A Quick Update

 I meant to post here last week, but I've been dealing with some minor health issues that have made it harder to get things done.  I'm hoping for a resolution soon.

I also want to take this opportunity to let you know that I will be on the "D&D Live" radio show tomorrow (12/8) at 8:30 am (EST).  If you live in Highlands county, you can listen on am 730 am or 95.3 fm.  If you don't live there, you can still listen online at https://www.newstalk730am.com/.  I'll be talking about the latest column collection and whatever else comes to mind.  

Hope December is treating you well and you are finishing out the year strong.  I'll talk to you again soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Just a short note to wish all my readers a most wonderful Thanksgiving.  If you don't celebrate, I hope you have a great Thursday.

I am thankful to you for your reading and support.  I'm having a delightful time at my oldest son's house with his family, our youngest son, and my daughter-in-law's younger brother.  I hope you are having a great time with people you love today.

It's alive!

 I'm delighted to tell you that "Laura's Look One Hundred" is LIVE on the ebook side.  The print book will be out on November 20th.  You can check out the book on Amazon here.

The columns range from funny to serious, news of the day to news of the weird.  With one hundred columns to choose from, you're sure to find one that speaks to you.

Life Roll

 I am late with this update, but there is a reason.

I suffer from several mental issues, including anxiety, depression, and ADHD.  I take medication to help me deal with life in spite of my wacky brain chemistry.  Most of the time, they work.  Occasionally, they seem to take a vacation.

But they can't help me if I forget to take them.

I somehow skipped my meds on Wednesday.  I didn't realize it until Thursday, when I looked at my pillbox and saw Wednesday's meds glaring at me.  But it explained a lot.

The past two or three days taught me I really do need these pills, as much as I don't like admitting it.  I managed to keep up my writing streak by sheer determination.  I wound up taking Thursday morning off from everything, despite the fact I had a lot to do.  I am still behind in some stuff.

I'm starting to feel better.  I think.  I'm hoping tomorrow will find me more on an even keel.  We'll see.

But the news around here isn't all bad.  My short story "Black Deeds on a Black Friday" starts off a lovely anthology for the holidays called Crooked Little Christmas.  Here's a picture of the cover bvelow:

You can check it out on Amazon here.

Also, Laura's Look One Hundred, my latest column collection, is available as an ebook on Amazon (other markets to come):

That's it for now.  Hope November is good to you.

Spinning plates

 Lately I feel as if I'm spinning a number of plates in my life.  They're all on poles and I have to keep them spinning lest they fall and break.  There are a number of them so I'm currently rushing around,  trying to keep them all going without dropping one.

In the writing department, I'm struggling with low word counts (I do write at least 250 words each day - my streak is over 1100 days right now).  I'm working to get my column collection done so I can send it to mt waiting backers.  I'm in the middle of a short story and I'm stuck because I can't figure something out.  Oh, and I'm taking a six-week course on writing that I'm enjoying and learning from but, like everything else, it takes time.

In real life, I've been working with a new (to me) diet and exercise plan.  So far, in about 2 months, I've dropped twenty pounds.  I'm pleased with it but it takes up time and brain space to keep up with.  Another couple of plates to spin.

And, in general, I lead a full life.  I teach a Ladies Bible Class on Tuesday mornings.  I teach four and five-year-old kids during Wednesday night Bible Study.  My husband and I try to match our schedules so we can spend time together and work on our relationship on a daily basis.  And there's running the household with all that entails.

Just typing that out makes me sigh.

I'm trying to, as a friend put it, "give myself grace."  I'm accepting I'm not perfect and doing the best I can under the circumstances.  So far my head is still above water.  I'm meeting my obligations and working on solutions.

What do you do when it seems you have a lot to do?  How do you keep YOUR plates spinning?

Fall is here...

 ...unless you live in Central Florida, where today it was in the mid-eighties and fall has not yet made an appearance.  When it finally does, it may well be a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind of thing.  Summers are long around here, part of the price we pay for being able to go outdoors in February and not freeze our noses off.

Last post I said I needed to send out stories.  Last week I managed to get three sent out before a looming September 30th midnight deadline.  I have no idea how these stories will fare at the markets I sent them off to.  But time will tell.

I am currently finishing up a short story I will submit to an anthology magazine called Thrill Ride.  Below is a picture of me holding the latest issue, called "No W.W.M. (White Western Males)".  My story "One More Time" tells the story of a former female hacker dying of breast cancer who is persuaded to do a final job.

You can click here to see where to purchase your own copy.

I've still been writing every day but September seemed to be a light month for that.  But now we have a new month and I'm looking forward to getting words done and out.

Talk to you in a couple of weeks.  Hope you have cool weather to enjoy.

Sending stories out.

 I currently have over one hundred short stories that are gathering digital dust on my hard drive.  I know I need to do something with them.

One possibility is to send them out to markets that buy short fiction.  Note: "buy," not get for free.  Some publications claim that "exposure" is just as good as getting paid.  As for as I know you can't pay for your groceries with exposure.

This sounds simple enough.  And it really isn't hard.  It does take time, and recently I've found myself falling into the (bad) habit of not taking the time out to send stories out.

And yes, usually the answer that comes back is "no."  Sometimes it's a nice "no," as in, "This is really good but we can't use it,"  But one thing you learn quickly in this business is that "no" is a more common answer than "yes" when it comes to selling your short fiction.

I could also bundle my short fiction into collections.  I've done this in the past and am tentatively  planning to release a holiday collection in November.  This also takes time.

I know I can do it.  I have a system to ensure it gets done.  Time to blow the dust off it and get going again.  Those stories aren't going to send themselves.

Wish me luck.