A fresh start

Happy New Year everyone!!!

I know I have been more then a little MIA for the last month. Such is the life of someone who works full time in retail. By the time the holidays arrived I was so physically exhausted I couldn't wait untill they were all over.

But as they say tomorrow is another day....or another year in this case. When all the balls drop and cheering starts I plan on writing. (after I give hubby a kiss of course). Start the year as you mean to go on... at least that is my motto for this year. Resolutions? Nah, never keep them anyways. Goals? Absolutly.


My goals are simple. By this time next year I want to have at least one manuscript finished and submitted; and have already started another. That is it. A lot of work, a lofty goal but not unatainable and one that I can only complete myself.

May the year be kind to us all.

It's the spark that counts.....

So much to my dissapointment I did not complete NaNoWriMo this year, but I'm not beating my self up over it. Unlike last year it wasn't sure to procrastination, but emotional upheavals. November was not a kind month to my family.

Having said that, I did get a great spark that I was working on and continue to nurture. Makes me grin when I think about it. I'd share but I'm terrified of jinxing it. LOL Although to have someone to bounce ideas off of would be cool. For now I'll chug away on this one and see where it takes me. So far I have got a good start to the story but not much on the emotional interaction between the main characters.

Thankfuly I have a good grasp on their personalities and what attracts them to each other and what secrets are going to cause the biggest wedge. I also have a possible twist in there that should make it a bit more interesting.

Just to make my head ache though, one of my secondary characters is just as vivid to me as the 2 main ones. He cracks me up, so there is a possibility of a sequel in there. But best to concentrate to actually getting one FINISHED before I start thinking of others.

Delusions of Grandeur... Who me?

1 hour

That is all I am giving my self this morning. One hour to blog, to surf, enjoy my delicious Caramel Macchiato. Then I need to write, write, write. I am woefully behind on my word count but I am determined to do it even if it means skimping on sleep....well maybe I'll just call in sick to work. *G*

I have a lovely battle brewing in the back of my mind and that should help the word count significantly. Nothing like fear and bloodshed to get the creative juices flowing...although I think the only fear will be from me. Pretty much all my characters are badassess, not a delicate flower in the bunch. Not that it's a bad thing but I really can't stand it when in a movie or book a character just stands there fluttering their hands when something it happening in front of them. For god sakes pick up something hard and cosh the bad guy (or gal) on the head.

Speaking of head coshing, I'm off to do some of my own.....

Chugging right along....

Ok so I'm behind, but I'm not panicking. I always do my best work when under pressure. I have found it hard because I've been breaking the cardinal rule of NaNoWriMo. I keep editing as I go. My bad, It doesn't need to be perfect and if I want to add a page long description of dancing, puce coloured, radishes I can, but I don't because that little voice in me thinks it would be wasting time because I know I'll delete it later.

While I am working on a novel, I am allowed little flights of acid-inspired fancy, only the internal editor keeps forgetting that.

There are 9 days, 4 hours, and 6 minutes left and I have to write 26 thousand words. That doesn't sound too scary as long as I get 3000 done a day I should finish with time to spare.

I have to go write now.

Just a spit behind 12

So originally I wanted to keep up with 2000 a day for my NaNo. That is my plan every year and so far I've never been able to keep it up LOL Well it's more of a guideline then an actual set in stone plan. I'm about 6000 words behind my goals which is if I get my 2000 done today.

We have suffered a family loss this morning which is beating at my skull like a jackhammer. Ironically I don't think meeting my word count will be all that hard. I'm in the mood to vent so I expect to write a melodramatic assassination of many characters....shit I only have 3 so far. That's ok I'm going to introduce a bunch more and then start killing them off. Shoot first, let the editor sort out the bodies.

Stay on target, Stay on target.....

4 days into NaNoWriMo and I am doing well. Current count is 4453 words as of last night. In order to keep up to my 2000 words a day rule I'll have to write 3547 words today. A bit of a lofty goal but not completely unattainable, considering that I have today off. I'm going to charge up the laptop and keep it running all day and just peck away at the story when the ideas strike.

I am a big one for rewards, (Who isn't LOL) A few days ago I bought a copy of the Firefly series. For anyone who doesn't know this the series that Joss Whedon did after Buffy. It only lasted one season and then was yanked out from under him. Shitty because it's awesome. Because of this he had left numerous threads and questions unanswered. Well because he is just the most amazing story teller ever (I might be bias) He made the Serenity movie to wrap up everything that had been left hanging after the tv show. It is one of my favourite movies and everyone that I've talked too loves it after they have seen it.




