Writer's Nook

Interview #19: Lady Courage

2012-02-13T00:00:00.001-05:00

Lady Courage: The Tear Stopper

I did not actually make this myself. Some UBER talented guy on the NaNo forums made this for me. And. I. Love. It.

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

Both usernames are the same; Lady Courage. And yes, they were inspired by stories my sisters and I used to tell together. Actually, those stories were what I now know to be roleplay/fanfics.
They were about three girls who got whisked away to various worlds, starting with Narnia. Looking back, I realize that the stories started out CHOCK full of Mary Sue-isms, but we DID get better about that later on. Still, despite the glaring flaws in the stories, I think on them very fondly. And my character (Courage, who at one point became a Lady ) still holds a dear place in my heart. I don't expect I'll ever use another username.

Who are you?

I am the ageless Lady Courage; wise beyond belief, of superior intelligence and condescendingly kind.

... Um, no. I'm a homeschool graduate who loves to write, but is starting to find less and less time for it (yeah, yeah, you don't "find time" to write, you make time, I know. But other things sometimes have to come first before novel writing. Like, for instance, work. ). Though I love engaging in creative work, I also love solving puzzles and applying rational logic to situations. Though I haven't quite figured out the answer to the puzzle of when to write... Currently, I'm studying web design and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I work alongside my father to further our family business. I also recently started my own business, which I am building rapidly. And did I mention that I struggle with finding time to write?

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

I heard about it through a blog years back and have always wanted to join. But I'd never had time/had a good enough story/felt like I could win it. I'm also a rather slow typist (and yes, I technically type out stuff on the computer for a living... ) and I was worried I could not make the 50k; not because I didn't have the words for it, but because I literally couldn't get them out of my head fast enough. But no, I made this decision all by myself; Lady C's a big girl now. *proud*

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

First NaNo, though I did CampNaNo its inaugural year.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

"“It’s just a job, son.”
That’s what my father always told me. “It’s just a job.” Everyone has a job, he would remind me. Everyone has something that is their job to do. Turns out that my job is different than I thought it was.
I am the Tear Stopper.
For some reason, my clan’s job always makes the women cry. I guess I can’t blame them too much: It might even be their own job to cry. But it sure makes an awful lot of trouble for us. Every time a woman weeps, something bad happens to us. Their boo-hooing brings terrible, terrible luck.
I am the Tear Stopper. I stop tears no matter what it takes."

Genre: Fantasy/Satire/Humor

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

Well, so far, it's the same. I have not finished the story, but it seems to be the same as when I started. At least... I think it is. It hasn't confirmed this to me yet.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

I DID! I FINISHED!! *cheers!!* My ever useful superpowers of ignoring surrounding racket™, being stubborn™, hanging on until the last shards of hope splinter away™ and super awesome storytelling™ saved the world from utter chaos and Lois Lane from being plunged into the dismal abyss of NonNaNoWinners (*horror music and old timey female SCREAM!*). Don't thank me.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Lean closer so I can whisper this to you... The method of writing that was MOST effective was- *darts look from side to side to make sure nobody is listening in* finger-to-keyboard-rear-to-chair-brain-to-story-sanity-out-window *sits back and smiles mysteriously*

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Glue and ropes? Bah! Such wimpiness! Nahhh, I used SUPER glue and CHAINS. SUPER glue on the chair and CHAINS around my neck and bolted to the table. Oh yes.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

It taught me the value of outlining every single stinkin' chapter, that I need to manage my time better, the value of letting go and just writing trash in the first draft, and that I need to learn to type faster.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

... Um... I have two blogs and write for several more. I also write for several websites. But I HIGHLY doubt most people would be interested in Italian Greyhounds, gluten free food, gluten free makeup, grass-fed cattle and text marketing. All of those above were-started/are-being-used for business. Why yes, I have diverse interests and skills; thank you for asking.

Interview #18: MountainFireflower

2012-02-10T00:00:00.002-05:00

MountainFireflower: Silver Tears

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

MountainFireflower: It’s inspired by the passage in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe where they describe Lucy’s cordial. It was made using fireflowers that grow in the mountains of the sun. I wanted something Narnia-related, but nothing too obvious and something I could also use on other sites as well. Hence, MountainFireflower.
ScarlettGamgee: Um… hehe… it was based off of two of my favorite characters: Will Scarlett & Samwise Gamgee.

