Kitties and Possums and Squirrels--OH MY!!

The first week of the new year is under my belt. Taking off the last two weeks of the year did me a world of good. I thought I could hit the keyboard hard after a break.

Except the universe and my Muse had other ideas. Too many ideas as it were. I've got future projects lined up, but Muse wants to work on all of them at the same time!

I also need to upgrade both my main computer and my travel laptop. On the former, I didn't get a chance to swap out the 512G with 2T drives. My anticipated quiet holiday was not as quiet as I'd planned. However, that task needs to wait until I get back from a writing class in Las Vegas next week.

Which leads to my latter problem. My travel laptop Baby Blue doesn't have the room to do any upgrades, especially virus protection. It is essentially only useful as a word processor. And I need the upgrades because I need to access the internet during the Vegas class. *sigh*

Both DH and I did a great deal of research and testing based on such research, but Baby Blue simply won't let us boot from a flash drive or an SD card even after cloning Baby Blue's drive. Since I was running out of time, DH found a reasonable facsimile of Baby Blue with a larger hard drive. Now, it's a question of installing the operating system and MS Office so I can do my assignments during the class.

I'm lucky DH has stayed up on tech over the last thirty years. I know just enough to be dangerous.

What does this all mean?

I won't update word counts on the blog until I get back. I'm skipping a release for January because I've already got a homework assignment for this class that needs to be finished before I leave for the class. Next Wednesday, I'll post the first chapter of War of the Witches, so you have an idea of what's coming next year. And I can buckle down on writing this year's releases during my flights.

And if I get delayed at an airport because of snow, well, that'll be more writing time, right?

Happy New Year!!

Just a reminder! The sale at Smashwords ends tonight!

Peace, Joy, and Kindness

Like Santa, kick up your feet, lean back, and enjoy the moment. Much love and warm wishes to all of you and your families.

I Give Up

Seriously, I just give up. I've been fighting depression brought on by Seasonal Affective Disorder over the last two months, and my writing is showing it. No one wants to read something by someone who doesn't have the ability to entertain them.

I had a similar issue when COVID lockdowns began while I was writing the first three Millersburg Magick Mysteries. So, I'm taking a break for the next ten days. I've got cooking and other prep to do for the rest of the winter holidays. So what I'm trying to say...

I am sincerely sorry that Feline Navidad and A Cup of Conflict won't be done before the end of 2024.

Even if by some Christmas miracle I get them both done tonight, I AM NOT going to interfere with my formatter and cover artist's time with their own families over the next ten days. That's just not right by any stretch of the imagination.

For those who may be worried that I won't finish with either series, DH has been gently attempting to prod me along. A few of my older readers aren't the only ones who are concerned about me not finishing the Justice series before they die. I'm concerned about writing them before I die, too.

First of all, I turn the big 6-0 next year, just like the rest of the eldest Gen-Xers. Second, I've worked too hard to regain my physical health over the last few years to throw it all away now. Third, DH and I have attended more funerals than usual this year. As he said, we are simply in that age.

But I know things will get better. I'm taking a writing class in Vegas in three weeks, and a lot more sunshine than I've been receiving will help. Also, we're past the solstice, so the days will get gradually longer. Between Groundhog Day (Imbolc) and Valentine's Day, I'll start feeling a lot better.

To everyone reading this, please take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Depression is an insidious disease that takes too many lives. If you need help, for Goddess's sake, please get help. There's nothing to be ashamed of, and the people who love you want to keep you in this world.

To everyone, may you have blessed holidays with the people you love no matter which holidays you celebrate!

Typing Furiously

All of the short stories have been submitted to the requesting editors except for the one that isn't due until December 31st. Yesterday, I started back on Feline Navidad. However, I didn't get as far as I wanted.

On the plus side, Darling Husband put up his Christmas tree with no help from me (I was struggling with words on my travel laptop in an empty Starbucks), and I must admit it's cute.

As of right now, I have approximately six days to finish writing and then publish this year's holiday story for my readers. Can I do it? I think so. All presents have been sent except for two I need to mail and one more I need to select. I have a few holiday cards to send to older relatives who love getting that type of thing.

My goal is to get all this holiday stuff done before DH and I watched It's a Wonderful Life over our Christmas Eve dinner of chicken spinach phyllo and watch football next Wednesday.

Go Steelers! Go Texans!

I hope y'all have a wonderful holiday, no matter which one you celebrate!

Sale!!!

The holiday prep getting to you? Need a little something to relax that doesn't involve pot or alcohol?

I've some end of the year sales!

First of all, Blood Magick (Bloodlines #1) is free on ALL retail platforms. If it ain't free, you're looking at a pirate site.

Amazon, all countries
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Google Play
Kobo
Smashwords

Second, I'm participating in Smashword's End of the Year Sale! All novels and novellas are half-price. All short stories are free. If there's something you wanted to try, you can do it cheap!

Lastly, I've been updating links. If I get one wrong, PLEASE let me know. I admit despite my usual perfectionism, I'm a little frazzled between holiday prep, yet another funeral, and finish writing a bunch of stories.

I hope everyone is staying warm and safe, and that you have a great whichever- holiday(s)-you-celebrate!

What the Hell Is Going on with Suzan?

It's been a little insane at Casa Harden over the last few weeks. The chaos started with one of DH's remaining uncles passed away. It ended with me slipping on ice, tripping over a landscaping brick, and somehow falling on the frozen ground instead of the concrete driveway the day before the Alberta Clipper swept through our area.

I'm still unsure how I managed to injure my right thumb in that delightful show of clumsiness.

Hey, at least, I didn't fall on Princess Bella. The poor thing was merely trying to hurry to get her final constitutional done for the night because even she was cold wearing a t-shirt and her winter coat. (She's a toy breed, and you have to bundle them up because they cannot control their core temps the way a larger dog can.)

There's been a lot more happening in between the emotional and physical aches, but I won't bore you with those details. What it comes down to is I am behind.

So woefully behind.

And what happens? I get invitations from two different editors asking me to submit short stories for their holiday anthologies. For 2025! By the end of the month!

*sigh*

Folks, I literally just finished sending last year's Christmas presents to people!

So, what does it all mean?

It means I'm busting my ass trying to get the books y'all are expecting. I merely took the dates off the Release Schedule because looking at the page was triggering my anxiety.

Today, I skipped yoga, I made sure I had plenty of coffee and tea, and I will be back on the keyboard as soon as I get home from the COVID booster stab.

That's assuming I don't bash my brains on the asphalt in the pharmacy parking lot.