Anyhoo My reward to myself is everyday I get my 2000 words done I treat myself by watching an episode. Pretty clever huh. I thought so. Which is why I need to catch up my word count 'cause I didn't get to watch one yesterday and it's killing me !! LOL

Tic-Tock, Tic-Tock

It's getting closer!! Only a few minutes left till it starts. Enough time to putz around with the look of each of my blogs and then it is hands off for the next month. If I have time to play with HTML, then I have time to write. This is my mantral.

Supa cool is one of the women I work with is doing this madness with me so I will not be alone LOL. Every lunch and break will be spent padding my word count or plotting what I can write about that night. My plan is to stay up past midnight tonight and get at least 100 words started before bed. A head start for good writing karma.

I spent 4 hours this morning working on an article I was assigned over a month ago and is due Friday. Once again I prove that I work better under pressure. I thought is turned out great and it got that side of my brain purculating in excitement for tomorrow.

In for a penny.......

As well as NaNoWriMo this year, I'm going to attempt The Seventy Days Of Sweat.
What the hell. The worst that can happen is my procrastinating ass actually gets a completed piece of work by January. No such a bad thing, and while NaNoWriMo is 1 project, I can work on multiple projects for Sweat.

The rules are simple. The challenge begins on Monday, October 15 and runs through Tuesday, January 15. (Yes, that’s 93 days. We get 23 days off to use as your personal holiday and religious circumstances require) You agree to write from 750 to 1500 words a day (depending on your project needs) between the dates listed above. If you need to take off a day, you make up the pages another. Remember: You only have to do the writing for 70 days.

So I've lost 7 days already but that's ok. I still have lots of time, hopefully by this time next month I'll be freaking out about work counts and my muse will be torturing me a 3 in the morning. LOL

Refilling the well

Wow I can't believe it's been so long since I posted something here. Time flies when you are having fun and when you are up to your eyeballs. Just got back from a couple weeks of vacation and damn it felt great!

Got a chance to relax, play around with some ideas, didn't do much writing although I did take my laptop down with me. I came to the conclusion that, while I realize that procrastination is my worst fault, I cannot guilt myself into writing. It was getting to the point that I felt so bad about not having any significant work done on my book, I couldn't get myself to write even when I wanted to.

In short it stopped being fun. I wasn't writing for enjoyment I was writing to finish and I hated everything I wrote. So a couple weeks guilt free and I feel much better. I want to write, I need to write. I posted a note on a blog I visit and it practically turned into a novel LOL. I'll take that as a good sign and carry on from here.

I want to do this and I can. I just have to stop coming down on myself so hard because all it does is clog up my creativity. Now you might ask what am I going to do when I have official contracted deadlines? I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, (I can't wait!) but until then I'll enjoy the luxury of not having to rush.

Good news is National Novel Writing Month is starting up again! Every November I participate in this event. 50,000 words in 30 days. This will be my third year and I'm 1-1. Finished the first year, but didn't last year. This year is the tie breaker. I'm listed under the name FeyRhi, feel free to add me as a buddy, I need to be and love to nag..I mean support all those who attempt the insanity that is NANOWRIMO.

Affirmations

A new character waltzed into my head today. Not an unusual occurrence but usually they appear as a kind of mist. A bit hazy but as I think about them or more importantly write for them, they become clearer and clearer.

Not this one.

I was calmly minding my own business, driving to work, when she strode in and ask me if I could drive a bit quicker? No haze, no confusion. Just *pop*

I'm not sure what to do with her. I have a book to finish, I can't write her story, not even a little bit. Time is ticking and I have procrastinated enough. 38 days left until my self imposed deadline. 38 days until the beginning of NaNoWriMo.

So far she has agreed to wait until November but I have to tell her story then... if I'm not sure I want to start now?
I tell ya she is convincing but I must be strong.
I will not plot.
I will not fill out a character sheet.
I will not talk to her....too much.

Must finish a book before starting a new one. I will not treat my writing the same as I do my knitting projects. (500 started but nothing finished)

Write write write.....

James Bond was a Canuck!!!

Ever heard of the Uncle John's Bathroom Readers . Hubby is addicted to them, They are big books filled with various sizes of stories. Some a page, others a few pages depending on the length of your visit to the loo.

Hubby just brought it down for me to read and there is a story in there about a man named William Stevenson. Born William Samuel Clouston Stanger, January 23, 1897 in the Point Douglas area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. An inventor, industrialist, and the father of modern espionage. Some believe that if it wasn't for him the Germans might have won WWII. (From what I understand, he broke the highly secret Enigma code the German's used) He also worked under the code name Intrepid and founded 'Camp X'. A spy training center, in Ontario Canada, which has founded countless tales of assassinations, clandestine activities, guerrilla armies, resistance support, and suicide missions.

According to what I read he moved to Jamacia after the war and retold some of his adventures to a friend of his.(Ian Fleming!) Sir William died in Bermuda in 1989 at the age of 93.

