Wow! Here it is, May already! The last edit on Totally Buzzed is complete and the finished novel is in. Now we wait to see what is next. It seems like a long time, but thanks for all you who have stuck with me during the wait-I think we are about to be rewarded for our diligence. "Buzzed" needs to have the final stamp of approval then be given a date.
Great news though-Kat, Senior Editor at Echelon Press, asked if I would submit the next book in the Miller Sisters Mysteries, Totally Fishy. Those of you who know me well all know how hard she had to twist my arm--wait, I think the story goes that I twisted my ankle getting to the mailbox-no, now that I think about it some more, I think I busted, strained, sprained my uh, well, you know-to polish the manuscript and get it off to Echelon, so hopefully, we will see "Fishy" in print next year!
YAH-HOO!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Do I Smell Spring?
Southeastern Wisconsin is a wonderful place to live. We have some of the best schools in the country, low crime rates, we are smack dab between Chicago and Milwaukee, so a trip to the big city is a short commute, and the weather! Oh the weather!
Today was in the upper 40s and half the teenage population was in shorts and on skateboards, dodging old snow piles and skidding across wet parking lots. Windows were open and Cheeseheads everywhere shed their winter jackets and had their noses in the air, sniffing Spring.
Yes, gentle reader I said sniffing Spring-or rather "False Spring" I heard it called once in a John Wayne movie. When the first semi-unfrozen days occur in the early months, we all pretend that Spring is actually on the way and we haul out the bermuda shorts and we all head to Home Depot or our favorite garden center.
Not many of us are dumb enough to actually buy plants this early (as we have all shoveled snow in April-I personally had plants freeze on June 6th!), but we can dream, can't we? We stay long enough to get into Spring-mode, we plan, we earmark, we make lists, and last, but not least, we take a final whiff of damp earth, growing seedlings, fertilizer and herbs (yumm!) before heading back home.
So here I am, armed with starter mix and a bag full of seeds-ready to get a jump on the warm weather to come. Bob built me shelves with plant lights in the basement, so before I lose motivation, I'd better get sowing!
Today was in the upper 40s and half the teenage population was in shorts and on skateboards, dodging old snow piles and skidding across wet parking lots. Windows were open and Cheeseheads everywhere shed their winter jackets and had their noses in the air, sniffing Spring.
Yes, gentle reader I said sniffing Spring-or rather "False Spring" I heard it called once in a John Wayne movie. When the first semi-unfrozen days occur in the early months, we all pretend that Spring is actually on the way and we haul out the bermuda shorts and we all head to Home Depot or our favorite garden center.
Not many of us are dumb enough to actually buy plants this early (as we have all shoveled snow in April-I personally had plants freeze on June 6th!), but we can dream, can't we? We stay long enough to get into Spring-mode, we plan, we earmark, we make lists, and last, but not least, we take a final whiff of damp earth, growing seedlings, fertilizer and herbs (yumm!) before heading back home.
So here I am, armed with starter mix and a bag full of seeds-ready to get a jump on the warm weather to come. Bob built me shelves with plant lights in the basement, so before I lose motivation, I'd better get sowing!
Friday, February 5, 2010
A Whole New Outlook on Writing
Back from my earlier hiatus, I can say that the change of environment did wonderful things for the creative juices. My cup over runneth with viable copy! It's quite amazing that without the normal distractions I was quite productive in a short period of time. I did a couple thousand words and scratched out some ideas for other things I'm working on.
I would recommend this small change in your regular writing routine to get your head on straight and get some solid copy down in a short period of time. Heck, if it doesn't work, at least you had a good excuse to sit around the coffee shop for a few hours and absorb the ambience!
Give it a try sometime-I'm sure going to! But right now, I hear my cows calling to me....*sigh*
I would recommend this small change in your regular writing routine to get your head on straight and get some solid copy down in a short period of time. Heck, if it doesn't work, at least you had a good excuse to sit around the coffee shop for a few hours and absorb the ambience!
Give it a try sometime-I'm sure going to! But right now, I hear my cows calling to me....*sigh*
The Most, Wonderful Time...of the Year!
February in Wisconsin.
Is definitely the most wonderful time of the entire year-to write, that is. The holidays are over, the child returns to college, it's so cold, only work, dire emergencies and being faced with starvation can lure me out of the house, and my trusty little lap top is sitting on the table staring blankly at me and begging for me to fill her screen with murder and witty repartee...*sigh*
So why the heck am I sitting here on my day off sucking coffee down, playing Farmville, with a Die Hard DVD playing in the background?
Get off the pot and write, Borger!
