Okay, okay, just because I had a wild pre-birthday celebration does not mean that I should let my blog posting slide (or checking out everyone else's blogs -- my cool pal Laura F even has one to compete with her Facebook addiction) along with any hope of winning America's Next Top Model...or even the Canadian one. ;)

Even without the par-tay it's been a wild coupla days. I received my judging package for the Toronto Romance Writer's Golden Opportunity contest (which I also entered) and was surprised to see that the five entries I'm to judge are in the paranormal category, not the romantic suspense one I requested.

Not that I'm complaining, but unless it's something by, say, Michelle Rowen (or something she's lent me in her efforts to turn me into a true para-ficionado), I normally don't read those types of romances. Perhaps this is TRW's way of letting me know what I've been missing. Of the first two I've read, I can honestly say that the competition is gonna be tough this year -- these authors have got their game on, big time.

I also won two prizes in the draws held at Saturday's TRW meeting and my books-to-be-read pile is getting taller than the DH, who stands 6'3" most days.

And remember how I was worried about making ends meet once I returned back from NYC with extra luggage and a maxed-out credit card? Well, the shopping was limited at best, but the amount of projects I have on my plate at the moment are making me think it's time to start saying no again. And meaning it this time. ;)

Seriously. One client asked me to come in to their office last Wednesday. Expecting to work with the great team there on a bunch of stuff, I was assigned an entirely separate project. In fact, it was more like 70 small ones, give or take.

"But I can only work here today," I said.

"That's okay," said my client, "you can do the rest from home."

Did I mention that "the rest" equalled about 200 hours? And they want it all done by this Friday? Oh, and don't forget my regular two-days-a-week gig, the 2,500-word article that needs to be rewritten, my two columns, the contest judging and the other two articles I sold right after I got back...and I'm also taking the Pitch Perfect online course taught by Janet Wellington. It's gonna help me sell my novel.

Oh yeah. The novel.

Damn...