Normal - Overrated or A Life Line?

I’m trying to get back to normal, at least normal to me. It dawned on me recently that this past week was the first week in nearly two months that I had worked a full work week at the law firm – I’m talking a full 40 hours in the office. This loosey-goosey work schedule started with taking Thanksgiving week off, then I worked a couple of regular weeks in December. After that, it was a whirlwind of vacation days, holidays, and more vacation days, and even a sick day and a half day or two thrown in. Now it’s a couple of weeks, then we hit another long weekend in February.


I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I could get use to this schedule.
As much as I enjoy my job as a paralegal and working for the firm I’m at, I would really, really like to be home writing more. But sometimes I think I would get bored being alone all day, every day, at the keyboard. And maybe I would. I’d probably have to find something else to round out my day –exercising more might be a good start. I’d probably get out to see friends more often. My apartment would be tidier. But more truth be told, I would miss going into the office and interacting with the people at the firm and with our clients. I enjoy it and it keeps me grounded. And being grounded works best for me in the long run.

This weekend also signaled a return to normalcy. As a rule, I don’t write on Fridays. I don’t mean never, but I give myself permission to take that day off if I want. I go into the office earlier than usual, come home a bit earlier, then hang out watching TV, reading, watching movies, maybe meeting a friend for dinner, etc. Saturdays are usually spent balancing writing time with book signings and events. Sundays are a blend of writing and chores, followed by Sunday night TV. And that's exactly how this weekend is shaping up. It's on the normal track with stops at Usual and Routine.
I hate ruts, but love normalcy. Is that a contradiction or a sign of balance?

Then again, is it normal to want to spend most of my time with fictional characters that spring from my head and talk to me. That's what we writers do.  We don't talk to dead people like the kid in Sixth Sense, we talk to people who don't exist, except in our minds, until we put them on paper. And even then, it's not like they have birth certificates or social security numbers. They only exist on paper because we put them there. We talk to them, cajole them, even argue with them. They become as real as the flesh and blood people we meet every day. It doesn't matter that they are ghosts, vampires, shape shifters, nosey Nellies, or homicidal maniacs. We visit them daily, as if they're favorite aunties who bakes us cookies.

Psychosis is defined as a severe mental condition in which there is a loss of contact with reality, including  seeing or hearing things that aren't there.

Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't take so much time off from the office...

Games People Play

All this week, the gang at Criminal Minds is sharing their favorite games and why. 

I'm up today, but don't worry, the game I've chosen is strictly PG. 

Disappointed already, aren't you?

Where I'd Like To Write

NOT my office.

Over at Criminal Minds this week we're talking about the perfect retreat to write our best book ever.  I've offered up a look at my "office." You know, the cubby where I create my books and lose my mind over deadlines.  I'm also confessing to office envy and disclosing my wish list for my dream office.

Sigh ... maybe one day.

I Got Nekkid Today

If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you know I love going to day spas. Today I tried something different. I visited Olympic Spa in Korea Town in Los Angeles.

OMG!!!!

I first heard about this place when one of my friends visited it a year or two back but never ventured there myself. After my Burke Williams outing last week, I realized I needed to hit the spa more often for my sanity, but my budget wouldn’t allow it. I did some online research on spas in my area and the Olympic Spa kept surfacing with rave reviews. In fact, after reading the reviews, I was convinced Odelia needed to hit that spa in one of her books – like the one I’m writing this very minute. So, yesterday I called and made an appointment for a “milky scrub.”

On the outside, the Olympic Spa looks like a dump – really it does. And the neighborhood is iffy. But once you turn into its parking lot, which offers FREE valet service, and step through its doors, it’s a whole different ball game.

I was greeted by a two smiling, young Korean women wearing tight black tee shirts with “Spa Diva” in rhinestones across their chests. One of them checked me in, took my money, handed me locker keys, and gave me a short tour. First, shoes are shed and placed in the first locker, then you move on to your clothes locker where you’ll find a cotton robe, a bath towel and a hand towel. You’ll also notice that the dressing area and lockers are spotless and most of the women are nude. Yes, naked as in butt nekkid as the day they were born. A few wear the robes, some hold towels in front of themselves, but modesty is shed at the door. Once you enter the bathing area, nudity is not an option, but mandatory. No bathing suits allowed. I arrived just minutes after it opened and there were already a dozen or so women there, all shapes and sizes and colors. Most seemed middle aged. About half were Asian. No one seemed bothered by being naked and soon neither was I. By the time I left nearly 3 hours later, the place was getting crowded and there were a lot more young women.

