The Potted Pen

YA Time Travel?

2012-02-16T12:23:00.001-05:00

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...

;-)

The Post-Novel Completion Void.

2011-10-03T07:41:00.000-04:00

I'm experiencing a loss. I've been living in this world of mine, and the lives of my characters, for the last month solid, as I completed my YA urban fantasy and edited it. Edits are complete, I'm now shipping it off to my CP and Beta reader, and I feel a sort of...void. It feels weird to not sit down at the computer and pull up the story. It feels weird to not submerse myself in my heroine's world any more.

Time to write the sequel! ;-)

I suppose I should start it, since it's fresh in my mind, and the story will continue linearly, but I think I need to take a small break. For about a week. Then I will sharpen the pencils, dust off the keyboard, and pick up again. For now, I'll just have to occupy my spare time with other things.

It's funny, I get attached to my characters like they're real people sometimes. I care about them. They are, after all, my kids. I have to help them along the way, help them grow. Some of them are malleable, some of them are broken, and I can't fix them, so I don't try. I just let them be. But I like them all the same. And I miss them when our time together is over.

I wonder if I'll last the week?

In Defense of Pantsing. (Yes, Really!)

2011-09-16T11:54:00.002-04:00

Let me start by saying I have never been a fan of Pantsing, or "seat-of-your-pants" writing. It makes no sense to me. Not only that, but the likelihood of running into the dreaded Writer’s Block multiplies when you Pants write. Granted, most novels I begin I write in “Pants mode,” and once I’ve written the first chapter or so, out comes the trusty pen and paper and I outline the rest. Because I'm a Plotter. From start to finish, and I make notes along the way on all the characters. So, by the time I write it out, I am sure of the What, Why, When, Where and How.

I surprised myself this weekend. As in, I made a startling realization. I’m sure all other writers know this, but I am somewhat new to the “Ah-ha Moment” party, so forgive me if this is old news.

Pantsing might actually be better than Plotting. At least, for ME.

Why do I make this claim? Because with any novel I’ve ever written, I’ve always plotted it out, and I stay with that plot, and there it is. Because I’m sort of a control freak when it comes to my writing. I am The Boss.

I’m currently writing a novel, and I will be honest, I have no idea how it’s going to turn out. It’s simply coming out of my brain, one sentence at a time, and I don’t have a plot. I’m simply watching it unfold as I go. I already have 52K on it, and I’m enjoying the process immensely, to my surprise.

BUT, since I’m monstrously insecure about having no firm plot, I gave what I had so far to a friend, for her honest opinion. And she liked it. A lot. And one of her comments was that it didn’t have the usual “info dumps” in it that a lot of books have.

And I realized, to my joy, there wouldn’t be. Because the backstory and motivations for everything are coming out as I write, and being revealed slowly, because even I don’t know what they are.

So, when I “Pants” write—does that mean I’m a better writer? Because I’m relinquishing control and essentially letting the characters dictate how things unfold—I info-dump less and the story is actually superior to what I usually write? I will admit, I’ve been surprised by some of the twists and turns my characters have taken. And if the end result is entertaining, even better, right?

So, there you have it. An argument for Pantsing! I wonder if other writers feel this way...

I Wrote.

2011-08-08T08:17:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a fluke. I won't lie. I promised myself writing would be a "treat" for me, once I got this whole house unpacked.

Then, yesterday happened. Got Hubby off to NYC for the week. Went to church. Came back home, assessed all the stuff I need to do this week, and told myself:

"You deserve the day off from unpacking."

And I did just that. I did exactly what I wanted to do, which was NOT unpack. I took a Sunday nap, (love those!) and when I woke up, I came down to the office and sat in front of my computer. Pulled up the story I was working on before we moved. Read some. Got lost in it. Started typing. And typing. And when I looked up a few hours later, it was dinnertime, and I'd written all the words out that had been locked up in my head for so many weeks.

I was reluctant to make dinner. But my boys (bless them for giving me space so I could write) were hungry. We had dinner. We hung out. They went to bed. I sat back at the computer.

I edited the scene I just wrote, until it felt right. It was midnight before I was ready for bed.

Unfortunately for me, I woke up this morning in the world of my characters. I am no longer estranged with them. I want to tell their story. They WANT me to tell their story. But I have to unpack. I gave myself a day, and now, it's back to business. But next week, when my self-imposed deadline expires and the house is unpacked, I WILL write more. I will get back on the computer and keep the story going.

It's good to be back.

I'm Moving!!

2011-06-27T15:40:00.000-04:00

No, not the blog, but my family is moving to a new house about ten minutes away. This blog will be on hiatus until the 3rd week of July, because until then, I will be packing instead of writing!

And I might have an announcement for you all when I return! ;-)

Stay Tuned!

And It Begins...

2011-06-06T13:26:00.003-04:00

Is this movie going to be a bit "much" for my 13-year old? Hmmmm....

The Trouble with Pantsing.

2011-05-20T09:42:00.000-04:00

I have made no bones about the fact I'm TOTALLY pantsing this latest novel. I had a "bug in my bonnet" and I started writing. To date, after a few weeks, I'm about to break 40K on this novel. I've been writing it every day, mostly stolen moments, some planned, and never knowing where one scene will lead. I have ZERO synopsis, ZERO outline.

Total by-the-seat-of-my-pants writing.

And now? I find I've run out of Zip. Or at least, I have no earthly idea what to do next. Some people call it Writer's Block. I call it "Pantsing Peril." As in, I've written myself out. I officially have run out of creative steam, and the only way to get back on track (since the Muse has temporarily deserted me) is to WRITE A FREAKING SYNOPSIS. Figure out where I want to go, and get there.

Otherwise I will stop working on it, find other things to do, and eventually I will leave the world the characters have been so alive in, and I will become estranged to them. And I don't want that to happen, because I've been having too much fun with this.

Now I just need to sit myself down and plot it out. UGH. I'd rather drop a fork on my toe, tines-down.

And I'm Back...

2011-05-04T18:39:00.000-04:00

I wrote 5K today. I have a pretty bad cold, so it kept me home bound. I haven't worked on my story for three days, so I figured I'd start up again.

And How.

Maybe I'll stick to that June 1st deadline, after all! Fingers crossed!

Being Sneaky About It.

2011-04-27T12:15:00.000-04:00

I think my friend Brenda has already mastered the art of "sneaky" writing--as in, wherever you go (sports practice, etc.) you whip out that keyboard and start hammering away. My Alphasmart has become my buddy--I take him with me everywhere. I like the Alphasmart vs a Mini, because I'm not tempted to surf the Web. I just WRITE.

So, when I live in my car, I can turn it into Writing Time. While I'm grabbing lunch, I'll park myself in front of the computer and get some words in. Waiting for a load of wash or dishes? That's worth 30 minutes at least!

I guess I really REALLY want to get this story out, so I'm being creative about it. Usually I can't fit the writing in, but this time, I am compelled to at least get 1K in a day, preferably 2K.

I WILL make the June 1st deadline! I WILL! I'm almost halfway there!!!

Can you say "On Fire?"

2011-04-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

This book has seemed effortless, so far. I still don't have a plot, or even a linear synopsis (totally crazy and capricious of me) but I wrote 4300 words yesterday. I think all the words and scenes I thought about during Spring Break (and I wasn't able to write) came pouring out, literally.

I'm trying my hand at Urban Fantasy, I've abandoned my medieval-era folk tale, and I'm blasting full steam ahead on this novel. I just want to get it OUT. Before I lose the flow of it. I haven't, yet, which I find strange. Usually when I have a burst of words, I leave it for a few days, which turn into weeks, and I abandon it. Not this time. I hope to have it finished by the end of May. Then it will go to trusty readers, and then one more round of edits and off it will go! I am NOT going to let another year go by and not have new material.
We are moving into a new house in late July, and since I have a BAZILLION things to do as far as the move is concerned (I am packing myself this time!) I have given myself until noon, every day, to write. Then, after that, the writing gets put away and it's MOVE PREP time. It will be the only way I can keep sane, because I really really really want to get this story written and out there.

Let's hope the momentum stays "momenting!" ;-) Yes, I know that's not a word.

Oh, !#$&**!!: Cussing in YA.

2011-04-14T11:17:00.001-04:00

I have a "bit" of a cussing problem. There, I said it. I know, EVERYONE cusses. But that doesn't mean it's okay. I'm pretty devout in my religion, and I grew up knowing cuss words were NOT acceptable.

My dad used to say "Saying bad words shows lack of intelligence, because people can't think of anything better to say." My mom doesn't cuss. She doesn't even do "Bible Swears." My dad doesn't really cuss, either. Not the big ones, anyway.

So, why did I turn out this way? I LOVE to cuss! Well, Bible swears, and I don't care if it shows a lack of intelligence on my part, but sometimes, situations call for a good old "SH*T" bomb. Granted, I draw the line at the F-word. I just don't say it.

Here's my dilemma. Kids these days swear. And they don't just use polite, bible swears. They drop F-bombs like they're nothing. Especially when they get emotional. That's just the way they talk.

So, I'm writing a YA urban fantasy, and my heroine has grown up with a very religious mother, who doesn't like her to cuss, but she kind of does anyway. So far, she's said "bull***" and "d***" and "b***."
And I actually cringe, when she says these words. But in staying true to the character, she HAS to say these words. I mean, when she gets sucked out of an airplane and is plummeting to her death, "OH, GOLLY DARN GEE WHIZ, I'M ABOUT TO DIE" doesn't exactly cut it, you know?

I've already told her she can't say the F-word. Because I'm the Boss. But I just don't want to cut the swears. Because it sounds...weird when she doesn't cuss. NORMAL PEOPLE CUSS. Even Stephenie Meyer cussed in her books. (Well, in her defense, I think all she had in there were Bible Swears, a.k.a "H***" and "D***.") But she recognized that in order to be plausible, her characters had to cuss--even if it was just a little. But people weren't happy with it. Because people in my church don't cuss. They just DON'T.

