Dear Readers!

Because it was there...

2010-02-08T07:40:00.002-05:00

This morning I wrote the first several pages of a book I probably won't even consider writing until April. Why would I do such a thing when I have deadlines and taxes and lots of online work to do like write an ezine and post blogs...and teach online classes and write online classes...sheesh, I forgot how much I actually do!...LOL

Anyway, I took precious time to do that because "It was there." The whole scene in living color, complete with heart-stopping emotion.

That's the thing about writing that lots of people don't get and few writers can really explain. Yes, on a good day I can write as many as forty pages. But everything has to be aligned. The story has to be popping. The characters have to be alive and vibrant. I have to understand what they are feeling and why. I have to know that the steps I having them take on the page really do fit the story...and also really will interest readers.

So most days I don't get forty pages. Most days I don't get twenty pages. Realistically on good days I get ten. Bad days I get two! LOL

When I hear someone give an exact timeline for writing a book, I admire them. I can't say exactly how long it will take me to write a book. I can come close, but not exact. Not even in terms of weeks because I don't know how quickly I'll get a good grasp of the characters and situations. I certainly don't rely on a muse, but I do rely (heavily) on the juxtaposition of character and story. That sweet moment when you know that what your characters want to do on the page is exactly what should be happening!

How do I get to that point? Sometimes it's by writing a thing or two that doesn't work! LOL Some days I get twenty pages but ten of them won't show up in the book. What they do "show" is what does't work, or maybe some background I needed to know but which I will condense into a sentence or paragraph of transition...After she spent an hour in the tub thinking about things ...

Or...After breakfast...

Or ... She took her horse Rainbow on a tour of their new home, and by the time she returned to the Silver Saddle Ranch she was better able to deal with Brock.

Lots of things happened on those little "thinking it through" jaunts. I saw them. Then I cut and pasted them into a "maybe we'll use this later" document and reduced the episode to only what was relevant for the readers.

A lot goes into the books you know and love. Lots of thought, lots of effort, lots of experimenting and lots of time!

That's why it's so great to wake up (as I did today) not just with a full-blown scene in my head but also to a lovely email from a fan who loved my November Christmas story!

Thank you, Christine!

susan

Wow...Where the Heck Did January Go?

2010-01-29T09:48:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting here looking at my calendar in shock because January is gone. I know why I missed it. I was writing a book that took all my concentration.

I can admit now that the book was one of the most difficult I've ever written. Not because it was a bad idea or I'm a bad writer, but because it was a great idea and I'm an author who wanted to do it justice.

I love it when a book falls together easily. Who doesn't? LOL But the challenge of having such a great idea, with two spectacular characters, is even more appealing. I can see readers picking up this book and not being able to put it down. There's nothing ordinary about it.

Which was why it tortured me...and I tortured back! A book like this is the highlight of my year...maybe even my career.

Or maybe it's a turning point? That would be interesting!

But whatever happened with that book, it was a joyful experience. I think the book is coming out next January. I will keep you posted on the release date.

Now, I'm off to Walmart. I've barely shopped in the past four weeks. Our cupboards are bare and we were down to eating Honey Nut Cheerios and macaroni...and hot dogs! As long as I stayed away from the hot dogs, I also stuck to my diet. I'm into it over three weeks now ... very close to four...and just about ten pounds down.

Let's hope my cholesterol is also plummeting!

susan
MAID FOR THE MILLIONAIRE, July 2010
MAID FOR THE SINGLE DAD, August 2010
A COUNTRY TWIN CHRISTMAS, November 2010

Still Low Fat After All These Days...

2010-01-21T08:02:00.003-05:00

Most people wouldn't be celebrating after only 17 days on a successful no fat program. But after five years of steadily increasing weight and absolutely no will power (or want power) to finally be sticking to a program is liberating. Fun. I feel like bragging. But I won't because I know that as soon as I brag I will fall off the wagon! LOL

I'm not a weak person. Typically, I'm very disciplined. You should see my work schedule. I work nearly every day. I give myself Sundays off, but some Sundays I can't think for all the ideas bouncing around in my head and it's self-preservation to actually write those days. Better than rest.

I teach an online class nearly every month. I try to get them posted in the Coming Attractions pages for the susanmeier.com website, so that writers who want the benefit of my experience can sign up for the classes, but I'm not always diligent about that.

I also go to at least three live conferences a year. Most of them I teach a class.

I read blogs, guest blog, do the job of membership chair for PASIC.

Right now, I'm researching beach houses for summer vacation with 3 of my sisters and a niece (and their husbands and kids!).

So why couldn't I be disciplined about eating? It was crazy!

But I finally think I figured out the magic. As I told my sister on Cake for Jake Day (his 5th birthday), the decision becomes simple when your cholesterol is high. (Thanks to God-awful eating habits for five years!) On the one hand you continue eating cake and potentially have a heart attack. (Yes, I know it's a tad dramatic but some days I need a true kick in the pants) On the other hand, you don't eat cake and you get your cholesterol down and you don't have a heart attack.

I guess you can see from that that drama motivates me. LOL

But I also have a lovely, smaller-size suit hanging outside my closet door. I want to wear that to the NOLA conference the first week in March...and it just about fits. So I've got lots of motivation like wind at my back!

I've also gotten some great recipes for things like chicken. Once I get permissions from the writers who gave them to me, I'll be posting them in the Homecooking Blog just a few clicks away on susanmeier.com.

