This weekend is once again time for that most fabulous of all conventions, FENCON!! Here's my panel schedule: Friday  6:00 pm  Addison Lecture Hall Love me, love my neck! Description: What is behind the Renaissance of the Vampire? From Novels, to TV & the Movies. Some said it was a fad, but it's still going...

___________________________ Saturday  12:00 noon  Trinity 1/2 Meat And Blood Description: From Zombies and Vampires, people's fascination with the taboo diet in film and print. You might think twice before bringing your lunch with you to this one...

___________________________ Saturday  2:00 pm  Gallery 2:00 pm - Description: Autographs

___________________________ Saturday  6:00 pm  Trinity 3 Zombies. Vs. Werewolves Vs. Vampires:The Cycle of Fads Description: Interest in these paranormal characters seems to wax and wane - not unlike the cycles that seem to rule the habits of these paranormal creatures. What's hot now? What's cooling off, and what's the next hot trend?

___________________________ Sunday  2:00 pm  Pecan Discussion: Adopting an International or Special Needs Child Description: Angeline Hawkes and Christopher Fulbright host a Q&A on the process, the challenges, and rewards of adoption.

I should have copies of Symphony for the Forgotten. [Waiting for them to arrive via the mail] If not, I still have some Advanced Readers Copies that will be $5. We'll also have a few copies of the out of print, Blood Coven, by myself [Angeline Hawkes] and Christopher Fulbright. Our author table will also have copies of Spicy Slipstream Stories, Frontier Cthulhu and a few other books.

I won't have trade paperback copies of Shades of Blood and Shadow yet, but hope to have those next year for ConDFW in Feb.

In writing news: I've been busy querying agents and publishers for 2 novels. I have a 3rd ready to go out too, but I may wait awhile before sending that out as the other 2 are tying up all of the available parties that would also be interested in the 3rd. I'm also soon to be back at writing another novel that's about 1/4 of the way finished.

In adoption news: We're currently waiting on a September update on our kiddo. We're still hoping he'll be home in December. The cogs of the machine move very slowly and the wait is excruciating. Chris and I will have dvds, vhs, books, bunnies and lambs for sale at our author table as part of our fundraising this weekend too!

Some days all it seems like I do is wait...writing and adoption wise. lol.

In sewing news: I listed 2 holiday ensembles on ebay for Bleuette. And don't forget the adoption fundraisers of hearts, bunnies and lambs! I've got a Bambino gown set to list and am nearly finished with a dress from a 1930s McCalls pattern also for Bambino or 10 inch baby doll equivalent.

Yesterday I broke out the Halloween decor and decorated the inside of the house. Last year I was sick and we only really had decorations up for a couple of weeks, so since we got ripped in 08, I decided to start early in 09! lol. That and the end of this month is crazy busy with school and other commitments, so now was the best time!

Kiddo#3's bedroom is now mostly done. We have to do the closet rod/shelf, but for the most part the drawers are full, the toy box is getting filled up, the bookcase is getting stocked, and we can't wait to actually have the kiddo that the room is for!

So, that's my scoop. Come out and see us in Addison this weekend!

Bleuette ensemble ebay auctions closing today...all have been marked down to $20 or less with free shipping.

I'm tired...it always takes our family unit about a week to adjust to the daylight savings time change...I once read something when I was a kid, well, okay, I read LOTS of stuff when I was a kid, but this particular gem said something like this: Daylight savings time is like cutting the end off of a blanket and sewing it onto the other end of the blanket to make it longer. I always found that amusing.

Listed a ton of stuff on ebay today. For some reason it says 47, when there's actually 54 items listed...none of the jeans/pants have shown up yet. Weird. Anyway...the start of the sell everything that's not nailed down fund-raising efforts to fund the adoption. This is just the tip of the iceberg...there is yet another pile awaiting my descriptive talents and photographic genius under my formal dining room table...and then there will be an All-House Clean-out following the petering out of this latest round of auctions. We haven't even begun to write up descriptions for the book, magazine, dvd and vhs pile near Chris's Man Room yet....the nightmare makes me shudder.

Tonight is writing night...looking forward to it. I'm so near the end of Inferno: Tales of Hell and Horror that I can almost taste it. Want to wrap up the writing so I can move onto the editing and re-writing. I'm happy so far.

Managed to get quite a bit of sewing on Bleuette ensembles done during our Movie Madness Weekend. We watched quite a few movies, some really good, one real stinker [Zombie Honeymoon]. Of course, I listed them on ebay already...except one, need to take photo and write up description yet. It'll go in with the other pile waiting for me. Guess what I'm doing tomorrow? lol.

Well, it's bedtime for kiddo#2. I've prodded and declared it Jammie Time...I hear the water running while she brushes teeth and the refrain from "Never let the water run" from Barney is now singing in my head...Damn Barney...even 4 years after his popularity waned and faded into history in our household, the haunting refrains of his chilling voice still rings in my head! Out, out damned spot!

Okay...off to tuck in and read. Hey, help me save a baby....go buy a copy of Symphony for the Forgotten. It's like Save the Children...only you KNOW the money is actually going to the baby in this case....and I won't play any heart-wrenching videos that make you cry.

