S A Slack, Novelist and Children's Author

It Could Have Been Worse...

2009-01-17T13:33:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, we woke up to a cold morning and a threat of rain in the skies. One of our sons works for Wendy's several days a week, and even though he is off Fridays, he was asked to come in for a few hours to fill in for another employee. Many days he walks to work, but I was concerned about the weather and offered to drive him.

On the way back home after dropping him off, I entered the main street to our neighborhood and proceeded along until I came to one of the many speed bumps in the area. This one is located just a short distance before the first cross street along the road on which I was traveling. I slowed down to about 10 miles an hour going over the bump, then started picking up speed as I entered the intersection. I noticed to my left, speeding down the adjoining cross street, came a light-colored car. To my horror I realized that the car was not going to stop at the stop sign. The only thing I could do was to step on the gas and try to get out of the intersection and the other cars way.

Being in a van, my father's bright blue one, it ended up that I needed more time than I had and the other car, a four-door model, ran through the stop sign, crossed the two lanes, and plowed into the back section of the van, right behind the driver's side rear tire. The impact spun the van around and I found myself sitting in the same lane I had been driving in, but now facing the opposite direction than I had been going. The woman driving the other car came to a stop on the opposite side of the intersection.

Needless to say, I was shook up and some what dizzy from the spinning ride. Fortunatly, the woman admitted that she was in a hurry and had run the stop sign, and that it was all her fault. I did find it odd, however, that she was moving the bumper of her car out of the street as another woman from a corner house swept the street of the glass and parts all BEFORE the police arrived. The woman from the corner house said that she had seen several accidents on that corner before.

I was blessed that I escaped with only a neck and back ache and some bruises along my left arm and leg. I limped my Dad's car back to our house (both of my parents now live with us), and my husband came home from work and took me to the local hospital to be checked out. That, in itself, is another story. What is it with hospitals and emergency rooms? They sure aren't very quick about anything!

My newest magazine article is out!

2009-01-01T23:29:00.002-06:00

Hi,

Just wanted to let you all know that my newest article is out in the Jan/Feb issue of Back Home magazine. It is called "Bacon, With a Little Sausage" and tells of our adventures in raising pigs. You will find it in the magazine starting on page 48. They have the magazine on sale now in bookstores and where other magazines are sold.

Check it out and let me know what you think.
Susan

Merry Christmas and a Great New Year to You All!

2008-12-25T20:43:00.002-06:00

Hi All,

I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a great New Year ahead of you! We have had a most wonderful Christmas this year with having three of our six children here with us, including their families. It has been noisier than usual, but I've loved every minute of it. What better thing than to be with one's family at this time of year. We have been truly blessed!

To update you:
I finished and was one of the winners in the NaNoWriMo event this year. I really had fun and would recommend it to anyone who loves to write, even a little bit.
Also, I have lost a few more pounds on the Weight Watcher's program, so much so that many of my friends and family have noticed the difference in me and have commented on it. Though the last few days I may have eaten more than I had planned to. Any way, I really love the program and the new extra things they have added to the plan. It is a great way of eating for anyone.

I wish you all success in everything you set out to do. Keep on trying and don't give up. It's well worth it!
SS

NaNoWriMo 2008

2008-11-12T19:19:00.004-06:00

Hi All,

This month of November is the National Novel Writing Month. This is the second week of the month long contest and the third year I've participated in it. The idea is to write at least a 50,000 word novel in one months time.

When I first started participating in this novel writing contest/challenge three years ago, I wasn't sure I could keep up the pace that it requires and write that fast. Now, after my third year I find I have no trouble keeping up with it. In fact, I try to get in at least 2000 words a day amongst the many other things I have to get done. It is a lot of fun to participate and well worth the time.

Why don't you check it out for yourself and see what you think?
Go to www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node

An update on my success with the Weight Watchers program:

Over all I have lost about 12 pounds so far and counting. I have to admit that I've done a bit of yo-yoing at times with my weight during birthday celebrations, but I just keep at it each day. And even though it has been a little tough at times, I think the journey is well worth it!