"James Bond is a highly romanticized version of a true spy. The real thing is ...William Stephenson" -- Ian Fleming, The Times, October 21, 1962.

I thought that was pretty amazing, back to my edits.....

Meet the kids....

I have found that finding physical picture of character is almost a necessity for me. It helps get their face in my brain and therefor their story is told better or so I hope *G*.. I have had a bit of problem with this story as far as the two male heroes. According to mythology Thanatos and Hypnos are twins. Two sides of the same Greek coin, but since they have a relationship before Amy ever arrives it kinda skeeved me to be writing about twins in a sexual relationship, too inscestious for my taste even though all the parthenon is related in some way, but I had to change it up a bit for my own peace of mind. So may I introduce my main characters:

Amaryllis Boitonu, usually called Amy. I love Minnie Driver and have for years. When Amy popped into my head it was Minnie's hair that I saw first and then her face *G* There is a similar vervaciousness for life that I always get from, Minnie's characters that I have in Amy. Not that Amy is the bubbly type, not at first. She is the most complex of the three, simply because she appeals to and fits perfectly with two men that are very different.








Oh Thanatos, god of death and such a tortured soul is he. Come on he is DEATH! No matter what kind of creature you are that is going to make you nervous. I wanted him to have a bit of an edge, rejection will do that to you no matter your rate of mortality or lack there of. *sigh* I have LOVED Michael Biehn, ever since the first Terminator movie, so long ago LOL








Ah yes my own Hypnos. Mr Sleepy Head himself. The god of Sleep. I wanted him to be a bit softer then his 'brother. Everyone loves to sleep, and he looks like someone you would want to cuddle with. There have been songs sung about him (remember the Chorette's Mr Sandman? and Neil Gaiman's comic books, ahem sorry, graphic novels The Sandman.
Kyle Schmid is a new favourite of mine, he stars in tv's Blood Ties.

Ok so that's enough playing I have to get back to their story. Time's ticking! Hmmmm Cronos, now that would be an interesting story as well.....No! Later!

The reward system....

Otherwise known as 'Torturing myself into getting work done"

I have been really good lately with my book. Not the historical one, (that has moved onto the back burner again as plot needs to be better) but my Paranormal/ That is the one I have the first draft done on and have started working on edits.
Or as I call it, "What the hell was I thinking when I wrote that crap!"

The prologue, and first three chapters are done for now and I am working on the fourth. I use the term chapters liberally since I have no idea of the breaks will stay where they are of if I'll move them later, but for now it helps my overworked brain to stay somewhat organized.


I got myself a copy of Karen Marie Moning's newest book today. DARKFEVER All I want to do is sit in a room all alone and read it from cover to cover, BUT I am saving it as a reward to myself.

The trick is I have to figure out what I have to get done in order to earn my highly anticipated read. I left my book in my locker at work so I wouldn't be temped to cheat at home and sneak a peek but it's killing me and I only bought it this afternoon!

I have a deadline set for myself, Oct 31 the entire thing has to be editor ready. I want to use Nanowrimo this year to jump start the sequel. I guess i should figure out how many pages or words I have to work though per day to get there, and then reward my self accordingly. There are lots of books that came out this month that I want to get.

Although with all the work I have done, certainly that deserves a reward already, right?

The things I do for my art....

First off let me say that if my mother is reading this she might want to leave now *G* You have been warned.



I have read on a few occasions that there are those that seem to think writing Erotica is a cake walk. Perhaps if you are looking to get published in some nekked magazine but true Erotica isn't easy to write. It is just as hard and any other type of literature, you still need to keep the plot moving. Yes you need a plot. Your characters need depth and substanance, needs, wants, bad habits. Then there is the sex which bring another emotional level to everything.

For me at least there isn't many other things that will engage my emotions as much as having sex with someone. Ok so I'll admit that there was a time when that wasn't true but thankfully I have matured...a bit. So it wouldn't be fair to both myself and my story if I didn't make sure they have similar conflicts. That also means that I need to experience certain things before being able to write them.

Needless to say I am lucky to have an understanding hubby who is willing to lend his support. Of course I has just told him I wanted to go to the Penthouse and check it out. It's not surprising that he was happy to help. Such devotion in my man willing to accompany me to go and investigate the world of female erotic dancers. LOL

Oh and before you ask I was obvserving not participating. But damn I had no idea what some of these women can do on those brass poles. It was really impressive, and me wonder if some of them came from Cirque Du Soleil

Who said comics weren't educational?

Educational in the broadest spectrum of it's meaning that is *G*

The Adventures Of Comma Boy

Nothing much to blog about hence my quietness of late. I'm still working away. I've taken a break on my historical. Hit a snag and got blocked so I decided to work on my other project and let my subconscious mull it over for a while.

