Easter ramblings

I can't believe I actually won Carys Weldon's March blog contest. Thanks, Carys! Hey, y'all reading this, visit Carys too!

It's Easter, and as I boiled eggs last week to make devilled eggs for the SF group party, I didn't feel up to coloring eggs this weekend (a bit of bronchitis). But the Bunny of Spring (we're not exactly Christians) brought everyone a bag of treats -- mostly dark chocolate (I only buy what I like for any candy holiday).

I'm working this weekend on de-fanning my long LOTR romance (Seasons of the Heart/A Season Apart) so I can try to market it. It's 70,000 words or so, and it would be a shame to waste a good plot and all....

Still waiting on the galleys for Slash & Burn. Deborah says it doesn't take long once they're back until she gets hard copies, but we're running out of April. Then again, when was a book ever published on time? Speaking of April, I've only got until the end of the month to come up with more entries for the Arkansas Writers Conference contests.

We've had a cold snap (down into the 20s at nights these last few days) and my azaleas have all died in full bloom. Yuk yuk yuk. It'll be months before any other flowers bloom around here (the roses have budded, but they're still little and tightly closed). Even the violets in the bathroom window are wilting and fading. Some spring!

Joined a new group

Today I joined a new writing group, the Conway Creative Writers. It's a small group, some published, some not, but from what I heard today, all talented. I don't think they're the right audience for most of my stories, but I do have some that aren't too explicit.

I've also been busy re-doing my conventions website. It used to be on free sites, but I decided that since I'm paying for web space, I should use it. Most of the photos are a couple years old, but the site describes conventions and conferences I've attended since 2000. I apologize if any of the links don't work; I had to work from downloads from the old site, as I can't get to my old computer's files. The new site is www.cons.emkaygraphics.biz.

My friend Carys Weldon is holding a contest on her blog this month -- you have to find where she's been and posted (with extra points if you post there yourself). She hasn't been here yet, but I'm expecting her any day now! Check out her website and blog at www.carysweldon.com.

Today is my daughter's 20th birthday -- I'm down to one teenager for the first time in 6 years... and only 6 more years to go until he's out of his teens as well. Yeah, I know, having 3 kids spread over nearly 12 years makes for a long haul as a mommy... most women my age are grandmothers and emptynesters already. That's what I get for having a baby at (almost) 40.

I've got the weekend to myself -- my mom is at my sister's, and hubby & son are off Boy Scout Camp-o-ree-ing -- so it's me and the cat until Sunday. Somehow, I don't think I'll mind....