I’m not sure that I think cupcakes when I think wine. Of course, I could be wrong.

After all, maybe wine and cupcakes could be a good mix. If it was a sweet wine. I wouldn’t think it would taste good to chase buttercream down with a dry wine. Or an oaky Chardonnay. I’d think it would make the wine taste funny.

Then there’s this one. You know, there are a lot of people out there who raise goats. And that’s a good thing. I’m just not real sure that when I think wine, I think about a goat. And I definitely don’t think about loving my goat.

In fact, I don’t really think about loving goats…ever.

Maybe that’s just me.

I’m still trying to figure out who Walter is.

I don’t get this one. I mean, seriously, I wasn’t aware that cowboys were known for drinking wine. 

Kinda thought they liked whiskey. Or sasparilla.

Even if we’re talking Zorro, I still don’t see the connection. And I like Zorro.

And then there’s this. I have no words.

Have you ever been to the circus? One with all three rings going on at once with different acts all at the same time, with barkers outside calling for people to come see the freak show, food trucks with cotton candy and corn dogs and French fries and popcorn and deep fried pickles and Mars bars and animal smells from the barn? Imagine that going on inside someone’s head. Then hear the du-du-dadda-da-da-du-du-dadda of the circus music. Now pour in your impressions of everything you’ve ever seen, everything you’ve ever done, every book you’ve ever read, every movie you’ve ever watched, every news report you’ve ever looked at, every funny face your little brother made when he was five, every pull of your pigtails by the boy behind you at school in the first grade, and every “MOOOOOM, she’s doing it AGAINNNN!!” you ever yelled at your sister as a kid. Shake until all the different things bouncing around start sticking to each other like caramel corn in a paper bag.

What comes out is what they put on a page, or the thought process that comes before putting it on the page.

When you see a writer starting off into blank space, and it seems like they aren’t really focusing on anything? Or you’re in a store with them and they come to an abrupt stop in the middle of the store, then you look in their eyes and you can almost see the hamsters running frantically on wheels inside? They’re trying to sift through all that stuff to solidify the idea that has suddenly popped out at them. That’s writer crazy.

Believe me when I say it’s nothing personal. It has nothing to do with anything that was going on before they got that glint in their eye and that slight sideways head-cock that signals that they’re on a little different angle.

Give it a few minutes. Quietly hand them a notepad and pen. Let them take a few notes. And then they’ll be back to you again.

If you’re the one dating the writer, just know that this is part of the package. Just like the football fan who wants to watch the game on Sunday, or the girl who has a corner of her bedroom allocated just for her shoes (or purses, books, scrapbooking supplies, fill in the blanks)…(or vice versa, since I’m not trying to be sexist here)…there are some things that are just part of who they are.

And when they ask you to go on a road trip to look at used RVs, or to a rubber band museum, or to go see an art exhibit that used nothing but used milk crates because it pertains to something they are writing…understand that they are sharing that crazy with you. It’s a good thing. It means you are passing the test of being able to understand the writer crazy that they live with. Enjoy it. You never know what you might see, what you might learn, or what you might find that you enjoy.

And I haven’t posted, because I believe that there are many other people out there who are more articulate than I am on the subject. I think it’s been covered.

You can see what my friend Steven Saus said here.

And here are two other voices, who I also agree with. Neil Gaiman. And Chuck Wendig.

I don’t really have much to add to their perspectives, so I’d prefer to just let them say it.

The past month or so has been off the charts awesome, both on the personal front as well as on the writing front.

There is exciting family news, exciting personal news, and exciting writing news; some of which is ready for sharing, some of which will be shared down the road, and some of which, while way awesome, isn’t really the stuff I write about here on the blog.

The best way to put it…is that the personal stuff doesn’t get posted here until I’m comfortable with it…and it’s not about personal comfort all the time…sometimes it’s just about being careful about what one posts on the internet. You know, personal security, privacy of others, etc. Suffice it to say that life is pretty darn good at the moment. More will come later, I’m sure.

The family news, well, isn’t my news. I’m kinda waiting for others to out the news on the interwebs (and I’ll take a Facebook post from them, you know who you are…) before I post it, or anything about it. I’m sure you’ll understand when you see what it is. It’s way exciting!

And on the writing front…

We are looking at MAY 25, 2012 as a release date for THE GRIMM LEGACY. It will be released as an ebook on that date, barring complications, delays, or other issues. At this point, I don’t see any on the horizon, but that’s still five months away and a lot could happen between now and then. Lots of people are asking me about print…at this point, I don’t have a good answer. I’ll post when and if I get one.

I’m working on a proposal/synopsis for another book, writing a first draft of a third, and have several short stories in various stages of completion. I’m also planning some research day trips with friends/relatives/guinea pigs to get some hands on information for stuff I’m writing…some of them are odd and cool and awesome…others are just weird. Stay tuned for more info. I’m hoping to post pictures as I go see what I need to see!

Twelve Days of Christmas Free Reads between November 29 and December 9

ALSO, coming from Musa will be publication of the complete works of Homer Eon Flint, pulp and speculative fiction writer.

Keep your eyes peeled…more cool news to come!

And when I’m overwhelmed by all the craziness?

I stop to remember how thankful I am to have a job with co-workers who want to celebrate together. I’m thankful I have SOOOOOOOOO much family that enjoys spending time together, and I’m grateful that they’re in good enough health to do so. I’m thankful for my friends, who I will see at what’s becoming the annual, “I-Ate-Too-Much-Turkey” Party.  Much fun will be had by all.

I’m grateful to be employed after all the stress of the past year.