But I have cows to milk, and sunflowers to plant and neighbors to fertilize! Bruce Willis is about to jump off a building with nothing but a fire hose around his middle and my coffee cup is almost empty-and cold...oops! now the dog wants out and the cat litter I forgot to empty is singing my nose hairs! Bob is losing Kuhlii Loaches by the bucketful, and his website needs updating.
Distractions, my girl, distractions. Get up off your butt, drive over to Lake Geneva, grab a cup of something with caffeine, and set up shop at Caribou Coffee. Write! Write! Write!
Hmmm, you may be correct.
Gentle readers, I shall return to our regularly scheduled blog after I return from a change of venue.....
Is definitely the most wonderful time of the entire year-to write, that is. The holidays are over, the child returns to college, it's so cold, only work, dire emergencies and being faced with starvation can lure me out of the house, and my trusty little lap top is sitting on the table staring blankly at me and begging for me to fill her screen with murder and witty repartee...*sigh*
So why the heck am I sitting here on my day off sucking coffee down, playing Farmville, with a Die Hard DVD playing in the background?
Get off the pot and write, Borger!
But I have cows to milk, and sunflowers to plant and neighbors to fertilize! Bruce Willis is about to jump off a building with nothing but a fire hose around his middle and my coffee cup is almost empty-and cold...oops! now the dog wants out and the cat litter I forgot to empty is singing my nose hairs! Bob is losing Kuhlii Loaches by the bucketful, and his website needs updating.
Distractions, my girl, distractions. Get up off your butt, drive over to Lake Geneva, grab a cup of something with caffeine, and set up shop at Caribou Coffee. Write! Write! Write!
Hmmm, you may be correct.
Gentle readers, I shall return to our regularly scheduled blog after I return from a change of venue.....
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Bob's Christmas Goose is Really Cooked Now...
Ah, Christmas time! Icy roads, icy fingers, icy windshields, icy parking lots, icy power lines, the dog is a pupcicle...you get the idea!
Speaking of ice, I saw a Wisconsin phenomenon last night. On my way home from picking up Shan from school, a semi tractor was on the side of Route 12, headlights facing North, and tail lights facing North! There were also four other vehicles in the ditch within about fifty yards of each other...the roads were just a touch icy.
Tonight I'm sitting here snug in my warm little house, staring at my Christmas frog Pete as he burrows into the warm, moist moss in his glass house. I'm worried about my friends traveling to Arkansas tonight. Steve, Dawn, Bree and Julie-please be safe and we'll see you all on Sunday. Merry Christmas my friends!
Speaking of Christmas, I love to buy presents for my family and friends-but like many folks, my gift ideas far outweigh the contents of my pocketbook. I get by however, and manage to stay mostly within my means. I plan, I make lists, I observe people all year long and note things they really want but pass on for one reason or another, I watch for sales, I compare brands and prices, I collect online coupons, I stand on my head and light my hair on fire....(whew!) and it brings me great joy to watch as each person opens the special gift I spent so much time planning and choosing.
Bob on the other hand, admits that he is not the world's best gift buyer-that is, he dashes out Christmas Eve and as he stares at the endless bombardment of advertising, stresses about what to buy and grabs whatever he can reach within twenty feet of the entrance of the store.
Come Christmas Day, he spends half the day apologizing and the other half telling me what a bad gift buyer he is. I've tried hinting, I've left very conspicuous Christmas lists, I've tried prodding, poking, in July I even pointed out something and yelled, "CHRISTMAS!" Alas, nothing seems to work.
So Christmas rolls around once again and I look forward to it with both joy and dread. After the presents are opened, I usually just watch football and begin thinking about next year.
This year I had a great idea. I decided to just tell Bob exactly what I wanted. I found the perfect gift. I saw it advertised in the local paper two weeks in a row and knew it was an omen! It was far beyond our pocketbook, but I had to have it and knew Bob would be so happy he didn't have to shop he couldn't say no.
I had a great lead in planned; I had my ducks in a row, and came right out and asked Bob if I could buy a Newfoundland puppy. Without batting an eyelash he said (make that shrieked) NO! No more dogs!
I was stunned. I tried to point out that I hadn't had a Newfie in many years... the answer was still no. I reasoned that Wesley the Newfoundland was a main character in Totally Buzzed, and wouldn't it be cool if I had a Newfie when the book came out 2010...the answer was an emphatic NO.
So as I sit here gazing at Pete the frog-now mostly buried in his moss bed, I am already thinking about next year. This past Sunday Bob and I were at an all-animal swap in Chcago....
I am now the proud owner of two dwarf hampsters....
Merry Christmas everyone!
Speaking of ice, I saw a Wisconsin phenomenon last night. On my way home from picking up Shan from school, a semi tractor was on the side of Route 12, headlights facing North, and tail lights facing North! There were also four other vehicles in the ditch within about fifty yards of each other...the roads were just a touch icy.