Who are you?

I’m a high school student who writes for the same reason that I breathe. It also helps keep me from going insane, but that’s beside the point.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

Yep. A couple of years ago a few of my friends decided to do it, and I somehow jumped on the bandwagon.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

It was my third, though technically the first year I did YWP and didn’t make it to 50k.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

It took me a while to come up with a good idea, but eventually I ended up taking elements from several of my stories in the past, and combining them into one story. The basic premise is about a blacksmith who dreams of finding a silver more precious than any other metal. The genre is fantasy.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

I’d say it was the same. I heavily outlined for about the first time in my life, and it proved to be quite helpful. Of course, my story took turns I didn’t expect, but for the most part it stuck to the same idea.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

I finished with a total of 55k. I wish I could say that I’m Superwoman or something, but really… I’m not. Now if you had asked me this question last year, in 2010, I’d have a lot more interesting story. In short, I wrote the last 25k in the last week or so that year. It was craziness. Compared to 2010, this NaNo round was a piece of cake. (Kinda.)

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

This year, I think outlining helped me majorly. At first I had thought it would slow me down, since I’m more of a seat-of-the-pants writer. However, having an outline made my novel better in the long-run. It also helped me to know where I’m going at all times. I didn’t get as much serious writer’s block during the whole month of November. (Then again, November is a huge blur in my mind, so it could be I’m completely wrong here. )
Also, my motto is just write. That usually works.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Nope. Just down-to-earth, honest-to-goodness motivation. And writing works too.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

NaNo really just taught me to stay motivated and to write every day. I’ve been writing nearly every day since NaNo ended and it’s a wonderful, glorious feeling. It also taught me that the first draft of your writing is meant to stink. As for editing… well… we’ll figure that out later, won’t we?

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

Blog: Further Up and Further In (http://furtherup-and-furtherin.blogspot.com/)
Twitter: @lovehascome

Interview #17: wild rose

2012-02-08T00:00:00.001-05:00

wild rose: Dragon Eyes

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

My NW username, wild rose, was really just a last minute thing I came up with when I was registering, I had no idea what to name myself, so just wrote down the first decent name I could think of. My NaNoWriMo username, Apye, came from the character of a Sci-Fi series I am writing, the character is sort of autobiographical and I thought it sounded cute.

Who are you?

No one really ahem, I'm a young girl, currently taking courses on graphic design, my ultimate goal is to become a teacher, graphic design is just a temporary thing, I'm a real bookworm, I'll read anything I can get my hands on (provided that it's positive) I love children, pants and animals. I really love writing and making up stories. I really want to try and help make this world a better place to live in.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

I had heard of NaNoWriMo on NarniaWeb but didn't know what it was and for some silly reason never asked until last year. When it was explained to me I got really excited and knew I had to participate.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

First, though I had done CampNaNo in the summer, winning both months of July and August.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

Two children, whose father has been kidnapped with the charge of plotting against the king, are alone in the mountains where they meet a dragon and befriend him, the dragon later helps them find and rescue their father, and the kingdom while they are at it.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

It stayed pretty much the same, there were a few changes, like changing the main character from girl to boy and other such things, but on the whole I kept the synopsis the way it was.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

Yes I did finish, superpowers.....I don't think there were any, I went with writing with 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

I found for myself that writing every two days was best for me, that gave me a short break to think about what I was going to write next and helped me plan a bit. I also set myself a goal of writing no less than 3,000 words.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Nope, I got along without any of those, but I'll admit there were times I felt I was going to glue myself to my chair to keep me from running away from my novel.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

I really learned to persevere, there were so many time when I just wanted to stop and quit. November proved to be a very busy month for me and had enough excuses to quit, but I'm glad I just kept going, forcing myself to write. I also learned how much fast you can get things done if you don't stop to edit every other sentence you write. I'm the sort of person who can get stuck for days on one chapter, editing and changing and so don't get much progress done, but with NaNo I didn't have time to edit every other thing I wrote, which ultimately helped me get the novel done faster.

Platform-Building Campaigner

2012-02-07T16:35:00.004-05:00

I thought this deserved its own special post. I just signed up for the Platform-Building Campaign (it's a blog chain type deal) that Rachel Harrie hosts. If you want to join in, just click on the picture below to sign up! You've got until the 15th to do so. (I'm in Group 3: YA (All genres), Group 6: Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic, and Group 8: Science Fiction, btw).

