Blog Archives
Get thee to a writers’ conference
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I’m a night person. I hate getting up in the morning. In fact, it’s usually early in the morning when I’m finally crawling into bed. However, there is one long weekend a year where you’ll find me up early and eager to go. That’s when I’m at my annual writers’ conference. It doesn’t matter how late I’m up each night, I’m downstairs and having breakfast with the early birds for three days.
This, of course means that after I get home I crash land and sleep for about sixteen hours straight. It’s worth it. If you are a writer and you’ve never attended a conference, you have to go to one at least once. Spending two or three days with other writers is something you shouldn’t pass by. There are all sorts of writers’ conferences out there. Some are genre specific and others, like the one I go to, are for all writers.
Over the years, I’ve made wonderful friends. Found some great contacts. Moreover, I found my agent at a conference, or should I say, she found me?
This year’s conference date is approaching fast and I can’t wait to see all my old friends and meet new ones.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Yippee for lots of sun and warm weather
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Wow, two days of glorious warm weather! We had plenty of sun and temperatures in the mid seventies. I managed to plant the flowers left over from the planters on the front porch. I worked on the pond—the magnolia is dropping petals like crazy now so I’m skimming the pond every time I turn around. I would stay out in the yard all day if I could. It smells wonderful out there with the tree in full bloom.
The birds are fun to watch right now, they are arriving by the dozens to take baths in the waterfall. The robins are real clowns in the water. Each one has a unique personality and method of bathing.
The pups collapsed into a deep slumber after romping in the yard all day. Maybe it’s a good thing that tomorrow is supposed to be cloudy with possible rain. Gavin is sore after two days of tons of activity. Poor baby, it was a long winter and he spent most of it as a couch potato.
Then, didn’t we all? I know I paid for it later after I spent a few days weeding the gardens back when we had our first hint of spring weather.
Posted in Dog related, My books, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Fish, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Koi, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Eight ball, side pocket
Posted by doggonedmysteries
8 things I’m looking forward to:
1. Pennwriters Conference, seeing all my friends there.
2. Finish writing my books.
3. Selling my books.
4. MIL’s release from the rehab.
5. Going to my cousin’s wedding
6. More lovely days like today
7. Meeting Lisa Scottoline at PW
8. A quiet evening
8 things I did yesterday:
1. Worked on my books
2. Visited my friend’s shop.
3. Played with my dogs and my friend’s bulldogs
4. Wrote my blog post
5. Cleaned the bathroom—had to do something constructive didn’t I?
6. Sorted laundry—no I didn’t do it yet, it was too nice to be inside today running two flights of stairs to do laundry
7. Drank a gallon of coffee
8. Had DH order pizza for dinner
8 things I wish I could do:
1. Visit my cousin in NM
2. Go to the Mad Anthony conference
3. Have someone do all the work on my house that needs to be done
4. Build a deck and a pergola
5. Move out this house
6. Move out of this city
7. Kick a certain someone’s a$$
8. Talk to my Uncle
8 shows I watch:
1. Castle—rapidly becoming a favorite
2. All the CSI’s
3. The Mentalist
4. NCIS
5. Bones
6. House
7. Medium
8. Two and a half Men
8 people I tag:
Any eight people who wish to be tagged
Posted in My blog
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Damn, we should be able to delete and rewrite
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Have you ever wished that life had a delete button? Imagine if you could delete embarrassing incidents or nasty people from your life at the touch of a button. Maybe even have a chance to do a rewrite.
Were you the one who drank too much, danced on the tables in bar, and had a friend post it on You Tube? Uh oh, delete, delete, delete. Did your Aunt Betsy regale everyone with every little detail of her recent surgery during your wedding reception? DELETE!
How about when Nurse Nocompassionatall treated you like a side of beef with cooties? I bet you want to rewrite that scene now that you’re no longer drugged to the gills and have had time to think of what you should have said to the nasty b@$*!
Come on, don’t be shy, tell us what happened in your life that you’d change. Or, better yet, hit that delete key and give us a rewrite!
Posted in Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
I saw the half-moon rise
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I saw the half-moon rise. It was large, orange, and shrouded in a light mist. It climbed higher and grew brighter as the night passed. Stars joined it in its slow dance across the sky and they drew me outside to enter the celebration.
I dance and sing. The grass beneath my feet, still wet from the day’s rain, so soft and cool. The air, warm and fragrant with magnolia blossoms caressed me.
A night bird’s call echoes across the field. Spring has tiptoed in.
Posted in My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
What do you do when your train of thought jumps the tracks?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
This happens to me all the time. I’ll be writing away at break-neck speed and Dear Hubby will decide that it’s time to start a conversation with me. Screech! Crash! Bang! My train derails.
I sigh, lift my hands from the keyboard, turn, and I look at him over the top of my glasses, “What?”
He knows he’s derailed me. He has the grace to look sheepish and then mumbles something about the TV program he’s watching.
I do try to hold my temper in check. “Sweetie, do I look as though I am watching TV? I have no idea what you are talking about, I was writing.”
