Archive | March 2021

When the Words Come Together!

It was a great writing day yesterday!! I wanted to get out and work on the yard because it was so nice out, but I wanted to get as much as I could get done on the story. Without much in the line of interruptions, I managed to make yesterday’s word count and the day’s before. And I ended up with 500 for today. Yay! I don’t think I’ll get much in the line of writing done today, but the days I have little one, I don’t have any word count scheduled. So if I get some done, it’s all gravy! But really the reason this happened was I had some more ideas for writing and took off with the scenes.

I have a couple of patio chairs and a table to put together for the patio. I didn’t have enough seating and I’ve been here for 6 years, so it was time. But I have had the items sitting in a box for 2 months, and I’m finally getting around to putting them together. Little one helps me. I’ve been teaching her to look at the directions, find the matching letters, the right size machine screws, washers, nuts. To go by which part is done first. She puts the screws in and adds the washers and then the nuts. And then she screws them on. She loves doing it. And I love teaching her how to do things like this so when she’s all grown up, she can do it all by herself! She’s now 4 years old.

Yes, some directions are awful, but these are pretty clear. We put a sewing cart together too. Now we have the two chairs to put together. We’re going to do them both today, hopefully, or one today and the other tomorrow.

I finally got a garden kneeler and she loves it. lol She has been wanting to take it out and garden. That means her playing on it, not really gardening. But I hope to get pictures of her today like she’s already been, lying back on it, looking up at the clouds in the sky. What a gardening life.

I’m going to try and get started on sewing up a couple of bears too today. Maybe she can help me with those–stuffing, that is. I’ve tried to teach her how to turn the pieces so the fur is on the outside of all the parts–arms, ears, legs, body, etc, but that’s still too hard for her. She could stuff them, but she’d rather sew on the sewing machine. Some day.

Well, I need to get off here and feed the dogs that are ravenous! And start to work on something before little one gets here.

May be an image of 1 person, book and text

My editor says that they’re trying to work up a print anthology for the novellas for next year. So thanks to all my readers who only read print books. I get you!! After working on a screen all day, I read print books too. But Night of the Wolf is now out in ebook form!

Have a super, lovely day!!

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
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Bristly Porcupine But So Sweet–Photo Art

Mar30

I have never gotten a good picture of a porcupine before. This one was cute, though he’s hiding behind a tree branch. I remember going to a big cat reserve in Minnesota that also had bears and other animals. They had a porcupine who cried for attention. But man was he stinky! We still had to stop and talk to him.

I had taken my granddaughter to a children’s museum where they had a baby porcupine they were talking about and the woman was allowing kids to come up and pet him. He was so adorable. That was way before the pandemic. I’d love to take my granddaughter there again, especially when they have the special animal days, but we have to wait until more people are vaccinated. I would like to do a lot of things with her before she ends up in school and then we can’t. *sigh* I can’t believe she’ll be going to kindergarten next August already!

I’d tried to take her to the Barnes and Noble book reading, but she wouldn’t sit still, she was only two, so we left. I think she would do well with it now, but of course we can’t do it. And the same with the library toddler programs, though now she’s a pre-schooler. In her pre-school, she tells me the teachers tell the kids to stop talking all the time. lol That’s okay. They’re getting them ready for the first step in big kids’ school.

Instead, she can help me put together a sewing cart–she loves to help me build things. And she does a good job at it too. And she can help me stuff bears, clean pots and pans, and feed the birds and dogs. So maybe that’s all she really needs!

Hope you all have a great day!

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

Slow Turtle Day

Mar29

Yesterday was a turtle day for me. I usually get so much stuff done, but yesterday, I got my word count, and did a synopsis for the Night of the Wolf, but not for White Wolf to the Rescue. I need to do that this morning. And I didn’t get anything done on the bears, though I didn’t care for the one bear fabric I cut out, so I ordered 3 new ones and hopefully one will work. The baby I’m making the bear for has red hair, so I picked up 3 reddish furs. I used to always have them in stock, but I finally used the fabrics up and then I was having trouble finding ones similar.

