PIPER REED THE GREAT GYPSY! 

Today is Piper Reed the Great Gypsy's publication day. If you've read the first one, you know that Piper's dad, Chief, is about to leave for ship duty. In the second book, readers get to understand what it is like to be away from a parent for six months. Each chapter represents a month and for most of the book, Chief is at sea.

Although my dad was a dry-dock sailor(he never had ship duty), we spent several periods away from him that would last for months. These days, military kids have dads and moms that are serving in the military. When I researched for the Piper books, I visited The Blue Angels Elementary School in Pensacola. I met in small groups with some of the students who told me what it was like living without one of their parents. That fact alone connected us.




Yesterday my dad called to tell me they'd received their copy and to thank me for the dedication. We talked for a while about his cows, my cousin, and the rain. Then before he hung up, he said, "You know what is special about receiving this book today?"

"What?" I asked.

"Thirty years ago today was the day I was discharged from the Navy."

Serendipity.




***Congratulations to this weeks's winners: Shay Thatcher from Warrenville, South Carolina, Michele Sanders from Amarillo, Texas, and Carey Weeks from Shreveport, Louisiana. You each won a copy of Piper Reed The Great Gypsy.

FLAG FOR SHAWN: AROUND THE BLOCK MONDAY 

Through a recent blog search, I stumbled on a great weekly ritual some bloggers participate in--My Town Monday. Bloggers all over the world are starting to blog on Mondays about the town where they live. I kept digging and found out that the person behind this brilliant idea lives in Amarillo. If you would like to learn a little more about our city, visit:

Travis Erwin's Blog

Since Travis does such a great job covering the Amarillo sites, I thought I'd try a different take: reports from my neighborhood called AROUND THE BLOCK MONDAYS. This being my first week, I started across the street.



A few months ago I noticed that my neighbors across the street had their flag out. Memorial Day had just passed and at first I thought they might be out of town and had forgotten to take it down. But the next morning on the way to the kitchen to make coffee, I noticed Bill positioning the flag pole in the ground. Most mornings I get up before dawn and it became my habit to look out the front window as the sun started to rise. And most mornings I saw Bill dutifully walking out of his house with the flag. His pace had such purpose, that even if I hadn't known him, I would have realized that he was putting that flag up with such conviction. This simple act meant something to him.

Last week, he caught me as I was watering the side yard. "Do you like zucchini?" he asked. I told him, yes. Before he headed to his garden, I asked about his son, Shawn.

Shawn was fourteen years old when we moved here fifteen years ago. He joined the military a few years back and, as one might expect, he was stationed to Iraq. He was injured over there, but thankfully recovered. He'd since been stationed to Alaska.

When I asked about him, Bill said, "He's coming home before he goes back."

"Alaska?"

"Iraq," Bill said.

I didn't ask him about the flag. I didn't need to.

STARTS AND FINISHES 

I have a new hero. Triple silver Olympian Dara Torres proves dreams have no age limit. At forty one, she competed this week against young women less than half her age.

After ranking second at one competition, a reporter asked her what she thought her weaknesses were.

Without hesitation, Torres answered, "Starts and finishes."

The reporter then asked, "What have you been training the hardest at?"

Torres answered, "Starts and finishes."

Writers can learn a lot from Torres's comments. As a professional, she constantly assesses her performances. She knows her weaknesses and invests time trying to improve them. If we used that same approach in our work, imagine how we could grow as writers.

A PRIVATE BOOK SIGNING 

Most people don't realize writers are only given a certain amount of their own books. For me that number is twenty. With some exceptions, I buy the rest. Those twenty books are sent to family members and a few close friends.

My Piper Reed the Great Gypsy copies arrived last week while I was trying to get the historical finished. But with that done(at least for this round), I could concentrate on sending the books to my loved ones.

I got up early and had a private signing. I signed books for my sisters and their families, my grandfather, aunts and uncles. But I began the signing with Jerry and Shannon. Because that's where it always begins...always.

NEW PIPER PAGE ADDED 

Since the second Piper book comes out next week, my super-talented web designer, Danielle, created the Piper Reed The Great Gypsy page for the web site. Take a look:


Piper Reed The Great Gypsy

A PERFECTLY FRIVOLOUS DAY 

What does a writer do the day after she sends in a manuscript? Well spend a day doing frivolous things, of course.