So, do I stay true to the character, and let her rip? Or do I stay true to my guilty conscience and censor her language??? Decisions, decisions.

Jumping Up and Down and Screaming.

2011-04-13T12:01:00.003-04:00

Since I like to write Historical fiction, or sometimes, fiction where my characters need to "know their history," I tend to do a lot of research. It's a thing I have. I know, since I frequent History forums, that there are some academics (and some amateur historians, like myself) who literally jump up and down and scream over some writers' inattention to details, or historical inaccuracies. I always chalk it up to laziness. Some writers just want to WRITE, and not be bogged down with the details. Unfortunately, if you're writing HISTORICAL fiction, you need to know your stuff.

Case in point, I'm having a devil of a time finding a continuously occupied castle in France, built around 13th century, that survived the French Revolution, invasions, occupations, all the wars, etc. and has remained intact, privately owned, and NOT BEEN COMMERCIALIZED. I've found several very small Chateaux, but not anything on a grand scale. The only alternative seems to be a FICTITIOUS castle. I thought I'd found the perfect place to build one, but unfortunately, the land would have been under English control (due to Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriage to Henry II) during that century. So, the French king certainly wouldn't have built a French fortress on English-controlled soil. ARGH. Back to the drawing board. See? Historians know crap like this. They would wrinkle up their little foreheads in disdain and say "Well, that's not historically accurate, or plausible."

So? I am going to take one of the smaller chateaus I found and make it "bigger." I am going to MAKE ONE UP. It will be a fortress that has withstood the test of Time and no one really bothers with. Highly unlikely in this day and age, and I don't want any jumping/screaming/protesting, so I'm trying to be as faithful to the landscape as possible. Very tricky, seeing as I've never stepped even one toe in France.

Enter Google Earth, and Google, ad nauseum. Love it. My castle lies in the heavily wooded hills of Perche, near the Loire Valley. Very private. Easy to have an 800-year old medieval fortress with lots of underground tunnels and vaults.

I even love my castle name: Chateaux Rocher Noir: a.k.a. The Black Rock! oooohhhhh.....writing is SO FUN!!!

What I Think of Amanda Hocking.

2011-04-11T12:48:00.008-04:00

I've heard all the hype. I've heard she's wildly successful because she churns 'em out ('em being 60,000+ word novels) faster than a Hyundai factory churns out cars. I've also heard, since she's released them onto Amazon herself, without the benefits of professional editing and packaging behind them, that they have serious grammatical errors and plot holes, and they're "kinda" rough. So I've heard. Yet people buy them anyway. She's made herself into a millionaire, with all the series she has out there. And now that she's signed with St. Martin's Press, she's a millionaire a few times over. Then I read somewhere she can write a novel in 2 weeks (rough first draft, but STILL, WOW). Because she starts writing at nine at night, and doesn't stop until about 8 or 9 in the morning. And she does this EVERY night until it's done. (Yes, when I read this I wondered what does this girl do other than sleep and write???) I mean, how does someone turn novels out so quickly? They HAVE to be crap!

I decided to see for myself. I downloaded Book One of the MY BLOOD APPROVES series. Sure, there are grammatical errors. Sure, the writing is rough. But you know what? She did it. She sucked me in (pardon the pun) and frankly, I got caught up in the story. My daughter would love these stories, if they didn't have sex and swearing in them (she's 13 and yes, I still watch what she reads). I found myself actually enjoying the books so much, I forgave the grammar and stinted (in some parts) writing. Amanda Hocking is a darn good storyteller. I am finishing up Book 4 in the series, and will probably download another series, if the content appeals to me.

Now that Ms. Hocking has a big ol' publisher behind her upcoming series, I can only imagine, with the help of an editor and publicist, how big a name she will become. Because, yes, she's that good.

Out of the Comfort Zone.

2011-04-03T18:11:00.000-04:00

I'm a "safe" writer. I write stories about generally "good" people who have sometimes stressful and bad things happen to them, but they usually overcome them, grow in the process, and live happily ever after.

Generally.

I guess you could say my writing is pretty formulaic. So, since the first stage is recognizing the "issue," I have decided to try my hand at...different writing. I'm writing a YA Urban Fantasy. My heroine in this story is flawed. She's annoying. She lives in an imperfect world. She makes mistakes and goofs up.

I kind of can't stand her right now. But she is who she is, and her journey has begun. Oh, and that's another thing. I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen to her, yet. I'm totally pantsing this one right now. ANOTHER thing I never do.

Here's to writing outside the comfort zone!

Giving Some Love

2011-03-22T10:29:00.000-04:00

...to the writing blog, because sometimes I'm a little "sporadic." I've been writing, I have 14K at this point, but I am also bouncing back and forth between writing and editing an existing story.

The only real thing holding me back, is ME. I have the story plotted out, I just need to sit down and get it out of my head. Not worry about making it fabulous, just GET IT DOWN on paper, so I can then start editing and changing and giving it what it needs.

That's my M.O.: Plot it out, Get the bare bones written, then go back and add the meat. And Spices. And gravy. ;-)

Now I'm hungry.

Soccer Practice is Good for Writing

2011-03-18T07:47:00.002-04:00

I've been getting some serious writing in lately--because of waiting in the car! I On Mondays and Thursdays I spend an average of 1 1/2 to 2 hours in my car, waiting to pick up kids! It's a writer's dream, let me tell you. I just listen to my classical music station and plunk away in the car, and when the day is over, I download about 1-2K into my manuscript.

So, there IS an upside to living in one's car! Nice to know!

Doin' It Old School.

2011-03-16T08:04:00.000-04:00

If you're like me, you're easily distracted. You get on the computer to write, and you look up something on Google to research, then you find yourself checking email, surfing, etc, and 30 minutes pass and you realize you got on the computer to WRITE, not SURF.

I am not so bueno at disciplining myself to stay offline. I think it's a common problem. One writer friend of mine wrote the bulk of her novel in a small closet, with no Internet! ;-)

So, I've gone back to my Alphasmart Neo. It's a 2-pound, lightweight keyboard, and it's sole function is word processing. No Internet, no frills, no games. Just WRITING. I take it in the car to soccer practice, or when I wait in the super long line to pick up my kids from school, I have it in bed, on the sofa with me when Hubby and I watch TV, you name it. And then I just hook up to my Mac and it downloads everything I typed, into the document.

And I'm not wasting my time surfing. Old School is looking pretty COOL.

Revisiting.

2011-03-14T09:44:00.000-04:00

I finished reading this weekend, and pulled up a WIP I've been working on. Started reading. Suddenly, I was in my heroine's world, again. Wrote 2K on Sunday. I will write more today. I had to read my synopsis to get reacquainted with the plot (thank goodness I wrote it all down!) and I'm moving forward with it.

It's something different, and I'm not even sure how I feel about it yet. I figure I should purge it out (most of my novels are the results of "itches" I can' scratch) and get it to a few trusted readers, to get their opinions.

Nothing ventured, right?

I'm Not Getting Any Action.

2011-03-08T10:32:00.000-05:00

Okay, out of context that could sound bad! ;-)

I mean, I'm not writing lately. I've been critting a ms for my cp, and I've been editing, but the well has dried, temporarily. I need to restock it. I think reading a great book will do the trick. I downloaded A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES a few days ago, and it looks like today I finally get to start reading! After I clean the kitchen and do laundry, of course, heh heh. :-)

Here's to creative recharging!

Living Vicariously Through Google

2011-03-03T07:08:00.000-05:00

I've lamented this before--as a stay-home mom to four kids and a husband who goes on business trips, I don't travel a whole lot. And a bunch of my stories are set in lands NOT the U.S. (I just submitted a full request to an editor about finding a lost city in South America). So, how do I write about these locales?

Google. I love it.

There's Google Earth, and the street view feature. You can walk around any mapped street, and get a feel for the terrain. There's Flickr, people post their great shots of places and people and you can see what they see. There are countless websites (some personal, some professional) where you can glean almost every fact you want. I've found that the more SPECIFIC you are with your Google search, the better your chances at finding what you need. I've rarely been disappointed.

My favorite feature? Whenever I make up a word or term, I Google it. If it doesn't get any hits, I know I've invented something original. THAT is the best.

It's such a wonderful tool. I've written one novel set in the U.K. and Egypt, One in the U.K., one in Mexico, and I've been able to accomplish this through Google. I don't care what people say about it, I LURVE it! Google Rocks.

February Wrap-Up

2011-02-28T11:06:00.001-05:00

Seeing as today is the last day of February, here are my stats:
Pages Edited:177
Words Written: 7K
Rejections racked up: None. As in, I have three subs out and I haven't heard from anyone! Is that good, or bad?

Goals for March:

Pages Edited: 200+
Words Written: 20K
Rejections racked up: NONE

Gotta keep steaming along!

It's In the Blood.

2011-02-16T11:11:00.000-05:00

I was walking by Thing One last night, who was finishing up her paper on DNA for school. She was sitting still, staring at the computer screen.

"I can't think of a good way to end it," she told me. That was code for "can you help me write an ending for my paper?"

Since I was in the middle of something, I didn't go there. I said to her. "You'll think of something. You're a writer."

She did, a few minutes later. And it was great. Because she is a writer. Just like her mom is a writer. And just like her great great great Grandpa, Nephi Anderson, was a well-known writer.

She's got the genes. She just needs to USE them! How's that for DNA??

A Visual Writer

2011-02-11T10:13:00.001-05:00

One of my friends asked me once how I write. I wasn't sure what she meant, so I told her "I have a movie in my head, and I write what the movie shows." She said "Oh, you're a VISUAL writer, then!"

