Now is the time we make promises we'll never keep and get ideas to start something or stop it. I think very little stick to a plan. This year, I am not promising myself anything huge. Last year, in 9 months, I managed to get 15 books out that I had in manuscript, handwritten form (2 short story collections, a 9 book series about zombies,2  vampyre/westerns and two horror novels) That is pretty much a big deal to be that prolific! Most are both e-reader form or in paperbacks and the rest are about to go paperbacks as well.
     What do I worry about? Like any writers, I worry and wonder if the next novel is in me. Will I have ideas and get the books written? I have three on the burners right now. I have a good 3-4 in my head as ideas. I may even write another zombie book like my nephew wants me to (he picked the title and ideas so TY to Harrison for his brilliant ideas) I also am helping edit an amazing short story collection by Nic Hatfield and May collaborate with him on an idea he has for a book that is truly the next HUGE book. I worry that I can't do it justice as it is bigger than me by far!
     I plan to release at least 7 books this next year. I am so thankful I am happy to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week doing this.
     I want to pay more attention to the writing of some friends who are amazing writers: Graham Masterton, Joe McKinny, Kealan Patrick Burke, Rhiannon Frater, Bowie Ibarra, and Jason Christie. I promise and resolve I will be as gracious as they are and work as hard as they do.I will thank my copy editor more and praise my agent. I will behave and do as my PR agent says.13 is my number and in 2013, i resolve to be a better writer. And I resolve to try to write something that isn';t splatter punk or cannibalistic (Lord how I try not to go to those themes but do so anyway).
     I resolve to write because it's what I do.
     I hope the rest follows. I don;t need to get rich or famous from writing, but I do need to entertain and scare the pants off all I can!
     Happy New Years!

* Z is for Zombie: What Lies Beneath, The Time of Grace, and Wild Boys will be offered this weekend for free. Enjoy!   HERE  @ Amazon.com

A short update on my interesting life.

Yes, the second in the Vampyre/western series is available and I want to add that I am humbled and honored by the sales I have seen for my books.

I do have at least 3 more planned for this series, but I may have to stop and add a new zombie book to the other series because we all seem to miss Beth, Kim, Len and the gang.

My husband gave me a pedicure and back rubs every night for last 2 weeks and I have been mega-relaxed. I have been able to type much better with my matching Aqua/lime glitter fingernails and loose muscles. I never knew that this color was perfect for typing!

On the other hand, the air condon is on the blitz and I don't know how people can stand this heat. I am miserable. Think, back in the 1880s, which I was just writing about, a man wore a long sleeved shirt, a vest, jacket, pants, etc. In August heat. The women wore hoops, petticoats and long dresses and it must have been unreal although they were used to the heat. I think many people who died did so of heat stroke, I read somewhere....wish I had kept the article....that going back in time would present many problems beyond the obvious. Yes, there would be disease and all...things we are not used to, and the heat and cold...yes...but a major issue, if I can be so crude, would be that people smelled rank. They sweated and wore those heavy, sweaty clothing for months without washing them and they didn't bathe often...no deodorant...the scent must have been horrible. When the cowboys came to rent a whore (for a dollar), they often had little sheets or pads of leather to catch the horse manure and nastiness from their boots (On the bed as they didn't take off their boots but just dropped trousers). I think that the smell of those men half undressing would make a maggot vomit. The women didn't smell any better. I am going on about this, but if one thinks about the things like this, it is amazing to think of how now people shower daily or more, have air con, wear deodorant and douse themselves in perfume.   I read another article that stated that the divorce rate is high now because we can't smell one another and pick mates according to phermones and natural scents. 
Think on that.
People's strongest memory sense is the sense of smell. Babies know the scent of their mother's nipples even. So, we have eliminated one big way we picked mates and chose who was suited to us. We have lost this simple but effective tool for picking people on Love.com with a few questions and a picture; no wonder marriages fail! I don't suggest sniffing people to find  a mate, but....it's something to consider.

Vampyres and old west cowboys at the OK Corral....wow....can it get any more exciting? The book is rolling out with a bit more editing needed and then on to the second in the series. I feel a trilogy on this set. In the wings are still 4-5 others just waiting to go. My husband scanning for me certainly helps it move out faster. I know some are just into my zombies and now some will be vamp fans. I hope that some will also be fans of just horror in general so I can get passed the labels of being a zombie and vampyre writer. I promise, I write better general horror than those. That said, I have so many requests for another zombie book that I may go cursing and screaming and write another one in the next year. ;)


The book is almost finished but we have been so busy lately and having a rough time as I try (yet again) a new protocol of meds to help my immuno system. While there is no cure for me, I always hope at least I might feel better!