The bathing area is very compact. Showers are off in one corner and not private. The walls are beige tile, the floor is textured concrete. It’s hot and steamy and smells of earthy herbs. In the main area there is a hot whirlpool, a cold dip pool, and a mugwart tea bath. I LOVED the mugwart bath! It’s a very hot tub in which mugwart and angelica herb infused tea is added to the water. At the end are two doors, one leading to the dry sauna, the other to the steam room. Down the middle of the room is a long, very low concrete trough. Here, naked spa goers sit on low plastic stools next to the trough and give themselves a DIY scrub, rinsing with water scooped from the trough with large plastic bowls. Trust me, I am not making this up. Since I had a scrub scheduled, I skipped the trough.

Unlike other spas I’ve been to, the treatment rooms are not private. There were three semi-private treatment areas separated from the main bathing area by four-foot tile covered walls, and one large treatment area that held four treatment tables. These were where the scrubs and massages were administered by Korean women wearing flip-flops and basic black bras and panties.

After showering, I set up a routine of mugwart bath, cool down, steam, shower, mugwart, cool down, steam, shower, etc. until it was time for my milky scrub and my attendant (Lee) called my locker number. My scrub was to be in the room for four, and, believe me, you soon forget you’re not in a private room. At Lee’s instruction, I hoisted myself up on a table covered with a brown/black/red/cream plaid vinyl and laid face down.

From reading the reviews, I knew Lee was going to attack my skin with rough exfoliating mittens and a milk wash, and I knew she was going to scrub EVERYWHERE (anymore disclosure would be TMI), but I was not prepared for how rough the initial scrubbing would be. OUCH! It felt like wet sandpaper being run over my skin. But soon I got used to it and relaxed and it felt great. Lee started with my left foot and worked up from there on that side, around my neck and shoulders and back down the right side. I looked over to see gobs of brown mud on my arm, then realized it was sloughed off dead skin. Lee rinsed me off by sloshing a large plastic bowl of warm water over me, then scrubbed again going in the opposite direction. After another rinse, I was told to flip over and she repeated the process on my front, then on my left side, then my right side. Once done, she put me back face down and scrubbed again, but this time more with less vigor and using a satiny body scrub. When all sides received this treatment, she washed my hair.

My hair had been washed and cut just hours before, but not washed like this. After applying the shampoo, Lee scrubbed my scalp, digging her talented fingers into my head in the most wonderful way. That was followed by conditioner applied in the same manner. Soon she sat me up, squirted some cream into my palm from a tube and told me to go shower and wash my face with the cream. Done with that, she gave me a clean, dry towel.

This morning I was a little bummed that I couldn’t afford to do a full package with massage and scrub, but I gotta say, after the tough-love scrubbing Lee gave me, I felt like I’d received a massage too.

In the dressing area there is a large raised “stage.” The floor is made of jade tiles and are heated. If you want to relax further, you can grab a hard, square pillow and a blanket and lay down on the floor. Most women here wore their robes, including me. I used the pillow, but threw my towel over me instead of the heavy blanket, and snoozed for about 15-20 min. After that I drank more tea and got dressed to leave. My aching muscles no longer ache and every inch of my body is smooth and glowing.

Today cost me $60 total. Last week’s spa trip cost me $50, and that was in addition to using a gift certificate and receiving less attention. It's only $15 to use Olympic Spa's facilities without buying an additional service.

Unlike fancy spas, Olympic Spa does not offer bells and whistles like cucumber infused water or lavender soaked cool facecloths. There's no piped in New Age music, plants or candles. They offer water from a fountain, herbal tea and coffee. Their robes are thin cotton instead of thick terry. But they are incredibly clean, the attendants nice (even though they hardly speak English) and parking is FREE (in LA that’s a BIG DEAL).

And as a bonus, you’ll receive a valuable lesson in accepting your body, and that's priceless.

Olympic Spa, I will be back!

Posting By Proxy

It’s no secret that many celebrities, politicians, and even authors hire people to compose and send out Twitter and Facebook posts under their name. Not too long ago there was even a case where a well-known person fired the employee who was posting his tweets, but forgot to change his account password after, allowing the ex-employee to continue to send out short messages of an unflattering nature.

