Please rejoice with me! I finally got my fed taxes done. Now I can focus on the creative aspects of my business life! I feel like I have my life back! I really dislike this time of the year: colors my mood grey! I will probably sound a lot cheerier the rest of the year!

I get discouraged this time of the year when doing my taxes. I wonder: Is all the effort worth it? Does anyone else get discouraged about their writing? Then, I have my moments when I have inspiration and can hardly wait to create the story or draw a particular picture. But promotion is so time consuming, taking away from creative time. The old "make your living by the sweat of your brow" curse, I guess. I know some persons who have the golden touch. I'll cheer up once I get my taxes filed and start focusing more on my creative endeavors.

I'm procrastinating tonight. The part of my taxes I dislike is balancing the book sales vs. inventory. Made more difficult by my publisher changing the pricing based on qty purchases, promo copies, freebies, etc... I've learned not to procrastinate on the bookkeeping. I'd better get back to work....

Hey Dawn, that's the book I bought!! I've been working on the first two dragons in the book. I'll scan the couple I finished and post them on my page. I also picked up Peffer's other book, drawing fantasy characters. That one is really hard. Thanks so much for taking the time out to get me the book info. I hope your weekend was good. Did you Friday or Monday off?

Thank you for the add. God Bless

Happy Easter!
I finally finished my second Cattle Capers(tm) short story for Amazon.com--and have to cut 700 words as they have a 10k word limit. EEks! Forces me to be more precise in my word choices when I got back through the story and cut. Somehow, I managed to do it with the first one.

I always wish I had more time to write and draw. Then, when I have the time, I don't always have the energy--like today. I took a nap then watched 3/4 of "Romancing The Stone," as if I'd never seen it before. It's great when I have time AND energy! I seem to have many more ideas than time to execute them. I think all creative people have the same complaint, unless they are fortunate enough to work full-time at their creative endeavors.

Sure, I could go back and think, "I wish I'd taken advantage of this or than opportunity," but I prefer to look forward because I cannot change the past.

I hope to make this year not a "wish I'd done this or that" year.

Take care.

Hi Dawn- great to see you this evening at the MWA-NW meeting! Thanks for dropping me a line!

Hi Dawn,
I hate when someone cuts me off! It could really throw your mood. Just be safe, it's not worth it.

You're a cartoonist, where did you learn how to draw? Or do you not draw you just do the writing? I've been trying to teach myself how to draw dragons and some other fantasy characters. I love it, but I feel like I'm flying blind.

There is a lot of concern right now about where the economy is headed. Does that mean there will be less disposable income to purchase novels or will people forgo more expensive entertainment and read more books? I think the solution is for authors to try to write the very best books they can so that readers are excited about the opportunity to make the purchase.

You're welcome, Lee. I will do that. My only experience with real police (besides being pulled over) is a citizen's academy that I attended last year, which was great. Any information that you experts are willing to share is always much appreciated. Have a nice night. I gotta eat dinner and do my taxes. So much harder to do the taxes since I started my business: I'm tempted to quit each year at this time and pack it in. But, then, I don't want the government to discourage me from pursuing my goals, either.

Hi Dawn. Thanks for the kind words about the article. I usually write one for each issue. While you're waiting for the next story please check out my daily blog, The Graveyard Shift.

http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/

Hi. Just checking in tonight. I spent a few hours today working on my next novel. I'm going to try to sign on Sunday nights to say "hello". I hope my fellow ningers are having a good week.

I just finished listening on CD to Anne Perry's latest Christmas novel. I like how she takes the secondary characters and takes the opportunity to round them out a bit more in the Christmas books which are not part of her series books. I've met Anne Perry a few times and she is very gracious, not haughty at all.

I'm now listening to "The Hounds of the Baskervilles" on CD and finishing up the short stories of Sherlock Holmes. Never "read" The Hounds novel, just seen lots of movie adaptations, so thought it was about time to do it.

I'm now reading "Charlatan" and "Lenin, Stalin, Hitler and the Age of Social Catastrophe". I guess you could say "Chalatan" is sort of a mystery as it is about how the quack doctor, Brinkley, was brought down. Makes me wonder how much of what we consider enlightened medicine nowadays is just a newer form of quakery.

I'm also reading, "Save The Cat" about screenwriting. A great explanation of the writing process in condensed form. I think it's really worth any author's time to check it out to help you focus on them and story structure.

I'm looking foward to meeting Sharan Newman at the Seattle Mystery Bookshop March 1st. I've read and enjoyed many of her medieval era novels.

Take care.
Dawn

I'm really sorry to sign up for the forum and then disappear. I signed up at the end of my Christmas vacation break, not knowing what a hellish start I'd have to 2008. Not only did I work massive OT (I'm salary so it as for no extra pay), but I had to do my state taxes and City of Seattle taxes as I carry an inventory. To everyone who requested to be friends right away and then felt neglected, I'm really sorry.

This social networking is also new to me. I wanted to give it a try with a select group of special people.

OK. I'm good at using that special shovel.

I look forward to meeting you. Please notice I uploaded the photo of my "alter ego". I like to draw the old style prison outfits because they are more fun and work better for cartoons. Take care. Dawn