To NaNo or Not To NaNo...

...that is the question. I honestly don't know. NaNo is National Novel Writing Month. Writers sign up online and make a commitment to write an entire novel (or a good chunk of one) during the entire month of November. Thirty days; 50,000 words.

I am not new to NaNo. I did it before, in 2008. I'm not going to lie, with four young children and 8079574 things on my plate, eeking out 2000+ words a day nearly killed me. But I did it. I did it and I was proud of it. (Granted, the novel was crap and it took two months of editing to get it in any sort of decent shape, but I FINISHED NaNo!)

Am contemplating doing it this year. At this point I have only a couple of days to decide. I could write a sequel to UNEARTHED. (I have had many people request a sequel, so it's tempting!) I also have an idea for a different YA novel.

Decisions, decisions. And so little time to make up my mind!

Irony.

Yes, today I am pondering on the ironies of life. In particular, about writing. Not irony in writing, but ABOUT it. As in, the most recent irony I've experienced: It seems that whenever I'm swamped, and have zero time to even devote to anything other than all the stuff I have to do, I really really REALLY itch to write. I dream about stories. I wake up in the middle of the night and jot stuff down on the pad I keep on my nightstand. I stare morosely at my computer and think "Nope, I have to make 6 dozen cookies for this event" or "No--I have to wash and fold eight loads of laundry, walk the dog, do the dishes, run 98860386 errands, etc. etc. etc..

BUT, (and this is a big but) I have found that when I actually have TIME to sit down and write, I have no desire to do it.

What is UP with that?

Am I a defective writer?  Why would I squander valuable writing time on other things?

Does anyone else experience this?

Lightning Bolts or Trickling Streams?

Courtesy of ClipartPal.com

I am wondering how other writers get their inspiration. Mine has often come to me in two forms: Lightning bolts--when I am either A) in the shower or B) doing something mundane like driving a carload of screaming kids to Taekwondo practice, and the entire story comes to me all at once, and I have to runrunrun to write it all out before the muse disappears with a laugh. Then there are Trickling streams, where I might just get the idea of the story, and as I ponder the possibilities it comes out S-L-O-W-L-Y as I write it.

I actually prefer the former, because I am a planner when it comes to writing. I am, by nature, NOT a "pantser" or "write-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" type person. Making it up as I go along has worked for me in the past, but I don't normally go that route. I like lightning bolts. :-D

I am only writing this because I got a SERIOUS lightning bolt last night. So much so, afterwards I was laying in bed with Hubby at 12:30 a.m., talking about the plot, the title, bouncing ideas off of him (bless him) etc.. I guess he puts up with a lot from me, and my bursts of creative energy. Even in the early hours of the morning, which is what makes him awesome. But in my defense, he'd gone to bed only 15 minutes before, having just finished watching an hours-long Olympics coverage marathon. So I don't feel that bad!

Let's see if this "lightning bolt" produces anything! One can hope! (Am I being cryptic?)

Your Book Stinks...but it's PRETTY!!!

I had a massively freakish dream last night. I guess when you couple new book release anxiety with a lot of time on Pinterest, you get a dream like mine. I dreamed someone gave me a negative book review, only they did it with vinyl lettering...and put it on individual beveled wood plaques and strung them together with fancy ribbon and mounted the whole thing on a wall.

In my dream I thought--what a pretty row of plaques...and then I read the review of my book. For some reason they had bolded the vinyl word "VAPID." Huh? Am I just a tad anxious???

:-P

'Cause I'm a WRITER!

Yeah. I totally ordered this for myself on Etsy. LOVE it!

It's made up of vintage typewriter keys. *swoon*

I Love When I See This Kind of Stuff:

It's been #1 a few times, now. Thank you, everyone, for your amazing support!

XOXO,

Lara

I Knew This Day Would Come...

Finally! The release date for my YA novel, UNEARTHED, is today!
There's a feeling of satisfaction one gets, holding their own book in their hands, I have to admit. But that is only a fraction of the process. Now I have to worry about selling, reaching the audience as best I can, bad vs good reviews, etc. etc.

