That Gideon

When I got to the marshal's office yesterday, Gideon wasn't there. Rowdy wasn't, either. Only the old yellow dog, Pardner, was around. So I headed out onto the streets of Stone Creek, Arizona, circa 1915, and started tracking the missing hero. I found him at the Horseshoe Saloon, on Main Street, drinking beer. Gideon was only 16 the last time I saw him, and now he's 26. He's grown up nicely--boy to hunk.

I love my job.

I'll be meeting up with Lydia Fairwood, our heroine, this morning. (I might have to do some searching for her, too, but I doubt I'll find her in a saloon. :)) Lydia was only 8 when I knew her before, and she's 18 now. I still see her as a little girl, and I know Gideon does, too.

We're BOTH going to be surprised!

Have a good weekend. I certainly plan to. I stocked up on groceries yesterday, because the stores will be absolutely MAD with people buying school supplies, etc. As a writer and a lover of all kinds of pens and papers, I admit to lingering in those aisles myself, on occasion, savoring the pretty notebooks, the pencils, the geegaws for the lockers. As a kid, I LOVED going back to school--new shoes, new clothes (I could still wear mini-skirts then), new start. I loved the weather--fall is still my favorite season--and that certain festive snap of anticipation in the air.

Make it a good one. It's up to you.

Back to Work

Yesterday was my between-books vacation. I painted, working mostly on those visual prayers I mentioned, answered some of my back-log of emails, and just generally rested my fevered little brain.

Today, it's fire up the old iPod with my Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash and Randy Travis songs--that music always gets me in the mood to write a western. :)--and dive right into "The Bridegroom", Stone Creek #4, Gideon's story. (When I REALLY need inspiration, I watch "Legends of the Fall".) To think when I wrote "The Man from Stone Creek", I intended it to be a stand-alone. It just goes to show you that that old saying about the best laid plans of mice and men--and writers--is only trite because it's been true for so long. There are modern Stone Creek books, too--starting with "A Stone Creek Christmas", Silhouette Special Edition, coming out in the late fall.

And this morning I got an absolute FLOOD of ideas for my next contemporary western trilogy, "The Texas McKettricks". I was scribbling down notes like crazy! If there's one thing I've learned--and sometimes it seems as if there might actually BE only one thing--it's not to trust my memory. I need pen and paper.

So I'm off to Stone Creek today, to meet up with Gideon, who is very anxious to start his story. Being the youngest of the Yarbro brothers, he's had to wait his turn. Now, here it is.

Meet you at the marshal's office, Gideon. If you can hold on just a little while longer, though, I'd like to get dressed first. :)

Blogger Was Updated!

That's why I had so much trouble getting my blogs up. Hopefully, we're back in the swing now. :)

Here's what's going on in Linda-land on this rainy Wednesday morning:

I FINISHED the third book in the Creed Trilogy, TYLER, yesterday! Today, I'm waiting for any revisions my lovely editor, Joan Marlow Golan, (aka, The Queen of Hearts) may have in mind. And I'm painting. And throwing glitter on things. (So far, Sadie and Bernice have evaded me admirably.) Gluing and scribbling ideas in my sketchbook.

I have two packages to pick up at the post office. Probably, art supplies.

I started something new in my journaling today, too. I'm painting my prayers. I won't bore you with all the details, but the first one begins, "Please show me a better way to...") Subsequent pages are traits I want to cultivate, like gratitude (you can never have too much of that) and kindness (ditto) and bravery. Things are uncertain out there, aren't they? Anyway, I have a tendency to write scripts for God, and put words in His mouth. (I guess that's natural for a writer.) I've decided to stop telling Him what I need and let Him decide. :)

Like I said a few blogs back. He can be God. I'll be Linda.

That ought to work.

It's Monday--isn't it?

(Note: I wrote this blog early this morning, but I'm having trouble getting it to post to the website. Who knows what time it will show up?)

I was one busy cowgirl this weekend. Two chapters written and glitter everywhere!

For those of you tuning in after an absence, that must be a really confusing statement. :)

As most of you know, I'm finishing up TYLER, the third book in my Montana Creeds series, and even though I'm tired, I'm exhilerated, too. There's nothing like spending time with the Creeds (or the McKettricks, or the Yarbros, or the O'Ballivans!) to liven things up. Yes, I'm the writer of these books, but I'm also the very first reader, and often the twists and turns in the story take me by surprise. In between scenes, I usually take an art break and play with my ATCs and collages. Having just discovered Martha Stewart's line of sparkly stuff, I'm on a real glitter tear.

Not surprising, I suppose. I always did love things that shine, and not just diamonds, either--I'm just fine with rhinestones and sequins, too. :) A country sky, splattered with stars, that's a good one. The moon dancing on the lake out at the other place. And the warm glow in Sadie's beagle-brown eyes--even better.

Oh, yeah. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Since the dogs and I slept in this morning--little wonder considering the hours we've been keeping--I haven't journaled yet, or even made coffee. Sadie and Bernice are still dozing, but they'll want to go out soon. So I'd better wrap this up and get on with the day.

I wanted to say howdy to all of you. I miss you when you're not around. :)

Chapter 18 is waiting to happen. I figured out the next step for an ATC I'm working on--(you guessed it, it sparkles!) Bernice is up and ready for a run in the yard, so I'm out of here.

And do I ever need coffee.

Darn you, Martha Stewart!

Wasn't the glitter enough?? Now you have to come up with a fold-out journal made of watercolor paper that just BEGS to be collaged???

Don't you know I have a book to write?

Is this some dastardly international plot?

:)

Okay, I'm over it. I've vented.

Back to work--the projects can wait.

Take that, Martha Stewart!