So stay tuned!

susan

Interesting Week

2010-01-09T10:22:00.005-05:00

This has been an interesting week. Not only did I finally hit the point where I liked the first 100 pages of my new book enough that I could move on, but also I stuck to my low cal diet.

I feel as if there should be a billboard somewhere congratulating me!

Lots of people think that writing books gets easier as you go along. I'm now well past 40 books (I should really count them someday) and yet this book has been difficult. Not because I've forgotten what to do but because I really, really, really want to get it right.

The characters are amazing. The storyline is wonderful. I'd hate to screw it up with poor execution! LOL

That's the kind of thing writers agonize over. We don't really care about reviews...we love the good and forget the bad! LOL We care about sales. We certainly want our books to get out to the public. But a lot of that is out of our control so we let it go to the universe.

But...execution of story? Finding a really great story with wonderful characters and making sure it's executed in such a way that it makes you laugh and cry and root for the hero and heroine...That's poetry to us. Nirvana.

So if it takes a little longer to get something in...we're okay with that as long as our publisher is too.

susan

The Holiday is Officially Over

2010-01-03T20:42:00.004-05:00

Seriously. Enough cookies already!

A week before Christmas, I went to the doctor for a little problem. As she and I were talking, she flipped through my file and low and behold there was a cholesterol report from 2008 (that no one had called me about), and, people, my levels were nothing to brag about.

I tried cutting back before the holiday, but that didn't work. I kept saying, "I'll eat at this one party, then tomorrow I'll get on track." I never really knew how many parties I went to or celebrations I participated in until I tried to stop eating!

So now, here it is, Monday morning. January 4. The excuses are gone. (So are most of the cookies and candy.) And I have to start somewhere.

I'm asking a few of my writing friends to contribute low fat recipes to my Homecooking blog. I'm hoping we can get my cholesterol down and have some fun at the same time.

susan...the cookieless.

The Real Meaning of Christmas (Originally posted 12/08)

2009-12-31T09:36:00.001-05:00

There are 11 children in my family. Seven girls. Four boys. All of my sisters are married, three of my brothers are married, and several of my nieces and nephews are married and have children. There are 63 people in my "immediate" family.

We have a Christmas tradition in our family of a cookie exchange. The deal is that you state your intention to be part of the exchange then Tammy (my youngest sister) sends us an email letting us know how many people are participating. This year there are 12. That means each of us will pick a type of cookie and make 12 dozen of that one kind. (I'm the peanut butter blossom girl.) Then December 20, we bring all our cookies to my mom's and 'exchange' them for one dozen of everybody else's.

Everybody involved ends up with 12 dozen different kinds of cookies for company but everybody also only has to bake one kind.

It's probably my favorite family tradition. And we've got some whoppers.

With 63 people in the immediate family, we have enough people (especially kids) to have our own personal Easter egg hunt. We have a sort of unofficial competition to see who can get my mother the best gift for her birthday. Every Wednesday morning in the summer, one of us hosts "breakfast" for the family members lucky enough not to have a real job -- or who have summers off because of working for a school district. My sister Laura is usually the winner for favorite breakfast. She makes waffles with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

In October the kids dress up and take part in a Halloween parade. This year they were the Flintstones, complete with PVC pipe Flintmobile. In a way, they were their own little float.

Every Friday after Thanksgiving, rather than battle shoppers, my mother hosts the cookie painting party for her grandkids. She bakes sugar cookies and makes colorful icing and the kids paint the cookies with the icing. They go on a Christmas tree in the family room with bubble gum and candy canes.

There are enough of us that if every 'family' within the family chips in $50 we can buy my mother a major appliance for Christmas.

In a lot of ways we sound like a small town, but really we're just family. We like to be entertained -- maybe too much -- and we enjoy each other's company. We were taught to share, to be generous, to include everybody in every baseball game, football game and/or card game we played and those lessons carried over into adulthood.

I sometimes look at my family and our traditions and wonder. . . Are we a tad crazy? A little too in love with entertainment and stimulation. . .Or is this what life's really all about? Sharing your toys, including everybody in the game, and baking enough cookies that everybody gets a dozen.

Merry Christmas. This year, share your toys, include everybody in the game and bake an extra dozen cookie to give to someone in your town, your church, or at your office, who might not get a cookie this year.

Susan meier

susan meier
HER BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS, Harlequin Romance, 12/08 AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON
MAID IN MONTANA, Harlequin Romance, 6/08
THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS, Harlequin Romance 11/09

The 12 Days of Christmas (Originally posted 2008)

2009-12-31T09:35:00.001-05:00

When Donna put out a call for authors to join her in celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas, I answered quickly. I love Christmas! Not because of the presents. . .well, maybe a little. . .LOL. . .but because I love the spirit of the season.

For me "Christmas" began a little before Thanksgiving. I was tired. I'd worked since early morning, while my son slept in. It was, after all, his day off. I've noticed that writers don't get days off. . .but that's a blog for another day.

Anyway, Michael has a seizure disorder and doesn't drive. When he awakened, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to go to the bank, do a little shopping and buy lunch, let's just say I wasn't in as festive of a mood as he was.

A dutiful mom, I put on boots and a coat and drove him to the bank and a sandwich shop and then to the discount department store to get his prescription and a few things. I sat in the car and watched him jog inside, waving to friends, yelling greetings and laughing.

I'm not really Scrooge, but I did look at him and think, it must be nice to have all that energy. Then I remembered he was going into the store to buy medication that stops his seizures but makes him tired. He fights it. He has a job that pays him a decent wage, but he still has to live with his parents. (That can't be easy.) But he rarely complains. He makes the best of what he has.