I’m appreciative of all the early sales…I’ve got most of my Christmas shopping done already…and some big expenses for the house were TONS cheaper because of those sales. I’m especially happy that I didn’t have to stand in line in the cold and be awake at the crackiest crack of dawn to stand in line for those sales on Black Friday. I’m not a Black Friday shopper. In fact, I’m not a shopping in a crowd kind of shopper, either, unless I’m in a bookstore, and even then, I’d rather take my time and browse.

On the writing front, I’m grateful for a publisher and editor who have been genuinely enthusiastic about my book, and I’m excited to work with them. I’m grateful for writer’s groups I’ve worked with in the past, ones I work with now, beta readers and crit partners who know that it’s better to speak up (in a constructive manner) than to be nice when trying to make a book better, because it’s the only way to improve. I’m grateful for blog readers. I’m grateful for Facebook friends and Twitter followers. And I’m very thankful for the response I got from everyone when I announced that I’d signed a publishing contract. I’m still grinning a week later.

I’m grateful for opportunities, both pursued and not, because they give one choices to make in life. It’s the choices we make that shape who we are. If we don’t get those choices we don’t become someone; we stand still. Life’s not about standing still.

And then I remember that if I stand still, I’ll never get it all done.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

SPEC THE HALLS is an anthology of holiday themed speculative fiction (i.e., science fiction, fantasy, and horror), and on sale now. All of the authors (and, well, pretty much everyone involved) has donated time, effort, and stories for a good cause, Heifer International.  And that’s a cause that’s been near and dear to my heart for a long time.

The website for the anthology itself is HERE.

It’s $9.99. Which is cheaper than a movie ticket and popcorn, will likely last longer, and won’t get stuck in your teeth. It’s also cheaper than three gallons of gas, which you’ll use up long before you can get the whole anthology read! AND, it’s for a GREAT CAUSE!!

If you buy the ebook from the anthology website, you get it in PDF, ePub, and Kindle formats. And more money goes to charity than if you bought through another site like Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or any other third party website (fees, you know). If you buy through a third party website (and it will be available there), you only get their single format (i.e., Kindle from Amazon, ePub from B&N), and less of the proceeds go to Heifer.

There’s another way to do this…email Steven Saus with proof of donations to Heifer International after November 1, 2011 in lieu of payment. Steven runs Alliteration Ink, the digital publishing company handling the anthology. You can reach him at steven AT alliterationink.com(replacing the AT with the @ thingy).

That reminds me. I need to go check out the Heifer website and see what cool new things they’re doing this year…so that I can also get a copy of this AWESOME anthology!

I’m overwhelmed at the support, and the encouragement I’ve seen since I’ve announced this…the number of comments and likes on Facebook, the responses on Twitter, and the number of visitors to the site in the last 24-48 hours has been phenomenal.

You guys do get that just because I signed the contract this week doesn’t mean that it gets released tomorrow, right?

The official release date has not yet been set. It’s likely several months away.

Let me lay a few things to rest:

1)      No, I’m not quitting my day job.

This is my first published novel (not the first novel I’ve written, but the first one to be accepted for publication). To date, my writing income is a four figure amount…if you count the figures that come after the decimal point. I’ve got a mortgage, a student loan payment, and a car payment, and I’d like to, well, buy groceries and pay the electric bill, too. All of that means I need the day job.

And well, the health insurance and dental insurance are nice, too. Writing doesn’t come with benefits, usually.

2)      You’ve made it…you wanted to get published. You ready to put that writing thing away yet?

Boy, if someone’s thinking this, they sure don’t know me. I’ve been writing fiction in various forms and states of completion since I was eight years old. Writing’s not ever gonna go away.

Technically, however, I’m already published, even before my news yesterday, with the anthology MYSTERY TIMES TEN, which came out this past summer. My short story, “Poltergeist on Aisle Fourteen” was included. That didn’t stop me from seeking out a publisher for my novel. And it hasn’t stopped me from working on the novel I’m writing now. Or the outline for the novel after that. Or making notes for other projects. Or working on new short stories. Or submitting the short stories that are ready.

So what’s my bigger goal?

Well, to take over the world, of course.

No, seriously, it’s not. I’m kidding. (Maybe But I believe that setting goals for ourselves is important. And when you reach a goal…you set a new one…who knows, maybe my next goal will be learning to juggle baby geese (bonus points if you get this reference!)

Nah, it’s to finish the current novel.  I’m allergic to feathers, anyway.

3)      What did you do to celebrate?

Well, my best friend lives a couple of hours away, with her husband and baby. We all love to cook and try new foodie things, so I went down there for the weekend. Brother and his girlfriend live closer to them than to where I live, so they joined us. We joked and laughed and talked and watched movies and opened a bottle of wine or three, had yummy snacks and a lovely dinner…and Boston cream pie for dessert.

And talked life, the universe, and writing, among other things.

Because I am that kind of geek.

And then, breakfast with friends, driving home for a writer’s group meeting, and cuddling up with a good book at the end of the night with the fuzzy minion purring away in my lap.

I count that as a pretty awesome weekend.

As of last night, I have signed a contract with Musa Publishing to publish my contemporary fantasy novel, THE GRIMM LEGACY.

I do not have an official publication date yet; the discussion involves mid-2012. I will post when I have an official date.

You can find the website for Musa Publishing here.

I am all kinds of thrilled, not just for this opportunity, but also about the amazing conversations I’ve had with the editor for Urania, the speculative fiction imprint, as well as the promotions department and the main office. I’m excited to work with this company!

Here’s a link to Jamie’s website…here.

Jamie also writes for and edits Author Scoop.

Here’s the Publisher’s Marketplace listing for the sale.

Congratulations, Jamie!