Tonight is the Desert Rose Chapter of Romance Writers of America‘s annual Membership Appreciation dinner.

Each year the dinner is at a different very nice location and involves a sit down dinner, entertainment, awards and a great evening. This year, however, I’m extra excited to go.

I’ve lived in Arizona almost my entire life. We moved here when I was very young and after college I moved away to Texas for about ten years. But Arizona is the place I consider home. And as a little girl, I remember seeing a mansion perched up on a hill that we would drive by and I always wanted to go inside. Of course, I thought it was a castle and imagined some type of royalty living there in the pretty building surrounded by large saguaro cacti.

As I got older, I found out it was called the Wrigley Mansion, built by Chewing Gum Magnate, William Wrigley, Jr. in 1932. It’s mostly used for weddings, large meetings and posh corporate events, so even as long as I’ve lived here, I’ve never been inside.

So, like I said, I’m excited about tonight! And, of course, I just went out to their website to link it and found out that they have a happy hour Friday and Saturday nights and a great Sunday brunch!! So, all this time, I could’ve gone without waiting for an event. LOL. Things that make you go, hmmm. Oh well, still excited about tonight! I’ll have to let you know how it goes.

Tina/Cassie

Today is my day to blog on the Aphrodisia Author’s Blog. So, what exciting topic did I pick?

I’m blogging about “The List”

No, I don’t mean a list of places you can procure discount coupons to Michaels or JC Penney’s.

If you’ve been in a relationship, you might have heard of “The List.” It’s a list of either celebrities or characters who if they showed up out of the blue and offered you a smoking-hot night of steamy illegal-in-forty-seven-countries sex, that you’d have a free pass from your spouse or significant other to go for it. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about and others of you think I’m insane. But seriously—I know tons of people who have “The List” in place at this very moment. Still don’t believe me? Ask around—you’ll be surprised.

Curious? I’d love to hear your comments, go check it out on the Aphrodisia Author’s Blog.

Cassie/Tina

I’ve been really horrible lately at taking days off.  I think that’s one of the greater dangers of being self-employed.  It’s so easy to work all day every day and forget that your body still needs recharge time.

Earlier in the week I had what my friend calls a “Done Mode”  I wasn’t accomplishing anything and I wasn’t happy with anything, so I went on strike.  I took Monday night and all day Tuesday off and didn’t even open my laptop or look at anything remotely work-related during that time frame.  I know lots of people think that writing isn’t something people need time off from, but that would be a very wrong assumption.

Anyway, after my time off, I couldn’t believe how much easier everything flowed and how much LESS things bothered me.  So, I’ve made a resolution–yes, I know it’s nowhere near New Years…lol.

What is this stellar resolution?  To take Sundays off.  And today was the first Sunday I’ve put it into practice.  In fact, this is the first time I’ve opened my laptop all day and I’ve spent a nice lazy day with the family, reading, and watching Matthew MacFadyen movies, and the new episode of Doctor Who.  I’ll admit, I did have to do a quick grocery shopping trip and I’m doing laundry, but hey–the world doesn’t stop entirely, right?   But what can I say…I’m sure watching some episodes of Spooks with Matthew MacFadyen will cheer me up past all of those “duties”.

And I have to admit, I’m feeling much better from my totally relaxed and lazy day.   So I think Sundays off are here to stay!

Here’s a pic of Matthew, just for fun…

I woke up this morning and realized it’s Wednesday already.  I’m not quite sure where the rest of the week went, but my To Do list isn’t getting any shorter so I’d better get on the ball!  LOL.

I’m still plugging away at the Urban Fantasy  and I’ve hit a bit of a rough spot where I’ve lost the vision of where I’m going, so it’s been slow going for the past few days.  But my mind was mulling it over last night and I had some dreams that helped me fill in gaps in my story.  So, I’ll go back and add those in when I get to Starbucks today.  You know, it’s kind of funny, but I realize this happens to me during every book I write.  I have character sketches and a general world planned out.  I know where I want to start and where I want to end up–at least generally, but the middle is rough for me.  I usually hit about 40 or 50K and then flounder until my subconscious kicks in and I start dreaming about my story.  It’s also usually at this point where the doubts kick in.  You know–”Why did I ever think I could write another book?”  (even though this is my tenth book).  “Why did I ever like this story idea to begin with?  What was I thinking??”  (even though during the rough part of the last book I was jonesing to get started on this one), and the worst, “OMG!  What if I finish the book, it sucks so badly that no one ever reads it and my writing career is over?!?”  (even though I know I think that with every book, and they usually turn out very well and I get great fan response)

What insecure creatures we writers are.  You would think we’d gain a modicum of self-confidence over our craft, and sometimes I actually do think I’m passable at this writing thing.  But I think that’s part of the irony of the universe.  Writers that I’ve met who think they are wonderful and brilliant and all that–I usually don’t like their books.  They are flowery, and self-important and even sometimes preachy.  But so many writers I know who angst like I do over every book–their characters are so real they jump off the page, their pain and happiness and every other emotion so vivid I can feel it like I’m them.  And their worlds are places I want to spend as much time as possible.  I can only hope my books continue to speak to readers as I journey through the process each time, because no matter how difficult this is (and it IS difficult) it’s worth it in the end, and writing makes me truly happy.

You know I recently read a blog (I don’t remember where or I would link to it) where a new writer was going through her first ever edits, and she was marveling at how difficult the process was and how eye-opening.  Not because the editors were hard asses, but because they made her think about her work in a different way.  They made her move past the characters and world inside her head and look at the mechanics of her writing–they made her work to be the best she can be.  Talk about painful!  I have friends who LOVE edits.  I’m not one of them.  Don’t get me wrong–I WANT edits because I know they make my stories better and make me continue to work and learn as a writer, but they are definitely painful.  I mean, you slave over a book and basically live this other life with several characters for however long it took you to write the book, and then someone else comes along and points out all the things you missed, all the things that didn’t make it from your brain to the page correctly–and worst of all–your plot holes!  (What do you mean my vampires are fighting during broad daylight!!  Don’t laugh, this was during Fire Maiden, but my whole crit group missed it, too!)

This whole writing thing is like stepping inside another universe–and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  So for those of you sitting there wanting to write a book some day–make sure you’re ready for the hard work, angst, self-doubt, the condescending pat on the head from friends and family until you’re published (and sometimes even after), the edits, the reviews–both good and bad, and also the satisfaction of seeing your name on that book cover and having someone tell you for the first time that they loved your book–and then don’t look back.  Write, write, write, build your craft and learn your trade and don’t let anyone derail you from achieving your dream.  So as Nike says – JUST DO IT!

Tina/Cassie