I pretty much have a first draft done on my paranormal....ok let me rephrase that I have a first draft done but it need much polishing and tweaking and a few massive crater like holes to be filled in and leveled before I even think about approaching anyone to beta read it for me. (that was one hell of a run on sentence LOL)

I have been asked to write an article for my company's internal newspaper. I have free reign over what I want to write...as long as it has to do with the products we sell of course. LOL Kinda pumped about that. It will be my first published piece writing. I have a couple knitting patterns that were published a couple years ago.

Gotta keep my butt in the seat and my fingers on the keyboard.

No writing for me this weekend!!

10 years and 7 books ago I hooked up with a young guy named Harry and fell in love with his world. As I type this I have a bran' spank'n new copy of Deathy Hollows in my lap and I don't want to open it. If I open it then I'll read it and then it will be all over.

I'm not ready for that yet.

Sounds a bit silly doesn't it? But never-the-less it is true. I know this is the last book in the series and I have steadfastly avoided all contact with any form of media concerning this book because if the ending is spoiled for me I will do the informer bodily harm.

Logically then, I should open the book and discover what happens before it is spoiled for me.....perhaps not yet ...Soon... I need a bit more time.

What came first the author or the voices?

What is is that drive people to write? I have read bios that state that the need started at an early age and other where it started after the author's children are grown. What is it that drives a person to create stories? Are we all suffering from a undiagnosed form of schizophrenia? LOL especially when you think that characters has a tendency to take over a story and run opposite to what the author originally had in mind. *glaring at my own charries*

For me it started when I was in middle school. A friend of mine, named Cynthia Bellen, would write stories about us with our favourite pop stars at the time. I remember being so envious of her. I loved reading everything she wrote, and not just because in her stories Simon Lebon (of DuranDuran fame) fell completely, hearts and roses, in love with me). It was the way she made it seem so real. I remember she even let us dictate what we would be wearing. If memory serves, and we are going a few years back here, my favourite outfit of choice was a sparkly black and silver halter top, with skin tight black jeans and granny boots. (Hey it was the 80's LOL.) Cynthia is the one who I have to thank for planting the first seeds of my writing obsession. I wish I never lost contact with her.

That small kernel, which was nurtured by Mrs Hartley, my grade 12 advanced English teacher, has grown to almost a chorus of voices in my head, nurtured by many years of RPG's and other creative writing workshops.

Of course now-a-days my obsession has to battle for attention with real life needs. But despite all the distraction and such I have been giving the voices time to speak, even if they start talking at 1AM. Man I wish they would choose a better time.
My word count is rising, yes I know I need to update the counter. Every word puts me a bit closer to my dream.

Of course every word put me close to a new world I'm not sure what to do in....agents, contracts, self publicity....but I'll worry about that when I come to it.

See positive thinking, WHEN I come to it, not if. *BG*

So for those of you who share my obsession...What sparked your obsession??

The Danger of Complacency

I (WE) are very fortunate to live in the country that we do. I am free to practice what ever religion I want. Hell I can stand out at the end of my driveway naked and holler at the top of my lungs "I'M A PRACTICING WITCH!!". And other then horrifying a few neighbors and possible causing blindness in one or two others nothing will happen to me. It's easy to forget that there is a large part of the world that is not like that.

Today I discovered that on April 7th of this year, seventeen-year-old Dua Khalil Aswad, of Northern Iraq, was pulled into a group of men–some of them family members, who then beat and stoned her to death. The ordeal took about thirty minutes, and though the police witnessed the event, they didn't intervene. All this was recorded on camera phones by several members of the "audience". Dua Khalil was of the Yazidi faith, and she was seen in the company of a Muslim man that her family believed she intended to marry. She was brutally murdered to preserve the "honour" of her family.

Because it's no longer enough to be a decent person. It's no longer enough to shake our heads and make concerned grimaces at the news. True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself. I've always had a bent towards apocalyptic fiction, and I'm beginning to understand why. I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red. ~Filmmaker Joss Whedon

As a response there is an anthology being planned for release in April 2008. Nothing But Red takes its title from that description of Aswad's murder and was conceived as a response to Whedon's plea. It will be an open-format anthology of responses to Aswad's death and the topics raised by Whedon in his post, which will also be included in the volume. Essays, short stories, poems, photographs, drawings and other kinds of literary or visual arts will be considered for inclusion. Submissions will be open from August 1 to November 1, 2007. Further information on submitting work can be found at http://nothingbutred.wordpress.com.

Now I have to go hug my daughters, tell them I love them again, and remind them that they can be what ever they want when they grow up.

It moved again!!

My word count has finally moved. No not by drastic amounts but every word puts me one word closer. Slow and steady wins the race? Well perhaps not in writing but any movement at this point I am happy to see.

