That was my question to me about a week ago when I realized I’d fallen behind my own schedule. Plug your ears while I scream.

For the record I’ve cranked my timetable down in the draft stage so I have wiggle room later on. Now, knowing this and sticking with my own schedule have been two different things. I’m not a fast starter on stories–I know what I want, what the story needs, but the getting there is sloooow.

I’ve beat myself up trying too hard this time. I was thinking too hard too. I was defeating myself.

Yeah, that sounds stupid, but believe me I can overthink things. Sometimes I just need a kick to get me back on track. Sometimes I just have to sit down, close my eyes and type.

That’s what I did to crank out pages the past week. I typed without editing. And it worked–I’m where I should be with my second Presents right now, and I like what I’ve written.

So one big hurdle down. For now. 🙂

My mom used to say people who could shovel in all kinds of rich, fatty, greasy, and/or spicy food and never get sick had cast iron guts. I’ve known people like that too, but I’ve never seen a dog who could eat things that they shouldn’t consume and not puke all over creation.

Until I adopted Samson.

This dog defied logic the first week when he ate a houseplant that is supposedly toxic to animals. Sam farted, belched and went on his way, not even slowed down from his exuberant energetic self. And yes, I waited nervously, sure he’d get sick. (Ofcourse this happened on a weekend)

I’d placed this particular plant in a room and closed the door, but Sam can open lever doors–unless they’re locked. The hell of it is, all the doors in the house are levers, which means Sam pretty much does what he pleases. Thank God he’s housebroke!

Still, my plants in those early days…

Hear me sigh?

As Sam has matured (insert belly laugh) he’s devoured things both edible and not without a hitch. Yep, cast iron gut.

His latest chew toy? A jalepeno pepper from my garden. The wretch snitched a pepper off the vine, and had great fun chewing and tossing it around the patio.

I kept thinking the burn would get to him, but it didn’t. He’d bite it, toss it and run around the patio like his ass was on fire (which it probably was the next day. )

It was his game until he finally ate most of that pepper and tired of it, or maybe the burn got to him. Touch fire, ouch! Eat fire, whooza ouch!

Dunno, but he hasn’t ventured near the jalenpenos again. But he has helped himself to a tomato or two. And if I didn’t have so many cucumbers setting on, I’d fear for them.

Yep, Sam has a cast iron cut. Butcha know, I’d be happy to have his bladder endurance. 🙂

Me. 🙂

In case you didn’t catch the news, I signed a contract to write two novels for Harlequin Presents. I am thrilled, and turned in the first novel over a week ago. The tentative release date for The Billionaire Pirate’s Pregnant Mistress is May 09.

This weekend, I started the second novel for Presents. Really excited about it so far, but then I’m a long way from the headbanging what happens next part.

It’s going to be a hectic summer with a full time job and a tight writing schedule. Good thing I’m not going to RWA National Conference this year. Check the sidebar for a progress meter on the new Harlequin novel. I’ll post one soon.

Speaking of day job, it’s time for me to head off to work. A shame 30 hours a week isn’t considered full time.

I’m either overfeeding Sam, or he’s eating stuff he shouldn’t while I’m at work, or he’s caught some puppy virus stuff. Actually it’s probably a combination of all of them.

Sam got me up early with that urgent whine that dog owners just now means “I gotta dump a load now.” So we avert a disaster and Sam rushes outside to do his business.

Cool. I drink a cup of coffee and sorta watch the morning news so my brain will begin to function before 6:00 am, then I take a shower after the danger of drowning myself llike a turkey in a rainstorm has passed.

So I’m now dressed for work with semi wet hair, and I let Sam back in so I can feed him. He’s not his usual bouncing off the walls self, but we had a crappy stormy night and I’m attributing his logginess to that.

Me? I was up till midnight proofing a manuscript that I emailed to an editor. More on that later. 🙂

So I fix breakfast and eat it while I do a quick check of email. I smell doggie poop. I don’t get terribly alarmed, because Sam let’s bombers that burn your eyes. He’s a puppy. He sucks in a lot of air running around acting stupid. That air has to go somewhere, lucky me.

But as I head to the kitchen the smell is stronger. And it seems to be following me. This realization hits me the same time Sam stands on his back legs and plants his front paws on my boobs.

Yep, no denying the odour of dog crap is in my face. It’s also on his right paw, and on the rugs, and on my scrubs top.

I have to leave the house in fifteen minutes.

I haven’t brushed my teeth and put on makeup. Not usually a problem. But I now had dog doody on my clothes.

And Sam is making that plaintive “I gotta shit” sound again.

Sigh.

I get Sam outside, then brush my teeth, slap on makeup, and change clothes. As I head toward the door running a minute behind, I see the brownish spots on my rugs. And I still smell dog crap. How did I miss this before?

Somehow I managed to step in the “gift” Sam dropped on the floor.

Changing shoes would’ve been smart, except I got the bright idea to wash my other pair of work shoes last night. So they’re wet.

I have to clean the doggy doo off my shoe.

Right now, I’m now loving Sam so much. Not loving much of nothing because I don’t have time to clean the crap off the rug.

I get to work with a few minutes to spare. Yay, me!

So how did the rest of the day at work go? It was Friday the 13th, and let’s just say I’m glad the work day is over! Well not entirely. I still have a rug to clean.

It happened. Finally.

Kensington offered a three book contract for a trilogy of western historical romances. These stories will have a strong central tie that won’t be resolved until the last novel.

I’m thrilled, dancing on clouds with this contract.

As a bonus, I was totally surprised when Publishers Marketplace picked up the news and announced the deal. Dear Author also picked up the same link, so click here if you want to read the short blurb. Talk about validation!

More good news to come, so check back.