Ton of Bleuette [or other similar 10-12 inch doll] ensembles listed on ebay now.

I've kicked up the sewing as we're desperately raising funds now for the rest of the apprx $23,000 we need for the adoption program fees, travel for the infant and escort, Immigration services, and legal adoption bills here in Texas. I've been sewing since early winter but just now listing. We also have a ton of books, DVDs, VHS, other doll both antique and Barbie items, toys, outgrown children's clothing, and more books! lol....Will be getting those up over the next weeks.

The Home study visit went very well last night, and barring any complications with any of the other forms that we had to have mailed in from a gazillion sources, our social worker said we're approved. Yay! I didn't anticipate any complications or denials, but it's very nerve-racking all the same. Now we have a final payment to send them and we wait for the paperwork to be completed. As far as we know the only forms they're waiting on that we have yet to send our our 2008 taxes from our accountant. So, now we begin to raise money in earnest.

Tonight's a writing night. I'm finally in the 9th level of Hell in my Inferno:Tales of Hell and Horror collection [due out in Fall/Winter from Dark Regions Press].

Okay...off to do laundry! Windows open, it's a beautiful 75 outside!

I did it again. I had a few minutes to spare so I sat down and found myself wandering through the fabric aisles of Ebay....then click click and I was at Hancocks online...why do I do this? I'm addicted to fabric! Specifically vintage or reproduction vintage fabrics...with a heavy usage of 1930-40s cotton...the reds, the yellows, the florals...the pinks, the greens, the geometric patterns....it's exilirating to unfold a crisp new or well worn, soft vintage FQ [fat quarter an 18x22 inch square of fabric]....so many dolly clothes...so many quilts!

But I will spend not. We are saving for the baby. I have crib quilts to be sewing...rooms to be rearranging, clutter and books to clean out for the resale "pay for baby" pile for ebay....I should not be roaming through fabric shoppes salivating over fabric...pretty 1950s stripes...pretty 1930s florals recycled from an old farm apron...teensy polka dots red on turquoise....or my other weakness: 1930-50s kitchen fabrics that can be whipped up in a matter of minutes into spiffy, bold and homey tablecloths...


I love the brightness of the kitchen fabrics...the eccentricity of the patterns...whimsical kitchen views, bold eye-popping florals, or strange dancing vegetables and singing fruits....they're all there in those piles of cast away fabric that I find at so and so's dead aunt Mattie's house cleaning garage sale, god rest her soul.

Stuck under stacks of 1970s Family Circles and crocheted potholders...under the stacks of multi-hued crocheted afghans and macrame plantholders...I find the boxes of wooden spooled threads in brilliant hues -- cottons not that polyster crap they sell today -- and in the water-damaged box under the table of fluffy pink commode covers and golden fillagree kleenex box covers, I find the gold mine: vintage fabric. Sometimes it's an old house dress thrown into the clothes pile...sometimes, and these are glorious times, it's boxes and boxes of carefully folded vintage fabric.

I hold these fabrics wondering what project the old aunt, the old grandmother, the old mom had in store for them...did they mean to sew just one more quilt before arthritis finally claimed their hands? Did they mean to make just one more jumper or pinafore for a much loved grandchild before all the grandbabies grew up and only wore jeans and t-shirts? Did they intend to sew just one more housedress to wear around the house on lazy days? So many prospects.

Usually the family sees no value in these fabrics and threads...I get whole boxes for $1...I've had people go back to the shed, the bedroom, the garage and pull out more boxes, some full of old handstitched quilts, aprons, baby clothes and tell me "Just take it"...glad to be rid of these relics of the past when every woman knew her way around a sewing machine and there was nothing that couldn't be whipped up in an afternoon if it was needed.

It makes me sad sometimes. A quarter for a quilt constructed of carefully saved and matched feed sack fabrics, lovingly stitched by hand in dim light after a long day's work of raising children and feeding the family of hand-washing and hanging laundry...no tvs to blare, no movies to watch, no internet to suck the time away....just one woman and a lapful of fabric diligently transforming the small into something large enough to cover a sleeping baby, a thrashing, yawning child, or a dead-tired husband.

I pile my mildewed scented boxes into my car, waving happily at the family that was oh so ecstatic to get rid of Aunt Milly's boxes of crap...Aunt Milly's boxes of hopes and dreams...Aunt Milly's boxes of warmth and love and hard work and dedication....and I take them home and empty them into piles, wash and iron and fold them...

And sew them into all those items and projects that Aunt Milly didn't get a chance to get to...and I imagine I can see her smiling, happy her beloved fabric didn't end up in a black plastic trash sack in the city dump.

And some day...my children will face the same situation...after the weed through our books and books and books...they'll come to my boxes of fabric carefully ironed and folded and waiting to live as something useful and beautiful...

But just maybe I will have instilled in my daughters and maybe sons the same love that I have for watching an unsuspecting piece of fabric become something wonderful beneath the movement of their hands...and they'll pick up a piece and rub it between knowing fingers and feel the "hand" of it, and envision something beautiful...and take it home...

and repeat the cycle.