She's right. Once I've outlined a novel, I go and peruse the internet for photos of actors who come close to how I envision my characters will look. Then I print them out, and have a little "posterboard" of characters close by. It helps me see them side by side and visualize how they'll interact. (Usually, they just tell me what is going to happen, but that's not something I like to tell non-writing people. Because it makes me Schizophrenic. ;-) Which I'm not.

Some writers write by the seat of their pants, and go with it. No linear plot, just bits and pieces. Not me. I have to have a "vision." I have to have that "movie" in my head. Sometimes it's there without any effort. Sometimes I have to work for it. Sometimes Life gets in the way and I have to set the popcorn down and press "pause" until I can get back to it.

But I always come back. ;-)

Three In, Three Out.

2011-02-09T07:25:00.000-05:00

I sort of have an "unspoken rule" about queries. I only do three at a time. Three is doable, for me. I noticed last night I'd received responses from my last batch of queries, so, I sent out three more this morning. Well, early this morning, because I couldn't sleep. (Yes. That is the VERY LAST time I take Excedrin before bed. I keep forgetting the copious amounts of caffeine it contains!!)

Some people are comfortable with sending out mass-queries. A sort of "shotgun approach" if you will. Some prefer to query one agent at a time, and wait until they've received the rejection before querying another. I can't do that. I'm not hard-wired to be THAT patient. ;-) So, three is my magic number. Because sometimes good (not all bad) things happen in threes. Where else did the saying "Third Time's the Charm" come from?

:-)

Anne Boleyn Portrait Needs Conservation Work

2011-02-08T07:27:00.007-05:00

This is a little OT but close to my heart--as anything Tudor related (Especially Anne Boleyn!) usually is. ;-) As you can see, this portrait needs some help:

From the National Portrait Gallery:

This important portrait of Anne Boleyn is in urgent need of conservation treatment. It is in a particularly vulnerable and unstable condition as a result of structural problems with the wooden panel. Vertical cracking has occurred across the picture causing minor paint loss where the wood has split (see the photograph taken in raking light above). We need to act now as the damage is being caused by the long term effects of an unsuitable cradle (an applied wooden panel support) which must be removed. Therefore this important and much loved painting needs urgent conservation treatment to ensure it can be put back on public display.
The Gallery hopes to raise £4,000 for conservation work on this picture, and with your help we very much hope to be able to undertake this work in early 2011.

You can donate to the effort here. There is also a portrait of the poet John Donne in need of work that you can support as well.

January Stats

2011-02-01T07:43:00.000-05:00

Well, THAT was a "Blink-and-miss-it" month! So, drumroll please:

Pages Edited: 213
Words Written: 9K
Rejections racked up (including one that eeked in on the 31st, yesterday!): 4

January was a productive month for me! Goals for February:

Pages Edited: 200+
Words Written: 20K
Rejections racked up: NONE (Hey, I can hope!)

Onward and upward...

FAIRIES.

2011-01-27T07:43:00.000-05:00

I've written a story about them. Well, it has Fairies IN it, but the main creatures are of my own invention. I sent it around a lot last year, but I think I might resurrect it once more, and dust it off. I haven't looked at the manuscript in about 8 months, so I'll definitely have fresh eyes to see the major flaws.

Let the edits begin!!!

Music is Essential.

2011-01-21T09:02:00.001-05:00

Mood. Ambience. Tone. Atmosphere. I am one of those writers who writes best with music. Not BLARING, mind you, but in the background, softly playing as well...a background. Or backdrop, rather, to my writing. I'm currently writing a story set in a medieval-type society, so my "Medieval and Renaissance" music I downloaded in iTunes is perfect. Or my Celtic Harp music, which frankly, never gets old.

I love the power music has, to inspire creativity, mood, anything. I mean, how many times have I listened to Aaron Copland's "Rodeo" music and not wanted a nice juicy, well-marbled bone-in Ribeye? (For those of you who are wondering it's the "Beef: It's What's For Dinner" music.) Or when I listen to John Williams play the Rodrigo Fantasia, I'm transported to the sunny Spanish Countryside. Or Enya. When I'm writing fantasy, Enya is always my #1 choice.

Just one of the things I'm grateful for. Music is AWESOME.

FINIS.

2011-01-21T06:56:00.000-05:00

I finished SHADOWFEVER yesterday. WHEW. I won't post any spoilers. Not even my thoughts. Because if I say I loved it, you'll know it ended happily, and if I say I hated it, you'll know it ended bad, or on a cliffhanger, or not the way I'd have liked.

So, I'm saying nothing! But my friend is officially mad at me for loaning her my Fever series books, because she wasted the whole day yesterday, reading Darkfever.

Heh heh, she still has four to go. Those dishes are going to pile up! ;-)

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!

2011-01-18T07:45:00.000-05:00

Well, not for ME, not yet. Shadowfever is out today, and if I wanted to, I could stroll down to the nearest store and just BUY a copy, but no, I pre-ordered it through Amazon. And like every book I've ever ordered from Amazon, I selected "regular" shipping. Because I've always gotten the book on release day, no matter WHAT shipping I selected. I guess Amazon caught on to this, because NOW, I have to wait an extra day. My book isn't coming today, it's coming TOMORROW. I have to wait a whole 24 hours longer than everyone else.

Which really stinks. So, don't say anything! No spoilers! I'm going to stay offline and read read read read once I get it, and only THEN will I feel safe to go online again.

I should have just paid the extra $$. I want that book now!!! ;-)

SALIVATING.

2011-01-17T12:53:00.001-05:00

I am literally foaming at the mouth, hands itching and major ANTS IN THE PANTS to get SHADOWFEVER in my hands!!!

I haven't felt this way about a book release, since DEATHLY HALLOWS. Seriously. I loaned all my FEVER books to a friend last night, and knowing her, she'll read them all in a week, and guess what? She'll be able to just GET the last and final book--which was not a luxury I had. I had to wait a whole year! UGH! As did my dear friend, Mik, who got me into the books in the first place. :-)

So, all my questions will finally be answered! Who did Mac kill at the end of Book Four? Who was the "Fourth" who kept himself hidden? What the HECK was the LM's role in her sister's death/life, etc.???
Where in the hell is V'Lane??? And my yummy Christian MacKeltar (who I actually like BETTER for Mac than Jericho Barrons, SACRILEGE, I KNOW!)--where the heck is HE stuck?

Itchy Itchy.

Daydreaming?

2011-01-14T08:39:00.000-05:00

My mind, lately, has been in my story. Rather, my character's world. She lives in a medieval-type era, in a village that is covered in January snow, and lots of STUFF is happening. I know what the inside of her hut looks like. I know what her special herb garden looks like. I know how she feels and thinks, and the amazing things that await her. And the not-so-amazing things.

I can see her entire world in my head, and I write what I see. Would people call that daydreaming? All I need to do is sit in front of my computer, put on some medieval music, and I'm THERE. And I literally have to be pulled from that place kicking and screaming (usually to a "Mommy, I need to go potty" request...) because I'm so deeply into it, I am not aware of anything else around me. And when I go to sleep at night, I've got the Alphasmart by the bed, because I'm still lingering in Her world.

Daydreaming? Or overly generous Muse? I'd like to think it's the latter.

The Long and Short of It.

2011-01-12T09:49:00.000-05:00

Got my first rejection the other day. After NINE weeks. Wow, that was a wait! It was a very nice rejection. But still...

So, I immediately queried the next agent on my list. I was hoping SHE wouldn't take nine weeks!

She didn't. She rejected me with a "sorry not for me" in under THREE MINUTES.

Which is fine, because hey, I'd rather not wait so long, right? But, then again, she clearly didn't even read my ten pages I'd pasted into the body of the email, like she'd requested.

Again, at least it was quick. It was just VERY quick.

I guess rejections are better somewhere in the middle? Don't take too long in getting back to me, but at least mull it over a while, right?

;-)

I Wrote!

2011-01-11T10:03:00.000-05:00

4100 words yesterday. I would have written more, but I was editing them, too. The beginning of a story is so...tricky sometimes, and I like to get the flavor right.

I've outlined the whole thing, I know what happens. It's not a series, it's one, stand-alone book. It's totally not something I would usually write, but when TUB INSPIRATION happens, (see former post) I have to listen to it!

Today is another snow day--maybe another 2K for me???

I'm going to get lost in the story and see where it takes me!

OOooooooh.... Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh...

2011-01-10T11:07:00.000-05:00

Guess what I did last night? I couldn't sleep, so I made my first-ever PDF on my iPad! I have Pages on my iPad, and I made a recipe page, complete with a picture of the dish scanned by my iPhone! I am VERY happy with the end result!

Here is where I'm feeling dumb--when we first bought our Mac, I was so aggressively ANTI-Mac, I insisted Hubby buy the Microsoft Word package for Mac. So, we have Word, Excel, Powerpoint, all the stuff that we are "used" to from a PC, on the Mac. It did make the transition easier. But, now that I've gotten a taste of Pages, I am thinking I like it MUCH better. Interesting.

Oh, and by the way, I got up at 4am (couldn't sleep this morning) and wrote my first chapter of the story that's been really really really really REALLY wanting to get written. 1800 words. Done. I had my 13-year old daughter test-read the pages for me, and she liked them. And this girl is brutally honest with me, which is good!

Guess I'd better keep writing! ;-)

The FUN Part...

2011-01-09T11:28:00.000-05:00

The cool thing about making up a whole world? YOU are the creator. You don't have to research, you just need to come up with cool names for everything. (and then Google them, to make sure someone hasn't beaten you to the punch--a handy little trick I use!)

I have writer friends who HATE research. They truly loathe it. Research is actually FUN for me. Since I write some historical fiction, the research happens way before the writing. During the writing. After the writing. I like my stuff to be accurate. Some people hate research so much, they choose to just "make stuff up."

