On writing

Anybody who thinks that 'writing is easy' has never written a book and believe me, I speak from experience.  Not only my own but that of other writers.  Writing is a lonely job.  I don't know other writers' routines, but I know that, while I'm not a prima donna (really!), I have to have long stretches of well, boring time.  I cannot be dashing here and there, entertaining friends, even meeting friends for lunch without slowing my output.  A 2:00 PM dental appointment (actually any appointment) can throw me off.  Being aware that I'm going to have to leave the computer is always at the back of my mind and plays havoc with my muse (the bitch) and yet...  There are times that I can field 50 phone calls, wash and fold clothes, put the dogs in and out, sit with Howard for coffee and have 15 people show up at the front door and have an amazing day on the book.  It's baffling, even to me.  I guess it's a case of when you're hot, you're hot and when you're not, you're not.
Writers with young children, writers who have full time jobs are my heros.  There are writers with growing families who are attending conferences, blogging (and we know how great I am at that), taking on other projects and yet they continually meet deadlines and write some really great books.  My hat is off to all of them -- and they deserve a big round of applause.   Oh, and added sales :-)

Whatever

Hi All:  All this past week, in between working on the work, I've been switching mini schnauzers from one crate to the other.  Chanel, at 8 months, is in full bown season and poor Boomer is all hot and bothered.  Figure we have another couple of days before the 'acceptance' phase is over.  Can't arrive soon enough.  I feel so sorry for Boomer -- he's ready, able and willing but Chanel puppies are not on my horizon -- ever.  Spay scheduled for April 29th.  Had hoped to have puppies next year (a big maybe) but Chanel is soooo small, only about 5 pounds, that having puppies is not an option.  Funny thing, I looked and looked for a parti-female that would grow out large enough to breed and while Chanel's parents are 14 and 16 pounds, she's a tiny, so not gonna happen (Howard is thrilled).
The book progresses...slowly.  Sure hope the second half picks up.
Turned around from writing this to discover that it's snowing -- great big, fat, fluffy flakes.  Glad I'm inside with a woodstove.  Not a fan of snow.  I think it's only pretty to look at for about the length of time it takes to drink one or two cups of coffee.  Poor Howard -- he's down feeding the ponies.  Bet he's gonna come home a happy camper...not.  Ta, Shirlee  PS.  Howard just came in -- with a big bouquet of flowers for me!  Now is he a great husband or what?

Life in General

Hi All:  Trying to remember to blog.  Ain't easy between, Twitter, Facebook, writing and actually having a life.  I know gazillions love Facebook, but I'm with Betty White and think, generally, that it's a big waste of time.
Howard and I spent most of the pervious week working on the page proofs of RAPTURE BECOMES HER.  It's an interesting process.  We both sit in the living room (near the wood stove this time of year), TV trays in front of us, holding our portion of the page proof and read slowly, searching for errors...for hours.  Very quiet in our house -- even the schnauzers know we're concentrating and tend to sleep, Boomer and Chanel at my feet (I have a heating pad on the floor 'cause my feet freeze) and Mamzelle on the couch.  I get a head start because I'm a faster reader, and I tend to catch the technical errors (or what I think are technical errors), but he catches the real errors, the dropped words, wrong words.  He didn't write the book, so he doesn't do as I do and mentally put in words that aren't there :-).
We barely got the page proofs sent off and some bound galleys arrived.  Love to get them, but it's knot-in- the-pit-of-your-stomach-time because it means they've been mailed off to reviewers.... Gulp!
Still struggling with the current book.  I keep telling myself that while the first half has been a bitch, the second half will be a sweetheart.  Let's hope!  Ta, Shirlee

Back List

Hi All:  Just tweeted about Kensington reprinting three of my older titles -- WHISPER TO ME OF LOVE, LOVER'S FOREVER, FOR LOVE ALONE.  Don't have pub dates yet, but I know they're working on WHISPER TO ME OF LOVE first.  Gave them info for the cover back in January.  Thrilled to have some of the older works in the pipe line.  I was surprised they chose those three, but hey!  It's their money.  Would love to see GYPSY LADY, DECEIVE NOT MY HEART and some of those available again., but nothing yet.  Will keep you posted.
Approaching the halfway point on the current book, Barnaby's half-brother, Luc, and his lady love, Gillian.  Love the characters, but honest to God, it's been like pulling hen's teeth to get forward motion.  I keep thinking that soon it'll open up and start really moving.  It better -- due in July!!!

How Time Flies!

Just now getting around to writing the blog and was stunned to discover that the last time I wrote was back in September of 2010.  Yikes!  Talk about letting time go by.
Life in the Busbee household continues rather quietly (thank God!).  I'm busy with the next book, working title, SUSPICION BECOMES HER.  Expect it'll be changed to something more sexy.  Finished the copy-edit of RAPTURE BECOMES HER over the holidays.  Will be out in July 2011. Got to see the cover for it -- nice!  Sort of peachy/apricot.  Of course, Emily is blond and the model has dark hair....
Chanel, the puppy, continues to resist house-training.  She's getting better, but not there yet.  She's 7 months old now and weighs, probably, all of five pounds!  Tiny.  So much for me assuming from her parents's sizes that she'd grow out to be a 12-14 pounder.  Life fools me again.
In the process of selling some of the back list to Kensington Books.  They're interested in WHISPER TO ME OF LOVE,  LOVERS FOREVER  and FOR LOVE ALONE.  Wish I could get some of the Avon books back in print.  Ah well, all things to those who wait.
Hopefully, you guys won't have to wait quite so long for my next blog.  Ha!  Ta, Shirlee