dianebelieves

I want to wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm thankful for:

• my health and the health of all my family and friends.
• being employed.
• having a roof over my head and food to eat, everyday.
• having a reliable car to drive to work everyday.
• my awesome parents and children.
• new friends who have helped me so much with this thing called writing.
• being free.
• laughter and love

Again ~
Happy Thanksgiving

Relocation and Repairs

I’m not going to say out loud that it’s unusual weather in Idaho.

Since Halloween, the weather has been brisk, yet sunny (61 degrees today and 63 tomorrow). In preparation for the snow to fly, the yard has been raked one last time of stray leaves (snort – this always cracks me up. The wind is usually blowing in Idaho – in November – yeah. There are always leaves on the yard!!). Okay, rant over. The bbq grill, picnic table, and patio chairs have been stored. The hoses have also been wound and drained of water.

My faery garden has also been collected and stored for next year. However, there are a few repairs to be done on the birdhouses. I’m going to repaint them in more vibrant colors and I found a “winter location” for the faery house.

 

Sporting Events

This Friday the Tigers play Highland Rams in the second round of football semi-finals. Koda is starting at Corner!! Woo to the Hooo. The game will be played inside at the Holt Arena in Pocatello instead of in the cold.

 
                       My sis, mom and dad bundled for an outdoor game

Yes, I play with dolls

Book 2 is now on the story board, post it notes everywhere stage. I’ve also purchased a doll that’s about six inches tall. Since Gabrielle, my heroine, starts the second book at six inches tall I need to see/get an idea of how things look at that size, or more like, how would she be proportioned to various items.

I also have more plot lines coming together and having the back story pieced together definitely helps as I introduce my characters to their next adventure.

H1N1 Clinics

We travel to Mackay tomorrow, Leadore and Salmon next Monday, where we stay the night. We return to Idaho Falls at about 1130 Tuesday morning then go to Dubois on that same night and onto Ashton on Thursday night.

That’s a lot of traveling. Thank god I don’t have to drive, so I can entertain my carpool buddies with my snores. ;)

Actually I’m prone to getting car sick so I either have to sit in front or in a seat where I can look forward. I am quite the co pilot – though I can’t look down to read a map – but I talk a lot, or I can sleep. Dramamine helps if we were traveling on straight aways, but we happen to be going around curvy roads (insert slight gagging), so I have to look forward.

I think I’ll take my little doll and my pillow. ;)

*head*palm*
I'mthisclose to finishing the last scene before I send my last revisions to my critique partner.
But the phrase I want escapes me. Thought gone. Poof, outta my head. I need to walk out into the
brisk, snow promising air, and freeze it, er...grab it out of the air.


My online Wicca and the craft for Paranormal Writers ended yesterday. Though I wasn't able to complete all the assignments,
our instructor, Deborah Blake, gave us so much awesome information about spells, wicca and correspondences. She's even
answering any additional questions we might have.

I'm so glad I took it, and in March, Deborah will be giving another class : Beyond Fangs - Creating new Paranormal Characters in March.
I can't wait for that.

Jessica at Bookends has an awesome post from yesterday on blogs and websites for authors.
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2009/10/influence-of-blog.html

Okay...to catch a runaway phrase.

 I didn’t realize how long it’s been since I posted. During that time I have:

Been a part of the H1N1 Clinics that the health department is holding within our seven districts. We’ve had three confirmed deaths within our region so that also has the community on their toes and searching for answers and who are the priority groups. I don’t know how many upset senior citizens we’ve had call to complain that they aren’t within those groups. We have to explain that we follow CDC’s guidelines, which irritates them even more. So our standard reply to a lot of callers as they wait for more vaccine to become available is to cover their coughs and wash their hands often.  My hands are as dry as the desert since I wash them and also use hand sanitizer. Blech.

We’ve had to adjust clinic times – some are held at high schools where, like tomorrow, won’t let anyone on the grounds (except health department staff) until 3:45. My brain hurts as I try to think where all the people will line up safely. (People started to arrive at our clinic here Friday by 7:30 a.m.).  Aha…..emergency meeting in 15 minutes to brainstorm ideas. That’s a relief.

