Good things come to those who wait

So, I had to abruptly end my blog last evening.  My baby came out of his room sobbing like nothing I've ever seen before!  He had a nightmare...that's never happened before - well, if he has had one, it's never affected him that way!  I had to go and hold him and sing to him.  Sorry for that, folks, but, as the title implies, there is more in store for you! :)

So, where was I?  Oh, yes, the demon.  Trent named the one in the last book and we were at Barnes and Noble the other night, having tea and scones, I asked him if he would care to name the next one.  His choice: An'glar.  (I don't know what's with the apostrophe, but, hey, whatever works, right?)  It sounds good to me.  This is actually the TYPE of demon it will be, not it's actual name.  I have him working on that one as we speak!  He really gets into the fact that I'm writing, which is awesome.  I hope that I influence him to create his own stories.  He does well at creating characters - usually robot zombies that he draws and then comes to me to tell me all about...lol.  Boys are kinda great!

Ok, so, I guess that's all I've got.  I wanted to tell you all more of my story, but I'm not so much in story mode at the moment...hope it's not killing anyone to know - I figured I'd try to post more later this week.  I've been reading all weekend trying to catch up, so I'm really in reader mode at the moment, not writer mode...

Of course, I've taken on too much again

First, a fond farewell to a very talented human being!
http://www.slate.com/id/2289158/

So today I met with my friend who will be directing Little Shop of Horrors this summer at SLT.  She has asked me to stage manage the show and a year ago, when she asked, I didn't hesitate.  I've done this show before, I love it, it is a blast!  HOWEVER, things have changed so severely since last year...I am still going to try to keep my promise, but I let her know how busy my schedule is and that if at any time I couldn't honor my committment, then she needed to be read to replace me.  I  have to meet with her again this next week to solidfy schedules, but I just hope I can keep up with everything!

Still thinking about the new story.  Since my son named the demon in last book (a Zar'leith - cool, right?!), I asked him to name the one for this book as well.  I didn't want the same type of demon, because the Zar'leith, although intelligent, isn't nearly as smart as this new one.

Ok, have to end this blog suddenly...continued tomorrow!  I promise! :)

It's Gettin A Little Hectic

So, today I realized just how hectic my schedule has become.  I really should not have gone to that education conference in Bossier.  I should have stayed home finishing my papers so I wouldn't be up til all hours tonight!  LOL  I think I'm defective...I thrive on chaos in my life.  If there's not ten things going on at one time, then there's something wrong!  The conference was wonderful, though and very inspiring.  I'm always inspired by getting together with other advocates and strengthening the bonds to help our kids.  I learned that a letter I wrote recently about our experience with restraint and seclusion has made it into the hands of one of our local legislators who was 'very moved' by it!  How exciting!  I was trained in how to write, change and influence policy regarding people with disabilities and try to stay involved in the community efforts as much as possible.  Plus a dear friend from Lake Charles was the keynote speaker and I haven't seen her in about 5 years so, we went to dinner and just had a blast!  So, yeah, even though it cramped my homework time, I am glad I went.

I'm in total agony over this new story.  Trying to keep it on the back burner is painful!  LOL  I find myself writing in the car, while waiting on a train, in a parking lot, or picking up my son.  I keep my notebook on my desk at work in case an idea strikes...So, basically, you have this cleric-type, you know, a healer but also a fairly good warrior, who has been chosen by his diety to represent in the world of mortals.  He has proven himself time and again and helped in the effort to bring back the dragons that were banished from the world but also made the balance of good and evil shift too strongly toward the evil end of things.  Now he's been called to help 'clean out' the ranks of the followers of the three gods.  He reunites with an old friend, a dwarf, and they end up teaming with a woman who was trained as a specialty warrior (think Special Forces type training).  She can use any weapon, including her bare hands and is pretty much a badass.  I LOVE strong women in my stories who can hold their own with the men around them.  On the evil side, we have Lukan, a fighter, leader of an army, who is trained in magic.  He has made a deal with a demon that snuck into the world through the open pathway that was opened for the dragons to return.  This demon taught him how to extract a person's soul.  But, the demon tricked him.  In exchange for the knowledge he has demanded payment in souls - which will make him more powerful and able to bring more of his brethren into the world so they can take over and rule it.  Lukan, if he doesn't want to die himself, must harvest souls for this demon.  But there's a twist - a soul cannot be taken, it must be given willingly.  So, he has to con people into giving up their souls to him, which he turns over to the demon.  The warrior woman who teams up with the cleric has given her soul to him.  He tricked her into thinking he loved her and so she ends up giving her soul to him but then he betrays her and she flees.  But, now that he holds her soul, he controls her and he uses her abilities to get rid of those who stand in his way.  She has no control over what is happening to her and has to find a way to get her soul back - enter our hero.  I'll stop there for now - I do know the whole story but I'm gonna make you wait to find out the rest!  Stay tuned...

