I have a lot of girlfriends who don’t work. Most have kids, and they spend their time caring for their family. I think that’s wonderful. I would love to have the option of not working. And this summer I’ve been a little more envious than normal because my friends, well, they’re pretty well off. So they have spent the entire summer traveling to amazing places. They go away for weeks at a time and nearly every weekend. They shop, eat at wonderful restaurants. They find babysitters wherever they go so they can actually do things without kids sometimes. They are lucky. They are so fortunate that I actually have not seen any of them all summer because they’ve been so busy traveling and having fun. How can I not feel a little bit envious? Even if we could keep up with this social circle financially–which we can’t, especially with all these medical bills rolling in–I couldn’t have done anything fun this summer because I’ve been holed up with this broken leg. Days and weeks have gone by where I have not seen another human being except for my husband and kid. Meanwhile I keep getting emails from wonderful places where my girlfriends are, usually ending in ’sent from my blackberry’. So far my only excursion this summer was to RWA conference (and many of you saw how relaxed I looked there. Not.) Fortunately God created lemon drops and the internet. Who needs the Caribbean?

Anyway, I was wondering what I would do if we won the lottery. Would I drop out of writing? I’m lucky because we can squeak by with my writing as a second income. But this is a hard, stressful business, and would I give it up if I had the chance? I could spend more quality time with my kid without always feeling like I should be writing. I could join my friends when they go to the beach, instead of saying no because “I have to write.” What if my time at the computer was spent looking for accommodations for my upcoming trips instead of trying to bleed pages directly from my veins? Doesn’t sound half bad.

But then I realized I could never stop writing, even if I was rich. I might not stress so much on it, but I wouldn’t stop. I’ve never been one of those writers with voices in her head, but I’ve always had lines. Random thoughts, phrases, first sentences. Scenarios. Questions. Things that need to be put on paper, or at least explored. So the answer to my own question is this: if I won the lottery I would not stop writing. I’d just do it on the beach in Thailand. With a nanny, of course.

How about you?

Many of us went to the annual Romance Writers of America conference in San Francisco. Now that we’re back, I’ve noticed most of us fall into one of two categories: the motivated and the overwhelmed. Those in the first category return all antsy and eager start pounding the keyboard and put all they’ve learned to use. I, however, fall into the second category. I always come back from conference feeling intimidated and scared to write. So wish me luck. I’m back on the wagon starting today.

What category do you all into?

I’m too busy to write a proper post, so see you in SF! I’ll make sure to take lots of incriminating pictures of all the naughty spice girls!

If you haven’t registered yet for the PI cocktail party at the annual RWA conference in San Francisco, there are still a few days left for you to do so. Hear the latest market updates from our two speakers, Harlequin Spice editor Susan Swinwood and Lucienne Diver, literary agent from The Knight Agency. Our guest list also includes many other top industry professionals, including Hilary Sares, Amy Pierpont, Roberta Brown, Angela James and several more! If you write spicy romance, you don’t want to miss this party!

Your fee also includes a variety of appetizers, a Passionate Ink original cocktail, and a gift compliments of Bliss Connection. For more information and to register, click here!

I’ve officially had a broken leg for three weeks. Wanna know the hardest part of this whole ordeal? It’s not the pain, the side-effects of painkillers, the boredom or even the major inconvenience. Those things all kind of suck, but what what really makes me sad is the fact that I can’t wear fabulous shoes! That’s right. I miss shoes. Usually during the weeks before the annual RWA conference, I’m trying to figure out how to get away with fifteen pairs or less of pumps. In fact, last summer I made this post about shoes. I think those were the justthe red shoes I brought with me to RWA. So now? I’ve reduced to this:

I look like Storm Trooper. Well, my left leg does. And it’s not like I can wear a stiletto on my right foot. I mean, not only is it hard to match stiletto with this contraption, I’m not sure my walking talent extends far enough to accommodate one-legged high heel walking.

But I’m looking on the bright side of things. I was going to have to have a cast, but the surgeon put so much metal in my leg I have a kind of internal cast which meant I got to choose this handy boot instead. I had to promise to be super careful and not put any weight on this leg, or turn my ankle at all. I can do that because it means no garbage bag showers anymore!!

Anyway, I can start wearing shoes again in September and September will be here soon enough. Right?

I’ve had a broken leg for one week now. Well, one week, twelve hours and forty-two minutes. Not that I’m counting. Okay, I am. Because as annoying as the past week has been, at least it went fairly fast. Pain is funny that way. It actually makes time go quickly. It was like that when I had my kid, and during the many hours I’ve spent getting tattooed. Pain makes time flow in fits and starts. The clock will be stuck in one place for what seems like months, and then it’ll jump ahead and you wonder where the last hour has gone.

But now the pain of my broken leg is lessening. And that leaves me, just me. Laying here, alone, hyper aware of the fact that every movement I make requires a huge amount of effort. Although I’m getting better on my crutches, I can’t make myself a meal, or even sit at my desktop computer because I’m supposed to keep my leg elevated as much as possible over the next two weeks.

So I’m stuck in bed now. And time is beginning to go very slowly. I’m not feeling quite up to writing yet (percocets are not conducive to creativity) and I can only spend so much time at my computer before my eyes start to cross, anyway. The only thing I can do is lay here and watch a movie every now and then. And so time is starting to pass very slowly.

I’ve had a few people tell me it’s good for me, this sitting around. Because I’m a bit of a spaz normally, and a control freak. So now I have no choice but to just lay here and let everyone get me things. In theory, it doesn’t sound half bad, right? But for someone like me, it’s torture.

Anyway, this is only temporary. As soon as I get the cast off (in two weeks) I’ll be able to be a little more mobile. I won’t be making gourmet dinners anytime soon, but at least I can be upright for more than a few minutes at a time without needing painkillers.

And I still plan on going to conference. Which is four weeks and four days away. Not that I’m counting.

Hi it’s Karen. I’m writing this post for the lovely Ms Lillian Feisty. Why, you ask? Well I just received a phone call from her and she let me know that, well…

She broke her leg. In two, possibly three, places.

Man!

But at least she did it in style. Yep, she was at roller derby practice last night and well, she fell. Ouch! She says she’s in a lot of pain. She’s nervous because she’s going to need surgery. She’s mad because she might have to be in a cast at Nationals.

Poor, poor Feist.

So let’s send lots of healing vibes her way. Right now, she really, really needs them.

We love you Feisty!