Football…

The team has made it to the first round of playoffs. They play in two weeks which gives the coaches, and players, time to get their head in the game and come up with some cool moves. They happen to be going up against the same team we lost to last Friday. Coincidentally, each team is 2-1 in the conference.  Let’s go Tigers!

Out of the Shade

I’m a bundle of silly nerves as I send out queries, first pages and synopsis’ to agents.  Can you say “how many times do you check your e-mail a day?”

I’m not going to tell.

RTMF - One aspect of being an IT Technician is that you have to constantly keep up with the new computer software/hardware releases and updates.

This, I'm sure, covers all profession and any electronic gadget that one possesses. HOWEVER, DH, seems to think that the freaking manual is a waste of space, or, that once you hold the damn camera/camcorder in your hands, its knowledge and capabilities are magically passed to the user.

UM. BS, honey.

Since we are a sport crazed family - and since all the subjects of our pictures never sit still, unless they're sleeping, hence, we need to choose the "sport" setting on the camera, and while we're at it, just poke me in the eye with a sharp stick, please.

DH's answer - "just keep pushing buttons til it's there."  Riiiiiight.

Or, until the self destruct mode is activate or you've locked down the camera so you can't even turn it on.  Thank you god for the Internet so I can research and finally Read The F***ing Manual.

Cogs - As a cog in the wheel of a government agency, I get to watch as our administrative team scrambles as the voice of the governor demand more holdbacks for FY11.

This covers any state appropriated funding and thank god that education won't get dicked around as much this year. BUT - other agencies to feel the bite

• The Department of Environmental Quality - although they receive some federal monies, their state cut is about $500,000 (give or take). So I see that our drinking water will only be half safe to drink, landfills and solid waste will be half safe for the communities and restaurants will be half safe to eat at.
• Health departments -  birth control will be half effective (but don't get on welfare because they're being cut drastically also), STD's will be partly cured - but don't use your insurance to buy the needed meds and treatment because they decide what is necessary, and communicable disease will be monitored once in awhile because an outbreak of measles or Polio won't be that bad and isn't everything from the 60's and 70's coming back into style?
• I just had to get that off my chest, and I'm sure each state is suffering similar short falls.

Classes - I love learning new things, especially if I can better myself for work, play or writing.

Currently I'm taking online classes for Dreamweaver CS4 - which is new web development software we'll be migrating our agencies website to.

Beginning October 6th, there will be a witchcraft class for Paranormal writers at http://lowcountryrwa.com/online-workshops/#OCT.

Happy learning!!

What a roller coaster week ~

The lows

•    We’ve been to Utah for the funeral of DH’s aunt where we experienced a family fight over the casket, snarky comments about my hair and eyeliner (in Spanish – little did they know I speak Spanish) their facial expressions were priceless, and the cleaning out of the aunt’s apartment before the allotted time when family members were told to arrive.
• 83◦ on Tuesday to the 50’s on Wednesday with rain AND snow. Blah. I’m not ready for the cold.
• 41 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus within our communities. The health district is planning free mass vaccination clinics, with an ETA on vaccine within two weeks. However, the first doses we receive will be the mist, which is not to be given to the high risk population. (I still don’t get that).

The highs

• This one is actually carry over from the week before. Homecoming – Koda was picked as attendant to the Prince. This is right before the parade with my dad.
  

I just have to share this other pic. We played the Trojans – hence dudes dressed like that for the parade.

• ·  Football game last night! It didn’t snow but was definitely freeze your ass off weather.
•   Took Koda to the doctor to see how his foot is progressing. Doc doesn’t want to see him again unless of course there are complications, (like the screw protruding from his skin – which made Koda sit up straight and say, you mean that happens sometimes.? The doc got a good giggle out of that.) or another injury.
• My manuscript revisions are going very well and I have the first 50 pages prepared to send out, which brings me to:
• My query letter is ready to go!!! My finger has been hovering over the send button for several moments. Sian has been such an awesome help! I can’t thank her enough. (Have a fantastic trip and be safe Sian!)
• I just clicked send.