So much more

Wow, what a week this has been!  Car trouble to the extent that we may have to look into a new car (where THAT will come from, who knows!), the hubby and I having some very emotional times, my son still doing fairly well at school, and meetings all week to get ready for Camp Rainman this summer.  I'm the vice president of the local autism chapter and we do a summer camp for our kids every summer.  It was started 23 years ago and I've been part of it for the last 5.  I can't explain the feeling I get from camp.  The kids are so amazing and all the counselors we have truly do learn so much about giving and understanding that it touches my heart like nothing else can.  I can't wait!  I've also been in talks with another friend who, a year ago, asked me to stage manage her next show.  I had told her I would then, but so much has changed now.  I'm going to try to honor my promise to her, and I do need the money...but life has been so full and hectic lately, we'll just have to see how things progress.

I've been brainstorming Elerbee's story this week.  I think when I drive and so it is unfortunate that gas prices are so high!  I've been driving a lot!  LOL.  All the other stories I've had simmering have taken a backseat to this one.  Tentative title = Shadow Soul.  There will be demons, assassins, magic, soul-selling/giving, love, tears, fighting, healing.  I get all giddy when I think about it.  Hubby has tossed some ideas around with me.  I am so lucky that he is such a fan of fantasy that he will help out in the process.  Most people don't have that and I cherish it greatly!  I love my husband...

I'm a bit sad that I missed the RWA conference this weekend.  One more casualty of losing your job.  Which brings me to the last of this blog...for those who haven't heard the story, back in October, we were told at work that our plant was shutting down.  The product that we build was being shipped to Mexico to be built there.  The owners have been diligently working to find more projects to keep us open but so far it doesn't look promising.  I've been there for 15 years and it's scary.  I've moved to working part-time, but after that many years, there's no way I'll find another job that can pay me what I make there...and just to catch you all up, my husband is also in school.  He's a nursing student in clinicals.  He graduates in December.  But, because of that he only works like 2 days a week.  It's been tough, we've dropped all my son's therapy except for seeing the doctor who perscribes his medicine, but we're making it.  I've been miserable at my job almost since day one and have only stuck around because I've needed the money.  So, it's this weird feeling of wanting it to end so very badly and also being reluctant to be without work.  The people are mean and some of the things that have recently come out about what some other managers have said about me & my family really has me wanting to go now.  It's kind of brutal, but I'm surviving.  It's all I know how to do.  I know there's more out there for me and think I've made the right decision in going back to school.  When one door closes, another opens, right?

Any minute now

So, I totally feel that any minute now all this happiness I've had all week will be pulled right from under me.  I have not had one phone call from my son's school!!!  I had to go to an IEP meeting and that didn't go far because the autism coordinators weren't there, but, all in all, I've had a relaxing week.  I've actually embraced all the hard work I've done for school instead of fearing how I would get it all done while fielding calls from teachers, administators and aides or fighting homework battles.  It's been pleasant and I can definitely say, I have enjoyed it immensely!  Thank you, universe!

So, most of the week was spent tossing around ideas for a new story (after my school work, Ms. Smith!).  The romance has seemed to take a back seat in the old imagination only to be replaced with more from my own little world.  I'm sincerely a fantasy writer at heart.  And I have lovely critique partners who are so easily persuaded to distract me with brainstorming sessions over email at work...lol!  By the way, guys, we're due a coffee session soon! ;-) 

So, Elerbee's story is bouncing around the ol' noggin'.  I even have sat and imagined the opening scene.  He is meeting with the new Elder of the priestly orders to receive the news that there is unrest among the ranks of all three sects.  (For those new to this story, the sects are Sirrah, Yenoh, and Irhona).  Elerbee is a Chosen - he has been touched by the god, Sirrah, and bears his mark.  Plots and schemes have been the norm over the past year since the dragons have returned to Cantor.  Most of the bad seeds have been weeded out but there are some embeded deeply.  Elerbee is sent to the temples outside of Orphana (where the elves live) to pose as a novice.  While he's there, he will discover the foul plot, whatever that is - I haven't gotten that far.  But it will include a hired assassin, who ends up as...yep, you guessed it: Elerbee's chick.  They will find themselves on the run, of course and Durlag will join them somewhere along the way.  Maybe they go back up to Port Mor, as it is a haven to fugitives and criminals and those wanting to get lost in the crowd.  He's never been there, after all.  He joined up with the group after they left there in the 1st book.  Then maybe they'll have to go plead their case with the mages in Val.  Oh!  Maybe the plot is to try to rid the land of magic!

Ok, I have to end this before it gets too far out of hand!  I'll leave you with an image of the assassin, who I am heavily considering naming Tia...