Random Wednesday: 5 Biggest Writing Distractions . . . or Really Here's Why I Can't Write . . . Really

Unfortunately, distractions are something we all have to deal with, no matter what career path you follow. But, if you're a writer, they're especially difficult since it's so hard sometimes to get back into the story once you have to leave it. I'm sure there are people out there who will claim nothing distracts them . . . whatevs, they're either fibbing or they're Nora Roberts. 

Wait, before I jump in I need to post a pic of male hotness.

For me, these are my top 5 distractions . . . Oh, I'm sure they're are many many more, but right now these are the ones that instantly come to mind.

1. The Cats - We have 4 of them and man oh man are they are distraction. I have The Wine Drinker running around getting into the tree, Disgruntled Kitty wanting to be on my lap ALL THE TIME, Abby just being generally cute, and then there's Olivia. My sister calls her "little assface" and she is, but she's also utterly adorbs. She does the cutest thing when she wants you to blow bubbles for her. Here it is:

See what I mean??? You'd blow bubbles for her too!

2. Facebook & Twitter - I get on both of these in the morning to check in with my readers and post stuff. But then it's like a black hole and I fall in. At first, I'm all like, I'll just post one thing then the next thing you know I'm taking quizzes and looking at knitting patterns. O_O OMG!! Make it stop.

3. Computer Games - I'm not a series gamer. I don't play Worlds of War Craft or whatever. I play things like Bejeweled and hidden object games, but they suck me in and I just keep playing. I think I'll play one game, then 1 game turns into an hour or two. 

4. Knitting - I love to knit and right now I'm working on this scarf for someone. It's not a gift, just something I said I'd do. But sometimes the yarn calls and I find myself out there just knitting along pretending to watch TV or listen to music. It's a sickness and I'm going to bet this will be on Bronwyn's list too. 

5. Books - I saved this for last because this is the worst distraction of them all. I have huge stack of books sitting on my nightstand and 4 or 5 more in my closet. I love to read. I don't care if the book is actually paper or on my Nook, it doesn't matter. I just love to

 read. Right now I'm reading 1776 and it's so good. I read a lot of non-fiction and the Revolutionary War is one of my fav periods.  

Huh, so that's 5 already? Wow, I still had more distractions to talk about. Okay, well go check out the other Blogger Girlz and see what pulls them away from writing. Oh, and if you want, share with me what your distractions are. Maybe I can find some new hobbies. :-)  

Bronwyn

Jessica
Kris

Kellie

Kayleigh

See you next week!! --GC

Random Wednesday: Favorite Things - Holiday Traditions

I love the holidays! Starting on September 1, I begin to decorate my house first with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, ending with Yule. I suppose, for me, this is a tradition. I didn't start it until I was an adult and moved to this house, but I love it.

As you can see, the Blogger Girlz are talking about holiday traditions this week. Before I leap in and tell you any more I must share the fantastic pic of the week.

And, you're welcome!

Okay, so when I was a kid a huge tradition we had was going out to get the tree. We were a real tree family. So early in December, my dad would pack me and my sister up and we'd go to find the tree. There were certain lots we knew had the best trees. So we'd go and usually my sister and I picked the tree. My dad was along as driver, payer, and carrier. One year though, my dad picked the tree. It was so cold that year and I guess, looking back now, he didn't want to keep us out. So went to the place we knew had awesome trees and he picked one that hadn't been unwrapped yet (still had the twine around it from the journey from the farm). My sister and I were glad to get it and go. When we got home, he trimmed about 2 inches off the bottom and put it in a bucket of water outside on our patio. We would get the tree one weekend and put it up the next. Let me tell you that over the week this tree expanded and expanded and expanded!!! It was ginormous!! It was the biggest tree I'd ever seen. The branches spread so far I couldn't get out the back door to feed the dog, I had to go around from the side door. 

When he finally got it trimmed up and in the house there was enough left over branches that one of my cousins made wreathes for 4 or 5 families. It was insane. But daggone that was the best tree ever!!

When my dad died when I was 19 the tradition changed. My sister and I went out and got our own tree and did the deal for two more years and then we just couldn't do it anymore. She was going away to college and I wasn't doing it on my own so Mom and I bought a fake tree. Yay! I loved, loved that tree. When we decorate our tree we always talk about where the ornaments came from (who gave them to us, reason, whatever). My sister and I still do this. None of our ornaments match and all of them have stories to go with. 