Here's to a slimmer me, and you as well!
S A Slack

Back on the Ranch!

2008-10-22T16:21:00.002-05:00

A friend from Weight Watchers was talking about her experience with a goat and it got me to thinking about the ranch we used to live on a few years back. Actually, I think about it and write about it a lot. We had a lot of things happen to us while on that ranch and with our animals.

Our kids were always volunteering us to bring this animal or that one to school. I usually didn't mind though. We took in geese, chickens, goats, an old rooster, fish, rats, a few puppies we were raising for the Guide Dogs for the Blind, and several other things, and there was always something that happened in the process. And many of our animals were chosen for science fair projects, all humane ones I can assure you.

But one event comes to mind most vividly today. It was the auction.

We decided to take an assortment of fowl to an auction that was over an hour’s drive away. We loaded the birds into their cages and put them into the back of our old jeep and headed out. The crowing and clucking and honking, we did okay with, but the ammonia smell got so strong that by the time we arrived at the auction we had all the windows as far down as possible and my dear husband was driving with his body slammed up against the driver’s door, his head part way out his window trying to see where he was going and I was hanging my head out the passenger’s side window in hopes for a breath of fresh air. Good thing we were only around other animal people at the auction and not going to some social event. We didn’t try it that way again and when it came time for the pigs, well they got to ride in a trailer.

I am still doing good on Weight Watchers and have lost another couple of pounds. Yeah! I've finally found a plan I can stick with and see results. It's great!

Wishing you all a wonderful month. Don't forget to get out and vote!

S A Slack

Fall & Loosing Weight!

2008-10-11T13:57:00.002-05:00

Fall is definitely on its way. I love change and I love the change of the seasons. Not only the weather, but the difference in colors as well. Nature holds such beauty any time of the year, and I really enjoy being outside to garden and enjoy it all! And as each season comes along, I look forward to it in earnest.

The hot weather is beginning to cool off and is most welcome to many of us, me included. Oh, to have a little snow here in San Antonio would be nice, but alas, it is not to be. Maybe we'll get a little rain this weekend. That would be good for the area and fun to play in its first sprinkles.

I'm serious to shed these extra pounds! So I began not only an exercise program every day, but 3 1/2 weeks ago I started with the Weight Watchers online program. I have heard much over the years about the many success stories and decided to give it a try myself. I am very impressed with it so far and have lost over 5lbs. I intend to continue with this and make it a life long way of living along with the exercising. I've tried other things before, but nothing has worked for me as well as Weight Watchers has. I'll keep you informed on my progress from time to time.

Have a great week end all!

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-12T13:09:00.004-05:00

Once again we are awaiting the land fall of yet another hurricane to hit the coasts of Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. This one, Hurricane Ike, is expected to do a large amount of damage not only to the coast, but to many places of the U.S. inland from its initial landing, all the way up to the state of Maine.

It's Friday afternoon here in San Antonio, Texas as I write this and the clouds are moving in and the wind is picking up. Most all of the bottled water, flashlights, and larger-size batteries are gone from the store's shelves, along with various other items, as residents stock up on things to weather the storms' impact. The news and weather channels are full of pictures and images of the wind and flooding damage the hurricane has caused so far, even before it has hit the coast in full force. And many people have decided to stay put who live in the hurricane's path, even though they have been told to leave those areas. But I think the nuttiest ones are those you see that are having what looks like parties down on the beaches of the coast as the hurricane comes in. What are they thinking with the 30 foot waves! One can only hope that the damage won't be as bad as predicted and the loss of life will be minimal if at all.

On a happier note, I received a message that another one of the articles I wrote and submitted has been accepted for publication by a quality magazine. And with the weather like it is outside today and will be through out the weekend, I'll be staying in and working on some more.