From time to time I get asked if that’s really me tweeting and posting to Facebook. Even my manager has been asked if she posts those tidbits on my behalf.

Do you really think I pay someone to post about B’s habit of pooping on the bathroom rug? Or have room in my budget for someone else to post about letting my hair go gray? Or to even share my joy over a newly released book or new contract?

Nope that’s all me, all the time.

I don’t want to throw stones at colleagues who do hire PR people to write and send their posts. For some, it’s a matter of saving time while still connecting with their readers. For others, it’s a distaste for social media in general. But social media posting is my way of connecting personally with readers. Those posts only take a few minutes out of my day and through them I get to know a lot of the good folks who read my books. And there is an additional bonus. Several of those “friends” and “followers” have become real friends over time.

I spend a lot of time alone at the computer. My schedule and budget do not allow for me to do many book events outside the Los Angeles area. So without social media, I’d never be able to get up close and personal with my readers. Using someone else to make that connection would short change me of that pleasure.

By the way, I also answer all of my reader mail personally, though that takes more time.

So, yes, Virginia, there really is a Sue Ann Jaffarian. She lives with two cats named B and Raffi in a 3rd floor apartment without AC on the west side of Los Angeles, and works as a paralegal in a LA law firm.

And she spends 15-30 minutes on average a day on Twitter and Facebook trying to keep in touch with everyone.

Another Freaking Resolution.

This week over at Criminal Minds, we've been tasked with announcing our New Year's Resolutions. This year I came up with a new one. Considering all my prior ones have not made it very far past January 1st, let's see how this %$#@* one does.

Not Your Usual Christmas Greeting

Yesterday was my 59th birthday. For me it’s a milestone. While most people fret about turning 30, or 40 or 50, I always focused on 29, 39, and 49. The last year in a decade is like standing on the precipice of a cliff, wondering if I’ll jump or be pushed into the next chapter of my life.


Let me be frank, this has been a rough year for me, starting with last December. The last 12 months have been fraught with annoying physical ailments, some of which were serious scares, but which, much to my relief, turned out to be of a more minor nature. In February, I had my first bad fall, something all people worry about as they get older. It was my body letting me know it needs better care as it ages.

I know many folks have had a much worse year than I have, and I don’t want to sound like a whine-ass. I’m just saying last year can leave any time now, the sooner , the better.

This last year the IRS and I had a battle royal. They seem to think I make a lot more income than I do and for months they bullied and beleaguered me, even though I was cooperating fully. Finally, I was able to get help from the good folks from Taxpayers Advocate. I won’t go into details, but the IRS seemed determined to either see me living on the street or on a slab in the morgue. We settled for somewhere in between. (When I start screaming and swearing about corporate greed and financial injustice supported by our government, trust me, I mean it!) It took nearly 8 months for me and the IRS to come to an agreement. 8 freaking months of government incompetence and bullying.

As many of you who follow this blog have caught on, I suffer from depression from time to time. Sometimes it’s mild, sometimes it’s severe, but it’s never continuous. It’s more like spots of red wine on a white table cloth.

For the most part, I’m a pretty happy and stable person, and very productive. But for about 5 months in 2011, my depression was so severe, I couldn’t write, could barely work, barely could get out of bed. So severe, I thought seriously about finding a slab on which to rest my head. I was crying all the time – at work, at home, at my computer. I even had to take some time off work because of it. My close friends were horrified by how deep I’d plunged. Much of this long bout was predicated on my IRS problems and the feeling that I was being torn apart by hungry pit bulls. When you see no resolution to a severe problem, depression raises its head like a poked vicious dog.

Not to worry. I came out of the blackness about two months ago, and I look forward to the books and stories I need to write and contracts for new books with great anticipation. And I’m not writing this blog post for sympathy. I’m writing it in the hope of bringing awareness to a serious problem. I’ve suffered from some form of depression since I was a teenager, and I know I’m not alone. And neither are you. And you know if I’m talking to you.

I love Christmas! It’s a time when I come out of myself and celebrate and connect with others. The holidays and the promise of a New Year always bring me out of my doldrums. But statistics tell us that the holidays are the most serious time for depression for most people. That there are more suicides this time of year than at other times. Add to that the current financial climate, unemployment, and increase in alcohol consumption, and it becomes a ticking bomb big enough to take out half a city.

