Spring is here...well, almost!

Spring is in the air in Southern California. Two weekends ago, we gave the house a good once over, putting away the winter blankets and cleaning out the dust bunnies. Last week, we enjoying fresh squeezed OJ from our orange tree, while planting beautiful rose bushes and a lemon tree as the sun blazed down warming to 80F.

These are the rose bushes that I bought.



Marilyn Monroe roses



Ronald Reagan roses

It feels good to have the house fresh and clean, the new greenery planted, which brings me around to writing. I get the same feeling when I’ve finished a chapter. Not the first draft, or the second, but when I know that I can’t move words around and make it much better. Of course, there could always be small changes, but overall, to look at a chapter, breath in deep and realize it’s clean and fresh is a great accomplishment. The last few weeks, with the help of my great critique partners, I’ve been slogging away at my WIP. Fitting the words together like a jigsaw puzzle, trying to find the cleanest way to present my characters and their feelings. It’s refreshing, and I plan to do just that, sweep the bad words away this weekend while I enjoy my clean house, new flowers and beautiful sunshine.

The Start of the Evermore Discussion on YAedge Book Club

Wednesdays will be all about the YAedge Book Club here at YAedge and to kick it off, I've posted discussion questions to consider while reading. Please join us in talking about Alyson Noel's Evermore!

If you haven't run out and grabbed a copy of the book, don't worry, you still have time. We'll be discussing Evermore the whole month of March. Don't be shy when it comes to discussing the month's selection. We hope to start a fun and lively discussion each month! Don't forget to vote for the April book selection, too!

When visiting the Book Club web page, please take a moment to look over the FAQ and rules.

Can't wait to see you there! Spread the word to all your YA book lover friends.

So Long Futon!

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they realize they are growing up. I had my moment this weekend when my husband and I finally decided we should invest in some REAL living room furniture. AKA rid ourselves of our futons.

We’re not collage kids living in our first apartment anymore. Kraft Dinner is no longer a staple of our diet (although we still whip up a box now and then…ALTHOUGH recently KD has undergone some weird formula change – any one else notice that?? I’m not liking it so much.). We both have jobs, and for the first time in 15 years, we don’t live out of our overdraft each month.

We’re going leather couch and a few leather recliners. It’s time. Ironically we do have a leather couch already – but it is located in our front room where our dogs spend their days while we’re at work, and since there’s no TV in there, we never use it. The photo is of my chocolate lab, Higgins, enjoying his grown up couch.

Alas, while I thank you for the ease on our pocket books, our kinked necks after watching movies all night, and your clunky wooden frames that I always cracked my shins on…my dear futon couches – this is it.

I bid you adieu. May you find a new home at our garage sale this spring.

Now when I curl up on the couch to read March’s YAedge Book Club selection, Evermore, I’ll be in seated bliss!