Until next time!

Overcoming Writer's Block (And More!)

2012-02-07T15:58:00.011-05:00

Since I was lazy enough to forget to post on Sunday, I shall dump my writing update into this post instead. As you might have noticed, there's a shiny, new WIPs page *points up*. That should serve as an up to date list of all the projects I'm working on (even when I forget to post updates on Sundays).

I'm so close to the end on Novella #2 that I can smell it! Or rather smell the bad guy swooping in for one last attack.

The Story Within contest is still running and week 4's prompt is "Make a list of 10 things you know by heart and then write about the person who taught you those things". How vague can you get? In other words, I still haven't written my entry and it's due tomorrow.

And now, onto the links!

Don't forget to stop by Book Luvin' Babes for a multi-blog giveaway. It's specially themed for Valentine's Day!

On Writing:

Danyelle Leafty explains the causes and cures for Writer's Block.

On Publishing:

Ever wonder what happens to your book proposal once it's sent to the publishing house? Michael Hyatt lists the 5 hurdles of publication.

But before that, is the agent you're submitting to legit?

For some people, though, being herded along with all the other sheep just doesn't jive. What to consider before breaking out of the pack.

And once you have made the break, what on earth are you supposed to do with that copyright page?

Also, is a print self-published book even a viable option anymore?

On Blogging:

And finally, what's the best use of photos in a blog post? Here are 3 tips for using them wisely and effectively.

Until next time!

Interview #16: Ellesar

2012-02-06T00:00:00.001-05:00

Ellesar: Riley

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

Ellesar on both sites. it's an unintentional misspelling of Elessar that happened in high school and I've used it ever since

Who are you?

My name is Laura and I just recently graduated with my master's degree in biomedical engineering. It's my dream to go into research of neurological diseases and hopefully be able to find a cure for some of them. I have one cat and still live at home with my parents. Currently, I'm trying to go back to school in order to get my PhD so that I have the ability to teach in a university. I love writing and plan on trying to finish all of my current writing projects sometime in the future.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

I... don't really remember. I think it was someone from NWeb who finally convinced me to try it out.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

This was my fifth year participating.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

This year's NaNo was a sequel to the one I did a couple of years ago, so I basically just picked up right where the first one left off. I usually stick with fantasy since practically anything goes and this year's NaNo was a medieval fantasy.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

My synopsis pretty much remained the same throughout it.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

"Finish" is relative. If by finish you mean, hit 50k, then yes I did, but I have not finished the novel as of yet. Honestly... I have no idea since I managed to get to 50k while working full-time.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Pretty much writing in every spare minute I got. Also, word wars proved to be very useful

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Caffeine is my friend during NaNo. Especially during those late nights and early mornings

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

That I certainly have it in me to write 50k words in 30 days, despite the fact that I had barely any time to write. As a result, time management is key to be able to keep on schedule

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

If you're interested in some book reviews, check out my blog at http://ellesar2009.wordpress.com/

Interview #15: Meltintalle

2012-02-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

Meltintalle: The Play Actor King

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

NWeb - Meltintalle
NaNoWriMo - Meltintalle

Way back when I was first creating an internet screenname, the fandom was LotR, so I looked up the translation of my name in Quenyan. I've used it ever since.

Who are you?

I'm the oldest of seven kids and I live with my family on a farm with an assortment of animals and pets. I'm a voracious reader and my sketchbook reflects my current reading list as well as doubling as a handy place to sketch out ideas for original stories.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

I don't remember any specific person influencing my decision, though a friend of mine did have a t-shirt from the program... I think it was more of an idea that 'all the cool kids are doing it' and who wants to miss out when there's fun to be had?

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

This was my fourth year and fourth win

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

"Most everyone is king of their imaginary countries," said Edward. "Only someone like you would pretend to be anything else."

Bradley James Morton resents that statement. The only person he's ever pretended to be is a king. His impersonation won him accolades on stage.

Revising that role, Brad will have a chance to prove to his cousin and himself that he can be a king. But he'll have to do it with a borrowed country and a borrowed reputation...

Maybe he should have read the script first.

sequel to NaNo'09: Crossed Swords

It's supposed to be YA adventure/fantasy

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

I think the synopsis still applies, it's just not quite the story I thought I was going to write at the beginning of the month

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

The superpower of sheer stubbornness and reams of repeating myself and writing a scene beyond the point where it should have ended...

