Fingers on the keyboard, Summer break around the corner

So close to finishing the final book in the Totem series. Then on to revising and cover creation. Please do not mind that I am scarce on the internet for a while.

Tomorrow is my son's last day of the school year. (Where did the year go?!) Another reason I'll be scarce over the next two months.

Enjoy the rest of May!

#IWSG for June 2016

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

The awesome co-hosts for today are: Murees Dupe, Alexia Chamberlynn, Chemist Ken, and Heather Gardner!

My insecurity today: it's summer break!

There are lots of reasons to cheer that, but it also means precious little time to myself to write and all the writing related things. I already feel I'm behind on where I want to be. There's never enough time.

I will attempt to try to get into hyper efficient mode. If I get one hour at night, I must use it to its fullest.

Of course, that's easier said than done. Hot weather drains me. I prefer to hibernate in the summer, and I'm lucky if I have any energy after my little guy goes to bed at night.

If you have kids, how do you or did you as a writer get through summer breaks? Are you a summer person? If you only get a little time for writing, how do you keep yourself focused?

Friday Five for May 6, 2016

1. Wait. It's May already? Time is flying by! There's three weeks left of school and then my little guy is on summer break. That means I'll be blogging light for June and July. I have some fantastic guests lined up for the next few months, though. If you're interested in doing a guest post, let me know, and I'll be happy to host you.

2. After finishing Totem #4, writing has been slow for me. I started on Totem #5, but I think the opening has fallen lame. It needs a better one, but while I know the rest of the story, I don't have the first chapter yet.

3. I spent April shopping for images from BigStock. I don't even know how many hours I spent clicking through picture after picture, looking for the perfect ones. I have everything I need to create the nine Totem covers, and tons of other spectacular pics for future books. I'd like to do some cleanup on my blog and make new banners, promos for my published books, and teasers for future ones. It will be slow coming, but be prepared for a new design coming before the fall.

4. A big happy Mother's Day to all the moms and like-moms out there! My weekend will be spent visiting the in-laws which means Rocket Science Ice Cream. Love this place because they make ice cream from scratch right in front of you and freeze it instantly with liquid nitrogen. Science has never tasted so good!

5. My final note: I received my contributor's copy of Eldritch Embraces! It looks gorgeous. My short story, "What Lay Below" is a Lovecraftian steampunk romance. Weird mix, but it worked so well. Our household Cthulhu approves!

Friday Five for May 24, 2013

1. The blog tour for THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE went wonderfully. Thank you again to all my fine hosts and readers. One more book left in the 13th Floor series. I can't believe I'm almost at the end! I've really loved writing this series. Such fun stories. (Sales tidbit for you: THE ALPHA is still selling more than any of the other books, even the new one. So far, the "werewolf" tag trumps the "vampire" one.)

2. The protagonist in THE GHOST isn't speaking clearly yet. I know where the story is going to go, but I'm pulled between having Chiharo's personality the same as when she died or having some wisdom from all the years she's spent as a ghost. I've been calling her the Wooden Girl. Since she still feels stiff to me. Her love interest has a powerful personality already. He wants to curse a lot too.

3. Yesterday was my son's last day of preschool. We're now officially on summer break. Yikes! I know he'll miss school, but I think I'll miss it even more. I keep telling myself the summer will go fast, and then he'll be going three mornings a week starting mid-August. An extra morning for me to write! Yay! Yet I have to survive the summer break first.

4. Thank you so much to all the teachers out there. You have such a big influence on our lives and our children's lives. Teachers are so under-appreciated. An especially big thank you to my son's teacher. She made his first year of school the best!

5. The long weekend is coming up here in the US. Yay! We have absolutely nothing planned at all. I'm really, really looking for to it. Have a fabulous weekend, folks!