Where has the time gone?

(A similar post can also be found at http://barbphinney.blogspot.com/, along with some other interesting notes)
Like my title says, where has the time gone? I've spent the last few months getting a proposal for some books done up and the day after I sent them, my editor called to offer me a one book contract!
It's part of a series coming out starting January 2010, and my book will be May 2010. It's called Fatal Secrets, and I've decided I like writing to a title, and a basic synopsis. At least, with the editors writing up the synopsis, they can't rip it apart on me! I love creating stories, but it's so easy to be given the title. That way, when your title, the one you love just as much as the story itself, is turned down, you end up scrambling around to offer others, only to have something totally different being chosen.
But now Christmas has come and gone and our family has seen some big ups and downs. An uncle died, my father in law had a heart attack, and yet, in the midst of that, my daughter got engaged.
Still, I will soldier on, as they say. I'm used to the idea of my daughter getting married some day in the future, and we've visited my father in law, who is still in the hospital. We attended a tough funeral for a well liked man.
My writing continues, as does life in general. Nothing stays the same, my mother in law says, and all we can do is go with the flow. And in the meantime, I must write and edit and coordinate with the other writers in the series, a joy and good experience to be sure, but worrisome when you think of the editor and what she may say. I want a big prologue, but it may be trashed when the editor reads the others and sees their neat and compact ones (each book is to start with a short prologue). She may look at mine and ladle out her bucket of red ink, the one she keeps for all us wayward authors!
I've also joined the Craftie Ladies of Suspense. We sound like a bunch of murderers who connive together to commit felonies. But I have a feeling we'll have fun. Naturally, if you ever meet us, remember that we're really just a harmless group of writers.
Speaking of which, I better get writing, remembering to be concise and yet, delightfully entertaining.
So, in that vein, I thank you for stopping by.
Happy New Year!
Barbara