What I Think About Those Who Steal

     To the person who took my son's wallet in California, I hope there is a special place in hell for thieves. I place you only one step above child molesters and abusers. To take something that someone else has worked for through no blood, sweat and tears of your own is on a lowly level all its own.
     Through the years I and we, meaning myself personally and my family have been the victims of theft of different kinds, bikes, cars broken into, a stroller taken from our car, some idiot went so far as to steal my son-in-laws scriptures out of his car. Can you imagine?! They were from him mission and had been thoroughly marked, he was very disappointed and upset.
     It isn't even the value of the items that have been taken as it is the sense of violation that you feel when someone steals from you. Although, I have to add that my hubby and I were actually insulted by the fact that when we had a small family, four kids, someone broke into our house and took nothing, not even our 13inch black and white TV. All they did was smash my daughters piece of bread onto the coffee table. What?! our stuff isn't good enough for a thief?  The nerve.
     My son doesn't even care about the $25.00 in his wallet, it is the hassle of replacing all the stuff, drivers license, ATM cards, credit cards, gym membership cards and all the other junk you carry and don't think about. Couldn't they have just taken the money and left the wallet? That would have been the nice thing to do and it would have given the thief a touch of redeeming value, but no. What a hassle, he had flown to Cali, and had no ID to get back home so he had to go the the DMV for a temporary license and then had to answer a ton of questions by the TSA to get back home, not to mention the complete physical, I mean pat down he had to endure.
     Like I said, I hope there is a special place just for thieves and I hope it's hot and uncomfortable there.

Why I Love Morning Time

     At the risk of sounding like a bad mom, I have to say that the absolute best moment of my day is when the kids leave for school. It's like the three pointer that swishes into the basket at the buzzer, or getting something for free that you weren't expecting, or maybe even winning the lottery, though I have never won the lottery, I'm pretty sure it would be a great experience.
     I love the sound of silence that echoes through the house. I'm never truly alone in my house, ever, but I like to pretend I am. I like to think that I'm all alone and I can do whatever I want.
     People have told me through the years, enjoy them while they're young, they grow up so fast and it's true they do grow up really fast, however we replaced the grown up ones with new babies so I have been trying to find solitude for over thirty years. Maybe that's why I like it so much. Now that my baby is in second grade and there are no new babies that I am responsible for I can take a deep breath and just think.
     Of course when the grandkids come over it's party time. I love being able to hug, kiss and smell them and then send them home with their parents, It's the best of all possible worlds.

The Things I've learned About Writing

     Since last April, when I posted the first chapter of Into the Darkness, I have learned so much about writing and about myself. I thought I would share a few observations. I only intended to put the first chapter on to see if anyone even liked it. I had so many people ask me for more I thought I would just put on the next one or two chapters, after all it was a work in progress not a finished book. I soon felt pressured not to let the readers among you down so I kept going. It was like working under a deadline, which is very contrary to my nature. I like to procrastinate until I'm in the mood to do what ever. That's probably why it took seven years to finish my first book.
     I also learned how hard it is to write and put out a chapter for everyone to see when all you have is a basic plot idea. Writing is complicated, especially doing it this way because you have to make sure that all your foreshadowing in done properly and is in the right places. So far the foreshadowing is turning out okay, which I attribute to good luck rather than talent. I got lucky that my plot followed along.
     I also learned that many people have short attention spans and if they can't read it all in one or two sittings they lose interest. That's okay. I also learned how many of you are readers and that makes my heart glad.

Why I have decided to self-publish my books

     When I started writing my first book, the thought of publishing it was the last thing on my mind. I really just wanted to see if I could finish something that made sense. It took me seven long years and the book is about 440 pages, but I did it. By the way, it's not Into The Darkness. My first book is called In The Shadow Of The Mountains, and it's a western romance. Into The Darkness is considered paranormal romance. Any how, along the way I found out that a good friend of mine in my old ward in Califorinia was a writer and a published one at that. I found her book on the shelf at Walmart. Hello Bronwyn. She's the one who introduced me to Romance Writers of America. I have been going to meetings ever since and have learned so much.
     My,oh, my how things have changed over the years. It used to be you had to wait for "the call." That was when an editor, or an agent called and wanted something you had written. If you were lucky they published it, if not you spent forever revising and rewriting and they rejected it anyway. You can rewrite and revise forever and never write another original word. Even if they didn't make you do all that, it was sometimes two years before you saw your book on the shelf. It took forever to make any money off of your books and there was always the issue of "creative bookkeeping" Many writers felt they weren't treated with the respect they deserved. Publishers need writers just as much as writers need publisher.
     Here we are today when a writer can fore go all of that and put their work up for sale on the internet and start working on something new. The pay is straightforward, sell a book get your percentage the next month. No marketing, printing or agent fees are taken out. Writers are making more money doing their own thing than what they made with traditional publishers.The big six publishing companies in New York are now realizing that they may have made some serious mistakes in not treating the hand that feeds them a little better because all of the sudden a lot of talented writers are not submitting. Even previously published authors are self pubbing.
     Will there be bad books by untalented writers on the internet, of course, but there were bad books published traditionally also, and if a writer gets enough bad reviews people will eventually stop buying there books.
     My goal is not to get rich, I would just like my books to be enjoyed by family and friends. And if a few others stumble upon them and like them, that would be awesome. So I am all for putting my work out there and seeing what people think, good or bad.
     All of you that have read, commented, made suggestions and pointed out typos and rough patches in my story have been invaluable to me. Thanks for your help and encouragement. It means the world to me. Now to move forward, put my books out there and start a new one.  :)
   