I have found a trick though. If I work on my lap top right in front of my computer I don't surf as long. I research an answer and the lap top is right there to write down what I find. No more going into the other room and then sitting there and surfing. Of course I had to stop and blog for a moment but that is to stop my fingers from cooling down too much. Yea...nice excuse huh? It pays to be creative.

I had the most bizarre dream last night.
I dreamed a novel, really the entire thing right now to the twist of an ending. I lay there this morning half awake and half asleep committing the entire thing to memory, forbidding myself from forgetting what all happened. When I regained full consciousness I madly grabbed my notebook and started jotting down notes. Know what? My subconscious is no judge of literary excellency LOL. While there were a couple neat ideas in there and I have noted them in a file. It was an eclectic mess of random moments that really made no sense. Still the feeling of having a finished novel at my fingers tips was exhilarating.

Amidst the normal routines of my day off I am hoping to keep this burst of energy going. Wish me luck!!

Research......

Need I say any more. Oy Vey Why, oh why, did my muse insist on a historical? What was wrong with a good contemporary paranormal HUH? Now, being the neurotic spaz I am, I'm going to go find some good stiff fabric and a ton of starch and see if I can remake some of these. All in the name of research ..... or procrastination I'm not entirely sure at this point.

Another note on procrastination

I have often complained that the Internet is my worst enemy. I can distract myself under the guise of "research" and surf for hours, reading excerpts, blogs, historical notes and such, Thus interfering with my writing time. Well I don't have a Internet hookup on my lap top. Problem solved right? But no! I have realized that if I am to get any writing done then I have to hide all the disks I have e-books saved on or I start reading.

So if I was to be honest then I am my own worst enemy.

Good news is that I have gotten some writing done and a lot of tweaking. My self imposed deadline is looming, I have to get some substantial work done or give up on this dream. What is the point talking for years about wanting to be a writer if I don't have the self control to sit my ass in the proverbial chair and get it done?

Nora Roberts is quoted as saying "I can fix a bad page but I can't fix a blank one." OK that might not be an exact quote but that was the gist of it. Pretty much sums it up. No writing, no dream.

Got an update on the writer/researcher position I applied for. DENIED. Turns out they want the applicant to have a (insert impressive music) DIPLOMA from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. I've got my higher certificate, one step down from that. Yea I am bummed about it but at least she was kind enough to tell me in person. She could have just as easily had HR ship me a form letter.

For the best I guess. Can you imagine how much procrastinating I would have done on my novel had I such a juicy excuse as the need to write a letter/article/wine blurb. That kind of temptation I don't need. LOL

Things that Inspire me

I do so love this movie, and not because of Messieur Depp. (although he is an added bonus) I love the theme song, a spanish bit that reminds me of something the Gypsy Kings would play.

It's a love story, but there is so much more, or should I say it explores many different kinds of love. I only hope I can seamlessly interwieve so many themes in my own book and not overwhelm the reader....or worse off bore them.

Time Flies

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted something here. I wish I could say it was because I have been busy writing, but alas not. I have been dealing with life in general and all the quirky things that get throw at me.

My writing has been pitifully slow if at all but like a very talented woman wrote to me a couple days ago "It's not important what you wrote last week. What's important is what you write this week." Thank you Michele *muah*

While the voices in my head are still chattering and my back burner is filled with plot ideas and possible twists, I have missed writing the words down. Seeing what they look like when turned into sentences. There are times when I think I have an incredible brainstorm, only to type it out and realize it is the silliest thing ever.

So back to my meager goals and my dreams of being published one day. LOL

No news on the job posting at work. I sent in all required paperwork. Now I just sit and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. Hmm maybe I should fill that time with some writing?

Can a wanna be writer have a career in writing?

Let me start off by saying I have a day job I love and an evening job that has gotten lost in the shuffle over the last couple weeks. I've found that if I don't write something on a daily basis I feel like I loose some of my creativity. Wierd I know. It then takes a few days of writing absolute crap for the right side fo my brain to kick in and remember what I am working on.

What has this got to do with my day job? Well a posting came up for a writing clerk in my head office. A WRITING CLERK!! I stood there with butterflies in my tummy staring at the sheet wondering if I could do it.

It would involve commuting to downtown Toronto every day which seriously sucks, but for me it is a dream job. I think. To tell the truth I am terrified to apply. What if I get told that I suck. My writing is terrible.....well it wouldn't stop me from writing anyways. I'd be writing everyday and that is good exercise to keep me going on all my projects.

I've gotten excellent support from the few people I told I was interested in this position. My coworker told me she will never let me live it down if I don't apply. My assistant manager simply said she was going to miss me. My mum? well read below. *G*

So I guess I am going to go for it. Now I have to write a resume *ugh*

O.K. Deep breath in thru the nose out thru the mouth! No farting!

Now apply for the job!

