When the kids get mopey, my daughter gives them chores. After she kept doing that, my granddaughter asked for a large canvas and some acrylic paint. My dd had the kids dress up twice now for fun “photo shoots” outside. There’s plenty to do other than watch Tiger King. You just have to find something that inspires you.
Okay, so I’m luckier than most. I get to be creative every day. It’s kind of my job. But when writing becomes work, I turn to paint and pens. When it started to look like this crazy lockdown would be a longterm thing for me, I looked around for something I could do that would keep me busy, so I joined the #100dayproject art challenge. Which is why I’m driving people on my Friends page in Facebook nuts with pictures of what I’m creating—the cool and the really, really bad. 🙂
So, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me what new challenge you will undertake if this thing goes on forever for you, too. Will you learn to paint? Take up writing poems? Dust off your camera?
Also, just a quick reminder here, folks…
New Orleans Nights: One Hot Night releases on Tuesday!! It’s FREE in Kindle Unlimited. It’s a fun, very fast-paced, and sexy story! Promise! You won’t be bored! Here’s what it’s about and where you can get it.
NEW ORLEANS NIGHTS: Hot Sultry Nights, Hot-Blooded Heroes…
Part of the private security team hired to keep visiting international dignitaries safe, New Orleans detective, Remy Cyr, has several interesting run-ins with a certain local reporter hellbent on crashing the convention’s nighttime events. While she’s certainly a nuisance, sneaking inside in a variety of disguises, he can’t help admiring how resourceful and stubborn she is. As sexy as she is pretty, he soon can’t resist her attraction.
A socialite determined to earn her own way in the world, reporter Stacia Rice is determined to dig up dirt at the convention, anything to earn her a spot on her newspaper’s front page. But one handsome, dogged cop keeps getting in her way. When they find themselves alone, neither can resist the intensity of their instant attraction.
When a group of armed men invades the venue and takes the dignitaries hostage, Remy realizes that he and Stacia are the only ones who know, and the only ones who can save them…
Some call it serendipity and some call it a crazy random happenstance… Me? I’m a child of the 80s, so I just take a page from the Hannibal playbook and say, “I love it when a plot comes together!”
When it comes to writing, I’m a Plantser, meaning that I plan some of the things in the book and pants (fly by the seat of my pants) for the rest of it.
For Justice for Hildie there were a few things that were set in stone from the beginning. It certainly wasn’t the cover. There are FOUR distinctly different covers that I created for this book and the manic cover making stopped there. It was like I finally got the “feel” for the story.
One of the things I couldn’t change was the name of the Heroine. She was the BFF in Justice for Sloane. Hildie was the best friend missing a filter. She was a sorority girl with a serious love for high-end shoes. There was no one more devoted to Sloane than Hildie! (Until Vicente Bravo, uber-sexy FBI Agent, that is!)
Hildie was colorful in so many ways, and her name was just a part of it. Her first name was inspired by author Hildie McQueen. I just loved the sound of the name and the way it looked in print! The character’s last name was Faraday.
I honestly do NOT remember where that came from, but it was set in stone when Sloane was released as a book. And yes, she’ll change it when she marries Texas Ranger Jake McGowan somewhere in the future of the San Antonio First Responders series, but FARADAY it is.
And when I was writing the book there came a time when I had to separate the characters for the plot. And one of the plot points was how-off-the-grid the heroine was at that point. And I knew there was a name for a certain product that she’d have to use, and I went looking for it online and WHAM…
What?
Then I had to wonder… did I give her the surname Faraday because I knew in my head how prophetic the name would be? Or did I just give her the name because it was just cool?
Maybe the nebulous cloud of creativity in my head just wanted to have a good ol’ chuckle? I don’t know.
I’m just not going to question it, because it works!!
Giveaway
I’m curious… Has there been a time when something random fell into place and made it seem like the world had your back? What was it? If not… Tell me a unique name (male or female) that you think should be in a book.
Hildie Faraday thought her life was full. Coordinating care for the clients at the Helping Hearts shelters and community center is a job and a half, but when a client asked her to come to support her at a hearing, she’s right there to help. They teach women to be prepared for anything, but Hildie is shocked when she ends up in the crosshairs of a client’s abusive husband.
Texas Ranger Jake McGowan thanked his lucky stars that he was in the right place at the worst time. Working in Law Enforcement in San Antonio, he knew all about Hildie and the help she provides for women in need. Seeing her put herself between a woman and her gun-wielding husband brought his own feelings into the foreground.
Once he had Hildie in his life, he wasn’t going to let her slip away from him. Jake’s doing everything he can to show her how much she means to him, and Hildie’s giving it right back. It doesn’t take long for life to throw a bunch of obstacles in their way, and Hildie into the trunk of a car.
