Shiny Things 3/18/18-3/25/18

What’s distracting me this week?

The olympics were fun and in about a week and a half, it’s time for the World Figureskating championships! I hope I’ll be able to catch some of it, despite the Easter festivities. If you’re a fan, too, here’s the broadcast schedule link World championships

I hope Nathan Chen has a strong performance!

On a more personal note, my poor baby basenji (ok, he’s five) has an autoimmune disease and has been sick, but after much tinkering with his meds and food, he’s now gained back three pounds!

Here’s Ranger on the bottom with my vizsla, Lali. Unfortunately, you can also see the seal on my double pane windows are shot, but oh, well.😜

In other news, I dyed my whole bathroom blue. Actually, I dyed my hair blue, but apparently I can’t be trusted with hair dye.

Not the greatest picture of me, but you can sort of see the blue (and not just where I stained my hairline).

Ok, — writing. I’ve been writing a ton since the new year. I semi-finished a m/m novella (I need beta readers!) You may wonder why all of a sudden I’ve diverged from heterosexual PNR. (Or maybe you didn’t, but I’ll tell you anyway) I got big into Yaoi manga like this 

And The Dragon’s Flame (now out in paperback!) trickled out of my brain at a glacial pace, so I wanted to just write for fun to get back to my old pace.

I’m planning on self-publishing the m/m and I need beta readers, so drop me an email if you’re interested. (Karin@shahs.com)

blurb: College Freshman Seiichi Seigo is at the end of his rope. Suddenly orphaned, he’s grieving and one paycheck away from homelessness. When his best friend sprains his ankle, he begs Seiichi to take over as a personal assistant for his older brother, 26 year-old prodigy director Kei Karasawa. Things seem to be looking up. Seiichi has room and board and an interesting job that allows him to stay in school. There’s only one problem. The sexy, magnetic Kei, who seems to hate him, arouses feelings Seiichi never felt for his high school girlfriends or for anyone for that matter.
Can he stop himself from falling for his new boss?

As for The Chimera Chronicles book 6, I solemnly swear I am up to no…I mean, I’ve got a little written and I will turn all my attention back to it once I get my short projects completed. Look for a sort of Beauty and the Beast theme. (But with secret underground fight rings and circuses)

How’s your week shaping up? Gonna dye your hair a weird color? How are your animals? Planning to watch the world championships? Easter preparations? I’d love to hear!

All the best!

Karin

 

Is this TMI? Shiny Things 1/13/2015

My daughter born the last time the bucks won the championship.

Shiny Things 1/13/2015

Things distracting me this week–

Congratulations, Ohio State Buckeyes on winning a true National Championship!

I’m not really a football fan, but the Buckeyes are special to me for more than just geographical reasons (I live in a suburb of Columbus).

The last time the Buckeyes won a National Championship was the 2002 season. I remember it very well, because I was in the hospital having my first child.

(Warning labor story) she wasn’t due until February 6th, so it was quite a surprise when my water broke on January 3rd! I’d just been to the doctor the day before and been told everything seemed fine for her original delivery date, for goodness sake! But at seven am it happened. Because it happened so early, I acted like a total moron. (Me: It can’t be my water! It’s too early! DH: Call the doctor. Me(the moron): but no one will be there yet!) I finally got my brain together, called and was told to come to the hospital, back then it was called the Ohio State Medical Center, or OSUMC.

Skipping ahead, I am not a hero and was soon drugged up and attached to so many devices I told my sister over the phone that I felt like a Borg. Twelve hours later, around ten, the serious work began, but no luck. Meanwhile, OSU was busy playing in the Tostidos Fiesta Bowl.

I swear to this day, my doctors dragged their feet getting the OR ready so they could finish watching the game. My proof? At one in the morning my daughter was delivered and as the OB handed her over he said (and we have this on DVD), “and by the way, OSU won.”

So when you say, O-H and my kids return I-O, they come by it honestly.

Anybody else have kids born on “special occasions?”

Other things–

(Warning excessive whining) I’ve been fighting a cold/sinus attack from Hell/migraine since Saturday, so my edits for my New YA Fantasy Romance are going very slowly. Part of me says, “come on, push through you wimp!” But the other professional writer part says, “you’ll start to skim and miss things.”

Have you seen that commercial where the guy opens the door and says, “I’m really sorry, I’m going to have to call in sick tomorrow and he’s talking to a baby in a crib?” I feel the same way about edits, unfortunately, NyQuil (or any number of drugs) hasn’t made any difference.

My tree is still up. Yes, it’s artificial. You don’t have to picture a pathetic stick, dropping needles all over my hardwood floor. We always keep our tree up until after my daughter’s birthday, but I’m pleading edits. I have a history, though of getting it down late. One year, it was still up when my Mom came to visit in February (she’s never let me forget it!) Still, as I get older I’m trying to do better.

What’s the latest you’ve had yours up?

Wish me luck!

Karin