What I really love is finding a new author who really excites me. You know what I mean. You’re wandering around the bookstore, snatching up your tried and true auto-buys, when a book cover catches your eye. You check it out, admire the cover, but don’t recognize the name of the author. Curiosity causes you to pick it up and maybe read the back blurb. Hmmm. Something about it catches your imagination and you decide to give that author a try.

I can’t tell you how often I’ve been disappointed with trying a new author. Maybe the book wasn’t as gripping as I’d hoped, or something about the story just fell flat. Sigh … note to self … don’t buy that author again.

But — and there’s always a but — what happens when you hit on an author you’d never heard of and the book immediately grabs you by the throat and won’t let go. You’re on a rollercoaster ride that won’t end until you finally finish it. Whew!

I feel so lucky. This past month, I found two new authors that gripped me, captured my imagination and left with that “Oh wow” feeling at the end. One is Jeaniene Frost, the author of “Halfway to the Grave” and “One Foot in the Grave”. The other is Lilith Saintcrow, who writes the Dante Valentine series. I just finished her first book “Working for the Devil” and I couldn’t put it down. I plan to go in search of the rest of her series … I think there’s something like four or five others to this series. I can’t wait.

I get so excited when I find a new author and know that they’re gonna get added to my auto-buy list. Its like finding buried treasure.

I don’t think I mentioned on this blog, but I had to go through a couple of tests last week. Dr. D wanted to rule out anything cookin’ since my numbers are a little funky. As a result, I went and got a PET scan and a CT scan … one right after the other. Believe me, it was a treat. Had to blow an entire afternoon hanging around St. Mary’s Hospital. I’d much prefer to have used that time more constructively. Like getting a root canal. Just kidding.

Getting these types of scans are fairly routine for me. I’m at the point where I just tell the technician that I’d been through them numerous times and that we can skip the instructions. I gotta say, though … the techs are fabulous people. Caring, compassionate, professional. Works for me. You definitely want someone who knows that they’re doing. I’m seeing Dr. D this Thursday. I’ll let you know the results next week. Hey! I gotta wait — you gotta wait. Deal with it.

On another note. I’ve been keeping up with “S”. Evidently she’s home and doing fine. Still has to go in for treatments and testing, but is back to doing all of those things little kids are supposed to do during the summer. Yay, “S”!!!

And remember to repeat after me …“YOU ARE A CANCER WINNER”

I had all these plans of working on my vampire book this weekend. I had the first three chapters (nearly four) written, got one sub back from one of my critique partners and was all set to dig in. However, I’d been working on this piece at my day job and had it saved on the computer there. No problem. I saved the entire file to a disk and brought it home. Only problem was I couldn’t access it. For whatever reason, the disk wouldn’t allow me to open the file.

Now, I could have gone back to the office and emailed the material to myself. Easier to get it from the internet anyway, but I never got a chance to do that. It was a busier than usual weekend and I never made it back to the office. As a result, I had to forego the pleasure of working on an exciting new project.

It also taught me a couple of lessons. One … always check a disk to make sure its both formatted and not corrupt. And two … just email it to myself. Doh.

Did it again, didn’t I? Late with this blog. Dang! Getting to be a bad habit. But — never daunt, here I am.

I just got some news that a writer friend of mine has been struck with tragedy. Now, I usually don’t equate cancer with a tragedy … although its pretty high up there. Tragedy is an insurmountable obstacle or occurrence (in my opinion). No, this tragedy revolves around the fact that her six year old daughter has been diagnosed with leukemia.

I never name names unless I have the permission of the individual I’m talking about, so this child’s name is “S”. “S” had a persistent fever that kept her home from school several times. Through tests, they found that she had strep throat. However, what the bloodwork also revealed were abnormalities. So they kept looking and discovered the cancer. Fortunately, they caught it extremely early in the game and “S’s” (is that how you’d pluralize that?) prognosis is excellent.

Getting cancer as an adult is bad enough, but I cannot imagine contracting it as a child. An adult can understand the need for numerous tests, bloodwork, having an I.V., chemo, doctors, nurses and everyone in the world stopping in to check on you and run even more tests. Try explaining that to a little kid. When I heard about “S” I literally started to cry … because I know (and anyone who has gone through treatment) knows what’s in store for her. However, from what I’ve read and heard, “S” is a little scrapper. She’ll get through this and with flying colors.

Bottom line? Little kids should never have to go through this horrendous experience. Little kids should be out playing in the sun, going to school, watching “Dora the Explorer”, doing all those things that little kids do. They shouldn’t know there is such as a word as “Cancer” much less know how to spell “leukemia”.

Everyone is pulling for you “S”. Hugs and kisses to you, kiddo. I’m off to give my little darlin’ a big hug and a kiss.

And remember to repeat after me …“YOU ARE A CANCER WINNER”

This past Saturday I attended “Authorfest”. This is held each year in Schaumburg, Illinois at the Schaumburg Twp. District Library — an extremely attractive library, by the way. Denise Fleischer of http://gottawritenetwork.com has put this together for the past four years and its building each year. There were 36 authors ranging from romance to thrillers. There were quite a few mystery writers and people who wrote poetry. I was a little surprised (and a tad disappointed) that there weren’t any science fiction writers. You’d think this would be right up their alley.

Anyway, the audience consisted of mostly writers with a smattering of readers. Panels were held that featured “Romance: What’s Selling & How to Write It”, “Secrets to Writing Pulse-Pounding Page-Turning Mysteries”, “Power Networking” and the one I was on “Websites, Blogs, Conferences and All that Jazz”. This was the first time I spoke on a panel and it was really quite interesting. The only problem was that there were about nine authors on each panel and that made for some difficulty in getting a word in. I noticed that a few people had tons to say and others virtually said nothing. Don’t know if it was a matter of not being able to get a word in edge-wise or what. Despite that, it was an interesting experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed attending this “Authorfest” and plan to return next year. So, if anyone is in the general vicinity of Chicago, I highly recommend attending. It was good fun.