Return of the Overly Optimistic To Do List and Favorite Authors

Made it through another sniffly night, although my beloved geek was very cranky indeed. We were all asleep by 8:45 p.m., such a wild family.

No crazy Nyquil-induced monsoon and cupcake dreams co-starring Laurence Fishburne last night, although I was hoping for a repeat. There was a mini-dream with Jeremy Clarkson wanting to race me across the Sunshine Skyway bridge in my minivan (aka "the golden bus"), but that probably had more to do with watching Top Gear reruns before falling asleep than the Nyquil.

I do feel better, still stuffy-headed and coughing, but not feverish anymore, so maybe I can get back on track with my life. There's only 2 more loads of laundry to do, and then linens. The kitchen needs a scrubbing, the bathrooms always need scrubbing (especially the one the boys share) and there's spots on the wood floor that need scrubbing, since Mr. Smarty Pants cannot eat trifle without dropping cream on the floor and then rubbing it in with his foot. The refrigerator needs cleaning out and refilling, I haven't washed the windows in a couple of weeks, I need to clean the ceiling fan in the living room, and Mr. Autism's room needs cleaning and mopping.

Oh, and my beloved geek brought home lemons and wants me to make lemonade.

Too much for one day, especially when I want to go hide in my office and write my book, and I really ought to see about getting some things listed on Ebay.

I spent a few minutes checking out blogs from some of my favorite writers this morning. Nora Roberts has two coming out on November 2nd: Happily Ever After and Indulgence in Death (under J.D. Robb). The excerpts are up on her website. I wish she would spread the love out a little bit, as I will be greedy and finish reading both in one day and then feel bereft.

Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, has a graphic novel, Exile, coming out on September 21st, which I will have to purchase and devour. Unlike the graphic novel for Twilight (by Stephenie Meyers, if you've been hiding under a rock), which I didn't buy, Exile will have new content.

If you haven't read the Outlander series, I really recommend it, especially if you love long, layered books rich with historical detail and juicy subplots. I started reading the series when I was in high school, one of many books my mother has picked out for me over the years. She has an instinct for what books I will like, and she's generally right about these things, even if she never reads the books herself.

Diana Gabaldon is one of the few fiction authors I will immediately buy in hardcover, no questions asked, not because I'm unsupportive, but because of our financial situation. One book = a lot of groceries. Also on the list: Elizabeth George, Patricia Cornwell, Nora Roberts, J.K. Rowling, Sue Monk Kidd, and Audrey Niffenegger. Strange list, I know, but it is my money and my bookshelf. I rarely buy new fiction paperbacks or trade paperbacks but I will shell out instantly for new Patricia Gaffney, Kaye Gibbons (when she writes!), Elizabeth Gilbert, and Lynn Kurland. I had to stop buying Luanne Rice even though they are wonderful stories because most of them sent me into a blue mood for weeks, which is great writing but wreaks havoc on my life.

I wonder what this says about me.