Salvaging the Script

            Revisions for Book 2 are slow going. I have a love/hate going on with my editor. Sometimes I think she’s nit-picking. Other times I know she’s trying to push me to be more explicit or to change something. I know she’s coaching me, and I know I’ll be better for it, but I have to change myself to do this. One thing is I have to get over myself and my belief that everything I wrote was good, and nothing needed to be changed. So I’m sucking it up and moving forward. J

            As I move forward I concentrate on one comment she made in the middle of the book. She suggested maybe I change the main character’s occupation, and made a suggestion. As soon as I read it that imaginary light bulb went on over my head. Originally I wanted the heroine, Autumn, to run a bookstore. That thought didn’t go with what I wanted to portray though. I needed her to be doing something else. And through my editor’s comment I have figured it out.

            Without giving too much away I wanted it to look like Autumn took over a business of her husband’s. A bookstore is a wonderful idea, but I want something a little more… alpha. I needed it to be something she wouldn’t be so comfortable doing. That way, in the end, she could get herself back on track with her occupation of choice, not one that was somewhat forced on her.

            Now I’ll start the research. I’m diving into a world I know very little about, but I’d love to know more of. I’m researching a world of salvage, restoration, and repurposing. There is a television show on the DIY network called Salvage Dawgs. I absolutely love the show and cannot believe some of the pieces they create with items they salvage. People are crafty, that’s all I can say. Really, can you picture making a couch out of a bathtub? (See following pic.) I can’t. How about a wine rack/bar out of a piano? This research is fun.

From Salvage Dawgs/Black Dog Salvage.

            My editor’s comment was maybe making the business more of a furniture restoration shop. I’m just taking it one step further. I originally didn’t think the occupations were a big part of the book, but now that I am diving into research and changing parts I realize it was a bigger component than I thought. It plays more into my original thought process, and I am happier with this path.

            Now… I need a name for the business.

Have you ever watched Salvage Dawgs? Are you crafty or creative with old furniture? Could you help me out if I had questions about what to create out of an old clock? What would you name a salvage/repurpose/restoration business?

(I’m seriously open to all suggestions!)

Walking and Plotting

            Amazing things happen when you go for a walk.

            This is something I have learned recently while staying in a city that is very walk-able.  Each morning I got up and took the dogs for their jaunt. The crisp air hit my lungs and seemed to awaken me quicker than coffee. My blood circulated, invigorating me.  I could feel my mind spinning plots. The dogs seemed to even have more pep in their step. No matter what time I took them out there always seemed to be someone else out with their four legged friends.

            I’ve featured my dogs on here a couple of times. They are two spoiled rotten Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. I originally saw the breed on the television show Sex and the City. After that I had to have one. Then one wasn’t enough and we got another. J One thing I realized in the city was that there were quite a few Cavaliers. And once one owner saw another conversations quickly started. I met Cavalier’s named Bea, Taylor, Sera, Sophie, and Dempsey. Each one’s cuteness brought a smile to my face.

            I mentioned earlier that when I walked my mind spun. While in Savannah I had the opportunity to work on my revisions for Book 2. There are times though when my mind gets stuck. Those times I would get up, leash the dogs, and head out.

            Once I ended up in Forsyth Park. I sat on a bench by the fountain and took in the scenery. My mind chugged along with thoughts about something I am changing in my book. Suddenly I realized there was a couple getting married right in front of the fountain. It was the couple, a photographer, and someone performing the nuptials (possible justice of peace?). I smiled to myself and thought how cool it was.

            After the newlyweds were on their way I got up and headed to the other end of the park. I stopped and let one of the dogs sniff around. There was an older man on a bike heading for us. But he stopped behind me. I slowly turned and looked at him. He smiled and said, “Now that dog is cute. But that one is even cuter.”

            That started a conversation between us that lasted at least fifteen minutes and him giving me a lead on a story waiting to be written. A story about a local Savannah boy who grew up, moved to England, and ended up marrying Royalty. None of his friends really kept in touch after the lad moved to England. To make a longer story short he also told me of someone pretty well known (business man) who, if I wrote the story, would most likely put it on film. It seems this business man is a film maker also. He said, “Could you find someone to fund you to go to England and research?” A grin crossed my face. Heck no I don’t have anyone to fund me, but the thought alone made me smile! As we departed each other he asked my name and laughed when I told him Kelly. “I should’ve known with that red hair!” His name was Egan. Hmmm. I think we had a meeting of Irish minds there.

