Last week…

• I finished one editing job for another author; plus, I began work on three other projects.
• I finished revising, formatting, and uploading Twice the Bang, which releases Tuesday, June 4th.
• I found art and had covers made for Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology and the Delta Fire series
• I resumed writing my next MBH release, Cyrus, which is scheduled to release June 25th.
• I attended a papermaking workshop!

This next week…

• I will work on three editing projects for other authors, finishing one!
• Plus, I’ll work on the Secret Identities webpage on the Collections site.
• I will begin editing the stories in Secret Identities.
• I will complete revising the last story in the Delta Heat kink series, Once is Never Enough then I’ll format and set it to publish on June 11th.
• I will continue writing my next Montana Bounty Hunter story, the first in the West Yellowstone office, Cyrus.
• I will resume creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.

I will find pool time!

Open Contests

1. Word Search Puzzle: Summer Beach Reads (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest — Thunderstorms for days… — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Mary Jane Patterson — First African American Woman to Receive a B.A. (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Clear My Bookshelf Giveaway (Contest) — Win a signed book!
5. May into June (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: An Imaginary Friend — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Natalie!
*~*~*

May

 

Work-related:

1. I revised four of my Delta Heat series stories and published three of them: Five Ways ‘Til Sunday, Fournicopia, A Perfect Trifecta.
2. I began writing Cyrus, which is presently scheduled for release on June 25!
3. I completed 6 editing projects for other authors in May.
4. I found art for my upcoming, soon-to-be-revised Delta Fire series, as well as art for Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, coming at the end of July.

Health-related:

1. I saw my doctor for a checkup. The bloodwork came back with many improvements! My blood pressure is under control. I still have areas requiring attention.
2. I spent half of the month with my knee still causing me problems, but it appears to have healed. Just in time for the pool!
3. I am paying more attention to what I put in my mouth. (That doesn’t mean I’m making better decisions!)

Happiness-related: 

1. The kids are out of school, and we’ve already put dates on the calendar for activities. The 10-year-old is learning to crochet this summer and has archery classes. The 15-year-old will be taking guitar lessons. We took the entire family to see If in the theaters.
2. I continued working on the #the100dayproject art challenge but more sporadically as my day job (writing/editing) got more hectic.
3. I attended a two-day papermaking workshop!
4. Here are some examples of art projects I completed in May:

June

For work-related, I plan:

1. To complete writing Cyrus, the first of my new MBH in Yellowstone series, and which is scheduled for release June 25th.
2. To complete 5 editing projects in June!
3. To set up the pre-order and edit the stories in the upcoming collection—Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology!
4. To finish revising and prepare for publication the last books in my erotic romance series, Delta Heat. I’ll republish two of the stories in June: Twice the Bang and Once is Never Enough.
5. To find cover art and set up pre-orders for my Delta Fire series. Three books will be revised for republication and the fourth will be written in July!

For health related, I plan:

1. To swim in my pool every day! (Weather permitting!) Exercise on my recumbent bike when I can’t swim.
2. To start back on my Weight Watchers diet, because it’s time to get serious!
3. To reduce salt and processed food, and incorporate foods good for blood pressure (spinach, broccoli, bananas) and my liver (apple cider vinegar, flax seeds, sunflower seeds).
4. To take my BP every day and log it!
5. To have follow-up medical appointments, routine/annual things.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To finish #the100daychallenge. Just 10 pieces to go!
2. To spend time with the family—movies and pool—now that school is out!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier, or tell me what you plan to read in June…

Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

First, to all the mothers out there! Happy Mother’s Day!

This was part of my gift from my daughter! She knows I’m a Star Trek girl and had an artist do this up of me with my cat, Tess, Lower Decks style. She had one image framed for my office wall and had a coffee cup made with the image wrapped around it. Such a lovely, thoughtful gift for a nerdy girl like me! The 19-year-old added a funny squeeze-toy/stress ball with an alien that pops out of a spaceship and a small tray with a spaceship hovering over a farm field, sucking up a cow. Yes, they do know me well.

Report Card

Last week…

• I finished one editing job for another author, plus, I worked on three others.
• I finished revising, formatting, and uploading Five Ways ‘Til Sunday, which releases Tuesday. I began revising the next in the Delta Heat series, Fournicopia.
• I worked on art for #The100DayProject.
• My knee is nearly healed, but I have to stop myself from moving full-steam-ahead, because every time I do, I reinjure it. It’s such a pain in the ass.
• So, yeah, I’m light on accomplishments this week. 🙁

This next week…

• I will work on four editing projects for other authors, finishing three!
• I will try to find art for the next anthology, Secret Identities. Plus, I’ll work on the webpage on the Collections site, adding loglines for each author’s story. (This is a repeat from last week, because I didn’t make much progress.)
• I will complete revising the second and third stories in the kink series I’m republishing and get them uploaded.
• I will begin writing my next Montana Bounty Hunter story, the first in the West Yellowstone office, Cyrus. (This is carried over, too. I made NO progress.)
• I will continue creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.
• I’ll work on a gazillion administrative and cleanup duties I need to catch up on. My office is a disaster at the moment.

