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Greetings, New Year’s Grinches

January 6, 2012 by in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as , , ,

Admit it–are you a New Year’s Grinch?

Okay, I realize there really isn’t such a thing. That’s certainly not the background of the character created by Dr. Seuss who despises Christmas in the book How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
But the term Grinch has been extended somewhat in common use to mean more than that nasty, greedy and cute character. It can also mean someone whose holiday spirit is lacking.
So why not a New Year’s Grinch?

Most of us have looked forward to the New Year as a new beginning. We like to think that whatever went wrong for us in 2011, or wasn’t ideal, or even could just use some changes or tweaks, will get resolved in 2012. Sometimes it’ll just happen, and sometimes we have to work on it, but this year can definitely be better than the last.

Can’t it?

What about if you just let one year run into the next? I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, so although I may aspire to changes, mostly those that I cause, they don’t rise to the level of promises to myself the way resolutions might.

What about people who just figure January 1 is just the day after December 31? Those who may enjoy taking time off over the holidays because everyone does (well, everyone but writers) but don’t really consider the upcoming year to be different from the one that just expired?

Tell you what. All you New Year’s Grinches: since you don’t believe in the magic of the New Year, make your resolution now. This year, you’ll vow to stop Grinching and start working on changing all those things in your life that need improvement. And admit it. There are some.

Silhouette Nocturne BITES
November 2011
Like–if you haven’t read any of my Pet Rescue Mysteries or my Harlequin Nocturne Alpha Force miniseries books, that’s something thing you can start in 2012. Or if you’ve read some, pick up some more! Then there’ll also be my first Harlequin Romantic Suspense book in July…

Okay. Enough BSP. How about your own writing aspirations or career? What can you change in the upcoming year to improve wherever you are? Or what about your family life? Your home? How can you improve our environment? Help save some homeless animals? Whatever!

Tell us all, right here. Are you a New Year’s Grinch? And are you resolving to change that?

In any event, to all of you OCC members and friends, whether you’re Grinches or not: Have a very happy and productive 2012!

Linda O. Johnston
http://www.lindaojohnston.com/
http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com/

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Conversations with Barb and Jann

January 2, 2012 by in category Jann says . . . tagged as , ,

 by Barb DeLong and Jann Audiss
We have been friends for what seems like forever and been struggling with our writing as well.  So to start 2012 off with a bang, we have decided to blog on the Slice of Orange.  What better place to get our mojo working.  We decided to do a conversational blog between the two of us exchanging our thoughts and ideas about our writing.
Jann:  Hi, Happy New Year. Yada, yada…been thinking about blogging again.  What do you think about blogging together?  I remember when we were doing it as a group several years ago?

Barb:  Yes, I remember.  I also had a Pro blog and my own blog for a while.  But I stopped writing them, as it seems I do regularly with my creative writing.  I plunge in, all excited about a new story, write feverishly, then more slowly, then I hit the skids.  How can I make this year different?

Jann:  I know what you mean. One problem I have is getting sidetracked with other obligations. Remember when we use to meet once or twice a month for critique group?  We were actually getting pages out, why don’t we try committing to – oops backup and remove “try”, let’s commit to meeting twice a month to write for 2 hours or critique.  If we critique, let’s set a page minimum – doesn’t’ matter if the pages are good, bad or ugly. 

Barb: The goal is ACCOUNTABILITY! 

Jann: Hey, what about taking Kitty’s Online Class for January.  Going the Distance: Goal Setting and Time Management for the Writer??  Sounds like we could use it.
Barb:  Setting goals, supporting each other – sounds like a plan, Jann!  And hey, I think we just did our first blog!  Blogging is writing, so we actually wrote something.  I like this already.  

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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

December 28, 2011 by in category A Fantasy Life by Janet Cornelow tagged as ,

Happy Holidays to everyone.