Sera and Sophie with Alexis and Savannah.

            That meeting led to another with a kind woman who had two Cavaliers. Those cuties were named Sera and Sophie. We ended up walking through the park together talking the whole time. When asked what I write I smiled and told her Romance. She looked at me and laughed. “I love it! And I love how your cheeks just turned bright red!” She promised me that she would give me a totally honest critique if I wanted, at any time. 

            My “little” plotting session walk in the park took over an hour. But I met two people who made me laugh, and who, if we were to spend more time together, I would call friends.

            Yes, I love that Savannah could be considered the City of Cavaliers. I also love that those people were so friendly and accepting.

Do you go for walks? How do you clear your head? Do you have pets?

W.P.I. - Don't waste those fallen leaves. My single biggest job this time of year is rounding up all of my and my neighbor's leaves. As they say, one man's trash is another's treasure. My neighbors are glad to let me take their leaves off their hands. They break down rather quickly and are a very good way to add organic amendments to my beds. They also pull double-duty, serving as that important layer of mulch over the winter.

           

            

New Addiction

        I have a hobby that is slowly becoming an addiction. Like anything that I feel may be taking over my life I'm trying to control myself. Again, at least it is just a hobby and not anything destructive to my body. Spending the past week in Savannah and not being on the internet much has made me realize I can control myself. I think. What is taking up my time most nights? Pinterest. 

        I've been on Pinterest for a while. Sometimes I really get into it. Sometimes it seems I don't bother with it. Those days haven't happened in a while. I'm not one of those that pin a ton of recipes, or clothes, or homey type stuff. No. I have an array of things I pin. Recently I started a couple new boards. One is entitled Eye Gandy. Since he is the next hero I will write (one day) I have a plethora of pics of David Gandy. One of the latest I've pinned is this...

        I've also started a board entitled Reading Funnies. These are pins mostly about books, or reading, or being nerdy. They are basically pins that bring a smile to my face. Here is an example of one of the latest...

        One person has rocked my music world recently. The first time I heard the song Royals my hair stood on end. The singers voice was phenomenal. It made me turn up the radio and listen close. Then I wanted to hear the song over and over again. When I heard the lead singer was only 16 tears came to my eyes. She is already incredible. I can't wait to listen to her for years to come. Here's my latest pin onto Favorite Singers...

And here's a link to the video. For those of you who haven't heard her I urge you to give her a listen. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Then maybe you can help me to describe her voice...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlcIKh6sBtc

        For those of you who come here often you know I like ink, er, tattoos. I started a board entitled Ink. This is one of the latest pics I've pinned that people seemed to like...

        I also recently started a board simply called Fall. Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year. On this board I pin pics from pumpkins to ravens to this...

        I have various other boards from birds, to favorite books, to Ireland, to hunks who could be heroes in my books. Come on now, we all need visuals, right? And since I am a romance writer I also have a board that has several pics like this...

        So there you have it. My new addiction. If I'm not working, or writing, there's a good chance you can find me on Pinterest! Well, in moderation! Oh yeah, you can see my hobby world here: http://pinterest.com/kellyryanwatson

Do you do Pinterest? Did you like the song Royals? What are some of your favorite type boards on Pinterest? How do you control possible hobby addictions?

        

Happy Halloween!

            Not long ago I wrote about St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah. I wasn’t in the city for the actual day, but it was very close. Close enough that they’d dyed the water in the fountain at Forsyth Park. Close enough they hung all green Christmas lights on trees. And close enough to change the color of lights shining high on buildings from white to green. Savannah has the second biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the nation. But Savannah is known for something other than that. They are known for being one of the most haunted cities in America.

            Ironic it is that I am here during the week that houses Halloween. J I didn’t plan it that way, but as soon as we knew we would be here on Halloween, we booked a Haunted Ghost Tour. Unfortunately for you guys it is on the 31st, Halloween Day. I’m writing this the day before so I can’t share my stories with you. Ah, maybe next year. It is kind of exciting though being here at this time of year.

            Walking through the city you not get only get cobblestone streets and great architecture you get a mix of fall and Halloween. Some people have their doorsteps decorated.

            Some businesses have heads from horror movies hanging in the windows, or this nice spider I had the pleasure of eating dinner with the other night.

