First Submissions

Well, I did it. I sent in my first submission. April 20, 2005 I sent a story to Woman's World. Whether or not someone will even read it is another story. :-)
I will keep posts on how long it takes to hear back from them, so come back in about six months, LOL.
I'm eating pizza while typing, so when I finish it I suppose I'll give a tell all account on mailing my submission. ;-)

Okay here goes, I'm a night person so while hubby sleeps, I put on the finishing touches on my query and ms short story, fill out addresses and so forth, then place the huge envelope by the alarm clock to make sure hubby remembers to take it with him to the post office for stamps and mailing. I finally go to bed, then when I wake up to three demanding children the next morning what do I see? A big white envelope! Ok no sweat. It's just a few hours, no big deal.
Hubby gets home quite early from work, and after I tweak the ms and query/cover letter some more (why waste a good opportunity?) I give in and bite the bullet. We load the kids up, and drive out to the post office.

Hubby being the good hubby he is, goes in and has it weighed and all that. He comes back to the car and gets in. So there, it's mailed. I'm nervous, but I believe myself to be fine. After all, it's paper and ink. It may not be the grandest words ever written, but people use words everyday. Nothing to get excited over.

"Go back and get it!" I laugh and cry, as panic takes over. "I can't let someone read that!"
Hubby is busy laughing at his now hysterical wife.
"I can't. It's now federal property. I'd be breaking the law."
He is enjoying my torcher. I see that through my dewy eyes. My face is wet with emotions that I'm not sure are good or bad. But very emotional.
he breaks into my personal thoughts of stupidity at crying. "Why don't you want anyone to read it?"
"Because," I sputter, "it came out of my head and it's stupid!"
"No, it's not." he says in a surprisingly gentle way. "Your writing is very good."
I groan at this. He is king of one liners. "I think it's very good." Top on his list to use when he has nothing else to say.
I'm still wiping tears that are streaming down my face uncontrollably and we're both still laughing. (Did I forget to mention I never shut up with the nervous laughter.)
He sees someone he knows as he pulls into a grocery parking lot, pretending like he's going to hit the guy. I start swatting his arm, both for pretending to hit a person with the car, and for drawing attention to us with my face streaked with fresh tears. The nerve of that man! LOL

We soon came home where I instantly logged in to Romance Divas and reread the kind words from the girls there. I came back to earth on a feather pillow, because I've discovered that's what they do. Supply you with a soft landing on planet earth. You're not on a pedistal, you're on earth to face the trials here in the publishing world, but at least it's a soft, safe landing. Thanks, gals.

So even when I get the rejection letter I'm sure will follow, it will be okay. Just the first I hope, may not be the last, but there's no way to become published without a rejection or acceptance. 50 -50. But unless we send in a request for one or the other it's a 100% garantee we will not be published. I'll take my chances. :-)

Happy Writing!

Website

well, I never blog about my website, so here goes:

I recently began learning how to make my own website. I have some free space so I figure why not use it? Great procastination tool for writing let me tell ya. I love making new pages and learning new special features to put up. So I put some up. I put one of my stories on there too.

Then I had an email from one of my writing groups asking ME (as if I'm a good writer and not the flop I feel like!) if she can email the story to children in her family. YES I say. She says the nicest things and wonders where I'm published. I'm not, I say. But what a compliment!!!!! She likes my story and thinks I'm pubbed! Thank you thank you!!! I needed that lift today. I've been down and out. So if you (and you know who you are) read my blog at any point after sending me the email ---Thank you. I hope everything is wonderful with you and yours.

oh, yeah anyone who wants to go to my website there are two.

http://geocities.com/nightprowlersdaughter
http://home.centurytel.net/writinghappy

Happy blogging everyone!

The Phoenix

One of the Romance Divas made a comparison of Romance Divas to the phoenix so I thought I'd post this for others wondering where the forums are...

The phoenix. A legendary creature.

This extraordinary bird, rises up from the ashes, reborn.

Many themes have been written about this ability to overcome hardships. Few actually earn it like....

Romance Divas! Live on!!

And we thought the signature color red was for romance....
We burn up the net!!!!

Glad to see the forums up and running girls! I knew you could do it!

Anyone that was previously a member needs to re-register for the new improved site!
www.romancedivas.com

Sorry I can't remember the Diva who first said Romance Divas were like the Phoenix, but let me know who it was, and I'll fill it in proper! :-)

The Great Diva Crash of 2005!

Well, folks, this is it! I've heard of the stock market crashes, plane crashes, 9/11, many website crashes etc., But this one affects a targeted group of people...
Romance Divas!!
Those ladies are working hard on getting the Romance Divas site back up. Be patient they are pumping life back into their baby and I'm sure we will all be clapping and cheering when that baby is up, running and can come out to play with us again!
Great going girls!
We'll be waiting on ya!

Drive up memory lane

The time changed for daylight savings time. I crawled into bed sometime around daybreak and after two days of wet, dark dreary weather the sky burst into a brilliant shade of blue. I awoke to glorious hurtful sunshine begging me to come out and play. I plan things to do most everyday and rarely follow the list. This morning (midday?) the sun beaconed me to go home to the place I grew up. I have felt as dreary as the weather but my trip and the sun cheered me up so much. I went through my usual burst of tears when I can to the property that once was mine. Kids were playing in one of my favorite spots and joy and sorrow spiked through me. A true turning point for me I think.

My husband and children were with me on this journey but I'm always alone too. I am alone in the memories. I can share stories with them and reminisce my times there, but they can never fully 'see' the pictures in my mind. They can never live the life I lived. Which also makes me sad and also glad. Many things I'd never want them to go through, while others I think gee how much they missed out. Like riding in the back of pickup trucks. That was so much fun. Now so many states (with mostly good reason) outlawed it. Not that I even have a pickup for my kids to ride in, but still...

So anyway, I had this idea for a paranormal twist to my newest WIP and wanted a certain 'ghost story', but when I stopped at an old friend's house, she was unable to remember the details. Of course that can be fun in writing also having to make new things up as I go along. Who knows where my new information will go. I have some wonderful luck with just winging it, so I guess I'm a panster when it comes to book writing. For example, I don't even remember typing the previous sentence: Who knows where my new information will go.

On the way home, with the kids asleep, hubby and I were able to joke, laugh, and travel down our own memory lane, as we passed our own 'old stomping grounds' that just happens to be in between my childhood home and where we live. The lightheartedness followed us all the way home.

When life gets you down or just bored, take a drive up or down memory lane and see where it takes you.