Long time, no post!

It seems like ages since I've dropped in here, but hey, it's summer, right? When we're supposed to be lazy and laid back?

Wait a minute while I snicker. I may not have been blogging these last couple weeks, but I've been busy. I'm on the contest committee and the conference committee for my local writers' group (if you're interested in a great October conference, check out www.rwi-rwa.com). We're in the judging phase of the unpublished contest -- winners will be announced at the aforementioned conference -- and it's been keeping me busy. I swear, I'm gonna get a bumper sticker that says "Just say no" and post it to my computer screen!

On the business side, last week I accepted a contract with Bantam for the next Selena book I've got the first few pages of the book written -- let's say it opens with a bang! -- but have another project to finish before I jump into it with both feet. In this one Selena and Tony will be visiting some places in the South where I used to live, so that'll be fun.

And my web diva has designed new bookmarks for me, along with a new site. It should be up and running any day now (as soon as I provide her with the last bit of stuff). I'll be posting here when it's ready. I'd love to hear what you think.

Now off to work for a bit, before lunch with my daughter-in-law-to-be. (Wow, that's a mouthful.) Have a good Sunday! Rachel9:05 AM

Estonia -- part two

Okay, so I admit -- I had no clue where Estonia was before the subrights person at the agency mentioned it. I didn't know nothin' about the place.

So yesterday I'm IMing my kiddo -- he's in Afghanistan, I'm in Oklahoma, and we're chatting; how cool is that? -- and I mention the sale and start to tell him what pitiful little bit I've learned about Estonia, and he interrupts and says, "It's a beautiful place. They speak English, Russian and Estonian, and the capital city is really nice blah blah." He's been there, and I didn't even know it still existed.

Wonder if he could make a trip back there when the book comes out? Hmm . . .

My third stab at a synopsis for Selena #3 (hey, third time's the charm!) is now in the hands of my editor, having passed by my agents with flying colors. I'm calling it Hard Target for my purposes -- except when I change my mind and call it Soft Target. Part of it takes place in Augusta, Georgia, where I used to live, and I'm planning a short trip back there to refresh my memory. That's where the kiddo got his black belt in tae kwon do, and we still have some friends there. I thought about calling one and saying, "Hey, I need a public place for a really cool murder attempt; any ideas?" Who better to ask than a cop? ;-) Rachel12:44 PM