Careful, I say. Because there is a hitch to creating your own world. You have to REMEMBER all the stuff you make up. Keep lists and time lines and glossaries. Because you run the risk of A) not making sense and alienating your readers and B) going against your own canon and alienating your readers.

So, I am making lists, and writing down everything I "make up." Because I don't want to fall into that trap.

Tubs and Showers Rock.

2011-01-07T13:28:00.000-05:00

Why the cryptic title, you ask?

Because every story idea in my life, except ONE (my first) has hit me while I was either A) in the shower or B) in the tub, soaking away all my worries.

Last night, it was the tub. I was bone-cold and achy because I finally caught my daughter's lovely virus, and I was just sitting in the tub when the idea literally fell out of the sky and splashed right in the water.

Okay, it didn't happen THAT dramatically, but I've spent this morning outlining the story (as dictated by my sweet-as-sugar yet feisty heroine) and I'm typing out my thoughts while making a batch of my cranberry cake muffins.

I have something to keep me busy between submissions! Woo hoo!

Wow.

2011-01-06T08:04:00.000-05:00

So, I dusted off the manuscript I've been talking about (see previous post titled "I'm Confused.") and I realized I changed the name and the character's names, but not much else. Then, on a whim, I decided to look up some of the editors who rejected it in 2004.

Okay, seriously, and I'm not kidding--THREE of the first five editors I looked up are STILL THERE. The same editors who read my story six years ago and gave me feedback, are still in their same positions! I guess the Children's market is not a high one for turnover? Who knows, but I am thinking after six years, would they even remember it?

Hmmmm...

A Mini Rant About (Some) Literary Agents.

2011-01-04T11:12:00.001-05:00

Don't misunderstand me, I like Lit agents. They know what they're doing, and I don't. But there is one thing some agents do, that drives me completely BONKERS/NUTS/BERSERK/FLIPPING CRAZY.

Some of you may feel the same way. You find an agent who looks like they would totally "get" you, so you look at their submission guidelines. And, Lo and Behold, the dreaded "Opt Out" sentence:

"I usually reply to queries within X amount of time. I will only reply to queries that interest me, so if you do not hear from me, you can assume I am not interested."

**Cue Gutteral Scream**

I mean, really? I would SO much rather have an impersonal standardized template FORM REJECTION, than nothing at all! Because then, I hope, and hope, and hope...

Case in point: I sent a query to an agent a couple years ago. Waited. Waited. After eight weeks, it was safe to assume said agent wasn't interested. I moved on. Forgot I queried him. THEN, SIX months later, I get a request for a full. Honest-to-gosh, and I had completely written him off my list.

See? SEE??? Confusion!!! So, take this as a plea to all agents out there (probably none of which will ever see this blog) a simple "no" is better than nothing at all. Why? Because it gives us CLOSURE. So, we won't wonder if you're really just taking your time digging yourself out from under that slush pile of queries.

Call it a kindness, if you will.

FINALLY!!!

2011-01-03T16:34:00.000-05:00

One of my uber-dream agents, who has always requested SNAIL mail submissions since like, FOREVER, is finally joining the 21st century! She now accepts e-queries! She requested additional material the last time I queried her (only the entire process took five months before the rejection) but I have a new story and I just EMAILED my query! Rock on!

Since it is the New Year, and NaNo just happened, I'm sure her assistant is BURIED in QUERIES (ha ha that rhymed!) but maybe it will only take a couple of months to hear back, instead of five?

One can hope.

2011 Goals for Writing

2010-12-31T12:55:00.001-05:00

I am usually not one to make goals. Only because I work on them for a week or two, and Ppphhhhbbtttttt. I'm done.
I'm not lazy, I just don't like to be "structured" sometimes. So, without further ado, here is a modest set of goals I have set for myself, for 2011:

~~1) Sell a five-book series and become as famous as Stephenie Meyer~~
~~2) Have said books made into movies that will garner record attendance, putting me on Forbes Top 100 Bazillionaires List~~
~~3) Meet the Queen~~

Okay, I know, I know. I'm being silly. Here are the REAL goals:

1) Write every day.
2) Submit to agents/Hope for the best
3) Write Unnamed Book #1
4) Finish edits on/finish sequel to EMMA series.

Voila! There you go! Like I said, modest. I'm moving AGAIN this year, so, I need to keep it real. (Moving from our rental to our new house.)

Happy New Year, all!

I'm Confused.

2010-12-19T11:38:00.005-05:00

They say the first novel you ever write, you need to stick in a drawer and forget about.

So, why won't this novel DIE already?

It was the first full novel I wrote, at age 18, as a freshman in college. It's had many names over the years. "Clara's Secret." "In the Garden." Now, twenty years later, I've retitled it once again and I've completely reworked it.

I think it's kinda good. Granted, I may need a reader or two to CONFIRM whether or not it's any good, but I will say I've already shopped this novel around--to eleven editors at publishing houses.

We got ten rejections, then an "almost" which led to a rejection. That was six years ago. SIX. None of the editors we submitted to are still around, the story has been retooled--I don't know...something keeps telling me to submit it again! Of course, I need an agent for this--my last agent and I parted ways (amicably) because I like to write stories with Fantasy elements and he does NOT rep Fantasy, so we weren't a good fit...but I just don't know what to do.

I'm so confused. It's the NOVEL THAT WON'T GO AWAY. Hubby says it's the best writing I've ever done. (Only because I've been editing the durn thing for 20 years!) He's solidly behind me "getting it out there" again, but I just don't know.

LAME.

Appearances Can Be Deceiving...

2010-12-17T09:13:00.003-05:00

Yes, folks, I have been writing. Well, EDITING. I haven't heard a peep back from my latest batch of queries, but I happened to query agents who have a lot on their plates, AND this time of year I won't expect to hear back from them until after the holidays.

So, I've been editing. Quietly. Every day, a little more and a little more. Yesterday, I had some fun pulling pics off the internet and creating my "dream cast." And I've figured that since this is the second time in a row I've included Tom Welling as my hero, I must really REALLY like the way he looks.

What's not to like?

:-) Happy Writing!

Let the Roller Coaster Begin...

2010-11-12T06:30:00.002-05:00

I did it. I sent my query/ms off to two agents! I will find out relatively quick from one of them (within a week I imagine) and in about 4-6 weeks from the other one.

I feel really good about this draft. I've changed the name, changed the voice, and this time, I have an end game. Four books, and the series will end. Because it's middle grade fiction and at the end of the fourth book, my heroine will be 15 years old, and getting into the "YA" range. So, I need to end before she gets too old. ;-)

Let the nerves and obsessive email checking begin!! WOO! Gotta love it.

"CLICK"

2010-11-11T08:54:00.002-05:00

Had an amazing experience. I got crits back from my readers on my EMMA story, and both of them didn't like my "info dump" chapter. Now, any writer or avid reader knows when they're getting info dumped. I don't like writing info dumps. But in this story, I was kind of "married" to the info dump chapter, because it was necessary for the reader to know what was going on before the action started happening.

So, using their notes, I actually did away with the info dump, and wove the information into an opening scene. It flows SO much better! There's action, and information, and they go together with an audible "click." At least to me. I hope prospective agents feel the same way!

I am 60% through with my edits from critique notes, and by next week, I'll have query letters out. Gotta beat the NaNo manuscript onslaught in December!

I am thisclose...

That's Why I'm a Writer.

2010-11-04T12:06:00.002-04:00

Nearly finished with my sequel edits. MAN, it is super hard to "sound" like a fourteen-year old! Granted, she's borderline genius, so she uses bigger words (makes it easier on me) but she wouldn't say things like "quite" or "rose up," (she would say "stood up") and I need to be careful.

SUPER careful. And I am hating it.

Editland. And a Deadline.

2010-10-25T08:25:00.003-04:00

I'm editing my sequel. I'm giving myself a deadline of two weeks. That will put me almost mid-november--and I'll be able to take a break from it and work on the feedback edits from my readers. THEN I'll ship my EMMA story out to the five top dream agents on my list, and see what the feedback is. One of them I'm sure won't get back to me for MONTHS. But who cares. It's not like I'm in some major hurry. I've been doing this for a while. I get the whole "you gotta have patience" thing. The only "teensy" problem is, once my baby goes out there, I'm just not very patient. :-)

Currently on page 20 of 208. Two weeks. You think I can do it?

And Now, the Sequel...

2010-10-21T08:27:00.007-04:00

Okay. EMMA book is finished!! Woo hoo! Finished and shipped off to Crit Partner and Beta Reader. I have another dear friend who I'd love to be a Beta reader, but her life is sort of chaotic and I feel like I can't ask her. So, two will have to do.

I did print a copy out for my daughter, who read past her bedtime and this morning before school, and told me she really couldn't put it down, which gives me GREAT hope because she's 13, which is smack dab in the middle of my target age of 13-16. Woo!

So, now, I have to edit the Sequel. I might as well work on it, just in case. I've devoted many hours to these characters, might as well keep plugging along. It's also written in 3rd Person, so I need to make the conversion to First. It just seems funnier and more relatable, when my 14-year old heroine is narrating.

I just hope my daughter likes it. Because, frankly, she's the one I want to impress the most. :-)

I DID IT!!! (Update)

2010-10-19T21:45:00.002-04:00

I finished my edits on my EMMA novel! Done! Finito! Well, this round, anyway. I'm thisclose to submissions! I am getting there! Eeek!

Time Machine Question

2010-10-19T07:07:00.002-04:00

So, the question was posed to me yesterday: "If you could go back in time ten years, and take only one thing with you, what would it be?"

Good question. I mean, I could do what Biff did in Back To The Future, and get a sports almanac, and get wealthy betting on sports I already know the outcome on...or I could get a printout of the biggest lottery payout numbers...

