Saturday the 6th

I’m alive.  Wow.  What a flu bug.  Nasty nasty stomach bug that I don’t want see in my house again…not for a long, long time.  Both boys have had it, too, but now I wait and worry that Surfer Ty, who is visiting at the moment, will be struck down.  Let’s all say a little prayer that he escapes.  It’s not a bug I’d wish on anyone.  Ever.

As you know I had to cancel my book events this weekend as well as my appearance tonight.  I have several friends in the area all doing movie parties, too, and I’m keeping myself in the house under lock and key for fear of spreading this thing.  I don’t know how long one is contagious for, but better to be safe than sorry.  And I’m not really yet functioning on full speed.  More like half speed, and maybe half of that.

The great marvelous news is that I did finish my Harlequin Presents book Thursday night, emailed it to my editor in London that evening before bed and then woke up at 5 violently ill, but still, book was gone.  I made my deadline and it was one of the most focused, intense writes I’ve done in a long time.  I’m sure there will be revisions on it but I won’t complain.  I had a really hard time getting the book started, and I jumped back and forth between two different books for a couple weeks, before I hit November 17th, realized a completed book was due by the 4th, and I didn’t even have a complete chapter one.  Not even a great scene one for chapter one.  So on the 17th of November I got hard core and began writing all day every day with the goal being a chapter a day to meet the deadline.  There were days I got  a chapter done, and there were days it was a half chapter, but this week I wrote a minimum of 30 pages a day every day to get caught up and book in.

I don’t like writing that much that many days straight.  There were no days off, no weekends, no holidays.  Even on Thanksgiving I had to write a full chapter before I could leave my computer, but in some way, working hard that is easy because it eliminates all distractions, all activites, all choices but writing.  And in our chaotic world, with the entertainment, lifestyle, even shopping choices, having nothing to do but write is rather freeing.  Just the story.  Just the words.  Just the goal.

With that said, it’s so good to have the book done.

Now that I’m not hugging the toilet anymore, I can actually smile a little bit.

I’ve got a blue beach tote bag, a blue beach towel, a JP water bottle, and a signed copy of Flirting to give away.  Let me know if you’ve got your tree up, or your shopping started.  Just tell me what you’re doing this weekend and you’re entered.  I’ll draw a name Sunday night at midnight PST and post it Monday.  And before I forget, check back here tomorrow for my blog on the movie.

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