June 13, 2007
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So. You came by to visit with my crazy friends from Riverview, USA. I know how it is. You’re addicted to them every bit as much as I am.
Unfortunately, the twin stresses that prompted last week’s Thursday Thirteen haven’t been resolved (Mom, I love you, but you said some very hurtful things at a time when the focus should have been on #2’s school dilemma, not either of us), and now there’s more! 1. I caught #1’s cold and it’s doing its best to turn into bronchitis. 2. I’ve been tagged for a meme by Lori. 6. Plus, Aline and L^2 have also tagged me in the past, and I’ve had to let those balls drop. 7. #2 has her first dance recital next week. I am not nearly so silly as you think because I’m stressed over having to put her hair into a bun. 8. #1 is home from school and all he wants to do is play with friends. And play with friends. And play with friends. I don’t mind being his chauffeur (so long as he doesn’t call me Jeeves), but it’d be nice if some of these friends were home to play with! 9. I’m tickled pink by everyone’s responses to my story poem (scroll down if you missed it). I can’t decide if I’m glad no one wanted me to tell them more about our nameless roadie, though. Eventually, I’d like to do a book about a roadie. 10. The way you guys reacted to last week’s Thursday Thirteen touched me. Not just because you caught on that I’m stressed, but because you love Trevor so much. It just makes me all the more eager to bring you Trevor’s Song. I hope you’ll stick with me and help me build my fan base as we progress through this process called publication. 11. The summer reading contest is coming. Can you feel it? Are you one of the many people who’ve stuffed my inbox with prizes and suggestions, only to not get a response? Apologies for that. I’ve been so focused on #2’s school dilemma that I’ve answered only the barest of mails. 12. I’m not ready to launch the Summer Reading Contest and dammit, I want to be. You guys are going to dig it; it’ll be the same format as Debut a Debut, only with some improvements. Fortunately, Erica at Writing Aspirations is on board with me again. And Karen at Morsie Reads. And hopefully lots of you guys, too. Yes, if the criteria fits, you can overlap this contest with any of your other reading challenges or contests. I’m easy like that! 13. I really want to spend time with Trevor and company. As you guys have noticed, I love my characters. I wish I had more, more, more time to write (I know, don’t we all?), but what struck me last night was that one of my least favorite solutions to #2’s school dilemma is sending her to a program that would give me more time to write. Can YOU figure that one out without invoking the phrase, “You’re putting your daughter first, you good mom, you!”??? And edited to add a bonus: it seems that the Tour Manager found this week’s header picture… in the home of our own TTer Babe King. Be sure to tell her you saw her here and to thank her for the picture — and be sure to get her new release from Freya’s Bower this month, too!!! |
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Amy Ruttan
June 13, 2007 8:38 pm
Ya I loved your Roadie Poem from Monday. Watching the Roadies at the concert was fun toO!
Crimson Wife
June 13, 2007 8:40 pm
Hope things settle down for you soon! There’s something about this time of year that can make things get mucho hectic.
L^2
June 13, 2007 8:46 pm
Don’t worry about the memes. I only ever do them if I have extra time, and it sounds to me like you are plenty busy with other important things right now. But thanks for the link love anyway. 🙂 Hope you feel better soon!
mama kelly
June 13, 2007 8:59 pm
Hope life settles down and that you get well soon.BR/BR/Mama kelly
Dewey
June 13, 2007 9:02 pm
Don’t forget to take care of yourself so that cold doesn’t turn into the bronchitis! Too much stress and not enough rest = getting sick.
ChupieandJ'smama
June 13, 2007 9:08 pm
I’m sorry about the stress! I hope things calm down for you soon. This is the first TT that I’ve seen here that wasn’t about the characters. Kind of nice to get know YOU too 🙂 I hope next week is a better one for ya.
ChupieandJ'smama
June 13, 2007 9:08 pm
I’m sorry about the stress! I hope things calm down for you soon. This is the first TT that I’ve seen here that wasn’t about the characters. Kind of nice to get know YOU too 🙂 I hope next week is a better one for ya.
