Jax's Artistic Journey...

Hummm...I have lots of deadlines and just when you know it, that's always the time when life intervenes and you're forced to choose which door to enter. This week I'm finishing up my Ellora's Cavemen submission. I'm thinking I'll have this puppy out the door by next week, well ahead of schedule. Then I go down the list of projects I am forced to produce this year. I'm looking at 10-12 projects total for 2006 alone! Luckily I have 4 stories already under my belt and will all be published by year's end. Wow, it's kind of crazy, but I'll get those 8 others done even with all the chaos.

If you think that's hard, try running a website and forum that has enough members to be a small third world country. Talk about chaos, blunders, and cranking up the drill sargeant mode. Of course, I tend to be the one who has to smooth things over no matter how pissed off I get. Diplomatic? I hope so. Well, I guess after years of dealing with adolescent type attitudes in the Corporate world, you have to learn to incorporate it into real life situations...even if I, myself, tend to be a bit on the childish side to a select few of closest friends. But if you can't vent and be a pain in the backside to them, who can you be yourself to? With all this stuff going on, I start to wonder about the future, my priorities, my goals for my life and career. What if I keel over and die tomorrow... who's going to take care of my obligations? Who will be able to handle my workload and responsibilites? In truth, no one because I'm a total control freak. Morbid thought, yes. Possibility, yes. Solution, maybe.

I'm really re-evaluating things these days. 'I'm only human and born to make mistakes' (Thanks Human League for your insight). Well, I've noticed I've been saying that phrase a lot lately. I guess I'm at a point where I need to put everything into prospective and choose the right door to enter instead of peeking into each one of them and trying to make them all work.

So...

Here's my first change...stop complaining and finish up my project already! I'll deal with the rest later.

I'm finally settled in Orlando, got my DSL powered up and now I'm back in the game!!! Hooray for me! The biggest treat? I just got my cover for RALEIGH IN RIO which will be available from Phaze on October 1st! Drum roll please...I've got wonderful reviews on SANTA'S HELPER and SUNSET KEY from various review sites. Literary Sass review site gave SANTA'S HELPER a 1 shot (A toast to a great book), 5 Stars from Just Erotic Romance and a wonderful TCM review... Right now I'm working on edits and promotionals and new novellas for my publishers. I hope to catch up with life soon...

I spent 25 hours driving my little Prius from L.A. to Little Rock, Arkansas and spent two days recouping at my in-laws. Then, I set out for Orlando which took another 15 hours... wow, what a cross country drive! My only regret was forgetting my digital camera. Yes, it was unfortunate, but I can only describe the countryside through my words--even better, I found pics online. The good news is my total gas bill spent on the trip cost me only $160 total!!!! I know, hybrids are sooooo worth it!

Anyways, I need a few days to get setup in my temporary home, wait for my DSL, etc. before I can get any work done. I hope to be able to post on a regular basis after I am organized.

Oh, the above photo is the beautiful rock formation in Kingman, Arizona. It was such a breathtaking drive along the I-40. Who would have thought? Another great location was Flagstaff. Why does it take driving cross country to really appreciate nature?

For all of those waiting for me to be back online...sorry, I'll get to the work when I can! :)

(Cobblestone Press, August 18, 2006)

The only place they still communicate is between the sheets...a professional woman golfer and an Army Ranger struggle to save their marriage after he's seriously injured in combat and has to retire. Outside the bedroom, everything is falling apart because he believes she deserves better than a broken man, but she dreams of a future when they stop fighting and start talking long enough to reclaim the happily ever after that once seemed so certain.

ABOUT CRYSTAL JORDAN
Crystal Jordan only began writing about a year ago after she finished graduate school and needed something to fill the hours that used to be eaten away by homework. What started as a hobby has quickly become a new career. She now writes paranormal, futuristic, contemporary, and erotic romance. Additionally, she is a member of RWA and its erotic romance chapter, Passionate Ink. She also belongs to the award winning author's resource website and forum RomanceDivas.com, where she serves as a moderator and Paranormal Co-Liaison.

http://www.crystaljordan.com

AVAILABLE AUGUST 18!

http://www.cobblestone-press.com

My trip home was a real joy.

I had to pay an additional $25 because my luggage was 8 pounds over the weight limit due to all the books I was toting back. The plane ride from Atlanta to Dallas was rather painless, but upon arriving, it was difficult to find the right terminal to my connecting flight. Once I boarded, there was a 45 minute delay due to a runway being closed at LAX, and they were working off of just one runway. Then there was an additional 20-40 minute delay because of the plane's flight order caused by the delay. When we landed in LA, the docking area had a malfunction and the steps wouldn't reach the plane which was another 15 minute delay... I dragged my two luggages, a heavy laptop, and a purse that weighed a ton to the flyaway shuttle where I waited 45 minutes for my trip back to the my neck of the woods....oh joy joy.

Was I traumatized? Yes.

Am I excited about next years conference? Hell yes!

I can't explain it, but there's just something incredible, electric, energizing about being at a place full of creative people...surrounded by talent and eager writers wanting to make their mark and hoping to see publication in their future. There's something magical about meeting professionals in the industry and trying to get an "in" without fear that you'd be a burden to those editors and agents if you spoke to them....

Well, conference is a wonderful adventure and I think all writers should attend at least once. It's nice to be surrounded by writers with the same goals, dreams, and ambitions as those at the RWA Conference. Thanks for making it such an enjoyable event!