So...I push my chair away and turn to my work...knowing that there will be more fabric waiting again for me once babies are toddlers and toddlers are children and children are teenagers and then....adults. And then there will be even more time to collect that fabric, iron it and fold it and put it away.

I wrote 2 stories yesterday. I'm very tempted to let myself off the hook for writing night tonight, but that would be slothful, and I don't want to end up in the 5th circle of Hell. lol. So, I'll probably write another one. I've got 10 stories left to write in the collection, then comes editing...hiss.

Tonight is an easy dinner night. I let the kids pick one night to have whatever they want. Usually they choose chicken nuggets and tater tots. So, chicken nuggets and tater tots it is. And brownies, which are cooking.

Finished the 1/2 bath completely now! Woot! Tomorrow I hope to paint our master bathroom. Still have to put up the wood deck railing on the pirate ship bathroom upstairs. We also have a wall mural that goes up in our master bath. Hopefully, THAT will be done by the weekend.

Nearly finished with our adoption documentation. Waiting on our taxes and our physicals w/our PCP. And then all that gets mailed in. Woot!

In sewing, I'm working on a farm dress for Bleuette as my "waiting in the car project", and a baby quilt for my friend/neighbor. After I finish w/her quilt, I need to quilt kiddo #2's southern bell quilt that's ready for handquilting. It's a twin. It might be my last "big" quilt as quilting kills my hands these days. Crib quilts are still doable. Which reminds me, I have  2 crib quilts I need to do for our future nursery.

I guess that's my scoop for the day. Oh, and Tom Thumb has milk on sale for $1.99 a gallon. We go through 4 gallons of milk a week. I was happy.

I didn't realize it would be so impossible to find solid red switch plate and outlet covers...good grief! I had to go to 3 different online places in order to find everything I needed for my kitchen...and still didn't find a red phone jack cover...crazy!

Writing News: still pounding away at my Inferno: Tales of Hell and Horror [Dark Regions Press, Fall 2009] collection...I'm in the next to deepest level of hell right now...which speaking of, if I don't go get a coke soon, I'll actually be there...uhm, and some chocolate. lol.

Simian Press bit the dust. Twilight Temptations will not be coming out. That story has been submitted elsewhere now. Crapola. Christopher and I both had stories scheduled for publication in TT. Sad days for the publishing industry as a whole.

Symphony for the Forgotten [Daverana Enterprises] is coming out SOON. The company is restructuring after some staff shake-outs. Stay posted.

Shades of Blood and Shadow [Dark Regions Press] is still scheduled for Spring 2009. [Horror collection].

I'll have news of a new Fantasy/Western/Sword & Sorcery antho that I, Christopher, Robert Weinberg, Mark Finn, Charles Gramlich, and several other writers [I believe James Reasoner as well] have stories appearing in...soon. The anthology will feature a new Kabar of El Hazzar story...Woot! I just love writing in Kabar's world. He goes to ancient China in this tale. Stay tuned for info!

Sewing News:  Finished the 15 white pinafore/aprons for my Valentine Exchange project in the Bleudoor yahoo group. Now I need to sew the vintage mother of pearl buttons, and snaps, and my Made by Angie Fulbright labels into them. Whew! Due to mail out next Thursday!

Other News: Christopher and I made our first payment to get the ball rolling on adopting a baby from Korea. We're very excited. Right now we're leaning toward one baby girl in particular, but waiting to hear one more doctor evaluation on her.

The pirate ship bathroom is nearly finished. After that, I have our master bathroom to finish. It's going to be sort of a light terra cotta color and we have a Tuscany villa mural that goes around the garden tub....should be nice.

Okay...gotta go pay bills, do laundry, edit a manuscript [it's coming Jason :)] and work on the bathroom....writing later tonight!

Writing news: Still plugging away at Inferno. I'm a wee bit deeper in Hell now. Just finished up with the 7th Circle and the Suicides. Teaser: Zombie story.

Sewing news: Still sewing away at the pinafores. Need to make 15 for the Valentine's Bleudoor Gift swap, and several others go with ensembles I'm creating to list on ebay...which will happen as soon as I've finished decorating bathrooms.

Other news: I'm painting the upstairs, kid bathroom, like the interior of a pirate ship and the deck. So far have one wall nearly finished. Barrel of apples, some apple cores, and a cute little mouse. I plan to make a pirate map to hang on this wall. I'm doing the wall planks in thick Sharpie instead of paint. I had to leave because my mouth was going numb...I don't know if it was the fumes or the 18 yr old lipstick I put on this morning and then spit sputter ick yuck couldn't get the taste from my lips no matter how hard I scrubbed. It LOOKED brand new and the color still was great...I KNOW it's 18 yrs old because it was Avon and I had a bunch because I sold Avon for 4 years and could get everything really cheap when I sold it...I need to go through the drawer and dump all of those...omg...it's terrible!! Anyway...taking a break from the bathroom to let the Sharpie fumes dissipate. I don't want to turn into Huffing Mommy or anything. lol.

