Meniere's woes!

Well, I've been getting questions about my plight with Meniere's Disease from several people lately and thought I'd post here. The disease (vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus, fluctuating hearing loss and other symptoms) is acting up again. About a year ago, after I had gone a year without a major vertigo attack, my ENT (ear/nose/throat doc) informed me that I might be in remission. This doesn't mean the disease goes away--It just means the vertigo that kept me in bed for hours at a time had disappeared. Remission can last a few weeks to a few years to forever and I was thrilled. So I began to live normally again and not worry about stress or my salt, caffeine and sugar intake. Basically living like a normal person, eating like a normal person, pretending to be a normal person. (Though I certainly can't travel or go on roller coasters without meds.)

Anyway, this whole behaving like I was normal was probably a bad move on my part. The past week, I've been experiencing what I call mini-attacks, vertigo that lasts a few seconds, accompanied by hours or days of the crooked, or fun-house, effect. So, I've been napping more, trying to cut down on stress and have given up caffeine again. This is major since I love coffee and chocolate! I've been adding more sweat-inducing workouts to my schedule and getting on the trampoline again. Jumping helps me with the dizziness for some reason.

I can't complain too much as I'm one of the lucky ones. Some Meniere's sufferers I know can't even get out of bed, much less drive, work, go to classes, movies, dinners, etc....

Though this blog will remain focused on writing/reading/publishing, I'll post my plight with Meniere's from time to time.

Happy writing!
And Happy Thanksgiving to my US readers!

Desert Magick: Superstitions Delayed

Okay, so I had to cancel an upcoming appearance at the local ArtFest because of Desert Magick Superstitions delays in printing. Ah, so goes the biz. I'm not worried. Just a few minor corrections and we'll be on our way. Hopefully before the holidays. Also, I've got a nibble from another publisher on another novel. I made it to round two. Which basically means they liked the initial submission, synopsis and first 3 chapters. I've been here before so not getting excited.

Meanwhile, I'm still writing other stuff, as it's still National Novel Writing Month, for a couple of weeks anyway, and submitting other work to publishers. It's a never ending process of submissions, rejections, and occasional acceptances. Those are the best, of course. I'll post more on my publishing adventures as I go along.

Happy reading and writing!

Get your pen on! It's National Novel Writing Month!

November is National Novel Writing Month. If you've been writing that book in your head but just haven't gotten it in the computer or ever read a book and thought, gee, I can write better than that, now is your chance. Experienced writers and novices all over the country are accepting the challenge to get started on that novel they've been putting off for whatever reason.

Okay, so what am I doing about it, you ask? Well, I'm editing two novels and writing another two. Light a fire under your butt yet? Yeah, that's a glove to your face.

I challenge those in the Valley of the Sun and around the country to get to that computer or get out that pen and paper and write that novel! If you need more of a challenge than me and my glove, or some loving inspiration, visit http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and get your pen on!

Happy reading and writing!

President-Elect!

Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama! Good luck with your term.