 

~~~~faint~~~~~~

Finally!
Pictures of Koda's foot with new parts. Right foot.

The side with the screw is the pinky toe side.           
    

Where the break is.



Another angle



Back in uniform to practice  -  Yeah!



2nd Revisions -

Although I have a revision board at home with the revision themes I need to focus on ~



I still carry my notebooks around with new material that needs to be added to the revision or ideas. I still use the sticky's, color coded of course. I've tried to leave them at home, but it's pointless to try. I grab those suckers up faster than you can say chocolate martini.

Other activities in the jungle:

• Koda has been nominated for Homecoming King of the junior class. Which is totally awesome, however, he was handed a slip of paper yesterday instructing him to wear formal attire tonite at skit night when the homecoming royalty will be announced.
• Please note that Formal attire for you and I - dress slacks, button down shirt, tie, coat) differs greatly from that of a football player (shorts, team shirt, no show socks, tennis shoes slipped on - all of these are smelled (by them not me) to make sure of cleanliness.
• Chaos ensues as all of Koda's "formal,dress" attire doesn't fit him now - taller, thighs bigger, butt - yeah so after 2nd job last nite, DH, Koda and I are at Wal Mart putting together an ensemble. We had our own little comedy club going as Koda announced who he was while walking like a model, while I snorted with laughter and DH fretted about how the clothes looked.
• Since tonite is skit night, Koda has opted to where his black tennis shoes and if he is crowned king we'll purchase dress shoes for Friday's parade, assembly and Saturday's dance.

Okay back to work, we're traveling to Drigg's tomorrow for day job to install 2 new computers in that office. So I'm packing all the mice, power cords, keyboards, blah,blah,blah, so we'll be ready to go in the morning.

Have a great night.

Dammit.
You'll be missed.
     

I hate the feeling when you know summer is on its way to Barbados; flipping you the bird as it rushes away.

•          The change of leaves, though beautiful, eventually means a yard full of dead leaves and continuous raking for weeks.
•         There’s a chill in the air that’s makes you search for your favorite blankie and sweater so you can wrap up in them.  A week ago that “chill” was actually a refreshing breeze on a hot August afternoon.
•          The V formation of ducks flying south where last week they shared the Green Belt with bicyclists and walkers.
•       You wake up at three in the morning to search for a warmer blanket (or pull it off of DH) because the breeze coming in the open window now makes you shiver instead of a week ago when it was finally cool enough in the bedroom to fall into a deep sleep.
•        I must have been some type of bear in a previous life all I want to do is hibernate and eat.

Tonight is the kick-off of the regular NFL season.  The Pittsburg Steelers against the Carolina Panthers. Go Steelers! Though I am a diehard Chicago Bears fan, the Steelers are my second fav; especially number 43 – Troy Polamalu, purr.

Revisions on Out of the Shade are coming along quite well and I'm excited for the new story lines that Sian and I have developed too!

Koda has a follow-up doctor appointment tomorrow. He’s hoping the doctor will deem his foot magically healed by some type of hidden Tiger Nation Power (the football fanatics around here are convinced that Tiger Power is the next miracle drug and you aren’t a true Tiger until you bleed orange.) Speaking of which I need to settle my debt to the doctor - he told Koda his blood was somewhat Orange.  ;)

Friday night was IF's first football game against Pocatello.
We won 28 -22!
Though Koda can't play he was still on the sideline representing - and doing various crutch aerobics and crutch races to entertain the crowd and the players. Tomorrow is doctor day when he'll get the stitches out and we'll know what the next four weeks will entail.

I also purchased some new IF Tiger loot.

My big purse dilemma. I couldn't find a purse or a wallet that jumped out at me so I got
these instead. 4 inch heels. ;)



I also began 2nd revisions on OotS -


Last but not least - the first day of school '09

 

~When ever I get a hankering for a new purse and wallet I go through a 10 point check to see if they will fulfill my needs.

Is the purse:

• A cool color? Double points if it has numerous zippers, pockets, bows, ties, chain, etc.
  http://www.baghaus.com/category/show-all-handbag
•   I like longer straps so that you can have it wedged over your shoulder and doesn’t come back over and conk you in the face or anyone close to you for that matter.
• How much crap can I shove into it? (pens, medicine, planner,) Will I look like the next Mary Poppins?
• Does it have a lot of pockets? Yes, I mentioned that once but hey, this is important.
