Big Fat Dummy

I love tennis. It is my all time favorite sport. I play every week with a bunch of hard-playing, competitive tennis players. Tennis can be a bit dangerous. I've gotten hit in the face and numerous other parts of my body on many occasions with a ball or racquet. But this week, I win the award for the biggest dumbass move of the year.

I went to hit a hard forehand, but after smashing the ball, my racquet naturally swings forward and up. Unfortunately, my left hand was in the way and I hit my left hand with my own racquet. The pain was intense but I continued to play and me and my partner won the set in tie-breaker 7-2. My hand hurts but I think it is just a sprain and go home and ice it. Because the pain doesn't subside, I practically wear an ice bag on my hand for the rest of the day. The next day it swells up into a black grapefruit. Strange really. I hit the inside of my hand, but it is the outside that swells and turns black. When the pain gets excruciating, I finally go to the doctor who apparently can tell just by looking at it that I have broken my hand. X-rays confirm his diagnosis. I have broken the outside bone under my pinkie joint.

Only I am a dumb enough to break my own hand with my own racquet. How sad is that?

Fortunately, I only need to be in a cast for 3 weeks and the cast is waterproof so I can still shower and he even said I could still play tennis if I want - although I can't cook or clean or do dishes or laundry or fold clothes ... etc. HA HA! I mean woe is me.

Asian hairstyle tutorial

My nephew shared this video with me. It was too funny not to share with y'all.

Winner!

And the winner of the LEGEND ARC is...

Anna Staniszewski!!!!!

Yay! Anna!

Course I have to take this moment to mention that Anna has a book that just came out recently called My Very Unfairytale Life. How cool is that title? And just take a look at her fabulous cover! Don't you just want to hug this book?  To learn more about her book, click here.

So not only do I get to announce a winner, I get to tell you about another great book to add to your list of perfect books for the holiday season. Congratulations Anna on winning and most importantly on your book!!

Win an ARC of Marie Lu's Legend!

Due to being sick as a dog all weekend and unable to promote the contest, I'm going to extend this out til Friday December 2nd. Thanks!

I didn't really want to give away my copy of the Legend ARC. NO I DIDN'T! I wanted to be completely selfish and keep it for myself and croon over it, calling it my precious. But then again, I'm a big fan and supporter of Marie's and I know how a good ARC contest can really help spread the word on a good book. So in the name of friendship, I am holding this contest for one lucky winner.

BTW - Marie shared with me her sketches of Day and June, the main characters of Legend. I just love getting a chance to see exactly what an author was envisioning when they created their story! I know that when the movie comes out (yes, movie rights have been optioned!!), they won't look like this, but it is still cool to see into the author's mind.

Ok so the contest rules are easy. First, check out the interview I did with Marie over at the Enchanted Inkpot. Second, spread the word, in whatever form you desire - smoke signals and morse code are acceptable only if at least one other new person, under the age of 85, was successfully reached by this method. Third, leave me a comment here to enter you into the drawing. Fourth, upload a Youtube video of yourself spelling your name out with your butt - in cursive.

Ok, so I might be kidding about one of these rules.

This contest is open internationally - and I mean it. In the past, I have had winners from South Africa and the Philippines. And if I get over 100 entries, I'll randomly select a second winner and send them a brand new copy of Legend, when it comes out next week. If we get to a second winner, the only change up in the rules on that one will be that you must be a blog or twitter follower to be entered.

And if this one goes well, I may be tempted to hold some more ARC contests for some really exciting new books coming out next year. The kind of books I happen to know many of you are salivating like rabid dogs over. We'll see how generous I feel during the holidays. Will you see Santa Ello or Grinch Ello? Only time, and what Da Man gets me for Christmas, will answer this important question.

I'm BAAAAAACCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!

Not really.

The truth is I'm trying my damndest to finish up my first draft of Book 2. Am loving it and hating it. I think I'm writing some of the most amazing and exciting stuff and yet I also think it is utter crap. It's one of those things where you pat one side of your face while slapping the other side silly.

Why no, sir, I'm not insane.

Well perhaps temporarily.

To top it off, I have misplaced my brain somewhere and I can't seem to find it. It's not a good time to lose my mind what with holidays coming up and deadlines and visitors and lions and tigers and bears Oh My Swollen Left Buttock! I don't know why I just said that. Matters are clearly disintegrating rapidly.

