Yesterday morning Surfer Ty flew back to Hawaii and I returned to my desk even as snow fell outside my window. The snow didn’t stick but the slushy rain and snow and cold made me want to be anywhere but sitting at my desk for nine hours. I did take a couple catnaps yesterday, though, and those helped but it’s going to be a long month until I see Ty again.

I know he’ll return end of April for the baby’s birth, and I know he needs to be in Hawaii–it’s Spring Break after all and one of the busiest times of the year–but the bigger I get the more I want his company. He was such good company this time, too, and so sweet. Even though I’m enormous he’s quite proud of my ‘bump’, and pleased that it’s his son growing in there. When I tell him I feel horribly unattractive he says that I’m still ‘one hot Mama’ and beautiful. And when he’s here, I do feel beautiful because he’s so protective of me. Ty doesn’t let me lift anything or do too much. It felt good letting him be the man, too. I’m competent as a single mom, but I do love the moments when I don’t have to manage everything on my own.

Now it’s Thursday and I’ve already been writing this morning. I lit a couple mango scented candles on my desk to help woo me to the keyboard as the cold front remains and its another wet and gray day. I’m hoping to complete another chapter by tonight. The writing is slow but steady and I like what I’m seeing and am intrigued as the characters grow.

This is the kind of writing I like to do. I love it when I’m hooked into my story and thinking about it all the time, playing the next scene out in my mind, testing the different ways it’ll work, or not work. I like considering different alternatives to the scene and again weighing each to see how it’ll enrich the story, or add another layer of tension or emotional complexity. Sometimes simple is best. Sometimes a chapter needs a twist.

Of course I wish I had more time. Because I’m writing slow I need the time and we’re down to 29 days before Mac is scheduled to appear and book is due before Mac so pressure’s beginning to hum.

I’ve given up reading until the book is done–a terrible sacrifice on my part as I love reading probably more than any other activity–and all social activities as well. But not reading fiction doesn’t mean I can’t read the paper, or articles on the internet. In fact, yesterday morning I was delighted when I found two great stories that support future novel ideas perfectly. One was a MSN Money article on the web, and the other was a story in yesterday’s morning paper’s sports section.  Both articles help flesh out and cement two different story proposals for the next couple books I want to write. I always get new ideas when writing hard. I don’t know why but it’s a benefit of writing, and how creativity begets creativity.

To help warm up this chilly gray day, I’m giving away a pink and white Tully’s mug, a bag of Tully’s coffee, a signed copy of Mrs. Perfect, some wonderful pink bubbles for an indulgent bath, and tons of JP reader goodies. Bring me up to speed on your family, your day, your upcoming weekend in a comment and you’re entered. The contest ends Friday night midnight PST and I’ll post the winner’s name Saturday morning.

Now I’m back to working on Shey’s book but I can’t wait to hear what you all have to say!

Distracted by the remodel, as well as a couple weeks of intense boy issues related to sports and academics, I stopped writing on Shey’s book. I couldn’t focus on anything but getting well and through the crisis, but an email from my editor yesterday reminded me that I can’t be distracted. I can’t allow myself to lose my mojo. I have contracts and deadlines and Shey’s book has been slotted for July 2010 and my editor needs the book soon.

That means I have to write, and fortunately, yesterday I did write. It took me from 9 am until 6 pm but I slogged through until I hit fifteen pages. That’s a long day at my desk for only fifteen pages, but pages are pages and it’s progress which I desperately need.

My editor has also asked for any cover concept or title ideas for Shey’s book to be able to present at the meeting next week and I’ve nothing for her. I can describe Mac’s room (grown up safari theme with a black and white faux zebra rug, pale green walls, and three black and white framed prints of a giraffe against the savannah, an extreme close up of a bull elephant, and then a sweet shot of a baby elephant peeping from his mother’s legs). I can tell her that my son Jake wants his new room done in a Seattle Seahawk theme. I can talk about my Hawaii house and how I’ve ordered nursery furniture for when I spend the summer there. But I can’t picture anything for Shey’s story.