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Just putting one word after another was usually the best way to get some inspiration flowing

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

...Well... telling myself that I could watch another episode of Merlin after I wrote a few hundred more words was almost effective...

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

Paradoxically, that while it is possible to outline too much, you can never know too much about the story you're writing. That the why of a character's actions are always important. Every character needs to have a why if they're going to be in the story.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

meltintalle.deviantart.com

What do Publishing, Writing, Book Design and Debates have in Common? Links...

2012-02-02T00:00:00.001-05:00

Yes, that's right. I've got more links to dish out! Oh, but first, remember that contest a ways back I entered (The Author's Giveaway)? Well I won the photo print prize! Just waiting for it to arrive in the mail. (I'm getting this photo!)

Writing

How Long Should Your Book Be?

How to Get Out of Your Own Way: The Secret to Becoming a Successful Writer

Publishing

The 5 Emotional Stages of a Book Launch

Real Ebooks: Are We Still in the Stone Age?

Readers (Are Self-Publishers Ignoring Readers?)

Gender Issues in Publishing. Using Initials as a Female Thriller Writer

Playing Tag the Self-Publisher Way

It's Not Always About the Money (from a literary agent)

There's No Such Thing As The Publishing Debate

How Amazon's KDP Select Saved My Book

Book Design: Don't Get Confused by Typeface Point Sizes

5 Attitudes Towards Publishing You Should Avoid

Helpful Sites (And Contests!)

QueryTracker.net/QueryTracker Blog

Got Goals? (Pursuing Your Passion on Purpose with a Plan)

A Kindle Fire Contest!

Blogging

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 101 for Authors (a very simple and helpful explanation of what SEO is)

Interview #14: Narnian_Badger

2012-02-01T00:00:00.002-05:00

Narnian_Badger: 31 Days

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

Nweb: Narnian_Badger
The Badger is my favorite Narnian creature, and my personality is somewhat similar to the characteristics of a badger (in Narnia they represented intelligence, kindness, and faithfulness; in Heraldry they symbolized tenacity and protection).

NaNo: vaporinthewind
This is a username I already had (I used it for my DeviantART account, except that one had hyphens ). It comes from the song Voice of Truth, by Casting Crowns.

Who are you?

Mm... female, and a Badger. Though most people don't believe that last bit... Can't imagine why.

Anyway. What do I like? Many things. Swimming, running, sketching, painting, strategy games (chess!), Sci-Fi, mystery, writing. Who am I? Well, depends on who you ask. On DeviantART, I'm a hobbyist who enjoys traditional art. On GateWorld, I'm a perpetual lurker who tends to shut down debates when they get too out of hand. On FanFiction, I'm "that random anonymous user that's been around for like five years". I'm an INTJ Mastermind/Inspector for psychology students.

But what I always try to be, no matter where I go, is a servant of my Lord Jesus Christ, who made me all that I am.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

Personally, I blame Rose [Tree-Dryad] for the entire thing. I'd known about it for at least three years, and was vaguely considering doing it in 2011, but it was her (incessant-non-stop-ever-present) pestering that made me finally sign-up.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

Genre: Sci-Fi
In the beginning of the year 2164, absolutely nothing out of the ordinary had happened. People went to work, had kids, and hung out with friends; the world still had the rich, the poor, the middle class; politicians drove everyone up the wall... In fact, the only major difference in the world was the MRs—the Mind-Readers.

Everyone got along rather well for the most part, and on the whole it was a fairly easy transaction (except for the sixty year war, but that's beside the point). But everything changed when folks started forgetting that MRs even existed—

Including the MRs themselves.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

It was exactly the same. It's an idea I've been mulling over for a year or two, and I'd created an outline to keep me from straying too far. Although, I'm thinking about moving it up to the year 2461 and making the war last 120 years, as though that doesn't change the plot per se, it makes it a bit more believable.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

Well... I suppose doing 750words daily, since February of this year, helped a lot. It was like basic training. So, that, combined with sheer stubbornness (there's no power like will-power), helped me finish. I never doubted that I'd finish it... it was merely a question of how happy I'd be with the finished product.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Word Wars for the win! ...Literally, in my case. I think about halfway through November my name became inescapably linked with them, to the point where upon entering NarniaWeb's chat the first reaction was, "Oh, good, Badger's here! Time for a war!" ...Yeah, I pestered a lot of folks into warring with me. I didn't write any faster, per se, but I did write with a better focus. Which, really, was what I was looking for.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

CAFFEINE! ...I mean, ah, ahem. There may have been... some... coffee involved. And chocolate. Not saying how much. *shifty-eyes*

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

Make sure that whatever hard surface you're near is stable, because you will wind up smacking your head against it eventually.