I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas and have recovered. It was a very busy day in my house since everyone comes to my house. My sons and their wives were here. My middle son’s mother-in-law and my sister were here. My two youngest sons helped cook dinner which is always good. Chewbaca, my dog, got his new squeaky ball first. He had it unwrapped quickly and then demanded that everyone play ball with him. He wore himself out.

Count Rugen, my cat, nearly had a nervous breakdown with so many people in the house. He’s not good with people. He hid behind the Christmas tree, under the dining room table where he tried to steal the silverware and finally collapsed on the bed.

It was Isabella’s first Christmas. She is my granddaughter. She mostly watched, but liked one of the balls and a rattle I bought her. We had to keep the ball away from Chewbaca. It was hard plastic and I didn’t want to be picking pieces out of his mouth.

I got a Kindle Fire for Christmas. I am still haven’t decided if I like it. It seems very difficult to work. It took me an hour to register it and an hour to actually purchase a book. It seems to get stuck on certain screens and it is difficult to change. The keyboard is super sensitive and hard to use. The reviews I read were all bad. Probably should have read them first.

I have all my backlist up at Nook now. It was as easy as putting them on Kindle thought some of the questions were different.

I am on vacation so I am trying to get some writing done on my western time-travel. It is going a bit slow because I am still tired from Christmas.

Everyone have a wonderful New Year. Remember it is time to set goals for the next year.

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PAW Anticipation

December 6, 2011 by in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as , ,
I admit it–I didn’t blog last month. That was because I was traveling and had limited Internet connection. Sorry if you missed me.

This month, I’m here! I’m also looking forward to the months to come at OCC meetings with even more anticipation than usual. That’s because I’m going to be the co-PAW meeting leader in 2012. My partner in no crime, I hope, will be Charlotte Lobb, and she has clearly demonstrated more skill at this already than I have–but I intend to take lessons from her.

We’ll be succeeding Jackie Hyman, whom Charlotte has also assisted at times. Thanks so much to both of you! You’ve done such a great job of preparing topics for PAW meeting discussions and, when possible, having the afternoon OCC speaker be PAW’s guest and the focus of our discussion as well. I hope we can continue that.

Meantime, all you PAW people–let us know if you have anything you’d like us to address in our meetings. We’ll try to accommodate you. And since this is a learning process especially for me, let us know if there’s anything else you’d like us to do.

–Linda O. Johnston
www.LindaOJohnston.com 
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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

November 28, 2011 by in category A Fantasy Life by Janet Cornelow tagged as ,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I did with all of my sons, their spouses, my sister, and my granddaughter. My babies, the kitten and the dog, were worn out by the end of the day with all of the company.

The Enchanted Hawk is now up at Kindle. It is a fantasy romance.

Brylyn, of the Hawk Clan, is drawn into the intrigue surrounding Thom McGarrety, when his brother is to wed Anna from another domain. Brylyn faces the danger of the feonds, the humans who rule the area where her people used to live. They would see her and her people dead because they are shape-shifters.

When Anna’s family wants the McGarrety castle, Brylyn must trust her secret to Thom. Thom, believing that the shape-shifters are nothing but myth, must learn to believe in Brylyn and trust her to help save his life and his domain. Together, can they save the castle, unite their people and find lasting love?

Rob, my youngest, came over yesterday and helped me put up the Christmas tree. Count Rugen, the kitten, loves it. He has already knocked off a branch – it is a fake tree – , brought me an ornament, and pulled the bottom piece of garland across the room. It is going to be a year of repairing the Christmas tree.

I am not putting up as many decorations this year because of Count Rugen. The village is staying in its boxes. Many of the other decorations will also stay in their boxes. We are going heavy on wall hangings this year. Some of them have not been up in awhile. I figure Rugen can’t knock things off the wall as easily, though he will try.

I took Rob and his wife to the Bower’s Museum to see the Chinese Sand Warriors. It was well worth seeing if you want something to do over the holidays.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season.

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