possibly pointless blabbering

Typing With Wet Paws: Pre-Mama’s Day Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. Thins area especially exciting around here because we are coming up on Mama’s Day. While I have a present for Mama Anna (Aunt Linda helped me, because they don’t let cats in stores. Dumb law, amirite?) I still remember Mama D, who was my first people mama. I am sending her motor purrs. Mama Anna said they will 100% get there. So, we’ve got all that sorted.

photo by Mama Anna

Which is not to say everything is in perfect shape. Right here, on Papa’s desk, for instance, the window is only partially open. I’m talking like a crack. Sure, I can smell some things, but where is my ledge for sunbeam-sitting? I need that. I need a few of them, actually. I have been asking the humans, but they all say, “not yet.” Humph. Maybe they are still salty about that one night I tried moving my food bowl in the general direction of Aunt Linda’s room. Hey. Mama and Papa were asleep, and my food is in a container in a closet in Aunt Linda’s room. Sometimes a girl has to feed herself. Sure, I don’t have thumbs, but maybe I can order some online? Anyway, Mama woke up enough to catch on to what I was doing and put my bowl back where it belongs. Also, I have convinced the humans that I am okay with my water bowl being on the placemat they gave me, but not my food bowl. That needs to be on the bare floor.

photo also by Mama Anna

In case some of you were wondering what I can see when I sit in Mama Anna’s desk chair (or what she sees, for that matter,) here it is. Yes, she does use all of those notebooks. She says the stuff in the tote is all wrong, and she needs to redo the whole thing. She probably will do that this weekend while watching shows on streaming. The Wilds is back, and she really really really likes that show. Kind of like Lost but with teenagers, and some Lord of the Flies mixed into the roux. she will probably have things to say about it when she watches the whole season this weekend. She is also up to “Katoby” in her This is Us watch, and I have been told to be on hand for emergency belly rub therapy.

I would talk about Mana Anna’s reading here, but she just growled when I asked her, so we’ll save that for later. I will say that she has added reading a paper book to her pre-bed routine and that does seem to be helping.

As for writing, that’s coming around, too. She had a good talk –well, two of the, one with Aunt Mary earlier this week and then one with Aunt Melva last night– about being afraid to write and how the only way to get through that is to write anyway. Since the video chats help her a lot, she is looking at having more video chats in the week. Naturally, this does mean more opportunities to videobomb said chats. Who doesn’t love Surprise Calico visits? Mama Anna is purr-fectly willing to move the laptop to give a better view when needed.

Okay, I think that’s about it for this post. Mama Anna has been working in her writing planner today, which means I have to go sit on it. No spread is ever done unless there are white, black, and orange hairs on it. Fortunately, I have all three.

Headbonks!

Storm

Typing with Wet Paws: Back At It Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. Pretty decent week around here. Mama Anna and Aunt Linda went out stuff-hunting earlier this week, and they brought back some super interesting bags, and even some crinkly paper for me to sit on; I appreciate that. Oh, and Aunt Linda got a box in the mail (I am waiting for her to take the shoes out of it) that looks like I would jusssst fit. Mama Anna says she plans to store stationery in it, but I am planning on storing me in it first.

who could say no to this face?

Mama Anna did not go out stuff-hunting every day, though. She has been writing, and also moving stuff around in the apartment and getting rid of stuff we don’t need. By which I mean trash and recycling. I, or course, have to supervise. It’s exhausting but I’m worth it. I am not planning on a lot of leisure time this week, because a funny thing happens when Mama Anna hits the right stuff she needs to get some decent sleep (please note, I often sleep on her, so this does affect me purr-sonally) – she can get more stuff done.

