Ok, so, no one has been murdered... at least, not in the real world.  On paper?  Oh, yeah.  Lots of death occurs on paper!  But then, one cannot write fantasy or a murder mystery without someone getting killed eventually. 

I've managed to hammer out more on my beloved urban fantasy murder mystery and have begun mentally plotting the deaths that shall occur in it's sequel.  Yes, there IS going to be a sequel... mostly because I enjoy the idea of killing off people.  If you can't do it reality, why not do it in fantasy?  (And if one is REALLY fortunate, get paid for it!)

As for the weddings?  Welllll... I am still planning my wedding, which shall occur in 2012.  There's also the wedding in the second sequel to "Death's Heiress".  Now that I'm finally planning my own, I'm able to figure out how to plan out a royal wedding in the novel.   Should be fun, since the MC will end up being side-tracked A LOT from the planning! 

Oh a very non-writing related subject: I've figured out how to make quill pens from feathers and ink pens!!!  Eventually I'll have a nifty tutorial but it's actually really easy to do. 

As for the munchkins, for anyone interested, the eldest is doing good in school (despite being hard-headed and hating homework, big surprise), and the youngest is being her usual very cheerful self.  Both are spoiled.  My co-writer and I are co-habiting without troubles and I'm looking forward to eventually having an actual HOUSE to decorate and call our own.

Yes, I know, I'm falling behind on my blog and keeping it updated.  Or semi-updated.  Nothing exciting has happened in the writing arena, at least not yet.  (Though I DO have a cool idea for a book of a different color.  More will come of that at a later time.)

I've been editing the plethora of novels (mostly Banshee, Heiress, and Betrayal, but also two others that are in the works) while dealing with the usual gammet of problems.  Like a certain 2nd grade boy who doesn't want to do his homework, a little 4 year old whose diva/princess complex tends to get her into trouble, and the start of a celebration to take place in two years that involves my co-writer.  Speaking of my co-writer, he also moved in at the start of June last year!  YAY!!!!! 

He now has a job at a place he was wanting to work when he went to college for psychology (we won't go there. At all.  Ever.) before realizing what he wanted to do, wasn't gonna happen.  So, now he's finally working there and loving it, for the most part.  The downside, is we haven't managed to figure out when or how to get our writing done.  It'll come.  Eventually.  Besides, we have plenty of time to get the novels written and edited.  Why?  Because we wrote Heiress for fun, for us.  Sure, we want to be published and have the really awesome title of "published author", but it isn't a requirement for us.  After all, how many people can honestly say they've written x-many novels?  It's not something EVERYONE can do, just like being published isn't something everyone can manage.  (Not including self-publishing here, etiher.)

On the bright side of things, I now have a kick-ass query letter and short pitch thanks to a VERY awesome friend out in LA.  (Thanks, Stan, for all your help!!!  It's greatly appreciated!)

I've been doing lots of crafts to keep me occupied and have fallen in love with doing crafty stuff with ribbon.  I've also been doing crafts involving ceramic tiles (think kitchen, bath, and floors), photos, and modpodge.  They make GREAT coasters (after you cover them with a stain of sorts) or even plate holders.  I'll eventually have a tutorial for it, complete with photos.  (I've already got a tutorial on May Arts for ribbon roses.  I still need to do the one for turning them into a bouquet, though...)

Halloween is just around the corner, so who knows what else I'll get into between now and then.

Current update on me and the family:
School ends next week with the Vampire Slayer being out of school for the summer and the eldest (my stepson) graduating.  Mark will be moving in with me and the munchkins after the eldest graduates on the Imp's b-day. 
In the meantime, we've been window-shopping online at houses and looking into loans and stuff in the hopes of getting an acual HOUSE of our own with a yard for the dogs and (maybe... hopefully...) a cat.  Not to mention Kam (Kahmet) the bunny.  I miss my bunny, even if he is a tempermental brat at times.  (hmmmm... not the least bit like his owner *wink*)  And, of course, the fact that eventually we want another hellion to eventually turn loose on the world.  Three just isn't enough, after all ;)
The downside of things is Jammerz closed, which means no place local to go to for musical stuff.  It sucks, since Mark loved the place, I like the guys there, and the kids also loved going there.  Especially the Imp, who is very much her father's daughter in soooo many ways.
Oooooh, yesss... there IS one more thing for those who actually read and keep up with things....  We've figured out when we'll be getting married.  I'll post the exact date later, but at least we've most of the planning out of the way with the tentative where and who all will be there. 

Now, On the the Writing Stuff!!!



I think I finally figured out what writing and trying to get an agent is really like.... Fishing. 

Think on it. 

People love to fish, not just to GET the fish (and eat 'em afterwards) but because it's fun.  Even if you're fishing for sport and throwing 'em back, you can be sitting in the boat or at the edge of the lake or river trying to catch a fish, while others are reeling in big fat trout or salmon.  You, in the meantime, are pulling in nothing but an empty hook and maybe the occassional piece of trash.  Is it your bait? Your bobber?  Wrong hook?  Or just not your day to get a good catch?

Landing an agent is like landing a fish.  You have to be in the right spot, at the right time, with the right hook and bait (in this case query letter and novel).

So, what do you do?  Keep fishing!  (errr...writing...) and Keep trying.  Eventually you'll land something.  If not, you've still had fun in the process.  And at least in writing, you have a finished product and something you can be proud of: a completed manuscript.

So, some of you may have noticed there haven't been any teasers for a while.  Wellll... there's a good reason for that.  Okay, a few good reasons, lol.