It sounds wonderful. It is perfect for you AND if you worked from home it would be freak'n wonderful. Imagine all summer out by the pool with a NEW lap top with wireless Internet, waxing eloquent while you quaf various vintages and gross out your daughters spitting into a pail.

And as for samples OMG go to your blog and copy some of that or just send them there.
You are "as yet" an unpublished author. You have experience in expressing easy to follow directions for every level of expertise in knitting patterns. You have participated and have successfully completed the National Novel Writing Month Challenge ( but not in 2006..dig dig)
If you can do Excel you can learn Access. Buy an Idiots book and bluff!

Need more??..... just email your biggest fan.
Moi
"Mum"
As Grampy would say "Shit or vacate the personal evacuation depot."

I'm learning!!

I know it sounds silly but since I am not, nor have I ever been an English major, when it comes to the rules involving writing I am seriously inept.

There is just so much to know. The dreaded Dialogue Tag for one, while I think I may have finally conquered this ferocious beastie; There is another that I found quite intimidating. Sloppy POVs, that would be Point of View.

Long ago I sent a piece of work to someone I consider a mentor. While she was gentle about it she let me know that I had and still have a lot to learn and pointed out some very obvious ones.

Well today I am happy to report that after all the articles I have read and books I have scoured and pieces of professional writing I have analyzed..... I understand something!

This amazing occurrence happened recently when I was rereading my paranormal work. Going over the first 3 chapters, I thought I had polished to a shine, I suddenly was struck with the thought that my POVs are all over that place. That was quickly followed by a deep voice with a Scottish accent rumbling "By the gods,I think she finally got it."

Not sure who the voice belonged to, I am assuming my muse. Would have been nice if he had filled me in earlier but that's ok. I'm just thrilled I picked out my mistakes all on my own.

Of course now my sparkling chapters have lost some shine but by the time I'm done with them they should be sparkling again!

Caught in a Whirlwind.

No, no update on the word counts today, don't bother looking. I find myself caught in a whirlwind of events that I cannot control; because if I could I'd be laying down a metaphoric layer of glue hoping my feet get caught in it.

I have so much going on in my head, both personally and in the world. The personal rants can be found on my other blog.

I don't need to repeat the tragedy of Virgina Tech, anyone with CNN or the ability to read knows what I am referring too. What has been worrying me is the repeated mentioning of this young man's writing. As if the horrors he wrote about should have warned the teaching staff of what was to come.

That kind of thinking scares me. I write all sorts of things, and yes sometimes they can be very disturbing, but I'm not about to go postal. It is merely my imagination working through something that is bothering me. To judge a person's mental capacity based on what they write...is dangerous. Not to mention the fact that it takes a very large step towards censorship in my mind.

I was relieved to read a couple newspaper articles today voicing a similar concern that I have. Both times it was mentioned that you cannot merely predict something based on a person's writing.

Stephen King (one of my favourite authors, and who, I might add, has written his fair share of terrifying things) voiced his opinion in this article On Predicting Violence. There is also an article in the The New York Times that is worth reading.

My heart goes out to the families that have been affected by this tragedy.

A contest might be a bit premature...or not

I admit I am a bit late, I should have posted this last night but wasn't able to get to it. Ran a bit shy of the goal this week, (like 4,000 shy) my bad. At least the word count moved up and they are good words not merely padding.
Why the lack of progress you might ask? Lack of a key to put it simply.

A key is so much more then a scrap of metal that physically opens a lock. Or a musical term that helps a banker save a spy (bonus points if you know that movie)

For me 'The Key' is a sealed envelope that ends up in my heroine's hands during a rather dramatic event. Sounds interesting eh?

It would be if she would tell me what is in there. She's already looking in and pulled something out but that is when my fingers stop. I don’t know what it is and she isn't telling. It's important too because what ever she finds is the catalyst of my story. I think...

I am willing to accept that she doesn’t quite understand what she has but she isn’t willing to appear that unknowledgeable. Dammit in giving the woman a stronger backbone she has developed a bit too much pride in all things intellectual.

But I need to know what it is. What information does she discover, does it have anything to do with the story because if it doesn’t I could move her forward but she is digging in her heels. It’s important. I just know it. But how? Does it affect her directly or something to do with the men in the story.

Will the contents reveal themselves immediately or is it later in the story that it becomes clear the effect this information has on everyone?

Grrrrr this writing is hard work. I've been obsessing about this point so much I think the right side of my rain is deliberately avoiding the question.

I did have a thought....yes it happens.... If you have any ideas what might be in this envelope/package then write them down in the comments. Remember this is a light weight package about the size of the book she is reading.

If I use your suggestion then when it is all said and done, and published *thinking positive here!! I will give you a copy. You never know it could turn out to be the worst book you have ever read and you end up getting a great workout throwing it at the wall across the room. Expending aggressive energy and making you feel good.

