Why do I always pack as if I am going to someplace where there are no drugstores? Honestly, the ship will have band-aids (though maybe not SpongeBob ones like I have). I dread the night before a trip. I always wonder why I just don't book a red-eye. I want to get on the road NOW! (Oh, I remember why I don't. You arrive at something like six a.m. in the morning, too early to check into your hotel so you are bleary-eyed and wandering the streets of a strange city). I will heave a big sigh of relief when we finally are in our stateroom and don't have to unpack for 9 days.
One thing I'm really excited about is seeing my friends, Tina and Tom Davis (aka beloved webmasters) in Portland! We'll get to spend the whole day together and since Tina and I don't get to see each other often, we're both jazzed. So, who knows, I may get the opening scene to my next book! (She's given me three already...) I'll let you know...
Happy Trails (and Ocean Waves), Earlene
Monday, August 10, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Panic in Vacation Park
So, about two weeks ago I was thinking about my upcoming vacation (sort of half work-half vacation as I'm a speaker on a quilter's cruise through New England and Nova Scotia)when it suddenly occurred to me--I need to lose twenty pounds! Dang. Don't you hate that? Honestly, I've known about this cruise for two years and actually have been thinking about losing the twenty pounds for that whole two years. If intentions and contemplation gets a person points (Weight Watchers!) then I'd look like Gywenth Paltrow. At any rate, my solution was that I wasn't going to eat anything sweet for twenty days. Then I'd (hopefully) lose a few pounds and be ready for those buffets. It lasted exactly...a day and a half (and last night I bought ice cream). I blame the ice cream on my friend Jo-Ann Mapson, who called me and described in detail the Dove bars she'd just bought. Luckily, my clothes are all stretchy, so I'll just have to try to make myself use the gym on the ship (yeah, that's gonna happen).
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the cruise, though I'll miss my Boo-dog (The Big Dog--aka Allen--is going with me). I know it's going to be a blast because, after all, it's quilters! How can it not be fun? Other than fretting about my weight (which, I admit, I don't do for long) all is well. I talked to my editor about "State Fair" and there's a bit of rewriting to do (the ending needs work--not surprised there as I kind of rushed it). I'll even probably work on it while I'm on the ship. For those who asked, "State Fair" comes out in May 2010. They are working on the cover right now and as soon as I see it, I'll post it on the website. Hope you are all having a wonderful summer!
Happy Trails, Earlene
p.s. Even if I didn't lose that weight, I have achieved one healthy goal. I'm down to one or two sodas a week. I now drink ice tea (not a misspelling, that's how Southerners say it). I miss my sodas, but I'm sure my kidneys are happier.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the cruise, though I'll miss my Boo-dog (The Big Dog--aka Allen--is going with me). I know it's going to be a blast because, after all, it's quilters! How can it not be fun? Other than fretting about my weight (which, I admit, I don't do for long) all is well. I talked to my editor about "State Fair" and there's a bit of rewriting to do (the ending needs work--not surprised there as I kind of rushed it). I'll even probably work on it while I'm on the ship. For those who asked, "State Fair" comes out in May 2010. They are working on the cover right now and as soon as I see it, I'll post it on the website. Hope you are all having a wonderful summer!
Happy Trails, Earlene
p.s. Even if I didn't lose that weight, I have achieved one healthy goal. I'm down to one or two sodas a week. I now drink ice tea (not a misspelling, that's how Southerners say it). I miss my sodas, but I'm sure my kidneys are happier.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
AKA Weekly Newsletter
Hey all,
Thanks to all of you (about 900 so far) who have signed up for my blog. That's only a fraction of the mailing list I've acquired over the years of having a website, so I may have to send another newsletter in a month to remind people that I won't be sending any more website newsletters.
I think some people might be intimidated by the word "blog." Maybe they think that I'll be invading their mailbox every day with my rambling thoughts. Trust me, there's no way I can write a blog every day. I attempted it on my last book tour and, between you and me, found it extremely difficult. So, just to clarify--this blog will be more of a once-a-week newsletter (often less because, really, my life isn't that exciting). I'll keep you updated on my latest book and tell you if I'm going to be speaking anywhere in your area. There will be the occasional corgi news (Mr. Boo is relaxing on his big footstool at the front window with his head on the ledge--if you were walking by you'd think he was a huge dog with very long legs).
So, just wanted to say "howdy" to all the new (old) followers and assure you I won't harass your e-mailbox too often. Tomorrow I'm supposed to have a conversation with my editor about "State Fair" so I'll be able to start a little of the rewrite before Allen and I leave for our New England "Quilt for a Cure" cruise. Allen's already getting a little nervous. This is the longest he'll have ever been away from Boo since our puppy (five years old now!) came home with us.