And I have little one here longer today, so I need to get my word count done earlier. She’s so cute. She really wants to help me with the bears. What can she do? Help to stuff them. What does she want to do? Sew on the sewing machine. lol

Okay, so today no matter what, I need to get groceries–no milk and haven’t had any for days. I spent all day yesterday doing edits and writing. It was too cold to go out. I know my northern friends are laughing at me, but…

I was doing research of some kind, can’t remember what now, and I came across an article about putting twin preemies into the same incubator so that they would thrive. Numerous cases have shown this really works. That the babies cuddle together and provide comfort to each other. I’ve read where they’re used to hearing each other’s heartbeat and that helps to make them feel like they haven’t lost their twin. Do you think it’s like puppies who are inconsolable when separated from their litter mates at first? And then one of my friends was sharing where one twin came five days before another. Now, I’ve written where one came the next day, like minutes apart so they had separate birth dates, but five days apart? Can you imagine trying to explain how your birth date and your twins are that far apart?

In the case of my great aunt and grandmother who were twins, they disagreed until they died as to their birth date, one saying it was one day, the other saying it was two days later. When I was doing genealogy research, I learned my grandmother was right.

Well, I’ve got to get busy! Have a beautiful day!

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

Night of the Wolf Coming March 30th!

Mar28

Night of the Wolf (In the Heart of the Wolf 10th Anniversary Release–now a single release)

Serena Wilder learns all her money has been withdrawn from the bank by the man who has been sharing the rent with her. They’re both wolves. She trusted him. But when he takes off with all her savings, she vows revenge. But first, she returns to the old homestead where she’d lost her whole family due to a fire. In the basement, her father had kept a hidden safe. She hopes it’s still there so she can finance her trip to the Grand Cayman Islands where the thief has settled–using her money!

Tanner Greymere and his three brothers discover a red wolf skulking around their home and they realize just who she is and why she is there. But Tanner has no intention of her running off to fight a wolf on her own, so now the challenge is to locate him on the island, get her money back, and convince her she needs to stay with the pack–with him, but protect her at all costs. But nothing goes their way.

***

So I was working on Billionaire and finally had some ideas. I’d forgotten that one of the earlier heroines was pregnant, so needed to add something about that. And another couple has a boy, so I had to figure out how old he would be and add him to the story. And then the pregnant woman will add more conflict. So does the boy. He’s 4 years old, what can I say? He added lots in the original story where he was featured. Kids just do. But in a fun way.

Then I had another great idea about one of the dogs that the hero owns in this story. It’s actually based on a true story about my dad, and ironically, the dog’s name was Toby. My dad loved animals–horses, that his grandparents and his mother had, dogs–he never had cats–but when they took care of my cat when I had to go to some army training, he fell in love with her.

This all goes to show that when I’m stuck and don’t know where to go–I still need to keep writing and then suddenly I’ll have that ah-ha moment and there it is! 3500 more words! But so many times, I’m trying to come up with something and it’s not happening. I still write, but when I’m not trying to force something, then it comes to me. I just wish it would come to me more often while I’m writing. lol

I also cleaned the gutter out front. I wasn’t sure I could reach it with my 6 foot ladder. I couldn’t on the backside of the house. It was packed with pine needles. I need to get some of those gutter covers.

I also got rid of two yellow jacket nests being built at each end of the garage. I find that if I hose them down while they’re being built, soaked both yellow jackets, they won’t build there again. I can spray tons of hornet spray and they’ll return every time. But water? The greatest deterrent. The only reason I can think of is that they believe rain is going to wash away their nests, and so they don’t build there any longer. I have a couple places in the protective foyer where they would build and I had a devil of a time stopping them. So that does it!

I pulled weeds too. I thought of going to get groceries today, out of them, but when I went to post about Night of the Wolf, I realized my publisher doesn’t even have a synopsis up for it, so had to write that one. Still need to write the synopsis for SEAL Wolf to the Rescue.

I did manage to cut out 3 bears also, and I need to start sewing those up today. But I also want to get my 2,000 words today on Billionaire. I’m still playing my 4theword game to keep up with my writing! Which makes it even more fun.

The temperature dropped, but it looks like today is going to be the lowest temperature of any days and we’re supposed to have rain.

I’m off to work!

Have a beautiful day and stay safe!!

