have felt that way just from the short night. Fortunately, I did experience a few very mild little flutters for the benefit of the monitor while I was wearing it. I've got an appointment with my regular Doc to examine the results and decide what to do now.

Eventually on Tuesday I emailed my daughter Erin to let her know what had happened, and talked to her later on Skype, when I saw that she was online later in the day.

Busted #1.

She was furious with me for not waking her up when we decided to go to the ER. I made lame excuses, but she chastised me thoroughly and guilted me out. Nothing like having your children play the parent with you. =D

Um, did I mention she's the only one I told about it?

While I was having dinner with my daughter-in-law, Kelsey (and her mom and sister) on Wednesday night before we went to see Thriller, I suddenly remembered it and realized I hadn't told my son Paul (her hubby). Of course Kelsey told Paul.

Busted #2.

I got a call from him yesterday afternoon, and he commenced to read me the riot act. He told me I was like a mother to him (I am his mother, by the way), and I absolutely must let him know if something like this happens. My hubby has so many health issues that Paul expects him to drop dead at any moment (hubby will probably outlive me, much to his--hubby's--personal disappointment). Paul was trying to be funny, but I could hear the real concern in his voice. His wife's older brother (26 years old) dropped dead earlier this year, and Paul was there at the time and tried to do rescue breathing on him. It's an issue that hits very close to home for him. Plus my boss dying of a heart attack two weeks ago made that possibility very much front and center of all our thoughts. So, of course I felt like crap (as I was meant to).

Anyway, as I write this I realize I never let David know. So, I guess I'm doing it now since they read this blog.

I imagine I'll get getting Busted #3 soon.

Sorry guys. If it happens again, I'll be sure to let you know ASAP.

Love you!

Thriller

Well, we went to Thriller last night. The dancing was incredible and some of those storylines were seriously macabre!


This is Kelsey's mom Deb, Kelsey (my daughter-in-law), her sister Jessie, and a Zombie. It was hysterical because Deb is one of those people who make it all worthwhile by being creeped out as the Zombies crawl up to you and get right in your face.




Here Jessie is taking a picture of us with another accommodating Zombie.

Musings

I'm so excited for NaNoWriMo and the story I'm writing. My WiP#1 is an adventure/romance and WiP#2 is SciFi. This one is going to be my attempt at middle grade fantasy. I'm going to use my oldest granddaughter as the inspiration for the main characters, and I've already collected names she likes and doesn't like, her tastes in food, clothing, and music for the MCs.

When it's completed, Paul (one of my artistic sons) is going to do some artwork for it, and I'm going to have one or two copies published. I'll give one to her and keep the other.




Ever feel like your personal mirror is lying to you? I know I'm no lightweight, but I swear when I get ready for work I look a lot better in my bathroom mirrors than I do in other mirrors or windows. What's with that?

I've always struggled with my weight, but I work out regularly and I'm sure the amount of lean body mass I have is higher than one would expect from someone my size. It's just frustrating. I keep thinking as I approach those "golden" years where your hair is gray and your skin is wrinkly and saggy that I'll be more resigned to the grandmotherly *coughdoughboycough* figure, but so far it ain't happ'nin'.

*sigh*

I think it's a conspiracy.

Early Happy Halloween!

Dedicated to (most) of my grandkids!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

NaNoWriMo 2010

I did it; I signed up. If you've signed up, I invite you to add me as a buddy. I'm Donna KW.

This should be interesting ...

Tough Week

It's been a week of extremes. On the one hand I attended the Book Academy conference on Thursday at Utah Valley University. I was very impressed, both with the way the conference itself was run and with the caliber of instructors and panelists they assembled. I love being taught by published authors. I didn't realize the university does this every year. I will definitely be looking to attend again. Lots of stuff to consider.

On the emotional end I attended Jim's funeral today. They shut down the city, so the employees could attend. The employees wanted to do something, so they pitched in and paid for the grave and cost to inter. In fact there was so much money collected that they'll be able to purchase a second plot. I'm grateful for my belief in a life after this one. It gives great comfort to think of the family reunion he's having.