So last week we went to the museum--this week we didn't. Rob spent most of the week suffering through a cold and trying to convince our stupid health insurance to cover the only medicine that works for him. (He did it because of HIPAA (secretly I was very happy for HIPAA since I deal with everyone else's stuff--we didn't know if he had authorized me on his forms, and then he had to talk to pharmacy's as well). The Jacob started running a fever Friday night, and he refuses to take any medicine. Literally he spits in your face. YOu can hold his mouth shut and do all sorts of things, and he ALWAYS wins the medicine battles. Thanks to Karen we tried chewables, and we had success. So he feels better today.

And then Karen and her family came into to town because Chloe had a gymnastics meet. I enjoyed it. Beth did too, and the boys did fairly well-though I think the only reason Jacob did so well is because he was sick. Then we took the kids over to the cousins' hotel and let them swim--yeah we let Jacob swim sick. But it brought his fever down, and there's chorine in the pool to kill germs right? They were up to late which resulted in Caleb being sick and no one going to church today. Actually I went to Sacrament meeting, but Rob told me he was too sick for me to to stay the whole time. He did sleep a lot once I got home.

My rant on the time change. I hate it! I just do. There is no need to mess with my body's schedule, and since there is confirmed germs in the house I really will get sick this year, just like I do every spring. Stupid time change. Rant done.

Tomorrow's my birthday--yeah I'm getting older. Sadly I wish I could freeze my body in that perfect state of youth--in some ways becoming a Twilight vampire has its appeal. But the whole blood lust thing is a major turn off in my book, even if I was planning on going vegetarian. I'd hie back to my 21 year old self. Maybe twenty. Yup that would be the perfect age for my body to be. But it's not, and I'm not going to dwell on what I don't have right now.

When I was thirty I had a list of 31 one things I wanted to accomplish and at the time I had accomplished one. Now I just looked it over, and I've still only accomplished one. Some of the things are lifelong things though, and I'm working on them. But I haven't exactly been idle. It's one thing to write a book--another to get it published, and published is what I had on my list. I've also found that I don't have quite the same desire to some of those things right now. For example one is to master calculus--which in my mind is passing a basic calculus class. Today I'm not really seeing the point of that. Is it a bad thing to revamp the list? I'm definitely putting thought into it. And another is to get my doctorate. And I'm thinking I'd rather have my MFA--is it all that different? Am I selling myself short?

The thing is about life is that I think it is one constant act of revision and reinvention. As we change, mature, grow older and wiser, which doesn't always happen in a specific order, life's priorities change. And I also think that there are seasons in life. Right now my kids are my top priority. I've only got two more years with babies at home, and then things will change. And I did things in a different order than a lot of people I know. (Everyone's got to do things their own way --so no judging on my part.)

Anyway--here is what you can do for me on my birthday--yeah I know I'm shameless asking for presents and everything. But really all I want you to do is leave a comment telling me which version of my query letter makes you want to pick up the book more. You don't have to say why--just pick one. I'm too lazy to set up a poll, which I should do. So in the comments just put query one, or query two. (For all you non-writers a query is a letter that you send to an agent or editor to convince them that they want to read your book--it should give you a good idea of what the book si about, and catch your interest--sort of what you'd find a book flap)

Query 1

Seventeen-year-old Isis didn’t believe in magic until she accidentally uses it to save her life. Dane, a classmate, witnesses the display and pulls her into a battle between two ancient societies. Isis learns that the strange things that happen around her and her crazy dreams aren’t signs of impending insanity. Isis’ dreams actually mean that she is the dreamer with a power more potent than any other. She has the ability to control people by altering their subconscious while they sleep and the ability to see the future.

As Dane teaches Isis to control her powers the feelings between them grow. Isis is finally finding a place in the world where she never quite fit in—until Kalli, her cousin, shows up to convince her that she’s joined the wrong side of the battle. As Isis pieces together the clues from her dreams she learns of an impending disaster planned by Kalli’s group.

Isis’ powers give her the ability to end the conflict and stop the killing once and for all, but she must choose between fighting for the good of all mankind and saving her cousin, a choice no ordinary girl should make. Good thing Isis is anything but ordinary.

DREAMING ISIS, a young adult fantasy novel, is complete at 65,000 words. It will appeal to readers who loved the intrigue of THE AWAKENING by Kelley Armstrong and to those who enjoyed the paranormal romance elements of NEED by Carrie Jones

Query 2

Seventeen-year-old Isis is tired. Tired of hiding the dreams that predict future events, and the strange things that happen around her. Tired of surviving her mom’s psychotic episodes anytime she hears about something strange Isis did. And she’s tired of her sanity being questioned at every family gathering. So she hides her headaches, which are steadily getting worse and hopes that insanity doesn’t really run in the family.

All that changes the day Isis accidentally uses her powers to save herself from an exploding car and all of her secrets start coming out. Dane, a classmate, pulls her into a battle between two ancient societies. Dane seems to have the answers that Isis has always wanted. He can help her control her powers, stop her headaches and hang onto her sanity. She finds herself drawn to his charms until her cousin Kalli shows up to convince her she’s joined the wrong side. Isis realizes that she’s not the only one who’s been hiding things.

As Isis pieces together the warnings from her dreams she learns of an impending disaster planned by Kalli’s group. Isis has the power to stop it from happening and ending the conflict for good, but she has to choose between fighting for the good of mankind or to keep the love of her family by continuing to hide. A choice no ordinary girl should make. Good thing Isis is anything but ordinary.

DREAMING ISIS, a young adult contemporary fantasy novel, is complete at 65,000 words. It will appeal to readers who loved the intrigue of THE AWAKENING by Kelley Armstrong and to those who enjoyed the paranormal romance elements of NEED by Carrie Jones


Well have a great week everyone!