Wow, is it ever hot!

2008-09-03T11:26:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's very hot outside here this week! Hurricane Fay had sent a few rain storms our way to water and cool things off here in San Antonio a few weeks ago, but Hurricane Gustav was a bit short in sending our way any of its moisture. Just a lot of sticky heat! Yesterday, in returning home from a few necessary errands, I burned my hand on our front door's scorching knob, then headed for the kitchen in search of a tall glass of ice cold water.

My heart goes out to all those who felt the wrath of Gustav, and I hope they get the help they need as quickly as possible, but at the same time...I can't wait for the fall and winter months to arrive!

Even though I have a great love for nature and the outdoors, I think I'll enjoy the time I spend inside writing a bit more.

Traveling & Working Hard!

2008-08-19T12:00:00.002-05:00

I've been doing a lot of traveling this month of August. First, up to the state of Washington and then on to Utah. Had a lot of fun in both places and even sold some books along the way. Now I'm in the state of Florida just in time for Hurricane Fay to arrive. Good thing it didn't hit Ft. Lauderdale as hard as they expected it to, though it's quite wet here right now. I will be back in San Antonio by next week and hope to stay put for awhile.

I have been working hard on finishing the next volume of the Stormy Winters series, Shadowed in the Springs, which I feel is coming together quite well. Stormy finds she's fallen into the dark world of the terrorist. This book should be out some time the end of this next year.

Also keep a watch out for the first in my new series, William Lambrick Mysteries, next year. Lambrick, a retired Scotland Yard policeman turned American cab driver, finds more than his share of suspense than he bargained for.

Freedom and the Flag

2008-07-07T10:40:00.005-05:00

We have just gone through the 4th of July weekend, Independence Day, here in the USA. There were fireworks, music, barbeque, and some rain. We recently moved into a new house, well, previously occupied by others, and I noticed that there was no place to hang up a flag, no holder of any kind. We have always put out our flag for the 4th and other patriotic holidays and I wanted to do so this time as well. So down to Home Depot my husband and I went. We bought the necessary items, including a new flag since ours looked a bit worn out, and went to work installing the mount and flag to the bricks out front. My dear husband worked hard drilling into those bricks, the sweat pouring down his forehead, that we might show our love for this country and to those who fought, and fight, and died that we might live free.

Emotion flooded me from head to toes as I watched the flag flapping in the breeze outside our home. Ever since I was a small child, I have felt a deep emotion when seeing our countries flag flying near me.

We may get stepped on and belittled by the world, even Europe where many of us originated from, for trying to help other countries gain their freedom. This is a sad situation indeed. The world should pull together in this. I love this country and what it tries to do for others.

As I looked around our new neighborhood, and others around our area, it sadden me to see but only a few flags flying from the areas' homes. What has become of patriotism these days? When I was young, almost every house flew the flag proudly from their homes and flag poles, but as the years have gone by this practice has become less and less.

Wake up, America! We enjoy many freedoms others do not. Don't take this freedom for granted as it may not always be this way. Remember those who have fought, and those who do now, to keep not only us, but others throughout the world free from terrorists and the like. Put out those flags and fly them with the honor and respect they deserve.

My New Children's Book

2008-05-28T14:59:00.003-05:00

I await the decision of the publisher on whether or not they will publish my new children's book or if I will have to look else where. When one is waiting, time does not march along, it crawls. But I am hopeful that you will all see it out one day soon.

The wonderful ongoing mystery on here has come to an end. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.

I am moving to a new house, so will not be able to write on here much over this next few weeks, but I will return.

Take care,
S. A. Slack

Comment Here About Ongoing Mystery

2008-05-07T18:57:00.002-05:00

Following the mystery on my site? Have any comments or advice?

We'd love to hear from you!

Spring And Its Interesting Weather!

2008-05-02T11:58:00.003-05:00

May has brought with it an array of interesting weather.

