Category: This & That

1. Putting on fake eyelashes. I wound up with glue inside my eye, on my lids, on my hands. And a fake eyelash smeared across my eyelid. Could not reposition it properly, no matter what I tried. Had to scrub eye with about 1/2 cup of eye makeup remover and then just go for three coats of mascara instead.
2. Applying fake fingernails. Every time I’ve tried buying fake fingernails for a costume, I can’t even get them to stick. But this time I went to an expert! The lady at the cosmetics counter. She assured me the fake nails I bought would stick, and did they ever. I had to get someone else to put them on. Then help me paint them. Then trim them. Then trim them again. Because I couldn’t pick up a darn thing. But at least they lasted the night, unlike the eyelashes, which didn’t make it to the party.
3. Removing fake fingernails. I had to swirl my fingers for ten minutes each in this little jar with a scrubby thing inside. Then, over the next day, I had to continue peeling off the remnants. The real nails underneath were not pleased.
4. I’ve realized I’m really not good at posing as a world-famous author. Instead, I seem to feel obligated to channel Count Dracula’s wife. In my defense, my character was named Gothika, famous for a series titled Legion of the Doomed or something, My Liege was dressed as a vampire bartender, and we were attending a Mardi Gras-themed murder mystery party. He rubbed off on me.

Things I’m Good At:

1. Getting into (my version of the) character.
2. Making a fool of myself.
3. Yes, even with a crew of 17-22 year-olds. My dh and I were the oldest at the murder mystery party.
4. Giving away the villain. The lawyer did it. Just happened to be Eldest Son.
5. Having fun!

I took new author photos in February. Two things inspired me to do this:

(1) I had a birthday and realized my current author photos are 3.5 years old. I’m attending the RWA National conference in Nashville this year. I can’t have people looking for a Cindy from 3.5 years ago and not finding her. I mean, can you imagine? I have wrinkles I didn’t have 3.5 years ago! I have grays (cleverly disguised for vanity) that I didn’t possess then—not counting the skunk streak, which has hidden in an area behind my right ear since I was 6.

(2) I got my hair cut.

Yes, I know, getting a haircut isn’t a very motivating reason to take new author photos. But I never have morning haircut appointments. This time I did. There had to be a reason for that, right? I was fated to take new author photos!

God knows when I’ll get around to loading them onto my website. I’m targeting next weekend.

“Green Cindy” will probably replace the picture on my Bio page (bigger than it is here):

“Purple Cindy” will likely go on my Home page (smaller than it is here):

“Blue Cindy” is for Facebook and the like. I took it to match the colors of my website, then decided I wanted more contrast. Thus the green and purple.

Little Pisser helped me pick them out. So if you don’t like them, tough. I had one in a black blouse, but she said my chin looked like it was attacking the camera. Can’t have that. Damn pointy Procter chin.

Go out and green yourself. I don’t have to worry about it. I have green eyes. I figure I’ve done my bit.

A new Q&A is up on my website! At long last! Finally!

I know you have all been waiting with baited breath (which always reminds me of fish breath, so I really shouldn’t say that about my loyal blog readers). (What’s that, you say? It’s bated breath? My apologies).

Okay, I admit, it’s not really a new Q&A. You got me, I can not tell a lie. As I’ve mentioned, I pulled out of my former group blog recently. In fact, as of today, the entire blog has shut down, so it wasn’t just my fault.

Last summer, on what would have been my grandfather’s 110th birthday had he lived another four years (some people do it!), I posted on the group blog about why he’s my inspiration. I didn’t want to lose that post, and now, thanks to Slightly Rude Canuck, who’s been pestering me to move the post to my own website for several weeks, I won’t have to.

Slightly Rude Canuck, you can now find the post on my Q&A page. Thank you for pushing me to put it there, even though the snarky comment wasn’t strictly required.

Well, I am, but too much is going on to think about writing a blog post. Strange how I find myself doing that regardless, huh?

1. Buncha university issues for Youngest Son. He’s been accepted to both universities he applied to, but one is in another province and so requires more evidence that he did, in fact, take the correct first year Physics and Chemistry courses required for his major. He has to decide on a university by the end of the month, because he also just got accepted into residence at the out-of-province university and the deadline for accepting is March 31st. Next week, he’s checking out the B.C. university and talking to the academic advisor there. As soon as he gets back, he needs to hie himself to Alberta and then make his decision.
2. I was happily editing the partial of my WIP after a friend read the revised version for me when I suddenly realized that I had some timeline issues that had never occurred to me before. They’re a result of the book being set in the States and the fact that Canada and the U.S. don’t share the same stat/federal holidays. So, suddenly, I had to put aside my revisions and do a buncha research, including a phone call to Seattle. I’ve just printed out my new file of brainstorming. I think I’ve solved all the issues, and now need to get back to applying them to the revisions. Don’t you hate it when you think you have all the research you need and then discover you still have more to do?

So that’s my week. Other issues happening, too, but none I’m prepared to discuss in a public forum. Let’s just say it was a bit of a shaky week. Really want to see things settled for Y.S., though. Patience, Cindy, patience.