Two days before my husband and I were to celebrate our 13th anniversary he lost his wedding ring. He was devastated because he lost it out in the snow but didn't realize it until it had snowed even more. By the time he noticed it was gone, it was too dark to go look for it.
We both had our doubts that we would be able to find it especially when we returned to the spot where he thought he must have lost it only to find that the snow had been disturbed by birds and animals that had tromped through.
But two Christmas's ago, my husband had gotten me a metal detector. (Yes, I actually had asked for one.)
We took it and went in search of his ring. At first, no luck. Then the metal detector made a sound. We began to dig in the foot of snow.
And suddenly, there it was! My husband put it back on and hugged me.
I was a little surprised how upset he'd been when he'd lost it. I know it had some sentimental value but it is just a little gold band that he hadn't worn that long.
My husband had never worn a ring of any kind, not during his first marriage or when we got married. He didn't like rings. But as we were nearing our tenth anniversary three years ago, he said he wanted a wedding ring. I was touched that for sentimental reasons he had changed his mind.
We bought him one that matched mine and he has worn it ever since. The ring has become a symbol for both of us of his love for me. If I get irritated with him, all I have to do is look at the ring on his finger and I find myself smiling.
So that little band of gold means a lot to both us. He's happy to have it back on his finger and I'm happy that he is my husband. It's just a little love story.
Speaking of love stories... I have a short story in Woman's World magazine out this Friday.
Wishing all of you a very Happy Valentine's Day!!!!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Lovin' my new series covers
I couldn't be happier with my new covers. With covers, you just never know. The way it works is that you fill out some forms giving the art department three scenes that you think might work well on the cover. That doesn't mean that any of your ideas will make the cover.
But I feel like I lucked out. I wanted my heroine Deputy McCall Winchester on the cover since the first book in the Whitehorse: Winchester Ranch series (April) is hers.
The second book, Hitched!, is Jack's and Josey's story.
So you can imagine how happy I was to see Jack and Josey on the cover!
I have my fingers crossed that the next four books in the series will have covers I love too.
I have my fingers crossed that the next four books in the series will have covers I love too.
I have been writing the Winchesters stories for some time now and have fallen in love with them. I hope you do too.
The first book, Gun-Shy Bride, comes out in April followed by Hitched! in May and Boots and Bullets in June.
Then the next three: Twelve Gauge Guardian comes out in October followed by High Caliber Christmas in November and Winchester Christmas Wedding (McCall's big wedding at the ranch) in December.
It's been fun to spend a year with the Winchesters at the ranch. True there have been a lot of mysteries, a pretty high percentage of murders now that I think about it :) and lots of secrets. This is a family with plenty of skeletons in their closets.
So come spring, stop by Winchester Ranch. I think you'll like it.
BJ
Saturday, January 23, 2010
My computer: A love-hate relationship
I know it's my fault that my computer and I don't get along well. I expect a lot from it and yet don't try to under it at all.
I just want it to be there when I need it.
I know that sounds selfish and not much of a relationship. I have friends who love their computers unconditionally. They spend a lot of time finding out everything about them.
I'm sorry, but I don't care about all the things the computer can do. I just want my computer to do what I want it to do without any argument.
Recently my computer quit letting me open anything sent to me via email. I have no idea why. I click on the http and does it open? Nope.
My first response is to dump my computer. I feel betrayed and am ready to try a new relationship with another computer, maybe even a faster, slimmer, more fun one. One that responds when I need it to.
I know, what I probably need is a mediator. Someone to counsel me and my computer. I shouldn't blame the computer when I'm the one who seems to be having the problems.
But I live in a small town and don't know anyone who is computer smart. Unfortunately my husband has no interest in my computer and vice versa. So...
I turned to my laptop. I don't feel bad about it. On my laptop I realized I was able to add all of your comments from over the last two months. So I'm in love with my laptop, but knowing me, it's a love affair that is doomed. As soon as the laptop lets me down...well you know what's going to happen to it but I'd better not say in case the computer is listening.
I just want it to be there when I need it.
I know that sounds selfish and not much of a relationship. I have friends who love their computers unconditionally. They spend a lot of time finding out everything about them.