If you suffer from depression, know you are not alone. Get the help you need and keep fighting the good fight. Take it from me, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, even if you're wearing a blindfold.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to gleefully jump into my 60th year! Yeee Haaa!

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Healthy and Bright New Year!!

JAFFARIAN WINS EDGAR!???

No, I didn't really win the most coveted (and ugliest) award in mystery writing. I've never even been nominated, but this week on Criminal Minds, we've been tasked with writing an acceptance speech for one of our favorite authors. At the risk of coming off arrogant, I wrote my acceptance speech.

A gal can dream, can't she?

Remembering the Forgotten

1,639 bodies will be laid to rest at 9:00 am in Los Angeles County today. No, they weren’t the victims of a terrorist attack or a massive accident or act of extreme nature. These individuals were the victims of poverty and loneliness and anonymity. They are the forgotten dead of the county in which I live and work.

According to a news article in the Los Angeles Times, every year Los Angeles County buries corpses in a mass grave, if after two to three years of storage the bodies remain unclaimed. Mostly the deceased are homeless people and people without families. Some remain unclaimed because their families are too poor to provide a fitting burial. Considering the dismal economy, I’m sure LA isn’t the only place in the country with this problem.

Today is also Pearl Harbor Day – a day of remembrance for those who died in the Japanese attack on our country seventy years ago. 2,403 people died that day.

In all the hubbub of the holiday season, the race against deadlines, and the headlong thrust to greet a New Year, I intend to pause today to honor the lives of 4,042 souls. Some we remember every year, but this year I’ve added 1,639 more to my list.

No matter how they died or what their status, these individuals deserve a moment of honor and respect, too.

29 and NOT Holding!

Starting today it’s pedal to the metal on my WIP – the 7th Odelia Grey novel. It’s due on January 1st, which means January 3rd , since the 1st is a holiday and the 2nd a day off from the office for me. Believe me I’ll that need extra time on the 2nd! I’m already on an extension from my publisher, so I can’t push the calendar any further.


This poor book has been beset by so many problems, you’d think it had been visited by the seven Biblical plagues. It’s no wonder it’s behind schedule. But it’s not the book itself that has issues, but the author. This year has been a humdinger, and I can’t wait for it to be done with.

I started book #7 ages ago, but one thing after another kept interfering with its progress. For starters, my work schedule at the office was heavier than usual and I put in longer hours. It also seems I had one ailment after another, starting with last December, and even now am fighting a tooth abscess and waiting to schedule a root canal. Thankfully, nothing turned out to be major, but all set me back time wise, especially a bad fall I took in February in Atlanta. Top that off with some other personal issues and you have writing schedule disaster. First Gem of a Ghost was turned in late, now Odelia #7 is tardy. I’ve pretty much spent all of 2011 limping after the calendar. And this year I only had 2 books due, instead of my usual 3.  (Whew!)

It happens to all writers. I know authors who have turned in books 6-12 months late. I’m not sure how their publishers deal with that since schedules for catalogues and marketing are set far in advance, but I’m doing my very best to hit my publisher’s extended January deadline.

The problem with a book getting interrupted by bumps in the author’s life is that you can lose focus of the story. That happened to me with this Odelia book, something I realized this weekend as I was slogging away on it. I use the term “slogging” specifically because that’s what it felt like each time I sat down at the computer. Usually my writing flies, but these past few weeks it has dragged like a dead body caught under a mob car.

So what’s a harried author to do?

On Saturday afternoon I stopped working on the manuscript and went back to page 1, paragraph 1, word 1. I started from the beginning, editing and reading and taking notes along the way. And it’s a good thing. Seems what I was writing later in the novel was in conflict with the beginning of the book. I also noticed that the beginning, while still needing editing, was tighter and much more focused and more fun to read. The chapters I had been working on seem rushed and scattered in comparison.

As of this morning, I’ve edited everything I have to date and it’s flowing well and is consistent. I’m back on track.

I’m still not settled on a title for this book. I have a couple in mind, but nothing that jumps out at me. I’m sure between my publisher and I, we will come up with something fun.

So please excuse me now, I have to get a book done in … um … 29 days.

GULP!

Excess Baggage

We've all heard the phrase "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." The problem with my trip to Las Vegas last week was that what happens in Los Angeles, didn't stay in Los Angeles.

On the Midnight Ink blog, Under Cover of Midnight, I give a peek into just who, or what, haunted me on my trip to Sin City. 