At this point, he either restates what he’s said to me or says he’s sorry for interrupting.
Now comes the part about what do you do? I can sometimes read back over what I was writing and get right back on track. However, if I find I’ve completely lost my momentum, I have to take a break. This is the best time to grab another cup of coffee, take the dogs out, or move to my chair and have a gabfest with DH.
Posted in My blog, My books, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
How do I get one of those?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I’m the one gal in my family who was born without the shopping gene. Yes sir, this gal doesn’t like to shop. Dear Hubby is more willing to go shopping than I am. (Talk about your role reversals.) The man has ten times as many shoes than I do. His clothes take up at least three times as much room as mine. He has dragged me out shopping for clothes because my jeans were getting too ratty for his taste. Hey, faded, ratty jeans are soft and comfortable jeans. Some people would even say they were stylish except that mine were indigo in color and had no holes or wear marks when I bought them.
Have you seen the commercials on TV where someone is shopping for a computer and when they find the one they want (for under a thousand bucks) the ‘sponsor’ pays for it? Hell, I’ll shop my little buns off; for as they long as they want me to, if they buy me one, and I HATE TO SHOP. However, I sure as heck could use a nice new lap top so I can drag my manuscripts along with me wherever I go and work on them anywhere.
See me? I’m jumping up and down, waving my arms…Yoohoo! Look at me I’ll shop. I will, I’ll do it! Aw, come on. I’m offering to do the one thing I hate most.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, gifts, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, shopping, Writer, Writing
In memory of the bravest woman I ever knew
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Mary W. Bailey
11/7/1957—04/13/2001
Dearest Baby Sister,
You held laughter in your heart even at the worst of times. You had a remarkable strength of character and will—the strongest person I’ve ever known. Even when your pain was at its worst, you took time to ease the pain of others with a hug, a radiant smile, or a joke. You had a kind soul and an abundance of love to give. Your love knew no bounds. You are my hero. I will always love and miss you.
Support Breast Cancer Research!
Posted in In memory of...
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
MIL’s Rehab hospital staff the good, the bad, and the incompetent
Posted by doggonedmysteries
At the rehab hospital where my MIL is, there are some very good people on staff. Unfortunately, there are also some very incompetent, dishonest, and lazy people working there too. The first month of her stay, the nursing staff completely forgot to give her any of her meds and Dear Hubby hit the roof. The housekeeping staff lost most of her clothes the first week so he went hunting through the laundry and luckily found most of them. Dear Hubby goes there every day to make sure that they don’t screw up again.
Most of her PTs are very good but she has one who has decided that my MIL will not go home. If DH isn’t there to watch over his mother, this PT will leave the poor woman in a chair all day. She is paid for this and the rehab has the nerve to bill my MIL’s insurance? EXCUSE ME! I don’t think so. (At this rate of greed and incompetence, I see a lawsuit looming.)
His mother desperately wants to be in her own home with her dog. She hasn’t been working her butt off every day so they can shunt her off to their nursing home. She’s a very stubborn woman who doesn’t give up easily.
I’d made up a basket of chocolates for her and the staff helped themselves so often when she’s been out of her room and in PT that she barely got any of them. If I’d wanted the staff to have them, I’d have sent them their own basket. She gets little pleasure as it is, being stuck in that place, and for them to make pigs out of themselves on her candy is vile.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Happy Easter!
Posted by doggonedmysteries

Posted in Holidays
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
One in seven
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It seems as though we are only going to have one day of sunshine in seven, hello April. The song isn’t kidding. I wish I’d taken the time, to plant in the garden, the left over flowers from the planters. Now it looks as though I’ll not get a chance to until Sunday. If I miss Sunday’s clear weather, I’ll have to hold off for another several days where the weather people have forecasted more rain.
At least today was mainly just a brooding sky and we didn’t really get any rain until after ten tonight. However, I didn’t get out planting because the sky looked as though it’d open and pound us with torrents of rain any minute. It was also a chilly enough that I wasn’t eager to go crawling about the garden. The flowers I’d put in the planters on the porch looked perky today so I do believe they’ll thrive there.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Sun and flowers
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I couldn’t resist the tug of the sunny day we had today. I bought some potting soil and flowers for the planters on my front porch. The planters had been alongside the driveway for several years. However, last year, when we had new, very nosy, and noisy neighbors move in directly across the street, I removed our chairs and moved the planters to the porch. I can’t wait to see how my petunias, pansies, and snap dragons will look once they begin to grow and fill out the planters. (I didn’t get them planted last year so this should be fun.)
While I was filling the planters with soil and flowers, a pair of mourning doves decided to work on their nest above me. Mourning doves aren’t the greatest nest builders, but this pair tries. They’ve been nesting in the same spot for a couple of years now and are used to us coming and going. I enjoy hearing them so they are welcome additions.
Even though we lost the neighborhood camaraderie we used to have while sitting out on our front porch, we’ve found something special. We have our own sanctuary in the yard on summer evenings and enjoy the pond along with the wonderful peace and quiet.
Posted in hobbies, Misc, my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing


