Up and Running Again!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased, relieved, and excited to announce that the Giles family move, 2015 version, has officially come to an end. I mean, okay technically, there are still about 100 boxes left to unpack, but I finally found the box with all my pants—which was truly missing for like 4 days. Also, the box with my kitchen knives and spatulas, which are also sort of important.

Pants = I can now go out in public. Hooray!

Spatulas = I can make things like grilled cheese without burning my fingers off.

The other boxes—well, I’ll get to them as I can. The goal is a box a day for now. And to be fair, I have organized every room in the house as I have unpacked, so that also takes time. I sort of feel like Super-Woman when I consider how much I have accomplished in the last month.

Me = muscling furniture into place and scrubbing hard water spots off the shower in the rental. (Who needs the gym?)

The downside is I have truly had to set aside my writing projects, which I fully expected and had planned for, but still hurt, since I am right in the thick of about four massive ones. However, I am now getting back into the saddle, and hope to crank out LEGACY and get to work on the sequel for Water So Deep.  

Me = dusts off computer and jumps into the waiting arms of my characters.

So. What have you been up to lately? 

A Wider View

Ever since we moved into this new house, I’ve been on a little bit of a decorating kick. Part of it might be a driving need to make this place feel like home, even though we are far away from everything we know and everyone we love. But I think another part is very much a cycle of style.

I feel myself (and my family) moving away from colors that are easy and “trendy” and moving into ones that are bright and bold. Maybe it’s because we just did a brave, bold thing, and it’s a bit of a hangover from living this new life. I’m not sure. But I find myself gravitating toward color and patterns and other new ideas that I might not have ever considered in the house where everything was normal and comfortable and…the same as it had been since we built that home.

Then the other day, my kids and I cleaned out the garage and finished unpacking a number of our remaining boxes (the ones not in storage) and as we did we found bits and pieces of our past. Things we’ve collected on vacations or that we’ve just simply loved. And we got them out because in our life of uncertainty, we have a strong need to have little reminders of the familiar and the happy things from before.

And in doing so, I realized something. Yes, we’re thinking bold and bright, changing up colors and ideas, but as I lined the tops of our kitchen cabinets with bottles of sand and sea shells we have collected from all over the world, I realized that color aside, the core of our style, the core of our family, is very much the same.

Turns out, my fairy collection goes well with our new beach-esque color scheme, and our art pieces still move us to smiles. So while our style has evolved and cycled in a big way, we are still who we were before. Just maybe more open, more conscious, and with a bigger, wider view of things.

And I think maybe that is exactly the point.

But, um, I’m still looking for a desk for my office, so if you have a great tip on where I should look, I’d love to know.

Summah! (And other important stuff to do.)

Okay, so I know I’ve been somewhat incognito here and on social networking sites and all that jazz, but our move (from rental to owned-home) is complete (although, unpacking 20 years of crap is going to be a constant work in progress) and I’m diving back into edits/rewrites/drafts and planning to hit my writing hard this summer.

Usually, I don’t work as hard during the summer months because my kids are all over the place and I like to do fun summer things with them. But, um, I feel like I have lost a lot of time this year, which means I will spend the summer catching up.  This means juggling the two is bound to get interesting.

First on the agenda, an updated draft of a book my agent needs ASAP. Second, taking a look at the zero draft of the sequel for DESCENDANT and drafting a workable, editable manuscript. Third—a rewrite (like number 16 or something) of a book I wrote two-ish years ago (maybe three?) that keeps feeling not-quite-ready. And finally, a totally new draft of an idea I started on over a year ago before my life EXPLODED. I’d like to have those first three things I mentioned finished by the end of summer, and hope to be starting on the fourth by September.

Can I do it? That remains to be seen. I may need an incentive of some kind. And some accountability. And some encouragement. I can count on all of you for the latter two, right? And as for incentive, well. Maybe…

A new writing desk? Or a writing patio? Or maybe smaller scale, like shoes. Trips to the beach. Or a night out with friends. Something fun! (Your ideas are welcome and helpful.)

So yeah. Lots of awesome things to keep me excited about working. Now if only I can find a quiet place until my new in-home office is set up (including temporary folding table).

*twiddles thumbs and glances sidelong at more boxes*

Until then, I’d love to hear about what productive/non-productive things you’re planning this summer!

Worth the Work

I’m not going to lie. The next month is going to be crazy busy for me. Yes, the fact that my book is officially “released” into the world is part of it. I’m currently in Utah to celebrate that, and also to attend and present at my all-time favorite writing conference. Those things, along with a little visiting and socializing, will take up the first half of my May. And THEN…

Moving. Again.

Yes, yes. We did just move. Uh huh. It has only been six months. Here it is: from crappy rental house—into nice home-we-will-own.

It’s a lot of work, and a lot of stress. And a lot of brainpower. But in the end, we believe all the work and stress will be worth it. Kind of like it’s worth all the work and stress it has taken for me to see this book through the publication process. And worth what it's going to take to find time to write the next one.

I believe that all the best things require sacrifice and hard work.

So what about you? What hard thing do you believe is worth working for this spring/summer?

The First Steps to Revolution

So my last post mentioned my personal revolution (as opposed to setting resolutions). And I’m thinking about what it will take in order to get that thing moving.

First up, I think it’s time to get over the moving/packing-unpacking/overwhelming whatever whatever and get back to work. Sooo…

Time to draft a sequel to my May release. And then finish the half-edited book I was working on when my life sort of exploded, as well as the partly drafted book I started in September. And then draft another book, which will also probably be a sequel, but might be something totally new.

Also, I’m going to start sending out newsletters, planning a launch party and some signings, and finishing edits for Descendant (the one that comes out in May). And I should probably start some promotional planning too.  And since I’m teaching at a conference in May, I think I probably ought to plan my classes. And propose a few more for other conferences.

Um, yeah. I have lots to do.

But it’s all good stuff that has me way excited. It’s going to be a great year.

Now it’s your turn. How will your revolution start?   

Oh, the Pressure!

It’s the holidays. The time of year when everyone wants a piece of our time, when, on top of our usual weekly-daily-monthly to-do list, you have the added responsibility of providing holiday gifts for the important people of our lives—not because we have to, but because we want to. Then there are parties, and dinners, and other social expectations we try to fulfill and attend. Not because others expect it of us, but because we expect it of ourselves. There’s decorating. And wrapping. And delivering. And baking. And, and, and…

Add to that starting a new school, a new job, moving to a new house in a new town in a state a thousand miles away from where you’ve spent your life, and unpacking, and organizing, and replacing, and filling out paperwork, and well. It’s a lot. And then someone else shows up and asks for just. One. More. Semi-big thing.

You say yes, because, let’s face it, you’re unable to really respond other than stare into space and nod.

Then you go home and fall apart because your head wants to explode from all the pressure.

But it doesn’t. Instead, you take a deep breath and think it through.

Where is the pressure coming from?

Your personal expectations.

Who is applying it?

You.

What can you do about it?

Slow down. Do what you can. Expect nothing more of yourself than you can logically, emotionally, and physically give. And learn to say no when what someone asks of you feels like too much.

And when all else fails, take a break and go to the beach. (Or the mountains, or the lake, or a meadow or whatever place feels peaceful to you.)

This weekend, I recommend that we all take an hour to do something silly and unnecessary and just plain fun. Because during a month when it feels like no one has any time, the silly and unnecessary are sometimes vital to the survival of the human spirit.

What fun thing will you choose?

The Reason I Cried Across New Mexico

Yep. I admit it. I did.

But you have to understand the whole story.

First, it was the second day after we’d left our Utah house (and family and other loved ones behind). We were in two separate cars, and since I was driving my Mustang, it was just me and my son, while the rest of the family (husband, two daughters, two dogs, and a rabbit) were in the car ahead of us. We’d spent the day driving across an area that can only be described as desolate flatland that looked like this:

Well, until the sun when down, then it was just freaking dark.

So, it was dark. I was starving. It had been a ridiculously long day. And then…

My iPod connector died, cutting me off from my choice of playlists. And after about ten minutes, I couldn’t take the silence anymore. So I handed my son a visor clip with some CD’s in it, and had him choose one. He chose The Lion King on Broadway soundtrack. And not long into it, Shadowland came on. And it hit me in about a hundred different soft spots.