One in particular is really old. It's a small blue ball with Minnie Mouse on it. I have no idea where it came from, but this ornament meant something when we were kids. Each year my sister and I would take turns hanging Minnie on the tree. Hanging the ornament meant the holidays were here.

Now, my sister hangs it each year since I did it for so many years on my own. It's a nice tradition we both love. And as she hangs it she announces, "I'm hanging Minnie now." We both laugh.

When our Mom died in 2010, that changed things again for us. That first holiday sucked! But what made it so, so, so much better was our best friends Mary and Susan. They drove up from Memphis and we spend the holiday together. I can't even tell you how much better they made the holiday for us. Last year was the first year we didn't all get together and after it was all over we all said, "Never again." It just stunk being apart. So this year they are driving up and Jude and I have already gotten the house all decorated. We're talking menus and desserts and drinks. So much fun!

Anyway, those are some of our holiday traditions. Remind me and I'll tell you about the time my sister and I saw Santa Claus. Not at the mall or whatever, but in our house on Christmas eve. In the meantime, go check out the other Blogger Girlz and their traditions. Oh and in the comments below share some of your holiday traditions. Maybe my sister and I will adopt them. 

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris
Kellie
Happy Holidays!! --GC

Random Wednesday: I'm Thankful For . . .

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving! I still can't believe the time is flying by so quickly. So as the Random Wednesday Blog reaches this time of year we are all reflecting on things we're thankful for. You know, it's so easy to talk about how crummy things are. I think as a group people are really more apt to look at the bad stuff than the good. Oh wait, speaking of good stuff:

Anyway, onto what I'm thankful for. 

First and foremost, I am way thankful for my sister, Judith. This woman is amazing, but don't tell her I said that. :-) She is always there for me, no matter what. She supports me and loves me and I can't imagine my life with out her.

Me and Jude

I am very thankful for my incredible friends. They have been there for me through the crappy hard times as well as the amazing times. I know I can call them anytime and they're there for me. Most of them live in other cities, but it doesn't matter. I know they are only a phone call, IM, text or email away.

I'm very thankful for my sweet kitties. Though right now I'm less thankful since one is sitting on me and the other is sitting beside me. Helping don't you know. But I love them. They are my fur-babies and I can't imagine not going to bed or waking up without them.

Max

Warlock

I'm thankful for the house we live in and the food we eat. 

I'm way thankful for my writing ability. I can't imagine what I would do if I couldn't write. I'm also thankful for incredible friends who also write. It's so nice to be able to talk to people about writing who totally get it and don't think I'm crazy. 

I know there's probably other things, but this is my main list. In the comments tell me what you're thankful for. Also, go check out what the other Random Blogger Girlz are thankful for. 

Browyn

Jessica

Kris

Kellie

Happy Thanksgiving!!! --GC

Random Wednesday Blog: My 3 Writing Wishes . . . or Do You Have a Genie Handy?

Wow! I cannot believe Thanksgiving is next week already?? Time is flying by so fast. And I'm sure you're wondering why I'm rambling about the time and blah, blah, blah. Yeah, this leads me into my 3 writing wishes. Okay, first I really want more than 3, but Jess and Bronwyn came up with the number and I gotta stick with it. Oh!! First I gotta show you manly hotness. And this pic actually has a purpose. I'm basing the character of Lochlan in the new book I'm writing on this hot, hot man.

Okay, writing wishes. So if a hot man genie popped up and would grant my 3 writing wishes here's what I would want. Oh, let's stick a pic in of a genie just for fun.

Wow, alrighty so my first wish would be that I could make a true living from my writing. I would love to write full time and do nothing else and be able to make good money at it. Right now, I'm writing full time, but I'm unemployed so that part sucks. But if I could be like . . . oh I don't know Nora Roberts then I could stay home and write.

My second wish would be that my procrastination tendencies would disappear. I'm way awesome at being distracted. I think I'm like the cats in that the slightest thing will make me lose focus. You know, one minute I'm writing along and then next I'm wandering around the house for some reason. 

My last wish would be that my ideas would never dry up. I love writing. I really do love the entire process though you couldn't tell it on the days that I'm cursing because the characters aren't doing what I wanted or planned. But the feeling of working on a book, honing it, fixing it, and finally getting it published is magic. There's nothing like getting emails from people telling me how much they loved one of my books. 

