It’s been a pretty cool few of days. In spite of the fact that I’m buried under a couple of heavy-duty editing gigs and am in hermit mode, I’ve managed to collect some great news.

•  My novel Rule Number One is now available on Amazon.com. If you haven’t had a chance to get it yet, here’s a brand new opportunity, <grin>.  And, pretty please, if you do have an Amazon account, if you’d stop by and “Like” my book, that would go a long way to supporting me in this little venture. Merci, in advance!

•  My friend and fellow writer, Robena Grant is a finalist in the RWA Golden Heart Contest with her romantic suspense novel Exposure. The Golden Heart is the Romance Writers of America’s annual contest for unpublished writers. I’m so pleased and excited for Roben–I know she’s floating because I would be! Roben, I’m sending you all kinds of winning energy!

• My friend and critique partner Sandy James has a novel coming out from Carina Press. Rules of the Game releases on April 2 and is already available for presale at Amazon.com. It’s a terrific book—you can trust me on this because I had the pleasure of critiquing it for her. Click here, or just to the right of this post, you can click on her cover and get right to it. Enjoy!

• Found out my sisters, PJ and Kate, are going to be in their church’s production of The Music Man in June. They’re going to be part of the “Pick a Little, Talk a Little” chorus, which I think may possibly mean that they’re also going to be doing the whole Grecian Urn thing. Can not wait to see this! So totally worth staying home from the lake for! Break a leg, Sisters!!

• Son and DIL have gotten the nursery ready for our little grandson, who’s growing quite contentedly in DIL’s ever-rounding belly.  She’s even more beautiful than usual—all glowing and nurturing a new little Reinhardt. I’ve decided I want grandson to call me “Mémé” (MEH may). It’s French, it’s cute, I’m all about anything Français, and I’m adorable, so it works, right?   Husband will be “Pops,” ’cause he’s cool like that.

• Our lake friends are returning from points South and cottages are being reopened. Very soon, ours will be too. Woot! Summer’s on its way! This is also very evident from the gardens out in front of my house, which are coming up like gangbusters. When I took a break to go out for some fresh air, I couldn’t believe how big everything’s gotten already. My flowers are going to be spectacular.

So, see? Even when I spend 12 hours a day at my computer, editing like a madwoman, I still have all the best news. Between the Interwebs and my new ‘Droid (which I’m still completely crazy about, by the way; weather at the touch of my finger and Words with Friends!!),  I’m on top of everything.

Okay, so it’s not truly a dilemma like Kennedy’s Cuban Missile Crisis or whether it’s appropriate to wear my white jeans after Labor Day, but being a freelance editor does often present difficult choices. It seems as if work comes in groups. Sometimes I spend a couple of weeks with no work at all and only a project or two way out on the horizon. When that happens, I start to panic and so I send out little reminders to my clients that I’m still around and available. It’s not a begging for work thing, just a gentle reminder that I’m here if they need an editor.

My clients are terrific—I’m crazy about all of them and mostly, it seems to be mutual because when I send out my notes, I always get a response and at least one of them usually has a project to give me. The dilemma part comes in when I accept a gig from one client and then another offers one and then another. It’s great to be loved and needed, but sadly I have to tell one of them I can’t do their job. Turning them down makes me feel like an idiot because I’m the one who sent them notes telling them I’m ready to work. Sheesh! I may need to rethink my marketing strategy.

I’m not the only one with this issue—seems like this happens to all my freelancing buddies about this time of year. We’re all looking around for work, hoping things will pick up, and stressing over how bills will get paid if income drops. But, somehow, although we grouse and stew, work comes along, and then we’re all grousing and stewing because we’re covered up and can’t take a breath.

What I need to learn is how to use the down time constructively, like, say…writing? Rather than fuss and worry, I should be working on my novels, blogging, checking out other writer’s websites, promoting my book, and catching up on the StoryWonk podcasts. Not griping on the phone to friend Charlie about work being slow, not checking out Facebook or Twitter, and not playing Words with Friends on my new phone.  Heck, I could even start my spring cleaning, pull weeds in the gardens, or pick up sticks in the yard.

