What do you think you are doing???

I've been silent this past week so that all the sparkles and glitter and well-wishes could befall my author-friends and guest features. But my week has not been so silent, and I have LOTS to tell you about!

First, the 4th of July weekend. We went hiking through tick-infested trails and, while doing so, Brandi (the graceful being that she is) fell down a slope. I landed HARD on my tailbone, but still managed to save my dog (whom I was carrying). I laughed it off through gritted teeth at the time, since I was in the presence of my fiance's 13-year-old sister and wanted to be oh-so-mature. When, really, all I wanted to do was howl like a baby. AND FOR GOOD REASON. As my fiance, ahem, discovered later, my backside has two very large, very ugly bruises on it. Attractive, no? And then, as we were walking back to the truck (me: limping slightly, still carrying my chihuahua, who couldn't keep up very well), fiance's sister steps on a TIMBER RATTLESNAKE! I am not even joking. And she wouldn't have even known if I hadn't flipped out and screamed, SNAKE! And then I had to poke and prod the baby rattler (did I mention it was a baby? About a foot long) to get it off the path. (I, honestly, am messed up in the head a little. I mean, who in their right mind tries to get a snake off the path with a STICK? But I guess it was a very laid-back snake, because it just wriggled away.)

After this excitement, the week decides to take me on a freakin' one-way flight to Frustration-ville. Fiance's truck breaks down. So we've been running around getting parts and sharing a vehicle. (Fun.) And then the thermostat that I ordered for my car was supposedly delivered but WASN'T. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't had to jump through a million hoops just to talk to someone about it. So I'm all revved up to start yelling at people and then they have to go be all nice about it and say, Oh, so sorry. Do you want us to send you another?

::Deflation::

Uh, yes please?

And then there is my WIP, Last of the Elves. I've been having a lot of fun with it, I'll admit. But then, of course, Minalea has to go and be all stubborn and weird on me. And even as I'm screaming at her, No, you can't do that! She does it anyway. (I know, it doesn't make sense, but writers understand.)

So, what do I do?

I go play with FURY again. Which, of course, got me nowhere and Liz (the moderator of the WD Sci-Fi/Fantasy forum) gave me a virtual whack upside the head with her moderator stick. (Don't worry. I asked for it.)

Which also reminds me that I need to get my (bruised) rear in gear and send out more queries. But apparently I need to shorten my synopsis a bit. Sigh.

So, lots to do. I'm even getting my engagement pictures taken today. Woohoo! (I'll be sure to share!)

Oh, and on a side note. Don't rent Hot Tub Time Machine and watch it with a 13-year-old. Not one of Brandi's brighter ideas. (I SWEAR I didn't know it was going to be THAT bad.)