I had a lovely weekend at the New Jersey Romance Writers’ Conference, but I feel awful now–tired, headachey, grouchy, etc.

So I am sparing you my grumps and promise to post later this week, when I am in a better mood (or at least funnier about it).

I’m over there today.

Hey, look! A writing post!

Yup. Here it is. Just skip if you don’t care about writing and such.

So I’ve been working on On Bold Adventure, another road trip story, this time with a hot-tempered former soldier (yes, Richard Sharpe) and an intelligent earl’s daughter who knows what she doesn’t know (yes, like me, only with boobs and prettier. And not as hippy.). They’re on the run from a variety of People Who Would Do Them Harm, and I have to continually up the conflict.

There is currently a fight going on between hero and Evil Villain Cousin who wants to get his slimy hands on Our Heroine’s Fortune. Then E.V.C. will be injured, and H/H will have to be on the run from that, too; so what other danger can I put them in? They don’t have a lot of money. Perhaps they could lose all their money? How would they survive?

Many people are after him, a fewer number but higher titled people are after her, and I don’t want to just have them tromping (and romping) through the forest on the way to their destination.

Suggestions?

Thanks–

Megan

Yesterday I went grocery shopping and replaced a thousand year-old jar of coriander, which The Spouse had said probably had the efficacy of, well, a thousand year-old spice. Roundly mocked, I went and bought that, as well as Nigerian cayenne (to my credit, the coriander originally cost .99 cents, and I am cheap. So I bought a huge jar of it, not thinking that it would take an Indian province to go through that much. Live and learn).

As I was making my turkey chili–which asked for chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne and oregano–I saw that each jar had a plastic covering with holes on top. Why? Would anyone ever shake cumin powder on anything? No, you’d measure it. Is it to keep the spices fresher? I don’t think so, there’s a lid that’s right on top. So why is it there? And, more importantly, WHY DO I REMOVE IT TO MEASURE MY TABLESPOON OR WHATEVER AND THEN REPLACE IT?

I am a spice automaton.

This weekend, I am heading to New Jersey for the New Jersey Romance Writers’ Conference. Yay! The P-I-C and I are sharing a room, and I bet many laughs will be had. I also bet that, at some point, I will be needlessly snarky. The Spouse will have the care and feeding of the Nine Year-Old; look for the attendance of Knicks games (go Nate!), Wii-playing and some grousing about how Mommy didn’t leave enough a) food b) laundry or c) anything else that is difficult to locate in five seconds.

In New Jersey, I will get to see Samhain’s Angela James, who is so cool and self-assured she intimidates me (true dat!), Abby Godwin (blog to the right) and other friends from the NYC chapter.

Still working fairly diligently on the new ms., although yesterday I hit a creative wall. Bam. Today I hope to be more inspired.

*New Jersey, Megan Frampton and Not Much Else.

My husband has Knicks season tickets. While this may dismay some–especially Knicks fans–it thrills me. Why, you ask? Because he is out for a set number of evenings, which means I can do what I want, including:

1. Write

2. Eat early (i.e. not 8:30)

3. Watch historical dramas/MI-5 with impunity

4. Write. Really, this time.

5. Talk on the phone.

6. Check various sites for shoes I can neither wear nor afford.

7. WRITE, Megan.

8. Read.

9. Make excuses for not writing.

10. Write long emails to justify the not writing thing (gotta stay in touch with the fam, yo!)

What do you do on ‘free’ nights?

At the Riskies today, talking all about the Benjamins. I mean, the Georges.

Anyway, over there.

Hey, weather! Yeah, I’m talking to you. Look, it is completely cloudy out there, I need to put lights on to see, for goodness’ sake, I’ve got a pot of hot tea, white beans cooking in the slow cooker, and nowhere to be for a few hours.

So–could you stop dilly-dallying and rain already?

Thanks–

Love,

Megan

Tonight, like so many of you, we’ll be watching the Debate. Got nothing really to say on that one, except I am astonished to find myself so involved and passionate. I’ve always thought of myself–rather dismissively–as kind of laissez-faire. Not anymore.

I got good feedback from the Delightful Phone Friend regarding On Bold Adventure, which I’ve been working on consistently. Still no word from those editors to whom New Agent sent The Book Formerly Known as Road To Passion to; but at least I haven’t gotten resounding thumbs down.

So I must slog on. I’m not much of an optimist, but I am trying.

Megan

*with apologies to Elvis Costello.

Ooh, I really want this nail polish: OPI’s Metro Chic, in the new ‘greige.’