Slowing down

Well, I got a forced vacation this week. Three days in the hospital while they tried to find out what was making me sick. The answer, they don't know. But, my blood cell count is now good, my blood pressure is back up into the 100/70 range after two days in the 88/60 area after IV fluids, and my heart hasn't been damaged by the chemo.

The good news is I read three books. Finally finished the Janet Evanavich, read Micheal Kahn's BEARING WITNESS, and Susan McBride's second in her dropout debutant series, THE GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER. Honestly, if I had another book when I started the Kahn book, I don't know if I would have finished it. I went five pages before I realized the main character was female. This got me thinking about my WIP, do I have the knowledge or research done to pull off a male small town sherriff in a big town? And speaking of my WIP, do I even have a plot that is a mystery? It's just like when I was writing romance with no happy ending.

I'm also listening to a Kathy Reich book, MONDAY MOURNING, which is good, but after watching Bones on Fox, I realize how much they have changed the character to meet the perceived needs of the television audience. Don't get me wrong, I love watching Bones but the differences are striking. Tempe in Bones is about 20 years younger than in the books. She doesn't work for the Jeffersonal, she works for a Canadian coronor, a North Carolina Coronor and the NC university. She has a daugher (in college). And is dating a Canadian law enforcement person, not dancing around our favorite vampire (Angel). I wonder how the author feels with all the changes to her character. The only thing they really kept is that she is a forensic anthropologist. I hope she got a lot of money.

So Tuesday I do more Chemo, Taxol this time.

I sent off an essay about the old days on the farm to Grit today. I had queried them a couple weekends ago and they shot back a yes on spec answer. So now I've sent off the finished essay. Its like sending off part of yourself to be judged. Well, I've been rejected before. Maybe I'm scared of being accepted!

Well, it is time to start up the laundry for the weekend. Happy Memorial Day to all.