I’m being interviewed at My Book Addiction today:  http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/  Stop by and post and you’ll be entered to win A Little Consequence!

Hope to see you there.

The latest joke in our house, no matter what we’re discussing, seems to be, “There’s an app for that.”

The first time I remember saying it was 2 years ago when a friend of mine was trying to decide whether to get an iPhone.  It was the 4th of July and we were at the park, waiting for fireworks, discussing it.  She was resistant.  I told her there’s an app for just about everything.  Her being a smart ass, she said, “What about fireworks?”  I did a search and, sure enough, you can get an app that sets off virtual fireworks.  I think she was impressed.

As I prepare to take on homeschooling my older son and acting as a landlord for our house in Kansas in addition to writing and chairing the school bookfair, I find myself in a nightly panic about trying to get organized.  My husband’s answer?  “I’ve got an app that will help you.”

*sigh*

So far he’s downloaded 3 or 4 apps that help me make to-do lists, schedules, etc. but frankly?  They aren’t exactly what I need.

What I need is a Wife App.

The Wife App would be able to:

* Read my mind

* Make my phone calls

* Make my to-do lists for me

* Prioritize my lists

* Figure out a schedule that gets everyone where they need to be when they need to be there

* Make sure everyone has what they need BEFORE they leave to get where they need to be

* Brainstorm my manuscript

* Do my meal planning and grocery shopping based on my family’s eating habits and needs

And generally just RUN MY LIFE.

My husband informed me there’s NOT an app for that.

I strongly believe someone should get on this.  If you have any suggestions for what else the Wife App will be able to do, please list your ideas here.  The developer, whoever he/she is, will get right on that!

One year ago today, we moved to Wisconsin.  My 8yo son will give you a detailed, heartwrenching recollection of leaving Kansas and how saying goodbye to his best friend was the “hardest day of his life” but all in all it’s been a good year.  A steady paycheck, benefits and a little bit of hope can do wonders for a family.

In honor of the occasion, my spur-of-the-moment top five things I like about Madison:

1. Citronella candles.  I’d bought these before, in Kansas, but we never once went through an entire candle.  Why?  Because it was TOO DAMN HOT to be outside, not because of a lack of bugs!  We’ve burned through multiple citronella candles here because we spend time outside on our deck almost every day.  (And yes, the mosquitos here are HUNGRY.)

2. My writers group.  The Mad City Romance Writers group is a new offshoot of the Wisconsin chapter (how ironic that I got here at just the right time to be a founding member) and I have to say it’s a fabulous group of writers!  Lots of really smart, creative people who I can relate to not only on a writing level but on a life level as well.  Plus…how can you beat lunch at the Village Green once a month?

3. Water.  It’s everywhere…and I mean in places it’s supposed to be, not in streets or basements.  There are lakes and creeks all over the place here.  I love water and though I haven’t taken advantage of it enough yet…I plan to.  Just the sight of one of the lakes can calm me.  (Who me, in need of a calming effect?  Ha!)

4. Summer.  It’s perfect here.  I thought I’d miss the Kansas heat, since I’m always colder than “normal” people, but…nope.  It turns out I’m not such a step-outside-into-the-sauna-that-is-Kansas girl after all.  Example:  it’s 76 degrees and sunny now.  Perfect.

5. Packers.  Okay, call me fickle, but I never really felt the love with the Chiefs.  I tried.  Hard.  And…bleah.  Two years ago we took a random vacation to Wisconsin, before we ever even thought of living here, and we toured the Packers stadium.  It was cool.  My dad’s lifelong fandom rubbed off on all of us and now…here we are.  Within shouting distance.  Ready for football season.

Don’t get me wrong…we miss our Kansas friends and family but…Wisconsin is good.  Doubly so if you like cheese. *g*

I know  a lot of people love listening to audiobooks, my husband included.  I would LIKE to love listening to audiobooks but…I don’t seem to be able to do it.

I’m all about multitasking, so I fully embrace the idea of listening to a book while I clean house (ahem when I do get around to cleaning the house), or drive, or watch the kids at the pool.  What a great use of my time…I could add to the list of books I’ve “read” for the year…and I’m all about lists.

Except…I can’t seem to master the art of listening to an audiobook.