I'm sorry, but I don't care about all the things the computer can do. I just want my computer to do what I want it to do without any argument.
Recently my computer quit letting me open anything sent to me via email. I have no idea why. I click on the http and does it open? Nope.
My first response is to dump my computer. I feel betrayed and am ready to try a new relationship with another computer, maybe even a faster, slimmer, more fun one. One that responds when I need it to.
I know, what I probably need is a mediator. Someone to counsel me and my computer. I shouldn't blame the computer when I'm the one who seems to be having the problems.
But I live in a small town and don't know anyone who is computer smart. Unfortunately my husband has no interest in my computer and vice versa. So...
I turned to my laptop. I don't feel bad about it. On my laptop I realized I was able to add all of your comments from over the last two months. So I'm in love with my laptop, but knowing me, it's a love affair that is doomed. As soon as the laptop lets me down...well you know what's going to happen to it but I'd better not say in case the computer is listening.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Winter storm warning and writing
My favorite book will be coming out in April. It kicks off the 6-book Whitehorse: Winchester Ranch mini series. What is cool is that I got my heroine on the cover. That doesn't happen often. But Deputy McCall Winchester deserves the cover. It's her story.
Meanwhile, I'm working on next November's book and a winter storm warning advisory has been issued. The storm is headed this way and should reach here by 5 p.m. I just saw photos 300 miles south of here. Actually, all that showed on the TV screen was blowing white. Visibility: zero.
It's hard to say how much snow will actually fall. Whatever falls, it is definitely going to blow around. They are calling for high winds. Cold, snowy, windy. Gee, it doesn't get better than that -- if you're a polar bear.
Me, I'm feeling antsy. I'm hitting the peanut butter cookies, watching old movies on TV and doing my best to stay warm.
What I should be doing is writing -- writing a book. Yes, you guessed it, I'm at that point where I have to beat my head against the wall until I figure out what happens next. I'd be skinny, I just realized, if I plotted in advance. Well, maybe not.
This too shall pass. In fact as I started to make a raspberry pie, some more of the plot came to me. What is it about cooking?
I'm excited about the coming storm. It hasn't snowed for weeks. I miss seeing it snow. There is nothing like it. It's so quiet, so peaceful, so beautiful. It covers everything and is fun to play in. I'm a huge fan.
So I'm sitting here watching old movies, baking a pie, finishing off the peanut butter cookies and waiting for the storm. It might look as if I'm not writing today but guess what, that's exactly what I'm doing. By tomorrow I'll be at my computer really looking as if I'm writing. It's all part of the progess. Just like tomorrow I will be back on my diet. I hope.
Meanwhile, the raspberry pie will be coming out of the oven soon and it looks as if it's about to snow.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
What's a girl going to do?
I'm sitting here watching Yes Man. I know what you're thinking. Ah come on.
But I like the idea of saying yes to life. I like trying new things, meeting new people, taking chances. I like having fun and enjoying each day.
Unfortunately, I have days when I am happy to hide out in my office with just me and my pretend characters. It's easy to get into a rut.
It's not easy to get out of our comfort zones to try something new. I'm thinking about buying a Mac computer. I've always had a PC. Switching means I'm going to have to learn something new. What a hassle.
My husband recently bought a new fish finder for the boat. It comes with a thick instruction book. The deal I made with him was that he would install it and I would read the book. Now where did I leave that book? Shouldn't it be simple? I mean all I want is to know is where the fish are.
Yes Man makes saying yes look a lot easier than it is. But darn if Jim Carey isn't making it look like fun too. So many opportunities. It's just hard sometimes to know which ones to say yes to. That seems to be the theme of this movie.
Sometimes we have to say no, take one opportunity at a time and lock ourselves away until we nail that one down before we take on more.
I need to find the fish finder book before I get my new computer and have something else new to learn. Just like I need to finish this latest book before I start the next one.
Since I said yes to writing, I've tried to take every opportunity I've been offered. I've said yes to a lot of challenges and never want to stop doing that. It's scary though. But the alternative is to never take a chance and that's definitely a no-no.
2010 seems like a good time to say yes to whatever it is that we've all been putting on the back burner whether it is getting more exercise, losing weight, writing that book you've been talking about writing or just learning something new.