Across the country you can find places where one day you are roasting to death from the heat and the next, you are bundling up due to the cold and snow outside. In other areas the flowers are in full bloom with plenty of sunshine, while in some parts they are just starting to bud out as spring rains fall from the skies.

Where ever you live in this wonderful world of ours, be it spring or fall, hot or cold, take the time to enjoy life. Be happy with what we have here and now.

By the way, if you haven't yet, check out the latest developements of our ongoing mystery here on my site. It appears to be coming to a climax soon!

A New Development

2008-03-27T22:40:00.002-05:00

Have you checked out the new clues on the Mystery page yet? What do you think about them? Any ideas as to the place where I should go to look for clues? Let me know as the clock is running and any clues may be gone!

New Mystery Page Ready

2008-03-15T21:05:00.002-05:00

Take a look at my new mystery pages and help me solve the mystery. It it up and running now and is filled with several clues for readers to look over. If you think you know the answer to a particular clue, or have a comment about the mystery, just e-mail me and I'll post it to the pages.

I'll look forward to your help.

Help Solve A Mystery

2008-03-10T22:11:00.002-05:00

I hope many of you have been enjoying the previous entry concerning the mystery in which Natalie has asked me to help her solve. Besides the blog entries, I have also received several postcards from various places around the country concerning this mystery and even a few text messages on my cell phone. Hmmm?

Coming soon will be a new set of pages added to this website inviting readers to help me solve this mystery. The postcards and their messages will be included as well for you to examine.

I hope many of you will join in the fun. If you do, maybe other mysteries may come our way.

The Game Is Afoot!

2008-02-26T13:54:00.002-06:00

I love a good mystery! I love to write them and I love to solve them.

Recently I received a postcard in the mail from a reader with a mystery picture on the front and a message written to me on the back. It says that they love my mystery books and wondered if I would like a "little mystery of my own to solve."

I agreed, and now as Sherlock Holmes would say "the game is afoot." I am to expect my first clue shortly.

I will keep you all informed on here and who knows, maybe one of you can help me solve it.

Back from Colorado

2008-01-28T18:35:00.001-06:00

I just returned this past weekend from Colorado. I was both in Denver and Colorado Springs where Stormy Winters and I traipsed throughout the many interesting sites in search of more story for our second novel in the Stormy Winters Mystery series, Shadowed in the Springs.

I had fun and met many nice and helpful people along the way. The weather was pretty good, though the snow and ice did get in the way a few times, such as when my sister slipped and fell on a patch of ice bruising her knees (sorry, sis) as we bravely made our way along a mountain path as a cold wind whipped at our face threatening to freeze us solid before we completed our quest.

Over all it was lovely to be back in the Rockies once more. I have lived in both Denver and the Springs in the past and love them both! After many pages of notes and quite a few photos, I think the pages of Shadowed in the Springs should prove quite intriguing.

Happy New Year To All!

2008-01-08T11:12:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is 2008 -- another new year just peaking over the horizon. A new opportunity to begin anything we set our mind to. A time to start out on our journey, set challenges, and bring about improvements in our lives.

I will be working on two main things this year, plus a few side ones. The first is to bring more order to my life and that of my family. Life can get so very hectic and spin out of control at times. I plan to work on this the best I can and bring more order to things around us. Of course, life always throws in its little surprises now and then, but one must learn to roll with those punches. The second thing is to get out and get more exercise. This is a must for me and will definitely help me to think clearer to continue on with my writing.

We had a lot going on in December, so I didn't get to write in this blog as I had planned. I want to wish you all a belated Merry Christmas any way. I hope you all had the chance to be with family and friends at this special time of year. I did and loved every minute of it!

Let me know a few of the things you will be working on this year. I would love to hear from you.

Greetings Sweden!

2007-12-13T09:06:00.000-06:00

Hello to all my family and friends there in Sweden!