OR

You might really enjoy it, spend a few hours of peaceful reading and by the end be relaxed and feeling good.

It's Win/Win either way don't you think?

Goals, Goals, Goals!

Very true of the C&H comic I posted a while back, I write best when under a deadline. Knowing that I have to get it done or else. I actually got 50,000 words written during the National Novel Writing Month. Why, because there was a deadline.
That was the first year. The second year I procrastinated to the point that I only had 20,000 done. Still that isn't bad at all. Granted over half of that was dumped.

I am taking some advice from Michele Armstong and giving my self small goals. Nothing to outrageous, but enough to keep me on track. I can worry about monthly goals when I have multiple contracts and am trying to promote while writing. (a girl can dream)

Due to an excessive amount of procrastination I am attempting to make public my lazy times. So I will be updating my word counts on a regular basis. Since I tend to post here once a week, at that time I will refresh my counts. If you notice that I haven't update them feel free to harass me via comments or email. My ultimate goal is 5-7,000 a week.

<<--- See they moved *G*

Devine Intervention or just Mischief Faries

I'm trying to write really I am but today my distraction level is at an all time high. Seriously I was starting to wonder if there is some sort of otherworldly influence going on here.

Just just slip into he zone, fingers flying when my lap top crashes for no reason. Giving me the dreaded blue screen Error report. Dumping physical memory and all that. ACK! 30 minutes of stressing and it is fixed. Working fine again, don't know what I did or didn't do but *shrugs*

Get comfy and start again...cat throws up on carpet. Clean up mess, head for afore mentioned comfy spot, cat throws up again & phone rings....Hubby is off early from work. Will be home in an hour of so.

There goes my quiet writing time today. maybe I'll just lock myself in the bathroom for the rest of the day. My goal is 3,000 words before bed tonight, dammit and I will make it even if I have to duct tape myself to the roof.


*Image:Mischief by Authur Rackham

Procrastination

This is so me. I always did my best work in school the night before a project was due. There is something about a looming deadline that spurs my creativity, sending me into high gear. My best work has always been finished during an adrenaline fueled panic. Which is one reason why writing is so difficult. Right now I don't have a deadline. No contract, no legalities, no agent emailing. I'm a nobody, just like thousands of others out there. So if I spend a month on research then what does it matter, if it takes me a year...or so... to write a book who cares?



Procrastination is the bane of every wanna-be author out there. It is the dragon that must be slayed. No mercy, no second chances. If I am going to succeed then I had better get to work. Until the day I get to sign my name to the bottom of a contract then I am nothing but a dreamer with delusions of grandure.

Pantster vs Plotter

Had anyone asked me this question in the beginning I would have stated 'Pantster' in a heartbeat. There is something cool about writing from the hip, closing your eyes and pointing on a map to decide where to go. A rebel of the writing craft.

I am fast learning that I am just not one of them.... I think

For me writing by the seat of my pants is fine for RPG's or small bits because you don't have to worry about what happens 50 pages later. Now I want to plan out the entire book, not in detail because I'm afraid that will stifle some of the creativity but I need to know where they are going. What secrets are hidden behind the corners that they don't know about? What little clues can I drop in now that aren't understood until later? How can I write a reaction to something if I don't know about something in their past that will aid or hinder the decision making process.

The most difficult part I have found is that I can't write for a character until that character has taken on a life of it's own in my subconscious. The vicious circle is that how can this character develope unless I get writing and see how they react to what is happening. Technically a pantster trick in my book.

Sound confusing...yea to me too.

For now the only way to describe my current technique is to plot out the scenes but then let the characters be the pantsters.

I'll let you know if it works.

A forgotten treasure

There is only so much research that one can do on-line. Don't get me wrong there is something to be said for typing in some words into a search engine and having the answer appear in front of you. What I have discovered is that many sites just steal information from, or outright contradict, each other. The other day I suddenly remembered that there is a place that one can go for answers. It's called a LIBRARY.

It's been years since I have been to ours. Thankfully in that time they have done many improvements and the collection of books has grown considerably. It only took about 15 minutes and I was lugging a pile of 10 hardcover research books to the children's area. With a shooing motion I sent my 2 little ones off to explore and I began scanning information. Byt the time they had made their choices I was down to 6 books. Four came home because when I tried to check out I was told that two aren't allowed out of the Library. So that is what the bright orange sticker means. LOL At least I know where to find the answers if I need them. Adult Non-Fiction

Introducing..

Lord Tristian Spencer 6th Viscount Sherbrook & Lady Constance Bingham
















Neither of whom may forgive me for what I am about to put them through; despite my promises that they will get their Happily Ever After

A couple words on research

I may be one of the stranger people I know simply for the fact that I am so excited about a couple books I picked up today.