ChupieandJ'smama
June 13, 2007 9:08 pm
I’m sorry about the stress! I hope things calm down for you soon. This is the first TT that I’ve seen here that wasn’t about the characters. Kind of nice to get know YOU too 🙂 I hope next week is a better one for ya.
Jill
June 13, 2007 9:31 pm
It’s not fair!!!! I was on here when I saw that you had post on my TT!!!If only my computer was working better!!!BR/How old is #2, anyway??BR/And you don’t need to have sympaty pain for me, Susan!!(I have just a border line cold/bronchitis)
Jenny McB
June 13, 2007 9:34 pm
The bun thing would be stressing me out big time, seriously. Find a friend who can do it for you. Hope you find some time for a nice hot cup of tea and some writing.
Thomma Lyn
June 13, 2007 9:45 pm
I love your characters, too! Especially Trevor. 🙂 And I can’t wait to read ITrevor’s Song/I — I feel like you’re gonna get it out there, just hang tight and don’t give up!BR/BR/And oh my oh my, Meme-o-Rama! So funny that so many of us tagged you for memes at the same time. Means we love you! :)BR/BR/I’m sorry those stresses from last week haven’t resolved. But we, your blogging friends, are in your cheering section, and I hope things get better for you and yours soon.BR/BR/Happy TT to you, my friend!
sobeit
June 13, 2007 10:01 pm
Sounds like you need a break and time to relax. I hope you get it soon….don’t forget to take care of yourself!!! Happy TT!
Emma Wayne Porter
June 13, 2007 10:08 pm
Hang in there, love. BR/BR/Don’t hit me for saying it, but… This too shall pass. If you take care of yourself, of course.BR/BR/Chin up, please. Trevor and your future readers depend on it.
Susan Helene Gottfried
June 13, 2007 10:11 pm
Aww, Emma, thanks. All of you guys, in fact. I’ll tell you the whole unbelievable story about #2 and school when I can — as in: when it’s resolved and I can breathe again.BR/BR/And Thomma, I still believe Trev will find his way into print. I’m still willing to do it myself; it’d be very like him to self-publish, sell a huge amount of copies that’ll get attention, and then snub the major publishers when they come sniffing around, ready for the bandwagon. BR/BR/(can you tell I’m spending time with him now, in fact?)
Marcia (MeeAugraphie)
June 13, 2007 10:15 pm
Real life problems – not part of the plot. Your characters are so real, if you hadn’t said it was about you, I might have thought you were just starting another story. BR/BR/Stressing over a bun makes total sense to me, I say hire a professional!
bunnygirl
June 13, 2007 10:31 pm
How old is your daughter, and how long is her hair? BR/BR/At a minimum, you’ll need a ponytail elastic, bobby pins, and one of those nearly invisible nylon hair nets. The net will keep loose ends in and help keep everything together during dancing.BR/BR/If the hair is somewhat short, backcomb it a little after you’ve ponytailed it and before you make the bun. This will make it fuller and help the bobby pins stay in. BR/BR/I’ve also used bun “forms” (they look like foam donuts) and clip-on hair extensions with great success.BR/BR/It’s not hard at all, but there’s a definite trick to it. 🙂
Susan Helene Gottfried
June 13, 2007 10:34 pm
You’re the second person now who’s mentioned hair nets to me. At dance, they said, “detangler, gel, and hairspray. In huge amounts.”BR/BR/This is gonna be a nightmare, I’m telling you now… at least the woman two doors up has a daughter who dances there and can help if I get desperate.
Joely Sue Burkhart
June 13, 2007 10:53 pm
Hugs on the family stresses. My Mom is barely speaking to me, and it’s been that way for years now. I see her about twice a year, and the funny thing? We moved home to MO from MN to be close to family! She only lives an hour and a half away now.
pussreboots
June 13, 2007 11:03 pm
Wow sounds like you’re busy. Happy TT.