It was back to school for the kiddos today. Nice break. I didn't drive anywhere the whole time! Whoo hoo! God, I hate driving!! lol. But, back to the daily grind now.

Okay, off to do laundry and sew before time to go get kiddos!

Busy weekend.

I've told y'all that I've turned in the manuscript for Shades of Blood and Shadow to Dark Regions Press for a Spring 2009 release. I'm very busy writing on Inferno Tales of Hell and Horror now. This is also for Dark Regions Press for a Fall 2009 release. Along with this collection, DRP will be publishing a deluxe or lettered edition and a TPB edition of my out of print, 2006 Bram Stoker Award nominated collection, The Commandments. I've been working my butt off writing on Inferno...I'm a little over 1/4 of the way through. Write, write, write....

Turned in the final manuscript of a new Kabar of El Hazzar story to a super secret as yet to be titled anthology that also comes out this year. More info on that when I get it. Christopher aka Teh Hotness also has a story in the antho, along with Charles Gramlich, Robert Weinberg, Mark Finn, I believe James Reasoner....and many more!

I'm awaiting publication of 3 other anthologies that have horror stories of mine, and of course Symphony for the Forgotten -- horror collection from Daverana Enterprises.

Busy year so far and we're only 5 days in! Yay!

In Sewing news, I'm working on 18 Bleuette pinafores for a Valentine Exchange in the Bleudoor Bleuette yahoo group. So much fun. And of course I've been sewing my fingers off and have a pile of all new ensembles and accessories to list on ebay. I scored an excellent supply of wood and metal sleds for Bleuette in the after holiday sales, and can't wait to create some hats, jackets and scarves sets to go with the little sleds! Also scored some tiny Bleuette kitchen accessories to list with pinafore aprons. I've been a sewing-bot!

This weekend we were busy painting bathrooms. The downstairs 1/2 bath is going to be travel themed, and the upstairs kids bathroom is going to be the inside/and deck of a pirate ship. I'm so hyped about this bathroom! I'm going upstairs to work on it as soon as I'm finished here. I'll post photos when we're finished. I just finished ordering the jolly roger shower curtain and wastepaper basket. Part of the bathroom walls will be the inner ship, and 1 entire wall and the portion over the shower will be the sea view, complete with 3-D deck railing. The kids are sooo excited.

Okay, I'm off to do dishes, laundry, detail painting in bathroom, wallpaper border up in bottom, and finish writing a story. Weather is crappy out and cold!

Fearzone has Symphony for the Forgotten listed as an editor's pick for 2008. Go read the list! Woot!

There has been a delay and Symphony for the Forgotten won't be released until 2009. I have requested the work be removed from the Bram Stoker Recommended work List, the book will be eligible for Stoker consideration in 2009 now. Thank you to those who have recommended the collection. I really appreciate your support. To all those who have emailed asking where to find it or when it will be available...it's coming. I promise!

Meanwhile, work continues on my other collection due out Fall 2009 from Dark Regions Press. This one is not to be confused with Shades of Blood and Shadow, also coming out from Dark Regions Press in Spring 2009. SoBaS has been turned into the publisher and is being illustrated by Tom Moran. I'm VERY excited about these collections, stay tuned for more news with this publisher!

Sewing news: I've been sewing like a crazy person and hope to get the ensembles I've finished over the holidays listed on ebay soon. Right now there are a handful of items listed, and I've removed all of the Christmas/holiday ensembles. If you're a member of ForBleuette, the 3 remaining holiday ensembles have been marked down in my album there, otherwise they'll be held for holiday listing next year.

UGH! I have to go do sales taxes...ugh ugh ugh...fortunately, I'm a meticulous record keeper so the process is always uneventful, but tedious all the same. After that, we have to do the big whammy...Income taxes....[making the very 80s gag me hand to mouth gesture].

No big New Year's Eve/Day plans. Teh Hotness will probably be studying for his Biology test and I'll be writing...I told the kidlets they can attempt to stay up and watch the ball drop on TV if they so desire, but they have to do it in the family room because us old ones will be working downstairs. I'll be surprised if they make it past 9 pm. lol.

Okay...off to do taxes. Coffee...need coffee....

We went to the Star Wars Expo yesterday  where I scored some awesome Barbies for myself and the girl child. Christopher has been sick all weekend, so we didn't stay long, but caught up with friend Jim Jacob [the other half of Charlee Jacob]. We came home and I made some chicken vegetable soup, and we watched Nobody Loves Alice --which was absolutely awesome!

Then we watched The Orphanage...another awesome movie[that we are still discussing today...a couple plot holes that have nagged at us, but there were no deleted scenes on the DVD so we don't know if the holes ended up on the cutting room floor or if they were inherent to the script], and then made a late night run to the store to get cold medicine.

Today we slept in. Poor Chris is reading on the couch in between bouts of coughing. I made a pear & apple pie, churned the new scraps into the compost in the garden, and tidied up.

My hip has been killing me, as well as lower back, so not staying on "the puter" long. Have some sewing to do. Tomorrow is grocery store and kid school activity day, plus Chris is going to doctor....so full day.

