*mantras she mutters to self*
1. give self permission to write crap – cannot edit the blank page.
2. give thanks for CP’s willing to read crap 
– send them chocolate, for they will inherit the earth. (Or at least my straight-jacket)
The carrot dangling in front of me today is the following: Tonight on Sixty Minutes II, Lara Logan reports on her experiences of being embedded with the Navy SEALs in Afghanistan. Yeah for me! When I tell the husband this, he turns to me, in all seriousness, and asks why I wasn’t invited along with the reporter and the SEALs.
And you all wondered why I married him.
Back. To. Editing. 
Edit Now. SEALs later.
And why do I SUCK at adding description? 
Why don’t I notice anything? How can I have characters in a hospital and not mention anything about the hospital at all? Layer. Layer. Layer. Five senses. Emotions. Raise the stakes. 
Am seriously thinking about adding wolves to chapter one. Because if you have wolves, am thinking that the emotions will just fall naturally into place.
Steph T.
New York Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read — romantic suspense novels starring military heroes and paranormal romance novels novels starring warrior heroes, all complete with happy endings. Her alter-ego is 
First of all, good job on the mantras. Very wise. I’ve only recently given myself permission to write crap.
Second, how come you have moving smilies you can add to your posts and I don’t? : (
Third, very wise on the wolves, too. I’ve managed to work them into all my mss. now. Wolves = blockbuster. Yep.
I owe all my wolves to you…and thus will read the dedication page: To Larisssa, for allowing me to release the wolves *ggg*
I’ll send you some smiley HTML so you won’t be lonely 🙂
The “loser” smiley is a riot!! LOL And I’m learning to follow your first mantra. With a deadline, you MUST write SOMETHING or you’ll never get there. Forget inspiration, it’s all perspiration at this point.
Go Steph Go!.
Your dh sounds great! 😉
I laughed up a lung at wolves!!!!!
At least you’re writing/editing chica. I have the same problem. But description/five senses is definitely a bigger weakness for me than emotion. I mean who cares what a hospital smells like! LOL
Loser smiley–i need one.
Steph, adding description is hard for me, too…I’m trying real hard to get better at it.
Not sure what the wolf reference is.. may have to fill me in on that.
As far as writing crap goes..everything I write starts out that way…but gets better with each revision.
Jerri
Hey Jer –
Forgot to link the ‘wolves’ thing – it’s linked now to Larissa’s blog – go read it – it’s friggin’ hysterical and will make you rethink wolves as a plot device *ggg*
Okay, that’s it. My next Smithson book is going to have wolves in it.
*giggles* wouldn’t it be funny if we all found a way to sneak wolves into our next book?
*giggles again* wouldn’t it be funnier if I could get a book published first so that I could sneak the wolves into it?
Yay, Alison! I want wolves in a Smithson book! LOL!
And OMG, Steph, I sprayed beer on my keyboard when I read this:
*giggles again* wouldn’t it be funnier if I could get a book published first so that I could sneak the wolves into it?
Oh, and on that dedication page? Could you spell my name right? *ducks and runs* 😉
ROFLMAO! – you don’t think the 3 -s thing gives your name that certain breath of fresh air?
Great mantra’s and LOLing at the wolves. I want to read that book!
It might be a bit difficult to put some wolves into my erotic novel, but I’m willing to give it a try. wolves=blockbuster *ggg*
Okay, question??…does it have to be a real pack of wolves or could it be a picture of a pack of them? I think I could work a picture in..after all, my setting is in New Mexico.(Raising eyebrow in inquiry.):)
Jerri
Oh, sure, Steph! 3 S’s in my name gives it a wonderful breath of fresh air…that sounds like a hiss! LOL
Sasha, you crack me up. I mean, yeah, what’s more erotic than a pack of wolves? They work in every situation. Disaster movies, love scenes, children’s stories. There is no better plot device!
Terri–I worked my wolves in as references, which obviously isn’t as good as having a pack escape from a zoo during the middle of the world’s worst disaster, but hey, we do what we can with what we’ve got. So I think a picture would do nicely! *ggg*
Hmmm . . . Now I want a pack of wolves too.
I just add one little extra s to your name, Larissa, and you go and change Jerri’s name to Terri…
(I still think the extra s adds that sexy Brava feel to your name 🙂
Teresa – you totally need to go for the wolves.
Oh, good grief! Sorry, Jerri! Or, as Steph would spell it, Jerrri. *ggg*
Whoa, here, you certainly are on to something. Must get back to my project and change the wild boar to a wolf!!!