What seems to work best for her is to keep things super organized and preferably with actual pen and paper. Maybe that is part of her being a historically oriented person. Right now, she is five books behind on her Goodreads challenge, but that is not a big problem. She can come back from five behind. Here’s her strategy:

  1. Re-reads of historical romances she already knows she likes
  2. novellas; they are short, but still count
  3. Young adult contemporaries – she reads those fast and there are a bunch of new ones out
  4. audiobooks – she can listen to those while doing anything else, but probably not while composing new fiction

We will see how this works along with her decision to binge This is Us this weekend. She still isn’t happy about the Kate and Toby thing, but the Kevin and Sophie thing gives her hope and there’s a Miguel episode coming, so she wants to be there for that. Stay tuned for her reactions. Either way, I will be on hand (okay, realistically on hip, because when she lies on one side, that’s my favorite place to sit and purr while I help her watch or read.

That’s going to be about it for now. I have to make Mama Anna take pictures of stuff (mostly me) because she needs to get back on Instagram, and who doesn’t love calico cats? I’m a sure thing.

Headbonks!

Storm

4/21/22

annabowling 1 Comment

No catchy title this time, because there is literally nobody but me stopping me from playing Sims 4 24/7. This is one of those places where just because you can doesn’t mean that you should (and I hate using “you” like that, but “one” feels too formal, so will deal with it for the moment.) Moderation is the key here, because my first grade teacher really was onto something and as I did far, far better when I brought Barbie dolls for free play period, having a Sims save open, into which I can dip occasionally to let my brain cook the actual fiction when I’m not looking, actually does work.

Another thing that helps is having voices on in the background while I work. Lately, I have been listening to true crime on YouTube when not actually composing new pages, but it’s good for the admin/social media stuff. Am I retaining much of it? Nope. Am I paying attention? Ehhhh….occasionally? Lately, I have been picking by the voice of the narrator. Seems to be working. It’s the sound of the voice, not the words it is saying, similar to channels I listen to when going to sleep. Thought I hated when my mom used to tell me that once I got started doing a thing, I’d want to keep doing it, I now know she was right. Smart woman. She had it pegged super early on; guess first grade was a landmark.

Anyway, what I originally wanted to say was that writing fiction is a funny thing. One minute, I’m talking how romance novels were when I first discovered he genre, which leads to figuring out that my current historical hero had ADHD, though of course nobody knew that in 1784, which leads to blabbering a verbal sludge about the WIP, which then leads to The Thing that was holding the whole MS captive, and then I’m researching Catherine the Great (of Russia) and making a chart so that I can have a ready reference of how far and fast one can travel by coach.

I have also had words with Storm about blogging with regularity. We’d both like to do better with that. I am not entirely sure why I stopped taking pictures (and sharing them) and maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe what matters is picking the picture taking device and starting again.

A black, white, and orange calico cat lays on a red and black buffalo plaid blanket, looking directly at the camera with a guilt-inducing expression
“Pictures, Mama Anna. Now. Preferably of me.”

Cats are always appropriate. Please ignore her disgruntled expression. She’s usually much more chipper than that, and extremely invested in my writing. The more of it I finish, the more I can sell, and the more I sell, the more catnip I can buy. Isn’t that what’s most important? It’s all about the catnip. Oh, and butting on the big girl panties and doing scary things like making time for journaling and buddy-watching This is Us with friends who are similarly not okay with the Kate and Toby split. Like most things, it feels easier if I can talk about it. You have been warned.

An attractive young adult female Sim blows a kiss at the viewer.
This also applies to Sims

How’s it going where you are?

Anna

Rainy Afternoon Rambles

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Raining off and on over here, as best I can tell. Today was the day when my new sleep medication figured out what it was supposed to do, so let’s say I am very well rested today. I hear birdsong and the sound of wheels on wet pavement, and a quick look outside tells me it has indeed rained. It’s been a hot while since I blogged. That happens sometimes. The best way to get back into it is to jump in there and start blabbering, so here we are.

Okay. First of all, I am still not ready for Kate and Toy’s split on This is Us. They are one of my ships. These things take time Shoot, it took me what, a couple of years to watch the Highlander TV series finale. Either the right time will roll around or it won’t. Either way, there is always fanfic if it turns out that’s what I need. I do plan to watch the rest of the farewell season, but don’t necessarily need a front row seat for everything. Has anybody else had an experience like that with a beloved series, book or TV?