I don't know how I will survive. But I'll tell you one thing that helps me pull through. The utter cuteness of my kids.

Youngest came up to me tonight and said, "Mommy, I'll make you feel better by putting on a puppet show. Meet Origami Yoda Oh and Darth Vader Oh. They will now proceed to fight for your entertainment."

Seriously, there's no greater medicine in the world to lift up your spirits.

Now what was I looking for again?

Going Dark While Revising

To my wonderful blog readers who I truly appreciate more than words can say. Thanks for reading and supporting. Thanks for commenting and giving me inspiration. Thanks for being there for me. I love my little blog because of you guys and this is just a heartfelt post to let you all know how much y'all mean to me. Especially during a time where I can't always comment back or visit the blogosphere like I used to. Cause I admit it - I just can't keep up with everything going on in life anymore. And it doesn't help that I seem to be getting more absent-minded with age. So I'm going to have to let the little blog go dark for at least one month in order to really do the best that I can on my revisions.

Yes - revisions. I admit to being scared when I got my editorial notes on Prophecy. They looked incredibly intimidating. They reminded me of this:

I admit to leaving it on my desk and circling it warily for a week, too afraid to even touch it. Silly me. When I finally began to read through it, it really dawned on me why a good editor is so important to the publication of a book. Her comments, her questions, her notes were brilliant. She wasn't telling me how to rewrite my book, she was showing me how to make it stronger, tighter, better. Pacing, the bane of my existence, is now something I understand how to correct. I can see so much clearer now. I feel like dropping to my knees and bowing before her chanting "I'm not worthy."

Before I got my notes, I knew my editor was good because my agent told me she was good. But now I know just how brilliant she is from what is now going to be an amazing learning experience for me. And I'm ready. I'm excited. I'm also still scared cause the one thing it isn't going to be is easy. Everytime I see the word tighten scribbled on the side of a page, that's exactly what my chest does. When a word choice is questioned, I agonize over what would be a better one. The word "anachronistic" sends me into a  panic. My mind is consumed by the revision process. And it is going to be great for my book. But that means I'm going to have to be more focused than before and make a sacrifice. As hard as it is, even at my now limited blogging level, I'm going to have to stop blogging for a little while. I hope that when I come back, I can share with you what I learned and how I've grown. So please don't forget me while I'm gone.

Like the Terminator, I'll be back.

A happy anniversary

It's been a crazy time lately. Trying to get the girls ready for school. Trying to catch up on everything that piled up while I was gone. And trying to work on my revisions. It makes for a crazy time and I can't help but wonder if I'll ever be able to catch up. But in the midst of the craziness, Da Man and I celebrated our 17th anniversary. Wow! 17 years!!! We had a lovely meal out with the entire family and then came back home where, after swearing up and down that he hadn't bought me a present, I went up to my new little desk and found a little blue bag sitting on top of my manuscript.

After gaping at it in shock for a long moment, I tore into it only to find this little beauty!!

17 years and he still has the power to surprise and overwhelm me with how wonderful he is. So this is my little tribute to the Oh man who is my best friend, my greatest supporter, and my soulmate. Thank you for always being there for me through all that life sends our way. For being a great father to our girls and a wonderful husband. For never letting me give up no matter how much I whine and for holding my hand when things get rough. I am truly blessed in my life and I never forget it. Happy Anniversary!

Now, next year, there's this beautiful diamond necklace I've been eyeing... ;o)

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

I'm really excited about the release of my friend Gretchen McNeil's debut book Possess that is out August 23rd from Balzar & Bray. Gretchen is a fellow Inkie from the Enchanted Inkpot and a terrific person whom I adore. Her book has an absolutely perfect cover and title.

How cool is that? You can tell it's gonna be scary, right? It's got demons and possessions and exorcisms and a whole lot of awesomeness! So Gretchen sent out a bunch of tattoos to help launch her book and Oldest was really excited and invited a bunch of friends over for a Possess tattoo party.

The girls had a great time with their Possess tattoos and now they are officially part of Gretchen's Get Possessed scavenger hunt! Oh and Gretchen? The tattoos are a huge hit! You may need to be sending a whole bunch more over to the Oh household. 

Don't forget - August 23rd! Possess or be Possessed!