I don’t know about everyone else, but as a mom of 4 school-aged boys, I half-dread/half-love summer vacation. There’s one week left before school’s out—I say one week, but the two older boys didn’t actually have to go this past week—it was exams week and since they are both passing their TAKS (A Texas testing system—that is thankfully being revamped) and are passing their classes, they didn’t have to take the exams and were done as a week ago. My two younger boys had Tuesday thru Friday to go though. Now it’s 3 months of them all!

As a mom, it’s easy, I make sure the fridge and pantry are stocked and my timer works (for the turns on the Xbox, computer, etc.). We don’t usually vacation much in the summer months (see hubby’s job description below) so it’s all us all summer right here. And with that, for the most part, I know where they are all the time and what they’re doing. (I suppose I do when they’re at school, too, but…)

As a writer, it’s actually easier for me to write when they are all under the same roof. Strange as it sounds it’s true. I’d say a good chunk of my last two books were written the first few weeks after school got out, in the evening. The house is starting to settle down. The boys are usually tired enough to leave me alone (ha!) and they are all where they’re going to be for the evening, be it here or at a friends. If you think that sounds weird—wait—this time of year, the hubby is usually gone for work (he works on/at NBA finals) so not only am I getting more done with all the boys home, it’s doing it down one parent. I don’t know why it works that way but at least for the last three years it has (and the end of summer is Little League World Series for him—so I round out the summer the same way).

Having said that, I am hoping I didn’t just jinx myself out of my next book… HA! But I plan on getting at least a few chapters deep into something—just haven’t figured out which one yet.

On the new book front: RHINESTONE COWGIRL all the paperwork’s been signed and delivered and the cover-art form returned so I should have exact dates and a cover to share before too long. Will keep giving updates as I get them… Until then, happy reading and happy writing and have a great start to summer vacation! D ~