Second, I am pretty much listening to “Don’t Tell Anyone,” by Semler, on repeat:

“I want to know your story like I wrote the page” — them’s powerful words for a writer. Also “Don’t tell them that I swore this wouldn’t be my life.” Also, the tune is as catchy as a cold at a daycare center. I mean that in the very best way.

Wait, wait, wait, did I just hear thunder? Because I think I just heard thunder. Thunderstorms are my number one favorite spring/summer weather. I am absolutely here for it if so.

So Wondrous Free
Maryhelen Clague

Oh man oh man oh man, this book. This hit me in the feels and my history loving heart. I was but a wee princess in Westchester County, NY during the Bicentennial, so a historical romance set in that era and place is one thousand percent going to catch my attention. Also, it was part of the giant birthday haul from my friend, Mary, who knows me and my historical romance reading tastes. For those who only know the modern flavor of historical romance, I might shelve this in historical fiction with romantic elements, and it works very well that way too. I don’t recall any on page snugglies, but our heroine, Nabby, must choose between two dashing men, one Patriot, one Loyalist, during a freaking revolution. More of that, please. I want to make there be more of that.

A young adult female Sim, with long blue hair and tattoos, stands in front of a white wall and wooden door, pointing to something out o frame.

Then there’s Sims. Sims, for me, is the current-day equivalent of my first-grade teacher noting that my schoolwork was MUCH better if I brought dolls to play with during free play time. I never thought I would get as into it as I am, not only playing the game, but creating my own Sims, with tons of custom content, mods, and even learning how to make my own custom content. Not sure how that is going to turn out, but I am looking forward to finding out. It seems to be doing well for my writing, so a-Simming I will go. Picture editing is next, because I love taking screenshots. Does anybody have any experiences with Lightroom? I’ve been curious. I’m already down the ReShade rabbit hole. May as well go all in on the visuals, though the next step does seem to mean ponying up for photo editing software. I’d use it, though, soooo….we shall see.

One more thing. There is now a window open, and there is fresh air coming through that window onto my skin as I sit here in a white t-shirt stolen from Real Life Romance Hero’s stash. Yep. It’s spring.

Anna

Typing With Wet Paws: Boxing Weekend Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troppers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. While it is true that December 26th is called Boxing Day in some countries, this is Boxing Weekend, because we got new boxes here. Aunt Linda ordered a new mattress that comes rolled in a box, and new stuff to go with it. That means boxes for me! My big box “house” is still holding up, so I probably can’t keep the biggest box for more than until trash day, but that’s okay. Did I mention that Mama Anna put a paper bag inside my house box? Well, she did. It’s amazing. Very crinkly.

Oh right. I’m supposed to talk about Mama Anna here. That’s part of the deal. Okay. I can do that. She’s doing pretty well, actually. Not that she has figured out how to get the pictures from the tablet with the good camera into her feed but she’s working on that. Also, Papa is studying how to take better pictures, and I am a very willing model. He brings out my best side, which is all of them. I’m gorgeous.

don’t worry, I have photoshoots scheduled soon

But anyway, back to the writing. Mama Anna has gotten bolder in her journal stuff, and she thinks she’s found a super fun way to prep her journal pages to make her want to spend more time with them. Personally, I like lying on them. Or on her pen case if she leaves it open. That’s fun, too. She should be looking at me, anyway.