My husband had a birthday and for that he got my name as a tattoo on his arm. It looks so good! That was what he wanted for a gift. After that, and keep in mind it was his birthday...he bought nail polish and painted my toe nails. They are a lovely shade of teal now with glitters. I won't say he is an expert but it was a good effort. After that, (keep in mind it is his birthday, not mine) I had a three hour massage. I slept like the dead after that. Then I had breakfast in bed and slept more. I think everyone should celebrate a birthday this way!

I like tattoos. I have five: a cross for our daughter who died, a black heart from my PI days, an ankle ring with hubby's name, a Pisces with my son's initial for both of us, and a big one on my neck and back that is a dragon fly with a spider web that David bought me for last Christmas.

I have been thinking about things. I write fantasies and stories...but some people live them. I do go on Face Book and I see grown people there fighting and arguing about anything from games ro relationships and just wonder about it. Why do they fight? I have never thought two women needed to fight over a man because the man will pick whom he wishes to be with and stay with and have a life with, and the other one is left out. Oh, he might string along a few, but it's all a game...a fantasy not written but "lived" in a way. There is enough wayward in the world without drama that one can and should walk away from. I think people need to stop thinking the techo devices are real life and anything but some communication and an avenue for messing with another's mind. I have had men try to connect with me and I always laugh. I think I prefer and deserve live men and not a voice on a phone or words on a screen, but then I have a good sense of self worth.

I find that on FB and such, people are far prettier, more slender, taller, richer, sweeter...etc than in real life. Warts are not shared on the internet. I don't discuss my immuno issues on FB or with people, so I doubt other people share that they are HIV positive or have been with someone who is HIV positive. Scary. Reunions and meetings on FB and the like may be one of the biggest causes of HIV being spread....mark my words. Yes, this sounds like a great story idea, but it's fact. People may not share that info, hoping it isn't an issue or that no one finds out, but it only takes once to get a death sentence.

Anyway...my random musings. Be safe and be smart....there is nothing new on earth since Hector was a pup...so use common sense.

--Catt

 The new book is about finished. I had these done and was able to save time in that my hubby scanned the pages and e-mailed them to me. Once I had them, we had to buy an expensive program, but it was one that can take a scanned image and convert to a Word file. He is great about helping me all the time. After that, I just have to take the document and c/p to a clean document and then I can type into it. Saved me many hours of writing!  I always wonder if this is worth it, but it is enjoyable, I was born to write, and hey, an extra few hundred bucks a month is super.

The new book is part one of a new series that is simply vampires in the old west. A few years back I did research in Tombstone for the books and it is time to get them finished and out to be read! We are talking about a trip back out there asap...that will be a blast!  (we also have a trip planned to Oklahoma and Jamaica but not for research..lol) Imagine Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday fighting vampyres...it is fictoinal but based on research of the facts and actual events.

Spent the day not writing, but with my hubby...very nice day except the cats and dog had a race going through my house and around and around...we did have a huge laugh watching them as they played and maybe tonight the critters won't keep us awake trying to get into the bedroom as they have done a few times this week.  I know many sleep with there dogs but seriously, he and I need our room and don't need 4 cats and a huge dog fighting for space in our bed..lol

Off for my nightly massage...whether your own mate (like mine) or a professional, massages are very healthy and relaxing. I have a fav place in Hot Springs, Arkansas but why drive that far when I have the best right here? Anyway, the place in HP I love...I would go and relax and their kitty always jumped up to sit on me and get petted while I relaxed. Sadly, the kitty was killed in an auto accident but it was fantastic to go and relax that way. I also get massages when we are in Jamaica but I have to get them to relax my leg muscles after they cramp when I scuba dive.                                                   

Amazing that the series is over. I am so thankful for the praise I have gotten and the fans who have enjoyed the ride into an alternate world of fiction. Sales are staggering and I know I must be doing something right to get fans interested in reading more and more.
A new series is in the editing works, already written but not ready yet and yes, I am going to let the vampires run wild. None will glitter in the sunlight. LOL
My husband got me to take a week off and we took a mini vacation which was wonderful. He and I had a good time...it is true that play time helps! While we were together, I did find a new book in my head, so I know I need to get busy releasing the new series and writing the 5-6 in my head right now!