In a few minutes, he ran out again and by this time the Salvation Army bell ringer was in place. Without hesitation, Mikie dug into his pockets and pulled out a few bills which he tossed into the pot. The bell ringer thanked him. He shrugged off the thanks and ran to the car, ready to go home and eat lunch.

In that moment I wasn't sure if I was more proud of him or more in need of the V-8 head-thump myself. Sometimes we get so bogged down in what we perceive to be the necessities of life that we forget life's biggest joy is giving. Not merely money, but smiles, waves, little acts of kindness.

Mikie knows how to appreciate the holiday because he doesn't see what he's lacking; he appreciates what he has and he turns his appreciation into action. He starts early, gives generously, loves mightily.

On that day in November, I decided to take a page from his book. I started early. I'm giving. Not just money, but time and conversation.

And I'm loving mightily. I'm looking around, seeing who needs to be loved. Who needs a smile. Who needs a prayer. Who needs someone to show him or her a simple kindness. And I'm doing those things. Even if it means going out of my way, giving up my place in the checkout line to someone who looks more tired than I am, being patient in traffic.

Celebrate the season by giving yourself the best gift of all. . .the gift of giving. Watch the smiles of your week double, the sincere thanks warm your heart and the love you give come back in wonderful, unexpected ways.

The Magic of Christmas (orginally posted 2008)

2009-12-31T09:34:00.001-05:00

This time of year, I hear a lot of grumbling and complaining about the commercialism of Christmas. Truth be told, I categorize the complainers into two camps: Those who hate to shop and those who've never experienced the magic of Christmas.

When I was young, I spent a Christmas Eve in the back seat of the family car, with five or six of my brothers and sisters, waiting while my dad fixed our car, which had died halfway to the popular discount department store where my parents planned to buy our gifts. In the dark backseat, we whispered to each other that there'd be no Christmas that year. Not only had the money been spent for car parts, but also by the time the car was fixed the stores were closed.

But under the tree the next morning were gifts galore. Things my parents had purchased at a drugstore that stayed open later than the department store. I remember pop beads, a toy medical bag complete with candy pills, and, of course, a doll. Some of my all-time favorite presents. I don't remember what I got for Christmas most years, but that year sticks out - - because of the magic.

One year, my father worked away from home and because Christmas was on Monday, he had to leave on Christmas Eve. The mood at our dinner table that night was solemn, sad, until my sister went into the living room and under our tree were our presents. Santa, my parents told us, had visited us first since he knew Dad couldn't be around Christmas morning.

The "how" of all my Christmas magic is transparent when I look back as an adult, but it's magic all the same. The memories make me smile and also make me realize how far my parents would go, what they would sacrifice to make our Christmas special.

That's what Christmas magic is all about.

The magic of Christmas isn't something you can buy at a store or catch in a jar. It's an unexpected jolt of joy, a sense that anything's possible - - if you believe.

Sometimes you feel it from something as simple as having someone open a door with a smile, a merry conversation with a stranger in the checkout line, or a parking space that suddenly opens up when you're trying to shop on your lunch hour.

Sometimes your heart will be touched. Listening to the choir sing a familiar melody, you suddenly feel lifted. Dropping your coins into the Salvation Army container, you receive a smile of gratitude from a cold, probably hungry, bell ringer and you suddenly realize that lots of people do more than shell out money to make the holiday special for their friends and families, they give time and make sacrifices for needy strangers, people who depend on others for their Christmas magic. . . and you ask yourself. . .why haven't I?

Sometimes the scent of pine cones or fir trees or gingerbread will transport you to a happy time, when you were young and everything was magical and you realize how much your parents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends loved you to make all your Christmases special, wonderful.

That's what we pass on. Our legacy to our kids isn't a philosophy of success as much as it is the ability to see real magic and to know we're all magicians.

All it takes is a smile, a helping hand, an open door, more time than money, more love that sacrifices.

That's the magic of Christmas.

And that's what my hero, Jared learns in HER BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS. Jared has a tragic past, the kind of past that would level most people. He survived by living in denial. But face-to-face with someone who's suffering in the here and now, longing for the type of family he's throwing away, Jared not only learns to count his blessings; he also realizes that Elise copes by seeing the magic in everything. But can he learn to see the magic before his time runs out and he must return home for Christmas?

HER BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS easily turned into one of the favorite books I've written, all because of the magic.

I'd love to hear other Christmas magic stories!

susan Meier
HER BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS

Christmas Is Over...

2009-12-26T17:27:00.005-05:00

...but I'm going to be reposting some of my Christmas 2008 "best of" blogs for your entertainment this week.

I have a book due early January, so I'm knee deep in that and posting in the Challenge, Challenge, Challenge blogs in the RWA online chapter forums, if you're really interested in the true challenges some of us face making tight book deadlines!

I'm also giving an online class, THIS IS THE YEAR YOU WRITE THAT BOOK, for the Yosemite chapter in January. You have until January 4 to sign up for that if you're interested. It should be tons of fun! Half the course is lessons on understanding the psychology of writing a book. The other half is lessons on crafting. Some fun, intersting stuff.

All of my nieces and sisters were taking pictures yesterday, but I think this one about sums up our Christmas this year! (I'm the one in the green cat socks.)

Happy Christmas!

2009-12-21T10:06:00.004-05:00

We got several inches of snow over the weekend and I have to admit (or maybe hate to admit) that it made me feel jolly, Christmas-y, happy and festive. My husband, who has been shoveling the stuff, isn't quite so merry.

