Saturday, December 24, 2011

On the Eve

About an hour ago I finished revisions for one of my editors, which was the last writing job I had to do this year.  My reward for hitting the final finish line is a movie (Cowboys and Aliens), a week of writing whatever I want (probably just posts for PBW) and as much rest and relaxation as I can manage during the holidays.

It's always a strange feeling to finish out the writing year.  In 2011 I published three novels, sold four and wrote five.  There have been years when I've done twice that much work, so it doesn't feel like a lot, but I've never worked through so many challenges and changes as I have during the last twelve months.  I'm tired, and I definitely need a week off, but I'm also satisfied that I did my best even in the worst of times.  And while I am my own harshest critic, that actually feels pretty good.

Now I am going to unplug for a few hours, get my kids and take them out to lunch.  In the meantime, I have a contest challenge for you guys that involves this:



Meet the Sock Ornament of Doom, which my daughter made when she was in preschool.  This stuffie has been hanging on our tree ever since she brought it home, and we love it so much that I think it's high time it got a new name.

If you have any ideas, in comments to this post, suggest a name (male, female or other is okay; just please keep it G-rated) for our ornament by midnight EST on Monday, December 26, 2011.  My daughter will choose the name she likes best from all the entries, and I will send the winner a signed ARC of Nightborn, the first novel in my new Lords of the Darkyn trilogy.  This contest is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something from PBW in the past.

21 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:09 AM

    How about Socky the snowman?

    Tara B

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  2. Fran Kane8:54 AM

    What a great tree ornament.

    I think it has a very feminine & haughty look, so I'm offering Queen Snofia!

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  3. She's darling! I nominate her (in memory of the Snow Queen) as the

    Sock Queen

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  4. Puccini. happy holidays.

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  5. I don't have an idea for a name, but I love your daughter's sock ornament. Homemade ornaments are always the most treasured. My parents still have an ornament on their tree that I made from a seashell in kindergarten over thirty years ago.

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  6. I love it! His name should be Grrr...

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  7. Shizuka12:46 PM

    The Sulk Maiden

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  8. GayLee1:14 PM

    Snowalia, Queen of the Frozen Northlands.

    Our tree is also festooned with many kid-made ornaments, some of which are falling apart now and will be retired after this year. These are the best ornaments we have. I sent a couple of them to my daughter in Idaho for her tree.

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  9. Sheldon. He's definitely a Sheldon :)

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  10. clairecherven4:29 PM

    "Sock of Christmas Past" like from Dicken's The Christmas Carol. I have things hanging on my tree that mean memories for me and probably would make viewers of the ornaments scratch their head. But these are the first to decorate the tree and make me stop and relive the past and smile. Merry Christmas.

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  11. Jennifer Clarke8:41 PM

    Sockette

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  12. Anne V.9:04 PM

    Kawaii(meaning cute in Japanese) Or Sno-chan (endearing little snowperson).

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  13. Athena W.10:30 PM

    Frosty
    Buttons
    Snoff
    Stuffie
    Snow Doom
    Snow Trooper
    Sock Top
    Cool Sock

    LOL I'm not very creative

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  14. I don't really have any ideas. I thought Stuffie was his name when I first read it. *sigh* We had our busy day today. Can you tell I'm tired? :o)

    Merry Christmas to you, Lynn. I hope your week is a refreshing, calm, do what you want kind of week.

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  15. The Snow Ninja

    Snowmageddon

    Merry Christmas! That ornament is SO awesome!!!

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  16. susanne7:20 AM

    Hi - my name is Schnocke :-) That´s german for Schnee (snow) and Socke(sock).

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  17. I dub thee sock ornament:

    "Sir Sneer of the Sockingtons of Sarcasm"

    I quite like him/her..errr hir?

    The daughter of my best friend recently said that she prefers her family's tree to the decorated theme trees of her friends as their own is a "tree of stories".

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  18. Andromeda Pineworthy

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  19. Anonymous10:44 PM

    Charlotte Wilhemina Carstairs of the Virginia Carstairs.

    (It is a well known fact that Virginia snow ornaments are MUCH thinner than their northern counterparts. After all,it is
    warmer down south.)

    Rebecca.
    ('she' just looked like a female and southern snow person to me;) )

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