I mentioned before that I was taking a jazz class.  I love it, but last night I forgot that I wasn't some eighteen year old kid and tried a jump that ended up with me crashing to the floor on my butt.  Even though I laughed it off and swore off jumps for the rest of the night when I got up this morning I knew I'd done something to my tailbone.

The doctor told me he doesn't think it's broken, but it FEELS broken!  So, today I spent most of the day whining - and trying different positions in my computer chair.

That's what I get for fogetting my age!  Still, before the fall it was a great workout!  Starting in Spetember I'm going to take tap and jazz and see what this old body remembers from my dancing days.

Anyway, that's the exciting news from me.  A bruised butt and a book to finish within the week.

Thanks for stopping and keep reading!

Carla

A Hyvee grocery store in my neighborhood has bingo games on Wednesday mornings.  The prizes are usually a bottle of mustard, a package of dinner rolls or a jar of pickles, something like that.

My mom and dad who are not only my biggest fans, but who are always looking for ways to promote me thought it would be nice if I donated a couple of autographed books.  So, I put a basket together and they took it in as a bingo prize.

It was a huge hit!  They had a special bingo game for it and my parents said that all the women in the place wanted to win it.  What fun!

On the work front, I'm smelling the end of the manuscript I'm working on and now sprinting to the finish.  Once it's done I have another one due immediately, so there's no rest for the wicked!

Thanks for stopping and take care!

Carla

Even after all my years of writing, it's still exciting to get my author copies in the mail.  Today I got copies of my August release, a Harlequin Intrigue, The Sheriff's Secretary.  I usually see the cover in advance, but it's still fun to hold the book in my hand, smell the pages and thumb through it.

Well, as usual I'm hooked on the latest Big Brother series.  I'm such a reality show junkie.  I consider it research.  There's nothing better for character study than reality shows.  Talk about drama and conflict and people showing their weakest character traits under pressure!

I can't believe it's almost August.  I've done nothing this summer but work and it looks like I'm going to finish the summer with butt planted in chair.  Not that I'm complaining.  I love my work.  But, usually about this time I'm getting ready to go to a big conference and this year I'm staying home.   I'm already looking forward to next year's conference.  I'm also tentatively planning some sort of book tour next spring.  Fun - fun!

Don't forget that Snowbound With The Bodyguard is still on sale.

Thanks for stopping by!

Carla

I just wanted to let all you readers who have been following my Wild West Bodyguard series know that Dalton's story is now on the stands.  Snowbound With The Bodyguard is a Silhouette Romantic Suspense and I hope all of you enjoy it!  I'll try to upload a picture of the cover in my photo file before the night is over.

As usual, life has been too busy.  I'm working on finishing up two books before the end of the month then hope I can take a day or two to breathe before starting on the next couple of projects.

I've also started my jazz dance class.  The first ten minutes the teacher puts us through  cardio and each time I've almost died.  When did I get so out of shape??!

Anyway, that's my check-in for now.

Be back soon!

Thanks,

Carla

Oh my gosh, it's been so long since I posted I scarcely know where to begin.  I've been under deadlines, one right after the other and have hardly raised my head from the keyboard for the last month or two.  I still have three books to write in a short period of time, but figured I'd better check in here!

We've had more stormy weather this spring than I can ever remember.  Thunderstorms seem to crop up every other day or so.  My heart goes out to all the people who are experiencing the flooding. 

I'm grieving for a tree.  We have a beautiful old elm tree in our backyard that shades my deck and gazebo.  It's ever so tall and it's become diseased and can't be saved.  This fall we'll have to have it cut down and I'm just sick about it. 

But, on a happy note, I'm checking into taking some dance classes.  I grew up dancing and was majoring in dance in college, but marriage and motherhood put an end to it.  Now, at the ripe old age of hmmm, I'm hoping to take a jazz class and work the old bones and muscles.

After hours at the computer each day I think the exercise will be good for me and I've always believed dancing is good for the soul. (like writing!)

Well, that's it from me for now.  I plan on posting more frequently but I'm not making any promises!