This has been an odd Christmas season for us. Our kids' circumstances are unusual at best. But the bottom line is neither Sarah nor Mikie has money to buy gifts for Christmas.

It's been hard on them. Their dad and I don't want them to use credit to buy gifts, but more than that, we wanted them to get this lesson. Christmas is about more than gifts.

We always say it's more blessed to give than receive, so what happens when that blessing is taken away from you because of job situations?

Mikie has been okay with it. He's looking to the future. Seeing himself next Christmas able to buy gifts.

Sarah, a nurturer, is feeling the pain. She wants to give. So she's wrapped up cookies, giving massages, doing more personal things.

All in all, I think both are getting good lessons. Mikie's learning one year of difficulty isn't the end of the world. Sarah is learning that the best gifts in life aren't those you buy from a store.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

susan

RWA Online Chapter 136

2009-12-14T07:32:00.003-05:00

If you're a member of the RWA Online Chapter (136), scoot over to the forms, the Challenge, Challenge, Challenge topic and look for my daily posts about writing a book through the holidays ... with a few other distractions thrown in!

s

Christmas Cats

2009-12-13T11:26:00.001-05:00

A cat, Creamsickle, plays a leading role in bringing the hero and heroine together in THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS. This isn't an accident. My cat Sophia has done some remarkable things. She can cheer up anyone. She keeps the rodent population to a minimum in our little section of town. She meows if I yell...even if I'm "yelling" to call someone to dinner. Which has turned me into a much quieter person. But she doesn't get along with our other cat Fat Fluff.

We've figured out why. She believes she's a member of the family and Fluffy is just the cat. The pet.

It all goes back to the day we got Sophie. A few weeks before we'd had to put Fluffy's brother Basil to sleep. I couldn't seem to get over his loss. He was a wonderful, huge black cat who loved to hide in poinsettias. So it was awful.

My niece Kelli just happened to be driving home from Pittsburgh one Saturday and they found poor Sophie on the road beside a stretch of woods. She was so tiny she fit in the palm of Kelli's hand. She was also covered in dead leaves, and sneezing. A new mom, Kelli couldn't leave the poor kitten, so she brought her home and my sister suggested they call me since I had just lost a cat.

I went to Helen's house to see Sophia and it was not love at first sight. She was filthy. She was angry. And she didn't seem to want pity! LOL But she needed me. So we took her home and my husband (ace that he is with cats) tried to give her a shower. Get that picture in your head. There's my well muscled, tough guy husband holding a squirming, screaming fist-full of kitten under the shower head. He ended up wetter than she did.

Fluff wanted nothing to do with her. First, Basil was his brother. Second, she had a virus (which we didn't know until the next day when we took her to the vet). Third, she was a feisty little brat.

She was also so tiny I had to feed her milk from the tip of my finger. Then because she was so small and so scared, I cuddled her. I used my chin like a mama cat would use her tongue to bathe and sooth a kitten. And I guess somewhere along the way Sophie decided I was her mom.

After that, we presume she looked around, realized Fluff was a pet -- but the rest of us were family -- and she was being treated like one of us...so she must be one of us.

We named her Sophia Maria Lolita Conchita Chequita Banana...so much of a longer name than Fat Fluff that we also figure that helped fortify her theory that she was family. So now she seriously treats Fluff like the family pet, while she's one of us.

And her greatest love is to sit on my desk, watching the little characters appear to the computer screen while I write. She absolutely, positively has a say in things around here!

With such an odd cat like Sophia, you would think she inspired Creamsickle in THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS, but it was actually Fat Fluff!

Creamsickle is quiet, but loving. He wasn't really happy when the new foster kid moved in. But when he realized how in need of love and affection Harry Martin was, he stepped up...just like Fluff did when Sophia arrived. He didn't even protest when Harry bought the bell collar for around his neck. In fact, he sort of liked it. And he also agreed with Harry that Wendy Winston, Harry's new guardian, needed more love in her life. Not just from wonderful Harry, but from a mate. So he didn't mind one iota being involved in Harry's plot to get Wendy Winston and Cullen Barrington together before Christmas.

Add a candy factory and a sexy, but grumpy, hero to the mix and you have quite a story! LOL THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS was one of the most fun stories I've ever written. I actually read it when my author copies arrived! LOL. Not only did it put me in a Christmas mood, but also I liked being with those characters. I liked being in that candy factory. I loved the small town, with the tinsel and silver bells, ice storms and fluffy white snow banks. I loved Wendy and I loved Cullen. Because they were both such wonderful people. Both had hearts big enough to open when Harry needed love.

Yeah, Wendy and Cullen really deserved a happy ending. They really deserved each other. But it took some conniving on Harry's part, a little bit of magic on Creamsickle's, and lots of cocoa and popcorn by the fireplace!

It's a special book about special people and I was thrilled to be the one to get to write it!

susan

THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS

The Wizard of Oz Wore Braces

2009-12-12T08:47:00.004-05:00

Yes, it's that time of year again...High School Plays.

My niece Lindsay was the Good Witch Glenda in her high school's production of the Wizard of Oz. She was so good, we wanted to stand up, point at the stage and yell, that's my niece! LOL

The cowardly lion was also fantastic, as were the tin man and the scarecrow. It's amazing to realize these were only high school kids. But Lindsay's high school has a history of producing fabulous musicals.

