Susan, I only have the one -- and I'm really sad about that. It's sparse out there, but I'm keeping looking. Damn, I've never wanted a Doctor the way I want this one, despite my Baker and Davison teenaged crushes.

Congrats, -t!

I think I need to vist a baby or two. or 77 .

BTW I am dead from cleaning the floor after pulling up the rug. 2 seven hour days . both DH and I ache. he has ibuprphin and beer. I have Ibuprophin and wine and sake.

Well, Susan, he should have thought ahead, now shouldn't he? Because yeah, hot.

Aw. The dog just finallly started bugging me and went and got a little stuffed animal puppy to chew on. So cute.

ETA: does DW have a really hairy neck, or is that just the picture?

Susan, if Cathy Maxwell can get published, it's only a matter of time until you break through. In fact, if you'd like a boost of the sort I get from *cough*readingFF.net*cough*, I can loan you a book that's got one Cathy Maxwell novella (and one Lynn Keryhoweveryouspellitstan one, but it's really good, so don't read it unless you're in the mood for a good story instead of a booster).

You may still be baffled by your results, but you'll feel SO much better about your writing. Trust me.

It's sparse out there, but I'm keeping looking. Damn, I've never wanted a Doctor the way I want this one, despite my Baker and Davison teenaged crushes.

Keep me posted. I was wondering the other day how I was going to top my "why Susan writes Regencies" man-paper from the last RWA Christmas party, and I decided this year's theme was going to be "close your eyes and think of England," with all the hottest English actors I could think of. With hot defined by my own taste in these matters, naturally. (Sorry, Hugh Grant. You don't make the man-paper cut.) Anyway, I figure it's never too early to collect images for such a critical project.

(So I'm not the only one with a mad Doctor crush, eh? Because he's not what you'd call conventionally handsome, but OMG hot hot hot teh SEXY. Or something like that.)

t, those are OUR exact same washer and dryer and they totally RULE. We got a $100 energy rebate from Burbank, so you should look into that where you are.

You may still be baffled by your results, but you'll feel SO much better about your writing. Trust me.

Hee. I'm feeling a little better already, because I've fully realized just how many of the negative comments came out of their expectations for the plot and romance arc as described in my synopsis. And their expectations were so out of line with the story as it exists in my head that it made me look at my synopsis again and realize that it SUCKED. A lot. So I rewrote it, sent it to two critique partners who'd seen the previous version, and asked if they thought it was an improvement. Both immediately said, "WOW! Yes. Much, much better."

So, a learning experience, albeit an ego-bruising one. It's not that I'm a poor writer; I just don't quite have the knack of easily whipping out a synopsis yet, and that's a specialized, learnable skill.

So, a learning experience, albeit an ego-bruising one. It's not that I'm a poor writer; I just don't quite have the knack of easily whipping out a synopsis yet, and that's a specialized, learnable skill.

A valuable learning experience, too, I'd venture.

Have you thought about having someone familiar with the work, but not the synopsis, look it over (with the stuff that's still IP sketched out) and tell you what they think the synopsis is? I have no idea if that would help at all, but it might give outside the head perspective.

More Lily pics: [link]

The Shiva ones aren't as cute as the real deal, on account of how hard it is to get a good picture of a black cat against dark blue sheets. C'est la vie.

Have you thought about having someone familiar with the work, but not the synopsis, look it over (with the stuff that's still IP sketched out) and tell you what they think the synopsis is?

Hmm. Only problem with that is that those are my unspoiled beta readers/critique partners, and I like having those 2-3 people who don't know exactly where the story is going on board so I can see whether my foreshadowing intrigues without being too obscure or too anvilicious, and whether my shocking surprises deliver appropriate shock. But I've got a few extra potential readers lined up for when it's actually finished, and I might ask one of them how they'd handle a synopsis.

LOVE the Lily & Shiva pics.

Wake up, board! I'm bored!