Early Tuesay Morning

Okay only 57 pages left to write and then I can rest for a few days before the rewrites. Pamela

Monday's Mood

Hello everyone!!! I hope that sooner or later people stop in and let me know they've read my blog. I am still trying to finish writing the ending of my mystery THE CROSSED STITCHER.
It has turned HOT in Kansas and my sinus problems just tripled. I hate that and so for the next week above average temps are basically the name of the game here in Kansas.
I have sent questions to Earlene Fowler to interview her, Susan McBride's Interview is done and set to Mary Emmons, Rebecca Forster I am waiting on her interview to be returned to me and I have emailed Brenda Joyce to see if she has time to do an online interview.
I still have a few books left to review and my daughter called and since she will be getting married in LasVegas next month she pretty much settled on the 22nd of March.
Okay I am going to get back to this in the next 24 hours and I hope someone sees my blog and leaves a message. Hugs, Pamela

Friday/Saturday

I still have 65 pages left to write as my son spent the night with us last night and he had some problems. So once again life remained in the way and hopefully this weekend I will have free to write and get more accomplished.
I didn't stitch last night either but my son and I watched a movie together called THE PUNISHER. Not bad but I've seen better.
Today was sunny and warm enough but I think we'll be warmer next week as in the 70's. Anyway I will keep you posted on my progress of THE CROSSED STITCHER. Hugs, Pamela

It's Wednesday

Hello everyone, well today has been hectic went to the post office spent thirteen dollars mailing packages. Forgot to buystamps. Well only 69 pages to go and I done with the book so you'll get a daily or at least an every other day update.
I am still behind on getting some reviews to my editor but that is okay all in good time.
It's sunny and in the 50's here today which is good.
I am still reading the Brenda Joyce book HOUSE OF DREAMS this is sooo good. Kuddos to Brenda.
Hugs, Pamela in Kansas.

My nightly Musings

Well tonight I am about to write and as I begin my nightly stint as Jessica Fletcher combine that with Myrna Loy when she played in the Thin Man Series and there you have me tonight. Snooping for clues, tripping over well you'll have to read the book won't you? Howling at the moon if it were full is where I'll be when I get stuck.LOL. But I'll be right here so leave me a post and I might just check back to answer it. Hugs, Pamela

HAPPY DANCING

Okay I hadn't added my pages in a while because I just knew I wasn't going to like the results I refused to even look well HAPPY DANCING. I only have 72 pages left to write. Of course then comes THE HARD WORK but still I am happy dancing 72 pages is absolutely music to my ears this morning, I cannot believe how hard this middle has been but it's been worth it. I thought I there were a lot more pages to go but not so and I told her I had been writing and working my butt off.LOL. Okay the mystery isn't written yet so I can only happy dance so much but I am terribly excited. Hugs, Pamela

Before I write

Before I write more pages to make my daughter happy and prove I'm not lazy. I thought I might mention that I 'Author Blogged Yahoo' and found many more wonderful blogs to read. One of my favorites was Nancy Cohen's Blog and I loves how she gets to the heart of the matter on writing, and between writing woes and her research. I am now inspired to pen more words and make someone laugh and hoepfully tackle the scene that I have been avoiding today. I know it will be fine and work once I begin to relax and let the words flow. Of course that sounds so much easier than it is but once I get those first few words on paper then the characters begin to come to life in each chapter. This chapter is over halfway written and tonight I will finish it and hopefully with a flourish. Hugs, Pamela

Monday night.........

Hello everyone, well I talked with my friend Carolyn by phone tonight and she seems to be holding her own this week but working a lot of overtime at the hospital where she works.
I have napped today and now feel like I can hold my own too. I need to write some more reviews and also get an interview to another author. I will be writing tonight on my own book and hopefully I will be able to create an exciting scene tonight the chapter has led up to this scene and so we'll see if I can pull it off or if it's going to take a day of pounding my head on the keyboard to get it right.
Tomorrow is errand day then I can hopefully be where I need to be by Wednesday on everything.
Hugs, Pamela

