Humble Pie

"Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor."
-- Truman Capote (1924-1984), US writer

JT Ellison is an amazing woman. I sent her the manuscript Saturday night. She had it read and back to me by Sunday afternoon. Overall, she liked it, but there are a few issues that need to be addressed, ones that I couldn't see because I was too close to it. I'm just honored and humbled by her support and encouragement, by the fact that she cares enough about me and my burgeoning career (such as it is) to take the time to help me. We're critique partners. We do that for each other.

I'm stepping away from it for a few days. I'm going to let things gel a bit, then read through the thing with a fresh and critical eye, and work on resolving some of the problems she unearthed that are, of course, very clear to me now. Sometimes you just have to do that.

I have a few other things on my plate this week. Tonight is Senior Night for The Tall One's volleyball team - their last regular season home match. Tomorrow is their last regular season match, period. Tonight and tomorrow there is a college fair at one of the local malls in town and we're planning to zip out there as soon as her matches are over. District tournament is next week, as is Fall Break, that lovely time of year when my schedule goes to heck in a handbasket. Fortunately, my children are at that self-sufficient age where it doesn't require a lot of effort on my part to keep them occupied and/or entertained. That's what books and DVDs are for. Mom will be in the study, guys, and the Red, White & Blue Rule applies. You know what the Red, White & Blue Rule is, don't you? That's the one that says someone better be bleeding, unconscious or not breathing before you bother me. Oh, and then there's the Orange Clause, which provides the exception that you may also bother me if the house is on fire.

I have three profile-interviews to put together for Sister Sandra and Spinetingler Magazine's Winter 2006 issue and will be concentrating on those this week as well.

I also have the October edition of The Crime Scene, our local Sisters in Crime chapter's newsletter, to put together.

And the BMWs meet on Wednesday, so I have to fix up the last two chapters of the book and get those copies printed.

Friday night is Homecoming. The Boy is in the band, of course, and The Tall One will be part of the festivities as the Basketball Sweetheart.

It's gonna be a busy week.

Fall can't decide whether it wants to stick around for October. It was 80 degrees yesterday and is supposed to be the same today. Praise God for the sunshine, but I do wish He'd turn down the heat a little. The mornings are still fairly cool, as it has been getting down into the 50s overnight, but still. We're supposed to be seeing color changes soon, and I'm not sure what we're going to get if the temps don't start coming down again. Last week was great - 60s. Fall weather. Football weather! Let's have some more of that, shall we, please?

Music of the Moment: Symphony No. 5 in D Major, Ralph Vaughan Williams

I love that guy!

Read a book. It's good for you.

=) JB