My writing life has been on hold.

It started in early June.

First, Mom was in and out and in the hospital with a stay in between at a nursing home. I hated the idea of her spending her days mostly alone, so I'd go sit with her for hours. Sometimes we talked. Sometimes I read a book. Sometimes I caught up on social media and email. I watched her sleep. I translated when hospital staff didn't speak loud enough or slow enough. I prayed. And, yes, I worried. After all, she's 93!

My sister visited from eastern Washington and we visited Mom together. Finally, a doctor told us what we'd been expecting--they couldn't fix Mom's heart problem. A palliative doctor came and explained to Mom (and the family) what was happening--this doctor was amazingly kind and clear! And it meant Mom would get to go home to my brother's house as she wished. Hospice was set up. Phone calls were made. We were told Mom would probably only have a couple weeks.

Mom went home. My sister left. My step-sister arrived from New York and stayed at my brother's. My sister and her husband came back. Friends kept dropping by to see Mom.  More out-of time family came and left, and the couple weeks mark passed. My daughter from Boston came. I've had grandsons to visit. Like the Energizer Bunny that we nicknamed Mom years ago, she's still going.  She's alert. Still reading and crocheting, still watching the Mariners. It's been 3 plus weeks since she came home. Evidently, it isn't yet time for her to go to her eternal home.

With a scattered mind, visitors, visits to Mom, I find it very difficult to write. So instead, I've read e-newsletters that have piled up.  I've continued with social media and tried to make some helpful comments about writing. I've caught up on emails. I've done guest blog posts and blog posts. I've done some publicity for my newly released ebook. And I have read, and read, and read. Some is just pure escapism reading. Some is reading in the multiple genres that I write in. I've also looked at books I should read or want to read.

I want to get back on a schedule of writing, but Mom is acting more tired. My time with her is running out. I also need to relieve my brother and sister-in-law from some of the care. So my writing is still on hold.

And that's okay. Because the best words right now are her saying,"I love you."

We all make mistakes. Some of my own that bug me the most are missing words such as on, to, a/an, in, and similar short words. With the help of others (critique partners, beta readers, editors, copy editors) most get caught. Unfortunately, some still make it into print or publication. My sister-in-law found three missing words in my most recent published book.

I was so excited for my very first sale to a magazine. The issue arrived and I opened to my story and started reading. Oh, no! A typo. The sentence said, "there weren't any..." My manuscript had, "there weren't many..." Just one letter off and it changed the whole meaning. And nothing I could do, but hand correct my copies.

Those little mistakes are the hardest to catch. We "know" what it should say. We skim too much. We make a minor change and don't see how it affects something else in the sentence. We mistype. This is why many suggest changing the font of a manuscript so the sentences aren't in the exact same place on the page, then rereading. I did that with a story this morning and problems jumped out.

Recently I wrote guest posts on common writing mistakes for another blogger's site. (Thanks, Tessa Emily Hall, for the opportunity!) The posts were aimed at teen writers, but teens aren't alone in making them. Here the posts are if you'd like to read them:  Part 1 and Part 2.

Dana Louise Provo's book BLEEDING HEARTS, a new adult, romantic suspense will be released on August 25th. Isn't that a lovely cover?

Here's a description of the story:

Orphaned at an early age, now twenty-four-year-old Camryn Lucks is ready to commit to find that special someone, and so accepts a date from a charming, gallant, handsome stranger. The last thing she imagines after accepting that first date with Carson would actually be the beginning of her worst nightmare.

Red roses, a reminder of her parents' killer, soon become an emblem of horror for Cami as one by one, those closest to her fall victim to a serial killer. Cami becomes an obsession for Carson, the man she had finally allowed herself to love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life.

Finding herself in a whirlwind of torments shadowed by the blood-colored bloom, Cami finds solace in Isaac, a neighboring police officer. She’s desperate to escape the haunting memories, but she must revisit them in order to catch her would-be killer. Living life in constant fear has driven Cami to second-guess every choice she makes. Will the police catch the illusive murderer, or will Cami be forced to face him once again?

The ebook will be available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, ITunes and Smashwords.

About the Author

Dana Provo has always loved books and reads everything from young adult fantasy to adult historical romances. When she’s not reading or writing her next novel, Dana can be found riding her horses and getting ready for competition. Dana lives with her husband and two house plants in Richmond, Virginia.