Hope you all have a nice, relaxing Sunday. I'm going to clean out the family desk, then go to the office supply store to buy things to organize everything. Except for Target, I don't think there's any more fun place than an office supply store!
Happy Trails, Earlene
Thanks to all of you (about 900 so far) who have signed up for my blog. That's only a fraction of the mailing list I've acquired over the years of having a website, so I may have to send another newsletter in a month to remind people that I won't be sending any more website newsletters.
I think some people might be intimidated by the word "blog." Maybe they think that I'll be invading their mailbox every day with my rambling thoughts. Trust me, there's no way I can write a blog every day. I attempted it on my last book tour and, between you and me, found it extremely difficult. So, just to clarify--this blog will be more of a once-a-week newsletter (often less because, really, my life isn't that exciting). I'll keep you updated on my latest book and tell you if I'm going to be speaking anywhere in your area. There will be the occasional corgi news (Mr. Boo is relaxing on his big footstool at the front window with his head on the ledge--if you were walking by you'd think he was a huge dog with very long legs).
So, just wanted to say "howdy" to all the new (old) followers and assure you I won't harass your e-mailbox too often. Tomorrow I'm supposed to have a conversation with my editor about "State Fair" so I'll be able to start a little of the rewrite before Allen and I leave for our New England "Quilt for a Cure" cruise. Allen's already getting a little nervous. This is the longest he'll have ever been away from Boo since our puppy (five years old now!) came home with us.
Hope you all have a nice, relaxing Sunday. I'm going to clean out the family desk, then go to the office supply store to buy things to organize everything. Except for Target, I don't think there's any more fun place than an office supply store!
Happy Trails, Earlene
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Back to Normal
That sounds like a title to a book! Maybe it was. Seems like I read a book where the town's name was Normal. At any rate, I had a great time with my youngest sister, Debra (six years younger, though that doesn't matter much when you're both hitting menopause) and her youngest daughter, Sam (known now as Boo's new favorite ball thrower and back scratcher). Olvera Street was a blast for my sister and me, brought back childhood memories (and we had some dynamite taquitos and gucamole). Hollywood was hot and dirty and (as always for first time visitors) a bit disappointing to Sam, I think. Hasn't been much glamour there since the 40's. We walked the sidewalks covered with stars and pushed our way through a still thick group of fans to see Michael Jackson's flower-strewn star (Farrah Fawcett's and Ed McMahon's stars were sadly bare). Took a photo of the Hollywood sign and cruised Venice Beach boardwalk. Less crazy street performers than used to be--sign of the hard economic times?
We were glad to drive back to the OC where it was cooler and less crowded (it always feels incredibly crowded in OC until I go to New York or Los Angeles). Went to the beach a couple of times (four miles from my house). Okay, first time I've done that in years. I just don't go and lay out on the beach with towel, hat, umbrella, drinks and snacks much anymore. I forgot how relaxing it is! We watched the Junior Lifeguards of Newport Beach practice whatever it is they practice. We gawked at the board skimmers and their antics right in front of our chairs. Sam and I rode the Ferris wheel on Balboa, first time she'd been on one. All of this is recorded on her phone, of course. How different is it for kids now! We used to have our little Kodak Instamatics whose film we'd take to the drugstore months later (when we had the money to develop the pictures). Hopefully Sam had a wonderful California experience. I sure had fun having her here. And my sister and I are still recuperating from too many late night talks. We're already scheming about when they can come back.
I'm still waiting to hear from my editor about State Fair. She's overloaded with work so wasn't able to read it as quickly as she wanted. And she's knee deep in conventions. So my rewrite will likely be after I get back from the Quilt for a Cure cruise I'm going on in August. I'll be speaking and signing books. Right now I'm trying to figure out clothes to wear in hot, muggy weather.
It got a little muggy when Debra was here, but, like a true East Coast person, she just laughed at our idea of muggy. Weather wimps, that's us here on the West Coast.
I just read in Harper's Index (Harper's magazine) that "Estimated percentage of all existing blogs that have not been updated in four months:94". Ha, I guess I'm doing better than the average. Frankly, I'm impressed when people can think of something to say every day (or week). I hope I don't get to the point where I'm telling you all what I'm cleaning today... I promised at the beginning of these blogs they wouldn't be long and rambling...I've certainly blown that promise! Mea culpa!