2 tomatoes look like they're going red soon...there are about 20 others in various stages of green. Yay! Didn't have to cover the garden last night as it didn't get too cold, and it's 86 out there today [and sunny]...I've been keeping tabs on the lows for each night and covering the tomatoes,peppers, and cucumbers when it gets too cold. The carrots are out now, so been composting in that spot too.

New plan is to build a compost box as well as the temporary greenhouse. We shall see if that happens!

The last Baby Satyr is closing on ebay today...I probably won't make any more for at least a year. It was a summer whim sort of thing. They were fun to make, and it was fun being artistic in a different way, but man, were they time consuming! I have one more alien baby too, but I need to take new photos as this one has different hands than the others did.

Finally dressed Scootles [aka Snoodles] and she is now in Christopher's Man Room closet. I'm still trying to find shoes that fit her...it's turned into a bit of a Cinderella-Glass-Slipper game as her foot is oddly shaped. It would really be cool to find some original shoes on ebay, but so far no such luck. In the meantime, the girl child's Chore Prize Box is filling up with assorted doll shoes in the wrong size for Scootles, lol. [Chore Prize Box definition: In lieu of money, that my kiddos get plenty of from various relatives and their dad, I have a box for each child containing dollar store items, comic booksmagazines/books of interests to them we get at half price and conventions, etc, doll items, barbie items, handmade doll dresses that don't turn out "perfect enough for ebay", etc etc...each chore = 1 prize box prize. I have a separate stash of "nicer" items that I pick up at after christmas/holiday sales, online clearance sales, garage sales, consignment/thrift/resell shops, conventions, etc that are worth 5 chores. They have the choice to be instantly paid for their chore, or save up 5 chores. So far, I've found this box system works better than the money system...though they DO have the option of trading a "pick" from the box for a Quarter, or 4 chores = $1....they rarely take that option].

Okay...I've got 4 Roses in December Round Robin [from my BleuDoor Bleuette group] ensembles, plus 1 for me and 1 to sell to work on so I better go sew...nearly finished, but the hand-beading on the dresses takes a little more time.

And, the pie is cooling...Chris is trying to stay awake for pie!

Just a reminder: Christopher and I [Angeline Hawkes] will be at Texas A&M University -Commerce this Saturday, November 1, from 11 am til about 2 ish signing books on the West Lawn with the Book Signing and Art Show as part of the annual Homecoming Events. We'd love to see you there!

Ha! Now everyone will have that evil song stuck in their heads! lol...

Thank you to everyone who commented on my depressive journal entry yesterday. Today is much improved.

Chapter 4 begins tonight on the horror novel...yay!

Many Bleuette ensembles and some other assorted stuff listed on ebay: in the continuing Buy the Boy Child A Computer For Christmas Campaign. This is the last of the house clean-out stuff with the exception of books and DVDs/VHS that we're still going through...and of course the doll stuff which goes up year round.

Been re-editing 3 other novels to send out to agents/publishers again. Took a break while I was writing the other Fantasy novel[collaboration with Christopher Fulbright]...now writing new horror novel [also a collaboration but not with Christopher]...need to send out some queries checking on "stuff" that's been out for a while now.

Last night I sewed Scootles aka Snoodles [my Christmas doll that I'm allowed to repair and dress, then must go into Chris's closet til Christmas] combination undergarments in a flocked white dotted pink voile...so cute! Also got a few minutes of sewing in on another Christmas Bleuette ensemble, while waiting for the kiddos at school.

TOMORROW:

I'll be signing books at the grand opening of Eerie Books in Wylie, Texas [205 N. Ballard Street ]  this Saturday, October 18th, from 2 -4 pm. Eerie Books has the distinction of being the only ALL HORROR bookstore in Texas. I will have proofs of my new collection SYMPHONY FOR THE FORGOTTEN which is due out SOON.

The Wylie square has several wonderful cafes and restaurants, as well as an awesome coffee house/antique store...so come on out for lunch and then pop by the bookstore and say hello!

Eerie Books celebrates its grand opening on Saturday, October 18, 2008 by giving away free horror movies and free horror books to the first 100 visitors to the store that day. In addition to horror books, Eerie Books also carries horror movies on DVD (both new and used) and other horror collectibles, like comic books, games, and artwork.

Okay, off to make Halloween ghost cookies for the kidlets...

I save all our photos throughout the year until the summer, and then I do a week to 2 week long scrapbook journal photo album run and put all the photos into albums. I love the fancy papers and stuff but my thrifty nature rebels against the expensive price tags found in scrapbooking stores. So, I pick up the big tablets of background papers on sale throughout the year at Walmart, and save all the colored one-sided notices and what not sent home from the school [in duplicate due to 2 kids] all year long. I love Mary Engelbert's scrapbook accessories, but again, not going to pay the moolah it requires to stock up on her papers and art and stickers and stuff....

So,  I look for Mary Engelbert books to go on sale for a buck at the half price bookstore then dismantle them and cut out all the illustrations and end papers, and such to use in the photo albums.

