I totally haven’t been keeping up with my blogging. Life has been SOOOOOOOO busy and this is one of the things I could drop. Only I miss it!!!

So, I’ve decided to forgo extra money (aka: I quit my job) that way I’ll have more time to do the important things for me. Like: writing! Writing CHiP II or working on Stuck ~ Facing Forward; which after much deliberation I’ve decided to publish once CHiP is done (and I have the money), and blogging.

This will be an interesting time. I’ve told people that we might just have to survive off of beeners and wheans – reverse that, but you get my point. Or perhaps toast and soup for supper (makes dinners easer to make). Perhaps Mack and Cheese will be on the menu more: to which my children give me loud groans because they (none of them) are found of that, weird! The point is we can eat cheaper, I can spend less and we can make it, or at least try to make it, off of less money. At least that’s the plan.

Alright, on the book front: things are moving sluggishly forward. I was finally able to get the cover art to my consultant and he’s putting the specks together as I write. Once that’s done CHiP should be a go. I say should because I’m waiting for the eighth shoe to drop! We’ve had how many snags now? Regardless I must stay positive! CHiP will be a book, one day, perhaps before all my hairs turn white...

In the CHiP II department I’ve got over half the book written out and all of it worked out. I’m still working on all the new characters I’m introducing and finding inspiration all about me. I love my signings because I often meet people with such unique names that I think I’d like to use them. I try to be courteous, and ask permission to use their name – that usually gets very odd responses.

I guess I really wouldn’t know what to say if someone said they wanted to use my name. Actually it’s happened a few times. Mostly for babies. The first time I was actually possessive of my name and against the idea of someone else having the same name as me – that was back when I was naive and didn’t know that there are several other Aviva’s out there in the world. I’ve become wiser (though not a common name it is a popular one in Israel). The second time I was asked I was a lot cooler about the whole thing, I said something along the lines of charging royalties, but joking and all was well.

However to have a character in a book given my name I’d be cautious. Firstly I’d want the character to be endearing or redeeming and probably not a single thing like me (to be honest). Not at all like me so no one would be able to read my character’s name sake and think they’ve got me all figured out. Next I would want this book Aviva to be beautiful – like drop dead stunning. At least that way if people read about me first they’d get that in their head and maybe not notice the discrepancies between the made up me and the real me?  It could work, the mind is a powerful thing and planting ideas is easy (have you seen Inception yet?)

Did you know as an author its taboo to name a character after yourself? I know there is a rather famous author who broke that rule, but I don’t think I’m that famous or pompous to do that – not yet, at least.

Anyways, it felt nice to ramble a bit. It’s been TOOOOO long! In just 10 more days I’ll be an unemployed person ~ or a full time author again! Hurrah!!!

Until next rant,

Aviva B.