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted until I logged in to write this post. In the past week, my editor has gotten back to me on two books that are already in. Both need to be proofread (coming next month! LOL) and two projects I'd been waiting for comments on.

But I also celebrated my wedding anniversary. We got some good news for our oldest son. My daughter is "this close" to getting a job. And our son who lives in Pittsburgh may have found a house. Add writing to all this and I guess we've been a tad busy.

Today my husband and son are rebuilding our stairs...and I have to confess I'm nervous. LOL

I hoping I don't have to sleep on the couch tonight and wear the same closes for three days while they figured everything out!

Technology versus Susan Meier

2009-12-03T17:31:00.000-05:00

Reprinted from Harlequin Romance Authors' Blog on eHarlequin.com...

Susan Meier Versus Technology...

And technology is winning!

For those of you who were at the HR authors blog on Friday, you realize that I also posted then. Why? The Google Calendar we use to keep track of the Harlequin Romance authors blogging each month seems to be having weird hissy fits. I've been deleted and added back in on dates that I SWEAR I have not chosen. I've dropped off dates I've chosen and magically reappeared only to disappear again.

They tell me (they being my more technologically savvy kids) that this is my fault. I am doing something wrong. Really? There's a secret handshake? LOL

Nope, the kids reply...You're clearly missing a step, not clicking an icon or hitting save or walking around your desk three times while chanting nursery rhymes.

To fix this, since I'm embarrassed that it's always me who seems to have trouble on Google, I volunteered to do the calendar manually.

Problem solved.

Yeah. Until I decided this week that it was time to become active on Facebook and to join Twitter. Only one hour into my Twitter experience I had the distinct feeling I was David going against Goliath...with no sling shot.

I filled out the form and quickly discovered I couldn't call myself Susan Meier. Someone else had taken my name. Okay. I get it. Susan Meier is kind of a common name. So I called myself Susan Meier 1 and everything was peachy. Except when I announced to friends to find me on Twitter...and I wasn't there.

Four days later, I still don't come up in a people search. You can find me by going directly to http://twitter.com/susanmeier1 but you can't search for me. I'm not hiding...At least not deliberately. I'm simply not coming up in searches and no one seems to be able to figure out why. But don't worry, I've contacted customer support. I'm #367,845. They should be getting to me in the year 2048.

Still, I persevered. I can do the HR Author blog calendar manually. Not a big deal. I also don't mind the little glitch in Twitter. I'm sending everyone I know my addy to avoid the evil search. I needed to blog and to be on Facebook and Twitter so I could announce that my new ezine was coming out...Just as soon as I wrote it.

I have a really neat system for writing my ezine. I use blogspot. I can write it, edit it and even publish it myself without having to bother my web designer -- who is a lovely person and would help me in a minute...but I'm determined to conquer this Internet thing!

Anyway, I wrote the Intro, found a great lesson from one of my online workshops to use as a writing tip (it's a mini-goal-setting seminar, great for people wanting to set 2010 New Years Resolutions). I wrote a cat tail, reminded people of all the things they missed by not popping onto my website in the past 3 months... and published it. Bingo. Perfection.

Sort of.

I realized I had offered people the option of subscribing to the ezine, but didn't have a system for delivery. No problem. I would capture their email addresses and put them in a group and send them all a notice containing the blog addy to find the ezine. Piece of cake.

Not really.

I had more subscribers than I'd thought and my little "capture" and create a group project took hours. But that was okay. I'm not averse to a little hard work. LOL Even if it does mean I'll be hunched over for the next forty days.

I sent the email announcing that the ezine was "up" and then discovered I'd forgotten to put an excerpt from THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS in the ezine. Duh! That was sort of the point of the ezine. To let people know about the new book! Duh! Double Duh!

Suddenly Twitter wasn't looking like the cause of my Internet problems anymore and maybe Google's calendar wasn't half-baked.

Could the problem really be me?

Maybe...Well, yes.

The whole dang problem with Social Networking is that it changes overnight. Just when I master one thing there's a new thing on the horizon. And I want it all. I love being in touch. I adore helping people with writing tips! I want to brag about my cat, tell people stories about my heroic son, whine a little about my weight and in general enjoy every darned person I can find.

So it's me. My love of communication will always have me wanting to be on the cutting edge even before I know how to get there!

susan
THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS

Cookie Painting at Gramdma's!

2009-11-27T17:19:00.005-05:00

Well, the big day has finally arrived! It was cookie-painting day at Grandma's. We ended up with lots of colorful cookies for Grandma's cookie and candy tree for the family room. As you can see we have some real budding artists in the crowd!

Owen had a hand in preparing the icing and we think he's going to be one of the first employees when my sisters Tammy and Laura open their bakery!

Yesterday was Miss Helaina's birthday, so we doubled-up, having a small party for her before we painted the cookies.

She was less than thrilled with the attention. She's 2...LOL...But we all enjoyed the cake.

She got a talking pink pig, pink vest and pink furry boots from doting aunts and uncles...If I were better with pictures I'd post some! Maybe next year! LOL

Before we actually painted cookies, while waiting for everyone to arrive Gavin enjoyed his video game!

We had about fourteen kids this year and almost as many adults (none of us can resist a piece of Tammy's cake! LOL). I've posted some extra pictures in the space below to show you the fun!

susan

2009-11-27T17:08:00.002-05:00

Tuesday Before Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T19:01:00.003-05:00

I thought I would happily post on Monday morning about the family's calendar party. No such luck. Not only did I not go to the party (we went to Gettysburg instead to make sure my sister-in-law was okay) but the days before Thanksgiving are a lot busier than I remember.