            Another pleasure I seek while here is taking a peek behind the wrought iron to check out the gardens. I was thoroughly amazed at the good humored nature of this garden. It brings a smile to my face every time I look at this picture.

            Now I’ve given you a taste of Halloween from the city I love. No, I won’t be dressing up, but I will be learning about the orbs and spirits that visit here. I’ll be doing this learning in a vehicle that looks like this…

            Happy Halloween everyone!

            How do you plan on spending your Halloween? Do you believe in ghosts? Where’s the most haunted place you’ve visited? Are you tired of my Savannah stories?

W.P.I.- To grow pumpkins so they are ready at Halloween plant them at the right time. If you live in a colder northern climate plant seeds in mid to late May. If you live in warmer southern climates plant seeds in June. Make sure they get plenty of water and sun. They need a lot of space. Squash bugs will demolish pumpkin vines so be sure to plant companion plants with your pumpkins. Catnip, mint, marigolds and petunias will keep the bugs away. And finally, leave a longer stem when cutting from the vine. This will help to slow the rotting process.

  

You can also find me at:

http://facebook.com/kellyryanwatson

or

http://pinterest.com/kellyryanwatson

Fun Halloween Facts

            It’s hard to believe retail stores here in the U.S. already have Christmas decorations out. Well, it is, but it isn’t. Every year retailers push the season, seeming to forget that after, oh, Labor Day, there is Halloween and Thanksgiving to celebrate first. Trust me when I say that I am a huge fan of Christmas, but I don’t like skipping over other special days. So this week, my peeps, I am giving you a Halloween spectacular!

            I visited the fine folks over at thechive.com and randomhistory.com to come up with some facts you may or may not have known. (Keep my Irish roots in mind here!)

 Ø  More candy is sold on October 28th than any other day of the year.

 Ø  Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas.

 Ø  Ireland is believed to be the birthplace of Halloween.

 Ø  The first jack-o-lanterns were made from turnips.

 Ø  Americans buy over 20 million pounds of Candy Corn. (Yuck!) J

 Ø  The #1 candy choice is Snickers, followed by Reese’s, Kit Kat’s, and M&M’s.

 Ø  Halloween has also been called All Hallows’ Eve, Witches Night, Samhain, and Snap-Apple Night.

 Ø  Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.

 Ø  Dressing up as ghouls and other spooks originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of townspeople disguising themselves as demons and spirits. The Celts believed that disguising themselves this way would allow them to escape the notice of the real spirits wandering the streets during Samhain.

 Ø  Scottish girls believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween. Other girls believed they would see their boyfriend’s faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.

And finally:

 Ø  Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was one of the most famous and mysterious magicians who ever lived. Strangely enough, he died in 1926 on Halloween night as a result of appendicitis brought on by three stomach punches.

            There you have it! Some fun Halloween facts. Did you learn anything?

            Do you celebrate Halloween? Are you samhainophobic? Do you dress up for Halloween? Do you like Candy Corn?

You can also find me at:

http://pinterest.com/kellyryanwatson

and

http://facebook.com/kellyryanwatson

            

Whatcha Watching?

            Summer has left us without even a goodbye, and fall is in full swing. When this happened is beyond me. As a matter of fact my father texted me today to say it was snowing where they live. Brrr. So while nature’s seasons changed so did television programming. Gone are the shows that filled the slots of the big shots. The little shows are out, and the big ones are back in. Or are they?

            One show that I looked forward to coming back on was Castle. I love the twists and wit associated with that show. Or should I say I used to love it? I don’t know what happened but the first couple shows of the new season had me pulling my hair out. What a complete turnaround. It went from first to worst. (On my list at least!)

            How about The Good Wife? The first season I loved. Then it seemed like the plot was on a turntable going round and round. The same thing happening season after season. I can say the same thing about The Mentalist. Can you people please catch Red John already?

            Okay. Grey’s Anatomy. I know this is based on doctors in a hospital, but it has gotten gory. And it seems every show someone dies now. I want more romance! (Imagine that.J) I will say, however, that I’m glad that Meredith and McDreamy are still together, and they seem to be going strong. The only way I would like to see that relationship go awry is if they brought me onto the show to be McDreamy’s new love interest. (We can all dream, can’t we?)

            While I’m pointing out my views on some shows I would like to add one more, Revenge. *sigh* I want it to go places, but it seems to be stuck in a rut. The same thing show after show.

