Picture this: The big break finally came. Harlequin Intrigue requested my manuscript after having the query letter for only seven weeks. Wow! I was on my way.

Problem: Manuscript had only six chapters, not the “completed manuscript for your review” as stated in the query letter.

Solution: Write like a bat out of hell and finish the manuscript and mail it in one month.

Solution: Write like a bat out of hell and finish the manuscript and mail it in one month.

No problem! I am a full-time employee, a wife, a mother, a romance writer and my very best job, a grandmother. My grandson is four years old. Deadlines and romance novels are a moot point with him, so he expected his Saturday nights at the grandparents’ house to continue through the month long writing session. Note: husband is out of town and cannot assist in babysitting.

The last Saturday night I had to revise and pray over the manuscript was upon me. Josh, my grandson, came to visit. I told his parents, bring him but bring snacks because I haven’t been to the grocery store and I have no food for a four year old. They brought fast food for his supper. Good, one meal was taken care of. For snacks they brought, macaroni & cheese (doesn’t that have to be cooked?), popcorn (microwave – I can handle that) and cheese crackers (now that’s snack food, open box and eat).

I did have a good selection of soft drinks (you cannot write romance without Diet Coke). So Josh and I were set.

Saturday night passed without incident. I had a moment of panic when I couldn’t figure out how to make the popcorn snack into a bowl (as stated on the instructions) so the separate container of movie butter could be poured over it. We improvised and Josh thought it was the very best popcorn and butter he had ever eaten. Success! Josh was eating buttery popcorn in the living room on the leather couch (it would wash) and watching juvenile movies. Nini (that’s me) was in the computer room revising.

Sunday morning arrived. It was time for breakfast. Josh made the decision to have macaroni and cheese and chocolate milk. That sounded seriously like something that involved spoons, pans, hot water, cooking, etc. What the heck, I am invincible; I am the grandma as he always told me, so I could conquer mac & cheese.

I don’t know how often you cook mac & cheese or chocolate milk, but both of these delicacies involve a major item – milk. Remember earlier where I said ‘I haven’t been to the grocery store in weeks? Well, milk is one of those items that is purchased weekly or it goes bad. My milk had been dumped several days ago.

To get milk would involve brushing teeth, taming hair down, getting dressed – that did it. No way was I crawling out of this nightgown on Sunday morning at 8:30 am and driving to the store. Did I mention that I was rudely awakened only thirty minutes before after four hours of sleep, by the man that mows my yard? Big, noisy riding lawn mower right under my bedroom window was my wake up music. I thought Mr. John Deere himself was in bed with me from the noise.

Okay, grumpy, sleep deprived Nini needs milk to make mac & cheese and chocolate milk. Nini rummages through kitchen cabinets and finds a box half full of powdered milk crystals. The crystals were hardened but they could melt, couldn’t they? So without the benefit of my reading glasses, I tried to read the ratio of water to crystals. I mixed a batch of the yellow-looking gunk and put it in the frig to chill.

I mixed a glass of chocolate syrup with the yellow gunk (after it chilled for two minutes – I have a four year old waiting remember). It looked horrible but the chocolate syrup would cover the taste, I hoped. Back into the frig to chill (another two minutes).

Nini gives chocolate milk to Josh. The child’s face wrinkled in a yucky face as he calls it. Guess I had that recipe wrong. But Josh decides it didn’t have enough chocolate, so wise Nini (knowing that’s not the reason but maybe it would work) pours more chocolate syrup into the glass.

Another “oh that’s gross face” from Josh. Then he decides it’s not a chocolate milk morning after all. He wants Dr. Pepper. I’m the grandma remember? He can have Dr. Pepper for breakfast. I pour a glass and all is well in grandma land.

Okay, the mac pasta is boiled and it’s time to make the cheese sauce. Out of the frig again with the yellow gunk I’m passing off as milk. I mix it with powdery cheese stuff and melted butter. I stir and stir. It looks watery but maybe the Scooby Doo pasta will soak it up.

Mac & cheese is scooped into the bowl and presented to grandson. He takes a bite, says uhmmm, eats the entire serving and drinks his Dr. Pepper.

Later, while I ponder over the final version of my manuscript, little four-year old arms creep around my neck. Josh tells me his breakfast was wonderful and that I am the best cooker of mac & cheese.

Success! Remember, I am the grandma. It’s okay for me to feed him junk!

Now if Harlequin can be pacified with a manuscript that’s 10,000 words too short . . .

Nancy Owens has been writing for four years. Her current WIP is a women's fiction with strong romantic elements entitled Facing Vegas. Her other writing passion is romantic suspense.

Copyright © 2005 Nancy Frazier. All rights reserved. Used with permission.