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

African Cattle Photo Art

Mar27

I don’t know why I like cows so much! Especially Highland cows, Texas longhorns, and the African cattle. So here’s a picture of one of the African cattle. I love their horns and their dark reddish fur. This one was mooing when I caught his picture.

So I wondered how I had written so many words the other day when little one was here. I hadn’t. I had copy and pasted edits and didn’t realize I had already done it. So that meant a long scene twice and I had to cut one of them. Here I thought I had finished my whole 2,000 for yesterday, or was close to it, but no dice. I did manage to get nearly seventeen hundred. If I’d had more story ideas, I’d be running with it. lol I did manage to finish Tuesday’s 2,000 and 2,000 for Wednesday also, so I kept feeling like I hadn’t gotten anywhere because I hadn’t reached yesterday’s goal. Thursday was a wash.

But I did manage to fix my hoses and got my sprinkler system on without any frozen pipe issues. And I was back to pulling a lot of weeds too. So it was a really good day.

This weekend, I need to read that novella and write a synopsis to turn in on Monday, work on 3 bears, and catch up on writing. At least I’m over halfway on minimum word count on Billionaire. Will I get to it all? Probably not. But I’m going to try.

Hope you all have a great day!! And stay safe. I’m off to work.

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

Yellow Bird Photo Art

Mar26

This was a photo I took of a bird at the Houston Zoo. Not sure what it was. But I thought it was pretty. Then added some textures and splatter to finish the picture.

I had to also paint over the bill because of the straw the bird was gathering to build a nest, and I painted over the arm to remove the silver arm band. I quit the painting course because my writing has had to take priority and it was just taking too long to do the paintings in full. Plus, she set everyone way back on lessons, then required a month to pass before new lessons. And it’s subscription. So if I couldn’t complete them in a year, no sense in paying for an expensive yearly subscription. Maybe if I ever retire I could. But I love writing and I need the income, so the course wasn’t doable.

It has helped me in learning to paint missing parts though on a photo where something is in the way of the subject when I can’t clone it out in Photoshop. So I did learn something! And when I did one of my covers, I painted the pocket flaps of the guys’ pants that should have been ironed down, but they were twisted and that’s all the eye could see. That was fun. Plus his arms had so many muscles, so many veins highlighted, that really stuck out, so painting them helped to focus on the beauty of the body. I also painted the cougar on that cover and that turned out really well. I would still like to learn how to paint sweeping strands of hair, or extend hair on animals that get muddled when adding background textures. But that I can do on my own by watching free Youtube videos, no time limit, no month waiting, and I can watch them as many times as I want. I also learned more on how to copy a section of one side of a subject to add to the other side when something is missing.

So it’s all good. I quit the premium selection of DAZ3D also, because that takes a time to create and render objects and like with the painting class, I wasn’t taking the time to do them. I’ve been concentrating on playing the game with 4thewords and getting more writing done. If my renders looked more realistic, maybe I would be more apt to do them. I know some use the dressed bodies and then add their own people faces. I’d like to do that too. But again, it takes time, and often my renders have so much grain, they’re not quality enough for book covers. Still, it’s something I want to explore more of.

In the meantime though, I need to keep my focus on books!!! And photography, and creating simple photo art. It keeps me happy. And I’ll learn how to do the other stuff eventually.

I don’t know how I managed to do it, but I wrote 3,000 word on Billionaire, so that made up for the two days before. Not for yesterday though. But then they want the synopsis for White Wolf to the Rescue, so I need to read the novella again. I wrote it several stories ago. I guess I’m going to have to start writing the synopsis for these after I write them. It’s easier than trying to remember them again much later! They’re going into the 10th Anniversary releases, this one in Legend of the White Wolf, but also coming out in individual novellas now.

We did yard work yesterday, little one and I. Well, I did. She had to put on her garden gloves too, but then after pulling a little bit of weeds, she was done and dancing around the yard and having fun. It was a great day! Nice and warm and sunny.

We practiced her typing her letters on the computer and her numbers. Of course the letters look a little different from how she’s supposed to write them, so it’s a little confusing–like the J on the keyboard doesn’t have the top cap, and the capital I doesn’t have the top and bottom cap. And some of my letters are worn off too. But she got to the point where she remembered where the letters were even if they’re no longer visible. lol

Hope you have a lovely day!!! I’ve got to get to reading and writing!