Nahhh…where’s the fun in that? Hey, PJ, it’s your turn!

I’m not sure this is really a case of mea culpa or more a case of Nan realizing that something she hated is actually not all that bad, but here goes.

Last July, I posted a rant about smart phones—all about how much I hated them. How I despised texting and how rude I thought it was when people texted while they were supposed to be conversing with me at lunch or dinner. Although I’m now of a new mind about smart phones, I’m definitely not changing my mind about the texting part. I still hate it when people put their phones on the table next to them during a meal. Seriously, just don’t do it. Keep it in your pocket or in your purse or better, leave it in the car. It’s rude and unless there’s an emergency going on, it’s not necessary.

But I have a confession, I upgraded to a smart phone last week and I’m having a ball with it. Totally cool! Love that I can get email while I’m on the run and check the Web for restaurants, stores, sales, products, etc. Something that I believed was going to be a royal pain in the ass has turned out to be terrific fun and incredibly easy. My phone is so user friendly, I’m practically already a genius with it. And yes, confession #2, I am texting. Turns out even that is fun. Who knew?

I’ve texted with my sisters, my friends Dee and CL and Har and with my crit partner–as a matter of fact, it is indeed the perfect way to check in without getting into a huge conversation or just to make a comment on something—a quick giggle. I’ve also texted with Son and DIL, but I’m refusing to let it be how we communicate. I need to hear Son’s voice because that’s the only way I can truly tell how he’s doing. His voice is a dead giveaway. Even better is Skyping with him because then I can see that gorgeous, bearded face and know by the look in his eyes that he’s all good. And if DIL’s in the picture, well, all the better!  I get to see her sweet face, too  and her ever-growing belly that currently nurtures and protects my grandson. A treat!

So, here it is, especially for you, Son, PJ, Kate, and CL—you’re right, you’re right, you’re always right you’re queen (and king) of all you see. Smart phones are fun. But, the next person who says, “Welcome to 2012″ to me is going to get smacked…just sayin’…

…but this time with answers! My answers to the questions that you all posed while I was at Robena Grant’s blog are up there for you to read. Thanks so much to Roben for having me and to all of you for being interested enough in me and my novel to ask questions.

Please come by and check it out!

…in the spiritual precepts of Simple Abundance. You may know Sara Ban Breathnach’s timeless Daybook of Comfort and Joy that was published in the mid-1990s. It is my go-to book when I need to rediscover my own spirituality. Her truths are just as valid today as they were 17 years ago, and every other year, I take up my now-battered copy of the book and reread the meditations—starting on January 1 and reading one each day. I love finding notes that I’ve scribbled in the margins and excerpts I’ve highlighted—ah-ha moments from past years.

The six principles of Simple Abundance are gratitude, simplicity, order, harmony, beauty, and joy.  Sara calls them the “Six Graces,” and she takes each one and spends two months exploring it, talking about ways to achieve those ideals in your life. At one point she writes,

“Learning to live in the present moment is a part of the path of joy.”

Wow, what a concept! I need those words right now. I need to take them to myself, take them into my heart and my soul. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been absorbed in book sales and watching my name creep up the Top Sellers list on my publisher’s website, fuming when it drops back a notch or two, doing a happy dance when it’s back up again. This week, I’ve put the book out for reviews, so there’s something else I can fret over. The stress and worry has prevented me from writing. How ironic is that? Finally being published gave me writer’s block.

But, today, I made a conscious decision to stop stewing and obsessively checking my position on the list. I’m letting go of book-release stressing. It’s not serving me and besides doing sensible promotion, I can’t in any way control what happens with this novel. I’ve had several people contact me to tell me they read it and loved it. Those words warmed my heart and reminded me why I wrote the book in the first place. Because I love to write.

So, I’m getting back to the joy of writing. Back to listening to the people in my head and weaving stories about them. Back to the creative process. Back to the here and now. No more worry about what I might have done differently with the book that’s already out there, and no more vexed and anxious thoughts about how the book is selling and whether or not people will like it.