Wylie Kinson
June 13, 2007 11:05 pm
Like l^2 said – scrap the memes. You don’t need more stress!! As for #2 and school, go with your gut. It’s always right. It’s our over-analytical minds that frig things up!
Alyssa Goodnight
June 13, 2007 11:15 pm
Hope you can find a way to de-stress! Forget the bun…having to put in a barette would stress me! Luckily, I have two boys.BR/BR/Have a good week!
An Ordinary Mom
June 13, 2007 11:17 pm
You have a lot going on! I hope life settles down soon. You deserve a MUCH needed break!
Michelle M Pillow
June 13, 2007 11:34 pm
Hope you feel better soon!
Raven Paranormal Blog
June 13, 2007 11:34 pm
Feel better soon!
Christine
June 13, 2007 11:37 pm
I think almost everyone in the blogosphere was playing tag this week, I’ve been tagged 3x too. BR/BR/Sorry to read that life is so hectic for you – and hey, I’d be stressed if I had to put EM’s hair in a bun too. It’s not an easy feat! BR/BR/Be kind to yourself – being sick and stressed is not a good combo. Remember, this too shall pass. BR/BR/I’m all about 13 cool writing tips from Jack this week on my TT.
Ed
June 13, 2007 11:38 pm
You took a picture of Joy Renee’s desk. LOLBR/Ed
littlebirdblue
June 14, 2007 1:01 am
O. My. Goodness. Is it really a non-fiction TT? You said it was, but I just couldn’t believe it.BR/BR/Hope other things are evening out. All will be good, eventually.
Robin
June 14, 2007 2:18 am
I would be totally freaking out over the idea of having to get my daughter’s hair in a bun too. Of course, she doesn’t even let me put a barrette or a ponytail in, so it’s unlikely for a while, but still, I understand the panic completely.BR/BR/I hope the perfect school solution jumps up and screams “pick me! pick me!” really soon my friend.
RED GARNIER
June 14, 2007 2:24 am
Susan, firstly, I’m here for you whatever you need! Don’t worry about the memes of course, we just tag you because we love you. XOXO! But we now want you to do what’s important first, and TREVOR comes before the memes. And YOU before him, because we don’t have him without you. LOL!BR/BR/Oh, about #2…I do that sometimes…only another writer might understand writing is food for us. I get grumpy when I can’t, and that’s not good for my family either! =)
Babe King
June 14, 2007 4:49 am
Hang in there. And btw, how did you get the picture of my desk?
Darla
June 14, 2007 5:05 am
{{{{hugs}}}} You know, Ithey/I say that stress doesn’t cause colds, but it certainly makes you more susceptible. BR/BR/My mom always put my hair in buns when I was little–shall I send you her phone number? 🙂
Miscellaneous-Mum
June 14, 2007 5:54 am
Gosh. Sounds like a handful. I hear you with the whole writing frustration. I never get to do mine anymore…
MarciNYC
June 14, 2007 6:12 am
After your roadie poem (which I, she who does not like much poetry, loved) I’ve been humming Jackson Browne’s ‘The Load-Out’ ever since… There could be worse earworms – i.e., Macarena. :)BR/BR/Good luck on the bun thing. Reminds me of why I enjoy short hair – the few times I tried to put mine up, it was a disaster. (Of course, I’ve got enough hair on my head for a family, which is part of the problem.)
Gattina
June 14, 2007 6:45 am
With all these tags you don’t have time to write something else anymore, lol !
One of the 2 moms
June 14, 2007 7:00 am
Oh it must be sweet to see #2’s hair put into a bun…BR/BR/:-)
Christine
June 14, 2007 7:20 am
I hope things get better for you soon. We can only do our best by our children, and it sounds like you’re doing just that. HUGS!!
samulli
June 14, 2007 7:34 am
Wow, the “hair in a bun” thing seems to be a real problem. I don’t envy you for that, honestly. But I’ve heard that really really short haircuts are coming back into fashion … well, probably not. ;o)BR/Don’t stress yourself out, though. Whatever the other problem is, just remember, it’s not gonna be the ned of the world, even if it seems like it from where you stand.