Blogs

Okay I have spent a great amount of time tonight writing and then I went and researched other published mystery and romance authors blogs. Mainly to get a feel of their writing schedules and also to get to know some of them. I was quite impressed with several authors blogs and more to the point I recieved quite a kick out of other blogs. One well known bestselling author blogged that for the New Year she had decided to write ten pages a day. This lasted two weeks she just couldn't keep up writing and felt like she was writing anything publishable. Since her editors and bank accounts want it to be publishable she went back to only writing five days a week six pages a day some days only writing six hundred words. I had to laugh because I can relate to all of this you see sometimes it is very hard to sit through blank spots in the creative mind set there are simply days when the words won't come and usally that means you have a problem in your manuscript, character development and maybe you've just flat taken too many notes in stalling on writing and you have confused yourself and written yourself into a mental corner without writing. I hate it when this happens because I just don't picture the great authors like Agatha Christie and so many more having this problem in the past. Is it the day and age we live in? Life too fast paced, too many obligations, some of us never quite getting through raising our children, or is it that our predecessors were more responsible to the written page? I have no answers and I definitely have not figured out what makes me tick as an author. One year it's one thing and the next year it is something completely different. I do know I don't drink my way through writing as have some of the late greats but that may simply be because my stomache won't take the drinking like it did too many years back to count so I can't conquer through drinking, I have never taken drugs so I can't go there either which means I face the blank page cold, sober and then become distracted by email and feeding the cats. Yes, I have two cats and I can always blame them for not being a cozy author.......oh wait a minute not I can't cozies have cats, dogs, parrots, ostrich, however I can tell you why I am not a culinary author. I can't cook......I cannot really cook like most people can, I went so far one time to burn play dough that I was making my daughter well I am conservative in the kitchen and so when my darling daughter asked why her white play dough was black I made her a bracket and necklace out of it and told her it was black onyx jewerly she went to play and show off her jewerly from play dough (aren't kids adorable when they're being gulliable) and anyway every mother on the block called was NOT amused because I had did that and asked what food coloring to used to get black onyx well the play dough stuck to the pan and was being a pain to wash so I stuck it in the oven at 450 degees for one hour and that melted the handles and from there on my husband for many years had hooks on the back wall of the stove and checked the pots and pans when he came home to make sure I had not melted anything else. That my friends is why I do not write culinary mysteries. Although I have thought of writing a series feature a culinary cook who cannot cook and doesn't know it. But wasn't so sure that would catch on. I love to read culinary mysteries such as Joanne Fluke, Joanne Pence. They need not worry about me having a book come out I love Angi and Hannah they are safe with me.
I do add humor to my mysteries and I have had several people tell me that my books remind them of various other cozy authors. That was never my intention as I want my own unique voice. Okay I am going to write some more my break is over!!! Hugs, Pamela

Sunday

It's Sunday and I am still recovering from my surprise visits of two daughters and a son yesterday and all of their families. It was quite a day and I am exhausted and tired. Then I talked to my youngest daughter Melissa today for a while and she thinks I need to put my big girl panties on and deal with it since I was whinning about being too tired to write she just didn't want to hear it today. It could be because she has a lot of other things on her mind like homework, her job, her son and the fact she is getting married next month. A lot on her plate but still.....she is also twenty seven years younger than her mother and up where she is at she only has one sister to worry about which means she doesn't see how family visits can tire a person out. I know I know....I AM WHINNING but blast it all I am tired....and the creative process is very tiring and takes it's own time to gestate. It doesn't help that I am in the middle of the book and that this is the time you really have to pace yourself without drawing the book out and making the book boring. I am on a deadline with her and this book and she is taking no prisoners she thinks because all the kids have left home and it looks like my life had free time that I actually have free time. Don't worry she'll be my age one day realize that what things look like are not the way they really are. I don't waste a lot of time I happen to have a chronic illiness that takes up hours out of my day most days especially in the winter and spring. But I'll forge ahead and we'll see where I'm at April 15th. Right now I have to spend the day seeing exactly how many pages I have left to write. I do know I can't count on weekends anymore to write so I need to factor all of that in today.
I keep telling her that it's the visits which include grandchildren whom I adore, the cooking, the cleaning, the spending two days trying to catch up from all the unexpected visits which are now turning into expected visits. Anyway I am off to see what is going on with my book. But I just had to pop in and whine a bit I know anyone from the age of 40-70 will know what I am talking about I can usually keep up but lately I am tired and life keeps getting in the way of my writing.......
Hugs, Pamela