            Is it just me? Am I being too critical of our “entertainment” industry? I’m sorry. Maybe I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. So let’s turn it around and look at what is new and upcoming.

            Grimm starts Friday night, and although the subject content is usually not one of my favorites I like the show a lot. Speaking of not normally one of my favorites I’ve been watching one about witches. The Witches of East End has captured me. I love that is has a split between funny and serious. Every Sunday I find myself looking forward to that show.

            Sleepy Hollow, Once Upon a Time, and Blacklist seem to be doing well. The Voice gets talked about a lot. Of course I haven’t even spoken of The Walking Dead, or Sons of Anarchy.

            I have many shows on my DVR to catch up on, including Modern Family and Elementary.

            It sounds like I watch a lot of television, doesn’t it? Eek. Might I add that throughout a lot of these shows I read too!

            What kind of television shows do you like to watch? Do you like comedies? Reality television? Educational shows? Modern day fairy-tales? Dramas? Which ones did I forget to mention? What shows are on your DVR?

Weekly Planting Information- Fall is a good time to clean up your garden. Here are some tips to help you with your landscape.

§  Remove all rotten fruit from the ground around trees—infestations last through winter.

§  Mulch to maintain soil quality, using weeds (but not those with seeds), cocoa hulls, grass clippings, leaves, and straw.

§  Plant cover crops after harvest to correct soil compaction.

§  Confuse pathogens by mapping out a garden plan for crop rotation.

§  Protect perennials from frost heaving by mulching after the ground freezes.

§  Protect ornamentals such as azaleas and berry bushes from bud-eating deer with deer netting.

You can also find me at:

http://pinterest.com/kellyryanwatson

 and

http://facebook.com/kellyryanwatson

            

Let's Talk About Books

            Today is the day I steer it back. I’ve strayed for too long, now it is time to reel it back in.

            Let’s talk about books, shall we? Come on, that is part of why I write this rant, right? One day maybe I’ll actually have a book published that we can talk about. One day. One.Day. Until then we can talk about what we’ve read recently, what we’ve loved, what we didn’t.

            I’m trying to get into a habit of reviewing books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Goodreads. Reviews help authors-in rankings, in developing their craft, and many other ways. I’m not going to do a real review here. I just like to let you guys know what I’ve been reading, and hopefully hear about what you’ve read lately.

            I did read a bad one recently that I am still trying to recover from. Unease crept into me as soon as I opened the book, and it didn’t get any better throughout. Let’s just say it was a piece of New Adult that bit me because the hero died in the end. I’m not going to name the book. If you want to know contact me and I’ll tell you. Let me just say that I will NEVER buy another book from that author. It still haunts me to this day.

            If you know me, or come here often, you know that I love to read and write Romance. I love a happy ending. I need happy in my reading. Fortunately for me I’ve read a few great books after that one fiasco. One book that had all sorts of happy in it was The Bridesmaid, by Julia London. This contemporary romance is a fast paced novella that brought a smile to my face throughout. You can find this book at Lunch Hour Love Stories website, B&N, or Amazon. (If you like romances I urge you to check out lunchhourlovestories.com)

            My friend Barbara Samuel has a short story out now you can find at B&N, Amazon, etc. You know, the usual places. Her new contemporary romance is a very quick read that pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. Of course I say that about all of her books, no matter what the length. Let me just use a few words. Military man, PTSD suffering man and dog, dog whisperer ex girlfriend. Come on, go get it! J

            Finally the last book I read was one of the best books I’ve read in a while. It is not a romance. I guess it is classified as women’s fiction-friendship, genre fiction-historical, or genre fiction-coming of age. This book is based on true events and depicts what life was like for one girl originally from Ireland who lost her family in a fire, leaving her an orphan. Intertwined in the story is one of a modern day teen-aged orphan trying to learn to make it in life. When the two are brought together the whole story unfolds. There are parts that will make you laugh, parts that will make you cringe, and parts that will make you cry. Again, this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I highly recommend it. You can find it at any major book retailer.

            What have you read lately? Do you have any good recommendations? What genre is your favorite? Do you review books on any of the major sites? Do you prefer ebook or hardcover/paperback?

You can also find me at:
http://facebook.com/kellyryanwatson
and
http://pinterest.com/kellyryanwatson