The Olympics...

OK, I've been slow, I admit, but I've got an excuse (that's all it is--an excuse. Doesn't mean I shouldn't have blogged, because I should have, but it's an excuse). First, I had another birthday between the last blog and now, but the biggie is that I'm back at school. Yup, I'm back at the day job, and that's my excuse. And now, well, now there's the OLYMPICS--

All caps. That's right. I'm a fan. A huge fan. I don't follow sports normally. I don't care for basketball, although I've been to a few Lobos games with my husband, who gets season tickets, don't really care for MLB, although if I have to pick my team is the Padres, and I watch the Superbowl for the commercials. But the Olympics were always huge when I was growing up. My father would watch everything he possibly could and would make us watch with him. And I mean everything. I am glued to the TV when kayaking comes on, and yesterday's women's sabre event was thrilling. I wish they would show more of the obscure events. I will watch the entire length of the bike races, the marathon, anything. During the opening ceremonies, I cried. Several times. (I also have to suppress my own feelings of inadequacy--what the heck have I achieved) And I root for the underdog and the stars.

I love the Olympics for everything it's supposed to stand for, for the dreams of the individuals, and, yes, even for the patriotism that it inspires. (Although I have to warn you that the Hungarians receive as loud cheers as the Americans--despite their hideous outfits.)

Probably the biggest part of the Olympics for me though is that it is a sort of memorial to my father. He died nearly twenty years ago, and for me and my family, watching the Olympics is a tribute to him. It's when I do my best remembering of him. And I cry. And it's a good thing.

It looks like I've passed on the love of the Olympics to the next generation as well. The kids are glued to the TV with me. So I'm off to watch the Olympics now.

I hope you can make such memories with your families.
--Gabi

Books I'm reading now:
Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett
By the Sword by Mercedes Lackey
Bedding the Heiress by Cathy Maxwell
Some Like it Wicked by Teresa Medeiros

Time is running out...

You all know I'm a teacher by day and romance writer by night (hey, The Dark Knight has just come out, and no, I haven't seen it yet). Which means that my summer vacation is almost over. I'm already feeling the pain. I have to report back on August 6. That's right, August 6. Mind you, I"m looking forward to having new students, and as usually, sap that I am (see previous post), hope is growing that I will actually reach many kids this year, but it means that I have to divide my time again. I so enjoyed being a writer and only a writer this summer. The thing is, if I didn't know how great the writing thing is, I would have made a very contented and dedicated teacher. I do like it.

So I have two and a half weeks to finish revisions. I'm not going to the RWA national conference this year (for the first time since 1997), and I have to start thinking about my curriculum. Sigh.

--Gabi
Books I'm reading now:
Bedding the Heiress by Cathy Maxwell
Sweet Starfire by Jayne Ann Krentz

Sap

I admit it. I'm a sap. I just came home from the movie WALL-E, and I have to say I loved it. It's disturbing on many levels--the environment, the proliferation of communication devices and personal entertainment--but so amazingly good. I believe it's the best Pixar movie yet (Yes, better than FINDING NEMO, which I loved--who didn't?--or Toy Story.)But that's not why I'm a sap. I'm a sap, because I cried. Yes, cried. At a robot (ROBOT--really, a robot). And an animated robot at that.

You want to talk hero's journey? Wall-e is a hero. You want romance? Wall-e and Eve. You want adventure? Well, I don't want to give away the movie, so I won't say more. I will say you will fall in love with Wall-e--an animated robot (Yes, a ROBOT!)

I cried.
--Gabi

Books I'm reading now:
The Givenchy Code by Julie Kenner
To Light a Candle by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
When Darkness Falls by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory

Finished

The WIP(work in progress)is finished. One of the best parts of being a writer is typing "the end." Now I'm giving myself a week before starting revisions, but I love revising. The book needs fleshing out and reduction in some areas and reworking in others. I have to make sure the details are right, the logic isn't ignored, and that it reads well.

