Since yesterday was Thursday Thirteen, I delayed in mentioning the Hallmark moment we had in our family on Wednesday.

My six-year-old came into the office while I was writing (with the little one on my lap) and asked if he could play video games. When I told him he could, he gave me a big hug and told me I was the ‘Best Mommy in the World’. Almost immediately, the four-year-old says, ‘Gimme a break.’ Big brother and I sat for two seconds in stunned silence before laughing it up.

On to other news…I got my contest scores back! I visited the post office twice yesterday, just hoping for that big return envelope. The second time was a charm, and with my heart racing, I hurried back the car and ripped open the envelope.

Not too bad. Pretty good actually. My average score was 105/115, so I’m happy with that. A couple of the judges didn’t really ‘get’ the conflict in my story, which I think is a little strange, given the nature of the plot line. I even asked my husband, who has read the first few chapters if he thought it was clear. He assured me that it really should be. I don’t know…maybe I need to spell it out better. The difficulty is that then some readers tell me, ‘You’re dwelling on this too much.’ ‘You’ve said it already…here…here…and here.’

Somehow, I have got to figure this out…

But I’m relieved and happy with my scores. I got some good, insightful comments too which I will be incorporating. I must say though that the ‘contest experience’ wouldn’t have ended so sweetly if they didn’t have a three judge policy. The scores from the first two judges were more than twenty points apart, with one being 85% or more of the 115. So another judge read and scored me, the lowest score was dropped, and thus I got my respectable score. My low-scoring judge wasn’t able to get past one part of one scene–it affected her scoring across the board. And so maybe I’ll take from that that I need to tighten that scene up, maybe edit some things out…who knows. I’ll really have to consider that carefully.

But until then, I’m plugging along…on day three in a row writing! Yay!
Have a great weekend!

* This quote is from Seinfeld and not necessarily something I would say…

Well, I’m not sure I’m off to that great a start. I didn’t write yesterday–didn’t really even consider it…but wait! I did say only six days a week, so if I write for six days straight, I’m still on target, right? Okay, we’ll try for that, even though I have my boys home today and tomorrow and maybe the little one on Thursday and Friday. Maybe, because I’m actually not sure when he goes back. Don’t get me wrong, we’re getting all dressed and back-packed up on Thursday and heading over there just on the possibility that he might have school. I could call someone, but since I’m the one that people tend to call, that probably won’t work too well. We’ll just cross our fingers. Because if he is in school…that’s like four full hours of potential Revision Magic time. (This is me being optimistic). I haven’t had that time in almost a month!

Please don’t let them ask me to substitute…please don’t let them call me. I’ll sit very still and not make any noises if they just don’t notice me here, poised on the brink of productivity….

Today I’m thinking for favor ideas for my sons’ rock-climbing birthday party later this month. So far I have bouncy balls that look like rocks, rope bracelets, and carabiners with compasses on the end. None of this is definite…I’m still scoping out ideas, so feel free to send yours over.

Oh, and be sure to check out the He Wrote, She Wrote blog. Bob Mayer and Jenny Crusie have turned it into a writing workshop blog, so it should be very good reading.