Book Questionnaire and Other Stuff

on October 14, 2010

I’m neck deep in revisions for KISS ME, KILL ME — due in four days — so my creative energies are focused solely on rewriting the climax scenes. (And no, I’m not talking about sex!)

Last time I was here, I posted a story my daughter wrote for a school project on ENDER’S GAME. It was amazing. Well, I just read her latest school writing project–a 1200 word short story. She wrote a ghost story that is amazing. But what is really hilarious, is that it’s not due for two weeks. What WAS due was a basic outline–character, conflict, theme, etc. She told me she couldn’t fill out her teacher’s “stupid form” (her words, not mine!) until she wrote the story. My, but how that sounds very familiar! So she wrote the story, then filled out the form, and is one happy camper because while all the other students still need to write a story, she’s done.

The reason I did a quick blog then was that I spent that Thursday traveling to the Moonlight and Magnolia’s Conference that the Georgia Romance Writers put on. Wow. I had so much fun, learned a lot, and even wrote a speech that I almost stuck to. (Rocki would be so proud of me!) I posted the speech Sunday over at Murderati because, well, I was on deadline last Sunday, too. :/

Speaking of Rocki (isn’t her new website absolutely AMAZING?!?), I read everyone’s comments. Excerpts, book lists, links to buy. No clutter, easy to navigate. Check. I’m revamping my landing page (well, my more talented web-guy is revamping it.) I am 50/50 about doing a book trailer. I loved them when I started because in 2005 not everyone had book trailers. But now? I’m not sure. What do you think?

I have a half-written blog that will have to wait for next time. It’s called, “Is the Road to Hell Really Paved with Adverbs?” It started as a rant against killing all adverbs. I like adverbs. Adverbs modify verbs. They are a perfectly acceptable–and needed–part of speech. Adverbs are not evil; in fact, I would call them pretty dang good. But like anything good, they’re best used in moderation. That’s your public service announcement for the day. 🙂

I’ve been following the Chilean miner story from the beginning primarily because my husband was following it, but also because of the dire situation those trapped miners were in. Let’s here it for the United States and everyone who worked hard, as a team, to bring those men to the surface. You are all heroes, the 33 miners and the people who helped save them. On Facebook, Toni posted a link to this amazing article. I agree with the columnist’s comment: “it is so refreshing to see us at our best again.”

And now, that’s the conclusion of my blog! Because it’s back to work. I searched for some fun questions on the Internet to keep you all chatty so that I can finally have more comments than Lori, but I settled on a good book standard. Comment and I’ll randomly pick someone to win a copy of any book in my backlist 🙂

What are you reading right now?
An ARC of LOVE YOU MORE by Lisa Gardner (neener, neener! It doesn’t come out until March!)

Do you know what you’ll read next?
Um, no. It’s a toss up between PROMISES IN DEATH by JD Robb (I’m several books behind in the series) and Joe Hill’s HORNS. But I could change my mind 🙂

What’s the last book you stayed up half the night to read because it was so good?
IN HARM’S WAY by Ridley Pearson

What about you?