Posting, Posting.

I have tried over and over to start a new blog post on here the past few days. I don't know what the issue is, why my brain won't let me work all the way through something. But I have a pile of half-finished drafts, none of which seems to have any real point.

Maybe it's the end of 2012 looming, and my mind is scrambling to make sense of all that's happened this year. Inventory and evaluate and figure out where to go next. (Maybe, if you want to get all Mayan, it's the end of the world looming... :P.)

So, since I haven't been able to finish them, I'm just going to round up the beginnings of thoughts. Maybe something will strike you:

I've read numerous blog posts about "Christian" being a genre for fiction. It's not. It's a demographic, a type of person, not a type of book. Christianity is a belief system and Christian-ness is a trait. We've segregated books based on this demographic. We've argued about the whys and hows and the should-it-be-sos? Guess what--Christians are not the only demographic doing it. LGBT authors/publishers are following the same path. YA books are set aside as a separate genre, when YA is really a demographic, too. I am not sure how I feel about any of that. It's both good and bad.

I have been dealing a lot with jealousy lately. Seeing other YA authors hitting the NYT bestseller list with first novels. Yes, yes I know that not the normal path. That those are the select few. That I need to get more books out to really get noticed. I am working on that. I am. And I'm not going to whine. I'm just being honest.

The Connecticut shooting. I've kept quiet on that, except for one comment on the idiots from Westboro planning on picketing the funerals. But it doesn't mean I don't care about those kids. I do, very much. And I pray for their families. I'm just not one who posts about stuff like that generally. I'm also rather sick of all the gun control ranting on Facebook. I have my stance on that, too.

Beastie 1 getting lessons from Dad. That includes safety lessons, btw.

Sandy Hook has also seemed to generate a lot of posting about mental illness, over-diagnosis and mis-diagnosis of things such as ADHD, and boys in general not fitting into the current school structure. I happen to believe our culture is screwing up our kids with school policies--teaching to the test, making kids move forward without learning the basics, introducing complex and abstract concepts too early, trying to make all kids learn the same way. I could write so much about this. I homeschool in part because I know my son would have been diagnosed with ADHD if I'd had him in school--but I'm telling you now the only time he acts ADHD is when he's fed artificial colors. Make THAT fly in a public school. I think too many parents WANT their kids labeled with such-n-such syndrome so they can release themselves of responsibility. And it demeans the moms who are dealing with kids who actually HAVE those disorders, which are, yes, real.

Maybe I will start a post series about living with a child with NBS..."Normal Boy Syndrome."

OK, I guess that's enough. My normal boy has some science to get done. My normal girl has piano to practice. And I have another blog post to start working out--a post about a book I read recently that really got me thinking....

Random Thoughts for Stormy Monday

Or maybe this can be Stormy Thoughts for a Random Monday?

I live near Tampa, and right now Isaac is sitting out in the Gulf of Mexico kicking up the wind around my house, but no longer a threat really. Not that I'm one of those people who panics over hurricanes and tropical storms anyway. I actually love the feel of hurricane weather. For those of you who have never been in a hurricane, yes, you can feel it in the air. At least I can. And it is so relaxing. The kind of thing that soothes me and makes me want to just chill in front of movies all day while the wind blows and the rain drips....

Of course, I probably won't get to do that today.

And that's not what the post is about anyway.

I'm feeling rather random today. Haven't posted in a while. Too much to do. We're working in our yard A LOT. Right now I am sore from head to toe after spending all Saturday morning planting border grass around a big flower bed in my side yard. Beastie 2 helped, too, but she's not sore because, well, she's not 42 and she's a lot shorter than me and doesn't have to bend and kneel as far as I do to reach the ground :P.

The night before the yard work, I stayed up chatting online with my publisher, the Irish Kiwi extraordaire, as she uploaded Seeking Unseen to the printer! Which means, we ought to be right on track for our release. It is a scary moment. It is so final. And I am always panicked that we missed something major. That there will be bizarre random typos. Or some huge factual error. That I called a character by the wrong name somewhere. The possibilities are endless!

And lo and behold, after it was sent, I DID find one error. But I'm not going to sweat it. It doesn't affect the story one bit, and if anything I may use it as a contest or something...a challenge for my readers to find it :).

