What Happens When You Have a Deadline

Howdy

Pamela  Tracy here

and

I had a book due Tuesday

All writers are different.
I have a friend who always finishes a week early
Me? I always have work count the day it's due
But, I write the amazing growing book

So, Tuesday morning...
I was finished
Then, in the shower I had a GREAT idea
which changed/bettered my ending
added 4000 words to count (yes in one day!)
and meant I had to reread quickly to pepper references throughout

So, you're thinking...
Ah, the life of a writer
Sitting back and putting words on paper
Er, no
Writer is just one hat

Another hat is housewife
I don't mind the word
I think taking care of a home
and raising children
to be the best life of all
... even when the plumbing breaks during a deadline
*Photo circa December 2016

My back patio
*Photo circa January 2017

Yes, this is today

Can you see the tunnel going through my back yard?

*Photo circa February 2017

BTW - my favorite place to write is the kitchen table

Next to the sliding glass door where are the noise takes place.

Good news is - hubby is a plumber.  He's making all the noise.

And for 1/3 the price

Speaking of noise and my favorite place to write
My son likes to build legos at the other end of the table.
Someday, he will have his own talk show.
Right now, he's practicing on me.

Best Interruption of all
Best Friend Harlequin American author
Cathy McDavid got married!
I didn't mind the interruption.
I called it research

By the way, my full-time job is college professor
I attended the ACT conference last Thursday
Yes, that would be four days before the book was due.
I learned that absenteeism in our elementary, junior, and high schools
is at an all time high

Saturday I attended an all-day workshop on creativity by Allen Arnold
I'm president of the local ACFW group.
And, we had it at my church.
I learned a lot.

One of the things that struck me was his talking about how someone  could look successful
Like a beautiful tree
But the roots be corroded

Now that my book is turned in, I have goals
1. I want to finish a week early next time
2. I want to clean my patio
3. I want to go to lunch with my best friend
4.  I want to play with my son
5.  I want to work on being a better, strong Christian woman, friend, mother, wife, writer.
How about you?

Pamela's next book will be available in April.

However, Pamela's next published writing
will be part of the Craftie Ladies of Romance's Valentine Serial
Which starts tomorrow!!!!

Married to a Writer: How Embarrassing

Pamela Tracy here.

I'm a romance writer, yup, and that job travels with me wherever I go, whether to the store, to a cub scout meeting, to work, to church, well, you get the idea.

My husband and son travel with me, too.

Sometimes the two worlds collide.

So, this past Friday evening, we're at the Apple store because I needed a new computer.  Mine had finally deteriorated so much that the only thing I could do was word processing.  And that was iffy because the system froze every 24 or so hours.  Then, I'd have to shut everything down and start from scratch.  The Internet would no longer work on the computer,  photos either.

I digress.

So, romance writer me and hubby are standing in front of the computer I want and waiting for a service rep.  My son is over at a kids' table playing on the iPads.

I'm typing away.

Rep comes over and asked me, "What can I do for you today?"

I point to the computer screen and there are my questions.

My husband is embarrassed.  This is not the normal thing to do, you see.

The rep says, "Oh, I'll need to get someone with a little more knowledge about...." and he walks away.

I start to type more questions.

My husband is aghast.  "No, just ask the questions."

I said "Okay."

Here's what I did on the computer instead of typing my questions.  And, yes, my husband is a plumber by trade

Don Smith

Professor Me

Plumbing 101

October 11, 2013

Clean Fingernails

Plumbers, in American, face a strange malady.  It’s called tooth fungi, and it happens when they bite their fingernails.  Oh, not all plumbers bite their fingernails, but there are a few who cannot break the habit even when they see their coworkers with green teeth.  We’re not just talking slightly green; we’re talking florescent green.  The kind of green that glows in the dark and can guide planes in for landing.

This malady first occurred in the early 1920’s when Zeke Carmichael, of Carmichael plumbing, noticed a strange itching just about his top two teeth.  He’d already lost the bottom teeth to a fist fight over  how many inches a toilet should be from a wall.  He very much wanted to keep the top two, so immediately went to a dentist.  Or, at least, he went to someone who pretended to be a dentist. 

Totally made up, on the spot.  Not true.

My husband read it with a mixture of horror and laughter.

So, in conclusion, Don't Mess With a Romance Writer Who Has a Computer in her Hand.   you might just get hurt