Spring Cleaning?

Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas from Pexels

Spring is definitely on the way, even if it is taking its sweet time. Soon, our thoughts will turn to spring cleaning (won't they?). Here are the top 5 things I want to clear out:

1. Putin, Trump, O'Connell, Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Fox News, and a long list of politicians on both sides of the aisle. I think we've all had enough and need some fresh faces who aren't destructive.

2. Winter. I'm so done. Bring back sunshine and flowers, and not shivering my freckles off when I traipse through subzero temps and/or snow on my way to the Y to swim.

3. Use of the word "unprecedented." I may have mentioned this before, but after 3 years in the pandemic, nothing seems unprecedented anymore.

4. Clutter. I'm cleaning out books I don't want, papers I don't need, and clothes I won't wear. And old stuff in the medicine cabinet.

5. Any show or mention of the Duggars, the Kardashians, Snooki, OJ Simpson, Antonio Brown, Caitlyn Jenner, Melania, (Kan)Ye, and all the other media hogs. Let's clean out the TV listing also, there are a lot of shows that I'm so tired of because they've been overrated, overdone, redone, or bad from the start. We all have a bunch on our hit list, so you don't need me to list mine; and we probably agree on a good number of them.

Now, back to work. I'm cleaning out my email, making notes for my MFA final project, thinking about a new romance series for after graduation, and cleaning off my desk. 

Remember: 53 days until spring, 109 until I open my pool. 

Char

It's That Time...

So the youngest offspring (although he denies it) made the toilet overflow. Yes, it was FULL of all the nasties you could think of- I won't go into detail. And right before church so I was in heels and a skirt. The hubby offered to clean up the mess.

But you know men and bathrooms. So I spent hours, on hands and knees mostly, scrubbing with bleach and other cleaners: floor, walls (yes, it splattered), tub, sinks, woodwork, foot rug, towels, shower curtain. Spring cleaning a little early. Actually way early since there are still pockets of snow on the ground and I have lots of writing, editing, posting and other writerly things to do in between the mommy/wifey/volunteer stuff.

But I was rewarded.

Daffodils! If you've been following my blog for at least a year, you know I get ridiculously excited for these babies to arrive. Seeing them makes me want to clean out all my garden beds, rake the lawn, plants pots of bright hued flowers, and set up my pool. I am a summer/spring gal.

And with these pop ups come loads of energy; I'm going to tackle a number of projects starting today. I will finish editing my NaNoWriMo manuscript Lethal Dose and then finish a review/book blurb I was asked to do. While I wait for editorial revisions on Blonde Ops, I'm putting together a presentation for the New Jersey annual Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators happening in June (when the second son graduates high school!). I have ideas for 2 other manuscripts, but I'm going to work on the two paranormals-Crash and Burn and Splice-I started months ago (even if my agent isn't that crazy about them YET).

To further motivate me, I found these:

Doesn't look like much, but it's my son's daisies. When he was little he loved them, so every year we had daisies. I see them and think of him, and it makes me want to just get things done so I can sit back and appreciate life, gardens, sunshine--and things accomplished.

So go poke around, see what inspires you.

Char

Making Room

Spring cleaning isn't that far away, but I'm going to start early. As a reader and a writer, I collect a lot of books so I'm doing giveaways to help clear out the shelves.

For my first giveaway, I want to help an aspiring writer. Although I generally write YA, I do have a middle grade book needing an editor to adopt him, and I started in picture books, so these books run the gamut. All are great for people just starting out or are finally getting serious. The bundle includes:

It's A Bunny-Eat-Bunny World by Olga Litowinsky
From Inspiration to Publication by the Institute of Children's Writers
The First Book Market by Jason Shinder
Your Novel Proposal by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook (Writer's Digest Book)
Over 100 FAQs Women Asked About Writing by the National Assoc of Women Writers

It's A Bunny-Eat-Bunny World is a survival guide for the children's writer that is both funny and realistic. The other titles are self-explanatory. All have been useful to me but it's time for them to move on and help others. I will blindly pick one name and you get the whole bunch. If there's one you don't want, pass it on to a friend, a member of your crit group, or to whomever you think would enjoy/use it.

I'll try to do a giveaway once a month, so stay tuned and tell your fellow readers/writers.

Happy Writing!

Char

Clean Out Time!

Tomorrow is the first day of spring! (Waits for applause, cheers and whoops of joy to subside...)

Okay, that's the good news.

Now for the bad.

It's time to clean out.

No, I don't mean the sock drawer, although if you can't close it all the way, and you have tons of socks with holes in them, well then it is past time.

I'm talking about that one area of your life/space that has been harboring lethal dustbunnies. (Like under my couch in the basement, along with a few spider bodies.)  For me, it's a constant battle to keep my desktop clear. Partly because my desk is a cute little library table- not meant for much more than a pretty picture frame, a fancy pen and a book; it's not meant for a laptop with external drive, white board, appointment book, mouse & pad, and papers. TONS of papers. Hazards of the trade are little Post-It notes, pens, folders, and magazines that quickly pile up.

While I have a wonderful sized home office and you can be jealous of my space, with three large windows, lots of closet space and four beautiful bookcases, there's a catch. It's my office.

Except...for the winter coats and family office supplies, photos, and memorabilia I have to store in the closets, plus the daybed I have to keep in there for when family comes to stay over, and excess books that don't fit in the bookshelves or the library downstairs. (ok, you can hate me a little.)

That means cleaning out the excess. It's hard to do now since I have Sirenz Back In Fashion swag in boxes and bags, Sirenz signed copies going out to the Romantic Times convention in Chicago next week, books I picked up at PLA that I'd like to read (if I weren't busy on other novels, my crit group stuff, booking signings, and yes, taking care of a family, doing church and volunteer work, and eyeing my meditation garden as the temps climb.).

But too much STUFF clutters up not only my space, decreasing productivity, but my brain; I keep looking at the piles, fretting what I should do with the stuff, debating when I should get rid of the stuff, and figuring out who wants the stuff. It's taking me away from my writing and important things (and the laundry. Although not high on my priority list in life unless it's mine, I must keep the peace and ahead of the deadly pile.)

So what am I going to do? In between loads of laundry (ugh!) and cleaning the bathrooms- all FOUR of them- (double ugh with ick, gross and disgusting thrown in), I'm tackling one thing at a time. Pay this bill, file the paperwork. Make that phone call. Gather up those books to donate. Schedule appointments. Make a list of writer tasks to do. (And stay away from the chocolate swag.)

So, as Adele pines in the background, I'll slowly clean out, clear up, and get down to what's important.

Happy cleaning!

Char