• How many people are carrying around that same bag?
• Can I also fit a book that I am reading (hard or soft cover) plus my WIP in progress notes?
• Can I fit my wallet in there even after all the other stuff has been shoved in there?
• Are the straps sturdy?
• How many fun hidey places are there (this applies to purse and wallet).
• Cost.

~I’ve been asked by a co-worker whose second job is at a clothing store to be a model on the 12^th of September. I promptly snorted and told her I have too much junk in the trunk and my muffin top has invited it’s cousins to live on my waist line. She’s wasn’t easily deferred because they are looking for sizes 6 – 30, and you get a makeover, plus maybe, get to keep the clothes you model. Damn I hate when they twist my arm with that kind of offer. ;) I’m curious if they’ll modify and mollify my current ‘do, which is becoming similar to a peacock in a wind storm.

~Koda is 1½ post – op.  The pain level has been reasonable, though he has had several problems with his foot and toes swelling. So the majority of the time sees him with his foot up and applying an ice bag to it. He still goes to football practice every day; to hear and watch the plays and also give moral support to the team. He starts school on August 31^st, and he is about to jump out of his skin with anticipation.

September 1^st he’ll have his stitches removed and we’ll see what the doctor predicts for the next several weeks: With or without a walking boot/all weight bearing/crutches/when can he begin to work out again.

I am working on my second edits and revision ideas with Sian, my critique partner – who I have to give a shout out to – she is so awesome! I still can’t believe that my manuscript is this far – and that my dream is playing out before me.

Tonight is the 1^st football game of the year. I’m still nervous even though Koda won’t be playing for a few more games. One cool thing, they will be selling new sweatshirts, t-shirts and window decals. I’m such a sucker for these kinds of things. I’m hoping they’ll also get fanny packs and nylon carry bags with the IF tiger logo on them. ;)

Have a great weekend

Today's adventure will be to the hospital.

Koda has a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal.

The doctor presented us with two solutions.

1.    No surgery. Place it in a cast, because teenage boys are apt to continue to be active even though they have an owie (or so is the case with Koda) and it will heal in about 12 weeks
2. Or, he has surgery. They’ll screw the fracture – heh, pun intended, keep him in a splint for 10 days until he gets the stitches out and then a walking boot.

So, I’ve packed my laptop and my edit/revisions to work on while I’m in the waiting room. Depending on how Koda feels I’ll probably be back to work tomorrow, though I have a chiropractor appointment in the morning and coach is handing out uniforms tomorrow also, then team pictures are Friday, followed by a football jamboree in Pocatello. Koda wants to go to all of these, but I told him let’s see how he’s feeling first.

Sigh. I wish I had his energy.

Wish us luck

Last Friday was our annual school shopping trip where my mom takes the grand kids school shopping.

Of course, sis and I tag along because it's a day filled with laughter and mayhem. 
All supplies (for a 4th grader, a 9th grader and 11th grader) were acquired, which is quite the feat as some days its a free for all in the school supply section.

Dakota fractured his right foot at practice. The fifth metatarsal to be exact. So this afternoon we are going to the orthopedic surgeon to see whether he'll need surgery or 3-4 weeks with crutches and no weight on his foot. We're all bummed, however, it could be much worse as the team has had:

• tendonitis in the knee of the star running back - 1 week no practice
• one sprained ankle (that is swollen to the size of a small tree)
• one broken pinkie toe (dude can't walk or put pressure on his foot) 3-5 weeks
• one broken collarbone - 3-5 weeks out
• dakota and a fractured foot (outside right foot 2 inches below where the pinkie toe connects to the foot) out 3-5 weeks
• a possible MCL tear - happened today - I believe its associated with the knee but I get the mcl and the acl mixed up.

So I'm off to the doctor with Koda.
More tomorrow

I’ve been preparing this post for a week. I’ve tried to explain in depth about my fascination of this intriguing and mysterious land. But, it became quite verbose. Below are two of my favorite pictures of The Sphinx and the Pyramids that I hope relay the awe.

 

Most Gods and Goddesses of Egypt have multiple personas. I get so enthralled in their history as I research them in depth, looking for those that will fit in with storylines.

Magic in Ancient Egypt is yet another avenue that has me totally hooked. Many cultures are known to use the basis and theories of Egyptian magic for their own beliefs and in performing rituals.