If I’m doing something else, like vacuuming, or trying to ascertain whether the kids are in line for the water slide or if someone has indeed kidnapped them, or even chopping peppers for dinner…I get involved in my task and realize…I have no idea what the last 30 seconds of the book were.  Or 3 minutes.  I have to back it up and then try REALLY HARD to pay attention because, well, there’s STUFF going on.

So…driving.  Perfect time to listen to an audiobook.  I’ve put a lot of miles on the car this year between going to conferences and visiting my parents in Kansas.  So this last trip to Kansas, I planned ahead.  I found an audiobook of an author I’d heard good things about but hadn’t read before (Elizabeth Berg) on sale at the school bookfair.  I bought it, didn’t lose it, and actually remembered to burn it onto my iphone 2 months later, just in time for my trip.  And I listened to it while the boys watched Scooby Do videos.

Except…I missed a turn somewhere.  I pulled off the highway in Small Town, Iowa, got the boys some lunch, and then checked my map to make sure I was going the right way.

And I wasn’t.

Somewhere along the line, my intended road had veered and I…hadn’t.  Because, hello…I was INVOLVED in my audiobook!

So I had a good laugh at my own expense, and fortunately, I could continue on the road I was on…it was just a different route from the one I had planned.  My husband only made minimal fun of me…which is a good thing because several days later when he went to pick up the boys in Des Moines?  HE MISSED THE SAME VEER due to becoming way involved in his audiobook.

Anyone else out there struggle to listen to a book?  Or are you one of those who devours several per month?  I promise I won’t hold your multi-tasking abilities against you…much.

The 4th Texas Firefighter book is DONE!  Or…done for now.  I turned it in last night and will take a break from those characters until I get revision notes.  Because this book was moved up (it’s now an April 2011 release) I only expect to get about a week break before having to revise it.  But…I have plenty to do in that week. 

My kids are so tired of hearing “after my deadline” that my 8yo actually asked, last night when I told him I was DONE, “Does this mean no more deadline?”  Heh.  I told him for now.

We have 2 weeks of summer left here and I intend to squeeze in some fun things for my boys, in addition to their already scheduled swim lessons (which they LOVE — yay!) and the overnight at the indoor waterpark.  I’m thinking a Mallards game (baseball…don’t even know what league or anything about them but we have free tickets), bowling, mini golf and more visits to the pool.

And if that wasn’t enough to keep me busy, I have the rest of the stuff I’ve shoved off until “after my deadline.”  I have a bookfair to organize for the 8yo’s school, a year of virtual school (ie pseudo homeschooling) to figure out for the 10yo, a townhouse in Kansas to get rented, a house in Wisconsin to clean, an office to organize for pseudo homeschooling, oh, and a new proposal to get to work on. 

I actually think I need a wife.  Anyone else?  What things are keeping you insane at this crazy time of year?  Please let me know I’m not alone.  If nothing else, we can self-medicate as a group…with vodka or tequila.

My book is due Monday and between swim lessons, tennis lessons, back to school events for both kids, doctors appointments, promotions for 3 books, landlord lessons, and about 62 other things distracting me from breathing, I’m droooooowning.  *Cue dramatic music.*

I don’t have a spare thought in my head for a blog post, but I’ll be back next week. 

Hope everyone is doing well…oh!  And I should mention that A Little Consequence, book 2 of the Texas Firefighters, is now in stores everywhere!  For links to purchase, a blurb and an excerpt, please click here.  If you’ve already read it, please let me know what you thought by using my contact page.

Happy reading!

I got home from Orlando Monday night and am wondering where the hell the week went?  Apparently there was much recovery needed!  Had a FABULOUS trip, though…one that made me realize how very lucky I am to have such good people in my life.

Before I forget, for those of you who won prizes from me before RWA National, I finally mailed those this week.  You should receive them very soon. 

Another before-I-forget, I’m guest blogging at Tawny Weber’s blog today and giving away PLAYING WITH FIRE!  Please stop over to say hi and enter!

So the conference…I’ve posted photos here on my website as well as on Facebook if you’re interested.  I didn’t make it to as many workshops as I’d hoped (I never do) but the ones I went to were really good.  Thriller writer Lee Child was there to do a workshop with Suzanne Brockmann about making your books appeal to the opposite gender, which both of them do well.  Listening to a non-romance writer was very interesting, and I’ll be going out today to purchase my first Lee Child book.  (And I’ll be buying it at Borders because I have a coupon for a free GLITTER BALL!!!!  Seriously, how can a girl resist that?)