Interview #13: Lucy of Narnia

2012-01-30T00:00:00.003-05:00

Lucy of Narnia: Mermaid Tails: Legends and Lore

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

Lucy of Narnia wasn't really inspired by anything; I found it very generic and of course Narnia-ish for Narniaweb. Nothing very interesting there. Wonder Writer seemed appropriate for National Novel WRITING month. So I guess I kinda bragged on myself, huh?

NaNoWriMo or YWP?

I'm 18, and had attempted NaNo instead of YWP even at 15 and 17, so I did NaNo again.

Who are you?

I am an 18-year-old North Carolina girl who loves writing, acting, drawing and singing (if I'm alone!). I love accents, British especially, and trying to impersonate them. I'm not quite sure where my aspirations will take me yet but, hey, they sure are fun!

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

My dad found NaNo for me back in 2008. I have actually tried to convince my parents that NaNo wasn't a waste of time, and that you are (supposed to) get back to it to edit sometime after November. *guilty* I guess I should try that someday.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

This was my third time participating; I started late in 2008 and 2010, but this year I finally started on time, and, since I'd won Screnzy and attempted a mad rush at Camp NaNo in the last week of August (which I failed, but taught me how much I could write in a day), I was confident that I could win this year.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

Originally, my genre was fantasy and I was going to write about mermaids in a very historical sounding way, like they were actually real, or at least there was that possibility.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

I ended up keeping the fantasy, but just writing it as fantasy, in a story style, instead of a sort of fake history.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

I did finish! As I said before, I was confident going into it. And then, it was just so easy to write another mushy mermaid/man love scene if I needed some words! Fun!

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Mostly just forcing myself to write, and doing what I enjoyed (love scenes!), which pretty much made up my entire book.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

No forceful inducement, but some annoyance. Sometimes, as I'm sure we all do, I just didn't want to write any more about mermaids. Or whatever.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

NaNoWriMo taught me that I could finish it, that it wasn't soooo hard like I'd made it out to be. Boring at times? Yes. Think you MUST have got the daily word count to find you were only half-way through? Yes. But it was accomplishable.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

My blog is called Writing Obsessed (pjswritingobsessed.blogspot.com).

Interview #12: hogglestock

2012-01-27T00:00:00.001-05:00

hogglestock: Untitled Historical Fiction

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

I used the same username, hogglestock. It was my Narniaweb username first. I picked it because I love hedgehogs and that’s the only named hedgehog character I know of in the Chronicles of Narnia. (It’s in Prince Caspian.) It’s also just a cool word.

Who are you?

I’ve always loved to read and make things. I was an English major in college and have always enjoyed writing, although I don’t tend to do much without some kind of deadline. I work as a teacher’s assistant (lots of PowerPoint!) for a K-12th grade distance learning group under a Christian textbook publisher. Right now we’re doing video lessons for 5th grade math, but the subject I work on changes every year or so.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

I actually found out about NaNoWriMo on the Narniaweb forums about the middle of October a year ago. I was too unprepared (or chicken) to participate last year, but this year I had an idea ready to go.
I almost convinced a friend of mine to join me, but at the last minute she had something come up and couldn’t spare the time.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

First time!

