Contest to win a critique from editor Stacy Whitman

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/10/author-interview-editor-critique.html

Click on the link above for details on how to win a free 10-page critique from Editor Stacy Whitman of Tu publishing and read comment on the fascinating interview about Karen Sandler, author of Tankborn.

Fall Family Fun

I love fall. The days this week have been perfect. Sunny and cool. Yesterday was a great day. My son's football team won his game against the second best team in his division. Next week they play the number one team. They have a good chance of beating them.

Our family of five also took a walk up in the canyons at the Temple Quarry to see the fall colors and take some pictures. Then we went home and had some halloween cupcakes and cookies and watched Hocus Pocus. What are some of your fun fall family traditions?

Kizzy the Schnoodle

This is kizzy. She's a schoodle (schnauzer/poodle mix.) we took her on a hike to dog lake recently. 

 Last year when I took her and let her off lease she was a very naughty girl. She barked and chased other people and ran away from us. I was embarrassed and put her back on her leash

This time she she was much better. She stayed with us, didn't bark or chase other people or dogs, and came when we called. 

    
             She even posed for the camera

My husband Jon never wanted a dog, but he loves her

Me and Kizzy

Me, Jon and Kizzy at Dog Lake

She loved playing in the water.

She wanted the stick so bad, but it was a little too far out of her reach

She gave up on the stick

Wet dog

Get Mad and Hit Someone

My son plays little league football and I enjoy watching his games. Though I've never been a big football fan, I'm becoming one. I love the sunny fall days and am starting to understand some of the game enough to kind of know what's going on. 

It's not like his first year of flag football anymore where I cheered when someone made a touchdown and my neighbor standing next to me said, "Um, that was the other team that made that touch down," and I said, "Oh, well, I cheer for both sides." 

A few weeks ago when my son's team was losing and he came to get some water on the sidelines, I went over and told him to get mad and hit someone. I turned around and saw a couple standing there and sheepishly said, "This is the only time it's okay to say that to your kid."

   1+1=11.

 Orange smile during snacks at halftime

 That's Bryce tackling the ball carrier.

 Another tackle.

 Yet another tackle.

Bryce intercepting the ball. Nah, I'm not proud or bragging or anything. Okay, maybe I am a little. Sorry.

On a side note: Last week one of the coaches from the team he played this week watched their game and asked me what we fed our boys, raw meet? Cuz they're so big. Nope. Just beets. Yep, they're the Beet Diggers. #2 worst name in the nation. Go Beet Diggers!

Writer's Cramp

My husband sent me this picture and said he thought it reminded him of me. No, I don't have whiskers and fur (in fact, I'm allergic to cats) but I do struggle with that blank page and first drafts. The only way I can deal with it and get through it is to start writing—anything, no matter how bad it is—and not edit as I go. 

I've been stuck on a revision of one of my novels now for a couple weeks. I keep overcoming one obstacle just to run into another. Part of the problem is that I wrote this novel without really planning it out or doing much outlining. So I've had to go back and do some plotting after the fact and keep making changes in the plot whenever I find part of it's not working anymore. 

In November I plan to write the first draft of a new novel for NanoWrimo, but I will do some plotting beforehand. I think my first draft will be much easier that way and it will need less revisions and not have to make so many major changes. 

Ways I deal with writer's cramp:

Take a walk

Do laundry or dishes

Go back and revise my outline

Exercise

Listen to music related to my story

Look at pictures of places or people that resemble those in my book

Do some research on whatever I'm stuck on

Play my guitar

What are some ways you deal with writer's cramp? I'd love it if you'd share your ideas in the comments!