Christmas Shopping

I finished up my Christmas Shopping today! W00t!! *does happy dance*

I love the Christmas season. All of the decorations, the music, the cooler weather...but the shopping...no, not so much. I'm not a shopper.

First there are the lines just to get into the store.

Once I've finally made it into the store I'm faced with all of the other shoppers crammed into the store trying to get the same deal I'm trying to get while the sales people are either ignoring me or trying to spray me with something that smells very much like my grandma's closet.

Nope just not my thing at all.

And then the lines to check out after I've wrestled my item away from ten other moms...I'll pass.

That's why I do the bulk of my shopping online. Shopping online rocks. No pushy people, no smelly purfumes, no infuriating sales people. Just me in my jammies perusing the online stores.

How do you like to shop? Do you brave the stores or shop online?

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Turkey Day!!

It's so easy to get stuck thinking about all the negative things in our lives. All of the shoulda, coulda, woulda's that we all go through. Today is for being thankful for all that we have in our lives. It doesn't have to be big stuff, in fact, I find that it's the small stuff I'm most thankful for. So, I thought I would share a little bit of my list with you.

1. My family
2. My friends 
3. My health
4. Being able to be a stay-at-home mom
   
5. Plenty of good books to read
   

What's at the top of your list?

Free Books

That's right, free books! 

Did I get your attention?

Yeah, I thought so. *grin*

While I was reading through some of the blogs I like to keep up with, I came across this little beauty. Free Book Friday Teens features a new young adult book every week. All you have to do is go here and sign up. Every week you can enter to win a free book. Now, here's the kicker...the books are also signed by the author! How cool is that?

Very! It's very cool!

If you're not into the whole young adult thing (and I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't be) they haven't left you out. You can go here and sign up to win a different adult book every week.

Now before you go off and check it out, let me just warn you that you don't comment to enter to win. There is an entry form on the left sidebar. If you try to enter by commenting, you'll lose out. Make sure to go to the left sidebar and fill out the little entry form.

Thank you Jessica Brody for creating Free Book Friday Teens and Free Book Friday! You're my new hero!!

Two chances to win a free book every week. Now that is something to be thankful for!! ;)

Halloween Candy

Dear Halloween Candy,

You know I love you, but I wish you would go away. I hear you calling to me during the day and into the night. It's distracting to have you sitting on the counter with all of your ooey gooey yummy goodness, taunting me. Teasing me.

Stop it. I am trying to be good and get in shape. You're not helping me, so I am going to have to get rid of you. Don't take it personally, I'll always love you. I'll always crave your sugary goodness. I just think our relationship has run its course.

Longingly yours,
Jennie

Free Kindle

Hey guys!
There's a contest to win a free Kindle here. All you have to do is sign up!

Go enter and good luck!!

;)

Stairs

Dear Stairs,

You are no longer my friend. There are too many of you and you are too steep. My aching body just cannot put up with your cruel taunting laughter as I stumble my way up you after working out.

It's not funny. Stop laughing.

Sorely,
Jennie

Writing Again

I'm still waiting on several agents to get back with me. I've been playing the waiting game. It's the hardest game I know. I'm horrible at waiting. The worst.

To get my mind off of it, I've started writing again. I'm working on the next book in the series I hope to get published one day. There are six books altogether in the first story, buy I have several ideas past that.

I'd forgotten how much fun it is to get to know your characters. What their physical appearance is, their likes and dislikes, their history, their attitudes, finding their voice. It can take me days to find just the right name. And the name has to be right. No name, no writing. The story just won't happen for me.

Before I can really start writing, I need to know everything about my characters along with the setting they're in. If they use a weapon, I research the weapon so when I write about it I actually sound like I know what I'm talking about.

I also need to have a pretty good idea of  what will be happening. For me, it's like watching the preview of a movie. I know all the good parts, I just have to fill in the rest.

It's my research phase. I really enjoy the research phase. It's where I am right now.

I'm almost done with it. In fact, this next week I should be able to start working on my next story. *does happy dance*

What's your writing process?