September 2008 Archives

Are any of you as tired of politics as I am?  My husband and I watched every second of Friday night's debate, then listened to experts pick it apart.  We read more analysis in the newspaper Saturday morning, and heard more analysis when we turned on the news Saturday night.  But when it came to watching the Sunday morning news shows while I worked out on the elliptical, I drew the line.  I'm analysed out.

Yes, that is my voice you hear in the trailers and podcasts posted at this site.  And hey, it surprises me, too.  Who'd'a thought that taping voice-overs was part of an author's life?  Not me.

But I spent all of this morning propped on a stool in a recording studio, wearing headphones, papers in front of me on a music stand, and I read and reread and reread again the scripts I have spent the last week laboriously writing.  The scripts in question are for the trailer for While My Sister Sleeps and related podcasts that will be posted over the next few months.

I gotta tell you, it was a hoot.  I mean, once you get past the self-conscious stage, there is nothing intimidating here ...

Here is my promised dump blog, and I have to start with the word.  Dump.  Conjures up not-so-nice things, doesn't it?

Actually, our town dump is quite beautiful.  Well, beautiful for ... a dump.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

My first exposure to the concept of a town dump was when I was pregnant with the twins and, needing more room, my husband and I looked for a house.  We found one that we liked, but it was on the side of town that also housed the town dump.  Mind you, there were many houses between us and the dump, but we were warned about the smell - were told that on certain days when the wind was blowing just right, the air in our yard might not be so sweet ...

Well, I did it.  Bit the bullet.  Bought iMacs for Lucy and me.

Actually, the iMacs are the least of it.  I now have an office filled with boxes - not only the iMacs, but new printers, including both a laser one for my manuscripts and a multi-tasking one for Lucy's office that also copies, scans, and faxes.  Another box contains what's called a Time Capsule, which will automatically back everything up each night, which is Apple's remedy for those people who forget to back up.  There are boxes of cords, heavy-duty surge protectors, and routers.  There's additional software.

Our offices are ready, and let me tell you, that was no easy feat ... 

Thanks to all of you who entered the contest I ran this summer. I'm pleased to announce that Barbara Braun of Michigan and Jackie Kenny of Rhode Island have won the last two Family Tree knitting kits. Congratulations, Barbara and Jackie. Your knitting kits will be on their way to you ASAP. For the others of you out there who want to knit up these patterns, which were inspired by Dana, Elizabeth, Saundra, and Lizzie, please visit your LYS (that's local yarn store). Alternately, you can order the Family Tree Knitting Collection straight from Berroco.

I highly recommend it, because, now that September is here, we knitters are thinking of warm wools. In my case, it's hats ...