One, being I've been trying to edit the novels we've got.  Another is I've been distracted with non-writing stuff.  Friends, summery-type events like being outside for the kids to play and visiting family.  And then there's the major reason:  My co-worker and fiance' is moving in with me in June, at long last!  (Chris is graduating this year then, if all goes as planned, he's hoping to join the Air Force.)  So, we've been rearranging A LOT of stuff in the apartment (closets, cabinets, etc etc).  A long, boring, ardous task that must be done.  And, of course, there's the usual cleaning required when you have two lively kids. 

So, writing has taken a back burner for real life, and, to be honest, I've been enjoying the hiatus.  We're still plotting along with "Warlord's Daughter" - a new twist that turning out really, REALLY well, and we're writing here and there. 

I've also been a bit distracted by other planning, that goes along with Mark moving in. :)  I'm sure most out there can guess! and, yeah, details will be coming in the coming months. 

Sooooo... there ya have it.  The reason for the lack of teasers (for those who have been reading 'em) and an update on what's going on. 

Yes, I finally opened a Zazzle store.  There will be an eBay store, eventually, but I figured what the heck?  Might as well broaden my reach, right?  My stuff is also over at CafePress and I'll post the links to there later, for those who prefer CafePress. 

Anywhos, here's the link for those interested.  Docelfar Designs. I also posted a store panel below so you can see what all is in the store. Of course, it's all my artwork. And nothing uber creepy either, so no fear there. Well... the cauldron IS at CafePress, but it lacks the scary skulls....

If anyone's interested in posting a link on their site, just let me know and I'll send you the link. :)

Oh, yeah, and I have strep throat. Got meds for it Thursday and am feeling better now. amazing how fast antibiotics can help one feel better fast... and SLEEP. geez, they make me sleepy...

******************


create & buy custom products at Zazzle

Ok, so I should've posted this last week or even over the weekend... but the weekend was wickedly busy.  I think I was online for a total of three, maybe four hours tops.  If you include checking my email on my cellphone. 

Anywhos, I figured I'd at least post the results of the state fair.  I won second place with my cherub!  WEEEE!!!  I now have a total of THREE ribbons from the state fair!  Third Place from the first year I entered, 1st place from last year, and 2nd place from this year.  I got my wish!  I placed again this year.  Now, all I need is the Rosette from Best in Show/Section.  I've got an idea for next year, so maybe if I'm lucky it'll turn out all pretty and I'll get my rosette.  Or, maybe I can somehow improve my artistic non-computer-generated-art-side and do something really spectacular and win it that way.  (Yes, yes, I know... not likely, but one can wish, yes?)

I know I posted my cutesy cherub once, but I figured I'd post it again for those who haven't seen it yet. :)

Seeing this, yet again, I can easily see why it didn't take first place, but... second place isn't too bad, in my opinion.  Not at the VA STATE FAIR!

Ok, first off, I had a wonderful time over the weekened. My parents had the kids again and that left me free to go to Richmond with my beloved sans kids. I walked around Short Pump windowshopping for about two hours and loved the exercise (I admit it!) while Mark went to a micro-bachelor's party for a friend. We went to Maggiano's together (as always, service was excellent and the food just can NOT be surpassed by any other restaurant...) before leaving for home. I then got to go to a mutual friend's house (Ed's is one of Mark's best friends...) and game there... Ok, well... it was more me, Ed, and another friend of Mark's and Ed's annoying the DM (dungeon master) by going off on our own tangents, lol. I then stayed to watch the UFC (UCF?) games on ShowTime. lol, it was actually fun, which I attribute to the company more than the show. Well, here's what I've been playing with as a way to keep sane. We finally got our query letter together and done, so we're testing the waters with it to see how it goes.... Keeping with tradition, we've recieved a rejection already. Shyndra is a character I play during game nights (AD&D, btw). We've got the cast of main characters already, but we're still toying with the plot. In the meantime, I'm playing around with her introduction. :) **** There was something to be said about a temple dedicated to Dridean, god of light and knowledge, in a city where crime and filth abounded. It showed a dedication to a belief and stubbornness to not let the darkness overshadow everything. Or so the dedicated followers believed. It was a challenge for the clerics to cajole their followers into changing their way for the 'greater good', to coerce them from their evil ways and step into Dridean's ever-knowing 'light'. In reality, the High Priest and many other temple clerics were simply using it as a method to fill their personal pockets and, for the High Priest, a means to enjoy the brothels only a few buildings away from the temple. It was why Shyndra, in her usual black priestess robes, was now traversing the hallways in search of the High Priest. Head bowed, hood pulled low over her brow, she kept her arms folded at waist level. Her hands were tucked into the opposing sleeves, well hidden from view. Though she had not grown up as a religious zealot like many in her family, she knew the basic layouts of the temples of the various deities. Only Dynisseik's devout followers changed every hallway and room from temple to temple, making traversing them nearly impossible without a map. One of the reasons Shyndra claimed herself as a follower of the goddess of lies and deception. Nearing the High Priest's private sanctuary, the door opened and she ducked into the shadows of an alcove. As he stood in the doorframe adjusting his robes and belt, Shyndra studied the man dispassionately. An inch or so taller than her petite five-foot three-inch frame, he had white hair circling a balding head. Pale blue listless eyes made her question if he used one of the many remedies sold amongst the fares in the bazaar. It would certainly explain his renowned erratic behavior and his violent temper. Not to mention the glaze that covered his eyes. His face was smooth, with wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. The High Priest turned and strode down the hallway towards a heavy wooden door. Shyndra groaned silently, her shoulders dropping as she heaved a sigh. Why the bathroom? Nothing good ever happened when it came to her, a contract, and a bathroom.