Oh, I forgot something; the what if factor. I have quite an active imagination and as I’ve clicked from link to link on the net, you can imagine the conspiracy theories and what if’s I’ve come across. Why, Who and How. This is additional kick ass story line material that I have also collected.

Oh, and in the I’m a hopeless romantic section ~ Remember in the Mummy 2 when Imhotep raises Anuk-sun-amun so that they can be together. Remember at the end when Evie helps Rick as he is dangling on the edge of Hell. But, Imhotep yells for Anuk and she doesn’t go to save him. The tears in his eyes well up and he realizes that their love isn’t strong enough and Anuk wasn’t in to him like he was to her.

Well, I’d like to write something similar, but with the Sphinx. I’m also looking at ideas for another series. The genre will be adult, though children’s books might be fun and Urban Fantasy too. So I’m keeping my receptors open to subjects that pique my interest and make my mind spin.

Okay, so I’ve started Book 2 and I’m happy that the plots are beginning to unravel. There were a few days were I’d scribble ideas down furiously as they’d come to me and then “freak out” when I didn’t capture the complete thought. Well, as Sian (my critique partner told me, “Just let it pour out of you now. Let your gut, or your heart or the zone show you the way.” AND THEY HAVE!

Whew.    

You remember Snuffy from the children’s show Sesame Street™. His voice sounded like any person does when they’re stuffed up with congestion. Imagine trying to blow his nose!

That’s how I feel today. Stuffed up, but with a runny nose, my eyes are watering, I also have a cough, my throat and ears are itching like crazy and my head is killing me. I’m sure I have a low grade fever too.
Over the last year, I’ve slowly developed allergies and it sucks Nyquil. However, I do believe this particular jaunt of yuckiness was brought on by the weather.

Hot weather = night job in a -10˚ freezer = sweating as you pull pallets of ice and frozen foods = go back in the freezer to store overstock = break and going out into 92˚ weather.

Weight lifting at 6:30 a.m., football camps and practices, drivers ed course taken and passed, 2 a day football practices start the second week of August and this weekend is the 3 on 3 Snake River Shootout Basketball Tournament. Koda has been a busy dude this summer, so it’s no surprise that when we both sit down on the couch to “kick it” and talk about the day that we both end up falling asleep, mouths open, having a snoring contest in minutes.

I’ve also made a plot list for Book 2; I have the Prologue and Chapter 1 about done. Piles of research to look at!! This weekend: a trip to Barnes and Noble to use my gift card! Woo hooo.
Have a great weekend.

No, the dragons aren't marinating, my manuscript is!

I've just received the final chapters back from my critique partner (Hi Sian!!) and now we let it sit for about a month, without looking at/reading/or trying to change it. This gives your brain a chance to come out of overdrive so you can approach the manuscript with a fresh outlook.

I've already begun to work on book 2; which includes research and an outline which; *clunk* that's my head hitting the desk because I've got so many ideas floating about in my head. They're also on post-it notes, within notebooks and on storyboards, so I need to concentrate on the plot.

Hmmm, I really make this sound like it's an awful endeavor - but alas - I look forward to it, I just enjoy practicing my creative skills as a writer by using drama and my own special flair ;)

Dragons have always fascinated me. To me, they represent independence and free will; they're also mysterious and mythological, which grabs my attention like anything shiny, a shoe and bag sale or chocolate would.

( More Dragons under the cut )

I thought I’d give you a taste of where my faeries and dragons play before I go on to introduce more of my friends.

Present time in Idaho USA.

Supernatural creatures (the Hidden) have been given the opportunity to work and live “Reality” side, thanks to the Amnesty Act that Congress and esteemed leaders of the Supernatural communities worked together on.  A Supernatural Task Force was immediately put together to help “police” the supernatural community, they are of course, supernatural’s.

The Shade is the supernatural’s area of town where they have set up shops, restaurants, etc. that cater to the Hidden or to any person who’s curious about the Hidden culture. (Imagine Chinatown).  

There’s also a serial murderer on the loose, Egyptian mythology, vampires, demons and gansta goblins.

I hope I’ve piqued your interest. ;)

A picture of the Family and my aunt and uncle from Chicago.


Bro-in-law, sis, me, Uncle Larry, Aunt Ginny, mom, dad
 

Every time I plan to post/read/write/shop - you get the idea, something comes up or it's something I forgot about.

I have a week long series of posts planned on the aspects of my Urban Fantasy.

