Hi everyone, it's been awhile since I've posted. I've been really busy! In addition to getting the book ready for launch, I have been engulfed in school. My summer reading has consisted of large text books that could double as boat anchors! But, it's all good. Of course, I have been busy on Twitter too ;-)

It hasn't been all work. I've been riding several days per week, which is a great way to clear my head from the studying and all the decisions about the book. Sometimes I have no idea which direction my stories should go, and am often seen slamming my head on the table trying to figure it out. Then, I go for a ride and somehow what the direction becomes clear, I stop banging my head, and I no longer require advil or feel the need to cover the red mark on my forehead. I'm getting used to letting go and letting the story write itself. Sometimes it really does seem like the story takes charge.

I went on vacation to Edisto Beach in South Carolina. I LOVE it! It's such a gorgeous place, not commercial or touristy, and wonderful for hanging out on the beach all day and reading a book. That is pretty much what I did. The problem is, I am really, REALLY white. I slathered myself in 50 sunscreen three times a day and I still burned! Luckily that burn is becoming a tan and the sting is going away.

Speaking of sting, I got stung by a jellyfish within five minutes of being in the water on the first day. If you get stung by a jellyfish, here's a tip the locals will give you: Take wet sand and rub it over the sting. I would never have thought of rubbing sand over a part of my body that is stinging because, ouch, right? Well, it works! The sand takes the jelly off and it stops stinging. I unfortunately did not know this, and by the time I got back to the house my skin was irritated. My wonderful aunt poured meat tenderizer into my hands which I rubbed over the sting. It worked pretty well and removed the jelly, and the sting was gone by the next day.

Anyway, it was a wonderful trip. I have family in SC and we try to get there once a year. We had a great time hanging out and engaging in our own form of debauchery. This included karaoke, singing in the kitchen, trying to learn the electric slide, and a fight involving water that escalated quickly from a flick of water in someone's face to a full-scale water cannon fight. At night. Mostly outside.

Okay, onto book news. I have been pouring over the manuscript like a crazy person, making last minute changes. I am just about to declare it "finished", and that is a terrifying proposition. Once it is released to the world, I can't take it back to fix any typos or change the story. I guess that's not completely true, since it will be published as an ebook initially and can be changed and re-uploaded to Amazon etc. But I'd rather not have to change anything after the fact.

The title and cover of the book will be released soon! We have been tossing around some different names for the book and have finally decided on one. I can't wait to reveal! I can't wait until you all get to read it this Fall.

Thanks for your patience. I have enjoyed connecting with people on Twitter etc, and am amazed at the support I've received without even having a book out yet. Thank you so much :)

I will keep you posted on the reveal for the title and cover. Until then, summer is still going strong. Remember to get out there and play!

:)

HH

Interesting idea for barn safety plan. Click here.
 

Is anyone doing Camp NanoWrimo this year?

For those who might not know, NanoWrimo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Every November, writers from around the world hit the ground running (or the laptop sitting?) in an effort to write a 50000 word novel from scratch in one month!

I participated in it in 2011 and finished (I skipped 2012 because I was too busy with school), and I have a resulting manuscript that I have been meaning to finish. It's kind of dark and scary, different from my usual stuff. Anyway, this year they are having CAMP NANOWRIMO in April. The rules are more flexible - you can pick your word count and work on all kinds of different projects. You also get assigned into virtual cabins with like-minded people - kind of like real camp, but online!

I am going to enter this year, and my goal is to finish book one of my series - it's so close and it just needs the final push before I can finally release it to the world..... and I would like that final push to be finished by the end of April. The camp Nanowrimo is perfect timing.

Here's the link. Check it out, maybe I'll see you there :)

http://campnanowrimo.org/

Dear new friends:

I am SO excited! Why? Well, for starters, the first book of my new series that I have been working on for what feels like forever is close to being done. Second, I finally started this site and blog!  This will allow us to connect and get to know each other. This is about a journey, one that began by putting finger to keyboard and one that will see the creation of new stories along the way. It is a journey I want to share with you. So, I will be blogging about being an indie writer, horses, being creative, and whatever else happens in my life that might sound interesting.  

The book will (hopefully) be finished by Spring, and I want to connect with anyone who is interested in it. I feel like this book is for you just as much as it is for me. After all, a book needs readers. I love to write, and some writing I keep to myself, but I definitely want to share this one!

Please come back for more updates and news about the book. This website is brand new and I have a lot of work to do on it, but I will be sharing more about the story (without giving too much away).

Thanks for coming by! :)

HH