As long as we are on the topic of stationery, she has new sticky notes. Some of them are bright, and those are for the contemporary books she writes with Aunt Melva. They are having a lot of fun with Queen of Hearts, and are even planning a wedding that will go in that book. It also gives Mama Anna a chance to create her very own historic site, that may or may not have some similarities to a place she has been in real life. Also, she will get to add to it, and cannot promise that it won’t show up in a historical some day when it would just be a house because the history would be happening right then. Also, it would have cats. Lots of cats. She’d need them because of all the mice. Mmmmm, mice.

obviously not mine: I am a cat

The other sticky notes re shades of dusty pink and purple and that kind of thing. Those are for the historicals, and they fit in the pink sticky note holder Mama Anna got on clearance. She is super into her desk aethetics. This may include rescuing her secretary desk from stuff jail when Aunt Linda is on vacation at the end of the month, and this may also include her rocking chair. That chair has a history, as it is older than Mama Anna, and I am told that Grandma Erma (I have to wait for Rainbow Bridge to meet her) rocked Mama Anna in that chair, so if Mama Anna rocks me in that chair (I love being in her lap) then the tradition continues to the next generation. Mama Anna is very much set on getting that chair or the likes of it into the apartment, because he needs a dedicated reading (and cat lap giving) place that is not her office chair or her bed (it is also Papa’s bed, and he doesn’t care for a big reading light in his face when he is trying to sleep. He already has a cat climbing all over him, so I don’t blame him on cutting down on distractions. Yes, I am that cat.) I have already put in a request for a cushion on the seat, because I want to sleep in it when she is not using it.

The one thing the humans are concerned about is that the rocking chair appears in Big Sister Skye’s notes to me as ‘the green chair of evil.” Which means that was where she made her um, litterbox. Because she had special paws and could not climb into a litterbox. Aunt Linda says that is why there is Febreze. I’m not worried. I am 100% on my litterboxes (I have two of them; it’s awesome.) NO need to deviate now, amirite? Of course I am.

Okay, that’s about it for this week, especially as Mama Anna has to pick up groceries and library books and let’s be real, probably more stationery. I wonder if any of it will come in a box.

Headbonks!

Typing With Wet Paws: Confused Cell Phone Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. This week, hold onto your seats, because I am going to go right into talking about Mama Anna. Shocking, I know, but this is a good one.

If you have been following us for any length of time, you will be familiar with Mama Anna’s weekly chats with Aunt Mary, over the glowy box. Most of this time, Papa is getting ready for work when these calls begin. If Papa is going to be home that day, then Mama Anna takes the call in Aunt Linda’s room, because they talk. A lot. Papa says they have one setting: loud. That is what happens when two extroverted humans get together. They get very excited about some of the things they talk about, which can vary widely. This one time, though, Papa was getting ready for work, and his cell phone got very confused.

Thing is, when Mama Anna and Aunt Mary talk, their topics move around from history to historical romance to baking to fashion and makeup and organization and upcoming family events and other things. Well. Papa’s phone has a voice thingy on it, because he likes to talk to his phone and tell it to do things instead of pushing buttons. This normally works very well, but when Mama Anna and Aunt Mary are throwing around a lot of different names and dates and questions and stuff, the phone doesn’t know what to do and tries to look up a bunch of stuff at once. Papa had to go to work, so he did take the phone out of the room so it could get some peace, but he didn’t get a chance to tell her until later. She and Aunt Mary thought it was pretty funny.

Papa’s phone did not have the same kind of problem when Mama Anna talked to Aunt Melva, because A) they usually keep their talk to the books they are currently writing together, but B) Mama Anna wears headphones, so Papa’s phone doesn’t hear Aunt Melva. Also C) Aunt Melva is not loud. I am sure Papa’s phone was thankful for the rest.

Oh. I also had a fun moment during this week’s chat with Aunt Mary, that I got to meet (virtually) my fur cousin, Aiden. He is a Golden Retriever, and Aunt Mary put him on the video call, and we looked at each other. I don’t know his side of the story, but I was all set to play. maybe one day we will. He looks like a fun guy. I bet he likes toys.

Anyway, that was the highlight of our week. Mama Anna is doing okay on the writing thing, which is pretty nice. She could be reading more, because that is prime belly rub time for me, an essential component, but we are working on that. Maybe you can recommend a good book she might like to read while rubbing my belly. Drop recommendations in the comments.

Headbonks!