However, I forgot:

• 2 software demo's for Environmental Health Program,
• a day long conference on our paperless document system,
• my aunt and uncle are arriving from Chicago on Thursday
• my parents have planned a bbq for Saturday.  However, my sis and I are going down on Friday to assist in the preparations and indulge in a bit of the chocolate martini's.
• The arrival of the Adobe Web Premium CS4. We are moving toward integrating our current web software with Dreamweaver, so I am reading up on it and migrating Front Page 2003 to Dreamweaver, as well as seeing, what formatting will be the same as soon as it's in Dreamweaver or will I have to recreate our Website from scratch.  Luckily, our website (and software) is still be supported by our state so this isn't a do it yesterday type of adventure. However, I like to be on top of things.

All this, and I'm at 84,956 words. Chapter 58.

Luckily, this evening, I get to leave from 2nd job at about 9 pm, so I'll have several hours to get the rest done. This is the homestretch. The light at the end of the tunnel.

So tomorrow, I'd like to restart my Urban Fantasy Land series with a "Welcome to my Fantasy," post.

Hope to see you here tomorrow.

First though, I have to say this.  Wanting to be an author takes a thick skin, a sense of humor and the ability to accept that there will be people who won’t think your story line is the bomb. I walk around with a small notebook and pen so that I can jot down ideas or write parts of a chapter during breaks at work, shopping, you name it.  When asked what I’m writing I tell them a book.  Usually they then ask about what and I’ll them: “An Urban Fantasy about faeries and dragons. “ I get a full spectrum of responses, but most often “Oh”.  I smile and walk off. Leave them guessing, entice them right.

Or I have used this “A faery, a dragon and an Egyptian goddess walk into a Vampire Club,” on close friends, they wait for the punch line and I tell them they have to read the book. ;) I’m curious how other authors manage that situation.

Now, let’s talk faeries.
My faeries.

All of them have the ability to grow from 6 inches to the size of an average human and shrink back to six inches. However, most of them don’t and are content to stay at six inches, because that way they can be themselves and concentrate on their specific purposes.  When they are human sized they prefer to will their wings onto their back, where they tattoo themselves usually from shoulder to heel. Most faeries prefer to do this when they are out in public. This is mostly done as protection (have you ever had a wing pulled by the neighborhood bullies or a drunk and belligerent gnome that you’re trying to arrest? Or even tripping over your wings when you’re trying to make a good impression? My protagonist, Gabrielle keeps them on her back until she needs them to protect herself from the haters of the preternatural community.

Faeries are associated with everything – good (helping flowers bloom, adding leaves, helping the roots grow, trees producing fruit, anything with water, earth, trees or nature) and the bad: losing your keys, bad hair day, forgetting your birth control pill, your car won’t start, and on and on ~ you get the idea.

Check out where some of the race of fae are descended from. Gabrielle is part of a race of fae descended from an Egyptian goddess.

Faeries are naturals for healing – veterinarians, healers, alchemists, and white witches  - glamour is fun too.

Faeries aren’t always graceful and swear like a muthafu …. ahem …. a lot. 

If you were in a roomful of faeries you’d have a blast checking out the myriad of different color eyes and hair they have. Purple hair is in!

Amy Brown’s art  inspires me and when I first found her art years ago, it was an AHA moment  and an obsessive fascination for all things fae and mystical.

Believe and welcome the enchantment.

Check out the fae here, here and here.

Hope you come back to visit. Next week dragons and Egypt.

Happy 4^th of July!

I wasn't able to complete my original entry for today. Our first case of West Nile Virus has hit the valley and I've had to make sure updates and press releases are posted on our website.

So, instead I’d like to show off my faery project I’ve been working on in my free time. A faery garden.  I’ve been almost manic in my pursuit of miniatures items to put amongst the flowers and the various craft stores in town are probably sick of me asking when they’ll get some more cool stuff in. I did find some awesome sites with oodles of fun things to add to your garden. Here, here and for making your own stuff, here.

And my garden:

A shelter to relax ~                                                                                                       

   

A place to sit and day dream    
      


I love the pansies faces                                                                    

     

Where the house will sit, back amongst the lavender