Sunday morning check-in

Outside we have our first real dusting of snow with temperatures in the low teens (and below). What does it mean when my goals remain the same and progress is slow? That I missed the Weds check-in? That my very bones are cold? That our heating bill went up and I don't care anymore?

In working through revisions for Standing Stones (my top priority for December), beta reader and master of understatement Ruth Nestvold (blessings upon her head and pen) pointed out that my fight scenes might need a little something. As a white collar worker extraordinaire, my exposure to fighting tends to be a bit on the snarky side. So if you want to see what I learned (and the 'before' and 'after'), jump over to my writing blog. Still working on the 'after' but will post next week.

Easily distracted this week. Perhaps I'm still recovering from NaNoWriMo, but here's my update with goals unchanged for the coming week.

WRITING: Complete Standing Stones for publication by end of ROW80 December 26. This week: complete edits and fill last plot holes. Steady progress on editing (40% complete). Now working on fight scenes. Need to make sure sequence of major subcharacter's comings and goings is accurate. This one will take a few days (revise, let scene sit, revise again).

BLOGGING: Post 4 out of 7 days on writing, travel, and ROW80 blog. Include Weds WIPpet. Posted twice. No WIPpet, but did post scene on writing blog. GOAL for coming week: 3 posts.

COMMUNITY: Read 20x in ROW80, FB poetry group, WEDS WIPpet. Only read 8x, but dipped in ROW80 and poetry group. Skipped WIPpet entirely. Found truly wonderful writerly memes on Pinterest.

MARKETING: Identify 10 crucial steps for Standing Stones launch and implement 2-3.Got a nice running start to identify 6 pre-launch step and now have a list of 6 blogs that review historical fiction.

OTHER: Exercise 3x week. Quilt whenever possible. Be inspired by Sandy Brown Jensen and CREATE SOMETHING DAILY. Finish all projects to wind down volunteer job of public relations by Weds Dec 4. Celebrate my birthday (it's a decade-turning big one). Track all my reading (even Kindle). Reduce clutter around the house and online. Cherish each day! Exercise 3x! Got some quilting done. Carted 5 boxes off to the new president at our board meeting to give to the new public relations person. Her response, "Do I have to keep all this?" Committed to preparing for 2014 as much as I can by December 31, but it's a little tough when people don't respond to my e-mails. Need to switch to phone calls for the coming week. Can't say I'm being particularly creative, BUT I am writing again.

Draft quilt block (Camp 2013)

Tracking my reading is kind of fun. If I write what I like to read, oh, am I in trouble, for I balance serious reading and research with the most brainless stuff -- skip those x-rated pages, but still mindless froth, romantic escapism.  This coming week, two books are due by Weds. Nancy Marguerite Anderson's The Pathfinder (research) and Michener's Tales of the South Pacific (a faster, classic read). And the froth: Elise Sax, An Affair To Dismember. I must confess to laughing out loud -- twice.

The week ahead looks snowy and cold. That means more time for writing . . . research . . . and reading!  Maybe this coming week, we'll work on art journals and Pinterest? See Christy Houser's Art Journal  I have none to share. Yet.

May your own week go well.