Summer Time Deadlines Suck

It seems there is a Criminal Minds summer pot luck coming up and my fellow bloggers want to know what I'm bringing.

How about my laptop?

As long as I have been published, I've had a deadline at the end of the summer. This summer - 2012 - is no different.  My 8th Odelia Grey novel is due at the end of September.  I'm not very far along on it either. In fact, I have 71 days to get my big ole butt in gear and produce a full, clean, and entertaining book.  Count 'em - 71.  Half way through those days, Hide and Snoop, my 7th Odelia, will be released, and I am booked solid with book signings.



Glen Ivy - Doesn't this look like I'm working?

 So what's a girl to do?  I ask you - What would any girl do? This past Saturday I spent the entire day at Glen Ivy  enjoying mineral pools and mud baths, and being catered to by charming cabana boys who brought me and a friend fresh fruit, drinks, and lunch. Upon returning home, I was too relaxed and exhausted from the sun to work on anything but sleep.

Before you cast judgment, and start giving me schoolmarm pursed lips, remember, all work and no play makes Sue Ann a dull girl, not to mention slightly nuts and bitchy.

And it's not like I've frittered away the beginning of the summer. I turned a novella into one publisher at the end of June, and took a week off from the day job to research another book that is due shortly after the first of the year. (Okay, I admit, I did also squeeze in a bit of vacation during that week.)  And I also set my schedule for the rest of the year. Just yesterday I realized, with quite a start, that in the next 14 months, I have one novella and three novels due to two different publishers. At least one of those novels is started.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work.  Oh, and you other Criminal Minds - just put me down for potato salad, purchased from a local caterer. I'll have them deliver it. That'll work, won't it?