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

Winsome Water Lily Photo Art

Mar25

I love water gardens and they’re really fun when koi are swimming below them. When I was in Minnesota, we saw water lilies floating in ditches beside the road and I wanted so bad to capture them! There were a few at the Houston Zoo, so I shot this one. At the Minnesota arboretum, they had several and I loved how their reflections shown in the water, but also it was raining and that made for a unique perspective. I think I photographed some at the Dallas arboretum also. I took lots of pictures of the koi.

Yay, finished the interview and followup questions, and the edits for SEAL and turned it in. Now I’m back to Billionaire, though I’m kind of stuck on it. I wanted to write some word count on it last night, but I couldn’t figure it out.

I also got two bear orders I need to do. And still need to make my grandson’s bear before he arrives. I can’t believe that it will be so soon!!!

I had one of those sleepless nights. I don’t know whatever causes that, maybe too many things to do and I’m worried about getting it all done, but every hour I looked at the clock and it was awful! An hour into sleep, I thought it would be 4 hours of sleep, and so it went all night long. Don’t you hate it when that happens? I have little one today again, so I knew I couldn’t just try to sleep in.

She’s got a head cold, and she was such a grouch in the morning. lol. But after she helped me crack some eggs for breakfast and feed the dogs, we did a whole a whole lot of workbook pages and she was having fun and no longer a grouch. Then I found a couple of cute movies for her on Amazon Prime that she’d never seen, and then we took a nap. Usually, I just lie down with her until she falls asleep, but this time I rested for about an hour. I was feeling just exhausted by 8:30 yesterday, so I think I’m fighting whatever she has.

Anyway, I’ve got to figure out what to do with this book. Still muddling through options. I hope I figure it out soon! Sometimes I have to write a whole lot of one before I realize what I need to do. Sometimes I know from the outset. Which is better? I’d prefer knowing from the outset!

We were supposed to have rain this morning. But it looks like we got it already. I was planning on taking little one out to do a bunch of yard play yesterday, but she was so tired with her cold, I skipped it and we had a more restful day instead.

I might start cutting out the other bears today. She wants to help me do everything, so even when I was washing pots and pans, she got into the act and was helping to scrub them. It’s all training for when she grows up. Yes, I know all about child labor laws, but when she gets it in mind she wants to help with something, it’s hard to say no. She has fun and she makes the chore fun. Hmm, I need to dust again. Maybe we’ll work on that today. And some more fun workbook activities.

We usually have pages where the activity will ask what comes next as they show a picture and you have to choose what the result of an action was. But in this case, it was looking at the result and trying to figure out how that came to be. She had more difficulty with that concept. You always think it’s perfectly clear, as an adult, so it’s interesting to see how a little kid’s mind works to solve mysteries.

We’re trying to come up with ideas for Easter egg hunts that doesn’t mean tons of candy. Her mom is getting her a piggy bank to save money in, and have pennies in plastic eggs. I suggested that we put alphabet letters in the plastic eggs and when she sets all the letters in the proper order, she gets a stuffed toy. So that’s something else we’re working on. And doing fun crafts too, that don’t have anything to do with sweets. I think it’s a great idea! I need to look up some more things like that too.

It looks like we’re going to have no more rain today!

Hope you all have a super day!

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

Me and My Blankie–Chimpanzee Photo Art

Mar24

Well it’s great news that we’re getting enough of the COVID vaccine that they can begin giving it to people from age 16-50 March 29. I’m just hoping that those who are much older are getting the vaccine first since they are the most susceptible to serious illness. But opening it up, means more of the population will be vaccinated earlier, hopefully, and the severe cases of COVID will begin to drop way down. And those who can’t get the vaccine for health reasons, will be safer too if more of the population is vaccinated.

Sometimes we just need a security blanket to make us feel nice and secure!

My daughter and granddaughter were sick yesterday and I’m hoping they’re feeling better today. When you get sick, it’s scary to think it could be COVID still, no matter what it truly is.