I didn't have to buy a turkey. My father-in-law won one at the fire hall turkey raffle. Yet I still spent $165 shopping for "other" groceries for the meal. Pumpkin pie can be really expensive! But it's one of my favorite things. And one of those things that I bake well, so I'm looking forward to it.

Still, $165 for seven people? Something feels wrong with this picture!

Yesterday I shopped. Today I began cleaning. Last week, my sister put up the drapes she'd made for me...gorgeous green silk...so I'd already cleaned windows and sills, vacuumed the living room furniture and in general made the house presentable. So one would think there wouldn't be that much left to do. But you know how it is...work expands to fit the time available. LOL I super-cleaned the downstairs bathroom, washed carpets, lightly scrubbed my living room hard wood..Why not? I had time. LOL

So now it's Tuesday night. My feet are thumping. My hair is grimy from sweat. My hands are prunelike from being in rubber gloves too long. But my floors are scrubbed, the dining room is picture perfect, and tomorrow I can put the finishing touches on the living room ... before I bake my beloved pumpkin pies.

I'm having real mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, from-scratch stuffing, real gravy, and corn...all to be made Thursday morning.

But I've still penciled in two hours for writing. Now let's see if I really get to do it! LOL

susan

Thanks to everyone for the great response to THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS. I'm not sure if it's still in stores, but if you missed getting a copy it's still at Amazon and Barnes and Nobel.com.

Cleaning Can Be Fun

2009-11-15T12:58:00.007-05:00

Anyone who knows me also knows that's virtually my mantra. I love to clean because I find it relaxing. But I don't get to clean as often as I'd like (or need to) because of commitments.

So when we decided to spend two Saturday mornings cleaning my Mother's house for the holidays, I saw two mornings of relaxation in my future.

But for those of you who aren't quite as enthused as I am at the thought of rubber gloves and pretty blue Windex, my family has other ways to make cleaning fun.

For instance, as soon as we stepped into the door of Mom's house the scent of chocolate chip cookies greeted us. Yep. Tammy was at it again. Using up spare ingredients she had in her cupboards she'd made chocolate chip, toffee, pecan cookies. They melted in your mouth!

Our big goal for the day was to clean the family room, and replace what we thought was a drop down ceiling...It wasn't. It was one of those tongue and groove things. So Helen recruited two brothers (John and Brian) and two brother's-in-law (Steve and Charlie) and created a team that got the supplies and put up the tiles. She was right in there with them, handing tiles, stapling, and cleaning up!

Feeling in the way, Janette and I left the family room and headed for the dining room where we washed windows, dusted curtains and walls, cleaned the China closet and buffet. As we worked, we chitchatted about our kids.

Cleaning the room divider in the living room as niece Jessica washed walls and niece Amy dusted above windows and cleaned nicknacks, we talked about raising kids and good books to read to unwind at the end of a long day.

Miss Lainie (Tammy's almost 2-year-old daughter) examined everything I took off the room divider so I could dust it. Miss Maddie (Tammy's 5-year-old daughter) brought the new kittens to the screen door, one-by-one, so I could be properly introduced.

Jake and Owen (Tammy and Jessica's sons) watched "Uncle John" as he burned old newspapers and boxes that had accumulated throughout the year.

We stopped at noon for ham sandwiches with hot peppers. (And another cookie...or two) Then began to disburse because most of us had errands to run and our own cleaning to do, but we also knew we'd be back again the following Saturday morning to finish up.

My sister Janette said she doesn't really look at cleaning at Mom's as a chore, but more like a social event. She should have told me sooner and I would have dressed better! LOL

But next weekend is also the calendar making party. We'll finish Mom's cleaning on Saturday morning, rest up, then meet at Janette's on Sunday afternoon with pictures taken this year so that we can create next year's family calendar.

I'll blog about that next week, with details (that may bore you! LOL) but it's always fun for us.

The saying is that the family that prays together stays together, but it's a little different for us. We pray together, but we also cook and clean and eat and chit chat, look at pictures, make calendars, buy gifts, go to jewelry parties and go to the games of whatever high school niece or nephew happens to be that year's player! This year it's Zak. His team's in the playoffs. They won yesterday...not that I'm bragging!

susan

Oh and by the way...for those of you who live in my area THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS has sold out in our Walmarts, but it's still available in Giant Eagle and a few of the drug stores that still sell books.

If you miss it there, there's always eHarlequin, Amazon and Borders!

Sisters, Sisters

2009-11-09T07:57:00.004-05:00

Good morning, everyone!

Yesterday was a good day. It was warm and sunny and beautiful, so all of my sisters made it to our sister Laura's Lea Sophia party. (Lea Sophia is expensive costume jewelry.)

Anyway, of course, most of us brought food or wine (or both). Laura made a yummy (and I do mean yummy) pumpkin layer dessert. It was sort of like pumpkin cheese cake but better. I bought two necklaces for myself and one for my sister Janette...because she's made me silk drapes and on Wednesday we intend to hang them.

How many other people do you know who would not only scout out the material, figure out the design and then actually sew your drapes? Only a sister!

So Wednesday is the big day for drapes. It was supposed to be tomorrow but my husband's sister had emergency surgery last week. She's fine, but he'd like to visit her so we may be taking a day trip tomorrow.

Then Wednesday, after drape hanging, we're taking Janette to Applebees to celebrate her birthday. On Saturday, my sister Helen and I will join our two brothers in cleaning my mom's family room for Thanksgiving. The following Saturday, all sisters will be at my mother's to clean the rest of her house before company on Thansgiving.