Before you feel terribly sorry for me, you should know that musicals usually make me cry anyway, and this is one I’ve always found particularly powerful. It just happened that this song felt absolutely appropriate for that moment in my life. Check it out:

I know, right? (Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have cried too. I know better!)

Now that I’ve just admitted something enormously embarrassing, it’s your turn. When was the last time a well-timed powerful song moved you to tears? (And if you share, I might tell you about another of mine sometime soon.)

Adapting

I’m Back! Well, Sort Of.

*waves from sunny Texas*

Yep, that’s right. We survived the packing/loading/driving/unloading/traveling portion of our move from Northern Utah to South Texas. I kind of feel like we’re still moving, and will continue to be moving for like, another year. Or maybe more. And I’m not 100% sure we’ll ever find some things we packed, because, well, they never seem to be in the boxes we thought they were in or whatever. But we are on the other side of our long, long (did I say LONG?) moving journey, and in the process of adapting to our new environment.

To give you a new idea of what this adaptation involves, we went from this:

And this:

To this:

And this:

But even more than environmental adaptations, we’re getting oriented with our new town and surrounding areas, learning about the culture, and trying to integrate ourselves into the community.

Yes, it’s a lot. My brain = way past capacity. (And I am SO glad I didn’t do NaNo this year.)

But things are starting to calm a bit, and I’m planning to dive back into writing here soon. In the meantime, I want to leave you with a thought that’s been swimming in my head this week.

I think it takes sacrifice and service to do great things, and in order for us to become great (as people) we have to experience a lot of both. Opportunity doesn’t always come knocking on your door. More often than not, we have to search very hard to find it, and then decide to do take it, even if it means making that big sacrifice, or a number of sacrifices, and doing things that are hard, hard, HARD.

Sometimes, that’s what it takes to make a difference.

Sometimes, that’s the only way to break a monotonous pattern.

Sometimes, that’s exactly the kind of growth our souls crave.

It’s a personal character arc!

So, um. Now that I bore my soul for the week, have any of you recently experienced a personal arc of that variety? Do share!  

An Ending and a New Beginning

This week, an important, lovely chapter of my life comes to an end. I have a lot of really great memories, some incredible life-long friends, a house I dreamed of owning, and an entirely excellent life.

While my friends will always be mine, and my life will continue to get more excellent, endings are never easy. But the thing about endings is that they are almost always followed by an entirely new beginning.

Twenty years ago TODAY, I married my best friend. A man who continues to be the most important person in my life, and who I would follow anywhere, without him even asking. Twenty years ago, after a ceremony and a really big party, we embarked on our very first huge, scary adventure together. 

Ironically, on the twenty-year anniversary of that first big commitment, we are once again jumping in with both feet and embarking on a second huge, scary adventure. 

That's right. 

IT'S MOVING DAY! 

Please forgive my absence for the next two weeks while we haul our cookies (and everything else we own--which is a crap-load of stuff) to Portland, Texas. 

Oh, and on a more personal note, I'd like to wish my honey a very happy anniversary. I'd do it all again in a blink. Twice. Or more. I love you! 

**I'll be back to blogging in December. Hope to see you then!

The Best Outcome Starts with a Hard Choice

Last weekend, my family and I flew to Texas to scope out the city where we will be moving, and to look for a rental house to live in until our home in Utah sells. It’s a beautiful place, close to the water (I’ve always dreamed of living near the ocean) and small enough to not be overwhelming, while near enough to a bigger city to not make us feel isolated. Sort of the best of both worlds.

And if it weren’t for all the comforts and people we’re leaving behind, our decision to move there would have been a no brainer.

But we are leaving behind people we love, and a place where we’re established and comfortable. Where my kids have friends and we all know what to expect of things as small as seasonal changes, and as big as cultural expectations. And I’m not going to lie. It’s not an easy thing to do. Even with all the benefits to our family (there’s a really good job involved) it’s hard.

So why are we doing it?

Because we know that the best results usually start with the hardest decisions. And though I know I’ve said it before, it bears mentioning again. We can do hard things.

