Shenanigans

HELLO, my pretties!!

Still here, working away in my own corner of the world. Hope you're doing the same in yours!

Since we last talked I have:

--Been ripping apart my current manuscript and making something new out of it. This is a Good Thing. I got some excellent, deep feedback in November/December (THANK YOU FOREVER, lovely CPs!), and realized I needed to completely rejigger the structure. Rejigger is too light of a word. Rip apart is closer. And the characterization too! I think at least half of it will be completely new material. And this is the third draft. Anyway, I probably will be fairly head-down for a bit until I get this done.

--Auditioned for and got accepted into the university choir. This is my first time singing ANYTHING other than in my shower, and I don't read music (yet--I'm trying to learn it quickly), so it was pretty much a miracle they let me in (Alto 1). I'm floundering a bit so far. But I'm very excited to be part of it and about the songs we're singing (including Oh Shenandoah, All Things Bright and Beautiful, Earth Song, and a version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah). Wish me luck!

--Went to Vegas for the first time, last weekend. I gave my husband this trip as his Christmas present, and we had a blast. We saw a Cirque du Soleil show, and Rod Stewart live, and did fun things like ride the New York New York rollercoaster and sample sodas from around the world at the Coke store. And we did the Pawn Stars tour, because we could. :)

--I also read some great books, including one I'm going to give away soon, once things settle down enough for me to get to it (IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS by Cat Winters). And I bought some new exciting ones, like THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab, DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor, and THE REECE MALCOLM LIST by rockin' agent-sister Amy Spalding. Yay new books! I'm also reading HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE for the first time with my daughter, and we're really enjoying that.

We are on the eve of February, which has long been one of my favorite months as it has my birthday *and* my daughter's birthday. If we can just skip over that icky Valentine's Day part.

Oh! And tonight after work I have to go buy a ballgown. Because next week we've been invited to the Governor's black-tie ball...

Yep, life is always interesting. Tell me what you're up to!!