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

I had watched the movie The Eagle, in which a character asked why the Romans had to invade and conquer Briton. A few days later, I was reminded of the Scripture passage that talks about people from every language, tribe, people, etc. all worshiping God together one day in heaven. It struck me very strongly that that the tribes mentioned include not only different tribes in our day but also people groups throughout history that have come to know God. So I decided to write a story illustrating how the Roman conquest was one of the means God used to spread His gospel throughout the world on an individual level. So I’m aiming for historical fiction at a teen-age level.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

My story pretty much kept to my original idea, although I intended to conclude it much sooner. I ended up fleshing out another whole section of the story that I had intended to simply suggest at the end. I think it ended up being a much stronger story this way.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

Yes! I finished with just over 53,000 words. I was actually surprised at how easy I found it to finish.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

I basically just sat down every evening and aimed for 2,000 words. Most Saturday afternoons I did go to a write-in nearby. The interaction with others and the word wars helped a lot, as did the chunk of time where I couldn’t really do anything but write.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

No, just some friendly competition and lots of staying up late. I didn’t even need that much caffeine, surprisingly.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

I learned that maybe I am capable of writing fiction after all! (I’ve always found poetry easier to accomplish than good plots.) I also saw that writing something of that size is entirely possible, although it was far more than I had ever tried to do before. I also got into the habit of writing every day, and I’ve been able to continue that so far. I read somewhere about 750words.com, and that site has been nice for giving me an incentive to write every day and a goal to shoot for.

Where's the Bucket?!

2012-01-26T17:34:00.000-05:00

My browser is overflowing with links from this week and last week! They've backed up because I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to fit link posts into my already packed blog schedule. So, pardon the lack of comments on each link. There's really too many to explain each individually.

Off we go!

Writing Links:

Scene Design - The First Sentence

On Writing: The Value of Ambition

Interiority vs. Telling

Publishing Links:

Why Reader Taste Differs from Publisher Taste

Where Have all the Book Illustrators Gone?

Self Publishing Basics: How to Read an ISBN

Bestseller Lists and Other Thoughts

Do You Need Multiple Agents if You Write in Different Genres?

Self Pubbed Author Beware

Sewing Your Own Parachute - Advice About Book Covers

How to Get Testimonials for You Self-Published Book

Self Publishing: At a Publishing Group Meeting

The Value Rubric: Do Book Bloggers Really Matter?

Fun Links!

Artist Carves Vintage Books Into Astoundingly Intricate 3D Sculptures

Giveaway at The Siren for Holly Black's The Curseworkers series!

Book Review: Fjörgyn’s Tears

2012-01-25T01:14:00.006-05:00

Welcome to a new project of mine! This ebook review is merely the first in what I hope will be a long term feature of this blog. My goal is to select three ebooks a week - one science fiction, one fantasy, and one in another genre - and review them. I hope you, my readers, will benefit from it as much as I will. Since I'll be randomly selecting all of the ebooks from Smashwords, they are almost guaranteed to be self-published and will most likely be available in whatever format you desire. You can always find the current ebooks of the week in the Recommended Reading section in the right sidebar.

So, now the first review - the science fiction novel Fjörgyn’s Tears by Mark Suddaby.

Cover

The ebook's cover was the first point that caught my eye. Even in a tiny thumbnail, the image and font loudly declare it as sci-fi. I do wonder where the author got that fascinating font.

Blurb

"When an extreme climate and dwindling resources collide, does humanity deserve to survive?"

This short blurb didn't do much to attract me. All it did was tag the novel as an "end of the world" sci-fi.

But when I clicked through, I found this long blurb:

"When an extreme climate and dwindling resources collide, does humanity deserve to survive?

"In 2061 the effects of changes to the global climate have become more severe than anyone imagined. With the northern hemisphere locked in freezing conditions, nations start to fight over scant resources. After a military coup, Britain, now a pariah state, watches from the sidelines as a polarised world tears itself apart.

"Joshua Grimaldi is a British climatologist working on the Eden Project when he stumbles across a radical solution to the inevitable clash of nations. With clandestine support and the backing of a sceptical Leadership, Joshua and a small team of British scientists set about delivering the Janus Protocol to a world locked in its final death throws. As Consumer-States make a last desperate bid to control the Supplier-Blocks, Joshua and a small community escape, just as tensions turn nuclear.

"Time after time, the inheritors of Joshua’s salvation finally see his dream realised, only to make a shocking discovery, which carries with it a dilemma. A dilemma so momentous that its outcome will determine not only who will inherit the Earth, but the very future of the human race. And all along, a shadowy presence that has been manipulating humanity for millennia, finally acts. Survival is the game and it isn’t only humanity that’s playing.

"Fjörgyn, Goddess of the Earth, looks on and weeps."

Now, this was what "sold" the novel for me. The crisis is outlined, a savior/hero is introduced, and the solution is presented as successful but with drawbacks. Now the twist comes at the end, "humanity is not alone", but exactly who is present? According to the title, a Norse goddess. That this novel combines science and myth intrigued me, so off I went to read the sample.