Now, I’m writing it, and I’m loving it and I teared up twice yesterday when writing one particular passage that involves her oldest son, but the sexy, fun, flirty packaging? Not a clue. I write from the inside out. I write from Shey’s heart and it’s not a sexy, fun, flirty heart at the moment. Her heart is a mother’s heart and she’s worried about her boys.

Of course there will be sexy, flirty moments, and there’s the sexiest guy yet in this book. Dane Kelly is a gorgeous, gorgeous, male in his prime. A former bullriding champ, he now raises bucking bulls on his Palo Pinto County ranch and he’s Shey’s first love. Back then she was too young for him but they’re both single now and there’s still the same crazy chemistry, only having lost his five year old son, he’s not looking for another family, much less a family with three teenage boys.

And that, in a nutshell, is what I’m working on. Have any ideas for a cover? Got any fun, sexy, flirty title suggestions? Or just want to chat? Well, post a comment below and you’ll have a chance to win another colorful sarong from Hawaii, a signed copy of the mass market edition of Flirting with Forty, and some yummy chocolate macadamia nuts (plus lots of JP reader goodies). The contest will run through tomorrow night, Thursday night, midnight and I’ll post the winner’s name Friday morning.

So talk to me, brainstorm some ideas for me, or just keep me company while I pound away on my novel, and with some luck and hard work I’ll have a great new, novel out in 2010!

As one who loves Ireland, and spent my final semester at UCLA studying at University College Galway on Ireland’s west coast, today is a special day. I don’t celebrate it with green beer or corned beef and cabbage, but rather, I remember all the great Irish and Anglo-Irish writers I’ve studied and read, as well as the wonderful contemporary Irish authors I favor today like Maeve Binchy, Marian Keyes, and my friend, Harlequin Presents author Abby Green. (Check her out, she rocks!)

And also timed with this one of my favorite holidays is a new contest featuring Easy On The Eyes… details at the end of this post.

Things have been so busy and stressful lately that I thought it’s also time to shift my focus from worries to good things, those little things that we might take for granted but shouldn’t as good things–whether big or small– are always good and shouldn’t be lost in the shuffle. So here’s my list of gratitudes:

-my new tires.  They’re awesome.  I forgot how nice driving is when your car actually sticks to the road versus slides across the asphalt.

-the hour I managed to write yesterday when I didn’t think I’d have time to write.  My youngest ended up joining his big brother for water polo practice and after dropping them off at 5:30 I hit a nearby Starbucks for an hour and wrote 5 pages.  A huge blessing.

-The new GPS/stereo/entertainment center I put in my car three weeks ago as a birthday present to myself.  It was a bit of a splurge but its so wonderful.  The screen is huge and I can see the map clearly and hear the directions and the kids love that I can hook up their iPods and play their music.  And yesterday when I needed to find a store and couldn’t find it, the GPS got me there fast, fast, fast.

-Progress on homework.  One son has been struggling in school in a particular subject and he’s managed to bring the failing grade to a C+ and might, just might, be on his way to a B. The blessing is that he is taking responsibility for the bad grade (chose not to study and “forgot” to turn in homework) and is going to twice a day tutorials as well as communicating with teacher better. Yay! Big step.

So tell me a blessing in your life, can be little, can be big, and you’re entered in my St. Patrick’s Day contest.  I’m giving away a copy of Irish author Marian Keyes latest hardcover, This Charming Man, a Starbucks drink card, a See’s chocolate leprechaun, and lots of JP goodies.  Contest ends Thursday night and I’ll post winner’s name Friday morning.

And since many of you like contests, check out the brand new contest I have on my website.  It just started today and it’s a bigger contest than my blog contest and includes a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card among other good things.  While you’re getting the details on my new contest, read the brand new sneak peek of Easy On The Eyes and let me know what you think!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and blessings to all!