I have a Chapters across the parking lot from my work. A blessing for research, or when I need a paperback fix, but a curse on my wallet. They also have a brilliant discount section. Today I found a copy of The Stories of English by David Crystal and Cassell's Companion to Eighteenth Century Britain. I was curled up on the corner of the couch, music playing, a large glass of red at my elbow, flipping through all the wonderful information these books offer when it hit me. This was a strange thing to be so excited about. Can't explain it but the whispers are still there so I am on the right track.

Constance (afore mentioned Heroine I detest) has loosed up a bit. Thanks to a large section about Bluestockings that perked her interest; That and a passage from Blake's The Tyger.


A completely off topic comment. Did you know that it is said that Blake sketched his wife's portrait moments before his death (days before his 45th wedding anniversary)? Before he passed on he promised that he would be with her always. Catherine (his wife) was said to have regular conversations with him and often consult his opinion on things until the day she too passed on.

I find the whole idea terribly romantic.

A pet peeve

Having sunk myself in research for the last couple weeks I have endeavoured to actually get some written words down. I'll admit I have been doing more tweeking of some old writing but it still a step forward so I was ok with it. I have 4 solid characters in mind. Apparently my brain is insisting that I work on two stories at once. Annoying but I'm not complaining.

I Bitch....and my muse wanders off to go practice in the mews.

Problem is I am happy with 3 out of the 4 characters. The Heroine in the first book is your typical female, standing around and not doing much with out a whole lot of guidance from the men in her life. Basically I detest her. That is one romance stereotype that drives me NUTS! The poor woman who waits for her man on the dock, who swoons at his masculinity.... Jasus woman, grow a backbone.

My second Heroine is a spy and possible assassin for the British government...or was during the Peninsula Wars. Her I like. She doesn't take shit and has a whole boatload of hangups. Good potential for conflicts.

So back to the first heroine. I need something for her. Not to the point of being a spy or anything because then she wouldn't be good for my Hero but she has got to toughen up a bit....

Back to the lap top and see if I can write a bit more attitude into her.

Research

With out a doubt there are aspects of writing that are much more enjoyable then others. For me research can be as enjoyable as it is tedious and boring. It all depends on the topic.

I can easily spend hours reading up on historical remedies, cooking methods, housing, and weaponry but Politics....*snore* Given I am working on a regency the politics are an important part, given the Peninsula War and Waterloo. You don't much drier reading then this though. I have little patience for current politics so my interest in the ongoing between the Tories and Whigs of centuries ago....*snore*

I understand why research is important. It would be hard to pull your reader into an environment or world that you as a writer don't have a firm grasp on. Also 99% of what I am studying wil never make it into the book other then the odd comment. So why am I doing so much?

Because like so many other authors, I'm neurotic and want to make sure that every detail I do include is correct.

Lesson learned

At the moment I am working on a short story that has a submission deadline at the end of the month. It's looking less and less likely that I will get is completed on time. After much thinking and heaping of self guilt I came up with three important things I have to remember.

1)Procrastination is not my friend, nor is it ever a good thing no matter how I may justify it at the time.
*Except when I put off writing to watch Supernatural or The Dresden Files. *G*

2)Never take a writing course on something opposite to the project you are working on at the time.
*Long ago, when I first thought that perhaps I could write a book, my dream was to do historicals. For some reason I have only done paranormal contemporary since then. Not sure why, it's just worked out that way. I sat in on a Historical course early this month and that awoke all the voices that have been silent for so long. Distracting me terribly.

3)Stop worrying so much about what the editor wants to see.
*I have ripped apart this story so many times because I am way too neurotic. I'll start on an idea and then a few days into it decide it's stupid and I need to change it. The next idea comes and a few days later I worry that isn't exactly what the editor wants to see so we are back to the first idea...then another...etc

Over time I'm sure I will keep adding Lessons as I make more mistakes. It's all a part of learning; as long as those voices keep whispering in my ear then my dream still lives.

Merry Meet

What is Stonehenge? It is the roofless past;
Man's ruinous myth; his uninterred adoring
Of the unknown in sunrise cold and red;
His quest of stars that arch his doomed exploring.
And what is Time but shadows that were cast
By these storm-sculptured stones while centuries fled?
The stones remain; their stillness can outlast
The skies of history hurrying overhead.
Siegfried Sassoon



Welcome to my professional blog. A gateway to the worlds that I create and occasionally the frustration I have in bringing them to fruition. I thought Stone henge would be an appropriate beginning. Shrouded in mystery as it is. It is the one place I swear I will visit before I cross over.

I'm not a hundred percent sure how I'll use this blog. As a online journal for updates regarding my work or general silliness. I really don't have a clue. Basically, as I evolve as a writer so will this site. I hope *G*

Blessed be