We're lucky to have each other and we know it.

susan

By the way, get out there and buy THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS!!

Susan Meier versus Technology

2009-11-06T18:31:00.008-05:00

Dreams...Gotta Love 'em

2009-11-03T09:03:00.002-05:00

Last night I had another dream about being at a writer's conference. Now, I know I go to my fair share of conferences so it's not unusaul that they'd pop up in my subconscious. I love to teach. And, honestly, I've spent a lot of years studying the craft of writing so...if I do say so myself...I'm a fairly good teacher.

The thing that a lot of people don't get about writing is that it isn't easy. LOL Many people believe that talent carries authors to fame and fortune. Still others believe our stories "come to us" in visions or downloads from heaven.

Sometimes both are true. But that only happens about once every three or four books. When you're writing 3 books a year, or even one bestseller every year, a download from heaven every four years isn't enough.

Most of us have to learn to craft. Every book we're supposed to get better. When I figured those two things out, I began going to every conference I could afford and taking lots of online classes. When things began making sense to me, I began teaching.

This new crop of people that I recently met in New Jersey really has a lot of talent and a lot of potential. But what I liked most about these bright-eyed authors was their commitment. Most of them realize good ideas aren't enough. An author must learn to turn her ideas into exceptional books, because the competition is tough.

But back to the dream...

What troubles me about this dream is that there is always a guy in a black top coat in the dream. Last night, he was beside me at the buffet table. Sometimes we're in the elevator together. Sometimes he's unlocking the door of the room beside mine in the hotel.

He's a nice guy. Sometimes, like last night, he offers quiet advice. (Though for the life of me I can't remember it.) Other times he says nothing.

This is one of those times I'm almost tempted to consult a dream book!

susan
THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS

What to say after a conference

2009-10-26T09:46:00.002-04:00

It's always hard to figure out what to write about the day after a writer's conference. Everything was so great this weekend at the New Jersey RWA Chapter Conference that I'd hate to focus on one thing at the risk of not mentioning other equally important things.

But...

Karen Rose's keynote reminded me of why I'm a writer. When asked by friends who couldn't attend, why her speech had affected me that way I honestly couldn't remember. I think it was subtext. There she stood, at the podium, telling great stories about her life, relating how she overcame some difficulties and still has a day or two when she gets stuck. She was pretty and happy and enthusiastic, obviously in love with her job. I almost felt she was speaking directly to me, agreeing that the writer's life though tons of fun has its pitfalls. But that's okay because most of us overcome them.

Allison Brennon's lunch speech was equally good, though for the life of me I can't remember most of it. Probably because the hotel gave each table 3 bottles of wine to make up for the fact that the fire alarms kept going off the night before. I slept through them. This is actually the 3rd time I've slept through hotel fire alarms. If there is ever a real hotel fire, I'm a gonner.

The booksigning was absolutely delightful. I sold a lot of books, but also had participants in my workshop drop by to say hello. I had done a workshop on scenes...not the most "attractive" of topics, but a necessary one and those who attended shared my enthusiasm. If you're going to write, you must know the basics of crafting. That's usually what I teach. (I'm unfortunately down to earth! LOL)

It was great to interact with a wonderful group of ladies who agreed with me!

I had a few panicky moments. My black shoes rubbed and I refused to wear tan shoes with a black dress with houndstooth jacket...and ended up giving my workshop with throbbing feet! My hairdo fell. But luckily I had a clip.

This is the first time in years I didn't meet the editors or agents. Mostly because my workshop was opposite theirs. I wish I had some great news or information to post from them, but that boat sailed right by me.

As always, though, I came home refreshed and enthusiastic and loving my job! What other profession do you know where we can work in pajamas and where talking with our friends on loops is considered part of our job!

susan

A size fourteen in a size 0 world

2009-10-20T10:11:00.006-04:00

I have a little bit of a problem with a size 0. Seriously. If you're not big enough to warrant a number...do you exist? Haven't you disappeared?

I've always fought my weight. Except when I smoked and right after I had kids. Obviously, I quit smoking...and right now my kids don't want me chasing after them making sure they don't fall or hurt themselves or get into trouble...though there are days I think they might benefit from having me right behind them.

Anyway, about ten years ago I decided to give up the battle and, of course, I gained some weight. For a long time I stopped on a size twelve and was fairly happy there. Unfortunately, about two winters ago I put on some more weight and now I'm a size fourteen. But even though the research suggests that most of us are a size 12 or 14, no one seems to have told makers of women's clothing.

This causes all kinds of problems. At church on Sunday I sat down and my pants and shirt didn't meet. It might be cute for a twenty-something with a firm behind to show off the top of her butt. But...seriously...no one wants to see that little piece of flesh below my top and above my jeans.

Worse, one year for Christmas my husband asked me what I wanted. I suggested he buy me something (nightwear) that he wanted to see me in. Christmas morning I opened up a package containing a huge flannel nightgown. As I dialed the number of my lawyer, he hastily explained that he'd bought me flannel because I'm always cold and he only wanted to see me warm and happy.

Hum.

I bought the explanation because he does have a tendency to be considerate, but I re-explained my request...telling him that I wanted him to buy me some sexy little number he'd like to see me in. Then I sent him back to the mall with a bit of cash.

He returned with a cute little red thing that came with a thong. I went into the bathroom to put it on so I could come out and model it. I took off my clothes and put on the thong...and whoosh it immediately disappeared in my fat roll.

