Whatta Ya Do?

It has been one of those weeks. I don't know what is going wrong with me, but I am in a rut. What do ya do when YOU fall into a rut? I need some ideas because I am going nuts. Any ideas would be appreciated because if you don't help than I will be forced to do laundry, and that is a crime.

Casey's 1st Talk.

Casey was asked to give his first talk as a Sunbeam yesterday. We wrote him a little 3 minute talk about his body and practicd it several times, he was ready to go. So we get up to Primary and he stands up at the pulpit and decides he doesn't want my help. He of course can't do it himself so finally I read it for him and told him to sit down. Then he says "NO, I'M NOT DONE!!!" Everyone laughed and I took him back to his seat. When we got home I asked him to say it to my mom over the phone...he did a spactaular job! What a character! We are going to try to record it so we can have it on record, he can acctually say the talk even if he didn't do it in Primary.

Here it is my friends!

If any of you have ever queried for an Agent, or for that matter a publisher you will know what I have been going though. For those who have not ever done this I will tell you, it is a pain the butt! First off you need to figure out how to sell your 85,000-100,000 word novel in basically 2 paragraphs. Let me tell you, not easy! I have spent almost two years writing this book and it has become my 5th baby, so to try to sell it to someone is a little nerve racking to say the least. Finally after several drafts I was happy with the finale product. Tell me what you think, would you buy the book, and if not, tell me why. Don't worry about hurting my feelings, as an Author all I want is feedback, good or bad. Enjoy!

Dear Agent,

I am excited to submit for your review, my first novel. Sweetwater Springs is a completed 83,000 word Historical Romance, with a suspenseful twist. In the spring of 1900, our heroin, Katie O’Hare, has reluctantly returned to her childhood home, only to be faced with unanswered questions and the silent graves of her family. Our hero, Tyler Reynolds is searching for forgiveness when he unknowingly falls in love with the only person who can give it to him. But will she forgive him when she finds out how dramatically his past, altered her future?

Katie is determined not to have anymore connection to Sweetwater than necessary, but when Mr. Reynolds comes to call, she can’t help but fall for his rugged, attractive, nature. Tyler is equally taken with the beautiful young school teacher, and is surprise to find he is open to a relationship with her. Only six months earlier his fiancé had called off the wedding, and left town. However, when she returns for her own selfish reasons, Tyler has to decide between a new love and an old one.

The real conflict however revolves around an old pocket watch that was found ten years earlier in the smoldering ashes of Katie’s home. The watch is not her fathers, and the mysterious initials on the back lead them both to startling confessions, a race for their lives, and into a deadly gunfight. This unforgettable journey could give them both the answers they so desperately want, or tear them apart forever.

I am a member of Romance Writers of America, and an avid reader. I have been published in The Rage, a compilation of short stories, poetry and illustrations. Sweetwater Springs is my first full length novel.

Thank you for taking time to review my letter. The manuscript is complete, and I am in the process of querying agencies. A full manuscript is available upon your request.

Sincerely,

Anna-Liisa Duncan

Ah, another week.

It is the beginning of another week. It is amazing how at the first of the month your calender is a beautiful white, black numbers sitting so nicely on the page. Maybe payday, and birthdays highlighted, maybe even date night. It is a beautiful sight, a whole month to accomplish anything you would like...right?

Wrong, by the end of the first week, the second week is booked, by the end of the second week the entire month is scrawled with appointments, dates, Visiting Teaching, Scouts, camp outs, School things, homework, the list goes on and on. Then on the 30th of the month you sit, exhausted with your husband and review the months. What didn't get done? Date night, outings, anything fun that didn't involve a doctors office and shopping lists.

Frustrated you drop into bed and know you can do better. The next morning that beautiful clean, clear, calender smiles at you from its place on the wall. What a beautiful thing, so peaceful, I am going to get so much done this month...Wait, the phone is ringing, What, you need to see the doctor? No, I did not know about the PTO meeting...Yes, Thursday is free, but not tell next week...

Our Fun Night!

On Monday I was NOT feeling well, and by 5:00 p.m. I was pretty much down for the count. I had a terrible pain in my right side and I pretty much felt yucky. At 7:40 I took two Advil and went to bed, by 9:30 I sent Johnathan out to get me some Midol, hoping it would help with the cramping, finally I fell asleep. Waking around 1:00 I noticed that he wasn't in bed so I went to find him and the pain came back with a vengeance, ten minutes later we were in bed but the pain was so bad I was tearing up and finally I hurt so bad that Johnathan was getting concerned. After a Priesthood Blessing we felt like maybe I needed to be seen by a Doctor so we got up and went to the ER sometime around 3:00.

They got me all settled and gave me some really good drugs then sent me off to X-ray while Johnathan went and got my parents settled at the house. Thank heavens for them, they got up and drove to our house in the middle of the night to be with the kids! Well to make a long story short, after some more tests the determined that I had a cyst on my ovary that had ruptured, and my pelvic cavity had some excess fluid in it, nothing they were too concerned about. Around 7:00 they sent me home with orders to rest for the day.

I cannot believe how badly it hurt! We were both sure I had appendicitis, thankfully it wasn't that, but it still hurt! Johnathan was great and so helpful and a huge thanks to my parents again, who not only came up to be with the kids, but also took all of them home keeping Andie and Tyson over night. What a blessing that it wasn't anything more serious!