Joy Renee
June 14, 2007 7:41 am
I could rant for pages about the arrogance of the elitist publishing industry and their assumption of the right of gate keeping. maybe in the days printing presses cost a fortune to buy and maintain…. but now?BR/BR/So they turned down Trever’s Song… and what do you want to bet that this time next year there is a Paris Hilton cheesy whine about Doing My Time.BR/BR/Computer Technology coupled with the Internet and the willingness to self-advocate has the potential of putting the leverage back into the hands of the content creators rather than the the purveyors.BR/BR/I know that feeling of loving my characters and their world so much that I can’t bear that nobody else even knows them. BR/BR/It was after I saw what you were doing here with your characters that I started talking about mine on my blog. And since then have been giving serious thought to some form of self-publishing for their sake.BR/BR/Thinking of it that way helps me get past my bugaboo about self-promotion.BR/BR/*deep breath* can you tell you struck one of my nerves?BR/BR/as for all the other stresses you mentioned, REST. Sleep deprivation really messes with our perceptions of reality and our problem solving abilities, our creativity and our immune system.BR/BR/so says the one who worked steady on the computer for most of 36 hours last week-end!BR/BR/my TT is 13 Addlepated Moments. It might garner a giggle or two.
ERiCA
June 14, 2007 8:42 am
Wow, are you under stress or what?!BR/BR/Here’s wishing you an easy, relaxing week!!
Ann Aguirre
June 14, 2007 8:50 am
Hope you get things sorted soon. End of school year can be maddening.
Tempest Knight
June 14, 2007 9:12 am
Sorry to hear that things from last week haven’t been resolved.
julia
June 14, 2007 9:28 am
Hope everything works out with the hair and the dance recital, your mom, you and life in general. Why does it make a novel so exciting when these things happen, but in real life it just sucks?
Kristi
June 14, 2007 9:32 am
Here’s to a much calmer Thursday!!! Feel better…BR/BR/Happy TT!
Tilly Greene
June 14, 2007 9:42 am
Hugs darlin’…your chaos will pass.
Lori
June 14, 2007 9:52 am
What a great idea!! I love it and thanks for putting my link in there. Your awesome:)
Amelia June
June 14, 2007 11:09 am
I’m in for a reading challenge! I’m doing 150 this year (attempting to, anyway LOL).BR/BR/Hope you are less stressed as time goes on!
May
June 14, 2007 11:17 am
Hope things settle down really soon!
Sophisticated Writer
June 14, 2007 11:22 am
I have a cold too, Susan (ugh). Take care of yourself and have some fun :-)BR/BR/Sorry I wasn’t here last T13 (I didn’t participate last week anyway and had no internet connection…long story).BR/BR/And yes the poem is lovely.
Lesley
June 14, 2007 12:31 pm
Good luck helping your little one deal with her school dilemma. That’s got to be so hard knowing their having problems and not being able to wave a magic wand and fix everything!
Julia
June 14, 2007 12:45 pm
I hope that your head is still attached after all that insainty with the school being out for the summer *grin*…..Hope that thing will settle down and that you won’t be too stress out anymore. Take care of yourself, it one of the most important thing too :)BR/BR/Happy T 13! Try to have a good day 🙂
Anna J. Evans
June 14, 2007 1:38 pm
Good luck, hope you feel better! I hate colds that get down in your lungs, they really make you feel your mortality. Something about not being able to breathe!BR/BR/As for the bun, a couple of tips–BR/BR/Do the high ponytail, and braid the rest hanging down before you wrap it around and pin it. It helps controlf fly-aways. Also a bun net (available at any pharmacy) works wonders. Just wrap up the finished bun a couple times and then pin it in place, spray some Aquanet (it works best), and you’ll be set.BR/BR/Finally, a chance to use those 18 years of ballet for good! :)BR/BR/anna j. evans
Jean-Luc Picard
June 14, 2007 2:02 pm
Hope you’re feeling a lot better soon, Susan.