This weekend I had 3 books that have been waiting destruction, so I cut through all the books. I don't just throw away the rest of the books...no, I prize books...so I want to squeeze every thing I can out of them before they go into the trash. Most of them are home decorating books with beautiful glossy full color photographs. So, I cut all those out and took my pinking shears to them to use as thank you "cards" to go in my ebay packages.

One book was full of sayings that are meant to jar one's brain. As I was happily snipping along, I ran into:

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are." -- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Hmmm. That got me to thinking. Not about carrots and onions and radishes and tomaters...but about life's garden. You see I'm a gardener. I nurture and grow lots of things. Some of them more amazing than others. God has blessed me with many talents. So, many that at times in my life I've been conflicted with what to do, what do I want to do, what do I do best? Throughout the years I've sang publically, I've been an award winning debator and persuasive speaker, I've been a published poet and prose writer, I can sew, quilt, embroidery, needlepoint, paint half way decently, decorate...there are very few garments, curtains, home items that I can't look at and examine and then copy both in pattern and production....I've been a teacher. I've been a leader and a follower. So many talents god has blessed me with.

My garden is full. My most prized garden produce has been my children. I would have had half a dozen of them had God saw fit to allow that. But, I am happy with the two I have. That doesn't mean I won't rule out more...I'm always open to another challenge. But, if Alfred, Lord Tennyson came a knockin' and asked to see my garden, I'd take him upstairs and show  him my children.

Every day they fill my life with blossoms. Each new discovery and new fascination is a bloom. Each question and subsequent research and answer is a new bud. They are not mature. They have a long way to grow before they are full grown. I tend them daily and cultivate them with love and patience. I water them with strength, hope and inspiration. I show them how to establish goals and how to step toward the fulfillment of those plans. Sometimes I don't have all the skills or knowledge I need to fertilize them with. So, I must learn as well, and in the doing so, I find that I continue to grow too.

My garden is full of love and encouragement. They are the best of me, and sometimes I can see the worst of me. lol.

My garden is full of friends. Only a few have been here for a long time, but the ones that have been planted, I am extremely loyal to. Even when I don't hear from them or see them for months on end due to busy lives and schedules, my love for them remains unchanged. They are the old, weathered rose bushes that grow unruly at times, creeping over the aging fence, but always there, always fragrant, always a reminder of good times and smiles.

So, what is in my garden? My children, my husband, my family and friends. My creativity and talents. My loyalty and love.

Life is so much more than jobs and busy schedules, and car repairs, and house repairs, and bills, and places to be, and places not to be, and deadlines and phone calls, and...and...and...

Life is about new growth. Nurturing. Blooming where one is planted. Hope springing from deep roots.

I got a lot of mileage out of 3 - $1 books from the clearance rack.

In other news:
Got our zine done for REHupa and mailed off last week in time for the October 1 deadline. Yay!
Almost done with Chapter 1 on the horror novel. Yay.  Wrote about 2700 words last night, 1400 of which I kept.

Spicy Slipstream Stories was released last week.
No news on Twilight Temptations or Terrible Beauty: Fearful Symmetry

Symphony for the Forgotten is just about ready to be released.

Listed 25 more lots of items on ebay...whew....almost done with the fall clean out...hit the sewing room this time...many vintage items listed, lots of clothes, all of the Red demon baby dolls are now sold and gone to new homes...have one flesh tone demon baby, 1 satyr and 2 alien baby dolls left to sell....all that's left to hit are the linen closet, a small sewing stash in the garage, my armoire, and a buffet in the formal dining room. It's amazing how much stuff you accumulate over the years...am sad to see the leather pants go...but hey, buying new leather pants! lol.

New October appearance: Thursday, October 9, 7-8:30 pm, Christopher and I will be part of a panel of writers at the Mesquite Public Library as part of The Big Read campaign. We'll be selling/signing books before and after the event.

Ebay auctions

Okay...the house clean out for my goal of a totally "free" Christmas is underway. I've listed a TON of clothes...AWESOME LEATHER PANTS...jeans, kids clothes, BOOKS, doll stuff [of course]....

I'm trying to recycle clutter into Christmas money. The Girl Child's Christmas is now completely purchased and paid for. Now, I'm working on the Boy Child's list. Which contains 1 item. A new computer package. His current one is about 10 years old I think.

If anyone knows a teen or woman that wears a size 4 to 6 there are some really awesome clothes listed. I had to part with 2 pairs of Awesome Gap leather pants too....middle age is catching up with me at last. Sigh.

Novel almost finished. Sewing continues, nearly finished with a Bedtime for Bleuette ensemble with robe, nightgown, slippers, quilt, teddy bear and book. Listed 2 new fall ensembles today.

Other writing progresses. I hope you're all on pins and needles waiting for SYMPHONY FOR THE FORGOTTEN!! I'll forgive you if it's just pins and no needles. hee hee.

Gotta go write more words. Words are good.

