Passion

I am a very passionate person. And before you stop reading, this a a very G-rated post.:D I don't mean the romantic kind of passion. (Although, well, that too.;)) I mean the drive that makes you obsessive about the things you love. When I like something (or someone, come to think of it) I tend to grab onto it and hold on for dear life. Sometimes I think I have too many things I get passionate about. Because passion takes time. It's one of the reason I haven't been blogging as much lately. I have a lot of things I am passionate about right now and it takes up bucketloads of time. (Oh, and I have to write two books in the next four months. That takes time too.:D)

I think I blog enough about my husband and children for you all to know that I am passionate about them. They are number one in my life and when I write my To-Do list, they come first. Before writing, before me, before blogging.:D But I have some new passions in my life too.

Running. I've always loved running. Well, with a caveat. I like running OUTSIDE. Treadmills? Please just kill me. Running on a treadmill is one of my least favorite parts about traveling, actually. You're more likely to find me on a stationary bike or even just doing some weights. The evil treadmill, grrrr!!! But running outside is one of my passions. I live about a half mile away from a running park and I can go any distance, any speed, any terrain, in that park. This may sound hokey, but my life is better because of that running park.:D No it's true. Running keeps me sane and about twice a week I come in from my run and wax lyrical to my husband about how much I love to run. I am actually running my very first race since . . . oh, I think it was a 5K in 2008 . . . and this is no 5k. I am running a Tough Mudder in Vegas next weekend and I am so incredibly stoked!!!!!! I am going out on a ten-miler tomorrow to prepare and am glad I have been training in the heat all summer since my team was assigned a noon start time in DEATH VALLEY. So excited! Also excited for it to cool down this fall so I can be somewhat less sweaty and disgusting when I get home every day.

Primal/Paleo. (The first link is to Mark Sisson's website, which I read, the second is to Robb Wolf's website, which I don't. I am much, much more a Primal girl, but Robb is supposed to be the premiere authority on Paleo, so, yeah, whatever.;)) I discovered this around the beginning of the year and eased into it slowly. But carnivorous me pretty much latched on to the concept from the beginning and I've been eating (and cooking!!!!! Another of my passions!!) this way since about March or so. And I have seriously never been so healthy or felt so good in my entire life. (It's not for everyone--I'm not trying to get you to try it, it's just monopolizing a fair bit of my time lately.:D) It gives me a chance to cook fun food (I get SO many recipes from this lovely lady here, at PaleOMG) and have learned how versatile things like coconut milk and almond flour can be. I will give this disclaimer, I tend to call myself Paleo minus the snobbery: I'm not a fanatic, I don't do the grass-fed thing, I like cheese, and stevia is my friend.:D But when I seriously feel awesome pretty much every moment of the day, well, that's something that invokes the passion in me. Also, be forewarned, you will probably see some pretty pictures of Primal-friendly food in the future.:D

Writing. I know this one should be obvious, but I have reawakened my love of writing!!! I think I have confessed before that I don't love revising. I love the results of revising (So. Much!) but the actual process is difficult and painful for me. (But necessary!!!!!!) I literally spent January through July revising. That's just the way this two-book a year schedule ended up working out. However, that means that I will spend August through January drafting!!!!!!!!!! Drafting is my favorite part and I am having SO much fun working on my new book (stand-alone, I really can't tell you much about it except that is is going to be freaking awesome!!!!) and next up is my sequel to Earthbound (which I also can't tell you much about except that it's going to be EPIC!!!!) Both of these books are making me super happy right now.

So basically, I have awakened a bunch of passions and started kids in school, and now have three kids in piano lessons instead of two, and . . . and . . . and . . .


THAT is why I have not been blogging.:D

I do have a couple little tidbits of news: Pub dates!!!! Life After Theft will be releasing April 30th, just in time for RWA Nationals!!! Earthbound will be publishing July 30, just after my birthday!!!! Whoo-hoo!!!!!!

Also, next week I will be doing an interview with the lovely Lesley Livingston for the first book in her new series, STARLING. I will also be giving away said book, so stay tuned!!!

Ciao!