Why October is a Big Deal. And why this week is Quietly Huge in a small way.

Of course, if you were here yesterday, you'll know that this month marks my mother's birthday, and as she's the woman who brought me into this crazy life, it's a good month.

And it's so stunningly beautiful in my part of the world in this time of year.




I've spent much of the last two weeks thinking about all the events that have happened in the fall for the last couple of years.

October 2005 was jam packed full of Future Milestones.

My husband bought me my first computer.

Then he suggested that I start a blog.

We brought a cute little wrinkly faced puppy home.

I got started on a nasty antidepressant reaction trip that led me to the decision to get the hell off of that stuff a few months later.

Last year I spent a whole month blogging about THE TRUTH.

Here's the The Truth About Blogging.

Here's the The Truth About Me and Drugs.

You know what? Just go to the sidebar and find the link for October 2006. I mean, there's gold in there, people. I can't believe how witty and funny and moving I was last year. Geez, I'm starting to think my bloggage has been kind of lame lately. I'm going to have to step it up a bit. Put the boots to it.

Oh look, I digressed. About where I was at last year:

I was looking back on a year that really changed my life.

As I'm one of those people obsessed with milestones and anniversaries and marking the progress of my life, I have to admit that in many ways, if I chose to be all glum about it, I could whine that I'm not much further ahead this year. I could focus on what I don't have.

I don't have my own barn, a literary agent, a Western riding coach certification. I don't even have my own computer anymore.

To which I would like to add, YET.

Those are all things I will have. If I've learned anything this year, it's how much control I actually do have over my life. Much more than I thought. There are so many things that are out of my hands- the weather, what other people think, the music business. But I can control my reaction to it. I didn't think I could, but I'm working on it.

And it's not so bad. I have my own horse again. My ancient cat is still alive, prowling and scavenging and purring me to sleep every night. My dog respects me. My kids are more fun than even last year, my husband still loves me. God has not deserted me. I'm making peace with my own scattered and fragmented mind.

So what's the big deal with October? Maybe it's feeling the end of the cycle of the year, the days shortening and the hibernation coming on. I just feel like good stuff can come out of October.

And on that happy note...

Query Letter Round Two.

Nine queries. Two rejections- and very polite encouraging ones. One in consideration! And it's an agent I think I really like. It's not a yes but it's not a no either. There is hope.

And because it's my Blogiversary Month...

YOU get to suggest a topic for next week. I plan to write about a riding lesson, the silence of really truly finishing a novel, and maybe another Hick Chic Guide. What do you want to learn how to do the Hick Chic way? What burning question keeps you staring at the wall when you should be doing something less peaceful? Should I dress up as Captain Jack Sparrow for Halloween AGAIN? Tell me what'll make my Blogiversary Month special for all of us before it's over.




And because it's Friday...




Just wouldn't be the same without him!


(ps- go over and visit The World's Bravest Literary Agent, Nathan Bransford to see how his mind bending Indispensible First Paragraph Challenge is coming along. It's voting day today!)