Thanks for stopping!

Carla

I'm back from my trip but too exhausted to post much of anything!  I got tons of ideas for a sort of urban fantasy idea that has been boiling around in my head for the last year or two, but who knows when I'll have time to actually put it together.

All I know for sure right now is that I'm pooped and will try to post more later this week!

Thanks!

Carla

I spent the weekend with the Ozark Romance Authors in Springfield, Missouri.  My time with them started out on Friday night when I had a booksigning at Borders.  It was a fun time and I was pleased by how many books I sold.  The best part was not one customer asked me how to get to the bathroom!

After the signing I went out with several of the members for dinner, then the next morning I spoke at their monthly meeting on writing suspense novels.

The group is comprised of wonderful, warm and talented ladies and I thoroughly enjoyed it and them!   It was my hubby's and mine anniversary and we both got to do what we loved, he played golf and I talked about writing.

On the way home we stopped at our favorites steak place and had a wonderful dinner.  All in all, a terrific weekend!

And this Friday we leave for a road trip to New Mexico.  I am researching the area and hope to sign some books along the way.  So, it will be a while before I'm back here.

Anyway, just wanted to check in and let you all know at least for last week and next week, I have a life!  Of course, I'm planning on getting a lot of work done on the road trip.

That's it from me for now.  Thanks for stopping!

Carla

It seems to me that I post a lot of my blogs on Mondays.  I don't know why, but maybe it has something to do with the beginning of a week and all the possibilities that week might contain. 

I'm an optimist on Mondays, before the week begins to wear and my butt gets numb from too many hours in front of the computer.  Actually, I'm an optimist at heart.  My hubby and I argue all the time because I think he's a pessimist and he declares that he's a realist.   

I've always thought it rather romantic to be brooding and dark, but I just can't sustain it.  Maybe I'm too superficial to be truly moody.  Invariably when I'm trying to be in a dark, foul mood something happens that makes me laugh or I realize that foul moods are boring!

I'm having lunch tomorrow at school with my six-year-old granddaughter.  Now that will make me smile.  There's nothing like a six-year-old to put life into prospective! 

Take care and I hope your week is filled with smiles!

Carla

Today I had to deal with far too much real life.  My daughter and her roommate had doctors appointments and since they can't drive, I played taxi.  I left the house at eight this morning and didn't get home until five.  To make matters worse it rained all day.  By the time we got to the first appointment my tennis shoes were soaked, as were my socks.  Yuck!

This is a busy week for me.  Tomorrow I have more errands to run.  Wednesday my daughter-in-law is giving a speech and I'm going with her for moral support.  Friday my Red Hat group meets for lunch.  I'd skip it but my mother is the grand goddess and I try to go whenever possible to support her. 

And, in order to meet my next deadline I have to write ten pages a day no matter what!  I've realized part of my addiction to the writing.  It's a control issue.  (jeez, imagine that)  When I'm sitting at my computer and working my characters around in the world I've created, I'm in total control.  When I venture out into real life, I'm so not in control!

So, I'm off to my world where I'm in control.  See ya later!

Carla

I'm having trouble getting up in the mornings and I think the culprit to blame is daylight savings time.  My body is on one clock and it's not the official one!

This morning I must have hit my snooze button a hundred times.  Did you know that if you hit it often enough eventually it just stops going off.  It's like it decides, okay lazy butt, you win...stay in bed.

I spent today re-working a synopsis and am pleased with the new story.  We'll see if my editor is pleased as well.    Tomorrow I have another synopsis to write, then I have a book to finish by the end of the month.

Yesterday as I wrote I watched a marathon of the reality show featuring Gene Simmons of Kiss.  I've never been a  Kiss fan and always thought he was kind of gross, but after watching about ten hours of his reality show, I think he's sexy as hell!   He's isn't very good looking but his sense of humor with his family is hysterical and I've always found a witty man sexy as hell.  Okay, that's my dirty secret for this week.

Thanks for stopping - back to work for me!

Carla