I am way behind for this weeks post for Celebrate the Small Things, helmed by Lexa Cain, where every Friday we get together to celebrate the past week. But I have some good reasons, because I have some stuff to celebrate!

I have to be honest, I was feeling pretty down this week, due to a couple of (non-fiction) rejections. Despite the rejections, I was determined to continue submitting to this market, honestly afraid any second now they’re going to remove my access due to me doing so badly (and then what will I do for money right? – well there are plenty of freelance sites out there.) And I sold a piece this week for more than twice the normal rate! Like others have told me, rejections tend to come in spurts so not to let it get me down when a few happen in a row – but I was pretty down.

That’s not all. I just signed up for another freelance site and while I was there decided to post for a few jobs. AND I got hired to ghost-write (drum roll) a romance short story. A romance short story! So I’ve been working on that. It’s a tight deadline and I’m still doing NaNo as well, but it’s one of those opportunities too good to pass up.

I’m going to share a silly secret. When I was young, I was a big fan of Mercedes Lackey, including her Diana Tregarde series.

And in her Diana Tregarde series, the main character makes a living writing (drum roll) cheap and sleazy romance novels. And I always thought how great it would be to do that when I grew up. But how do you get a job like that? Now I know.

Oh and I’m still way ahead on my Nano novel too! Going great. And honestly, I don’t know if I’d have the guts to accept this assignment except that I was able to say yes – given an outline and character sketches, I can do 10,000 words in under a week, no problem. Because now I know I can. I’m finishing up the rough draft today and it’s due middle of next week which will give me plenty of time for edits because 10,000 words in 1 and a half days no problem for us NaNoWriMos right? Can you tell, I’m super excited?

One more piece of good news, the kittens made it to their first vet appointment, and they are healthy, 7-8 weeks old according to the vet. Despite being strays whose mommy left them, they are very well socialized and very well behaved according to the vet. I’m still struggling with names for them. I am thinking Duke or maybe Prince for the boy kitten because he likes to be in charge. For the girl kitten I’m thinking Jasmine, because she’s sweet but spicy! And then, I thought they could be Prince and Jasmine, like from Aladdin?

Maybe? Can’t decide!!

Prince and Jasmine? Duke and Jasmine? What is the silly human going to name us already?

Wow, it’s been a surprisingly good week. How about you? How’s your week going? I’m super-psyched about ghost-writing a tawdry romance. I really am. This is like my dream job, literally. Now I’m kind of nervous I’m going to mess  it up. But, I’m okay. Really.