I mean, there's a lot of endless possibilities. Then I finally decided (and clearly, taking something back with me involves less than integrity-driven motives) I would take the Twilight series back with me. And I'd put it out before Stephenie Meyer ever had her dream (heh heh!). You have to admit, the girl had good timing. There wasn't a whole lot of vampire "stuff" out there, and now, that's ALL you can find at the local bookstores.

Isn't it all about timing? I wrote a fairy story last year, and I was excited to submit it, and suddenly, all the books on the shelves were about Fairies! (I guess vampires had their run, and agents were actually saying "no vampire books please" on their websites!). So, naturally, no one wanted to read my Fairy story.

So, now, I'm working on something different. It doesn't have Vampires in it. It doesn't have Fairies. It has a regular girl, no mystical creatures whatsoever, but it does have a fantasy element--Time Travel. I'm not seeing a whole lot of those types of books out right now.

So, maybe by the time I finish these edits, and start submitting, someone will have come out with a GREAT story where a Fairy and a Vampire Fall in love whilst TIME TRAVELING together. And everyone will be freaking out and getting inspired to write about Time Travel.

I sound jaded, don't I?

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree...

2010-10-14T07:29:00.003-04:00

"Hey Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"What's that thing called, you know-- that they wore on their backs and put arrows in before they shot them?"

"A quiver?"

"Yeah, that's it! Thanks, Mom!"

My son is writing a story. He's finished keyboarding at school, and got an "A" in the class, so, clearly he learned something. And now he's motivated to write more, because he doesn't have to "hunt and peck," and can actually type as he thinks. I love that about computers. I've loaned him my Alphasmart Neo so he can be mobile, and we just download his work onto his computer at the end of the day. I love it! My daughter loves to write. My 11-year old son loves to write. My nine-year old loves to write. Three down, one to go! I think it's such a great outlet for creativity. Even if the stories aren't read by anyone but family.

My three-year old still prefers books to toys. There is hope, yet! Plus, he's my son, right? He HAS to love reading and writing! ;-)

Write A Novel Like an Oreo

2010-09-30T06:59:00.005-04:00

I have figured out that around page 200 or so in a manuscript, is where my writing can get a little...un-spectacular. Not that I usually write spectacularly, but I like to have a strong beginning, and a strong end. Therefore, sometimes, the "middle" suffers.

I need to write a novel like an Oreo. Strong, yummy front and back, and the BEST part in the middle! I need to make the middle somewhat...scrumptious.

A challenge! And now, I feel the sudden need to go have some oreos and milk...

Vroom Vroom

2010-09-28T10:53:00.002-04:00

All revved up, and what is happening???

Ppphhhhbbbtttttt. As in, ZERO. Maybe because I wrote 5500K on the wip last week, and it took a lot out of me? Now I am doing zilch.

Bad Lara! BAD!!!

I swear, it happens every time I set a deadline. Why is that?

Loathing.

2010-09-22T16:39:00.003-04:00

I think sometimes one can hit a point, usually during or after massive edits, where it is possible for one to LOATHE their own book.

It is currently happening to me. I am SO SICK of my EMMA story right now. I've finished my third-to-first person edits. I've added 6K words. I've cut about 3K. I've reworked the first five pages about 7959375 times. Because, you know, agents rarely read past the first five pages. Heck, I've heard, recently, that most agents don't read past the first two pages. Unless you hook them, reel them in, and make them happy they continued reading.

Yeah, that's a lot of pressure. The first two pages have to be perfect. Well, the first TEN, because that's usually what they ask for in a query.

I hate my story. I want to never look at it again, for like, months, but since NaNo is coming up, if I don't get it out there before December, it will sit in the growing slush piles with all the NaNo projects. And then the Holidays will happen. And then the New Year, and then, nothing will happen in the month of January, and it will be February before things start rolling again.

Unless I have a KILLER first two pages. Which I'm currently SICK of.

Pphhhhhbbbhhhttttt.

On a Roll...

2010-09-21T20:30:00.002-04:00

My current WIP is 49K, now that I've edited/chopped it. Now I need to add 10-15K back in, but it has to be a new storyline I'm incorporating. Tricky.

I've got the outline, and I've done the research, now it's a matter of interjecting these three chapters into the middle of the story, and making it seamless.

Fingers crossed! If it works, it will be great! Well, at least *I* think it will be. After that, it will be for my beta readers to decide.

But at least I'm writing! I'm being proactive! Go me!!!

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night...

2010-09-13T07:34:00.002-04:00

I am trying to figure out which weather makes for the best for writing. For me, anyway. Some writers like sunlight streaming in the windows, some like to hunker down by candlelight while a storm rages outside, some like a cup of steaming coffee and a 5am morning (NOT me!) and some just like to write when the mood hits them, and they block out everything but the computer in front of them.

I think that might be me. I have a gift (curse?) of blocking things out. It's not very good sometimes, because if I'm on the phone, or reading a book, I don't hear anyone around me. I shut them out, and focus on what I'm doing. It really does drive my hubby nuts. And my kids.

I think morning might be the best for me, now that I think about it. Especially after the kids have left for school and the house is quiet. Except for my three-year old. Can't exactly block him out. ;-)

The Golden Touch

2010-09-08T08:01:00.003-04:00

Jealousy. It's a tricky thing. I'm not going to lie. When fellow writers gush about their latest seventeen-book series sale to me (okay I'm exaggerating but indulge me) I am always happy for them. ALWAYS. Genuinely and truly. No sarcasm at all.

But there's always that little nagging feeling, where the little green monster sometimes peeks his head above the water, just for a minute. I think--"Hmmmm, why do some people seem to have "the Golden Touch?" There are a few of them out there. You know. The ones who "have a dream" write it down, and suddenly they are a household name. People who have people LINE UP AT MIDNIGHT at bookstores to buy their books.

Yeah, sometimes I get a little jealous of those "golden touch" people. But you know what? It doesn't happen to everyone. In fact, more people are likely to fail at this business than succeed.

You only get out of Life what you put into it, right? Generally speaking.

The Itch I Can't Scratch.

2010-09-07T07:23:00.003-04:00

I have the writing Itch. And the only way to scratch it, is to spend at least several uninterrupted hours in my office, typing away and lost in my own world.

NOT. Happening. Not unless I want to hog-tie my kids and tranquilizer-dart-gun them and put them in a closet and shut the door and put on earplugs. Even when my oldest three are in school, I have a three year old who is VERY freaked out about the prospect of not being within ten feet of me and asking me 9385847586 questions every hour.

Naptime. Naptime is my salvation, and SOMEONE (a very little someone), is starting to think naptime is unnecessary. BIG PROBLEM. Mommy will stick a very sharp object in her eye if she doesn't get naptime. (Not mommy, the three-year old!) Because Mommy needs naptime to write and edit and get some sanity back!

Hmmm, I wonder if you can buy tranquilizer dart guns online...

What's your Inspiration?

2010-09-03T09:09:00.003-04:00

Inspiration for writing comes in many forms. People watching at the airport, conversations overheard on cell phones (why is it that people speak so LOUDLY once they answer a call?) a good movie, a good book, or even a trip to the supermarket.

Music is probably my biggest inspiration. If I know I'm going to write a historical fantasy, I put on the Enya/Celtic harp. Historical? The music of the time period.

Lately, it's been movies. My kids decided to watch a Harry Potter movie every Friday, and currently we're on Goblet of Fire. I tell you, it amazes me, the depth of Jo Rowling's imagination. People say she's too fond of adverbs, etc. etc. etc., but she is an amazing storyteller and frankly, if you get so lost in a story you don't notice the imperfections, THAT is what I call success.

Great storytelling inspires me. Now on to what I've been attempting to do!

Settling In

2010-09-02T09:52:00.002-04:00

I still can't believe it was September first yesterday! That means NINE freaking months have gone by, without any submissions from me! This move has sucked the life out of everything I hold dear--writingwise. Now I am done unpacking, and just shoving the durn boxes in storage, I am happy to be back in the writing sphere. Writing, editing, SUBMITTING. My sticky note on my Mac says the following:

"A Diamond is a piece of coal that stuck to the job."

I know, BEYOND cheesey, but inspiring all the same. And so I, like that little lump of coal, will be diligent, and keep editing...

Time Suckage

2010-08-31T07:57:00.003-04:00

I've blogged about this before, but it never ceases to amaze me.

Yesterday, I sat down to the computer. The baby was down, and I had two hours of UNINTERRUPTED writing/editing time. I was so excited. I pulled up my wip, and got going.

15 minutes later, my son was coming in through the front door, home from school. I was like, HUH? Where did the time go? I was so immersed in the work two hours flew by like nothing.

I felt cheated. I really did! Granted, I got a good chunk of stuff done, but I still felt cheated. Like I only got the 15 minutes it FELT like I got.

Go figure.

I'm BACK!

2010-08-30T08:48:00.001-04:00

Call it a shaky start, or what you will, but I am BACK and I am WRITING. Well, more like editing. I have started editing my EMMA story, and boy, do I have my work cut out for me. As in, convert from omniscient Third to First person, and make it FUNNIER and less boring.

Talk about a challenge!

I've blocked off two hours a day, just for me, when my son goes down for his nap. That's my sacred writing time. Come heck or high water, or anything else. I'm not budging on this one!

I'm so glad to be back!

WHY??

2010-04-14T09:01:00.003-04:00

I had resigned myself to the fact that I had two novels to edit, and I've been working on EMMA very diligently.

So, now I have a new idea forming in my mind, something very different, and it is BUGGING me. I've already thought of His name. I've already pictured him in my mind's eye. I've already decided what he is. (No, he's not a vampire, werewolf, zombie or immortal Highlander!) He's a creature of my own making.

And he has issues. Serious issues.

