Category Archives: Writer
No, I’m not a holly jolly person
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I haven’t been reading lately. I have three books sitting here with bookmarks in them at various stages. There’s another stack sitting on an end table waiting too. You would think with the cold weather settling in that I could find some time to curl up in my comfy chair and read.
However, this is not the case. The same goes for the writing, it’s not moving forward as fast as I’d like it to. Nope, it’s stalled. The mind boggles or rather, is boggled, bogged down, over worked, over stressed, and over tired.
I’ve tried all my usual jump-start techniques to no avail. My muse needs her ass kicked or something.
Then again, it could be the holidays. They always fill me with a Bah Humbug attitude. They have for many years. This is NOT my favorite time of the year. No sirree, when you are feeling all holly jolly I’d rather ignore the whole month.
Posted in Holidays, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
No NaNoWriMo for me
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s a rainy day, the perfect time to sit down and write, or so you would think. Nope. If it isn’t one thing it’s another keeping me away from my books. Heaven’s, I’m glad I didn’t enter the NaNoWriMo I’d never make it close to the word count.
I think about entering every year. However, thinking isn’t doing. Maybe one of these years I’ll do it. I don’t think it will happen until things around here begin to go smoothly for a change and what a great change that would be.
The MIL is out of the nursing home and back in the hospital—has been for several days. Her elderly dog died the other day and we aren’t planning to tell her that any time soon since she’s non compos mentis now. All that would do is confuse her more.
DH is over tired and over stressed, meanwhile, I’m doing my best to keep his spirits up, and giving him a chance to rest and relax when he’s home. Even the pups are being good, miracle of miracles.
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Healthcare, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, Novel, Novel writing, Nursing home, Word count, Writer, Writing
The phone number hop
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I find it strange how some people change their phone numbers as often as they change their under drawers because I’ve had the same phone number for thirty-seven years.
I’ve asked a few people about this trend. Some tell me they do it to stay one jump ahead of their creditors. Others tell me they do it because they want to avoid people to which they’ve given their number. I say why not pay the bills and not give your number to creepy people.
I know several people who have changed their numbers so often that even family members can’t find them. How dumb is that?
I couldn’t imagine changing the home phone number and yes, it is still a landline. I have enough problems trying to remember DH’s cell phone number and mine. I still don’t have the numbers memorized. I have to carry them around in my little address book.
Is this CRS or do I have so much on my mind, there’s no room for extras? I tend to think the latter. You try writing five books at once. Post Its™ are my best friends.
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
If wishes were horses
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Three weeks after I got married my parents, grandmother, and baby sister moved a great distance away. It was a long time before any family moved back to the area.
No family members live here now. When relatives travel, they never seem to get near our area. Our location is sort of like Rhode Island; you only go there if that is your destination.
I have traveled to my father’s old hometown to visit cousins and aunties but it’s difficult to do so as often as I’d like to when I have to do the eight-hour drive alone. DH doesn’t travel well. A long car ride is excruciatingly painful for him. Consequently, as much as he loves visiting my family, he’d rather stay home with the dogs where he is more comfortable.
Therefore, to torture myself, I periodically browse the real estate listings in the old hometown. I love to hit the bird’s eye view when looking at properties close to my family.
Tonight, I went browsing, and spied two houses that I loved. One lovely home was across the road from a cousin’s house. I hit the bird’s eye view and looked for my aunt’s house on the next road. I could actually see my cousin’s horses out in the pasture. [Sigh] The idea of living near loving family brings out a case of the ‘I wishes’ in me.
Posted in Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
On writing
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I know many of you have read books in which the characters, plots, dialogue, and scenery are so compelling, that they draw you into new worlds or familiar ones. They grab you. Then they hold you there, breathless, waiting for the next scene and the next, all the way to the end of the book.
Like all writers, I admire anyone who can do that. I often hope and pray that my books will do the same for the people who will read them.
New writers will often ask how does so and so do it? How do they become a wizard at creating scenery, dialogue, and building believable characters?
In my experience, it is through hard work and so many rewrites that the average person would quail at the sight of the stacks of printed manuscripts sent to the recycling bin.
Although some writers are prolific and quick in their writing, it doesn’t mean that they don’t work hard as well. It probably means they have time to write without many interruptions.
Then there are those of us who plod along putting in a few hours here and there as often as we can. We work hard.
I soon hope to type ‘the end’ on one of my manuscripts. It is my dream that when my books do hit the shelves they will grab you.
Posted in My books, Writer, Writing
Tags: Arts, Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writers Resources, Writing
Stop me before I buy more!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Many of my Halloween decorations are old and worn out. Therefore, the last few years I’ve been buying new stuff and slowly throwing away the old, decrepit, and falling apart decorations.
I should have myself banned from Spirit Halloween. G and I went up there today to get HER costume. I should’ve left my money at home because I found another prop I loved. Yes, I bought it. Yes, she got her costume too.
What I went up for and intending to buy was fog machine cleaner and fog juice. I did get those.
However, I am the proverbial kid in a candy store. I also found something irresistible to any writer—fun pens. I now have a boxing vampire pen and two pens that look like blood filled syringes.
If I go to the store again, I may need an intervention…
Posted in Holidays, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Costume, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Fog machine, Halloween, Holiday, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Parties, shopping, Writer, Writing
What inspires you?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Is it a remembered poem or story from your childhood or high school? Perhaps it was something a teacher said to you.