COLD SATURDAY

Hello everyone, it's COLD here in Kansas. So far we have a dusitng of snow since it's too cold to snow. My husband has been called out this morning as it was a traffic accident.
I am staying in a watching movies and stitching today. If anyone needs me for anything they can come to me. I did write four letters early this morning.
Both my sons called in and one daughter called in.
Others will probably call too since it's cold and I know some are iced and snowed in. We didn't get the snow but I know where all the kids live did.
Well like I said so far a dusting.
Hugs, Pamela

Long lost friend

Well I thought I was done posting for the day but then I heard from a long lost author friend of mine. So that made my night especially when I will also be interviewing her for one of the online magazines and doing a review of her book. Rebecca Forster is someone I have known for ages and she is a lovely person and wonderful author.
The wind has picked up outside and it's gusting,howling and I am glad I am inside Kansas in Febuary is not always sunshine and roses. Well back to my cross stitch then later I will be writing.
Hugs, Pamela

My Blatherings

Well I am thinking about writing an 'Historical Mystery' the concept I have for this is using Jesse James Widow and having her go undercover working as a detective for the 'Pinkerton Agency' or maybe she will run her own detective agency. I've been researching this idea for a while.
Maybe writing the first one this summer or fall.
Also another blather is that my daughter Melissa is getting married in March they are going to 'Vegas' to get married and I will watch Chase who is now five years old and a cutie.
I also will have a new grandbaby May 24th Amanda is finally getting her son she has wanted for a long time. He will be named after his daddy.
My daughter Mishell finally got moved to her farm and they have planted a huge garden as in tilled the whole field and then some she also has fruit trees and she plans on canning and possibly doing some freezing. This will be between baseball games (she coaches) and all three of her children are in baseball every year.
Our family is finally getting closer.
Melissa has started her first semester and KU in Lawerence. Her major is Politcal Science but she may very well go to Law School. She'll know more about that later as time goes on.
I'm half way through the book I am writing and should finish by April 15th. It will be the first book finished since Merry Stahel and I quit being coauthors and she went back to writing romances and I hear she has some books published. I decided that after trying to write with other coauthors I would go it alone. I think coauthoring is great IF you have the right partner who you can click with....however for me at this time I feel with menopause and other family obligations I will stick to writing my own books for now.
For me writing is like breathing and if I could do anything else I would but I can't so I am sure that writing mysteries is what I was meant to do. I don't aspire to be great or famous I just want to write and entertain people with my words. I love mysteries because half the fun of mystery writing is getting there.
I am creative in other areas...such as counted cross stitch I think a lot of authors have other creative outlets. I know Merry used to quilt I am not sure if she still does or not but she made beautiful quilts and wall hangings.
I find the older I am getting the more my faith means to me and my values. I am poor as far as what the world thinks in terms of money but I have a lot to be thankful for in so many other areas.
Life has been good to me and I have friends, family and pets to prove it.
Frfank was diagnoised with Diabetes two years ago and that certainly has changed our lives and priorties. I've had health concerns but still we keep on and are thankful for the chance to do what we can while we can do it. But alas I am getting morbid...not that I have a foot in the grave as a matter of fact far from it. I never feel so young as I do when playing with my grandchildren.
My children keep me young and old.LOL.
I'm in a reflecting mood tonight but I love my life and while I might have changed the way I handled my writing career and a couple of minor things I can honestly say that Frank and I are at a good point in our lives we get to spend more time together and we do more together and have started enjoying eachother for who we are not who we wanted eachother to be. Frank has been doing a lot of woodworking making frames for my cross stitch and other things for other family members. He is getting ready to make Mishell some bookshelves in her office/reading room at her house.
Amy's birthday is today and she is 23...........she will start nursing school in Parsons in the fall but she also loves cooking, dogs, children and loves working at Wal-Mart.
Melissa loves working at the law office and Amanda loves being a mom, Frank Jr. works with handicapped children on a ranch in Oklahoma and he loves horseback riding. Mishell has had some job promotions and Shaun her husband works with handicapped adults.
Okay enough blathering...........

