Where the Buffalo Roams...

It is officially summer here. I don't care what day they say it's official... all I know is that A) school is out and B) it's hot. That's all I need to qualify this time of year as officially summer.

Yesterday, I took my daughter ~ who celebrated her 8th birthday last month ~ to the lake for a swim. Fortunately for us, we live very close to the lake. It's a mere 5 minute drive by car and it is usually a rather unpopulated lake during the week. We never go on the weekends which is when every other Tom, Dick and Harry goes ~ hooting and hollarin' and raising cane with their cases of beer. Uh, no thanks.

So, Maddie and I enjoyed our quiet visit to the lake, although the water was already a bit warmer than I would like. Maddie loves the water, and so do I. Growing up in Florida, I spent as much of every summer I could in the water ~ mostly in the local rivers and springs, but sometimes we'd get to go to the beach. Occasionally, just a run through the sprinkler would have to suffice, or we'd go wading in a nearby ditch or canal. We were kids, what did we know? We knew it was HOT and that was all that mattered.

I miss the beaches of Florida, I really do. Admittedly, there isn't much I miss about Florida other than my family, but the beaches are definitely the top of that very short list. The only other thing I miss about Florida are the many springs and campgrounds we visited every year on vacation. My all-time favorite is Juniper Springs, but I spent a lot of time at Lithia Springs. I actually had two monumental experiences at Lithia: One being I lost my virginity there and the other one being that was where we sprinkled my step-dad's ashes after he passed away.

I love the water, and feel very comfortable on it or in it. I want to share that with Maddie. Although we do visit the lake or go up to the Buffalo River as often as we can every summer, it is never nearly enough. Even though Maddie is now 8 years old, she still does not know how to swim.

Next Monday, though, she begins her two week course of swimming lessons. I'm hoping that will help get her started on the right path. Ironically, next Monday is also my step-father's birthday and if he were alive today, would be turning 74. Happy Birthday, Dad...

Tomorrow, my hubby and I are planning to take Maddie up to the Buffalo River for the day. It is supposed to be sunny and hot. A perfect recipe for a perfectly refreshing dip in some very cold water. I'm really looking forward to it. It's our first visit up there this season, and we plan to return many more times before summer ends.

We have a lot of busy things planned this summer, so we'll just have to see how many times we make it up there. We will not be camping on the Buffalo for our vacation this year ~ the first year ever since my hubby and I met. We always go, but this year, we're going on a road trip to Pennsylvania to visit family instead. That'll be really different for us...

Maybe once we return, though, we might be able to swing a short vacation up at the Buffalo anyway. We're keeping our fingers crossed. A summer without camping on the Buffalo would be a sad thing indeed. I almost feel as though it is necessary to our survival. The Buffalo is such a magical place and it calls our name. You just haven't lived until you've spent some time on the Buffalo River.

A Row of Ducks

Just taking a moment to catch my breath. I am leaving town in the morning for an arts and crafts show and I will not return until Sunday night. I am all packed and ready, but I am tired! It is good to have all my ducks in a row and I am hopeful that I will have a good show and make many sales. I am praying for good weather also. People don't like to attend arts and crafts shows in poor weather...

My sweetie and our daughter are already asleep. He has to work and she has school in the morning. I am seriously considering turning in also. Tomorrow is another day!

Ch-ch-changes!

Well, hello to those of you "out there"...

I have a wee bit of news. I am very excited to report that I have changed publishers for my book. In talking with the publishers at IFWG, we mutually agreed that I would probably not be satisfied with their services due to the fact that they could not print or market the book in the way that I wanted.

I have a new publisher now, and they are very excited to be working on my book. I have worked with this publisher before and have a good working relationship with them, and I trust them implicitly with "my baby".

This is my 2nd book that I'll be publishing, but due to the fact that I am using an alias for this new book, I will not disclose the title of my first book that was published in 2009. It is not all that important to note, anyway, since my first book was in a completely different genre.

The genre of this new book? I don't even really know what category to put it in. It is non-fiction, and it is a very personal story about me and my family, dealing with a very troubling situation in today's world. I will be talking more about the book, and giving you more than these tiniest of details, but for now.... I just enjoy keeping the mystery going... :)

Decisions, decisions....

While we have been awaiting the proof of the first issue of True Voice Magazine, I have been finishing up the design of my own book. But.... I have run into a few snags. It seems the publisher and I are not really able to see eye to eye regarding the terms of the contract and he has suggested that I try looking elsewhere before agreeing to sign with him. Perhaps he is right.

This publishing company is fairly new and fairly small and I feel that my book is important enough to warrant a more experienced publisher. Having said that, though, I really don't want to go elsewhere because the level of enthusiasm over my book from this publisher has been exceptionally wonderful. I am truly torn as to what I should do and feel like I am genuinely between a rock and a hard place.

I've come so far with the book, it doesn't seem right to rush through the final process now. I belong to a few writers forums and everywhere I posted a thread regarding my unique situation, I have been advised to seek out a better publisher.