I haven't thought of HER name yet, but she certainly isn't a shrinking violet. And she's very much taken. An adoring boyfriend. And she's Happy. And Well-rounded.

Until he comes along.

Why do I do this? I want to EDIT, not WRITE!!! Why is this story refusing to retreat back to where it came from for a while and BEHAVE like a good little story idea?

Urgh.

Finished.

2010-03-29T07:25:00.002-04:00

I set a goal for myself. Just a little one, but a worthy one. I've been converting my EMMA story from Third person POV to First. I know. VERY tedious. But I've been working my way through it these past couple of weeks. Saturday night I realized I was halfway through, and I decided to just GET IT DONE, by last night. I set a goal.

And guess what I did, at exactly 11:52 pm last night? I finished the transition! It's done! WOO!

Now it's time for another goal. I need to go page by page, paragraph by paragraph, and make it SOUND like we're in the head of a 14-year old. A precocious, brainiac 14-year old, mind you, but still, she isn't perfect. She talks like a 14-year old sometimes. She acts like a 14-year old. And she definitely whines like one. ;-)

But she's funny. And spunky. And things happen to her, that make her grow. Isn't that always how the character goes? Flawed character+opposition=growth. I know, I'm being very formulaic, but I'm writing for KIDS. They're a little more forgiving. Just a little.

Dark and Dreary. YEAH! (NOT.)

2010-03-24T09:11:00.002-04:00

From reading my "free version" of Lunch Weekly yesterday, I noticed a pattern. All the YA sales were about "dystopian" societies and settings. Is Dystopia going to be the new Vampires next year? I wonder. It's a logical step. Vampires are dark and depressing. Dystopia is dark and depressing.

Well, I'm a "light" girl! Give me happiness and romance and Brady Bunch endings anytime! I have maintained this point before, but the life of a teen is depressing enough, why READ about gloom and doom as an escape?

It makes zero sense to me. THEN AGAIN (being devil's advocate, here) I was a happy teen. An anomaly, if you will. I was never an "affected" teen, or a depressed teen, just your garden variety self-confidence/self consciousness issues.

Maybe that's why I can't appreciate "dark" YA. Then again, I was an avid Stephen King fan, as a teen. I read everything of his I could get my hands on. His raw, gritty view of life made sense to me. So, I guess, in a way, I can see the appeal of "dark."

Interesting.

I Edited!!!

2010-03-11T08:44:00.002-05:00

Stayed up late last night editing my EMMA story again. This makes two days in a row. Woo!

I have to say, I am LOVING my mac. I have no desire to go on the PC again! I am amazed at this sudden change in me. I was a TOTAL "PC" before, and now, I'd never go back! I love the ease of use, and the applications are AWESOME. It is truly a computer for an artist/writer!

Okay, Mac commercial over. But I organized all my writing files and I've been hard at work at the 3rd-to First Person conversion. I figure I'll just change it all over, and then go back and make it Emma's voice. Luckily she's a precocious 13-year old, and I have a precocious 12-year old, so I can sort of get her voice right, because I "hear" it 24/7. Literally! But my daughter is my best beta reader. SHE'S my audience. And she's honest. If she really likes something, she tells me. And if she doesn't, she tells me. I got lucky with her!

Chronic Tension Headache #5 this week is now flaring up, so I'd better take something, or I won't be any good at anything today. I fully intend to get a bunch of pages knocked out! Woo!

PERFECTION.

2010-03-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

Needless to say, I laughed my aspergums off!

And The Winner Is....

2010-03-10T07:52:00.002-05:00

EMMA! Well, the story I decided was worth editing, anyway. I stayed up until midnight last night, editing and tweaking the first couple of chapters. I am really liking her voice in First person, so I guess I will keep it. Lucky for me she's a genius, and she can describe things vividly and get the message across. She's a spunky thing. Kinda reminds me of me, when I was her age. Minus the genius level IQ, of course.

I'm looking forward to more editing today! It's so fun to get lost in Emma's world! Oh, and did I mention she Time travels regularly??

;-)

AT LAST!!!!

2010-03-08T18:45:00.002-05:00

My house is clean and organized and up for sale, and now that has freed up my time so I can get on with the EDITING I've been wanting to do!

Can I just say, when it was literally impossible to do anything writing related (other than a quick blog post in the mornings) THAT'S when my writing itch started flaring up, wanting to be scratched. My characters were talking to me. I found myself thinking about them, and their worlds. And yes, I'm still stuck on how to get EMMA in third person while making it sound as dynamic as it does in First...that is a dilemma I need to figure out.

But now I have the TIME!!! A few hours a day, at least! I am so excited!!!

Um...

2010-02-01T08:49:00.002-05:00

Due to unforseen circumstances, the writing has been put on hold.

In other words, I am FREAKING BESIDE MYSELF WITH STRESS AND PROJECTS AND THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT FOR AT LEAST A FEW MONTHS!!!

Sorry about the caps. I'm just not super happy that my life is cutting into the writing/editing time. I had wanted to be super busy editing EMMA right now. And submitting my fairy story.

*sigh* Wouldn't it be nice to have my cake and eat it too?

2010-01-13T09:45:00.004-05:00

I was up until 1am this morning, cleaning out my office. I dumped out boxes, I sorted, I filed, I threw stuff away. And I got all my writing files condensed into two drawers. It was quite an interesting moment. I stood there, looking at those two drawers, and thought to myself :
"This represents my Life's Work."

Two drawers. Years of accumulated research, first drafts, notes, it's all there. Basically the last 15 years. Granted, they're the big huge file folder drawers and I've filled them, but it's interesting to see it all in one place, instead of stowed in separate tubs, for once.

Amazing to see all my work and sweat and stress and tears condensed into such a small space.

Yeah, I'm having a pensive day.

I Did it!!

2010-01-08T11:47:00.002-05:00

I grabbed my mini before bed last night and edited! My EMMA story has been pulling at me...a LOT lately, and I sat down and read. I love the beginning. I am TOTALLY in LOVE with it. But after the beginning, it sinks like a sad souffle.

So, I started editing, and found myself taking a whole new direction. Now that I'm telling the whole thing from Emma's POV, it's difficult. She's only thirteen, so I have to sound like a thirteen-year old. I can't be all "clever" and "observant" because most teens just aren't like that. Well, Emma is a genius-level kid, so I guess I can get away with a few things, but for the most part, she says "kinda" and "pretty" and "I guess" a lot. I mean, she's a TEEN. They have their own language and vocal patterns. It's CRAZY.

But I'm proud I did it. Now I'm itching to do more. And I will. Tonight!

I'm BACK!!!

2010-01-06T06:21:00.003-05:00

...and rearing to edit!!! It will get me through these cold winter months, no doubt! This week is focused solely on getting my Christmas decorations down and getting the house ORGANIZED, especially the creation of a warm, inviting writing space (ambience is everything for me, when I'm writing and editing) and as soon as I have that done I am back to business! I have two novels to edit, a novel to write and an agent to find! 2010 here I come!!!

:-D

On Hiatus...

2009-12-21T14:37:00.003-05:00

Until after the New Year!!! Then I'll have LOTS to write about!! Happy Holidays!

Lara

PLANS.

2009-12-18T16:02:00.002-05:00

Yes, I have PLANS. Because I am in the full swing of the Holidays, the writing just isn't happening. But I went over my GDRs yesterday (Goals, Dreams and Resolutions for those of you who wonder) and writing-related stuff was VERY high up on the list. Here's what I want to do:

1) Continue submitting my Fairy story to agents.

2) Polish and edit my YA Historical and Middle Grade Adventure stories. Have this done by May at the LATEST.

3) Submit THOSE stories to agents.

4) Basically, GET AN AGENT this year. But, also, I want an agent who is a good fit. So, I need to make my writing the best it can be.

5) Write early in the morning, and during Thing Four's naptime. This will give me 2 hours a day, for what I need to get accomplished.

I'm not going to be cynical about these goals. They are realistic.

I Guess You Could Say...

2009-12-11T15:02:00.002-05:00

Since I've been sick, and running around like a chicken with my head cut off, the writing has suffered. Thus the blog has been...sporadic.

I need more hours in the day. Preferrably in the early morning, so I can hammer some edits out. I am really excited to get my edits finished, but the Holidays are sucking all my time and energy. That's what the bitter cold winter months of January, February and March are for. Staying indoors and spending time on Writing-related things. THAT'S when I'll get them edited and polished up. And after that, I'll start writing again.

Because I'm a major beotch when I can't!

Editing. Cause I'm Turning Into a Novelsitter...

2009-11-25T00:13:00.002-05:00

So, I haven't done a lot of writing lately, per se. However, I have been doing some serious editing. The way I see it, I have three novels that I can polish up and stick out there on the query-go round, so, why would I write another, before the finished ones were made the best they could be?

That is my reasoning, at this point. I have one novel percolating, and I jot down notes when the mood strikes, but for the most part, I need to get the novels I have written edited, polished and perfected, and get them OUT there.

Doesn't make sense to write novels and sit on them, if you know what I mean!

Living on the Edge...

2009-11-19T10:50:00.002-05:00

In a fit of craziness, I submitted a query to an agent yesterday. She just seemed like a good fit. I haven't submitted any queries since October. Not since my dream agent broke my heart and rejected me, AFTER requesting additional material.

:-(

Gotta get back into the saddle at some point, right? Besides, I wrote a pretty cool story, dang it, if I say so myself!!!

2009-11-18T11:29:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, that day is NOT today. Or this month. I have had too much...well...crap happen to me. And I'm still going through it. One by one, I've had kids sick with H1N1, and pretty much ZERO writing has gotten accomplished.

I am not a failure. I really wanted to do NaNo, but sometimes, Life is more important. Or at least, it gets in the way, BIG TIME.

