Last Gasps of Summer

So school starts Tuesday. My children will be in 11th and 8th grades... no school changes, but my son will be king of the roost, in a way... I know even though the 8th graders don't change schools, there is a transition of sorts this year... My daughter worries that Junior year is rumored to be the most intense—it is the last one that plays hugely into college applications... it is a year of tests...



So GRASP IT ALREADY!

Yeah?

Cedar Point Long View

Well Hells, yeah... So in my full irresponsibility as a parent, I sent my children to ride roller coasters today... They are going to Cedar Point, which is about 2 ½ hours from here... they are going with daughter's boyfriend who is 18 and an experienced driver... I thought about going, too, but between finances, other obligations and back pain, it seemed better to send them off. A little nerve wracking, sure, but they prefer it this way, and it works better for us, other than a bit of worry.

You know, it's a funny thing—when I was 17, I went with a friend from Northern Idaho to Southern California for a week. But times are different... and the population out here is a lot denser... well, not denser than LA... I still can't believe my mom let me go, honestly... the trouble we got into, though, was not of too different a sort than we would have gotten into closer to home...

Cedar Point Juggernaut

Okay, that's a lie... there was Ray... but some characters in life are worth the trouble and he was one of them. What a character. Definitely not the sort of trouble I got into at home... but as we maintained an...erm... whatever it was... for a couple years... it AT LEAST was lasting trouble...

uh... yeah...

And so I guess we reach my belief that growing up is best reached in bits... that liberties and freedoms should be tried while still under guidance. I went to college at the University of Oregon, and while the kids from urban areas were better prepared academically, they were LESS prepared socially... you see... they'd been protected (for good reason, I might add). The rural kids were exactly the opposite. I am trying to balance the two... academic advantages, but some real life decision-making.

But as for the kids going to Ohio for the day... they should have a great time. Ohio is in school already and there are cheap tickets for Michiganders (trying to keep business running high as long as possible) so lines should be short and tickets a little cheap (about $10 off). Daughter's boyfriend isn't as keen on rides, so my daughter and son will do many together, making a threesome a better fit than if all of them liked them all...

Cedar Point's Cyclone

As for my OWN Final Grasps...

I have gotten feedback from the fabulous Jan, expect it soon from Leanne and Tara... and so will spend MY last weekend of summer cleaning up Begonia Bribe to send to my agent (Ellen in this case).

I've BEEN finishing the typing and initial read through of What Ales Me, taking notes on main plot points, so I can write a synopsis and plan the bigger edits, as it MAY be appropriate to pitch to Emily, my Berkley editor—Once I have a synopsis, Ellen will let me know, but I need to fill out the story a little first.

My plan there *BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA* is to send the first 50 pages and synopsis to Ellen as she sends me back Begonia...--a trade... so it is ready to present to Emily this fall...

I also am waiting for feedback from Amy on Kahlotus, but I know her reading plans had a hurricane aimed at them. She's in NYC (or nearly) and so I don't know if she has power—I really hope she didn't have big life interference... most of my NYC friends I've heard from have been by cell phone (I wonder... I guess they are using their cars to charge their phones... either that or they've made deals with some phone god we haven't met yet... none of our phones stay charged for days.)

Is that pathetic that the season doesn't matter much? I don't think so, as if I can:

Turn in Begonia

Get Kahlotus shaped up for fall submission

Get What Ales Me shaped up for a fall discussion

then I've met my summer writing goals and I can get back to WRITING. I will consider it a success.


So do you like roller coasters? What's the best one you've been on? Did you meet your summer writing goals?