Zumba: Have You Tried It?

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states." ~Carol Welch

I confess: I have a new love.

Zumba.


You may have heard of it - a relatively new addition to the workout scene, it's basically an aerobics class that combines all different kinds of dance to Latin music. I have friends who've tried it and raved about it, and I finally had a chance to go myself, yesterday.


Wow! It really is a lot of fun. I thought maybe I'd trip over my own feet, or look like an idiot, but the thing is, everyone sort of does their own thing, and it's more about having a good time dancing than getting down the specific choreography. Of course, I love dancing, period, so I had a ball. The best word I can use to describe it is joyous - a whole hour of fun. And yes, it makes you sweat and burn calories too! Can't wait to go back and do it again. If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it (if you click on the link up above, you can search for classes in your area).


And by the way, working up a sweat is good for you in so many ways, physically as well as emotionally and psychologically. In fact, I wrote an article about it a while back: How Step Class can Steam up your Sheets.



*****

Just finished Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult. She's one of my favorite authors, though I can't read a lot of her books in a row, because the language and even the plotlines are similar after a while. But this one I enjoyed overall. The one thing I've realized about her writing, though, is that she uses too much figurative language. I'm all for appreciating a well-turned simile or metaphor, but when every other sentence has one, it's a little bit of overkill.


*****

Current Word Count for Entwined: 29,580


Yesterday's Fave Sentence: Maybe, she thinks, if she sinks far enough into the sofa, she will simply slide through to China, the way tall tales warn children who are still young enough to believe.

Winter Scenes

"I was just thinking, if it is really religion with these nudist colonies, they sure must turn atheists in the wintertime." ~Will Rogers

Know what I love most about Christmas? I mean, besides relaxing with family and the smell of the tree and opening gifts? Allowing myself to eat whatever I want :) I try so hard to be good the other days of the year. On Christmas I eat chocolate for breakfast, have a second dessert after dinner, and generally graze from the cookie plate whenever I want to.

Sigh. It always ends too soon.

Some winter scenes from the last couple of days:

Icicles hanging outside our sunroom

Deer tracks all over our front lawn

Current Word Count for Entwined: 28, 784

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: She thinks of how her own wrinkles and edges and corners have changed and wonders if others can see them the way she can.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing all my friends, family, colleagues, and readers a blessed holiday season!

A Christmas Eve Query Tip

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." ~Norman Vincent Peale

Merry Christmas Eve to everyone!

Here's an early gift to anyone who might be in the process of querying agents: Firebrand Literary Agency is taking First Chapter Queries for the next month, rather than query letters. Great opportunity to showcase your writing and your story, rather than your marketing/sales skills. More info here.

P.S. Writers' Wednesdays will return after the holidays!

Two Days and Counting...

Well, I tackled the last-minute shopping yesterday after school...yikes. Remind me next year to please, please finish shopping earlier than December 22nd!

I'm a crazy maniac today, too - starting (yes, starting) my wrapping after a full-day school party, so no writing news to report.

But here are some fun Christmas cartoons to brighten your day!

Three Days and Counting!

"People can't concentrate properly on blowing other people to pieces if their minds are poisoned by thoughts suitable to the twenty-fifth of December." ~Ogden Nash

Yikes - can't believe it's only 3 days 'til Christmas! Are you ready? I'm not!

Here's the promo poster for the March 21st signing I'll be part of - pretty neat, huh?

Current Word Count for Entwined: 28,101

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: She is not his twin – they did not share a womb, or a mother, or a single heartbeat above them as they grew – though they may as well share one heart between them now.

In Memory

"Death ends a life, not a relationship." ~Robert Benchley

A moment of silence today, to remember the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland - can't believe it's been 20 years ago today. 35 Syracuse University students were on board that flight, coming home from a semester studying abroad. Since I grew up near Syracuse, I remember the horror and grief vividly. Ironically, when I was a freshman in college (at another school, not SU), I ended up buying a used book that had belonged to a student who also died in that crash. Small world.

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I also have two quick links to share today, and then I'm off to watch more snow fall...


The Samhellion December Newsletter - The theme is "gift giving on a budget," so you might find an idea or two. Plus I have an article featured :)


Samhain Publishing is running an end-of-the-year "bestsellers" survey...and if you want to vote for One Night in Memphis as your fave release this year (which I would LOVE for you to do LOL), click right here!


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Current Word Count for Entwined: 26,974


Yesterday's Fave Sentence: He stands there and watches her go, carrying his child below her heart.