One day, I'll write again. For now, I must Nurse The Sick.

Cold Feet.

2009-10-29T09:39:00.002-04:00

I'm gettin' em. In a BIG way. Massive bock-bock-chicken-itis. NaNo is in three days, and I haven't had time to get ready for it. Because Halloween is rapidly approaching, and I'm stuck with...stuff going on. AND we had swine flu at our house.

Everyone seems healthy now, but we're not doing the homemade cookies this year (because I don't think all the people who knew we had swine flu would want cookies from us, ha ha) so that will be one less thing I have to do.

BUT, I was supposed to do massive research. And I find I've been researching other things. I'm getting pulled in another direction, which is exactly what happened to me last year. Right before NaNo, the story I was set to write faded away to the background, and FAIRIES became the hot topic in my brain.

I'm sticking with my original story. It has the most potential. It's weird and different from the stuff that's out there. THAT'S why I need to write it! To get it out of my system!

UGH!

Tick Tock, Tick Tock...

2009-10-26T13:23:00.003-04:00

NaNo Approacheth! Okay, that sounds weird when you say it out loud. Ahem.

ANYWAY...I am getting pumped! My whole "clean the house till it shines and organize everything" plan sort of got sidetracked by Swine Flu (not me, but my daughter) and SO FAR (Major fingers crossed here) she is the only one who has it. I'm hoping that she will be right as rain by Halloween. Tis' cold out there for a former sickie to be running around! She might have to pass out candy this year.

As far as getting ready for NaNo, my research time has been nil, too. I guess I'll have to just write and insert facts later, if I don't know them for sure. I certainly don't have the language down for 19th-century pickpockets living in England, so I am currently reading "Pickpockets, Beggars and Ratcatchers" by Kellow Chesney. I am muddling through it. Frankly, it sounds like a person with an infuriatingly large vocabulary (a.k.a. who is fond of being hard to understand) wrote their thesis paper on the subject of Victorian-era slums, and I'm having a hard time getting into it. Not exactly a smooth read. But I'm always up for a challenge. I was the weird kid in high school who LOVED reading The Iliad and Shakespeare and Jane Austen, where most of my peers were scratching their heads and asking me what it all meant. To me, it was all clear, to them, it sounded like a bunch of archaic mumbo-jumbo. (I believe one kid actually said that!)

So, I'm getting through this book, and I've printed up a lot of stuff online. But mostly, I get to make stuff up. Which is the BEST part. :-)

Five more days!!!

I'm Doing It.

2009-10-21T20:22:00.001-04:00

I'm doing NaNo this year. I swore I wouldn't. Then I got the itch. And it full on became a rash.

50K here I come! I am psyched!!!

NaNo: A Kick in the Butt?

2009-10-20T09:21:00.002-04:00

I'm in a writing funk lately. As I've proclaimed many a time before, I'm NOT a good balancer. If I do all the domestic stuff I'm supposed to do, I don't find time to write. When I'm "in the writing zone" the house is chaos and everything falls to the wayside.

Not a good thing. So, lately, since I still suck at juggling acts, I haven't been writing. Except in my head. Although last night I dusted off one of my stories I was gung ho about several years back. Like, about SEVEN years back. It's set in Victorian-era England, and it's like Oliver meets Harry Potter meets The Screwtape Letters. Okay, that sounds dumb, but it's close.

I have ZERO written on it, just a few paragraphs. But I have a whole filebox of research, and a plot outline. So, where is this all going?

NaNo. National Novel Writing Month. As in, in a couple of weeks. I could do it. I swore I wouldn't. But I need to get myself writing. I need a kick in the butt. Nothing like a good ol' challenge to get me going, eh?

I am considering it. I think I might NaNo this year, after all. I need to figure it out. And soon.

Would I Be A Traitor If...

2009-10-14T10:34:00.003-04:00

...I got a Kindle?

I can see how other writers might shun e-reading devices, because it's been said the e-reader would usher in the age of "No More Paper Books" or something like that.

Folks, it's happening, whether we like it or not. And it's so much more...economical. Books take up space. Digital books...don't.

Hubby has been talking about a Kindle, and I'm going to get him one for Christmas. (There's method to my madness--he is interested in the e-reader Apple is supposedly coming out with soon, so when it does, he can get that one and the Kindle will be MINE, ha ha!)

My reasoning? I love to read, and I hate reading heavy hardbound books. Because I do like to buy them when they're first out, and those hardbound books can be cumbersome to handle. Not to mention they take up a lot of space. But a digital version, (which also COSTS less!) stored safely in my own "e-library" that I could read any time I want, and not have to search for it or worry about it attibuting to clutter or my sagging bookshelves...well...that seems worth it to me.

I've heard a lot of writers who are against the e-readers because they like the feel of a book in their hands. The smell of it. I like that too. Someday, when I get a book out there I'd like to have my own book in my hands, just to caress it and fondle it, you know?

Libraries are already almost obsolete. Because of Google and Bing and the Internet, libraries really are just places people go to "use the computers" or do things old school. Why would I drag myself to a library and spend time looking for books I might not even be able to check out (because they'd probably be reference) and copy notes down, when I can find out everything I need online, in the comfort of my own home?

So, since I'm rapidly going from "old school" to "complete digitilization," is that bad? I think my generation will feel guilt, but my kids' kids won't. They probably won't even know what a book is. So, no guilt, or lamentation over the "old school" ways.

Wow. Food for thought.

The Painful Rejection.

2009-10-12T16:12:00.002-04:00

I got the most painful rejection yet, on Friday night. It really REALLY hurt. This was my dream agent of dream agents. I queried her back in April. Because of her fabulousness, she took four months to respond to my query with a request for a partial, and then another two months to respond to that.

It was probably one of the nicest form rejections ever. But still a form rejection, and it HURT.

It was one of those "stop and make you reconsider your direction" rejections. To the person who queries and receives answers a lot, this is no big deal. But to me, who tends to get emotionally all my "eggs in one basket" despite what I know is smart, it IS a big deal.

Sadness.

Scratching the Writing Itch.

2009-10-05T09:57:00.003-04:00

I am a writer. That's what I am. I love to write. I love to create something out of nothing, and listen to the characters come to life in my head. Love, love LOVE it.

So, why do I let my "other hats" get in the way? I've battled the "Put off Writing" demon for years. My excuse? I'm a busy mom with four kids who are in sports and other activities, and my life is dedicated to THEM, for now.

Those of you who know me, are probably rolling your eyes. "Here she goes again." But it's a battle I haven't quite won, yet. I have lovely writing friends who provide for themselves very nicely with their full-time writing. I have part-time writing/full-time mom friends who can empathize with me. I have friends who have given up on writing completely, succumbing to the demands of their responsibilites as mothers. All sorts.

I was so excited for school to start, because it meant uninterrupted writing time for me. Then suddenly my two-year old became obsessed with me, and decided he couldn't play on his own, without engaging me in some way--every few minutes. *lara pounds head on desk*

He misses his siblings. And I'm "it" as far as people. Unless we go somewhere or have a play date. So, I get it. But now I've gotten caught up in other things, and have been researching, but not writing.

I'm mad at myself. I know better. I know, I can FIND time to write, if I really want to. I need to figure out a plan. I don't like that itch that only writing can scratch.

I need to SCRATCH IT!!

My Latest Research Obsession

2009-09-29T09:27:00.006-04:00

...but to what end? I'm still trying to figure that out.

For the last five years, on and off, I have been obsessed with Tudor England. The Tudor Monarchs, especially. I've gobbled up Philippa Gregory's novels, and ordered research book after research book online. I've found them in bookstores, too. I have two entire shelves devoted to sixteenth-century England, and I am compling TONS of information. My heroes are David Starkey, Alison Weir, and Antonia Fraser. I would give my left ear to have a peek at their accumulated research!

Why? I have no idea. I am just obsessed with history. Always have been. It was Edwardian history in college. Victorian and Tudor in my early married years. Book of Mormon and Medieval history a few years back, and now, I'm back to Tudor era. Even before Showtime's THE TUDORS aired (which I won't watch, because it is factually way off, and it annoys me). I love/hate the ELIZABETH movies too (with Cate Blanchett) because although they are fun, they are woefully incorrect in the fact department. (Robert Dudley wasn't even IN the second movie! WTHeck???)

I have been online gathering facts, gathering pictures, gathering everything I can. Yet I don't have story brewing. I have ZERO ideas. I just happen to want to educate myself about this time period in England's history. Yes, I am an anglophile (sad I'm not this obsessed with American history!) but I find it strange that after all this, I don't even have a glimmer of story idea.

Interesting. Which begs the question again: To what end???

Writing Doldrums

2009-09-25T09:46:00.002-04:00

as in...I haven't been writing!!! I thought things would slow down when school started.

Um, no.

I haven't even been querying! I must get with the program!!!

I know, I'm rolling my eyes, too.

Could This Be Mary Newman Drake???

2009-09-14T13:47:00.008-04:00

For those who know me, they will know I am OBSESSED, with finding information about Mary Newman Drake, Francis Drake's first wife.

I'm naive. I'd like to think there is something out there about her, but alas, nothing has turned up. As historians before me have claimed. "Nothing is known about her." She has dates of marriage and death, and that's it. She was a nobody when she married Francis, and she died just shortly after he became a "somebody."

I've written a novel that has to do with Mary, and the possibility of lost Spanish gold...and where she might have hidden it. For research, I thought to myself "Okay, so, Nicholas Hilliard painted a miniature of Francis Drake in 1581 shortly after he was knighted and had become very rich, wouldn't Francis have wanted a miniature done of Mary, his then wife? If anything, to have with him when he went to sea?" Perhaps Hilliard painted it, but Mary was dead before Francis could claim it?