Storm

Is This Thing On? aka signs of life

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:taps mic: Is this thing on? Okay. Hi, or hi again. I have been pill-bugging (has nothing to do with unauthorized medication, but rather emulating a pillbug insect, aka laying low) Those who have taken Depression and/or Anxiety 101, you’ll recognize this. Anyhoo, hi. Today’s task is to write a blog entry, so here we are. It’s a cold, slightly cloudy day here in NY’s Capitol Region, though because it is now March, it is also pre-spring. I am normally a fall and winter gal, but I am quite happy to say buh-bye to this past winter. This is a fancy way of saying that I am in spring cleaning mode.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

For today, that means putting away laundry and making some sense of my writing area, which, like Real Life Romance Hero’s office area, is in our bedroom. I am also eyeing a corner for a potential comfy chair because I sorely miss having a comfy reading chair, and one of my big goals for this spring is to get back to a normal reading and writing routine. Melva and I are moving forward with Queen of Hearts, having a lovely time of it, and she gave me a much-needed kick in the pants for the historical romance side of things during our chat this week.

Some of the things that have been swimming round my mind as of late:

  1. I miss Romantic Times magazine. The O.G. version, before it was RT Book Reviews, preferably in the newsprint era, tabloid size era a plus. I never made it to their annual conventions, but oh the pictures they shared for those of us who weren’t able to be there in person. I’m talking themed parties, sometimes controversial costumes, writers and readers mingling at will. It’s been said that if RWA conferences were university, RT conventions were Spring Break. I will have to take others’ word on that. I remember DM’ing my friend, Trish, who had been there, to ask if it was really true, that the founder had announced that it was all done-zo at the conference itself. Sadly, it was.
  2. Speaking of those RWA (Romance Writers of America) which while still a controversial organization on the national level, the local chapter meetings were a place where, once a month, I could get up close and in person with other career-focused romance writers. The romance part is important, as is the career focused part. Put them both together and it’s community. My local chapter voted some months ago to dissolve, and now I feel…floaty. I know there are also other organizations available for those missing that kind of company, though I am still finding out where those might be. Suggestions for online resources gratefully accepted, and DMs are open.
  3. This is the time of year that I would normally be getting ready for the New England RWA conference, the place where Melva and I conceived of the Love by the Book series because we were early for breakfast . We are currently writing book number three in that series, and have tentative plans for future books as well as other projects. Conferences are also a place where one could network and find others in one’s own subgenre, aka Extroverted Romance Writer Christmas, and not going to lie, the swag is a huge plus. Though I am delighted to know that the coveted purple pens in Hannah Howell’s swag contributions are Pentel RSVP, easily available and come in a lot of colors.
  4. It’s a good thing I love planning. Not only does it go along with the nitty gritty (pun intended) of making one’s home tidy and aesthetically appealing, but in getting all of those too-lng ignored projects in order and prioritized and researched and all of that good stuff.
  5. It’s also good that I am a blabbermouth. A very extrovert thing that I do is that talking and thinking happen often at the same time, as in thinking something through means talking it through, so I will probably be doing more blabbering, either here or on You Tube, but that’s another day.

For today, it’s this post, listening to things I’ve meant to listen to for some time now (my YT to be watched list is mighty) and then spiffy-fying my space. There will probably also be tea.

How’s your week going?

Anna

Typing With Wet Paws: Winter Whiteout Edition

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Tails up Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. They would be frozen paws if I went outside, which I will not be doing, because A) I am not allowed, B) I don’t know how to do stairs anyway, and C) I can’t work doorknobs. Also D) it’s cold. With snow on the ground. No way am I going outside in that. Or anytime. I am an indoor cat. Granted, I could do a cool trick by flopping on my pack and disappearing because my belly is allll pure white, but then my assorted flavor toe beans would give me away. Far better to stay inside with Mama Anna and perform my Mews duties.
how’s this for an author photo?

