Owner: Castle in the Clouds URL:http://krista225.blogspot.com Join Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 07:24:17 -0500 Rating:1 Site Description: This blog is the online home of aspiring author, Krista Heiser. Personal topics cover a variety of subjects, including Krista's adorable children (of course), her dog, her husband, and her adventures in writing. The blog also links to her digital art ga Site statistics:Click here
testing new google tool 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I just added some photos to Picasa's web album. Click on the link below to view some recent photos of our little family.
This and ThatJul 13, 2006 - 10 Photos
Inspiration 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Writers are often asked about their sources of inspiration. Of course, as writers are as different and unique as snowflakes, inspiration occurs in various ways and at various times. Some of us find we do our best thinking first thing in the morning. Others discover burning the midnight oil is the key to unlocking their muse. Some find the quiet of the road, the splatter of the shower, or the Read more:Inspiration
The Usual 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Hello! It's almost my bedtime but I thought I'd take a minute or two to post. I really don't have anything significant to say. Life is its usual chaos. Work, school, kids, hubby, housework...
Okay, so I still need to do the dishes. I really thought having a dishwasher would make doing the dishes less of a chore, but I was wrong. I still hate doing them. The only bonus is I don't have to
Weekend in the Rain 1970-01-01 00:59:59 This past weekend the family went camping. We packed the boys' halloween outfits and enough candy to feed a small army. I even went so far as to borrow outdoor decorations from my in-laws. I wanted to make sure our campsite screamed Halloween. After all, campground trick-or-treating is a wonderous thing not just because of all the candy and the costumed children, but because people decorate Read more:Weekend
The Collab 1970-01-01 00:59:59 My sister, Chrissy, and I have talked about writing a collaborative story for years. We both like to write and we both have different strengths. She's got the kick-ass imagination and I have a firm grasp on the essential elements of craft. Not that my imagination sucks...just that her ideas seem very fresh in comparison to my own. Thus, it's always been my thought that between the two of us, we
A Quick Update 1970-01-01 00:59:59 It's just about bedtime. I have to be up ridiculously early tomorrow morning if I want to get the kids to the bus stop on time, so this update is going to be brief.
It was a busy weekend. As usual.
My oldest son had his first football game on Saturday. I arrived just in time to hear his name announced over the loud speakers. I wish I could tell you I stayed in the stands despite the cool temps Read more:Quick
, Quick Update
, Update
Putting in a Plug 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Want to add a personal touch to your gifts? How about sending an extra-special card to a good friend who lives far away? Maybe it's just time to send out the Christmas cards. Whatever the occassion, Homemade by Victoria has just the card you need. If you don't see what you need, email the owner and she'll create to your specifications.
In addition to handmade cards ($1.50 apiece in most Read more:Putting
Tigers vs. Mariners 1970-01-01 00:59:59 On Labor Day my husband and I surprised our two boys with a trip to Comerica Park in Detroit. On the long roadtrip my oldest son guessed every sport except baseball, which kept us from having to ruin the surprise before we pulled into the parking lot across from the park entrance. When we finally told them we were going to watch the Tigers
play baseball they were all smiles. The smiles even Read more:Mariners
Quote 1970-01-01 00:59:59 "We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to." - W. Somerset Maugham Read more:Quote
My pounding head.. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I have a killer headache tonight. It feels like sinus trouble. Oh, lucky me. Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll disappear by morning. I doubt it, but it can't hurt to hope.
I have some really cute pictures of my little guy on his first day of Kindergarten but I'm too lazy to leave the laptop and boot up the desktop PC where those pictures now live. You'll have to wait for pictures of His
Sick 1970-01-01 00:59:59 It's that time of year again, folks. The kids and hubby have all gotten sick and now it seems to be my turn. I don't know what this is but my back and legs ache and my head feels two sizes too big. Yet, there's no snot or congestion. And I haven't lost my breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am extrememly exhausted. All the time.
Bleh.
I'm Writing 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I have three stories I'm working on at the moment. One of them is a short story I wrote yesterday for my creative writing class at the University. Another is the collaboration with my sister, Chrissy, which is shaping up into a paranormal historical romance. The last of my WIPs is my vampire romance.
The short story came together in an hour's time. I don't like the ending but I already have a
Temptation 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I know I need to write every night right now. That Christmas gift project is always in the back of my mind. Each day it grows bigger and my confidence in completing the rough draft grows smaller. I'm not overwhelmed yet, but it won't be long if I don't get busy and stay that way!
Yet, I'd rather be scrapbooking. The photos call to me, luring me away from my computers to dabble in the basement
Perspective 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Writing workshops can be a study in perspective. Over the last ten years I've participated in community writers' groups, academic creative writing classes, and online critique groups. I've read my novels aloud, one chapter at a time, to perfect strangers. I've shared poems and short stories with classmates. I've entrusted my word docs to my online crit partners, just as they've trusted me with Read more:Perspective
Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Writing 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Thanksgiving went pretty well. We went to my mom's house this year. It was quite the gathering. There were 9 adults and 9 children. We had three tables spread throughout the house--the dining room table for the adults, a folding table for the teens, and a picnic table for the little ones. Mom made the turkey and most of the sidedishes and desserts. I brought toss salad and cherry cobbler. and my Read more:Black
, Black Friday
, Friday
, Thanksgiving
Making Progress 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I'm feeling rather proud of myself. I've been steadily writing on the Christmas gift project. A little bit every day. Not the 3000 I need, but something. Even when I'm not updating the blog with a new post I am updating the word meter in the sidebar.