    

I'm glad I'm Not A Teenager Anymore

     Growing up is hard. We were reminded of this this weekend when my daughter and two of her friends went for job interviews at Lagoon. They were interviewed by three eighteen year olds. What's up with that?
     The hardest part was that two of them got hired and one did not. My husband, who is a total softy had to listen to the girl sob all the way home. It was really hard for him.
     They asked the girls three or four questions and then either hired them or not. The girl who was not hired said the guy told her she wasn't friendly enough and she didn't really dress properly for the interview. What? These are fourteen year olds, applying to sell hot dogs, not work in a law office.
     The saddest part is this girl's parents are divorced and there's not a lot of money for extras. She really could have used that job to buy some things for herself without burdening her mom. 
     This wasn't even my daughter, but I feel like chewing someone out. The devastation to her self-esteem was visible and heartbreaking. It's the Libra in me that cries, this isn't fair and it should be, but life isn't fair. And life goes on. And I have to say, that I have learned more from the disappointments in my life than I have from the successes. 
     Hang in there kiddo, life isn't fair and soon you will see that just because you didn't get a job hocking hot dogs and selling soda, doesn't mean you're not able to do something better.
    

Into the Darkness, part two?

     I know you all are thinking I dropped off the face of the earth today. What, no blog?! I have been writing like a mad woman today trying to finish Nick and Mia's story. They are hounding me to "get r done."
     A few of you may have seen the comment on FB, that I am thinking of doing a sequel of "Into the Darkness."
If this is something you might be interested in would you let me know. I am thinking it would take place a few years later and be centered around a series of murders that Mia sees in her visions and tries to help Nick and Wayne solve. I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I am intrigued by the idea.
     What do you think?

I Wonder What You All Think About This?

      I found this fascinating and educational, so I thought I would share it. I am ashamed to say that I only had heard of two of these people.The original post had pictures of each of the Czars but I couldn't get them to post. I would love to know your thoughts on this good or bad.

IN GOD WE TRUST 

There are very few of us who know just what all of Obama's Czars do, as they quietly go about their "work" in the nation's capital. This listing of their names and job descriptions should be educational to all Americans, no matter what your political leaning. See who they are and realize what they want to do:


Richard Holbrooke -  Afghanistan Czar
Ultra liberal anti-gun former Governor Of New Mexico . Pro-Abortion and pro- drug legalization. Wants to dissolve the 2nd Amendment


Ed Montgomery - Auto recovery Czar
Radical anti-business black activist. Affirmative Action and Job Preference for blacks. University of Maryland Business School Dean ; teaches that US business has caused world poverty. ACORN board member. Communist DuBois Club member.


Jeffrey Crowley - AIDS Czar
Radical Homosexual. Gay Rights activist. Believes in Gay Marriage and a Special Status for homosexuals only, including complete free health care for gays.


Alan Bersin - Border Czar
The former failed superintendent of San Diego . Ultra-Liberal friend of Hillary Clinton. Served as Border Czar under Janet Reno - to keep borders open to illegals without interference from the Federal government.


David J. Hayes - California Water Czar
Senior Fellow of radical environmentalist group "Progress Policy". No training or experience in water management whatsoever.


Ron Bloom - Car Czar
Auto Union worker. Anti- business & anti- nuclear. Has worked hard to force US auto makers out of business. Sits on the Board of Chrysler which is now Union-owned. How did this happen?


Dennis Ross - Central Region Czar
Believes US policy is the cause of war in the Middle East . Obama apologist to the world. Anti-gun and completely Pro-Abortion.


Lynn Rosenthal - Domestic Violence Czar
Director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Vicious anti-male feminist. Supports male castration - imagine?


