Tomorrow’s the day. At the butt-crack of dawn, I’ll be on the road to the airport in North Little Rock. Then many hours later, I’ll be stepping off the plane in Seattle, where hopefully, I’ll be met by my writer buddies who will have arranged a rental vehicle to get us to our retreat cottage.

And even though I’m the Queen of Focus, this past week has been a bust so far as writing is concerned. I can’t keep from thinking about what to pack, what I want to take to work on—and the many ways I can think of to dodge cooking duty. That’s not something I ever mastered. I burn Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup.

Let me reflect on what I have managed to accomplish, and my setbacks, for the month. Then I’ll give into the urge to turn giddy with excitement about my working vacation.

On August 1st, my “Brief” Eye of the Storm was released by Harlequin Spice.

The first was also the day I received acceptance on The Out-of-Towner for an upcoming Cleis Press anthology, entitled Girl Crush.

From August 9 – 15, my sister and I conducted the annual Write 50 Books a Year free workshop at Rose’s Colored Glasses.

This month I wrote a short story entitled The Obedient Wife and submitted it on August 14th for the Cleis Press anthology Fairytale Lust.

On August 18th, I received a “reject, but would like to see revisions or something new” from an editor I’m targeting. After spending a day wallowing in disappointment, I brushed myself off, enlisted help from a friend, talked to my agent, and came up with a new plan of attack.

This month I wrote chapters 2-9 of my neverending story about two firemen and two best girlfriends. I submitted the story, tentatively titled Juicy, on August 21st.

The rest of this month, I finished a chapter on a futuristic, worked on revisions of a paranormal proposal and dabbled with new projects plotting, but nothing else is finished.

So, yes, an eventful month and a productive one, but I did come in two chapters shy of my goal for the last project. Which if I factor in the two EXTRA chapters I wrote on Juicy kinda evens out. So I could claim success, right?

Now that I’ve bored you to tears with my report card, I’ll sign off. I have clothes to iron, shampoo and conditioner to pour into travel bottles, and undies to find.

I’ve preposted blogs for the entire time I’ll be gone, along with several chances for you to win stuff, so be sure to stop by. I’ll be “live” again on September 10th.

Love ya! Adios!! ~DD

Yesterday when I was cleaning the pool, I rescued the biggest grasshopper I’ve ever seen in my life. And wouldn’t you know it? No camera. The thing had to be five inches long and had a body nearly as big around as a Snickers bar. Even I, who am normally not too freaked by bugs, was saying “Euw, Euw, Euw!” when I plucked it from the water because I didn’t want it jumping at me. Blech.

So yeah. Not a very exciting day. I worked my way slowly down my To Do list. And that’s about it.

Did dream that a Steven Segal look-alike was my boyfriend and I wanted to call him but couldn’t remember his name. Asked my daughter and she said she thought it was “Bond”. “As in James Bond?” I asked and picked up the phone book to look up the number. Never did get in touch with him.

I saw this offer on one of my loops and thought I’d pass it along. Rachel Caine is giving away a free book on her website. She’s asking for donations, but it’s not required. I opened the file, started reading, and have to say I’m completely hooked. Rachel Caine’s Free Download

Since I don’t have anything particularly interesting to say today, I’ll just pose a question to see what interesting things you can come up with!

If you could change the ending to any movie you have ever seen, what movie would it be and how would you alter the way it ends?

This is the first day this week that I haven’t had to get up early to head off on some errand or appointment. So I slept in. I had strange dreams thanks to the Dugard saga—you know, the woman who lived in her kidnapper’s back yard for 18 years.

I dreamed I was in a relationship with Dennis Hopper, and that he was very controlling. He’d choose my clothes, style my hair and he kept me in a closet. Whenever we went out, he had to hold my arm or hand because he feared I’d jump on the first young dude who walked by. Not that Dennis wasn’t completely horny and strangely hot when we were alone. Okay, so not Dugard-ish at all because I wanted to be there, even though subconciously I must have been wanting to jump young dudes otherwise why would Dennis have been afraid?

Where the hell is that dream dictionary when I need it? Although, I don’t think they’ll have a listing for Dennis Hopper.

Wierd dreams aside, I’m trying to get caught up. I don’t think I’ll meet all my goals for this month. I might be one chapter shy—but hey, not bad considering all the drama. Plus, I have to start thinking about what to pack for my trip to Seattle next Tuesday. Have to check the forecast and see what the weather will be like. Need to count undies and see if I should buy more.

Can’t wait for that trip. Trapped in a cabin with 5 other writers. Can you imagine the energy? The drama? The drunken binges? Hey, Sasha White is one of those writers and she knows how to mix a drink!