My Blatherings

Well I am thinking about writing an 'Historical Mystery' the concept I have for this is using Jesse James Widow and having her go undercover working as a detective for the 'Pinkerton Agency' or maybe she will run her own detective agency. I've been researching this idea for a while.
Maybe writing the first one this summer or fall.
Also another blather is that my daughter Melissa is getting married in March they are going to 'Vegas' to get married and I will watch Chase who is now five years old and a cutie.
I also will have a new grandbaby May 24th Amanda is finally getting her son she has wanted for a long time. He will be named after his daddy.
My daughter Mishell finally got moved to her farm and they have planted a huge garden as in tilled the whole field and then some she also has fruit trees and she plans on canning and possibly doing some freezing. This will be between baseball games (she coaches) and all three of her children are in baseball every year.
Our family is finally getting closer.
Melissa has started her first semester and KU in Lawerence. Her major is Politcal Science but she may very well go to Law School. She'll know more about that later as time goes on.
I'm half way through the book I am writing and should finish by April 15th. It will be the first book finished since Merry Stahel and I quit being coauthors and she went back to writing romances and I hear she has some books published. I decided that after trying to write with other coauthors I would go it alone. I think coauthoring is great IF you have the right partner who you can click with....however for me at this time I feel with menopause and other family obligations I will stick to writing my own books for now.
For me writing is like breathing and if I could do anything else I would but I can't so I am sure that writing mysteries is what I was meant to do. I don't aspire to be great or famous I just want to write and entertain people with my words. I love mysteries because half the fun of mystery writing is getting there.
I am creative in other areas...such as counted cross stitch I think a lot of authors have other creative outlets. I know Merry used to quilt I am not sure if she still does or not but she made beautiful quilts and wall hangings.
I find the older I am getting the more my faith means to me and my values. I am poor as far as what the world thinks in terms of money but I have a lot to be thankful for in so many other areas.
Life has been good to me and I have friends, family and pets to prove it.
Frfank was diagnoised with Diabetes two years ago and that certainly has changed our lives and priorties. I've had health concerns but still we keep on and are thankful for the chance to do what we can while we can do it. But alas I am getting morbid...not that I have a foot in the grave as a matter of fact far from it. I never feel so young as I do when playing with my grandchildren.
My children keep me young and old.LOL.
I'm in a reflecting mood tonight but I love my life and while I might have changed the way I handled my writing career and a couple of minor things I can honestly say that Frank and I are at a good point in our lives we get to spend more time together and we do more together and have started enjoying eachother for who we are not who we wanted eachother to be. Frank has been doing a lot of woodworking making frames for my cross stitch and other things for other family members. He is getting ready to make Mishell some bookshelves in her office/reading room at her house.
Amy's birthday is today and she is 23...........she will start nursing school in Parsons in the fall but she also loves cooking, dogs, children and loves working at Wal-Mart.
Melissa loves working at the law office and Amanda loves being a mom, Frank Jr. works with handicapped children on a ranch in Oklahoma and he loves horseback riding. Mishell has had some job promotions and Shaun her husband works with handicapped adults.
Okay enough blathering...........

My cross stitch

Hi everyone, it's me again I thought I would add that my Paula Vaughan is called 'Summer Breeze' you can find a picture of what it looks like at 123 Stitch on the web just go to patterns and look for Paula Vaughan or you can go to the Paula Vaughan site and it's listed there as well.
One of my WIP's in a Joan Elliot Piece called THE ANGEL OF CROSS STITCH it is a beautiful piece with a lot of color changes but will be worth the effort when finished.
Speaking of finished projects in the passed year I have finished a Halloween Snowman by Stoney Creek.
A Lizzie Kate FRIENDSHIP TEAPOT PIECE
A Lizzie Kate WANTED JOLLY MAN BEARING GIFTS
A Sue Hillis "G" IS FOR GINGERBREAD
TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE GINGERBREAD I don't remember who the designer is for this one but I think it's also Sue Hillis.
A LIZZIE KATE PUMPKIN
Hugs, Pamela