I'm a vampire...

I've been accused of it for years, not because I have fangs or am pale or because I drink blood - Yuck! I don't do that either.

But because I stay up so late at night. My regular bedtime can vary between 2 - 3:30 am. Drives my acupuncturist crazy as it's now her life mission to reset my internal clock. "Go to bed with the sunset get up with the sunrise" (In what world?)

My clock has always been this way. Even as a kid, I never could sleep more than 5 hrs and I typically would lie awake from 9 pm until 2 or 3 am listening to music and making up stories until I could fall asleep.

A lifetime of sleep deprivation is what my acupuncturist proclaimed I was suffering from.

A vampire is what my loving family and friends call me always followed by laughs and a few crossing of forefingers just in case. (Bwaahhh)

But frankly, I love staying up late. No phone calls typically after 9 except for friends and family who know I'm up, but they're generally asleep by 11 pm, except for some of my author buds and one is in Australia and knows she can always IM me at 1:30 am. I can have 2 or 3 IM conversations going and we all feel normal being up at that hour.

When I worked outside the home, I did keep regular hours, but getting up at 5:30 or 6 am was like torture to me. Even if I got to bed by 12 am, I still would not fall asleep until 3am no matter how tired I was.

My fam and friends don't care that I roam about the house at all hours, writing, watching an old movie, writing some more, chatting with pals on IM at 2 am... They know me and accept my evil ways. BUT my medical practitioners go crazzzzyyy over my schedule. They don't get that the creative stream flows a bit closer to the earth from 12 - 3:30 and I am just naturally wired to ride it.

So to those who want to rewire me... Leave me alone! I'm happy like I am. (vbg)

And, yes, you can call me after 9 pm. I'm up and quite lucid until 4 am.

New Year - Adventure and Discoveries

I love the week of New Year's because it gives me a chance to reflect not so much on the past year, but what's yet to come. I love standing on the threshold of possibilities and unknowns.

A entire year awaits me to discover so many things that I could never imagine. Perhaps this is why the holidays hold so much excitement. The magic of exploring another year is one of the great adventures. It's all out there in the future just waiting to unfold.

This is the same feeling I have each time I start to write a book. Being a by-the-seat-of-the-pants kind of writer, means my motivation for writing is simple - I want to know what's going to happen next. I can guarantee that if I were to know what was in store for a story and how it would end, I wouldn't write the book. What would be the point?

The fun part for me as a writer is equal to that as me as a reader. The unknown and the excitement of discovery all urge me to write more. Find out more.

So the day after New Year's Day, I find myself asking these questions as I finish writing a vampire book. What's going to happen next? How is it going to end? When I find the answers to these questions, I'll be typing The End. After all, it's about the adventure, not the final destination. May your new year be full of love, romance and adventure!

10 Ways to Survive Spooky Love

Love with a monster is not all that it's cracked up to be.

There are certain things you have to consider when falling in love with a creature of darkness and then moving in with him.

1. Where to live. Chances are you'll have to move into his place because he has all the systems in place to keep you and of course others safe for when he becomes a lunatic during a full moon.
   
   
2. Meeting the family. This could get a bit uncomfortable if you aren't prepared. Rent some tapes like the Adams family, Munsters and a few others to place you in the right frame of mind.
   
   
3. Picking out furniture. Chances are the average human couple doesn't shop for a red, silk-lined coffin, so don't get panicky when the topic comes up. Remember, compromise is a key component to building a good relationship.
   
   
4. Grocery shopping. Yeah, this one is going to be a real sore point for some. Vampires don't eat food, so that's a no brainer, you'll be buying for one. Werewolves like raw red meat, so be prepared for a bigger food budget. The upside is little to no food preparation.



5. Sleeping schedules. This could easily become an issue if this is the first time you've ever been with a vampire. Communication is the key to overcoming any issue. If your lover is a werewolf, you'll only have about 3-4 nights per month of disturbing sleep patterns.
   
   
6. Clothing expenses? Shapeshifting lovers can present some real challenges, so you'll need an open-mind and even be willing to share your wardrobe should the occasion call for it.
   
   
7. Transportation. So your lover could bankrupt a frequent flyer program. Try to find ways to take advantage of it. Gargoyles and vampires are both governed by the night, so getting a lift across town will be limited to after sunset hours. If you work a nightshift, then you'll save on gas and car maintenance.
   
   
8. Chores. This can be one of the most difficult aspects of co-habitation, especially when opposites have attracted. You need to divide the housework between the two of you before moving in. Surely those wings can be put to good use like dusting.
   


9. Friends. Your friends and his friends and how to make them into our friends will be very challenging. Typically we have things in common with our friends, so try and find common interests with his friends. If howling at the moon isn't your thing, then maybe dancing under a full moon is. Hate bats? Therapy might be necessary.
   
   
10. Entertaining. Having guests over to dinner or throwing a fun party are activities you can enjoy as a couple. Just make sure your lover knows that guests are off limits as food choices and you should be fine.

Read More