Yesterday morning, Shannon returned from meeting a friend for breakfast. She greeted me with five lovely Gerber daisies. "Happy Day After Sending in Your Manuscript Day," she said.

I love Gerber daisies. I love my daughter.

Later we went to lunch at Bakers Brothers and shared a chopped salad. When I dropped her off at her job, I stayed at the book store and spent two hours reading magazines and books. I read a few chapters from a book about Tasha Tudor, but ended up purchasing a couple of others.

So many of the recipes in Katie Brown's Weekends looked scrumptious, but I admit I bought the book for the White Chocolate & Berry Jam S'mores.
(Isn't Katie cute?)

I was also excited to find Larry McMurtry's memoir, Books. Although I have yet to finish the long list of McMurtry's books, I count myself as a fan. Over the years, I've heard quite a few comments from people referring to his crankiness, but I don't believe it for one minute. This is the same man who wrote Lonesome Dove and Terms of Endearment. If you have read either one of those stories, you know this man has a heart.

After book buying, I treated myself to a red velvet cupcake at Village Bakery. Then I wandered into a nearby store. It was the kind of store I don't visit much because they carry items that are expensive and that I really don't need. Twenty minutes later, I walked out with something expensive that I really don't need. At home, I discovered that the knob was not centered, but to me, it adds to its charm. I'm a bit that way myself.


And since I don't want to seem totally frivolous and selfish, Here's Katie Brown's yummy White Chocolate & Berry S'mores:

4 marshmallows
1 8 ounce bar of white chocolate
8 gingersnap cookies
4 tablespoons of berry jam, any kind

1. Toast marshmallows. Place a piece of white chocolate and a marshmallow on one of the gingersnaps.

2. Spoon jam over marshmallows and sandwich with gingersnap.

3. Eat!

A BALANCED LIFE 

Yesterday I ran off three copies of my manuscript--one for my editor, one for my agent, one for me. Before slipping them in the envelopes, I tied each with a bow. When I've worked so hard on something, a rubber band just doesn't seem enough. I should have known the story wasn't ready the first time I sent it in because I left off the bow.

Although I've worked on this story for years, the last few weeks have received my most dedicated focus. On the way to the Fed-X office, I told Shannon, "I wish I could keep that level of intensity for my work every day. Think of what I'd accomplish?"

"I think you might burn yourself out," she said.

Still, I couldn't help but fantasize. Was it Thomas Edison that had duplicates of the same clothes so he didn't have to waste any brain power trying to select what to wear? I thought about what my uniform might be--I could buy seven pairs of blue jeans, seven white shirts or green or should I pick a paisley print? Although knit wide-leg pants are more comfortable than jeans, aren't they? And I do enjoy my pajama day. I'd have to work that in. I think I would fail the Edison uniform part.

But after I dressed, I could establish a routine that revolved exclusively around my current work--When I ate breakfast I could imagine my main character eating breakfast. What would he eat? How would he eat? Every conversation would lead back to my story. For a moment I heard my husband's voice, "How does your plot fit in with what I just said about buying paint for the laundry room?" Yes, that might be exhausting to my friends and family.(Not to say I haven't been guilty of that).

When I returned from Fed-X, I found my house in shambles. My plants had wilted from weeks of neglect, my office floor and desk hid under mounds of paper and coffee cups, a mountain of laundry was piled near the washing machine. It was a glimpse of what constant intensity could lead to.

"I'm taking the rest of the week off," I told Jerry.

"You should take more than that," he said. "You've been working seven days a week the last few months. Haven't you heard of a vacation?"

As a writer, it's hard to not think of my work 24/7. Because quite honestly, it doesn't feel like work most days. It feels like something I'm called to do, something I want to do well. It's in my genes. When I was a girl, my mom sewed constantly. Now the garden is her passion. My 94 year old grandfather is the same way. He gets up early and works in the yard.

Believe me, I know living a balanced life is beautiful. I've struggled with it for years. But I'm going to start right now by giving my plants a drink of water and putting a load of whites in the laundry. And I might even wear a dress today.




***Congratulations to: Kristel Sexton of Amarillo, Tricia Hock of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and Jenny Manning of Bryant, Arkansas. You each have won a CD of Piper Reed Navy Brat.