Things to Celebrate

Did you know what yesterday was? What an amazing historical event transpired? I wasn't there when it happened and only learned about it later when I saw it on an old VHS tape.  Thirty-one years ago was released. It was filmed in Astoria, Oregon where they have a yearly celebration. The Goonies is a movie that holds up well over the years and has gained new fans from each generation since it was made.
The Goonies

"Goonies never say die."
"Hey, you guuuys!"

What am I reading? Busy indulging in Tuck Watley: Freedom Fighter Fighter by Brandon Meyers and Bryan Pedas. I almost forgot to write this post. Review coming soon. It will be difficult to write one without spoilers. My husband was asking me all evening what I'm laughing at because I almost never laugh out loud when reading.

What am I watching? Game of Thrones every Sunday night. This Saturday, Hell on Wheels starts its final run. I've really enjoyed that series though it can be painful to watch. Person of Interest is almost over also. Only two episodes left. I hope some of the main characters live at the end but I'm not hopeful. A few more shows are coming back over the summer but none that I'm terribly excited to see.

Ankle and ribs are doing better but still a long way from 100%. It has slowed me down with my outside chores but I'm getting a little done at a time.

My sister from Mississippi is visiting at the end of next week. Fun times expected. An anniversary for my husband and I. We'll be celebrating 34 years. Whew, where did that go? What is the secret for a long and happy marriage? Pick the right partner for starts, someone you like as well as love. And practice forgiveness. No one is perfect. Be kind, patient and supportive. My guy is all that. He does think he's the model for all my romance novels, and I'll never tell him different.

I have my daughter for two more weeks before she leaves for Morocco. We have so many things to do between now and then.

The WIP is still going slow. Not enough coffee, I think. My publisher isn't bugging me about it. Yet.

What are you watching this summer? What are your reading this week? Are you a Goonie fan? Anything to add to my recipe for a long, happy marriage?

Summer Fare

I don't watch tons of TV but there are some shows I enjoy. I often as not watch them on demand as live, but I still try to keep up. More and more the TV shows  I watch are not on the major networks. I watching last season Hell on Wheels as I write this. I've been enjoying Graceland on USA, Copper on BBC America, and Defiance on Syfy.

I'm so glad those cable stations pick up the entertainment slack in the summer. I like those little stations competing against the big guys even if some of the have affiliation with the big networks. I love how they're making inroads into the rankings of top shows and how some of them attract some big stars to appear on them and how they give a break to some actors just starting out.

These shows on networks like AMC, USA, SyFy, and others like them remind me of the independent publishers competing against the powerhouses based in New York. More and more fans are finding the quality work put out by some of these wonderful presses. More readers are finding new authors and falling in love with them. Those tough little presses don't get the exposure, the big advertising dollars or special spots in the front of the book store. But new technologies like ereaders (like on demand programing) levels the playing field quite a bit.

So this summer when you're packing for that trip to the beach or even a stacation on the deck, pick up that light weight ereader, buy some books from small presses and enjoy the wonderful offerings of the 'little guys' who are making a big splash.

Don't forget this Wednesday is Alex Cavanaugh's Insecure Writers Support Group.

How do you spend your TV hours? What summer fare are you enjoying? Are you giving a little love to any small presses lately?

Focus?

How focused are you when you write? Do you need perfect quiet? Do you need a clear desktop? Can you close a door and shut out the rest of the world or even just your own household?

I grew up in a large family, four sisters and two brothers. The only desk in the house belonged to my dad and none of us were allowed to use it. I usually did my homework sitting on the floor or on the sofa. The TV would be on and my brothers and sisters would be around doing their own homework or arguing like siblings do. I learned early on how to tune out what was going on around me. It served me well through high school and college when I could read and study no matter what was going on around me.

As an adult with four children, I think I've grown in my talents of concentration. Entire conversations go on around me, sometimes directed  at me, and I might never hear them if I'm reading, writing, or working on this blog. And on the flip side of that, I actually work better when I have a little noise to ignore. I almost always have a movie, Netflix or a DVD, running in the background when I write. (Season 1 of Hell on Wheels right now) I concentrate better. My early training I suppose.  I do tend to pick a video that will fit the mood of what I'm writing. The Marine's Heiress is in a pretty dark, dangerous place right now.

Don't forget today is the official release day of James Garcia's Seeing Ghosts. Check out his facebook page. 

Today is also the last day I have to actually teach at school. The next four days are just babysitting and clean up. A few of my classes choked me up as we said our goodbyes last Friday, but I managed not to cry. Mostly I've been smiling a lot.

How are you at focusing while you write or read? Are you lucky enough to be able to lock a door and leave the world outside? Do you ever set the mood for what you're writing with music or a movie? Do your family or your friends ever get irritated with you because you tuned them out when you're reading or writing?