I Do So LOVE Vistors

Of course these visitors are just leaving...but I like the those that stay for a while. This is a school of goatfish coming out of the the wreck of the YO 257 just a few miles off Waikiki. I prefer the San Pedro or Sea Tiger but all three wrecks are interesting.

6:48 and 77 degrees
No liquid coffee mate. This is not good. I had to use powder and milk, which is grossly inferior. I am such a coffee addict that I did it anyway. My favorite is sweet heavy cream but I have to draw the line somewhere.
I got TWO votes on baby horse. I am SO stoked!
Blogging is such fun. I use it to warm up first thing in the morning and then I get back to work editing or adding to my new WIP. It's a great way to get started. I am meeting so many people through cyberspace.
I love to read. I will read anything...the back of cereal boxes, trashy magazines, instructions for small appliances (especially the warnings), side affects of my husband's medication (if I read mine I get all the symptoms), dedications on CD's (I cry), and especially books. Not even good ones.
I love to write, too.
I love to tell a good story. I adore prevaricating, inventing, putting myself in perilous situations mentally.
Right now I am editing my third novel. The one my agent will soon shop.
I thought it was done. I printed out several copies, a few of my trusted beta readers proceeded to re-read. My mentor Paul Theroux planned to give it another go. I put my feet up and made my super-duper sangria.

WARNING!!!! RECIPE BELOW :

DO NO MAKE THIS IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL IMPORTANT TO DO FOR SEVERAL DAYS
Large Jug of any type or size.
1/3 tangerine-orange juice (or any kind of orange juice)
1/3 Red Wine (I use Zinfandel but really the cheaper the better)
1/3 7-up or sprite (this part is crucial)
I used to put cut up fruit into it also but eventually said, "Oh what the hay...no need."

Pour into plastic throw away cups so you do not have to wash glasses.
And drink...and drink...and dirnk...adn drikkl...san difkld...amfm...sd....

So my very important beta number one Bob, who happens to be my neighbor, (Wandering Star - the boat in the next slip)
and my husband and I sat around eating gourmet hotdogs, beans and the aforementioned sangria, analyzed the current version of novel 3.
It was brilliant now. They all agreed...brilliant...well maybe this...and that...and why did John go to jail? And this part - I'm not too clear about this part...
Well you get the idea.
As the Sangria volume lowered our creativity increased proportionally.
I finally understood the part about giving minor characters motivation too. I could feel my nitwitery dissipate and turn into...
SANGRIA! Ah Ha!
I got it.
So I gathered up all my drunken notes. When back to my boat. Turned on my computer and proceeded to elaborate...enhance...make mucho better.
And the next morning?
It wasn't half bad.
I worked some more. Ran it past a couple other betas and even Paul agreed it was better. It hung things together. It helped drive my main plot forward.
So.
The moral of my story?
Don't discount the wonderful restorative powers of Sangria.
And coffee...
Whatever you do don't forget the coffee...