I have already helped her make the bed, and after this blog, I can help her (aka sit on) put away the laundry. It smells okay, but it has virtually no cat hair on it when it comes back from the laundry place. I must fix that. Since I am calico, I can shed on everything and still have my hair visible. It’s kind of a superpower. Yesterday, Papa and Mama Anna were both home, and they made all of the trash and recycling go someplace else. Much more space for me to patrol, so I am thankful for that Mama Anna will be listening to an audiobook while she puts the laundry away (and removes me from it.) Audiobooks seem to be a pretty decent way to get her reading goals under control. So is keeping track of things in her reading journal. She may work on that today, and I will of course help her. Steal her pens, bap her rolls of washi with my paws, sit on open pages, whatever it takes, I am there.

Speaking of reading, Mama Anna is on track for her Goodreads Challenge this year. Right now she is at nine percent, with seven books read out of seventy-five. Reading time is often cuddle timee, so yes, I do have a personal investment here.

While this has not been the most productive week for Mama Anna’s writing, it’s better than last week, so she is going to count that as a win, and so will I. We are both perplexed over why pictures she takes (mostly of me, but other stuff too) is not showing up on other devices when they used to, but Aunt Linda is good at figuring that sort of stuff out so we will ask her for some help. Normally, I don’t care for the humans moving furniture around and stuff, but with the way Mama Anna is re-doing the office area, she is at her desk more, which means that I can be on my special bed next to her desk more (it is an old lap desk of hers turned upside down with the pillow side up) and be sneaky because it’s behind the Kanban board she set up to track different projects.

So yeah, that’s basically it for today. Tomorrow, Mama Anna will post on Buried Under Romance and get moving on getting the backlog of reviews up there as well. Of course I will be there to supervise. Unless that is, the snow plow comes back. I love watching that from Aunt Linda’s window. What are you guys all doing this weekend?

Headbonks!

Storm

annabowling 1 Comment

How did it get to be February already? I did not sign off on this. I also did not authorize the dearth of planner/journal decorative items that are wintry but not Christmassy. I love Christmas; it’s my favorite holiday, but I can’t for the life of me make myself use poinsettia and evergreen stickers on January spreads. Good thing it’s now February and I can break out the Valentine’s stuff for the next four weeks. February is too soon for the traditional spring florals. Those can come out near the end of March, though I like to go rain themed for April. Very specific theme, I know, but I did learn how to draw an umbrella for it, so that helps a good deal.

Anyway, it’s Thursday. I’m babbling. Even though it’s not spring yet, I am in strong spring cleaning mode. Since Housemate has a bunch of vacation time she has to use in March, we may use that to bust out some important items out of stuff jail. I’m talking furniture – my beloved secretary desk, a headboard Real Life Romance Hero and I inherited from Maman (Housemate’s mother,) and some things from Housemate’s storage as well. This will, in time, include my all-time favorite romance novels, my Bertrice Small collection first and foremost. I am very much looking forward to putting those back in their place.

Last week, I was able to add to my desk area (pictures to follow) a gorgeous end table from Maman, fiving me another surface next to my temporary desk, meaning I now have someplace to put not only my tea (very important) but reference materials, handwritten notes/drafts, etc, and keep things I love around me. Things for planning and journaling will probably end up in a different area than things for writing fiction, but it is all a work in progress.

This week, I had a wonderful conversation with Melva, and we are back on track with Queen of Hearts, to be followed by edits on Drama King. We also talked about some possible projects for the future, though we are keeping our focus on the stuff in front of us. This now brings me to time to get babck to historiccal romance, which can be…trickier.

Though I hadn’t wanted the first round edits for A Heart Most Errant to have a birthday, well,

Birthday cake covered in white frosting roses, with glittery gold candle in the shape of the numeral one.
Photo by Mohammad Danish on Pexels.com

Yeeeep. It happened. Not that I intend for it to get to the terrible twos, but some years do knock one for a loop. I do have to admit that I am feeling the lack of a local RWA chapter (our local chapter voted to dissolve, though we do have an informal FB group) and being in the same room as others of my kind. I love talking with other readers of historical romance, but the writing of it, well, that’s a different matter.