Instead, now, I’m going to revel in the wondrous fact that I wrote a book and it’s been published. I’m going to rejoice in the knowledge that I’ve finished two others, have a fourth in progress, and a long line of characters in my imagination waiting for their stories to be told. I’m going to be grateful for my critique partners who are teaching me daily how to be a better writer.

I have a grandchild on the way, people who love me, summer is coming, and I am a great writer. I am blessed. So, I’m staying in the present—I’m opting for the joy  of now…2012 is the year for me to celebrate the Simple Abundance in my life.

I’m in the “hot seat” over at Robena Grant’s blog today. It works like this: You comment on today’s blog with a question for me about anything at all, Roben collects all the questions and at the end of the week, she sends them to me to answer. I answer them and then she posts the answers on her blog next week. I’m ready–come on by and ask my anything about my writing, the process, getting published, being a editor…really just anything at all…

What’s better than gathering all your dearest friends around you to celebrate a joyful moment in your life? Not a thing! Last night, the menopause fairies, my sisters, and my two critique partners all came over to help me celebrate the release of my novel, RULE NUMBER ONE. It was a hen party pure and simple, and I had a blast. So far, the phone calls and emails I’ve gotten this morning  indicate that everyone else did too.

Twelve of us sat around my big dining room table, drinking wine and eating pizza. Patty brought brownies because even though she’s not quite old enough to qualify as a menopause fairy (she has pixie status right now), she certainly understands the importance of chocolate at any gathering of women. Dee brought a wondrous bread pudding pie that tasted incredible and included whipped cream, so how could we go wrong, really? The pizzas were great and the wine delicious.

Most of all, I basked in the warm glow of my dear friends. The conversations were first-rate with lots of laughter and fun memories. Whether they wanted to or not, my crit partners, Cheryl and Sandy, got to know me a little better for all the stories that the menopause fairies and my sisters told. To my crit partners and my darling cousin, Pam, you are all now officially members of the menopause fairies. I’m thinking we need t-shirts, maybe even hats and mugs.

How delightful to share this exciting time and know that they’re all taking as much pleasure in my success as I am. I need these women around me. They are not only kindred spirits, they are also my support system, and I don’t think I could function without them.

Thanks, my darling ladies—if I don’t say it enough, please know how blessed I am to have you all in my life.

…over here at Nan’s house. I am still floating on a little pink cloud over the release of Rule Number One on Tuesday and the fact that today, it hit #2 on the BookStrand Mainstream Top Sellers list (Woot!), but I also have to keep maintaining what passes for normal in my life. So, I went swimming this morning, did a load of laundry, thought about what to make for supper, decided on shrimp,  and got back to work on my work-in-progress (WIP).

I’m a little bit stalled on this one, so I’m doing something I don’t normally do—I’m plotting. Ordinarily, I just sit down and write and let the characters take the story where it needs to go. But I’ve reached a point in this one where I have to organize my thoughts. There’s a lot going on and I need to get Sophie and Ben through a crisis and on to their happily ever after. This novel is different for me because it’s romantic suspense and has more plot elements than the others that I’ve written. My stories are mostly character-driven, but this one depends on the plot to move it along.

At one point this morning, I was starting to think I’d introduced too damn many twists and turns, but as I look at the timeline I’ve made, I don’t think that’s the case. I just need to bring it all together in a way that is believable and satisfying. I can’t really tell you what the story’s about because even giving you the basics presents the likelihood of major spoilers, but I can tell you it involves the possibility of sunken treasure, the reality of family drama, a frightened heroine and of course, need I say it? A bold and delectable hero.

I’m having a great time writing something different, but it’s much more of a challenge for me to maintain a balance between exploration of the character’s personalities and moving along in the plot. I’m trying hard not to get bogged down and to keep things lively and interesting. So far, my crit partners are on board, so I’ll carry on…I think I may know how to get Sophie and Ben out of trouble…hopefully without getting them killed…