Random side bit: Check out the article about the release of Seeking Unseen in a local paper over here. CLICK and "turn" to page 6-7.

Another thing that has been keeping me busy is the Creative Writing class I'm teaching to a group of homeschool teens at our local Homeschool Resource Center. This is a first for me. I've spoken multiple times at writers groups and a couple of book clubs, and once at the library. But those were either "this is me and my book" talks or single lectures on a specific topic. The CW class is an hour a week for eight weeks. I'm finding that my initial nervousness is quickly waning, and excitement is totally taking its place. I think that when the class is over, despite being happy to have some free time returned, I'll really miss teaching! My students are AWESOME.

Another interview to check out when you have time. Keven Newsome asked me some rather unique questions for his new "5 for Friday" interview feature: CLICK.

Some final randomness:

I watched Pan's Labyrinth for the first time last night. That movie has some of the freakiest imagery I have ever seen. Great story, though! Loved it, but eesh.

On September 1st, BBC America is running a Doctor Who marathon. From midnight to 7am, there will be all kinds of specials, and then from 7am on they are showing ALL the episodes, in order, from Season 6. At 9pm, the first episode of Season 7 airs. I am so excited I could freaking BUST. And yes, I have warned the family that I am NOT LEAVING THE COUCH for the entire day that day.

End of Randomness. Happy Monday, folks! :)

Wibbly Wobbly Bloggy Woggy Stuff

The title of this blog should tell you two things:

First, I've been watching a heck of a lot of Dr. Who lately. My library has all the latest series (1-5) on DVD and we've been watching a couple of episodes every night or so. I am officially addicted.

Second, this post will be rather rambly. Expect sudden jumps in topic. If you have back or neck problems, or are pregnant or prone to motion sickness, you may wait for your loved ones at the end of the ride.

OK, here goes....

I've been rather blocked lately as far as writing goes, but yesterday I finally got 300+ words written on a short story. Yay! If you are a writer, you know what this means. I was also hit out of the blue as I was falling asleep with an idea for another short story. Now, to find some time for that one, too :P.

Speaking of ideas, I have this really cool idea for a beetle drawing. I won't tell you about it, but I'll show you when I get it done. Again, I need time that I haven't had lately, but that is coming.

Why the obsession with beetles? Well, I'm not even sure. I just think they're cool to look at. They seem to be, along with the reptiles, the thing I am drawn to when visiting museums. No, I'm not keen on holding the little buggers. Just looking at them, pinned on their little display boards. Cruel, I know.

Apparently my last two blogs weren't very popular. Or everyone has been busy. I'm not surprised--on both counts. But they were things I felt I needed to say. I'm not upset at the lack of feedback, though. 'Tis the nature of blogging. Besides, I'm feeling much less ornery today.

My kids have been watching the Twilight movies as I check them out from the library. I already reviewed the first one on here. I won't bother with the second one. My daughter liked it--of course, she's eight. My son and husband hated it. As did I. Although, I thought it slightly better than the first. I realized, at the end, when Edward became a dominant character in the story again, that it was his absence I was enjoying. Oh, and the whole shirtless werewolf thing--can you say, "Tacky?"

Bin Laden. Yep, I've said it. I don't normally have anything to say about politics, because, to be honest, I'm not as informed as the people who love posting about politics. But I wanted to say, one more time, as I posted on FB: His death does not mean this is over. He wasn't the wicked witch of the west. His evil soldiers and flying monkeys will not be broken out of his spell. One of them will, however step into his place. So, whether you're celebrating or not, or arguing about whether we should be celebrating or not, is beside the point, imho.

I am desperately trying to get through my to-read pile of physical books on my shelf. Then I intend to jump back on my Nook and read the books I've not read there. I just finished Needful Things by Stephen King. I'm normally a fast reader, but that book took me ages to get through. Worth it in the end, but I think if ole Steve were to go back and look through it, he'd grimace at the amateurish stuff in there. If he'd cut the -ly adverbs, cliches, and redundant sentences, the book would be half the length.

Hm, I think this post has gotten long enough. Not much more to talk about at present anyway. Things happening, sure, but can't tell you all of them yet. Be patient, my pretties.

Until next time....