\Though I know every chapter of any group has its own identity, more often than not, the RWA chapters I have experienced have been very open. Plop self down next to Other Person, chat amiably, find out several minutes in that Other Person is Big Name Author and now you are a writerly version of work friends. There’s also the energy of being in a room full of people who love to write what I love to write, especially when I find a fellow historical romance writer, at which point

Two women, holding drinks and chatting happily
Photo by ELEVATE on Pexels.com

It starts with “what eras?” and goes on from there. Hopefully with an “I loved That Book You Wrote” on at least one side. (Though it be many years in the past, the thrill of hearing “I loved that article you wrote on A Certain Author” across a big ol’ meeting room the first time I introduced myself to a new chapter. If whoever is running the meeting has us go around and introduce ourselves and say what we write, that’s a bonus point I love to find out who writes what. Though there are always chances that a particular chapter will slant heavily towards a particular subgenre (contemporary, erotic, YA, etc) there’s usually a good variety, and one can usually find a kindred soul, or at least be put in touch with one if they do not happen to be in attendance at the moment. An “X, meet Y” email later, boom, connection.

It’ll all work out in time. Writers do tend to find writers (especially when they babble on the interwebs; historical romance writers; hit me up) and the most important part of writing is, well, writing. Butt in chair, pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, etc, etc, and so on until there is Book. Then do it again.

That’s about it for now, but hey, blog post written, so it counts for the week. How are things going on your end?

Anna

Typing With Wet Paws: Digging Out Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. It’s been quite the week over here, and pretty much all of the humans are now in the digging out of the debris phase. Aunt Linda will be going to CT early in the coming week to take care of a few family things. I am not sure if Mama Anna is going with her, but if Mama Anna is going with her, then I am going with Mama Anna. We are a team. Also, I cry when she is gone for too long, and leaving me at home alone while Papa is at work is not one of the world’s greatest ideas. Aunt Linda’s brother, Uncle Bob, will be meeting her there, I think, so I don’t know if having us there would be too crowded. We will see. If we do go, I love car rides, so I won’t be complaining unless I don’t get a good view. Then I will make my displeasure known.

On the domestic front, Mama Anna is grumbling about hauling a bunch of cardboard out to the recycling area. Personally, I don’t see a problem with a lot of cardboard. Has she ever even tried scratching it? Totally satisfying. Humans are weird. I would consider the smell of old pizza to be a plus.

I highly recommend a long winter’s nap.
Photo by Mama Anna

Oh. That reminds me. Since we do live in an area with lots of good pizza, the humans order it a decent amount. Well. It smells really good, and I am a curious girl. Earlier this week, Papa had an unattended slice of pizza, and I thoughtt the sausage on it smelled really good. He didn’t mind when I sniffed it, but touch my tongue to it one time, and all of a sudden, it’s “not for kitties.” Which I know is human for “get your face out of that.” You can guess how well that worked. Long story short, I am not allowed around pizza unsupervised anymore. Papa knows now to watch his plate.

For Mama Anna, this digging out stuff means a lot of reading and writing. This will mean a lot of what she calls brain dumping, which means putting whatever is in her head onto whatever page she has in front of her, whether that be paper or screen. Sometimes she has to blabber a lot before she can get any readable writing out of the process. I like when she is in this place, because I get to stick close to her and be her mews. I am super good at that. When we are getting into a really good writing session, Mama Anna and I snuggle into the big pillow nest on the people bed and settle in with a fuzzy blanket (still not fuzzier than me, though) and a tea or cold drink for Mama Anna, and we are good for a nice long stretch. Speaking of which, I think it’s time to lead her on over there. What’s on tap for your weekend?

Headbonks!

Storm

PS (or psspsspss -wee what I did there?) : Mama Anna is already one book ahead of schedule on her Goodreads challenge, with five books read out of seventy-five. Pillow nests are super good for reading.