Do I hear a Yes?
But I like the idea of saying yes to life. I like trying new things, meeting new people, taking chances. I like having fun and enjoying each day.
Unfortunately, I have days when I am happy to hide out in my office with just me and my pretend characters. It's easy to get into a rut.
It's not easy to get out of our comfort zones to try something new. I'm thinking about buying a Mac computer. I've always had a PC. Switching means I'm going to have to learn something new. What a hassle.
My husband recently bought a new fish finder for the boat. It comes with a thick instruction book. The deal I made with him was that he would install it and I would read the book. Now where did I leave that book? Shouldn't it be simple? I mean all I want is to know is where the fish are.
Yes Man makes saying yes look a lot easier than it is. But darn if Jim Carey isn't making it look like fun too. So many opportunities. It's just hard sometimes to know which ones to say yes to. That seems to be the theme of this movie.
Sometimes we have to say no, take one opportunity at a time and lock ourselves away until we nail that one down before we take on more.
I need to find the fish finder book before I get my new computer and have something else new to learn. Just like I need to finish this latest book before I start the next one.
Since I said yes to writing, I've tried to take every opportunity I've been offered. I've said yes to a lot of challenges and never want to stop doing that. It's scary though. But the alternative is to never take a chance and that's definitely a no-no.
2010 seems like a good time to say yes to whatever it is that we've all been putting on the back burner whether it is getting more exercise, losing weight, writing that book you've been talking about writing or just learning something new.
Do I hear a Yes?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Brainstorming
I love brainstorming new books. But then who doesn't?
You can create a world that is all yours -- and you even get to populate it with the people you want in it. Picking out names for the people who will live there is the toughest for me. The name has to fit the character that has popped up in my imagination.
But once I get my world and my people who live there, the next step is to peek into that world and see what their problem is. No problem, no story. After that, we need some real conflict, i.e. a mystery. Usually conflict grows out of the story.
Yesterday, with only two books still to write about Winchester Ranch, I started thinking about my next books. It's a fun part of the process. What would I like to do? Who are these people? What is going on with them?
I came up with the Chisholm Cattle Company and a family with their own unique problems. I wanted six brothers -- but not like most brothers. I wanted instant conflict and problems. Then for each brother I needed a mystery.
It was great fun -- and also a little tougher after just completing my 50th book. It's a case of: What haven't I done that would be fun? Then: How can I twist that idea to make it a little different?
In my proposal, I wrote down a little about each book, establishing the characters, the conflict, the mystery/suspense and just enough background about the family to see if I had a story that could sustain six books.
I shipped it off to my editor via email and she got right back to me. It's a go!
Now I'm excited. This is the easy part. After I finish Winchester Ranch, I will again look at the proposal and hopefully not wonder what the heck was I thinking? That happens. A heated moment of inspiration can later turn out to be a story that just won't fly so I have to rethink it and come up with something that works better.
But usually if I liked the idea well enough, the story will grow into something because my characters are there waiting for me, ready to take me along for the ride. Stories have a way of doing that -- once you start writing. Sitting down and writing is the key to get things moving.
When I get stuck, I often write a friend about the problem and by the time I finish the email, I've realized what I need to do.
Now it is back to my work-in-progress, High Caliber Christmas part of the Whitehorse: Winchester Ranch 6-book series that begins in April. I'm not finished with this family. There is still so much that is going to happen so I will let the Chisholms go for now and return to my hero Jace who has more trouble than he can even imagine. More than even I can imagine at this point in the book.
This is the fun stuff about writing -- letting my imagination run wild. I'm about a hundred pages into the book. Anything can happen. This part is almost as good as brainstorming!
You can create a world that is all yours -- and you even get to populate it with the people you want in it. Picking out names for the people who will live there is the toughest for me. The name has to fit the character that has popped up in my imagination.
But once I get my world and my people who live there, the next step is to peek into that world and see what their problem is. No problem, no story. After that, we need some real conflict, i.e. a mystery. Usually conflict grows out of the story.
Yesterday, with only two books still to write about Winchester Ranch, I started thinking about my next books. It's a fun part of the process. What would I like to do? Who are these people? What is going on with them?
