Myers Briggs for Cats - Creating the Purr-sonality Profile

My brain is about to explode. I've spent this week devising a Myers-Briggs type "Purr-sonality Profile" for cats for A Cat's Little Book of Self-Help. Coming up with questions for the quiz was fun. Now I'm working on devising a semi-accurate point system that allows readers to take the quiz for their cats and gives them a "valid" profile reading. I've got papers scattered in front of me with scribbles all over them reading a=3, b=1, etc.

I started the quiz not realizing the magnitude of the task I'd set myself, then moved to thinking creating a valid quiz was impossible, then decided I was overthinking things and making it all harder than it needs to be, and now, after 5 hours of staring at the keyboard, I've decided to just assign everything the value of pie and move on with my life. (Well, not really, but that's what I want to do.)

I'm almost blind, so I think I'll call it a day. I've got to wrap this chapter up tomorrow, so I'll hit it early, before my brain has time to jump in and protest. I suspect when the books sells the editor will make changes to my format regardless, so it's probably not worth getting too hung up over.

Two more chapters to draft out after this. Getting close...

Dreaming Creek book now available!

It may embarras him, but I simply must put a plug in for my friend Edmund Schubert's (remember that name!) new book, Dreaming Creek. The book is up on his publisher's website for pre-orders and will be in stores by November. 

If anyone is a sci-fi fan, you're familiar with the work of Orson Scott Card. Ed is the editor for Card's online magazine, Intergalactic Medicine Show and co-edited a book with Card, based on stories in the magazine.

The publication of Dreaming Creek is a big deal, not just to Ed, but to me. I met Ed--and most of my writer friends--when I joined a Greensboro based writers group years ago. About 8 of us have formed a gluey clump, where we read and edit each others work and offer guess-based marketing advice.

What thrills me about this book is that I was there for the early stages. I was one of the readers to critique the first draft. The story has changed significantly since then, and I can't wait to read the final version. But I got to voice my opinion about the cover, the jacket blurb, etc. It's kinda cool seeing all the behind-the-scenes friend stuff suddenly "come alive" in the real world.

I'm just amazed how well my group of friends has done. Writing is a hard, hard business where few find success. Now mind you, none of my friends and I are household names (yet!) but the majority of us are making headway in our goal of being writers. Ed has this book, is the editor of Diversity Woman magazine, and editor for Intergalactic Medicine Show. My friend Pamla King Cable is the author of Southern Fried Women and is marketing her new book, Televenge. I've got my cat books out, have an agent marketing my newest book, and earn my living as a freelance writer. Laine is an accomplished and sought after ghostwriter, and her agent is shopping two of her ficiton novels around to the major publishing houses. My friend Tom published Brick Walls: Reflections on Race in a Southern School District and is looking for a publisher for his new manuscript. My friend Bernie completed her first middle-grade novel and is seeking representation while she works on her next book.

Everyone is making it happen, which I find amazing, given the small little group of "who are you?" people that we are. It's very cool to watch happen.

All of which is a long way of saying, go buy my friend Ed's book! I promise a great story with a wild twist!

Da Funk is Shook - Day 1 Success

Happy to report that mission "Lose Da Funk" is a go. I had a busy, productive day that has left me eager to dig back into work tomorrow. I had a great writing day and on top of that, managed to prepare a kick-a** spicy red pepper lasagna AND a spinach paneer Indian dish over basmati rice. The morning was wonderfully relaxing with no stop and jerk checking of blogs and e-mails. I got the headlines, organized my work for the day, took a few phone calls, and made it to yoga.

I went into GSO to work, but when I got back the mojo kept flowing. Instead of vegging with 40 minutes of Oprah (which always turns into closer to 2 hours), I watered the plants, ran to the grocery store, entered receipts in my expense account, and spent an hour going through the hall and linen closets, as well as my jewelry, shoe, and purse collection, weeding out items for this Saturday's yard sale. 

I did ab work while the rice simmered and shot out some e-mails while I waited for the red peppers to cool. Instead of sitting down at 7 pm in front of the TV, I finally got around to responding to today's e-mails. 

I'm tired, but in a good way. Got a lot of good writing done and all the other minor details make me feel like I've accomplished something today. None of this is surprising, however, I am always a model student on Day 1. And I'll have enough of a buzz left over from today to carry me through tomorrow.  The real test will come later this week when I just want to bonk in front of mindless TV or eat cereal for dinner instead of making something healthy.

The great news is I started a new chapter - a Myers Briggs Type profile for felines-- and I'm cracking myself up as a I write it, always a good sign.

On a different note... a woman in my running group who has trained like a warrior all summer for her first marathon found out that she has a pulled ligament she has to stay off of for a minimum of 6 weeks. That means no marathon for her. If you're not a runner, it may be hard to understand the heartbreak associated with this. You all have seen how much time and focus I devote to my running and trust me when I say I take it easy on you--I could write about running 24/7. Pumping yourself up for a marathon is like planning all year for the vacation of a lifetime--you've got the star hotel, you've made lists of everything you want to see, you've got new clothes, and your whole being is focused on the number of days left until you escape to your paradise--only your boss pops up and demands you work that week and the whole vacation is trashed in an instant. Amy will be back next year for sure, but it's cruel to have an injury like that this late in the training. 

That's all for tonight. One last check of e-mail and then I'm signing off for the night.

Ready to Shake Off Da Funk

It's a new week and I'm a new woman. Did some thinking about the "the funk" this past week and decided a few changes are in order.

#1 - Better Diet. I ate like crap for most of this week and saw it reflected in my runs. My times were okay, but my legs felt heavy and I really had to push myself--mentally and physically--to just DO the runs. The marathon is in just over 30 days so it's time to man up--whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lots of water, moderate eating habits. I suspect the poor diet affected my mood last week as well, so hopefully "good in, good out."

#2 - No e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and checking other people's blogs before 11 am. I know. As Blair said upon hearing my declaration, "The 15th time is the charm." I've sworn off e-mail in the mornings before, but the awfulness of trying to focus last week has convinced me it's a necessity. My mind gets way too fragmented when I start my day off with short, unfocused blasts of activity. Mornings are for book writing. Period. (**Just so no one thinks I'm cheating, I will allow morning blog posts. I often find it helps to use my blog writing as a "warm-up" to the "real" writing of the day. So if you see a 9:40 am post, do not send me "You're a cheater" e-mails...)

#3 - Less TV. Again, it's the mindless crap I fill my mind with that I'm convinced makes me unmotivated and lethargic. I have plenty to fill my time--running, stretching, reading, we're finally painting the guest bedrooom, I have plants dying to be repotted, pet the cats, clean/laundry, take a walk, prepare a healthy meal, call friends, website updates, volunteer work, speech preparation, get ready for this weekend's yardsale,...

#4 - Less Politics. It's no secret I'm a lifelong Democrat (although... pretty sure I'll be voting for a Republican for Governor). I am SO uptight/angry/hopeful/worried/optimistic/pessimistic/scared on a daily basis that it's draining the life out of me. I'm cutting way back on reading/watching/discussing national politics. 

It's like New Year's in October. None of the changes are all that major though. It's just doing more of the good part of what I'm already doing, and easing up on the less productive aspects.

Wish me luck on that e-mail thing though... =)