The Sample

First off, this book is 414 pages long which means the sample is a whopping 62 pages long (according to the online reader pagination). However, that didn't cover much. We're introduced to an Earth that's been drastically changed by a "Long Winter" similar to a mini ice age. And so the nations and unions of the world have shifted. Britain, the home of our protagonist, Joshua, is in neutral isolation having cut itself of from the rest of the world. The rest of the world is beginning to collapse politically and the possibility of future "gigastorms" (think hypercanes from "After Tomorrow") is in the forecast.

Joshua starts working on a "biome" project which aims to create a self-supporting bio-sphere. His ever present companion and manipulator Alice, an AI, gives him the solution to the problems threatening to destroy humanity - build an ark, stock it with human DNA and set a group of caretakers to oversee the process. The sample ends as he is presenting the idea to a government official.

In Conclusion

I would buy this book. In fact, the "how does it end?" may bug me into buying the book. It had me hooked and anxious from the first scene in the prologue where a Tibetan goatherd boy sees a dam collapse and the "magic" lights of the town below go out.

This book is long, but it uses its space well. There were a few characters introduced which left me wondering their purpose, but I have no doubts they'll be explained later. Not only is it well paced, but it is well written. In the sample of 62 pages I only counted three or four grammatical errors and only one was a total disaster. I suppose some might consider it a bit wordy, heavily laden as it is with technical jargon. But it is classified as hard sci-fi. So the jargon didn't seem overused.

My one pet peeve is all the unexplained technology, but that's because I like to know how everything works. However, the novel would have been burdened down by all the description so it is good the author chose to leave it out.

So, I will repeat myself. This a book you should buy...now. If I follow my own advice I'll post a follow up post with my reactions.

Click here to buy "Fjörgyn’s Tears".

Look forward to a fantasy review next!

Until next time!

Interview #11: Gymfan15

2012-01-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

Gymfan15: Strong as Bronze

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

Gymfan15 on both. It's a slight variation on the first online username created for a gymnastics forum. I went with Gymfan, because I am, and then 14 because that was my age at the time. When I turned 15 I tried changing everything over but it was SUCH a hassle that I swore never again, so 15 it has remained!

Who are you?

I'm a 21 year old who was homeschooled. I am currently working in food service while I save up money for college.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

For quite a few years, people on Narniaweb would start posting about this writing challenge called NaNoWriMo. I always wanted to participate, but one year I found out about it too late, and the next year I was in the middle of moving across the country and couldn't take the time to do it. I've always wanted to write a novel and I tried for many years, but never had the staying power to finish it. So I always knew NaNo was something I wanted to do, I just struggled to find the time.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

This year was my fourth consecutive year.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

This book was the third in a trilogy about an American gymnast named Erica Larkay. In this book, Erica has just gotten married and has all but put her competitive days behind her. But she can't shake the nagging feeling that maybe she's not quite finished with gymnastics yet.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

Nope, pretty much the same!

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

Yep, I sure did finish!
My secret is writing a lot, and writing often. I use an online writing "tool" called Write or Die which does wonders for making me churn out quite a lot of words in a short amount of time.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Setting a timer and just writing until it stopped. Once I get going it's easy to write; it's the getting going that's difficult.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Mmm, there was some Coke-Cola involved.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

No matter how bleak and unmotivated you are, you can do pretty much whatever want as long as you set your mind to it and just WORK.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

www.spareoom.net
http://www.spareoom.net/gymfan15/blog/

Birth of a Novel #8 and Some REALLY Good News!

2012-01-23T00:17:00.002-05:00

Since this really good news is just dying to bubble over, I'll spill it first. Remember my post last Saturday about Sophia Chang's blogaversary giveaway? Weeelll, I won the critique! Sophia emailed me this morning with the details. I've been scrambling to assemble the perfect 25 pages of MS to send over. I think I'll skim over it once more to cut down on accidental typos and such to provide a cleaner copy for the two criters to read. (And to make sure that all the Japanese terms and weird notes of mine are properly explained and aren't in the way.) Fyi, I'll be submitting the prologue and beginning of Novella #2 from the Across Time series I started last year.

In other news, I worked more on editing Victor's Crown. I think I'll make one more pass at it this week and then off it goes! I'm very excited to see what happens.

