Now That You Mention It...

Zero More Days to Halloween, Halloween, Halloween...

In honor of my favorite holiday, I present the greatest Halloween movie EVER:

 

So bad, it's eight kinds of awesome. Kind of like how Small Wonder was the worst, and thus the greatest, show ever created. 

Lo, there are so many things to ponder while watching this movie like: (SPOILERS ahead--just in case anyone hasn't actually seen this glorious display of moviemaking)

1. Why does Main Girl Character find Drunken/Old/Mean/Ugly Main Guy Character attractive? Like, attractive enough to sleep with immediately after meeting?

2. Why does that Irish guy want to kill all the kids? Yeah, I know it's kind of explained, but Seriously. "Samhain" isn't a good answer.

3. Did the producers commission the same person who wrote the music for the Disneyland ride "It's A Small World" to write the Silver Shamrock theme song? Because. Is. Just. As. Annoying.

4. Why did laser beams shoot out of that one lady's mouth when she poked the silver disk thing with her hairpin?

5. What the EFF does Stonehenge have to do with that Irish guy's plot?

The answer to all of the above is: Doesn't matter.

Watch and Enjoy!

Back to Reality...Or At Least My Version of It

I'm back from a fantastic (albeit, somewhat freezing) weekend up in Wisconsin. It didn't rain except for Friday night, but it was still too cold to do much outside, so we stayed in and watched mass amounts of TV (with some Baby Songs thrown in there when Dear Child turned into a changeling), played board games, drank beer and generally just lazy-ed around:

 

"Mom, these leaf things taste so good! Way better than that fruit crap you keep trying to give me!"

Distractions: The Familial Kind

DONE.

DONE.

Formatting issues are done. Pacing issues are fixed. Character names changed.

Book #3, unofficially called "This Book Rulez and Has Irish Stuff in It," I OWN you. You will be shipped off to Agent later this week, where you will dazzle her with your brilliance.

Don't mind me. I will just be sitting in the corner, freaking out, biting my nails and spending time with Mr. Cab R. Nay.

Thankfully, my family is heading up to Wisconsin this weekend for some bonding time. We've rented a huge house and it should be a great distraction. Because, as my husband noted, you can't walk twenty feet in either direction without running into a little tavern.

Unfortunately, it's scheduled to rain Friday and Saturday, so we'll be doing lots of indoor activities like watching my son toddle around and throw things, drinking beer, complaining about the weather and trying to get a wireless signal. And possibly debating the quality of the Bears team this year...all while I silently freak out and pretend to listen while my husband explains WHY Kyle Orton is a good quarterback for the jillionth time.

Alert: Atypical Warm and Fuzzy Feelings Ahead

This week has already started off with much awesomeness because...

Duh Duh Da Duh! (Imagine this is being played by fantastical royal trumpets.)

Revisions on Book #3 are done!

Save for just a couple of formatting issues to fix later tonight and then it'll be shipped off to my Awesome Agent. My original deadline was Friday, but I think just a couple of days later is still pretty good. I'm actually really, really proud of this book. It wasn't easy to write, since it's a YA urban-fantasy-type book, but I think all those blood, sweat, tears and struggle joined together and helped me write a really fun book.

AND, I got to do lots of super-interesting historical research for it. On Celtic mythology and Irish history.

So. Yes. The feelings of awesomeness are quite lovely right now.

BUT.

It STILL needs a title. Because I don't think "Book #3" or "Maureen's YA" or "This Book Rulez and Has Irish Stuff in it" are good options. I'm going to try not to stress about this too much, since I know the publisher will probably change it anyway, but...still.

Thinking of a title is much, much harder than I ever thought. I mean, you have just a few little words to convey tone, vague plot outline, genre, audience, etc. Since I've never been known for my brevity, it's So. Darn. Hard.

On that note, continuing with the feelings of awesomeness, pop over and check out The Novel Girls this week. We're all sharing our stories about "The Book Sale Call." As in, the first time we heard our book had recieved an offer. A moment I'll never forget...and one I hope to relive again soon!

Hoping For Some Public Accountability

Eeek! When did it become October?

Not even, like, the first week of October?

My self-imposed deadline of shoving Book #3, unofficially called: "Book That Has No Title Save For A Crappy Working Title," into my agent's hands is this Friday. As in October 17th.

Although there's still much work to be done, I've ironed out all of the major plot issues (written as notes in the margin like: "This isn't possible based your character's backstory, dummy.")  But, now I have all of the minor issues to address.  See, I usually address my revisions from top down: biggest, most influential plot problem like pacing and building tension to teeny, tiny ones like consistency in eye color and car model. Once those are resolved, I add in little snippets of detail and quirks. Then, I do a big, on-screen read-through and rewrite certain sentences and tinker around. Finally, I address boring things like commas and formatting.

Yikes. I think I just talked myself into procrastinating some more.

But, forge ahead I must.

Friday.

I can do it.

Oh, and for the person who found by blog via googling, "can you mention a movie name while writing a book"? The answer is yes.

Cubs: Please Cease and Desist the Sucking

Since I cannot post anything without ranting about the soul-crushing Cubs loss last night (Seriously Dempster, WTF?), I must post photos instead. Of course, none from last night. Those would include a lots of head-in-hands and middle fingers raised.

Trader Joe's, this is another reason why I luh ye. Guacamole Kit with avocado, tomato, garlic, onion, lime and jalapeno, all for like $3.  I mean, can you get any more clever and/or helpful?

 

Says Ryan: "Get out of the way, Mom! Now that I can walk, I'm hittin' up a milk kegger down the street. Don't wait up."

 

Seen on the side of a van up in Wisconsin. Yes. Her motto really is: "From sagging to bragging." Apparently, she also does home parties.

 

Ryan, right before his audition to be the new Cindy Lou Who in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The cuteness just might kill you.

Procrastination Has Many Faces

Wisconsin was fabulous this weekend. The weather was perfect, with a high of 80, so it still felt like the last bastions of summer were hanging around. Our dinner Saturday night was great--we had a wonderful waitress who said *exactly* what she thought, which both refreshing and entertaining at the same time. Airs are not something that are put on in that place. Maybe acid-washed jeans. But not airs.

I slacked a little last week on my revisions, and this week isn't shaping up to be any better based on the upcoming TV schedule. Can you blame me, though?

1. Cubs playoff games tonight, tomorrow and Saturday nights

2. The Office

3. Vice Presidential debate

I think I've finally reached a point  where my television addiction is negatively impacting my professional life.

Oh well. The Cubs haven't won a World Series in 100 years. I last finished a book...one year ago. So, yeah. Sorry Book #3 Which Is Still Unnamed Save For A Crappy Working Title. You lose.