I Knew It Was a Dream When...

"I hope you have a good one/ I hope Mama gets her shopping done." - "Christmas All Over Again" by Tom Petty

Last night I had a dream that included some of the characters in my Willow Ryan series, and it seemed so real! I was shopping at Thyme to Play, the cutest toy store in Santa Elena, and talking with Willow and the store owner, the quirky Peggy Maguire. Willow, being the hardworking, friendly salesperson that I wrote her to be, was telling me about these new fairy wings that they just got in, and she said my nieces would love them. I was just about to hand my Visa card to Summer, who was working the register (all decked out in an acid wash jean skirt and off-the-shoulder hot pink sweater - the series is set in the 80s after all!), when I remembered that I was done shopping, so I left! That's when I knew it was a dream because I would never turn down the perfect gift, even if I had thought I was completely done shopping. I really wish Santa Elena and Thyme to Play were real places. I could have done a lot of Christmas shopping there this weekend!

Okay, back to reality. I am actually done with my Christmas shopping! And it's only November 28! I have been so consumed with buying and making gifts that I haven't written a single word for my work in progress all month. Isn't that terrible? I just can't concentrate on my novel right now when there are so many other things to do, so I am taking a break until after the holidays. I will still be updating my blog, but as for writing new chapters, the characters of Who We Thought We Were (and my notes for the next book in the Willow series) will just have to wait patiently until I can give them my undivided attention. I guess the freedom to stop and go as I please is one benefit (maybe the one and only benefit) of not having a publishing contract. I really hope that changes in the coming year!

Thanksgiving Day

"Over the river and through the woods/ Trot fast my dapple grey/ Spring o'er the ground like a hunting hound/ For this is Thanksgiving Day!"

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have a wonderful day full of good food, loving family and friends, and great memories.

And for all of you who are going shopping tomorrow at the crack of dawn (or before!), have patience, understanding, and most of all, a lot of FUN!

Soon it Will be Christmas Day!

"Silver bells, silver bells/ It's Christmastime in the city/ Ring-a-ling, hear them ring/ Soon it will be Christmas day!" - "Silver Bells"

It's time to start Christmas shopping! At least for me. Today is Hallmark's Ornament Debut, and as a holiday nut, I have to be there. Do I need more ornaments? Probably not. Do I want them? Oh yeah! Then after that, Barnes and Noble is doing their semiannual educators' appreciation week, so I get 25% off every book in the store. I can't pass that up! With five kids to buy for (Riley, Alana, and my nieces and nephew), I have to take the deals where I can get them. I have a massive list of fun items to buy, and I'm feeling very Christmasy!

It's time to break out the holiday CDs (okay, I never put them away from last year!) and sing along as Rudolph guides Santa sleigh, Frosty the Snowman comes to life, and St. Nick himself comes to town. Ho ho ho!