There's something so satisfying about finishing a novel. I mean the writing aspect. Yes, finishing one that you've read can be satisfactory as well, but the sense of accomplishment after writing is a magical feeling. You've really done something. Whether or not it ever gets published. You've written a book.

So I'm off now to revising. And believe it or not, I've already started a new novel. I have only three pages, but it's a start.

--Gabi

Books I'm reading now:
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
In Defense of Elitism by William A Henry
The Outstretched Shadow by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory

Things that Go Bump in the Night

No, I'm not talking about ghosts. I'm talking about real night terrors. For the past two nights, I've had nightmares. Two different ones each night for a total of four different nightmares that wake me up from a good sleep. And I remember waking up from one about three days ago as well, but I don't remember the details.

They all have different story lines (if dreams can have story lines) and they aren't hard to interpret. One had to do with driving my twins off to work beside a swollen river (the tragic flooding in the Midwest) and then a tsunami wipes out their place of employment. (Yes, I know river don't have tsunamis, but it's a dream--cut me some slack.) You don't have to be Freud to figure out I'm beginning to have issues with letting them go to college where I won't have control over their every day lives (not that I do now-- I don't know whom my subconscious thinks she's fooling). The other four were as bizarre or more so, but I don't need to go into details about them. They make about as much sense as, well, dreams.

In any case, I'm having nightmares, and believe it or not, I'm actually happy about it. Why? I read a study in which the authors said adults tend to have nightmares once a month if that. I've always had nightmares at least once a week. Except this past year. For whatever reason, I haven't had any. Maybe because I wasn't sleeping too well, but I think because my creativity shut down while I was teaching. Yes, you have to be creative to be a teacher, but not with the creativity I use in being a writer. And now the nightmares are back, and I am flying with the writing. I am having such fun finishing up this WIP.

So I'm taking my nightmares as a good thing.
--Gabi

Books I'm reading now:
My Favorite Thief by Karyn Monk
The Price of Indescrestion by Cathy Maxwell
In Defense of Elitism by William A Henry
The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler

Ack!!

I didn't mean to have such a break between blogs. I try to get one up a week (OK, every week and a half), but May came and went (like a hurricane) with end of school, husband's birthday, twins' birthday, twins' graduation, mother visit, Father-in-law-visit, ARC re-read, and I fell ill.

But no excuses. It's summertime and I am a writer again. Almost done with the WIP, ready and eager to start revisions, and the next book in the queue (in my head) is stomping to get out as well.

What a difference a few weeks makes. My mind set is completely uncluttered (except for plots) and my creativity has returned. I guess not having essays to correct DOES make a difference.
So I'm off to the writing computer again. I will be better blogging this summer.

Books I'm reading now (and have read these past few weeks)
You've got Male by Elizabeth Bevarly
Dress your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
The Lost Wyndham Duke by Julia Quinn
Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Thursday Next: First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
The Hollow by Nora Roberts
The River Knows by Amanda Quick
Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
One Good Knight by Mercedes Lackey
Twisted Creek by Jodi Thomas
(I probably missed a couple)

Back to work/school

My daughters have senioritis, my students think they're in high school already, and I...well, I resent that I'm still playing "catch up" from my week's absence. I have all these creative needs that aren't being met because I have papers to grade.Sigh.

The first week back went well, although by Friday I was wiped out. And because I've been favoring one side over the other, my knee gave out yesterday, so I'm in pain again.
OK, this blog was not meant to be a whine session (although wine seems to help --LOL). I'm looking to see what promotion I want to do with my September release, and still trying to find time to finish up the WIP. But there's only 28 days of school left and then I can be a full time writer again. For a while.

And I'm excited about getting back in the game full time.

--Gabi

Books I'm reading now:
Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Lori Wilde
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer
Bewitching by Jill Barnett
And lately I've gotten hooked on The Office (I know that's TV, but hey, this is my blog)
And I'll be buying Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture. For whatever reason, his name has appeared in my life daily since last week Saturday. It's a sign. LOL