I hope you are having a wonderful Advent with all of the cookies, Saffron rolls, and grog you are making. I miss being there in Sweden with you this time of year. Though the days are much shorter now, I love the magic of the land, the warm friendly people, and the songs and beautiful snow flakes falling as everyone attends the St. Lucia celebrations. I miss the giant moose that stop to look back at you as you stop the car to look at them, and the majestic reindeer prancing across the roads in search of food sources on the other side.

I'm in the middle of writing another article about the stories and folklore of Sweden. Thanks to my cousin, Monica, I have more wonderful incite to these treasures of my wonderful ancestors.

I believe in the gnomes and the little people. How about you?

Weekend Signings a Success

2007-12-10T13:47:00.000-06:00

We had a great weekend doing book signings in Austin! I ended up with three store signings in two days instead of the two signings I'd originally went there to do and both my promotionalist and I were very pleased with the results. A big thanks to the friendly, helpful store managers and their staff!

I have to admit though that even while I had a lot of fun with the signings and met some very nice people, I was very tired by the end of the second day. I'll have to rest up for a few days before I hit the trail again.

For any of you that haven't bought your copy of The Austin Fires, a Stormy Winters Mystery, there is still time to order it before Christmas for yourself or that mystery lover on your Christmas list. You can order it through my website or just go to Amazon.com or Borders.com directly and buy it there. And don't forget, if you have one of the great new Kindles from Amazon, you can buy and download it from them in a matter of minutes.

Have a great week!

Birthdays and Family

2007-12-03T09:09:00.000-06:00

I just celebrated a birthday this last Saturday and thanks to my wonderful family, it was a great day! When I woke up I was a little down about turning another year older, but by the end of the day I felt much better about it thanks to my family. My husband made a delicious breakfast of pancakes with blueberry syrup, bacon, two kinds of fruit, and juice. What a nice treat! My mother had been cooking the night before, and then again that afternoon, and made a wonderful mexican dinner filled with enchilads, tamales, green chile roast burritos, beans, and rice. It was quite a feast and oh so heavenly! I was stuffed. My oldest son, Joshua and his wife and two children came from Austin to decorate and help me celebrate my day. My youngest son, Erik helped them fill the house with balloons. They did a very good job. I heard from all of my other children by phone as well, making it a very special day for me. Was I spoiled---You bet!

Hello to my friends in Brazil!

2007-11-29T17:54:00.000-06:00

Hello Brazil fans! Thank you for all of your support in my writing and for coming to my website. Let me hear more from you. I love your country and hope to visit there some day.

New York Times Book Section

2007-11-25T22:43:00.000-06:00

I am pleased to say that my book, The Austin Fires, appeared in the New York Times Book Section today! It is exciting to see it in there. If you get the Times, take a look and let me know what you think. My oldest son had to track me down a copy of it in Austin as we don't have a subscription of it. Thanks, son!

My husband and I had a nice drive today through the Texas back roads as we went to pick up our youngest son from our oldest son's house in Austin. It always amazes me how our GPS unit (actually my husband's toy) try's to take us places. We never know where the thing will take us when we use it to travel a ways from our home. Today we ended up on a very narrow CR (county road) that was pretty much a one lane road. We had assumed (not always a good thing to do) that it would be a paved, two lane road, so were surprised to find it a hard-packed dirt road. When we came to an open gate in the middle of the road with a ranch name posted by it, my husband stopped the car. We were too far from where we had entered on this road, and the Australian lady on the GPS unit continued to urge us onward, so gingerly we proceeded forward. After splashing through several large mud puddles, and wondering what we had gotten ourselves into, we finally arrived at the highway we were hoping we would find.

That all said, it was actually a fun adventure and we saw several "hidden" ranches and lovely scenery along the trek. I wonder where we may end up next time?

I've Been Kindleized!

2007-11-22T10:49:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to announce that my novel, The Austin Fires, is now available on the new reading device from Amazon, The Kindle. Please check it out!

And have a wonderful Thanksgiving!