So, tomorrow is October first. . .

I have again signed up for the Book in a Month Challenge. Since I have not been seperated from Emergrence long enough; I have decided rather than delve into the editing mode, I will begin the sequel of Emergernce called Latent for now.

I know this is the way I need to go. Emergence is still too close emotionally and mentally for me to go back and objectively edit and work on it yet. Latent will be the perfect distraction while Emergence sits on the back burner and simmers for a bit.

Here is to another forty thousand word month like September ehe?

AHHHH the Pain. . .

So I had this bug up my nose and decided at the tender age of almost 40 to start taking Karate classes. I called around and found two classes Kenpo and Tang Soo Do. After talking about it I decided to do the Tang Soo Do. I love my teacher, he is really nice and is conscious of the fact that I am old and overweight. He is patient and kind.

We do a serious work out and then practice hits blocks and kicks. Idid take Tang in HS and was a green belt but I have forgotten mostof it but my body seems to remember it. I was doing round kicks tonight and I was paired up with this 16 yo boy, he got all shocked and stated that I had alot of power in my kicks. It made me feel good. I come home from class on a high. Excited and wanting to bend anybodys ear that I can.

Why do this you ask? Well my MC in my book is a black belt and a bo staff expert. I want to experience it too. Besides I am getting a dang good workout. :)

I saw a window sticker on a car recently that said
"Burn the longboats. Failure is not an option."

That is how I feel I'm not getting any younger and I am out of shape this is going to kick my butt but I'll be better for it.

On canning. . .

DEe asked about canning and frankly untill this year I was a canophobe. I'd rather have suffered the humiliation of my husbands grandmother saying "Good heavens you don't can?" than touch a mason jar. Now I am excited about canning. These are the jars of Grape juice I did all by myself Saturday night.

So here it goes. With pictures of course. :)

K you need one small pan, a steam bath canner, a large pan for your fruit, jars, lids, rings, and at least a gripper tool to take the jars in and out of the pan. Fruit, sugar, lemon juice, and pectin.



So we picked and washed the peaches off the tree and placed them in the pan to parboil. It makes them easier to peel. Wash your bottles seals and rings in hot soapy water. At the same time fill your steam bath canner with water and place your bottles in it to warm up.

Then as your steambath canner is heating place your seals in the small pan with water and bring both to 180 degrees.



Peel pit and squish your peaches and place 4 cups of them in the other large pan. Add 7 1/2 cups of sugar if you want it to be really sweet. 1/4 cups of lemon juice and bring the peach mixture to a rolling boil. remove from heat add one package of pectin bring to a boil for one minute. (We used half the sugar for a less sweet taste.) It makes less jam but worth it for the taste I think.




Ladle the fruit mixture into the jars withiin 1/4 of the top clean the edge of the jar and place a hot seal on the bottle and then a ring tighten it and place the jar in the pan. when all of the jars are filled boil the jam for 15 minutes and remove the jars and leave them alone. The lids will "pop" as they seal.




I RECOMEND THAT YOU GET THE "BLUE BOOK" OF CANNING AND BUY THE LATEST EDITION THINGS CHANGE AS RESEARCH IS DONE. THE NEW BOK IS THE SAFEST FOR HOME CANNING.

Hope this makes sense, Enjoy.

The side effects of buying a home.

These are the actual containers of peach jam, and pickles. I couldn't find the cable to link my camera to my laptop the other day.

We bought this house without me ever seeing the inside. I saw the front as we stopped and stared at it for a moment.

When we moved in it was November and I didnt get to see the yard untill spring time. I am not a green thumb but still love certain plants. I was excited when I found that I had purple Hibiscus and coral white and lilac roses in my front yard, and that I had Peonys, Shasta daisys and Lillys in my side yard along with a golden delicious apple tree and a peach tree. We spent time this spring and summer taking good care of the trees and said plants and were rewarded with a peach tree that is bursting with peaches, and a tree full of apples too.