Annie the Superfast Reader
June 14, 2007 2:09 pm
Just discovered Thursday Thirteen via the blogroll game–what a cool idea! I will be subscribing to your feed participating in the future!
PJ
June 14, 2007 2:46 pm
Poor you, I’ve been suffering with a cold too this week. I hope that things settle down for you soon.
bunnygirl
June 14, 2007 3:17 pm
Regarding Trevor’s Song, hang in there! Remember that it’s a subjective industry and it’s not about good writing as much as perceived marketability. Perceptions can be wrong, but what can you do?BR/BR/At least there is POD and the internet. You have lots of options for sharing your characters and their story with the world, even if end up not being able to get through to the morons in publishing.BR/BR/We have choices that Dickens and his ilk never dreamed of. We live in good times!
Norma
June 14, 2007 4:15 pm
That’s a lot of tags–ah, the price of popularity.BR/BR/My TT is up.
cheesygiraffe
June 14, 2007 5:03 pm
So I can’t tag you for a meme? LOLBR/If I lived close I would put #2’s hair into a bun for ya. :)BR/BR/Just remember dark chocolate is good for reducing stress. 😉
Kuanyin
June 14, 2007 6:10 pm
I think you need to take a writer’s retreat on Maui! 🙂 Happy WW!
Titania Starlight
June 14, 2007 6:11 pm
I wanted to stop by and say hello and to thank you for stopping by my T13.BR/BR/You sure were tagged a lot this week! :o)BR/BR/Have a nice weekend.
Donica Covey
June 14, 2007 6:31 pm
Thanks so much for dropping by my blog. Metallica is definitely a top rank band. I just didnt find them falling into my top 13. BR/BR/Drop me a line sometime. I’d really be interested in hanging with another head banger!BR/BR/hugglesBR/Donica
spyscribbler
June 14, 2007 8:15 pm
I definitely think you should write #9! That would be a great hook! BR/BR/Good luck with the bun. Slather on a whole handful of gel, and you should be good to go. ;-)BR/BR/Happy TT!
Kimmie
June 14, 2007 8:59 pm
I put you in my blog list. I’ll be watchng for announcements about “BR/Trevor’s Song”
Ann
June 14, 2007 9:01 pm
Hope you feel better soon (I’m right there with you, only mine are allergies) and that things settle down. Have a calm and peaceful weekend.
Tink
June 15, 2007 6:48 am
I send you healing and relaxing vibes, I hope all issues will be resolved soon so you can breathe again. Hang in there, your blogging friends are here for you!BR/Thanks for visiting my TT. To be honest I’m not very active in all those communities, except for LibraryThing. 😉
Nancy
June 15, 2007 7:35 am
Ugh! Family Drama is the worst. BR/BR/And, I can so relate to school, kids, and what is best for everyone.BR/BR/I am looking forward to your contest/challenge!
gabriella hewitth
June 15, 2007 8:53 am
Whoo Hoo! Look at how popular you are this week.BR/BR/I hope things are getting better. It’s no fun when you’re stressed and are in a bad place with people you love. I can relate.BR/BR/You sound like you’ve got a busy schedule planned for the blog. I can’t wait to see what it’s all about. I loooove contests. 😉
karen!
June 15, 2007 1:37 pm
Sorry I’m a bit late checking in, but yesterday was absolute crap for me.BR/BR/I am so excited about this contest though!
Carmi
June 16, 2007 10:19 pm
Hey Susan. Does #1 use instant messaging software? My kids spend more time with IM than they do on the phone: next time he wants you to cart him around, have him log in first to see where his homies are at.BR/BR/Leave it to me to come up with a geek solution to a parental issue!BR/BR/(Still thinking about the D50…sweet camera…what lens do you have with it?)