Jake will pull together local law enforcement officers to help him rescue Hildie and get her back into his loving arms. Will they get there in time?
I have a guest post coming in a little while, but I wanted to pop in to remind you about everything that’s still happenin’ here! There are FREE reads for grabs and a couple of contests, so be sure to enter before these offers end!
I’m dragging butt today. We had heavy storms yesterday—no tornados here—however, they kept us inside, which, given the fact we’re eight people stuck together, no end in sight, gets grandma a little persnickety. Yeah, I was grumpy yesterday.
So, I kept to myself. Finished one set of edits. And I found an online FREE abstract art collage class from one of my newly fave abstract artists—Laura Horn. So, if anyone wants a fun class that doesn’t really require you to have a ton of artistic skill—do this one! Here’s the link:Â Laura Horn website
I found her on Pinterest when I was looking for art I could try to duplicate, because I’m learning and, when you’re learning, you test out different styles, color palettes, mediums, until you find something you really enjoy and make it your own. Kind of like writing, huh?
Have you ever seen my Pinterest page? I have tons of boards. Tons of followers. My interests range from all kinds of arts and crafts things, books, etc. So, if you’re looking for something else to eat up an afternoon (remember, we’re in this for the long haul), head on over and check it out:Â My Pinterest page
So, have I helped you figure out what to do for a while? No? How about you tell me what new thing you want to try while you’re hiding from the Corona bug!
We’re doing okay here. The kids aren’t going stir-crazy. My dd keeps them working on “projects”—like yardwork, pool prep, etc. Today, they cleaned off the back porch and hung solar lights around the seating area…just in time for a humongous lightning storm!
Yeah, weather’s bad here and getting worse. We’re under a tornado watch, hence today’s puzzle theme. Work it. You’ll enjoy it!
Another thing. We’re reluctant to brave Walmart or the other grocery store in town. We’re going to use the pick-up service, but they are limiting the number of items you can buy. Can you imagine a family of eight being limited to one carton of eggs or one gallon of milk? Yeah, if you could get eggs. We can’t. Also, no hamburger, no rice, no egg noodles, no pasta… Ugh! So, we’re going to get creative this week with what we have in the pantry. I do have a can of spam…
Hope you’re doing okay where you are. I also hope you’re hunkering down. The sooner we flatten this curve, the sooner we can get out and about. Although, it does look as though I’ll be sequestered in my rooms for the next year—past the second wave or until the appearance of a vaccine…
Let me know if you’re experiencing shortages and what you’re doing to entertain yourselves for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card! Love you. Take care! ~DD
Good morning! I have a cup of coffee, and the morning’s quiet—so far. So, here I am talking to you! I had to check my calendar to know what day of the week it is! With everyone home, every day, it’s hard to keep track here in the loony bin!
While mom and dad are coping, the littlest kids are having an absolute blast! The temperature rose to the low 70’s a couple of days ago, and they secretly put their swimsuits on underneath their clothes, went outside, stripped, and turned on the hose to have a big water fight. We knew when we heard the screeching. Outside was warm, but the water coming out of the hose was not. They had a blast then came running inside, dripping everywhere, and said, “Guess what we did?!” (Like we didn’t know? 🙂 )
The older ones are going stir crazy and spending way too much time making TikTok videos and FaceTiming friends. The 15-year-old girl keeps singing, “It’s the end of the world as we know it…” Don’t remember that one? Play it while you play here!
The creatures I feel sorriest for inside this house are our five cats. They’re solitary creatures by nature, and now, they never get a break! The little ones want to play with them and carry them around. The little Jack Russells also run and hide when they’re outside because they’re always in a wagon being dragged around the yard. Ah well. LOL
Do you know who’s happiest though? Me. All this enforced isolation works for me with my writing, and I get to spend extra time with the fam. So, there are silver linings, folks. Look for them!
Enjoy the puzzle! Leave a comment below telling me about your “silver lining”, and you’ll be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card!
It’s been such a busy week! Planning and shopping for the apocalypse (my dd and I did the planning—she did the shopping since I’m under house arrest, er, “self-quarantine”), writing five chapters, editing a book and some short stories… Today, I have to clean my office, or at least the corridor of space between the boxes I have yet to unpack!!!!
This next week, you’ll see a little less of me here because we’ll have some fab authors guesting! Be looking for posts from Genevive Chamblee, Dee S. Knight, Lyncee Shillard, and Michal Scott!
Be sure to check out the contests below that are still open, including a FREE read for all! Love you. Stay safe! ~DD