I also went to a panel with agents Steve Axelrod, Kristin Nelson and Karen Solem.  Verrrry interesting and difficult to summarize because the three of them had such differing viewpoints on all aspects of publishing and the romance genre.  They did agree social media is huge, that authors have more control over their careers than ever before, and that the industry is in total 100% flux right now, with no one knowing where it will go.  So whether you’re a reader or a writer, if you feel confused about where things are heading with ebooks, print publishing, etc., you’re not alone!

The Harlequin party was fantastic as usual…and for the first time in recent years you had to be on the list to get in.  It made for much shorter lines at the bar.  Speaking of the bar, Eric the bartender was my hero all night, as he named a drink for me.  I had many of my friends bothering him for the “Amy’s Special.”  I’m so easy to make happy…:)

Nora Roberts was the keynote speaker, and of course she was awesome.  Her message, in short, was about 30 years of RWA.  She was at the very first conference and made some of her best friendships there, friendships that have gotten her through the bad times and helped her celebrate the good times.  She talked about whether it’s harder to get published now or when she first sold, and her opinion is it’s ALWAYS hard.  (And then she reiterated her message of “sit down, stop complaining, and do the work. )

Jayne Ann Krentz was the Award Luncheon Speaker and she was good as well.  She told of all the ways she’s tried to ruin her career over the years.  Coming from her, seeing how successful she is today, was inspiring.  If she can survive making big mistakes, then maybe the rest of us can have a successful career that spans many years and multiple genres as well…in spite of our screw-ups.

The Rita ceremony was inspiring and several acceptance speeches drove our table to pass around the tissues.  My favorite win was Beth Andrews, who won for Best Series Contemporary Book with her Superromance, A Not-So-Perfect Past.  YAAAAY!  I love Beth’s books and am so happy for her!

I loved meeting so many people in Florida and wish I could’ve spent more time with many more…there’s  never enough time!  If you’re a writer and have ever considered going to national, I highly recommend it!  What are you waiting for?

Now it’s back to the grindstone…book is due in less than two weeks and it needs lots of help.  Wish me luck and sanity, please.

I’m leaving in the morning…my 8th trip of 2010 so far.  I’ve never traveled this much in my life but I could get used to it.

This time I’m heading to Kansas for a couple of days and then flying to Orlando for the Romance Writers of America national conference.  My bags are packed (and I *think* weigh less than 50 pounds), and I have 10 hours or so to think of anything I may have forgotten. 

If you’re my friend on Facebook, you might have seen that I finished my latest book, the fourth in the Texas Firefighters series.  Well, kind of finished it.  I got to the end, but now I have to go back and rework it pretty intensely because it’s U-G-L-Y.  On Friday I got word that its release date has been moved up a month, so it will be out in April 2011.  That also means my editor and I will have to bust our butts to get it ready for production in time.  Um…yay?  It’s a good problem to have.

Quick note to everyone who won a prize either on my Lucky 13 contest or my website contest…I’ve been so buried trying to get the book done and suitcase packed that I haven’t been able to mail your prizes yet.  I WILL as soon as I get back in town.  I’m sorry it’s taking so long! 

I’m off to print out a copy of The Mess, otherwise known as the book that must be butchered.  Looking forward to seeing writer and reader friends in Florida and I might even check in here with some pics or a report if I can find the opportunity.  Otherwise, I’ll be back in August!

Just a quick post to let you know I’m at My Book Addiction and More today (thank you, Wendy!) and I’m giving away a copy of Playing With Fire!  Stop by and find out about one of my many weaknesses! *g*

Back to the manuscript…

Note to self: no more deadlines to coincide with book releases!

‘Nuther note to self: no more leaving half the book to be written in the last month before deadline.

Anyone else pushing hard to get something done by a certain date this summer? My poor boys are SO SICK of the phrase “after my deadline”…I’m gonna owe them a week straight of the pool, bowling, redoing their room, etc.

I’ll try to check in here with a couple posts next week because after that, I’m heading to Orlando for the RWA National Conference. (Note to self: next year, actually get around to losing the 10 pounds before national!)

Happy weekend!