Angie's Easy Salsa

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can diced tomatoes
1 TBS chopped fresh Cilantro [y'all above the mason dixon might call this Chinese Parsley]
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp Cayene pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2-3 TBS chopped jalopenos [I use fresh that I've pickled in vinegar & salt, but you can use jarred or canned]
2-3 cloves chopped fresh garlic [can be frozen or thawed]
1 squirt lime juice [optional]
1 qt Mason jar or other recycled jar [glass keeps the strong odor out of your fridge]
* optional - 1/4 cup chopped green pepper

Drain both cans of tomatoes. Add the tomatoes w/green chilies to the jar. Add all chopped products and spices. Add the other can of diced tomatoes. Screw on lid. Shake until well blended. Chill for at least 2 hours. Keeps up to 2 wks in fridge [maybe longer but in our house it only lasts tops 4-5 days til it's all eaten] The salsa's hotness will get stronger the longer it is in the jar/refrigerated.

Writing News:
30k from finishing fantasy novel. Next up: horror novel.

Sewing News:
Finished another Bleuette ensemble and need to list on ebay. Will be listing another Alien baby doll as the other one got himself adopted. Yay. Currently the red demon baby in the vintage black velvet christening gown has been bid on and will be going to his/her new home in a few days! Currently working on beautiful and darling pink felt, embroidered baby booties [for real or loved like they're real babies]. Will be sewing for Kiddo#2 shortly. Have fabric, buttons, patterns, etc. Most auctions closing in next 24 hrs, go here to bid:

Doll News: I'm so excited. I have a new Bambino who is going to be a Bambina for me [Bleuette's little sister] doll coming home to me soon. She's been on layaway. I also have on layaway a Daisyette [the American version of Bleuette] and a reproduction of an antique Japanese doll. Yay! Also, I won an AMAZING auction on ebay this past week. A Patsy doll [circa 1930s] and her travel trunk and matching smaller trunk! Got an amazing deal on it. Nearly was outbid in the last seconds of the auction, but I managed to snipe it back and my computer didn't freeze up as it normally does when I don't want it to! lol. So, sewing up a storm! Expecting some repro patterns for the Patsy doll so I can sew for her too!

Summer News: The last weeks of summer are winding down. It was 108 here yesterday. School clothes are in the final stages of being purchased. We have new backpacks and shoes and clothes and excitement is building. Class rosters get posted in 2 wks. The kids are already talking about who they might or might not get for a teacher. Christopher heads back to class the same time the kiddos do. Kiddo#2's birthday [Sept 2] gifts have been purchased. She waived the party in favor of more gifts. She wanted the Elizabeth and Felicity American Girl dolls and many ensembles. We've divided the list among the family. She won't be disappointed!

I'm nearly finished with the year's worth of photos in my scrapbooking album.  Whew. Still easier to haul all the stuff and all the photos out every summer and live with the mess for 2 wks then it is to break out the stuff every few months.

Because everyone else is doing it:
First, the rules:

1. You must answer yes or no.
2. You may not explain unless someone asks you to.

Have you ever....

Taken a picture naked? Yes
Made money illegally? No
Had a one-night stand? No
Been in a fistfight? Yes
Slept with your best friend? Yes
Had sex in a public place? Yes
Ditched work to have sex? Yes
Slept with a member of the same sex? No
Seen someone die? No
Run from the police? No
Woke up somewhere and not remember how you got there? Yes
Worn your partner's unmentionables? No
Fallen asleep at work? Yes
Used toys in the bedroom? Yes
Run a red light? Yes
Been fired? No
Been in a car accident? Yes
Pole danced or done a striptease? Yes
Loved someone you shouldn't? No
Sung karaoke? No
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Yes
Laughed so hard you peed your pants? Yes
Caught someone having sex? Yes
Kissed a perfect stranger? No
Shaved your partner? Yes
Given your private parts a nickname? Yes
Gone in public without underwear? Yes
Had sex on a rooftop? No
Played chicken? No
Mooned/flashed someone? Yes
Slept naked? Yes
Blacked out from drinking? Yes
Felt like killing someone? Yes
Had sex more than 5 times in one day? Yes
Been with someone because they were in a band? No
Taken 10 shots of liquor in a day? No
Shot a gun? Yes
Gone outside naked? Yes

And that's all folks...lol.

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Writing news: Novel progresses. Novella: my part will be finished tonight. New Kabar story: got turned in last week.

Symphony for the Forgotten all but 2 blurbs in. It's moving right along.

Events/Appearances: Myself and Christopher Fulbright will be guests in Tulsa, OK next weekend at Conestoga. I asked to be removed from the reading and added to the 10 am Sat Horror panel...I was removed from the Reading but no word yet on the Horror panel.

Here's my schedule:

Angeline Itinerary:

Sat 11 AM   Salon F               1.0    Panels, Interview        Religion in Fantasy & Horror

Sat 01 PM    Salon G              1.0    Writers Workshop      Collaborating: The care and feeding of your partner

Sat 03 PM    Signing Table    1.0     Signings                     Signing

Here's Christopher's:

Christopher Itinerary:

Sat 10 AM       Salon F       1.0   Panels, Interview Oh, the horror

Sat 11 AM       Chairman    1.0   Reading           Dark Fantasy

Sat 01 PM        Salon G   1.0  Writers Workshop Collaborating: The care & feeding of your partner

Sewing/Doll news: Finished 3 ensembles, soon to be 4. Will list next week. Bought a wholesale lot of matching doll shoes and pink socks, so soon will offer complete Bleuette ensembles at an affordable price!  Hit an awesome sale and got some grab bags of trim and ribbons/lace coming in the mail. Also found an awesome reproduction fabric website, and they also have awesome japanese imported fabric. Bought a few 1/2 yard pieces for Bleuette clothes. Most of the fabric has been accrued for the making of Kiddo#2's dresses/pinafores.

