My editor had a Halloween treat for me today.
The Wagonmaster has an official release date! 

Tuesday, November 25th!

Freya’s Bower authors will be chatting tomorrow, Saturday, November 1st, at Beth Wylde’s Yahoo group.

I’m hoping to have some excerpts ready to post.  Stop by and visit with us!

Nita

No, I haven’t been on my dream vacation of a trip around the world either.  LOL  I didn’t even fall off the face of the earth, although my lack of posting may have caused you to wonder if that had happened.

No, unfortunately, I have not been kept away from the computer by pleasant diversions.  I’ve been battling allergies– hayfever.    I’m extremely allergic to ragweed pollen.  Every year beginning around mid to late August and extending through September, I keep the makers of antihistamines and decongestants in business. 

This year has been particularly bad.  The ragweed pollen has been at record levels and to make matters worse, we’ve had no rain for weeks.  Honestly, it’s been almost a month since we had more than just a sprinkle.  Until today that is. 

The ragweed pollen has begun to lessen a little in this area.  I haven’t even checked the pollen counts lately.  I don’t have to.  LOL  I have my own built-in ragweed pollen sensor.  When there is a lot of it, I get terrible, unbearable headaches.  The headaches can only be relieved with regular (and sometimes extra) doses of decongestants, pain relievers, and antihistamines.  So I’ve either been in such pain that I can’t really function, or in a drug-induced haze that makes it hard to concentrate.

My swollen sinuses have been putting pressure on eyes, making it hard to focus.  My distance vision has suffered to the point I think I need glasses. But there’s no sense in having my eyes checked until ragweed season is over.  When the pressure lessens, I see better, so I’m thinking that my eyesight will return to normal soon. 

The pressure has also made it difficult to look at a computer screen for more than just a few minutes at a time.  Thus, my absence from the net.  I’ve logged in long enough to check emails and stuff, but since I work on a computer all day at work, I had no desire to work on the computer at home.  The additional strain of writing blogs, sending greetings, writing, editing, etc., was just too much.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel!!!  It rained this morning.  Probably a whole quarter inch.  LOL  Not enough to help our drought, but hopefully enough to wash away some of the pollen.  And with the cooler nights, the ragweed will bloom less and less.  Hallelujah!

So now I’m playing catch-up with my edits for The Wagonmaster.  I got a great deal accomplished on them yesterday, I am happy to say.  There is more to do.  Just a bunch of little things, but those little things have a tendency to add up and be time consuming. 

Though my allergies have not completely abated, I do feel like I have returned to the land of the living.  LOL  Maybe not at full capacity, but at least to some degree. 

I’ve missed all my e-friends!!!  I hope you didn’t think I’d forgotten you.  It may be another week or so before I have time to devote to my blog and MySpace, but I’ll be back soon.  I just need to get caught up on all the stuff that piled up during the allergy season.

Thanks for being patient!  And thanks to all who have emailed wondering where I’ve been.  Y’all are so sweet to think of me.

Nita