Things an' Stuff. And Sherlock. Always Sherlock

If I seem to have neglected this blog, that is because I have been working too hard at publishing my debut novel, Fly Away Home! Yep, that's right! My debut novel is going to be available February 14th (Valentine's Day!) of this year! I am finished with formatting and cannot wait to reveal the cover this coming Wednesday on my writing blog: The Inkpen Authoress. Most of you will have read about it on Facebook or already follow The Inkpen Authoress, but for those of you who don't, here's a quick synopsis:

Fly Away Home, 1952 New York City:Callie Harper is a woman set to make it big in the world of journalism. Liberated from all but her buried and troubled past, Callie craves glamour and the satisfaction she knows it will bring. When one of America's most celebrated journalists, Wade Barnett, calls on Callie to help him with a revolutionary project, Callie finds herself co-pilot to a Christian man whose life and ideas of true greatness run noisily counter to hers on every point. But when the secrets of Callie's past are hung over her head as a threat, there is space for only one love, one answer: betray Wade Barnett to save her reputation, or sacrifice everything for the sake of the man she loved and the God she fled. The consequences of either decision will define the rest of her life.
Self-preservation has never looked more tempting.

It's an awesome feeling, "officializing" things. I decided to go the independent route for various reasons, not the least of which is because I like to be...well...independent with my writing! It's been a lot of hard work, a lot of fun, and will all come to a climax on February 14th when the book will be available for purchase!

So that's what has kept me away from "normal blogging". Let's see. I am praying about going back to Romania this spring/early summer so if you would pray that I would be able to have clarity about that decision. I have been so busy with my book that I haven't thought too much about it. On one hand, the idea of not going and seeing all the friends we made last time and having that experience again seems like agony; on the other hand, I want to be certain that this is the right thing for my year. It's not just a two-week trip: it's fundraising, planning, preparing, etc. As of now, I am headed toward going, but I want to put more thought and prayer into it before getting too far ahead.

How could a mission's trip not be a good thing? Of course it is always a good thing. I just need to know if it is my mission for this year. Last year was a beautiful string of travelling hither,thither and yon. It was awesome and definitely the exact right thing for last year. But outside of traveling and mental-spiritual-intellectual-relational growth, I didn't get all that much done. This year I'm starting off with a bang: publishing my first book. I have more books I am in the middle of writing and last year I was in such a perennially penniless state that I feel I need to do something about that situation so I can at least keep myself shod. That means I'll need to keep at my writing as well as try to get more writing students and see what else I can do to collect funds. :)

Anyway, that's what's wandering around my brain at present. Sooner or later I want to do a post about these big old vague ideas I've been reading over in G.K.Chesterton's Orthodoxy and Dorothy Sayers' The Mind of the Maker, but that's all a bit much for a sleepy Saturday morning, don't you think?

On a more exciting and random note, I have seen the first two episodes of Season 3 of Sherlock and just let me say: Gatiss at the wheel has in no way been a slight on the show.

These two episodes were brilliant, satisfying, and wonderful. There were so many moments of "D'AWWWWWW!" and a few nervousing moments and quite a lot of John which is always a wonderful thing, and more Mycroft (Jeremiah Lorrig looks like a young Mycroft, by the by) and then you have Mary of course, which is a beautiful thing. I have heard the final episode of this season is gonna be a thriller/nail-biter/screamer and you've got to stay through till the end of the credits or something. Everyone's taking after Marvel these days.

Well, toodle-pip, everyone! May your weekend be blessed with the richness of Christ!

Mambo Italiano. (because it sounds like a fun title)

I am full of ideas right now. Too many things have either Happened in the month I was gone, or Have Not  Happened due to not-enough-time, and so I find myself with a rather full mind. Perhaps that is why I've been having strange, monumental, epic dreams every night. Once I was faced with the dilemma of disliking a person who liked me while liking a person who disliked me, and in another I was held captive by half the grown men and boys in my church who were threatening Society with the iPhone gun app, and in another I was campaigning through Georgia again. It was a very very strange string of dreams, I tell you.

I would appreciate prayer in deciding what sort of business ventures to pursue this fall. We are considering stopping the baking section of our business for a while because it has not been very lucrative in recent months. But if we stop that, Sarah and I will be on the hunt for a new sort of way to make money. I've got Ideas, like I said, but as of yet they have no form or fashion. They're just wispy and winsome and out there.

I'm trying to get back into the flow of ink and pick up my writing where I left it. I did do the teensiest bit of research for my one novel by watching Master & Commander while down in Georgia, but that doesn't really count. Instead, I've just been scribbling various and sundries and falling in love with things I shouldn't fall in love with because they have no place in Current Projects, and... (most of the trouble is because I can't find my USB port with all my stories on it! ACK!)

Eating cake. Oh yes. Forgot about that. Because there were three birthdays in our family on August 6th so there were 3 cakes to feed the same number of people 1 cake generally feeds, which means waistline expansion I suppose. ;)

Pretty soon I hope to introduce you to a darling someone I have decided to call My Italian Prince. Any guesses? Forgive me a cruel chuckle. Bwahahahaha! [and no, Julia, you cannot guess. :]

I have been plunging through With Fire and Sword which is full of Polish names and Vodka. Interesting combination, especially when you arm them with swords and guns and such.

So what have you been up to? Anything fun and summerish? I felt the Gypsy Wind (pretty nearly) the other day and it made me so excited for Autumn! :) *joy and jubilation*

Well, toodle-loo, people! I'm off to continue scribbling and then try to attack my mountainous pile of To Be Replied To letters. Goodness, how things pile up when one is gone a month!