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What I'm writing in YEAR OF THE DOG

I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
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Getting ready for conference

Captain’s Log, Stardate 09.19.2006

Blog book giveaway:
My Thursday book giveaway is SQUAT by Taylor Field.
My Monday book giveaway is WISHING ON DANDELIONS by Mary DeMuth.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for SQUAT and the winner for WISHING ON DANDELIONS and post the title for another book I'm giving away.

Imagine that, I read more books. I posted a couple reviews today of books by two of my favorite people:

Hot Flashes and Cold Cream by Diann Hunt
The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck

Go buy their books!

TMI:

Writing: I am almost packed for the conference. I am going to try to bring my Victoria’s Secret khakis which I’ve never worn before, but which I can comfortably squeeze myself into now. The khakis I usually wear are a little too casual. Let’s hope I don’t split a seam.

The Powerpoint presentation for the Book of the Year and Genesis awards is done! I’m looking forward to meeting many of my finalists in a couple days.

I’m also looking forward to spending some time with my Senior Editor, Sue Brower, who will be at the conference. I have a few marketing ideas I want to run by her.

I keep thinking I'm forgetting something.

Diet: I did very good yesterday—I exercised for 50 minutes and I think my calorie count was around 1700. Low fat and lots of veggies!

However, I finally got up the courage to weigh myself and I am 3 pounds heavier than I was before I went on that trip to LA. It was the pastrami and onion rings that did me in, methinks. Mmmm, I’m salivating just thinking about it.

Hopefully I’ll exercise while I’m at the conference. I exercised at the hotel while I was in LA, so there’s hope for me yet.
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Comments

Unknown said…
Glad the presentation is done. You've been quiet, so I've been wondering if you've been swamped with it! LOL

Can't wait to see you...TOMORROW!
Tue Sep 19, 08:29:00 AM 2006
Delia said…
Camy, have lots and lots of fun! And blog all about it when you get home so those of us not going can live vicariously through you!

btw, Maybe the three pounds is new muscle from where you're exercising!
Tue Sep 19, 11:34:00 AM 2006
Sharon Hinck said…
You're wearing Victoria Secret to ACFW??? Now I'm REALLY bummed I won't be there.

Oh, wait. It's just khaki's? Not those bras from the ads with the ladies wearing wings (and little else)?

thanks for the super review, cutie pie. I'm convinced that even though BECKY MILLER is a mom, the book is NOT just for moms. I read books with protagonists who are male (which I'm not) or young (which I'm not) or single (also not)and can always identify with conflicts that are universal. I hope folks who aren't moms will take a chance and read this book...it's about the HUMAN condition, not just the MOM condition. :-)

Happy ACFW!!!
Tue Sep 19, 02:17:00 PM 2006
Anonymous said…
Sorry I've been "missing in action". Unfortunately, I've been having a really bad time with digestive problems and the whole fingertip to back pain. I've been lying down an awful lot.

Therefore, I got a surprise book today. Thank you so much. Couldn't figure it out at first. Will also thank author. Lots of prayer needed longtime. Baby step forward then giant leap back. Argh.

Somebody else blogged about this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13834042/

Could you also please pray for Eve and her mother who has Alzheimer's? Both need the Lord. I try to get to her site daily because she so needs to know that she is not fighting alone to keep her mother at home. Lives in Dallas and gets virtually no respite at all. If I knew of a church that could give her a few hours off each week, I'd contact them. Anybody have Christian friends in Dallas?

She tries to keep her own spirits up by blogging only about "funny" or amazing things. But she's really hurting in every way there is.
Tue Sep 19, 07:49:00 PM 2006
Anonymous said…
You've been a busy gal. Kudos to you for the discipline to work out and eat your veggies. Need to get back into it myself. Traveling always does me in! Have fun at the conference!
Wed Sep 20, 03:42:00 PM 2006
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