So as the peaches are begining to drop off the tree I have sent my kids out to gather them up. (They love picking them off the ground.) We have begun to preserve them. So far we have 14 jars of peach jam, and 11 jars of homemade pickles. I was surprised it isnt as hard as i thought and doesnt take as long either. but boy is my kitchen floor STICKY after we are done with the peaches. Next job bottling peaches and making apple sauce.

The Santa Letters by Stacy Gooch-Anderson

One year ago on Christmas Eve, William died. For Emma, the hit-and-run driver killed more than her husband; he killed her joy in life itself.

Now, as Christmas approaches again, Emma Jensen finds herself sinking into depression that nothing can breach--not her job, not her love for her children, and certainly not the season. Money is tight, and emotions are taut, and this year Christmas will be a meager, empty, and painful experience. Only six-year-old McKenna believes in miracles and the magic of Christmas. The rest of the family knows that Christmas can never be the same.

But when a mysterious package and an ornate letter arrive on the doorstep, things begin to change. Each day, a package and a letter signed "Santa" arrive for the family, and together they come to understand that the joy of Christmas does not have to be lost forever, and that God's love can heal any wound, no matter how deep.

The Santa Letters will take the Jensens on a journey through a Christmas experience that will have the power to heal them all.

To visit her amazing website click on the link in my sidebar.




I will admit that this was a difficult book to read. The book is awesome, and well written. The story is wonderfull. This is my niece McKensie, she was diagonosed at the tender age of 9 monts old with AML Lukemia. She is fighting for her life and has very little chance to survive. Her disease is chemotharapy resistant and she cant remain in remission long enough to get a bone marrow transplant. However small miracles such as her brother being a 10/10 match for the transplant keep our hopes buoyed up. Death and loss is dificult but with the help of our Savior and others; we can survive even the darkest hours of our lives.

To visit McKensies website see the sidebar also.

It Is Done!!!!!!

So. . . after two months of writing and plotting with my BFF. Emergence-rough draft is finished. It is short just under 53,000 words and unedited. So my next project is to edit the current work and flesh it out and fix the few plot issues I have in it. I am Excited!!! This has gone as fast and well as my vampire story did.

Well BIAM is over. :(

Sadly I have to report that Tristi's book in a month challenge is over. I love these challenges because I push myself to write more words on my WIP. (And find creative ways to get it done inbetween kids and house.) We were steaming through July and some of us wanted to continue through August so we did. In two months I wrote a total of 56,257 words. (aprox 160 pages.) 28,344 in July, 27,758 in Aug. Now that the challenge is over and I still have half my Ms to write I am adding an entry on my sidebar for current word count. I hope to have this MS done and submitted by the end of the year.

some of you may have noticed. . .

I don't post many links, that is just me. However I have found a few writers links I'd like to share with you because of the exceptional value to writers. I will add a section to my sidebar.

I have a theme.

Sometimes circumstances whirl out of control and there is noting to do but watch as your life becomes fodder in a tornado. Last week was like that. I was the little Dutch boy that kept the entire dam from exploding by sticking his little finger in the hole. And events in my life not caused by anyone just the culmination of EVERYTHING, caused the entire dam to explode. It was a rough week all around. There are many things that I could wrongfully blame it on. Those of you who know me know the circumstances in detail.

I thank every one of you who lent me support in my time of need; (even those anonymous ones). I wish to assure you that in fact I have withdrawn my white towel of uncertainty and I am writing again. Not only have I written over 8,000 words this weekend. I have also found a serious online critique group which is just what I needed. (hi guys) Everything that happened last week led me to where I am this week and I am better for it.

I heard a song Thursday that I have adopted as my theme it is by Natalie Grant I think; the title is:

“I Will Not Be Moved.”

The song touched me deeply and whenever I have rough days I will try to remember that the adversary is trying to discourage me and that I need to say to him.

“I Will Not Be Moved.”

I am a writer and I have a message that needs to be heard.