MIA - or that terrible little thing called life.

Yes, yes, I know it's been nearly three weeks since I've posted. And no, I haven't gotten cold feet. I've just been busy with other things: contemplating the future, taking care of kids, visiting parents and once in a while trying to get some writing done.

Some updates and you have my apologies that these are not all writing related:

1. The job interview: Last time I posted I mentioned a job interview I had with a professor here at the U of M , and I thank everyone who had wished me luck. It worked! Well, sort of. I met with the guy and his research is sooo interesting. To simplify it for you guys: he mutates proteins, expresses them in heart cells and then determines whether they make the heart function better after a heart attack. Very cool. His lab is one of the top 4 molecular cardiology labs in the country.  He seemed very positive about my qualifications and encouraged me to meet with his lab manager to see if I would fit into the lab. This, unfortunately is where things got a little iffy. See, this position would only be a temporary job for me, 2-3 years tops, and while the research is amazing and the people sounded cool, his lab manager reminded me that this position wouldn't give me the skills I want to land my next job in the biotech industry. So, after much hemming and hawing, I decided to tell him no thanks, that I'd have to look for something else that would fit closer to what I know about the biotech companies around here.

2. This leads me to update number 2. As I was doing the interview, I was reminded of how much I hate the idea of having to go back to work in the evening and weekends to finish things up, how little time I would get writing, and how I really feel sort of burned out on research. After thinking about it for awhile, I've decided to look into teaching instead. Teaching high school biology to be precise. Now if I had an English degree, this would be a no-brainer because it would fit perfectly with my desire to write. But I don't. I have a degree in genetics and cell biology, and I've been specialized in that area for so long that I worry somewhat that I'll have forgotten all the simple stuff. But, I'm still going to pursue it so far as to get some volunteer experience in the local high schools around here. I'm also a bit more motivated after the interview to do some job searching, so I've been doing that as well. Writing a new cover letter for each position takes up a lot more time than I thought.

3. Which leads me to update number 3. The book. Nikki's Wish is kind of stuck at the moment. I have a list of things that I need to do for revisions, but they're getting done at a snail's pace. I've been writing maybe half an hour to an hour at most each night, down from my typical 2-3 hours. And some of it has just been me staring at the screen or playing around with getting the wording right on that query letter. Do I have writer's block? Sort of. Thing is the story feels done in my head, but when I try to fix what's on paper to match, that's when things get ugly. I forget how I had planned the scene out and I can't find the right words to put into my character's mouths. It's just not flowing. At the same time, I have book 2 and 3 mapped out as well and it's so much more fun to think about those than the first. And if I were to write those out, I'd be back up to speed. BUT, I can't do that. I have to focus on getting the first one polished and out there. So, I'm stuck. It also doesn't help much to think that in the near future I won't have as much time to write what with trying to find a new job and possibly going back to school for a M. Ed. In all, it's leaving me pretty depressed.

And that brings me to my state of relief. Reading. I've read a number of good books lately: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson (did I tell you she's my literary hero now?), and I finished the third book in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I recently started on Paranormalcy and loving it's humor. Let me share with you one little tidbit in there. There's a scene where Evie is talking about her friend a mermaid and how this girl thinks the mermaids wearing seashells for bras in The Little Mermaid is so funny. Why? Because fish don't have boobs - they're not mammals! Totally cracked me up, and it's so true.

Anywho, that's the whereabouts of adktd2bks lately. I was surprised to see that in my absence I actually got a new follower! I'm giving a shout out to Susanne Winnacker (blog here). She's got a YA dystopian that will be out in 2012. It sounds awesome, so go have a look-see.

Thanks all for listening to me ramble. I'd love to hear what you've been doing lately as well, so drop a comment in the little boxy thing. :)