Gil Kerlikowske - Drug Czar
Devoted lobbyist for every restrictive gun law proposal, former Chief of Police in liberal Seattle WA . Believes no American should own a firearm. Supports legalization of all drugs.


Paul Volcker - Economic Czar
Former head of the Federal Reserve under Jimmy Carter when US economy nearly failed. Obama-appointed head of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board which engineered the Obama economic disaster to US economy. Member of anti-business "Progressive Policy" organization,


Carol Browner - Energy and Environment Czar
Political Radical. Former head of the EPA - known for anti-business activism. Strong anti-gun ownership.


Joshua DuBois - Faith-Based Czar
Political Black activist. Degree in Black Nationalism. Anti-gun ownership lobbyist.


Cameron Davis - Great Lakes Czar
Chicago radical anti-business environmentalist. Blames George Bush for "Poisoning the water that minorities have to drink." No experience or training in water management whatsoever. Former ACORN Board member (what does that tell us?)


Van Jones - Green Jobs Czar
(since resigned). Black activist with strong anti-white views. Member of American Communist Party and San Francisco Communist Party. Said George Bush caused the 9-11 attacks and wanted Bush investigated by the World Court for war crimes.


Daniel Fried - Guantanamo Closure Czar
Human Rights activist for Foreign Terrorists. Believes America has caused the Global War on Terrorism. Believes terrorists have rights above and beyond Americans.


Nancy-Ann DeParle - Health Czar
Former head of Medicare / Medicaid. Strong proponent of Healthcare Rationing (i.e. "Death Panels"). She is married to a reporter for The New York Times.


Vivek Kundra - Information Czar
Born in New Delhi , India . Controls all public information, including labels and news releases. Monitors all private Internet emails. (HELLO?)


Todd Stern - International Climate Czar
Anti-business former White House Chief of Staff. Strong supporter of the Kyoto Accord; pushing hard for Cap and Trade. Blames US business for Global warming. Anti- US business prosperity.


Dennis Blair - Intelligence Czar
Retired US Navy. Stopped US guided missile program he described as "provocative". Chair of ultra-Liberal "Council on Foreign Relations" which blames American organizations for regional wars.


George Mitchell - Mideast Peace Czar
Fmr. Sen from Maine Left wing radical. Has said Israel should be split up into "2 or 3 " smaller more manageable plots". (God forbid) A true Anti-nuclear anti-gun & pro homosexual "special rights" advocate


Kenneth Feinberg - Pay Czar
Chief of Staff to Ted Kennedy. Lawyer who got rich off the 9-11 victims payoffs (horribly true).


Cass Sunstein - Regulatory Czar
Liberal activist judge who believes free speech needs to be limited for the "common good"; essentially against the 1st Amendment. Has ruled against personal freedoms many times on private gun ownership and right to free speech cases. This guy has to be run out of Washington ! ! !


John Holdren - Science Czar
Fierce ideological environmentalist, Sierra Club anti-business activist. Claims US business has caused world poverty. No Science training.


Earl Devaney - Stimulus Accountability Czar
Spent career trying to take guns away from American citizens. Believes in Open Borders to Mexico . Author of statement blaming US gun stores for drug war in Mexico .


J. Scott Gration -  Sudan Czar
Native of Democratic Republic of Congo . Believes US does little to help Third World countries. Council of foreign relations, asking for higher US taxes to support United Nations


Herb Allison - TARP Czar
Fannie Mae CEO responsible for the US recession by using real estate mortgages to back up the US stock market. Caused millions of people to lose their life savings.


John Brennan - Terrorism Czar
Anti CIA activist. No training in diplomatic or gov. affairs. Believes Open Borders to Mexico and a dialog with terrorists and has suggested Obama disband US military.


Aneesh Chopra - Technology Czar
No Technology training. Worked for the Advisory Board Company, a health care think tank for hospitals. Anti-doctor activist. Supports Obama Healthcare Rationing (i.e. Death Panels) and salaried doctors working exclusively for the Government Healthcare plan.


Adolfo Carrion Jr. - Urban Affairs Czar
Puerto Rico-born Anti-American activist and leftist group member in Latin America . Millionaire "slum lord" of Bronx , NY . Owns many lavish homes and condos which he got from "sweetheart" deals with labor unions. Wants higher taxes on middle class to pay for minority housing and healthcare.


Ashton Carter - Weapons Czar
Leftist. Wants all private weapons in US destroyed. Supports UN ban on firearms ownership in America. Has no other "policy".


Gary Samore - WMD Policy Czar
Former US Communist. Wants US to destroy all WMD unilaterally as a show of good faith. Has no other "policy"

"We are fighting for nothing less than a new foundation for our country, and that work is not complete."  Barack Hussein Obama.