Happy Summertime Trails! Earlene
We were glad to drive back to the OC where it was cooler and less crowded (it always feels incredibly crowded in OC until I go to New York or Los Angeles). Went to the beach a couple of times (four miles from my house). Okay, first time I've done that in years. I just don't go and lay out on the beach with towel, hat, umbrella, drinks and snacks much anymore. I forgot how relaxing it is! We watched the Junior Lifeguards of Newport Beach practice whatever it is they practice. We gawked at the board skimmers and their antics right in front of our chairs. Sam and I rode the Ferris wheel on Balboa, first time she'd been on one. All of this is recorded on her phone, of course. How different is it for kids now! We used to have our little Kodak Instamatics whose film we'd take to the drugstore months later (when we had the money to develop the pictures). Hopefully Sam had a wonderful California experience. I sure had fun having her here. And my sister and I are still recuperating from too many late night talks. We're already scheming about when they can come back.
I'm still waiting to hear from my editor about State Fair. She's overloaded with work so wasn't able to read it as quickly as she wanted. And she's knee deep in conventions. So my rewrite will likely be after I get back from the Quilt for a Cure cruise I'm going on in August. I'll be speaking and signing books. Right now I'm trying to figure out clothes to wear in hot, muggy weather.
It got a little muggy when Debra was here, but, like a true East Coast person, she just laughed at our idea of muggy. Weather wimps, that's us here on the West Coast.
I just read in Harper's Index (Harper's magazine) that "Estimated percentage of all existing blogs that have not been updated in four months:94". Ha, I guess I'm doing better than the average. Frankly, I'm impressed when people can think of something to say every day (or week). I hope I don't get to the point where I'm telling you all what I'm cleaning today... I promised at the beginning of these blogs they wouldn't be long and rambling...I've certainly blown that promise! Mea culpa!
Happy Summertime Trails! Earlene
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Cleaning House
Those metaphoric words really can mean so much, can't they? Except it is literally what I've been doing this last week. Nothing like having company to make you look under your kitchen and bathroom sinks and think--I really need to clean this out. My visitors are my baby sister, Debra (who fifteen-some-odd years ago deserted the West Coast and became a Yankee--a Connecticut Yankee!) and her youngest daughter, Sam, who is 13. They are coming for a week's visit and we'll be doing the tourist thing. In Southern California that's the beach, shopping, Hollywood, shopping, In-N-Out Hamburgers, shopping, Balboa bars, shopping, In-N-Out again, shopping... Seriously, we hit In-N-Out on our way from the airport because my sister craves them so much.
No word on State Fair yet. My editor is still reading it, but she knows I'm having visitors for a week and can't start the rewrite until after the fifteenth, so that works great for both of us. I haven't even peeked at the manuscript since I've sent it off because I've found it's better to let it set for awhile and reread it with fresh eyes. I have sent my editor photos of State Fair quilt patterns (there are actually four different ones) and many photos I've taken at various county fairs, including the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles. She'll take them to the cover conference to help spark ideas for the cover. It'll be interesting to see what the cover ends up looking like. I'll post it on the website as soon as they send it to me.
Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July. Lucky for us Boo isn't fazed by fireworks probably because he hears them every night coming from Disneyland (we're 10 miles away, but on clear nights they sound like they are only a mile away).
Just wanted to say hi and wish you all a wonderful July! Earlene
No word on State Fair yet. My editor is still reading it, but she knows I'm having visitors for a week and can't start the rewrite until after the fifteenth, so that works great for both of us. I haven't even peeked at the manuscript since I've sent it off because I've found it's better to let it set for awhile and reread it with fresh eyes. I have sent my editor photos of State Fair quilt patterns (there are actually four different ones) and many photos I've taken at various county fairs, including the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles. She'll take them to the cover conference to help spark ideas for the cover. It'll be interesting to see what the cover ends up looking like. I'll post it on the website as soon as they send it to me.
Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July. Lucky for us Boo isn't fazed by fireworks probably because he hears them every night coming from Disneyland (we're 10 miles away, but on clear nights they sound like they are only a mile away).
Just wanted to say hi and wish you all a wonderful July! Earlene
Saturday, June 27, 2009
New Blog "Spot!"
Hey everyone!
Tina (beloved webmaster) has set up a new blog for me through Google (is Google supposed to be capitalized when it's being used as a noun?) At any rate, this is a quick test to see if all is working on it. The thing that is great about this blog is I'll be able to see if anyone is actually reading it! Before I sort of felt like a "voice in the wilderness."