I really need a vacation…

Open Contests

1. April into May (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Word Search: Happy Batman Day! (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win a beadable pen!
3. Remember when…? (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Why did the black bear cross the road? — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Who should Cyrus’s love interest be? (Poll & Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Word Search: Family Summertime Activities (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. Books for PRE-ORDER! See what’s coming soon! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Melanie Jayne: Spending Time with Old Friends (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
9. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Have you ever seen the Northern Lights? — Win an Amazon gift card!

Last week…

• I finished one editing job for another author.
• I found the art for the cover for my next We Are Dead Horse book, Built Like Mack, got the cover made, and the pre-order set up in Amazon.
• I had covers made for a series I’m republishing and created the pre-orders in KDP. Those links aren’t available because KDP wants to make sure I’m republishing my own books first.
• I began lightly revising the first of the series I’m republishing, which I hope to have out on May 14th. If you like kink, be watching for it!
• I worked on art for #The100DayProject—nearly catching up with the schedule.
• I’m still recovering very slowly from an injury to my knee. At first, I got around with a limp, then I used a knee brace, then a cane. I’m off the cane, but not 100% just yet!

This next week…

• I will work on two editing projects for other authors, finishing one!
• I will try to find art for the next anthology, Secret Identities. Plus, I’ll work on the webpage on the Collections site, adding loglines for each author’s story.
• I will complete editing the first and the second stories in the kink series I’m republishing and get them uploaded for pre-order.
• I will begin writing my next Montana Bounty Hunter story, the first in the West Yellowstone office, Cyrus.
• I will continue creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.
• I’ll work on a gazillion administrative things I need to catch up on.

And here I was hoping I could take a bit of a break…

Open Contests

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: The Time Tunnel (Contest) — This one ends tomorrow! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Hold on to Memories (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. April into May (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Word Search: Happy Batman Day! (Contest) — Win a beaded pen!
5. Remember when…? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Happy Paranormal Day! (Giveaway!) — This offer ends soon! Get your FREE book while this offer lasts!
7. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Why did the black bear cross the road? — Win an Amazon gift card!

Last week…

• I finished Tyson’s Mission which releases on April 23rd!
• I fell behind schedule on my editing gigs due to family and TM.
• I found the art work, had the cover made (thanks, sis), and set up the pre-order for my next MBH, Cyrus.
• I’ve fell behind on creating art for #The100DayProject.
• I enjoyed watching the eclipse with all of my siblings!
• I’m trying to recover from injuring my knee. At first, I got around with a limp, then I used a knee brace, now I’m on a cane. It’s getting better now, but slowly!

This next week…

• I will work on three editing projects for other authors, hopefully finishing two!
• I HAVE TO finish reading the rest of the stories for my next anthology, Secret Identities.
• I will begin editing one of five stories I previously published, so I can republish them soon.
• I will continue creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.

I still need a vacation.

Open Contests

1. Happy Tell a Lie Day! (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. First Contact Day (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Eclipse Fantasy — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. The Eclipse! Just Wow! (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
5. The End! (Of TYSON’S MISSION, that is) (Contest + Excerpt) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Sliding Puzzle: Mayan City (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. The Montana Bounty Hunters are opening a new office in West Yellowstone! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Will you enter? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Cindy!
*~*~*

Local schools announced a holiday—likely because they knew few students would show up and teachers would want to watch the total eclipse of the sun, too! So the three kids were with us.

All my siblings—two brothers and my sister—my daughter and her kids gathered at my brother’s place across the highway for a viewing party. We arrived at 11:30, set up the chairs facing the sun, handed out approved eclipse glasses, and roasted. The temperature was a very balmy 84 degrees, hardly a cloud in the sky. By the time the show was all over we did have sunburns. 🙂

Of course there was plenty of time for silly photographs. My daughter played “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and we all sang so loud we could hear neighbors laughing. The 10-year-old was our self-appointed timekeeper who let us know the countdown to the “totality.” There were plenty of goosebumps and oohs and ahhs when the totality occurred and the world grew dark.

Afterward, we weren’t as interested in watching the sun “grow bigger.” My brothers set up the grill to fry a ton of fresh-caught bass with hush puppies and tons of yummy sides. So, so, good. I am so grateful we could all be together for these few days, and to enjoy the eclipse. We’ll all carry memories of a very unique event.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me when your family gathered for some fun event! And did you get to watch the eclipse?

Last couple weeks…

• I wrote quadruple the amount of pages I usually write for Tyson’s Mission and have been putting in 12-14 hour days, just on writing, this week!
• I read more stories submitted for the Secret Identities anthology—but did not finish as planned!
• I finished one editing project for another author.
• I’ve created art every day for #The100DayProject.

This next week…

• Watch the eclipse with family—weather permitting!
• I will finish Tyson’s Mission which releases on April 23rd!  
• I will work on two editing projects for other authors!
• I must finish reading the rest of the stories for my next anthology, Secret Identities.
• I will continue creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.

Again, it’ll be a crazy-busy week! I’m ready for a vacation!

Open Contests

1. Word Search: Colors of Paint (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Easter Stories (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: What I’m bingeing now… — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Happy Easter & March Into April (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Another lost art? (Contest) Plus, Open Contests! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Flashback: Gunn’s Mission (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!
7. Word Search: Eclipse Words (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Happy Tell a Lie Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
9. First Contact Day (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
10. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Eclipse Fantasy — Win an Amazon gift card!