I'm Ready for Readers!

At the start of August, I'll be printing off copies to hand out to my readers. If you're interested in making The Jinn Bride a better-than-ever novel, let me know. I will have two copies available for blogging friends who are serious about writing and reading.

In other news, I've since moved to a new apartment, taken up running, and am currently visiting my family in Denver (hence the reason I've been able to finish up my revisions and another reason why I have not blogged in AGES).

Love you all,

Amber

The End of Naps, and Other Things

My son is awake and about to tip over a small vase, so this will be short:

We've cut out naps. It's not that my son doesn't nap anymore, but that when he does, he won't go to sleep at night. So now he's awake.

It's new, and interesting. What do I do now that I can't get work done during "nap time?" Or can I? Today we hit the grocery store. Long time coming, too. And now we're going to sit together and chill on the couch with a LeapFrog video. And then we might go outside and blow bubbles, if the rain lets up. Or we'll do laundry together. Or we'll sort out the attic.

That's something we really need to do because we're moving YET AGAIN. For those of you who know me personally, you'll remember that we moved across the country in 2007. Across town in 2008. And then to New York State in 2009. We got a break last year, thank goodness. This year we must purge, pack up, and move our stuff from one house to another. AGAIN. We're staying in the same town. Same neighborhood, even, but renting a whole house has become too expensive, so we're getting a flat. It'll be exciting. Like in Coraline. Remember how she shared a house and the guy upstairs had that rat circus? And in the basement were those ladies who were stuck in their theatrical pasts? Maybe we'll have incredibly interesting housemates who will change our lives forever. (You should say that in your best Eddie Izzard voice.)

[Note: LeapFrog's Math on the Moon is cheesy, but my son isn't moving and wide-eyed. Either it's fantastic or his brain is getting fried. What if there was some sort of subliminal message in the video aimed at getting kids to disobey their parents? Don't Eat Your Veggies. Or Poop in Your Pants.]

There is water spread all over the coffee table from that vase and I don't even feel like cleaning it up. I'm going to lie down on the couch and pretend I'm at some tropical resort and have just finished my massage and Henry is playing happily with his sister and daddy in the tide.........

Tess!

Look! I'm over here today: Tess.

Easter: It's always new

Easter = Spring, in many minds. And here in Syracuse, it's overdue. But it's here now! All is forgiven!

For the first time ever, Henry decorated Easter Eggs. Elizabeth had done it last year and instructed him how. Jim and I had to hover over him like hens because at any second he could knock over a jar of egg dye, or worse, try to drink the brightly colored "juice." He tried, but it didn't happen. And we got some fabulous eggs.

Then, yesterday, Jim and the kids continued their work on the Space Rocket. I was at oratorio practice and came home to find this in the middle of the living room (without the kids). I think they plan to decorate it and include more rooms.

It's more space station than rocket, but try telling a four-year old that.

And now, off to visit a farm. In the rain. Because my son is dying to go see baby chicks and bunnies.

Three New Things

I'm supposed to be writing, so I'll make this as brief as I can....And I apologize for the absence of pictures.

Saturday's new thing: Wrote in my neighbor's cozy little office while she watched my kids downstairs. Also, came up with a new opening scene that introduces three antagonists (three!) much earlier in the story line.

Sunday's new thing: The family and I (and some friends) checked out the dollar theater. We saw Knomeo & Juliet, which was better than expected. Plus, it was cheap.

Today's new thing: Reading the Newspaper.

Yes. It's sad, but true. Reading the NY Times is something I've never really done. I mean, I've looked at newspapers, but read them? When I was in college and at Intelligence school, the professors and instructors always mentioned (i.e., nagged) us about reading the paper. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. It took time. It was depressing and boring, all at once. I'd rather be reading something real, like novels. But today, to keep myself from playing Backgammon on my cell phone while drinking coffee, I read a bit of the NY Times.

If I keep this up, I'll have to actually get a *gasp* subscription to the Times!

New Vessels

For some ungodly reason, I felted today instead of worked on novel revisions.

I made these little guys:

And then some eggs:

And then this:

The pictures aren't that wonderful, but it's the best I could do at night with my phone camera. They were fun to make, and I found out I really enjoy making holes in vessels. I made another egg and another, smaller vessel, but I made the mistake of making them lilac. So they've been "acquired" by Elizabeth. Oh, and these were made with the wool I dyed the other day.

New, Day Two

When you're out of ideas on what to do that's new, change up the bedtime routine, I always say.*

Or in this case, let the kids take lanterns to bed. With toys.

Remember when you were a kid and you'd pull out your flashlight after your parents put you to bed? You'd tip-toe to that spot your mom put the book you're reading, snitch it, and crawl back in bed. Sometimes you'd pull the sheet over your head and prop the flashlight on your shoulder so it'd be more comfortable to read until you fell asleep. Or finished the book. Or in my case, until my mom came back ten minutes later to take the book away again.

So tonight I let the kids take lanterns to bed with them. The kids needed a distraction because one was screaming on the top of her lungs for marshmallows (can't have that at bedtime, now can we?) and the other was playing cutely with his little ambulance and robot and wasn't in the least bit sleepy yet. So I did what all parents do: I came up with a diversion. Lanterns!

They fill up the bed with golden light orbs, little stages on which to play with your toys (or in my daughter's case, draw). It's bedtime magic. And we didn't even have to argue about how many books we were reading tonight. One was enough once I mentioned lanterns.

My daughter turned hers off within minutes and fell asleep. (That marshmallow tantrum really wore her out.) My son, on the other hand, played until 9:30. It was worth it, hearing his happy robot-EMT noises, even knowing that tomorrow he'll clamor for another night of lantern light.

* I don't always say that. But that made the phrase sound better.