M.J. Fredrick's Blog

 

Circle on Home is the 5th Lost in a Boom Town book, but a good place to jump in. Some of the characters from the first four books appear, but are not integral to the plot.

This story has been in my head for over a decade. I think it was in 2002, we were driving through New Mexico on the way to the Grand Canyon. Fred pointed down a road and said, “I wonder what’s down there.” By the time we got to Arizona, I knew who was down there, a large animal vet struggling to make ends meet, with a drunk brother, a disabled sister and a father on his way home from prison after killing their mother. Initially I wrote Circle on Home with the father murdering the mother in a jealous rage, but I thought that was too dark for these books, so she died when the father was driving drunk. That’s a lot for Noah to forgive.

One of the reasons this book took so long to write was that I didn’t have the right heroine for him. I was pretty sure I wanted a girl from his past, someone who KNEW his past. And I wanted someone who thought she knew what she wanted, but it turned out that wasn’t what she wanted at all. So here comes Miranda, sister to town judgey-person Allison. The sisters still have some work to do on their relationship, but I have Allison’s story coming down the road.

It was good to go back to Evansville for this book, and to kind of touch on the bust that’s happening in the oilfields of Texas. Fred and I went down to the Shale this weekend and it’s sad to see the abandoned businesses that had grown up around the boom.

Check it out at these vendors.

http://amzn.com/B019HJ3D44

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/circle-on-home/id1069541106?mt=11

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/circle-on-home-mj-fredrick/1123485261?ean=2940157774219

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/circle-on-home

 

It’s SPRING BREAK!!!! I’m enjoying my breaks this year, not pressuring myself like I did last summer. I need to learn to relax.

Now, this list isn’t going to look like it, but most of this stuff is FUN, and I’m more likely to do fun stuff if it’s on my list, see?

Launch Circle—newsletter, etc.
Go to a birthday party
Work on new book
Take out ads
Day with Mom
lunch with the teachers
organize closet
clean refrigerator
organize craft room
DO CRAFTS!
Cook at home.

 

Last week was very productive. I edited my book, cooked home most nights, actually got to leave school on time every day. This week may be more of a challenge, but more fun things, too.

Start new book
Pick up tax return from accountant (and cringe—our first year without claiming Josh)
Help Brother move
proof audiobook
update website
Put together a newsletter
Take out ads for my book releasing next week

I finished my book on Saturday, after taking Friday off and writing 10,000 words. Then another 2500 on Saturday, so the last 5 chapters in 2 days. I NEVER WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN. No more deadlines, please. Oy.

We’re also seriously researching dropping the cable. It’s gone up another $20 this year, and we figured out we can watch most stuff on Hulu or Amazon. It will be sad to give up my TiVo, but it’s not worth over $100.

Edit and upload Boom Town book
accountant meeting
set up promotions for my KDP books
Take out ads

 

 

I finally made some good headway on my writing, thanks to Write or Die. I wish I’d opened it sooner so I wouldn’t be under so much pressure.

More testing this week, so easy, if tedious, days.

 

Work on Boom Town book
Testing
Celebrate future brother-in-law’s birthday
take out ads

This is an almost-normal week at school. Only a couple of classes will be missed, because we have Inservice on Monday. Honestly, I’m half-tempted to take the day off myself, but I like going out to lunch with my friends. And it’s not a challenging day.

Today Fred wants to work in the yard. He’d SAID he wanted an early start, but here it is nine AM and he’s still showering.

This week:

Inservice
Boom Town book
Take out ads
Get kittens fixed
Call accountant

 

I had car trouble last week so didn’t take the kittens to the vet, so I’ll try that again next week. Also, behind on EVERYTHING. I was going to FINISH FINISH FINISH and I DIDN’T DIDN’T DIDN’T. I was going to cook more–too tired. This week we won’t be home as much. Always a reason….

This week:

School dance
Testing
Boom Town book
kitties to the vet
take out ads

I’m taking Friday off to WRITE. Cannot WAIT.

 

This will be the first week SINCE NOVEMBER that I have all my classes! At least, I don’t think there’s anything going on. No Boy Scouts, no guest speakers, no early dismissal, no holiday….

Since NOVEMBER, y’all.

Work on Boom Town book
Take out ads
Make an appointment to get kittens fixed so they can start going outside. They’re making me a little crazy in here.
Start a new cross stitch project.
Cook more
Walk the dog more

Not too bad at all!

I think I was in denial that yesterday was Sunday and I forgot again.

This is one of those weeks when I wish I had an assistant. I have a package to mail and my calendar is full of ads I want to take out, and the TiVo is full, and I’m behind on my writing goals….

So this week:

Boom Town book
Take out ads
fill out tax book from accountant
go to post office
Watch TiVo