KATHRYN R. BIEL: AUTHOR

So, I often allude to the fact that my house is not clean.  When people ask me how I found time to write a book, I tell them I wrote instead of cleaning.  I'm not really kidding.  Now, here's the thing.  I clean all the time.  I mean everyday, I do something.  However, in a family of four (plus two cats), the something that I do is not nearly enough.  I am constantly vacuuming the kitchen, dining room and downstairs hallway/bathroom (where the litter box is).  I am always wiping the counters (well, the small portions of the counters that are not covered in stuff).  I am doing dishes and wiping up spills.  I'll let you in on a little secret, but promise not to tell anyone.  Ready... I hate cleaning.   If I never had to dust or vacuum again, I'd be happy. But this all came back to haunt me, as these things often do.  My daughter's birthday is coming up.  And she wants a party.  I love having the kids' birthday pa...

In this day and age of YouTube and instant fame... "There is no doubt that one of us will die." Okay, do I have your attention now? One year, three kids, ten dares and YouTube.  What could possibly go wrong? Find out in the latest novel by Eric Devine: Available 10/8/2013.  If you cannot wait, you can pre-order here: Amazon Barnes and Noble Booksamillion IndieBound I know you may be confused.  Usually I'm discussing my epic housekeeping/parenting failures or pressuring you to buy my book.  Today, Biel Blather is taking part in a Blog Blast, sponsored by Book Nerd Tours.  I could say that I volunteered to participate because I went to high school with Eric Devine.   But that would not be the full reason.  The full reason is that Eric is a damn talented writer, and you, the reader, will be missing out if you don't read this book.   To read an  excerpt , you can visit Eric Devine's blog. ...

For being summer vacation, things have been pretty hectic around here.  I may  have overscheduled things a tad bit.  The first two weeks the kids were off, they had swimming lessons every day.  Granted, it was only 45 minutes, but it was something.  Most of those days, we went swimming afterwards as well.  The second week they were off (and still in swimming), I was back at work, which made things interesting.  I worked Tuesday and Wednesday in summer school, so I had to employ my parents to shuffle the kids all over the place. The third week of vacation, Sophia was in dance camp each morning.  I was at summer school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and worked in my outpatient clinic Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons.  That meant I had to bring her to camp, figure out what to do with Jake, run into work, pick her up, and then go back to work at the other job. Oh, and I'm trying to sell my current book and work on my next one....

I got into blogging, and was truly inspired by my former college roommate, Jessica.  Jessica is a rock-star mom, OT, is working on her PhD, and now is selling toxin-free household and kid products.  And let me clarify that rock-star mom thing.  She has FIVE boys, all ages four and under (a four year old, two year old triplets and a newborn).  And she cooks and cleans and gardens and does all this super-cool stuff.  I wish she didn't live all the way in Michigan so that we could see each other (and drink wine together).  Anyway, yesterday, she was having  this kind of day . We've all been there.  And if you say you haven't, you're lying. So, today, it was my turn to have that kind of day.  Today was my only day this week that I had "off."  It's summer vacation, so no mom is truly "off."  We're entertaining and refereeing and shuttling and picking up.  I'm actually working two jobs this summer (summer school and in an outpati...

 I spent an incredible 4th of July relaxing with family, but now back to work ... Good Intentions  is now available in paperback. Let me say that again, and a little more loudly: Good Intentions  is now available in paperback!!! As exciting and nerve-wracking as it was to publish an e-book, this is even more thrilling.  There is something totally surreal about holding your creation in your hands.  About seeing your name in print.  I took the cover photo while on vacation a few years ago, and seeing that out there is a bit surreal as well. But it is hard to put yourself out there, just awaiting criticism.  I've received a lot of positive feedback from friends and family (and if you liked the book, please write a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Goodreads), but I wonder how the book will be received by someone totally unrelated and unknown to me. I've been biting my fingernails a lot while checking sales and reviews.  I expect th...