So, I spent yesterday morning playing “patient” to a Neuro-Opthamologist and his three interns. Bottom line is the great big honking blind spot in my vision was likely caused by a mini-stroke who knows when because I sure didn’t notice.

He says because of my deformed disks and skinny vessels leading into my eyes that there’s a 1 in 3 chances it will happen again. His advice? Lose 25 pounds (whew, I was sure he was going to say way more), keep excercising (got that covered for the summer, anyway) and stop smoking (say what?).

All right, I’m not completely stupid. I know I have to quit, but I’ve tried cold turkey and that lasts until noon. I’ve tried the patches, but they make my heart race. I’ve tried Wellbutrin, and it makes me happy, but it doesn’t make me want to quit smoking. I’ve asked my family care doctor for a prescription for Chantix, but she’s got this silly rule about not giving it to ex-soldiers. Something about us offing ourselves. So maybe she thinks I’d be happier blind?

I spent yesterday afternoon at The Coffee Beanery in Little Rock—not writing. Shayla Kersten, Cynthia D’Alba and Heather B were there, so it was a gabfest. Today, I wish I could say I was devoting it to getting another chapter of Captured out of the way, but I have an errand to take care of in the AM, and then I’m going to be hanging out at the Joyfully Reviewed chat loop talking about cowboys. If you’d like to join me, my sister Myla Jackson and Layla Chase for some sexy excerpts and no doubt some great prizes, be sure to stop by.

If you aren’t already on their loop, send a message to this address: Chatting_with_Joyfully_Reviewed-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

I’m blogging about the music that motivates me to write at Access Romance’s blog. I’d love you to join me there and offer suggestions for tunes I should add to my playlist! Access Romance link

Yesterday’s winner of the free download of JACQ’S WARLORD (by random number generator) is…Hales!

I took one of those Facebook personality quizzes. You know the ones that ask your favorite number, favorite color, season, sex position (okay, so they didn’t ask that one, but they should have!), etc. And this is what the test returned:

Abstract thoughts. Anyone who has seen into my mind, knows that’s right. Who else dreams of genitalia-challenged aliens and blue dolphins falling from the sky?

Intelligent and clever. No problems with this one either!

Attractive. Sexy. In a chubby, blonde, middle-aged sort of way. I guess.

Quiet, shy and humble. Quiet…well, I do spend a lot of time daydreaming. Shy? eh. HUMBLE? Boing Not even close.

Determined to reach goals. Whew, back on track.

Loves freedom. More than money, obviously. I’m a writer.

Rebellious when restricted. Never met a “No” I didn’t want to pound to the ground.

Loves aggressiveness. Oh baby, they nailed this one! Anybody who’s read me knows that one’s true.

Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Nope, these are my sister.

Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizing dreams and hopes. Sharp. Since I admire these traits, I’m claiming them as mine.

Those are always so much fun—and like horoscopes. They give you enough of a range of qualities that you have own up to some of them. Not that I don’t check my horoscope every day.

Superstitious and ludicrous. Forgot one.

If anyone’s looking for a free novella, Shayla Black is giving away a story from the Doomsday Brethren series. It’s a available for download on her website! Fated Download

The week passed in a whirlwind. Maybe it’s because I kept so busy writing, or maybe it’s because I’ll be leaving for Seattle in little over a week and I’m beginning to get very excited! Woot!

I completed chapters six through nine of a contemporary m/m/f/f—or is it m/f/m/f? Does it really matter? Tons of sex any way you bend it. 😈

After a day of feeling sorry for myself after a rejection “but will reconsider it after revisions” response to a recent proposal, I’m back on track and more determined than ever.

I shopped for some casual outfits for the upcoming trip—the most harrowing part of the week. I HATE shopping with passion. Always feels like a huge waste of time and I come away exhausted and wondering how anyone enjoys it. Is it something in our DNA that makes some of us more predisposed to enjoy that sort of self-torture? At least with casual clothing there’s actually a chance I’ll wear the things I bought.

This week I have a day of doctor appointments—including seeing a neuro-opthamologist. Christ is that what he is? (I know I must have butchered the spelling!) But maybe he can tell me whether the blind area in my vision is likely to expand. Wouldn’t have known I had a problem at all if not for the many near-misses in traffic. Pfft. And there I was blaming my car’s manufacturer for poor mirror placement.

Will also have to plan what to do with this blog while I’m gone. I made myself a promise to blog daily. But there’s no WiFi at the lakehouse where I’ll be staying, so no Internet, no email, no TWITTER! I think I’ll pre-write posts for every day I’m gone. Maybe I’ll do an excerpt a day with a chance to win the book kind of contest or something. If you have suggestions, don’t be shy about letting me know!

Have a great week!