Tonight I'm sitting here snug in my warm little house, staring at my Christmas frog Pete as he burrows into the warm, moist moss in his glass house. I'm worried about my friends traveling to Arkansas tonight. Steve, Dawn, Bree and Julie-please be safe and we'll see you all on Sunday. Merry Christmas my friends!
Speaking of Christmas, I love to buy presents for my family and friends-but like many folks, my gift ideas far outweigh the contents of my pocketbook. I get by however, and manage to stay mostly within my means. I plan, I make lists, I observe people all year long and note things they really want but pass on for one reason or another, I watch for sales, I compare brands and prices, I collect online coupons, I stand on my head and light my hair on fire....(whew!) and it brings me great joy to watch as each person opens the special gift I spent so much time planning and choosing.
Bob on the other hand, admits that he is not the world's best gift buyer-that is, he dashes out Christmas Eve and as he stares at the endless bombardment of advertising, stresses about what to buy and grabs whatever he can reach within twenty feet of the entrance of the store.
Come Christmas Day, he spends half the day apologizing and the other half telling me what a bad gift buyer he is. I've tried hinting, I've left very conspicuous Christmas lists, I've tried prodding, poking, in July I even pointed out something and yelled, "CHRISTMAS!" Alas, nothing seems to work.
So Christmas rolls around once again and I look forward to it with both joy and dread. After the presents are opened, I usually just watch football and begin thinking about next year.
This year I had a great idea. I decided to just tell Bob exactly what I wanted. I found the perfect gift. I saw it advertised in the local paper two weeks in a row and knew it was an omen! It was far beyond our pocketbook, but I had to have it and knew Bob would be so happy he didn't have to shop he couldn't say no.
I had a great lead in planned; I had my ducks in a row, and came right out and asked Bob if I could buy a Newfoundland puppy. Without batting an eyelash he said (make that shrieked) NO! No more dogs!
I was stunned. I tried to point out that I hadn't had a Newfie in many years... the answer was still no. I reasoned that Wesley the Newfoundland was a main character in Totally Buzzed, and wouldn't it be cool if I had a Newfie when the book came out 2010...the answer was an emphatic NO.
So as I sit here gazing at Pete the frog-now mostly buried in his moss bed, I am already thinking about next year. This past Sunday Bob and I were at an all-animal swap in Chcago....
I am now the proud owner of two dwarf hampsters....
Merry Christmas everyone!
Monday, November 30, 2009
New Website! http://galeborgerbooks.com
http://galeborgerbooks.com.
Remember this website address, as there will be a pop quiz on this material later. It's new, nothng fancy, but it's MINE! It took me forever to figure out how to do it, and it is still not perfect, but what the heck? I'm not either.
Check it out, and tell me what you think. I included a little about the Miller sisters, a little more about my background, author events, and how to contact me.
In other news, the beautiful Annie Chernow (Chicagoland Sisters in Crime), hooked me up with Sisters in Crime Wisconsin, and now I am a part of their group. What a great group of people! Not that I'm abandoning Chicagoland group, but I am very happy to have met the Wisconsin group, and I look forward to being involved with them as well.
Remember this website address, as there will be a pop quiz on this material later. It's new, nothng fancy, but it's MINE! It took me forever to figure out how to do it, and it is still not perfect, but what the heck? I'm not either.
Check it out, and tell me what you think. I included a little about the Miller sisters, a little more about my background, author events, and how to contact me.
In other news, the beautiful Annie Chernow (Chicagoland Sisters in Crime), hooked me up with Sisters in Crime Wisconsin, and now I am a part of their group. What a great group of people! Not that I'm abandoning Chicagoland group, but I am very happy to have met the Wisconsin group, and I look forward to being involved with them as well.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
From Bad to "WORSE", or Mrs Murphy Rides Again!
Good thing I have an outlet to vent (unfortunately for you!) or I would be running away screaming.
"Never tempt worse," said the great George Carlin waaay back when we were both young(er), so I will never admit under threat of death that more than once this past week I said aloud, "Could anything worse happen?" Because believe me folks, it can, and did!
Actually whether things went from bad to worse this weekend, I'm not quite sure, because what I personally think happened was that old Mrs. Murphy stepped in and anything that could have gone wrong, did.
"Mrs. Who?" you might ask. I am speaking about Mrs. Murphy of the infamous "Murphy's Law" Murphy. I have always thought of Herself as a she, have you not? After all, it would explain a lot about how Murphy's Law works if one thinks of her as a woman and not a man. Let me explain:
She is one of exceptional intelligence, she is totally cunning, has an evil sense of humor, and....wait a minute! That's my sister, not Mrs. Murphy! I should rather have said, Mrs. Murphy has the most impeccable timing at the worst (oops! don't tempt "worse"!) possible moment of your life; that throw-the-monkey-wrench-in-any-well-planned-fail-safe-event-in-your-life(even-if you're not Irish)-then-laugh-like heck-while you suffer and fumble around...(*sigh*) That's Mrs. Murphy!