Other Stuff: Have most of the kiddos school clothes purchased and either in the mail coming here, or here. Woot. Backpacks and shoes also purchased. School supplies purchased through PTA pre-assembled packages in May. Lunch boxes have been deemed in new condition still and will be reused from last year. I bought 3 double/triple your money new Gymboree lots on ebay for Kiddo#2 and hit the Children's Place 50% off online sale...so woot! Great savings! The shoes were averaging about $4 a pair so I stocked up in the next 2 sizes for Kiddo#2. Nice to get it all done before the soccer mom's lose all shreds of sanity and converge on all shopping places in a mad frenzy. Not for me. Give me the computer, a website or two and the UPS and USPS deliveries!

That's about it! I'm off to do laundry, dishes, make some of my almost perfected rip-off of Starbucks Frappacino, and finish sewing an ensemble. I also promised a game of Spongebob Operation [it's like the buzzerific Operation we played as kids, only they wussed it all up and made it easy and less loud...I guess they determined jolting heart attacks caused by loud-ass vibrating metal wasn't good for kids].

And YAY! We've got 50% off 1/2 Price Bookstore coupons for Sunday so we shall be making runs on all of the 1/2 price bookstores in a 60 mile radius. Quake in our wake!

The introduction by Michael Largo for my collection has been turned in. I love it! I think he really captures the essence of the collection. Have a handful of promotional blurbs, waiting on the others to roll in.

On the sewing front, One of each of the monster baby dolls have been listed on ebay, and a ton of new DARLING Bleuette ensembles. I've kicked the Bleuette sewing into high gear to save for school clothes for the kiddos. I've been making little dresses with poodle fabric, and the dresses come complete with vintage poodle figurine [most are porcelain]...SO CUTE!

Yesterday was a productive day. I felt good and got 4 dozen molasses cookies baked, and 4 dozen Lemon sugar cookies baked. I also made Italian Vegetable Chicken soup and homemade bread. The garden is coming along nicely. We've had green beans, Cilantro and Jalopeno peppers so far, and 2 tomatoes are turning red! Yay!

I'm also busily working on a new Kabar of El Hazzar story for a hush hush anthology. This story takes him to China and involves Chinese mythology. It's been a lot of research, but very intriguing. [You can read the latest Kabar stories in Flashing Sword Magazine and the anthology: The Return of the Sword].

Work on the novel progresses. I've taken about a week break in order to write the new story, but will be back on the horse as soon as I get the new story written and typed up. I hand write my short stories, then type them up, then edit/rewrite on the computer. I don't know why that is, but I can't seem to break the habit. Novellas and Novels I do on the computer, but those short stories have to come out via pen and hand. That's just the way it works for me.

I'm very excited and can't wait for the debut of Spicy Slipstream Stories at Readercon this month. The anthology edited by Jay Lake and Nick Mamatas features some outstanding authors. The story I wrote for the anthology, "The Fantastical Aquisition of the Sword of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna", was one of the most challenging stories I have ever written as I had to figure out exactly WHAT the genre WAS before I could start writing. The story itself was SO much fun to write...like nothing I've ever written and was a rollercoaster of action and surprises. I hope the book does well. No cover image has been released to the authors yet, but I'll post it once I have it.

Okay...whew...I'm off to check the mail!

Doll auctions listed on ebay

For inquiring minds, can still be purchased direct, but the auctions have lower start bids.
Will try to get flesh-toned demon baby in white christening gown and other w/tummy plate and flannel gown listed soon.

Other than sewing on Bleuette ensembles, and working on novel, I'm also writing a new Kabar story for an antho I was invited to submit to...no title yet...started last night and it's going good...back to work for me...

Christopher and I hit a super awesome video store closing sale...we got 25 movies...made a dent in their untouched horror section...we originally had 42 dvds but made ourselves put a lot back. We got some we had on vhs, some we were looking for, some we hadn't seen but wanted to....awesome! So after our writing is finished...it's movie time...for the rest of the summer, lol!

Howard Days report soon...busy trying to get caught up.

Last of the teapot collection is on ebay now...all start at $5.00....also a red demon baby and an alien-human hybrid baby doll are listed. Will be listing Baby Satyr, and Flesh-Tone Demon baby doll next week along with more Bleuette ensembles.

I was able to buy kiddo#2's birthday presents with the teapot sales. Now I'm working on saving for school clothes! Her birthday is Sept 2, so I always feel like she's getting skimped on, as school clothes take precedent over toys...but got the birthday taken care of early. So, that's good.

The blurbage is rolling in for my collection, Symphony for the Forgotten, due out this fall. Michael Largo is writing the introduction.