Just a little warning for you: When you leave your home in the tropics for a month and a half, and close up all the doors and windows, and turn off all the ceiling fans, be prepared that you will return to fuzzy mildew growing on every wooden surface in sight. Nothing a little household cleaner and a wet rag can’t fix, but all the same, I just thought you should be prepared. . .

Been away far too long from my little home here in LJ land, though I have been peeking in on each of your lives periodically. Trips to America always demand a very different kind of schedule, most often dictated for me by others. That’s not always a terrible thing. It can be a really fun thing. But it just means that a lot of things I would normally spend time doing, I haven’t been able or haven’t chosen to take the time to do lately. However, I’ve managed my fair share of writing related activities. Here’s just some of what I’ve been up to:

1.) Bought an unbelievable number of books at the Scholastic Warehouse sale. Really, I’m embarassed to admit how many. Justified by the fact (to myself, at least) that I cannot get books in English in Brazil. Then proceeded to buy even more books at every place I go to that sells books. Not to mention the 100 books I’ve checked out from the library while I’ve been here. I’m hopeless. Really, I am.

2.) Met the wonderful 

for coffee and chatting (lovelovelove her upcoming REACHING FOR SUN from Bloomsbury) and then met Amy Thomas for coffee the other morning. Both were so encouraging and felt like I was spending time with a dear friend. In fact, I believe I was. : )

3.) Spoke with a critique group (not mine, one I visited here in the States), shared the manuscripts that recently sold and blushed and got teary eyed when they laughed in all the right places and cried in all the appropriate places. YAY!

4.) Spoke with both of my editors (first time I’ve ever called them MY editors!!!!) over the last couple of days. Wow. Just wow. I’m so happy. Things are moving forward and I’m so so so so privileged to be able to publish with these houses and these editors. 

5.) Wrote 4 poems (so far) for two upcoming anthologies. No guarantee they’ll be accepted but couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by, no matter how busy I am. Thanks to the 

 for making me stick to it and get at least these few done. Or mostly done. Still need to tweak a bit. I’m hoping to get more done but the next few days will be a whirlwind. 

I’ll be in a fairly remote (read: no internet connection) part of Brazil for the last two weeks of January, so I may not check in until the beginning of February. Maybe I can share my resolutions then. 

Happy New Year everyone!