I went on a hunt: "Unknown Ladies" painted by Hilliard, circa 1580's. And I found this gem:

It could be her. The background has faded, but it is a similar color to the Francis Drake miniature. The lady is decked out in heavy finery (almost to the point of "over doing it") as perhaps the newly minted "Lady" Drake might have done? She's very pretty (as Mary was reputed to be) and it would be AWESOME if this was her.
No one knows. I'd like to think it IS her. I've put this picture in my ever-growing binder of Mary Newman research. I'll never tire of research. It's like going on a treasure hunt--in the comfort of your own home!

Agonizing Decision

2009-09-11T10:09:00.003-04:00

After much thought, I've decided to skip Nano this year. I did it last year for the first time, and I loved the rush, the determination, and of course the elation of finishing successfully. In fact, I have the fruits of last year's NaNo on submission, currently.

Good times. But now, I've had to make a hard choice. I need to write the sequel to the story, and I've already written 20K on it. So, I wouldn't be completely honest if I started writing the story for NaNo. In fact, it would be cheating.

I loved my NaNo experience, and would do it again in a heartbeat, but at this point I need to get the sequel written, and that is my primary focus. So, I've given myself a December 1st deadline to get the story's bare bones written out, and that seems to be a good starting point.

Don't hate me because I'm not NaNoing!

The CARDINAL Sin of Querying...

2009-09-04T09:10:00.002-04:00

Was googling my dream agent yesterday (I like to be educated) and I found a little tidbit from a blogger/fellow writer that made me cringe:

She posted her rejection letter, in its entirety, ON HER BLOG, with the names and everything!

Granted, it was a nice-ish rejection letter, but a form one. And I can bet this agent will not appreciate having such a thing posted ONLINE.

Quickest way to writing career suicide: posting your rejections for all to see, with names included. This poor writer is clearly young and clueless, but even *I* know something like that is a major no-no.

I even cringe when I read blogs where writers post about their agents--naming them and talking about them--unless they're doing some sort of feature, I think that info should be kept private--UNTIL you are published. But that's just me.

The wicked part of me will admit --seeing that rejection letter online DID give me some insight! (I know, I know--bad Lara!)

I find rejections, and the way agents handle them, interesting. (Well, the rejections are usually devastating, depending on the amount of emotional investment already had in said agent, but interesting all the same.)

Hopefully I won't rack up so many I have to start cataloging them...

Something is Wrong With Me...

2009-08-31T12:48:00.002-04:00

or something is "right" as my friend Devon would probably say! Last night, I had the opportunity to participate in my guiltiest of pleasures--starting to watch my newly purchased set of "Gossip Girl" Season Two, and did I?

NOPE.

I felt the need to edit my story. Well, polish it up, rather. I do have a partial out on submission, after all. What if they request the full? It was great two months ago, the last time I looked at it. But now that I've got it with fresh eyes, I see some things that could be tightened up, and I've realized my middle is soft. No, not MY middle, but the STORY's middle. I have a good beginning and a great ending, and the middle is not so compelling in places.

So, I'm fixing that. And I did it last night. Because I'm all for my new motto: "Luck Favors the Prepared."

Amen.

EDITING, Editing...

2009-08-25T09:31:00.002-04:00

I've gotten excited about my Fairy story again. *grin* Well, frankly, I've been motivated to, but that's another story.

What is amazing to me, is how you can write a novel, and think it's pretty good, and once you've given it a few weeks or months and you go back to it, you suddenly think it's rubbish.

Complete rubbish. Suddenly things seem cheesey. Or silly. Or just plain awkward. And you need to edit, and rewrite, and tweeze and poke and cut and paste and...change it all.

I've had a published author tell me she wasn't "thrilled" with her book once it came out, she said there were still some things she'd change.

Makes sense. We, as writers, are not stagnant beings. We grow, we mature, we only get better at our craft. Of course we might cringe at some of our earlier writings. (Or in my case, earlier DRAFTS!)

So, I'm Editing. Edit Mode. Because everything is rubbish!!!

It Never Rains...

2009-08-21T09:11:00.002-04:00

...but it pours. Yeah. You know the old cliche.

I got TWO rejections yesterday, in my email inbox. Not one, but two. Boom, boom. I hear nothing for weeks, and then suddenly Thursday is apparently "Reject Lara day."

:-(

Oh well. I have three outstanding queries, but in about a month they will be "non-answers" which is equal to a rejection.

This is expected. Sure, I can make the excuse that we're in "tough economical times" and yadda yadda yadda, but the bottom line is, the rejections are starting to sound the same. "Your writing is lovely/confident/engaging but the PREMISE didn't draw me in/didn't make me enthusiastic/etc./etc/.

So, basically, it's telling me the storyline isn't that exciting. The premise is not "exciting" any of these agents.

Time to quit? Not yet. But the timing for this story may be off. Here's another cliche:

Only Time will tell!

Writing Obsession

2009-08-20T12:58:00.002-04:00

I get obsessed with topics a lot, as a writer. When I was young, it was Horror. Luckily for my tender young psyche, the "horror" fascination only lasted through the last Stephen King book I read, about age 18.

When I was in college, it was light Fantasy. Magic. Probably because I was stuck in the grind of school and work and I needed to "daydream" a little. In fact, I remember when my hubby and I were dating in college, I read him some of my stories. (He made fun of my names--"King Alfred" was "King Alfredo Sauce" and I ended up chasing him around the apartment--great fun!)

And since I've been married and a stay-home mom, obsessions have come and gone--sometimes more than once. LDS history. Archaeology. Tudor England. Edwardian England. Victorian England. (Yes, I'm a major Anglophile!) Fairies....etc. etc.

Now it seems, we're back to Tudor England. Namely, the 16th century. And Mary Newman. I've resurrected my quest for information on Mary Newman Drake (little-known first wife of Sir Francis).
I've recently learned of some new information about her, and discovered a source, and I've emailed him with hopes of an anecdote, or anything that might have been "passed down."

I discovered that one writer, Judith Saxton, has written an entire romance novel based on Mary Newman. The only available copy was a large print version on Amazon, but I snapped it up. I am interested to see what her "spin" on Mary is, because so little is known about her.

Obsessions are good, for me. They give me something to do, when I have moments to myself. Especially when I get good writing ideas from them!

I just hope I hear from my contact--it would be GREAT if he had something for me! Mary Newman info is practically my "Holy Grail" at this point!

2009-08-18T09:39:00.003-04:00

I've been bad on the "Pen" blog. But I have good news. I've dusted off an old story, and I'm "revamping" it, from Third to First Person. Of course, this has presented a bit of a challenge, because my Protag is a 13-year old girl, but she's pretty smart, so I can get away with a bigger vocabulary.

But I've had to cut a LOT of stuff out, because it sounds like ME, and not her. Oh well.

Two Weeks. That's when I will have the kids back in school, and eight hours a day of only having a two year old. Who plays fantastically on his own in the playroom that adjoins my office. So, I will have WRITING time!!!

I am salivating, just thinking about it!

Inspiration.

2009-08-06T12:37:00.003-04:00

Inspiration, for a writer, comes in many forms. For me, it was the angst of two rejections in one day, and I had some "reflective time." Granted, both were form rejections, and they were only over queries (no submitted material) but it still stinks that even the idea isn't grabbing them.

Oh well.

Anyway, I was thinking about how to proceed, and needing a little "encouragement" and I was prompted to dust off one of my stories and start working on it. It's complete, and I'm already 70% through writing the sequel to it, but I suddenly felt it needed to be in FIRST person, rather than third. Very tricky, because my protag is a thirteen-year old girl. Lucky for me, my eleven-year old acts about thirteen, and she hangs around a couple of thirteen-year olds, so I have the gist of what they're like. And my protag is a genius, so she can get away with a few big words here and there.

Trouble is, I fall into a big black hole when I write. Seriously. I sat down, started editing, and suddenly I'm getting a phone call from my daughter, wondering when I'm picking her up. I'd been at it a whole hour and a half and it had gone by like nothing! It felt like 15 minutes!

Scary.

But now I have something to do while I'm waiting around for something to happen. That's always nice.

If You Just Sit Yourself Down...

2009-08-04T08:24:00.003-04:00

So, it's been bugging me that I can't remember what I was going to write about with my EMMA sequel. (See previous post.)

Last night I sat myself down, read through all my notes and research (took FOREVER) and started working on the synopsis (which handily, mentioned NOTHING about a "Lost City.")

I finally figured out what I was going to do, but I gave it a new spin. And I think I like where it will go.

All because I just sat myself down, and DID IT.

:-)

WHAT????

2009-08-03T08:27:00.002-04:00

I'm frustrated. I started writing the sequel to my EMMA story a couple of years back, and sort of just "stopped" in the middle. (Writer's block.)

So, I pulled it up last night, and started reading, and really got into the story, and suddenly, I ended at a chapter called "The Lost City," and that was it.

Problem is, I can't remember why I titled the chapter like that, or the direction I was taking. What was I going to write about?

Very frustrating. For the life of me, I can't remember. Honestly. And it has been bugging me since last night.

Who knows what I was thinking in 2006? I certainly don't remember. I was a different person three years ago. I certainly hadn't outlined the story, or written a synopsis--I was "writing by the seat of my pants."

I guess for me, that's a bad idea. Because when I get blocked, and can't think of anything, and LEAVE the story for a while, I won't get the flow back. And in this case, I won't even remember where I was going with the story!

Highly Frustrating.

2009-07-31T09:59:00.002-04:00

I guess the "Blogging about Writing" thing might be a little dry lately, because I'm not doing much writing. I have been pulling up my stuff and tweaking here and there, doing some edits, but the Creativity Bug has flown for now.

But I'm still blogging! That's a form of writing, for sure!

I expect to be back into the full swing of things starting Sept. 1st. Kids will be back in school, and I will be ready to rock!