I looked at the box. Nowhere does it say "must have a hard body to wear this". Or "Danger, tight thongs will disappear into fat rolls". Nope. There were no instructions at all.

In the meantime, my husband was getting restless. While he was calling, "Hey, babe, don't you have that thing on yet?" I was debating calling the fire department to see if they could bring over the jaws of life to get the red thong out of my fat roll.

I have no clue why sleeveless clothes are so fashionable when most of us refuse to wear them. There are maybe ten women who can wear sleeveless dresses. And whose idea was it to bring ruffles back? Do I not look round and cuddly enough? I actually have a three-tiered gray dress that makes me look like a keg of beer. I would be incredibly popular at college dorms in that thing.

Short plaid jackets also make me shake my head. First off, if you've got any sort of bustline at all, you ruin the line of the plaid. But second, does any woman really want to look like she has the shoulders of a linebacker?

Seriously, they dress football players better than this. Have you ever watched a game that had even ONE PLAYER who didn't look like he had a tight butt? Heck no. They dress these guys to show off their broad shoulders and tight butts and hide their big tummies.

So why can't designers make fashionable clothes that make the rest of us look good? Face it. The football players have money. They will never lack for a date or companionship and no one would dare tell them they looked bad. They could wear burlap and pancakes and no one would say a word.

Forget the football players. Make the rest of us look good!

susan

Apple Butter in Pennsylvania!

2009-10-12T08:37:00.001-04:00

This weekend my husband and I traveled to a small town in East Central Pennsylvania, near Gettysburg, to make applebutter with the church ladies (and men!) at my husband's brother's church.

Thare are so many things I could talk about in this blog. First, making applebutter is kind of cool. LOL Second, everywhere you walk in that part of the state you find yourself face-to-face with history. Their little church is historic. The cemetary beside it is amazing. The farmland has been has been passed down from one generation to the next.

But the most important, most fun part of the experience for me was the people. As the men stirred the apples simmering in huge kettles outside, the women prepared a lunch of homemade soups. (I had the beef vegetable!) Three vendors sold their goods near the eating area. One had knitted and crocheted items, jewelry and little purses. (I bought my daughter two scarves.) Another had framed photographs. The third had handmade flower arrangements.

I worked in the far corner at the bake sale. The church ladies had been slaving away for days baking pies, (I bought cherry) and apple dumplings (I bought two). But individually they'd baked everything from cupcakes and cookies (I got the gingerbread) to peanut butter fudge (yes, I bought some of that too).

By now you're probably noticing a pattern. I spent a lot of money that day! LOL

We got there around eight and prepared the bakesale for the crowd that would be arriving around nine. We made pretty displays of cookies and cupcakes, pies and apple dumplings, fudge and pumpkin bread. When everything was packaged and displayed for sale, I asked how much we were to charge and was shocked to discover you could get a cupcake with a piece of candy corn on top for $.25. A quarter.

I said, Are you kidding? In the city we'd sell this for seventy-five cents and they looked at me as if I were insane and said, Who would pay $.75 for a cupcake? (The crazy people who live in the city and don't bake! LOL)

They were great, witty, fun companions all day as we began to realize the difference between this city mouse and those country mice. By the end of the day I'm sure most of them genuinely believed I didn't know the value of a dollar! LOL And I wished with all my heart and soul that I could bake about half as well as any one of them.

We ate soup and talked about kids...whose problems, by the way, are universal. What school to go to, how to handle bullies, worries that they'll maintain good grades, get a part in the school pay, pick the right mates. We talked about husbands...and, let me tell you there are no more honest wives than a group of church women waiting for bake sale customers. We sold fresh-in-the-jar applebutter to people who'd driven miles just for a jar of warm, cinnamony delight.

The sun was warm. A breeze rippled through the orange and yellow leaves on the trees surrounding the old cemetary beside the church. Good moods abounded.

It was probably the last little festival of the year. Thanksgiving and Christmas will soon be upon us all so everyone's attention will be drawn to more spirital matters as they plan and prepare their own family celebrations. So everyone seemed to take the time to just smell the applebutter sputtering in the copper pot and share a few minutes with friends and neighbors.

No matter how much I love living in my small city, being beside Walmart (not right beside but close enough to get milk at 5:45 if I want to) and not having to walk down a lane to get my mail, I thoroughly enjoyed that weekend in the country, with good people, fresh apple butter for saltines, warm, wonderful homemade soup and warm, wonderful people!

susan meier

THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS, 11/09

Halloween?

2009-09-27T17:06:00.009-04:00

Driving to my mother's this afternoon, I enjoyed the views of coloring trees on the mountains. It made me think of last Halloween when my nieces and nephews dressed up as the Flintstones and took first place in the town's annual Halloween Parade.

So I wasn't surprised when I arrived at my mom's and my younger sister asked me if I wanted to dress up as a killer bee for a new family tradition. Instead of having a stagnant Halloween Party, Jessica (my niece) has rented a bus for the family to ride from place to place to trick or treat.

Sounds like a good time to me! LOL

But can I carry off the black tights and black and yellow striped tunic? Probably not. I'm probably going to have to go as an M&M or maybe a beer keg. Something that takes advantage of my new "round" shape.

susan

P.S. Don't forget THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS will be released in November. Still haven't seen it on Amazon...but I swear...it really is coming! LOL If you search under books for Meier THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS, the UK edition will come up. Then click mass market paperback.