Not even falling off the roof.

Okay, technically, falling off a ladder as it slides down, landing on my feet IN the ladder, then bouncing and landing on my back. If anyone’s wondering what I like about living in the boonies, it’s that my neighbor across the street was outside, heard me calling for help, and came over immediately. His nephew called the ambulance while my other neighbor turned up and was able to take my dog (who basically viewed it as YAY, PLAYDATE AT LEXIE’S HOUSE!)  Four hours, CT scans, and x-rays later second neighbor also came and picked me up.

Now, how this relates to deadlines: I was working on a submission for a market that has a very narrow reading window, four times a year. I had assumed I would finish it up, polish it, and I had a whole day to spare. First, my satellite internet is down. Fine, the guy is coming the next morning. Then, I fall off a ladder and lose about five hours I was going to spend tweaking, polishing, and submitting. I get home, and decide that I am not waiting until tomorrow on the assumption that the internet tech will be there right on the dot at the start of “eight to eleven.” (Good call: actual time of arrival was 10:55.) I have to go and get dinner as I was NOT feeling the cooking thing now, and I need to stock up on Tylenol and Advil, so I throw my laptop in the car.

I decide, before resorting to “sitting at McDonald’s with a laptop” to see what’s available in the grocery-store parking lot. For once, the world’s most annoying WiFi company, Xfinity, actually has something useful. Thirty minutes of free connectivity and I have one flash story submitted still with a day to spare!

For stuff that’s already been accepted and published, most without anywhere near that much drama, check out my Amazon author page. More coming soon.

And to keep yourself occupied when you’ve read all that, my friend Laurie Hicks has a story in Grumpy Old Gods, Volume 2, releasing tomorrow for Kindle!