So there you go, my 3 big wishes. Now I have to go and get back to Lochlan because the man is impatient in a big way. But you should go check out the other Blogger Girlz and see what their wishes are. Also, if you could have wishes what would they be. Tell me about them in the comments.

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris

See you next week!! --GC

Southern Etiquette for Difficult Situations Episode 2

Gwen and Max

Hello!! Welcome once again to Southern Etiquette for Difficult Situations. This is where you learn that there's a right way, a wrong way, and a Southern way to get out of any situation you might find yourself in.

This situation was brought up by my friend Bronwyn and, I'm sure as the holidays approach, you're going to find yourself in similar straits. 

Now, let's discuss what not to do:

Here's the Southern way to handle this situation:

If you all have any situations you think need a Southern solution, let me know! I'd be happy to give you all kinds of advice. I'm really good a bossing people.

Until next time! Stay Southern -- GC

Random Wednesday Blog: I Have Mad Skills . . . Mad, Crazy, Scary Skills

Huh, mad skills? I so wish I could tell you all that I'm like a secret ninja. Leaping out of the darkness to wreak vengeance on evil-doers . . . or whatever. But yeah, that's not me.

I do have loads of pics of hot men. Is that a mad skill??

Okay, let's just say I may have some skills, but they're so not very mad, bad, or dangerous. I can knit . . . fairly well. But I will admit that the project I'm currently working on I've already ripped out and started over on it. AND, I've made this particular item twice before. AND I just realized that I screwed up the pattern both times. LOL So yeah I'm okay at knitting.

Huh, I also make jewelry, but I wouldn't say I'm awesome at it. I think my pieces look good, but you wouldn't find them in a boutique. So, no, no mad jewelry making skills.

I'm Southern and if you consider that a mad skill well then scooter I am all over that. I can bless your heart, say, "I swanee I haven't seen you in a coon's age." Then make you some incredible sweet tea all while being semi-polite. 

I do consider my writing a type of mad skill, but I think my agility to procrastinate is even more ah-mazing! Jeez Louise, I can find ten other things I should do other than the job I NEED to do, like write. Then by the time I do all those things, fiddle around, knit, stare at the TV and talk to my sister it's time to go to bed since the day's over. Yep, procrastinators you've found your Empress. 

I have a really good sense of direction, so maybe that's my mad skill. I rarely if never get lost and if I've been someplace once then I can usually find it again. Bam! It's like magic!! 

Yeah, maybe you should go check out the other Blogger Girlz and see what kind of game they have. If I figure out my official mad skill I'll give you a holler and let you know. 

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris

See you all next week!! --GC

Random Wednesday Blog: Favorite Things - Actors and Actresses

Hey! Welcome back to the randomness that is Wednesday or, as we refer to it around these parts, Gwensday. Today we are all talking about our favorite actors and actresses. Oh, but before I jump in let's get in male hotness

I know I've mentioned before that I don't watch much TV. I have a few shows that I won't miss, but beyond that I'm just not interested. So my list of favs is fairly short and in no particular order.

1. Viggo Mortenson - yeah if you know me well you had to have seen this coming. I love him! I think he is way hot and way talented.

2. Tom Mison - I love the show Sleepy Hollow. The character of Ichabod Crane is such a great one and Mison plays him so well. Also, the man is way easy on the eyes.

3. Lauren Bacall - this woman has it all. She's sexy, talented, sexy,and was married to Bogart. Oh and did I mention she's sexy???

4. Mark Harmon - (sigh) I've been watching NCIS since the beginning and mostly because of Mark Harmon's character Gibbs.

5. Tom Hiddleston - I fell in love with Loki because of who played him. Loki isn't a likable character by any stretch of the imagination, but there's just something about the way Tom H plays him that makes you love the trickster god.

6. Katherine Hepburn - the woman is so talented and, I think, beautiful, but not in the classical sense. She was an amazing talent and so ahead of her time in her attitude.

And that's my very small list of my fav actors and actresses. If you'd like, tell me who your favorites are. I'd love to compare notes. Also, run over to the other Blogger Girlz blogs and see who they love. I can already tell you Jarman has put Merlin and Arthur on her list. LOL!

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris
Kellie

See you next week! --GC