Okay, this may end up being controversial, but I have to say it after reading Alison’s post about Romancing the Blog. IMHO the problem is not the number of writing posts but how darn sweet the posts are!! Syrupy sweet. We need some fiber with all that sweetness.

There are a lot of things wrong with the romance genre today, why aren’t we hearing about those issues? Why aren’t we addressing them and brainstorming ways to tackle them? Hmmm…

I’m a couple weeks away from my next post and I’d like to serve up some pancakes to go with the syrup, maybe some bacon too. I’d appreciate any suggestions on topics you’d like to see addressed either from a writer or reader standpoint.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve liked all the posts so far, I just think the meatier issues aren’t being explored.

With BAD BOYS AHOY! off with the powers that be, I’m in limbo right now. At the present time the only mss I have under consideration are futuristics, which would obviously extend my career in a completely opposite direction from my historicals (something I consider to be a very good thing). After much internal debate, conversations with those I trust, and a weekend update from my agent (love that he’s so accessible!) I’m willing to let others worry about what’s next on my plate and just enjoy the break. My agent says I pay him to do all the worrying so I’ll leave that up to him.

I’ve been setting up my new computers, updating the blog, and expanding CATCHING CAROLINE. It’s so short, about 6000 words, and I have a few months before release so with my editor’s permission I’m expanding it, which will add flesh to what is presently bare bones. This is a labor of love, something I’m doing just because I want to, so I’m having a lot of fun with it. I’m trying not to think about BBA and what my other editor is thinking as she reads it. I posed the “is this feeling normal?” question to my multi-published friends and they assured me this bit of fear that the work might not be as good as we perceive it to be is common.

I said I’d take a break from my historicals when I was done with BBA, but CC is historical and as Alison reminded me, I’m under option for my next historical work. I have a ST historical completed, SEDUCING THE WIDOW, and I need to decide if I want to delve into that or start the new historical I’ve conceived. Or should I work on the half completed second story in my futuristic vamp series? Hmmm…

So there’s all the news that’s fit for now.

I upgraded to WP 1.5 today. This time I completely deleted my old blog directory and uploaded the new one. That way there was nothing left over to mess things up. I’ll have to get used to this new setup, it’s different and I’m still not sure I like it, but perhaps that’s just because I don’t know my way around yet. Most of the plugins seem to work, but I have to track down a couple that don’t. Please forgive any bugs you run into. I’m trying to remember everything I had setup in the old blog and move it to this blog.

There are certain things you can’t do once you’re published, at least IMHO.

Alison directed her blog readers to this post by Keishon where she complained about realism in contemporary romances. She listed examples and authors by name, a freedom that one has as a reader, but not as a writer.

But that could just be my perception. Do any of you published authors complain about other author’s works? Or do you also feel that you can no longer speak publicly about your disappointment? Perhaps this is just me trying to fit into the “nice girls” club?

…but I managed to figure out what was wrong with my website and fixed it.

The last two days have been absolutely frantic for me. Mostly this is due to my OC personality as it pertains to my career and website. I finally found a temporary reprieve from the career stress after making a mad dash to get something mailed today. I got to the USPS 30 minutes after the next day delivery cutoff. Hopping back in the car, I used my cell to call FedEx while driving in what I hoped was the right direction. Turns out it was. I made it to the depot with ten minutes to spare before the last pickup of the day. Whew!

In the back off my mind while running around like a chicken with its head cutoff was my website woes and the work I have ahead of me to get everything moved. I’m usually a person who likes change. In this case, it terrifies me. I’m comfortable where I’m at, but then things don’t work. Right now I’m getting by, but if one tiny query messed up, it would pretty much shut me down. No one can run a business with the threat of imminent closure. Especially, a person like myself with website-itis. Every button I press causes me to cringe in fear that something is going to blow up in my face. I can’t handle it.

The benefit to all of this madness? When you’re running around on the verge of panic you wonder what the hell you’re doing this for. Why are you suffering through all of this stress? Wouldn’t it be easier to just let things go? Prop your feet up, read a book, watch a movie, and eat tons of chocolate.

It’s at moments like this when you remember how much you love to write, how great it is to build a story and get lost in another world. It’s always all about the writing. Unfortunately, the by-product of being a successful writer is the website and the mad dashes to get your ms in the mail before a holiday weekend.

So I’m going to finish the website mess I am absolutely detesting to the bottom of my soul and then I’m going to write. I have a new computer and laser printer to hook up, a necessary expenditure with all the printing I do, but that will wait. I’m going back to writing. Just to remind myself why it’s all worth it.

We’re building new fun for you.

Sorry. I’m going to attempt switching servers over the weekend. I’m having a ton of database related issues and since all the interactive parts of my website are database driven this is not a good thing. This will be a long, arduous, labor intensive project. Please forgive me if things seem wacky.

And by the way, I’m terrified. There are limits to my web saviness. I hope I don’t run into any during this process.