We’re supposed to have rain late this afternoon, so I’m going to take my granddaughter out to play in the yard early on, if she’s feeling better. I had to do an interview yesterday about writing, and I’ve gone through two edits of SEAL Wolf Pursuit. I started the final edits last night and I’m up to chapter 5 of 10 chapters. At least it’s a novella and not a novel. Hope to finish it tonight or tomorrow. After I finish edits, I’ll have to read through the whole thing again to make sure I caught everything. Little one will be here soon so I’ll be stymied in my writing.

I only got 1,000 words on Billionaire yesterday, because of doing edits on SEAL. It’s a good thing I had a few 3,000 word days to make up for it, but I don’t want to lose what I’ve gained!

Have a great day! I’ve got to get to work before little one is here and I can’t!

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

Red Eyed Bird–Photo Art

Mar23

Red eyed bird. Does he not get enough sleep? It was such an unusual bird and it was funny how he thought I was just as unusual and stared at me too!

So I planted all the rest of the plants and then had to dig up a couple of crepe myrtles for my daughter. She lost one and I have tons that are popping up all over.

Finally managed to get my 2,000 words yesterday. With gardening and having to pick up the little one at school, I didn’t get as much as I thought I would. I tried all my hoses with her, and she and I got soaked. The nozzles were broken with the hard freeze. I never have had trouble with anything like that before. Next time I’ll have to bring everything in during the winter! Just in case! So then I had to put her in some spare clothes I had so her momma could take her home with her.

And then it was back to the book. But then I received edits that have to be turned in pronto on a novella. Ugh. I hate to stop what I’m doing to go back to a prior book to edit. I’m in forward motion!

So today I’ll be doing more weeding, but no new planting, and I’m hoping I get more written today! It was a wild and stormy night last night and I was wondering how I was going to take the dogs out in it! I lay there thinking about where I was going with the book too. Though now I’ll also have to begin editing the novella.

By the time I got up, the storms had stopped, thankfully. Everything is nice and wet. That’s good!

Have a super fun day!! I’ve got to get busy!

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

Phlox and Sunshine Ligustrum–Gardening Time!

Mar22

Magenta Phlox and Yellow Ligustrum

Got an early start on planting the six phlox plants and the last of the sunshine ligustrum. It was a lot warmer out than I expected–which was great! So was out there pulling weeds and planting and want to do a ton more, but we’re off spring break and that means I’ve got to pick up little one on the afternoons I don’t have her for a full day. So I need to get my word count in.

I keep hoping that eventually the plantings will look established like some gardens in the neighborhood, though my house was the last built, so it’s understandable. Still, every year I’m out there planting more, hoping something will take hold and take off, fill the planting beds, and hold back the weeds. Sometimes I feel that will never happen. lol But I’m not giving up.

I was reading about how people with long-term COVID have gotten the vaccination of one drug company or another and it’s fought the virus and they’re so much better now. I’m really glad for that. And it’s good to see fully vaccinated grandparents able to finally hug their grandchildren and families. They’re saying that we might have enough vaccinations available that we won’t need some of the ones they’re trying to get approved. That’s really good news. I’m hoping everyone who wants one can get one soon. I know a lot of the elderly who should have gotten one already, haven’t. Some haven’t wanted it, but others have. But I’m glad they’ve opened it up to more people because having more vaccinated will help to protect others too.

I managed to get 4,000 done on Billionaire yesterday. I’m up to 34K! Yay. It always amazes me when I don’t have any words on a page and then I have nearly half the book finished.

Well, I’m off to get started on my writing. Late start for me because of doing yard work first thing instead.

Have a super great day and hope everyone can get vaccinated soon!

I think that we will be so much better off across the world and get back to a more normal existence–travel, movie theaters, eating out, talking to people! Parties. Just enjoying the way it was. I hope it will happen sooner than later. One day at a time.

Terry

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-spear

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Terry Spear's Shifters

"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality."

Archive | March 2021

When the Words Come Together!

Bristly Porcupine But So Sweet–Photo Art

Slow Turtle Day

Night of the Wolf Coming March 30th!

African Cattle Photo Art

Yellow Bird Photo Art

Winsome Water Lily Photo Art

Me and My Blankie–Chimpanzee Photo Art

Red Eyed Bird–Photo Art

Phlox and Sunshine Ligustrum–Gardening Time!