We. Can. Do. Hard. Things.

These are the things that make us strong. That define us. That determine our future. And as much as we humans might wish otherwise, this is the way dreams are discovered.

This move isn’t an easy one. There will be tears and heartache and grief. But it’s nothing we can’t handle. Because we’re dreamers, and it’s just what we do.

What about you? What hard thing are you doing this month?

Useful Stuff

So, I’m getting ready to move, and that means I’m cleaning out, like, everything. And we’re getting rid of stuff. So. Much. Stuff.

Guys, if you ever want to feel like a hoarder, decide to move a long distance. You go through every cupboard and closet and storage area evaluating whether or not you can live with 100 empty prescription bottles or that drawer full of mini hotel shampoos. Because, come on. It’s taken you like, nine years to amass this collection, so it’s not easy to dump it in the trash, right?

If you have to fit your entire life onto a single truck, and the movers charge by weight (or if you’re doing the Uhaul thing and have limited space) you take the time to reconsider the need for that collection you’ve been saving. At some point, you must have thought of a possible use for these things. There must have been some point in time when you wished you had a 20 year old bottle of designer perfume or a once-used fuchsia lipstick. There MUST be a reason for saving these things, right? (Don’t laugh, I dumped them. I really did!)

But the creative side of me has to take a minute to recognize that there is a use for everything. That perfume could be a useful weapon against potential…attackers. Yes, that’s it. And that lipstick could be used as, um, oh, I know, part of a disguise. Yes. And the pill bottles? You could totally build a tower out of those, or dump them on the floor in place of marbles ala Home Alone. Same with the shampoos. Slick-shoes ala Goonies.

See? There really is a use for all the crap I just threw away.

Therefore, I’m no longer going to feel like a Hoarder. Yes. Okay.

Please tell me you keep crap because you know someday you’ll use it. Just humor me, okay? 

One Last Secret

So. Um. We’re still celebrating at our house. But it’s a different kind of celebrating than I did when all this happened. More like a holy-crap-what-did-we-get-ourselves-into? kind of celebrating. And a pack-your-entire-life-and-family-in-a-truck kind of celebrating.

Because people, the Giles family…

Is MOVING TO TEXAS!!!

That’s right, y'all.  Portland, Texas, to be specific, which is right outside Corpus Christi. Best part?

This.

We expect to be there just before Thanksgiving. Which means I will not be writing a novel this November, but I will totally be cheering on all my NaNoWriMo friends. So I’m dusting off my cowboy boots, donning my hat, and uncovering my long buried y'all drawl. Or, er, um. Okay, maybe I’m really just packing, but still. I’m SO. Excited.

Except the part where I have to leave behind people I love. That is not excitement. There will be many tears on moving day. (And hugs to all of you!)Remember how I told you all to do something big? Well. Yeah. This is kind of big, I think. Now it’s your turn, because after this, I’m going to need a long, long nap.

Now tell me. What new and exciting thing are you going to try this month? 

Stepping Stones to Speeding Trains

This week, I’ve been thinking about progress, and how it never looks quite like you thought it would. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it’s really good. Amazing even. And sometimes, not so much. But good or amazing or terrible, progress forces us to move.

Whether we’re moving forward or backward or sideways, we’re MOVING, and that’s important. Because even when we’re sliding backward, it gives us an opportunity to try to move forward again. Sometimes, it’s the backward movement that helps us to find a path we missed the first time, or one we saw, but passed up. And maybe that path is the right path, so maybe we’ll keep sliding, keep coming back to it until we finally give it a try.

And if that path happens to be right, chances are that once you finally take it, everything else will change. Life will open up in unexpected ways.

If and when that happens, you don’t spend your time wondering what took you so long, or regretting how far back you had to slide to get to that place (or, at least, you shouldn’t). Instead, you focus your energies on holding on tight, because with all the experiences you’ve collected along the way now behind you, there’s an extreme force propelling you forward, and you may not be used to your new rate of speed.

But wow, it’s going to be a heck of a ride!

At least, that’s my experience. What about you? When is the last time you took a path you’ve been avoiding?