Cupcakes on Fire and Other Random Topics

Wow.  The last couple of weeks have been many kinds of crazy.  Here's a quick wrap-up:

Sick Kids - enough said.

Spa-Mazing Weekend with UMD Besties
It was a little touch and go last Friday when I was supposed to leave (see above), but I got on the road at 3 pm and headed to Wisconsin.  Along the way I stopped at Jellystone Park, the inspiration for CLOUD 9.

Jellystone Park - Warrens, Wisconsin

I met up with six of the most amazing, generous, compassionate women I know at the Sundara Spa in Wisconsin Dells for a weekend of pampering, togetherness, and rejuvenation.  Even though spas aren't really my thing, I stepped outside my comfort zone and experienced the Terrifying -- oops, I mean Purifying -- Bath Ritual and a Peace Facial.  The villa where we stayed was gorgeous.  We had delicious food and cocktails.  We went for walks (the hills nearly did me in), we shopped, we relaxed.  And my terrific friends didn't even mind when I spent most of Saturday writing on the patio.

The view from the patio
Northwoods Pines & Blue Sky
Lovelies

I missed my family but was sad to leave this lovely place and my lovely friends on Monday morning.

On the drive home I received a call from my CP, Dawn, who was extremely excited and wanted to know all the details!  About what? I asked.

News about CLOUD 9
Well, last week, on a whim, I'd submitted CLOUD 9 in a 35-word pitch contest from Entangled Publishing and Brenda Drake Writes.  The editors at Entangled reviewed 200 pitches and mine was (one of many) selected.  Dawn had seen the tweets and blog post with the news, but I'd been spending one last precious morning with my dear friends. 

On a related note, I've often found it difficult to know, exactly, when a piece -- be it a short story, a poem, or a novel -- is DONE.  Finished.  Complete.  The CLOUD 9 of today is much different than the CLOUD 9 I first queried two years ago.  I'd recently revised it -- again -- so I spent three nights  making sure the manuscript was ready to submit.

So it's back out there.  I'm nervous and excited and hopeful.

London 2012
On top of a busy writing week, I had a huge event at work that wiped me out as well and my daughter had a gymnastics program, but knowing that the Olympics started on Friday kept me going. 

Here's part of a post I wrote about the Olympics for the Patch:
To say that I’m excited for the Summer Olympics would be a major understatement.
I love the Olympics.  Summer, Winter, doesn’t matter.  I wouldn’t call myself an athlete and I’m not all that competitive (unless we’re playing Scrabble - then watch out!), but I love to watch sports and there’s something about the Olympics that completely sucks me in.
The fanfare.  The camaraderie.  The history.  The international charm.  The personal stories of athletes who have made sacrifices and overcome great obstacles.  The drama, the excitement, the competition.
Not to mention the fact that I LOVE London and the UK.
I can’t wait.

I got a little creative and made Olympic Torch cupcakes for the Opening Ceremony:

Cupcakes on Fire

So I don't know how much you'll see me over the next couple of weeks.  I'd love to be in London right now, but I'll settle for watching the events, reading books about London and the Olympics with my family, looking at pictures from my trip to the UK in 2001.

Do you have any great news to share?  What Olympic event are you looking forward to the most?

Future Olympians



Comments

  1. Woo-hoo! Good luck with Entangled! They have put out some fantastic books lately, and the authors and editors that I have met from there are fantastic. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and Cloud 9.

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  2. Again YAY! :D I am crossing my fingers for you!!!! So glad you had a wonderful week, Sara and that you were able to relax with friends :D That place looks great!
    On my side, wonderful week and the updated query I told you about was picked by Taryn as one of the 3 winners :D :D :D
    Hmmm and those cupcakes look YUMMY! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  3. Crossing my fingers for you with Entangled, Sara! I saw that and was so, so excited when I saw you had gotten picked. Good luck with CLOUD 9! The spa sounds fun. On my end, I just finished a fantabulous book (see my Thursday Obsessions) and I am revising the heck out of my novel. As for the Olympics- a friend of mine's dad is a sports producer so I am so jealous that she and her dad are there now.... Like you I am just watching from home.

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  4. I have a lot of love for London as well, so I am totally digging the fact that my favorite city is constantly on four different channels. :-)

    The opening ceremony is always one of my favorite things about the Olympics and it did not disappoint. It was so British and visually stunning. :-) As for sport, I am waiting for the diving competition and table tennis.

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  5. Congrats on Cloud 9. I hope it all works out for you.

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