The story? Well now, I didn't feel so hot Thursday evening, but retrieved Shan from school as scheduled-kind of. Traffic was particularly heavy, and people must have been counting the flocks of Canada Geese flying overhead while still driving 70 mph on the southbound express way than they did actual driving. I ended up running way behind schedule. Watching the clock took a backseat to being sick, and I missed the Master Gardener meeting because Mrs. Murphy was holding my head and chuckling as I tried to remember what must have poisoned me earlier that day.
Shan and I did make court the following morning-actually we have a very cool thng in Wisconsn called the "Court Officer", to whom you can tell your tale of woe before your appointed court date. He has the power to lower the fine or take the points off your license-which Shan opted to do-but I digress-Shan drove home, and I hung my head out the window, day dreaming about Pepto Bismol and a warm bed.
I slept the rest of Friday, but felt better that evening so Bob and I made it to Murder and Mayhem in Muskego. I met some great readers, writers and authors, but Mrs. Murphy must have poured the wine, because I running for the ladies room before I could swallow, and we left very early.
I'll spare you all the gory details, but as I sit here writing on Sunday evening, I am still queasy (I called Mom and she caught this bug too) and I am going to bed early, because tomorrow is an other work week, and I really don't want to throw up on the bad guys.
Our most wonderful friends Tom and Holly took Shannon back to school tonight (many thanks) and Chloe (Super Chloe, the Wonderdog) and I are hitting the sack. If I were to tempt "worse," Chloe and Bob would probably catch the same bug, so I will refrain from even thinking the "W" word.
So good night all, and yo, Mrs Murphy-go haunt someone else this week, okay?
"Never tempt worse," said the great George Carlin waaay back when we were both young(er), so I will never admit under threat of death that more than once this past week I said aloud, "Could anything worse happen?" Because believe me folks, it can, and did!
Actually whether things went from bad to worse this weekend, I'm not quite sure, because what I personally think happened was that old Mrs. Murphy stepped in and anything that could have gone wrong, did.
"Mrs. Who?" you might ask. I am speaking about Mrs. Murphy of the infamous "Murphy's Law" Murphy. I have always thought of Herself as a she, have you not? After all, it would explain a lot about how Murphy's Law works if one thinks of her as a woman and not a man. Let me explain:
She is one of exceptional intelligence, she is totally cunning, has an evil sense of humor, and....wait a minute! That's my sister, not Mrs. Murphy! I should rather have said, Mrs. Murphy has the most impeccable timing at the worst (oops! don't tempt "worse"!) possible moment of your life; that throw-the-monkey-wrench-in-any-well-planned-fail-safe-event-in-your-life(even-if you're not Irish)-then-laugh-like heck-while you suffer and fumble around...(*sigh*) That's Mrs. Murphy!
The story? Well now, I didn't feel so hot Thursday evening, but retrieved Shan from school as scheduled-kind of. Traffic was particularly heavy, and people must have been counting the flocks of Canada Geese flying overhead while still driving 70 mph on the southbound express way than they did actual driving. I ended up running way behind schedule. Watching the clock took a backseat to being sick, and I missed the Master Gardener meeting because Mrs. Murphy was holding my head and chuckling as I tried to remember what must have poisoned me earlier that day.
Shan and I did make court the following morning-actually we have a very cool thng in Wisconsn called the "Court Officer", to whom you can tell your tale of woe before your appointed court date. He has the power to lower the fine or take the points off your license-which Shan opted to do-but I digress-Shan drove home, and I hung my head out the window, day dreaming about Pepto Bismol and a warm bed.
I slept the rest of Friday, but felt better that evening so Bob and I made it to Murder and Mayhem in Muskego. I met some great readers, writers and authors, but Mrs. Murphy must have poured the wine, because I running for the ladies room before I could swallow, and we left very early.
I'll spare you all the gory details, but as I sit here writing on Sunday evening, I am still queasy (I called Mom and she caught this bug too) and I am going to bed early, because tomorrow is an other work week, and I really don't want to throw up on the bad guys.
Our most wonderful friends Tom and Holly took Shannon back to school tonight (many thanks) and Chloe (Super Chloe, the Wonderdog) and I are hitting the sack. If I were to tempt "worse," Chloe and Bob would probably catch the same bug, so I will refrain from even thinking the "W" word.
So good night all, and yo, Mrs Murphy-go haunt someone else this week, okay?
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