Category Archives: WTF

Spa Buzz

It sounds silly, but: I survived the MWO. Within an hour of being at our desert spa destination, I toured, floated on rafties in that one charming pool, flew on tiptoes to my chaise, applied Burt’s Bees sunblock to my nose, … Continue reading

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Notes From SW

Many research scribbles in my notebook, now a crinkled, battered thing from sitting in the soak zones at the marine mammal shows. When you see dolphins, pilot whales and orcas that close, when sharks glide right over your head, when … Continue reading

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Reveries

I’ve been seeing so many people from my past lately—I mean the past past, hazy-rocketing back to elementary school and working up from there—and it’s affected my dreaming. I have hosted reunions in my dream homes, welcoming total strangers to parties … Continue reading

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Avoidance: 10:30a.m.

Terrified to read my latest revisions, terrified to admit terror to self-terrorized Self, I have: Vacuumed, cleaned the parakeet’s cage, vacuumed, watered outside, worked out (oh the lengths my terror shoves me), and almost resorted to brushing the dog. Made … Continue reading

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See World

Soon, this extremely amateur marine scientist, dolphin lover, anti-orcas-in-big-pools-putting-on-shows type, One Who Is Against Ray Petting Whether 2 Fingers Are Used Instead Of Your Whole Hand Or Not As You’re Still Diminishing The Ray’s Mucus Layer And Once That Happens They Get … Continue reading

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Quote(s) For The Weekend (Carmageddon Edition)

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.  ~Peter De Vries The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it.  ~Dudley Moore The longest journey begins with a … Continue reading

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Quote For The Weekend (Late Edition)

On Writing Retreats: “WTF!” —-Anonymous (but I happen to know she gets highlights in her hair)

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When I Write

I might wake up many times during any night due to: Nightmares involving fedora-wearing aliens intent on making off with my son. The certainty that I have heard a loud noise, which means rising from bed and checking my son’s room and the rest … Continue reading

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Going Home

The problem with zipping up to my hometown some weekends is not the going-home-traffic turning 75 miles into 750, not that I rarely get any writing done because of the endless activities, not the June gloom (kindly vanishing for the … Continue reading

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Harsh Is Harsh

  Read the 30 Harshest Author-On-Author Insults In History, compiled by writer Emily Temple for Flavorwire: http://flavorwire.com/188138/the-30-harshest-author-on-author-insults-in-history Here are a few samples: 27. Harold Bloom on J.K. Rowling (2000) “How to read ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’? Why, very quickly, … Continue reading

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How Do I Really Feel

When an agent lets me know why he/she is passing on my manuscript after a request to read more (but not all), do I honestly appreciate the feedback? Do I? As I morph into the spitting image of Munch’s scream subject (obviously a multiply … Continue reading

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Quote For Saturday

Easy reading is damn hard writing.  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Piddlings

I printed out a “finished” poem and left it on the chair next to my bed desk. I left the room. When I returned, I discovered that fearless, scratches-inflicting, wild, out of control, great white shark-mouthed and terminally cute Diggory-The-Kitten had … Continue reading

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Monday Tussle

Welllllllll…Soooooooooooo…It’s one of those mornings when you use that refrain as you do a Trader Joe’s run, a shoestore run for the little guy, a Target run and a Lowe’s run because you can’t live without knowing if they have … Continue reading

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No Whining

No whining when it’s hard to write/revise because: 1. because a dog charged your cats at 6:00a.m. and in her haste to control her animal, the owner, lunging across your front yard and bashing into the wall below your kitchen … Continue reading

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Finished

Perhaps it’s in bad form to compare this novel to the Twilight series, but I am struck by how much more horror-packed credible dystopia is than books with credible, contemporary vampires and their various friends and foes. Yes, I’m still … Continue reading

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There’s No Place Like Hush

It’s April. I’m quiet. I’m revising. Being a vigilant mother. Cooking for house guests (i.e. Costco-ing for house guests). Hulu-ing Parenthood (help me, Obi Wan—it’s my only vice). Typing in my quips on Facebook (help me, O.W.—it’s my only other … Continue reading

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Welcome Vibrations

A striking thing happened this morning after dropping my son off at his preschool. I returned home, did not check email, vacuum up dog hair, make a Trader Joe’s list, stare intently at Yahoo news while groaning at the spelling … Continue reading

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Fever!

I need the sort of writing fever that allows multi-tasking. I need to be able to be ill AND revise a novel and engage the 3 year old and toss the tennis ball for the dog, fold laundry, garden (i.e. yank … Continue reading

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Happy Resolutions!

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Writing Fever

It’s going to take longer for me to reach my number one goal. I can’t rush this revision, even if I wanted to. Yes, domestics ALWAYS come into play when it comes to writing, such as: My son’s flu, this … Continue reading

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New Schedules

Suddenly it’s November 16th and my son and I have been attending preschool as his Mama transitions him into a new adventure three mornings a week. If all goes well and he enjoys preschool, my writing life will receive a … Continue reading

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Poet Distracted By Whales

Had to take a break from editing Trouble. Did so by editing a new poem. It’s almost 9p.m. My spouse has once again passed out with the toddler when putting him to bed. There is nothing to distract me from editing … Continue reading

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Time (said in 3 syllables)

Currently difficult to impossible to fathom where the time is going, has gone. October nearly vanished, we are actually moving into the hyper-acceleration months of November and December, when Thanksgiving and Christmas bleed into one and my son turns 3. Another year … Continue reading

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Pack Leader

I have not posted of late. See picture on left. We brought him into our pack and I have been adjusting to the dog element as it relates to freaked out housecats and a toddler with beaucoup d’energy. Le French … Continue reading

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