I could say that my mother and baby sister inspired me because they both encouraged my writing. That would be true and I miss it. My Aunties and Cousins along with some dear friends all cheer me on these days.
Other writers inspire me. A lovely day inspires me. Many things inspire me. However, inspiration isn’t the only thing that keeps me writing. I have to write. If I didn’t I think I’d blow a gasket. On days that I can’t sit down and write, I am cranky and difficult to live with. Writing, even if it’s only a letter or my daily blog post, is my stress reliever.
As a child I secretly wrote fairy stories, as a teen I wrote angst-filled poetry, as a young woman I wrote magazine articles about dogs and tons of unpublished (long lost somewhere in the depths of my attic) reams of fantasy fiction. Now, as a woman of a certain age, I’ve found my voice in mysteries.
Tags: Arts, Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Online Writing, Poetry, Publishing, Writers Resources, Writing, Xlibris
The frost absconded and the green tomatoes fried
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The other night there came a dire weather prediction. Possible frost! I nipped out to the garden with shears and a basket. I cleaned all the tomatoes, ripening and green ones, from the vines. The last two eggplants joined them in the basket. We didn’t get the frost and now I have a large basket of green tomatoes on my table.
Last night for dinner, I took advantage of having green tomatoes on hand. I sliced them, dusted them with seasoned flour, dipped them egg then a seasoned cornmeal and breadcrumb mixture, and fried them to a lovely golden brown. I placed them on a cookie sheet and kept them warm in the oven while I cooked the rest of our dinner.
Which, since I’d already headed down south with the tomatoes, and had a hot frying pan ready, made me make a quick decision to turn DH’s hamburger steak and my steak into chicken fried steaks. Well, then when the steaks were done, I had to make redeye gravy didn’t I?
At least I stopped there and didn’t add mashed potatoes. We would’ve burst had I made them too. As it was, we were full.
Posted in Food, my garden, Weather related, Writer
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, comfort foods, Cooking, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, fried green tomatoes, Gardening, Gardens, Home, home cooking, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, redeye gravy, Tomato, Writer, Writing
2010 Halloween preparations begin
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I went back to Spirit Halloween today. This time I took G and my new neighbor R along with me. This was R’s first time in a Spirit Halloween. She was glad we’d gone during school hours and she had a chance to scope out the place without her young daughter. Now that she knows how to find the store, she’ll go back and take her daughter along.
At one point, we all trooped into one room to check out some animated props. There was a clerk in there, R was right behind me and didn’t see him at first. When he said hello I thought she was going to have a heart attack. She jumped, she screamed, and then she laughed. The rest of the time while we were in the store every time he saw her he apologized…again.
I bought a large animated prop. I couldn’t resist it. I now have a cloth barrel that has a ghoulish zombie rise from it with eyes flashing, and jaw moving moans. Both of my friends watched me spend the money. They were entertained. True, it is more fun to watch someone else spend money.
Posted in Holidays, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Decorations and Props, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Halloween, Holiday, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Note to self or What did I mean by that?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
You can thank Elena for this post, she posed the question that started it. “I write myself the most fascinating notes. Wonder if other people write themselves mysterious notes?”
Elena you aren’t the only one who does that. I often come across some cryptic missive in my handwriting and have no clue what I meant when I wrote it. Lately I’m finding measurements but for what I have no idea. Windows? Doors? A space for a cabinet?
Don’t get me started on the many Post It’s stuck to manuscript print outs that must’ve made sense at the time. Does anyone have an idea what ‘OP m to NC’ means? That was one of the easier ones to decipher.
It’s a good thing DH doesn’t shop for groceries because he’d never figure out the special shorthand I use for my list. Shr ch, frz sn, sp whl…etc. When he used to do some shopping, I had to write everything out for him including brand names.
How about you, do you write cryptic notes to yourself and then wonder what the hell you meant?
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Passed the two-year mark
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Two years ago on October 3, when I began this blog, I never expected to see over sixty thousand hits. Heck, I was thrilled when I hit the one hundred mark.
Now, I’m just plain old grateful that folks like you read this blog. I’m happy you come back often and comment here.
I’m grateful for the patience that those of you who want to read my books have shown. I’m not world’s fastest writer. I do hope that when they are finally out there, they are good enough for you. I don’t want to give you shoddy work. I want to give you the best I can do.
I’ve made some good friends through this blog, and for that, I am grateful.
This has been a fantastic learning experience for me.
Thank you, Dear Readers.
Posted in Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Can a dog lick a hole into his stainless steel food dish?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I dunno but Gavin is certainly making a daily effort to succeed in doing just that. I can always tell when he’s bored because he goes to his empty food dish and licks it.
It’s as if he goes into a trance licking, licking, and licking some more. When I can no longer stand the sound of his tags rattling against the bowl, I tell him, “Dinner isn’t for several hours. Go lie down.” You can almost see him shrug and grin a gotcha.
I do know that dogs can bite holes into stainless steel dishes. This was something I learned at my mentor’s BT kennel. All of her stainless steel dog dishes had teeth marks and holes in them.
Fortunately, my two don’t chew on their dishes. That could be because their dishes fit into stands and they can’t get hold of the edges. I’m sure that both of them would make a game out of throwing the dishes about if they could.
I cringe at the thought of dodging flung dishes or having them crash into the glass of the curio cabinet.
(Normally I mix the posts up a bit, but with more rain all day and night again, the dogs and I were bored.)
Posted in Dog related, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
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