I came up with the Chisholm Cattle Company and a family with their own unique problems. I wanted six brothers -- but not like most brothers. I wanted instant conflict and problems. Then for each brother I needed a mystery.
It was great fun -- and also a little tougher after just completing my 50th book. It's a case of: What haven't I done that would be fun? Then: How can I twist that idea to make it a little different?
In my proposal, I wrote down a little about each book, establishing the characters, the conflict, the mystery/suspense and just enough background about the family to see if I had a story that could sustain six books.
I shipped it off to my editor via email and she got right back to me. It's a go!
Now I'm excited. This is the easy part. After I finish Winchester Ranch, I will again look at the proposal and hopefully not wonder what the heck was I thinking? That happens. A heated moment of inspiration can later turn out to be a story that just won't fly so I have to rethink it and come up with something that works better.
But usually if I liked the idea well enough, the story will grow into something because my characters are there waiting for me, ready to take me along for the ride. Stories have a way of doing that -- once you start writing. Sitting down and writing is the key to get things moving.
When I get stuck, I often write a friend about the problem and by the time I finish the email, I've realized what I need to do.
Now it is back to my work-in-progress, High Caliber Christmas part of the Whitehorse: Winchester Ranch 6-book series that begins in April. I'm not finished with this family. There is still so much that is going to happen so I will let the Chisholms go for now and return to my hero Jace who has more trouble than he can even imagine. More than even I can imagine at this point in the book.
This is the fun stuff about writing -- letting my imagination run wild. I'm about a hundred pages into the book. Anything can happen. This part is almost as good as brainstorming!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Come on new year!
Okay, I'm ready for the Christmas tree to come down, the ornaments to go back into the boxes and pine needles to be vacuumed up.
I had a great holiday, but once Christmas is over, I'm ready for things to go back to normal. Well, as normal as they can be at my house.
I'm ready for the new year. I have all kinds of plans starting with putting our presents away and getting back to work. Okay, you know me, I've been working. When you have a book deadline looming, there is no such thing as a holiday. (The truth is, I love my work and I'm working on Whitehorse: Winchester Ranch Reloaded and having great fun writing it. So I just want to get back to work!)
Come on, don't you get antsy after you've eaten fudge and cookies and treats for several weeks? Don't you say, enough already! Maybe it is just me. I can only celebrate the holidays so long before I'm ready for my real life.
I actually long to have my living room back sans the giant tree in the middle of it. I long to go back to my office and not feel like I'm the only one in the world who has to work that day. I long for the new year to get on with it.
I know, I sound like Scrouge. But Christmas is past and I can see the future January 1 looming. I am ready to ring in the new year with all its promise. (It's the optimist in me that there will be something promising coming.)
I'm even ready to do something about my New Year Resolutions. Yep, same ones as last year. I am such a creature of habit. But maybe this will be the year that I accomplish at least one of my resolutions. Now there's something to look forward to!
So come on 2010, I'm ready!!
I had a great holiday, but once Christmas is over, I'm ready for things to go back to normal. Well, as normal as they can be at my house.
I'm ready for the new year. I have all kinds of plans starting with putting our presents away and getting back to work. Okay, you know me, I've been working. When you have a book deadline looming, there is no such thing as a holiday. (The truth is, I love my work and I'm working on Whitehorse: Winchester Ranch Reloaded and having great fun writing it. So I just want to get back to work!)
Come on, don't you get antsy after you've eaten fudge and cookies and treats for several weeks? Don't you say, enough already! Maybe it is just me. I can only celebrate the holidays so long before I'm ready for my real life.
I actually long to have my living room back sans the giant tree in the middle of it. I long to go back to my office and not feel like I'm the only one in the world who has to work that day. I long for the new year to get on with it.
I know, I sound like Scrouge. But Christmas is past and I can see the future January 1 looming. I am ready to ring in the new year with all its promise. (It's the optimist in me that there will be something promising coming.)
I'm even ready to do something about my New Year Resolutions. Yep, same ones as last year. I am such a creature of habit. But maybe this will be the year that I accomplish at least one of my resolutions. Now there's something to look forward to!
So come on 2010, I'm ready!!
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