If I had things my way, I'd just sit in my office and churn out books, and let the Tooth Fairy deal with the rest. Or would I call her the Marketing/Publicity/Book Promotion Fairy? That would be nice to have, as well. Then I could stay in my office and never come out, and write and write. ;-)

Alas, that's not how things work. The book is out, I have work to do, but I'm also writing again. My kids literally live at Taekwondo class these days, so I get some writing time in--whether it's longhand or on the Alphasmart Neo--I get to squeeze it in. I'm working on a fun fairy tale right now, and doing what I love to do most--make stuff up.

Happy Writing!

Oh, and if you feel so inclined, you can purchase my book here or here or here.

A Little Excitement...

You gotta love days like today.  Especially when I get this in the mail!

Hahahahahahahhahhaha!!!!!

(This was a guest post I wrote in 2009 for my good friend Devon Ellington, on her blog Ink In My Coffee. A tad self-righteous, now that I re-read it, but funny how things can change!)

A Little Levity, Please...

You remember being a teenager, don’t you? I know, it’s “been a while.” It’s been a while for me, too. But I remember being bogged down with schoolwork, experiencing “friend drama” (as most teens do) participating in extracurricular activities, etc. etc. etc.

And what was my escape from the craziness of my angst-filled teen years?
 
A good read. I loved getting lost in a good book. The Sweet Valley High series was a favorite. Or the whimsical “Secret Garden.” And who can forget the “Choose Your Own Adventure” Series? Or Trixie Belden? Little House on the Prairie Books, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—the list goes on. All whimsical, light, magical, romantic. All good escape reading.
Cut to today, and what are teens calling those books?

Corny.

And what is the average teen reading for escape value?
Books about vampires. Books about abused teens finding other abused teens to commiserate with. Books about suicide and death, and teen pregnancy. Books that are dark, gritty, and “edgy.”
This is escape reading? Just scanning the synopses of the books in the YA section of any bookstore gives me chills. For example, why would someone consider the gritty tale of a homeless kid, fending for themselves on the streets and abusing drugs an escape read?

Call me old fashioned, but I think today’s YA books are too dark, too violent, too gory, too sexy. Kids are forced to grow up quickly enough as it is. Their lives are chaotic, fast-moving and pressure-laden. The teenage years are depressing enough, we don’t need depressing books on top of everything else.
I am left wondering: when did “happy books” become gauche? The books that made you smile, or laugh, or sigh in contentment? Case in point, I had a friend critique a query of mine, where I gave a teaser on my fairy story. Her critique was that my query made the story sound too “light” and I needed to add in the fact that the Fairies drank blood, so it would seem “darker and edgier” for potential agents. Because “darker and edgier” is in right now. I was surprised, but she was right.

This too, shall pass. I have faith. One day, the “Brady Bunch” endings won’t be scoffed at. Mirth and Light will be back. Teens will return to escape reading that truly gives one an “escape” from the doldrums of Life.

But I’m not holding my breath.

Cover Art For My Book "Unearthed" Released!!

**DRUMROLL PLEASE**

I'm thrilled to present the cover for my novel, Unearthed! The book will be released July 10th, 2012! I'm pretty darn excited about it!
  
Here is an overview:
 Matt's spent years resenting his father and the church, but a once-in-a-lifetime archaeology trip forces Matt to face more than he bargained for as he and his father unearth a city that's been lost for centuries. This thrilling adventure is bursting with laugh out loud humor, a touch of romance, and more than a little mystery. A fun read for the whole family!


It is available for preorder now at Amazon.com and Barnes &Noble.com, and lots of other online sites!

YA Time Travel?

Time Travel is a HUGELY popular thing in Adult fiction and Romance novels. So much so, I am wondering why it hasn't crossed over into YA and Middle Grade.

Am I crazy? Am I missing something?

Everything in the bookstores (virtual and brick) nowadays is supernatural creatures and dystopian societies. Dark, gritty, graphic. These are the books I see. What if someone happened to write a book that was dark, gritty and graphic, and contained Time Travel?

Teens and twenty-somethings still love good escape reads. I don't believe they don't for one second. Why else would they read? I would think they'd eat up a good Time Travel novel as long as it had the appropriate "dark" elements.

In my opinion, Vampires and Werewolves are overdone. Witches are overdone. Dystopian tales are overdone. Time Travel is fresh and new. Time Travel needs a chance! It's unexplored territory. Historical fiction is fine, but to have an urban fantasy with Time Travel? I would so be in.

Now to get an AGENT to feel that way...that's another matter...

;-)