Vacation Hangover

Everyone should see Bodies

Today is Monday, November 28th. I've been off work a week - well only 3 work days since Thanksgiving was included my week off. But today, in about 2 hours, I'll be heading out the door to the office to be a paralegal again. I had a great time this past week, but it went by way too quickly.

Last Monday I took off for Las Vegas to do research for a new Granny Apples mystery and to get a little R&R.  It's a 4-1/2 hr drive from my house and I spent the time going and coming listening to A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore.  It's hysterical and the hours flew by.



KA - Took my breath away

I stayed at the Luxor because they were offering a screaming deal, complete with a choice of shows. The Luxor was the only disappointment in the entire trip. I had to move rooms because of a plumbing problem and the service throughout the hotel was inconsistent. Not sure I'd stay there again, unless it was another great deal.  For more money, I'd rather go elsewhere. Although, I did have a terrific time in their spa and took advantage of their massage/facial special.

As I said, my trip was also to do research for a new book. One day I got in my car and traveled throughout the area, taking in the communities around Las Vegas that could be taken for any suburb any where. I also visited the Venetian Hotel (my favorite to hang out at), which will be included in the book, and traversed Las Vegas Blvd. from the strip to downtown looking for sites to place certain scenes.  I found them!


Inside the Atomic Museum



I took in the Atomic Museum (will also be in the book), Bodies Exhibition and Titanic Exhibit (both fabulous).  And what's Vegas without shows?!  I saw Cirque du Soleil's KA and Menopause - the Musical (again, both great).

Thanksgiving night I was back home. The rest of the week, I relaxed, did some housework and wrote and wrote and wrote.  All in all, it was a very successful vacation.

Oh, and while I was gone, my new Kindle Touch arrived!  I'm so excited! I got it all set up and am loving it.  It was my birthday present to myself.

Now it's back to business.

Speaking of business, today I'm up at Criminal Minds talking about the risks I took to be a writer. And there were plenty of them.  Check it out.



Coming Out As A Writer

Yesterday GHOST IN THE POLKA DOT BIKINI topped the best seller chart for Kindle books, beating out John Grisham, Stephen King and the Steve Jobs biography. Oh, yes, it did!  And as I write this blog, it's still #1.  It's like a magical dream.

With all the excitement, it seems appropriate that today on Criminal Minds I'm discussing coming out as a writer to my family. Drop on by and leave a comment.

I also want to send a special shout out this morning to one of my devoted blog readers, Gregory Shipman, a gentleman who works in Alaska. Greg tells me he reads my blog while having his morning coffee.

THANKS, GREG!  Keep reading and leaving your wonderful comments!

Celebrating the 4th in February?

A lot of folks have recently asked if I've stopped writing my Holidays From Hell short stories. It's only natural since the last story, Where's Your Daddy, appeared almost 2 months ago. 

So here's the scoop...

No, I haven't stopped writing my Holidays From Hell short stories.  I have at 5-6 more planned and the next one, Rockets Red Glare, is partially written.

Why the delay? I'm glad you asked!

My short stories are not under contract.  My Odelia books are.  Right now I'm hurtling through the calendar trying to finish up Odelia #7 by the end of the year.  This sounds like a simple thing, right?  But it's not. You see, life gets in the way of all good plans and deadlines. In the past few weeks I've been given a major project at the law firm. One that has demanded at least 10-hr days, every day.  That leaves precious time for writing. I'm still moving forward on Odelia #7, and I'm also reading the proofs for Granny Apples #3, Gem of a Ghost, but Zelda Bowen and her clan will have to celebrate their dysfunctional holidays a little late.

This past Sunday I asked several followers of the Holidays From Hell series if they minded reading about the Fourth of July or Thanksgiving several months after the actual holiday. All assured me they did not. They were more concerned about the series continuing. (YAY!)  I'm hoping that's the general consensus.

I'm not sure when Rockets Red Glare will be finished and released, but it will not happen in 2011.

I also want to thank all of you who have purchased and supported Holidays From Hell.  The three stories continue to sell well on both BN.com and Amazon.com.  THANK YOU!!!

Once the Holidays From Hell series is complete, I'm going to be writing and publishing another short story e-book series. This one will be completely different and paranormal.  The plan is for it to debut in early summer of 2012.  Or maybe late summer 2012.  Or maybe fall of 2012.  Hard to say, given life gets in the way.