Deadly Beauty

Ack! It's an icy winter nightmare out there! Beautiful but deadly is what I'd call it. We got hit by an ice storm yesterday and it's continuing into today and only promises to get worse. I'm typing madly to get this post in before the power goes out, because surely with all the ice on the trees, some poor branches will snap under the pressure, maybe even trunks! Outside the rain falls slow and steady, stealthily accumulating, freezing into ice in the frigid temperatures. The roads are silent, the airport is still, even the dogs in people's yards are shut in the house, their barking muffled by walls and insulation on this Tuesday morning. Anyone crazy enough to be out on the roads will surely wreck. I hope everyone has the good sense to stay home, hunker down and wait for warming temperatures to thaw the icy ground.

Ewwww, I feel a murder mystery coming on, a couple trapped by the ice, a killer willing to risk his neck to terrorize....

Writing Sprints!

I've had a tough time getting focused on writing. I spent all of December remodeling my kitchen. That translates to refinishing cabinets, getting new countertops and tiling my backsplash. Almost done. Had to wait on a backorder of my grout, but I can see the homestretch. But I have a goal of finishing my December Intrigue by the end of January. That's a tough one. I only had 3 chapters written as of last Friday!

So I've been doing writing sprints with my sister Delilah Devlin. We get on an IM chat and shame each other into writing! That is, it's a competitive thing. Write fast and furious for 45 minutes and report in the number of words completed. It's a challenge to see who can write the most words! And it's helped. I've completed four chapters in four days! Now I have to get to work on the next chapter! I'm headed to AIM to log in and start the race! Wish me luck!