So, I'm taking a break for a few weeks while waiting for my editor, agent, webmaster and a couple of friends read the first (or rather second) draft of State Fair. The timing has been great because my baby sister, Debra, and her 13-year-old daughter, Sam, are coming for visit for a week. We'll play, do the tourist thing (Sam wants to see Hollywood and the beach, of course--they are from Connecticut) and when they leave, I'll be back to working on State Fair. Once I send it back again (they usually give me about two weeks to work on it), then I'll be ready to start the next Benni book. It's been nice just hanging out trying to get my life organized again. My office is a total mess and needs to be "weeded" desperately.
Just a quick note about my three days in Kingman, Arizona. I've been to many, many speaking engagements in the last 17 years, but I have to tell you, the folks in Kingman are right there in the top ten in hospitality. Debbie, my local escort (and sister-in-law to my dear friend, Christine, who was with me) was a wonderful tour guide. The town of Kingman is right on Route 66 and has a lot of fun things to do. The Kingman Quilt Guild co-hosted one of my talks and made me a gorgeous quilt with all my book covers represented. I'll get mi esposo to take a photo of it and put it on the website (today he's putting together a pergola for our patio and I don't want to distract him!). All I can say is Kingman Rocks! Thanks to everyone there who made the Book Festival such a success.
Off to clean my office now...or at least take a crack at it. More later! Happy Trails, Earlene
Tina (beloved webmaster) has set up a new blog for me through Google (is Google supposed to be capitalized when it's being used as a noun?) At any rate, this is a quick test to see if all is working on it. The thing that is great about this blog is I'll be able to see if anyone is actually reading it! Before I sort of felt like a "voice in the wilderness."
So, I'm taking a break for a few weeks while waiting for my editor, agent, webmaster and a couple of friends read the first (or rather second) draft of State Fair. The timing has been great because my baby sister, Debra, and her 13-year-old daughter, Sam, are coming for visit for a week. We'll play, do the tourist thing (Sam wants to see Hollywood and the beach, of course--they are from Connecticut) and when they leave, I'll be back to working on State Fair. Once I send it back again (they usually give me about two weeks to work on it), then I'll be ready to start the next Benni book. It's been nice just hanging out trying to get my life organized again. My office is a total mess and needs to be "weeded" desperately.
Just a quick note about my three days in Kingman, Arizona. I've been to many, many speaking engagements in the last 17 years, but I have to tell you, the folks in Kingman are right there in the top ten in hospitality. Debbie, my local escort (and sister-in-law to my dear friend, Christine, who was with me) was a wonderful tour guide. The town of Kingman is right on Route 66 and has a lot of fun things to do. The Kingman Quilt Guild co-hosted one of my talks and made me a gorgeous quilt with all my book covers represented. I'll get mi esposo to take a photo of it and put it on the website (today he's putting together a pergola for our patio and I don't want to distract him!). All I can say is Kingman Rocks! Thanks to everyone there who made the Book Festival such a success.
Off to clean my office now...or at least take a crack at it. More later! Happy Trails, Earlene
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Where in the world...
is Earlene Fowler? I’m right here! (I stole that from an old computer game kids used to check out of the library when I worked there in 1992–Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?)
I’ve been working hard at finishing up State Fair. It’s due on Monday, June 15, so I’m down to the wire. My original due date was May 1, but I had to ask for an extension. So June 15 is truly a drop dead day! (And that’s exactly what I feel like doing right now).
So, except for a wonderful long weekend where I spoke at the Kingman, Arizona Book Festival, I’ve had my nose to mu computer. I went through my normal panic when I finished the first draft (last Saturday at 8:19 p.m. to be exact). I always hate my first drafts. But I’ve been rewriting this week and am feeling better about it. It really is about layering, going back through and clarifying what I meant, changing a word here, a sentence there. My books are always so clear in my head. It never reads as good on the page as it does in my head (kind of like how I look better in my bathroom mirror than in the pictures people take of me).
Right now I’m watching “Tattoo Highway” on A & E. They are in Albuquerque. For some reason I love all those reality shows about the tattoo culture even though I don’t have one. I wonder if anyone has ever gotten a quilt tattoo? If I got a tattoo it would probably be a combination of a pen, a quilt pattern and maybe a cross.
Okay, just wanted to say howdy and let those of you who follow my blog that I’m doing okay. (Yes, I know I’m the worse blogger on earth–forget about me every twittering or tweeting!) Back to work tomorrow on the rewrite. I’m on page 200 (of a 436 page manuscript).
Happy Trails! Earlene
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