It's going to be a busy weekend but I figure I should be able to break the 25,000 mark if I stick to it.
Christmas Meme 1970-01-01 00:59:59 1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Both!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped. Even the tiny gifts in the stocking are individually wrapped.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Multi-colored in the house (including the tree), white & blue icicles on the house.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.
5. When do you put your decorations up? We usually get the tree the Read more:Christmas
Date Night 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Friday night we had a sitter stay at the house so the hubby and I could go out to eat and watch a movie. Dinner was pretty good. My steak would have been better if the first five bites wouldn't have been full of gristle and fat. The only saving grace really was the cheese and slices of portabella mushrooms smothered across the top of it. Ken's dinner was much better. Very tender and very Read more:Date Night
, Night
Parent-Teacher Conferences 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Ken and I met with the boys' teachers on Wednesday night. First, we had the Kindergartener. After arriving way too early and sitting in the hall on teeny, tiny chairs for too long, we were ushered into the classroom. The boys sat on a chair nearby while Ken and I went over the little guy's report card with his beloved teacher.
I'm happy to report the little guy is doing great! He still has Read more:Conferences
, Parent
, Teacher
Going Beta 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I switched from my old Blogger account to the new beta version. The only thing I'm not liking is the header. I got an image loaded into it but it doesn't like the html code for tables. Oh, well. At least I have labels (aka post categories)! Read more:Going
NewNovelist Update 1970-01-01 00:59:59 If you've been a visitor here for any length of time, you know I use a writing program called NewNovelist to help keep me organized. While I really liked the program right from the beginning there was room for improvement. I guess I wasn't the only one who thought so. I received an email a couple days ago alerting me to an available upgrade. Geek that I am, I bought it.
It was worth the $44 Read more:Update
Halloween Party II 1970-01-01 00:59:59 This weekend went by much too quickly. As usual. It seems every weekend this month has been booked. Over the last few weekends we've had two Halloween
parties, a couple of football games, campground trick-or-treating, a Whirley Ball event, and I can't even remember what else.
This weekend the hubby and I attended the second party of the month. My cousin and his girlfriend (someday she'll be his Read more:Party
A Valley Full of Praise 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Awhile back I received an ARC of Tamara Siler Jones's Valley
of the Soul, scheduled for release on October 31, 2006. Before I get to my reaction to this latest edition, let me just say how appropriate that date is for this particular author! A Halloween debut is perfect for this latest addition in the Dubric Byerly series.
Now, I don't want to give anything away because I really want you to Read more:Praise
Not Making Progress 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I should have kept my mouth shut about how proud I was of myself for writing every day. Every day!
I didn't even open the WIP last night. Or the night before that.
Today at lunch (an hour insted of the normal 1/2 hour) I thought I'd get something accomplished. Yeah. Right. My laptop has decided to be a total pain in the ass and won't let me do anything. I'm not sure what it's problem is
At a Snail's Pace 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Yeah, that's pretty much exactly how I feel about the progress I'm making on Redemption's Path. It's slow going, my friends. I think I need to print it off and read it. No corrections allowed. Just a quick check for continuity.
But I'm afraid I won't be able to resist the inner editor. Or critic. So I've been typing one stubborn word after the other, wondering how much I've botched.
Vacationing 1970-01-01 00:59:59 So I've been on vacation since Tuesday afternoon. I went in to work that morning for a few hours and then went to the office Christmas party at my boss's house. Afterwards, my week and a half vacation started. It's been both hectic and relaxing.
I've gotten nearly all my wrapping done - I plan on finishing today. I've made the DVD for my dad (no worries about him reading this because he doesn't Read more:Vacationing
Merry Christmas...for the most part 1970-01-01 00:59:59 This year has been an odd one. I usually love the holidays. I adore the twinkling lights, the colorful decorations, the tree, the baking and even the shopping. This year wasn't quite as magical as I normally find the Christmas
season, though. My heart just wasn't in it.
I blame this partly on the snowless landscape and partly on the fact that my dad's house, the one I grew up in, is in Read more:Merry
, Merry Christmas
Goodbye, Christmas Tree 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Well, the house is back to normal. The tree is outside and ready for the brush pile. The decorations have been taken down and stowed in the attic. My house looks much bigger with all that clutter gone. Although, I will miss the pretty lights at night just a wee little bit.
Things with the Christmas
night situation have morphed into something bigger. Still no details I'm willing to share. Read more:Christmas Tree
, Goodbye
Back to Real Life 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Well, it's the first week back to work after the holidays. Everything I left waiting was still there when I unlocked the door and flipped on the lights. Darn it all! I think the budget pile actually managed to grow. Not to mention the week's worth of mail I found stuffed in my mailbox, most of which I actually had to keep and will require my attention.
There is a silver lining, though. The new Read more:Real Life
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