I have thought about this all day... It is truly a dilemma and I want to do what is right. I guess I'll go ahead and query other publishers and/or literary agents to see if there is any interest. The topic of my book is highly controversial and I fully expect to receive both positive and negative reactions to it. It is a hot button issue that is surely going to ruffle some feathers.

I may chose to self-publish. Having done that once before, I am familiar with the process and am quite comfortable with the idea. Where I really need help is in the marketing area, but there are all kinds of tools and informative sites out there to help with that, also.

We will see what the good Lord has in store for me, and for my family. We have seen all sorts of adversity so far, so really, what's a little more...

Announcing True Voice Magazine

On the verge of something big...

Well, it feels like that, anyway. It might seem like small potatos to you, but we are just about to publish our first issue of True Voice Magazine. This has been a project that a small select group of people have been working on for months. My responsibilities on this project has been to design and lay out the magazine and we are at 67 pages, which isn't too bad for a first issue.

If you are interested in learning more about the magazine, visit http://truevoiceonline.com to check it out. This is a magazine focused on civil and human rights for all, a topic that is close to my heart. Through the years, I've watched as lawmakers continue to pass ridiculous laws that negatively affect thousands of people and their families. I feel it is important that we don't let the legislators and media brainwash us Americans into thinking that everything they do is in our best interest, which in fact, our rights are being taken away one by one, in very small increments, so small that most of us aren't even aware of it happening.

I would anticipate the first issue of True Voice Magazine to be published on May 16, so stay tuned and I will let you know.

Meanwhile, my book is making some good progress. It is in the process of being edited by my first editor, then it will go on a second editor before being finalized and ready for print.

Otherwise, life on the mountain is pretty normal here, except to say we had some pretty bad storms this morning, storms that went on to create much havoc and damage with tornados in parts of Mississippi. I am so sorry for all those people who have lost their homes today...

Another Wii-son to Love Wii

Like my title? Yeah, I came up with that myself.

A few days ago, I received an email from Netflix that members with a Wii game system can now use their system to watch Netflix movies instantly on their TV. I clicked on the button to send me a disc for the Wii and it arrived yesterday.

So far, we have used it to watch two movies. I love my Wii, but now I love it even more! No more hassle hooking up the laptop to the TV to watch Netflix instant movies on it.

Netflix is top notch. I gotta say, they are superb in customer service and continue to strive on their service every day. I am always amazed that I can mail a movie back at 4:00 in the afternoon one day and by 6 a.m. the next day, Netflix receives it in Little Rock and sends me an email telling me they are sending another one out the same day. Considering how rural we are, this is an amazing feat!

I'm still playing the new SuperMario Bros on the Wii and it'll take me many more months, I suspect, before I can beat the game -- and that is with all the cheats I can find on YouTube and spending all my star coins watching the hint movies, and letting Luigi play the game for me. I would never describe myself as a "gamer" and it is quite obvious when you watch me, that I am NOT. I die a million times and wind up going through a course over and over and over again. I am NOT like these guys I see on YouTube who capture their first play-throughs on video and put it up online. Now, THOSE guys are players, and I have to wonder -- don't these guys have jobs? Lives?

Life? What's that? Who needs a life when you have 99 lives on SuperMario Bros...

The Busy Bee

Time has gotten away from me. I don't even know where it went. Perhaps I have been abducted by aliens. Ya never know...

So I'm still working on the magazine, and it is truly a labor of love. Either that or the nightmare project from hell. I've had some bumps in the road with the publisher. He is a great guy, but GAH, he is so sensitive to my constructive criticism regarding his own layouts. He is not a professional graphic designer, and maybe no one will notice that unless they are professional graphic designers, so to me his layouts lack the professional finesse that I would expect. I am trying not to be so critical. He really is quite creative, so I've learned to just STFU.

There are many of us working to pull this thing off, and truthfully I will be relieved when it goes to print and I will be surprised if there is a second issue. All of us who are working on it are not that experienced with producing a magazine, but this project means a lot to all of us, so we are all putting our hearts and souls into it. I am doing my part by trying to make it look as good as professional as possible.

Initially we had a publication date of April 15, which I knew from the git go that was a bit overzealous. Now, we're looking at May 15 and I'd say that is much more possible. It is really coming along now... I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Meanwhile, my own book is on the back burner. Oh, have I mentioned that? I wrote a book, yes. I will provide the details of the book at a later date. I am anxious to get it printed, but there is still some editing that needs to be done yet... All in good time I suppose.

Other than that, life on the mountain is still pretty nice and quiet. The daffodils have been blooming for a few weeks, my red bud tree is in bloom now, and next up will be the irises and dogwoods. I have several irises planted in my front yard, side yard and back yard. Ya think I like irises??? Next to orchids, they are my favorite flower.

And, we really should be getting our garden started...

Alrighty then. Until next time!