Also, sometime this week I'll be submitting another twit fic to Nanoisms (especially since my one last week wasn't accepted. Oh well.).

I was also rejected for The Story Within Week One contest. The winning entry is quite beautiful and I have no regrets having lost to it. I'm still brainstorming for the next entry. The theme is Dialogue.

Until next time!

Interview #10: Gathmandais

2012-01-23T00:00:00.002-05:00

Gathmandis: Dream, Child, Time is Short

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

NarniaWeb name is “Gathmandais.” It isn’t inspired by anything. I just made it up one day.

NaNoWriMo name is “Amazdian.” I also made this name up.

Who are you?

I’m a 16 year-old homeschooled guy interested in film making. I also juggle.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

A youtuber friend of mine said in a video that she was going to do it, then I looked into it further, already knowing what it was, and realized that it sounded really cool. I wasn’t originally going to do it.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

This was my first year doing NaNoWriMo.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

I actually never had an idea for my story at the beginning. I simply began writing on November 1st and just built the plot as I went.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

I did finish. That is, I got past 50,000. But the story is far from being done. Chocolate, gummies, and Spotify were what got me through.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

A terrible method of waiting until 10:00 PM to write and speed write before I had to go to bed.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Not really. Although there was ice cream and keylime yogurt (which happens to be extremely inspirational).

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

The first lesson was that I need to learn how to plan out stories ahead of time. The second was that I really need to work on my writing, especially for writing interesting descriptions of things

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

http://www.youtube.com/thesparrowfable

Interview #9: Ithilwen

2012-01-20T00:00:00.003-05:00

Ithilwen: Glamour Road

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

My NW username Ithilwen is Elvish for "Moon Maiden". An appropriate name for a girl like me who is both a LOTR fan and a space/night-sky fanatic.

My NaNo name is minionygoodness -- a phrase created by the NWer The Rose-Tree Dryad. I'm often known as a Minion over there on NW, after my "very villainous nature".

Who are you?

I'm a 21 year old girl known to many as Riella, who aspires to be both an author and, someday, a homemaker. (Cosmology is also a subject I'm interested in, so I would also consider going into that.) My book-writing began when I was four years old, and I've so far completed 105 novels. I haven't tried publishing any yet, but am waiting for the right time and the right story to come along.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

In a way. Actually, I went on NarniaWeb during last year's contest, and it was all anyone talked about for an entire lonely month. I decided this year, I wasn't going to miss out. It seemed like a good, fun thing to do with friends. Plus, I wanted to see if it was as difficult a challenge as some people made it out to be.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

First.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

A few months before, I was going to do a suspense novel, but changed my mind about a week before the contest began. Instead, I went with a LitFic novel which dealt with issues about fame and how the public reacts to celebrities.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

It pretty much followed the same themes I planned from the beginning. Although, I didn't get to participate in the contest for very long.

Did you finish? What supernatural events, natural disasters, etc. prevented you from finishing?

My final word count was 17131, after three days of writing. On the fourth day, my entire computer was infected by a Trojan virus. I'm still in the process of trying to recover my NaNo document.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Since it's quantity over quality, I found the best thing to do is sit down and write my entire stream of consciousness at that particular moment, as I think about the story. Every thought, ever word that pops into my head. The best way to do this was during Word Wars with friends. When the timer's ticking, the rushed feelings it causes sends fingers flying across the keyboard.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

I think the only motivator I had was the opportunity to send my Word Count soaring, and to update the count on the official site every five or ten minutes. But that was quite enough motivation for me.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

Always back up your files, even if you're only a tiny way into the story. It's unbelievable how much of a loss it is to lose your own creation; even if it's just a mess of Nanoisms you made during the heat of a Word War.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

I actually have three blogs right now. One is my main personal blog where I write my own thoughts and opinions on things. Then there's my Dream Blog, where I document some of the more bizarre imaginings that have come into my head while asleep. And finally the collection of chatlogs where my friends and I share some of our favorite memories we've had on NarniaWeb.

Interview #8: daughter of the King

2012-01-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

daughter of the King: Orders from on High

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

Nweb: daughter of the King, I'm a Christian, and girls in Narnia are Daughters of Eve. NaNoWriMo: dragon_topaz, inspired by my toy dragon, Topaz, who got a cameo in my story.

Who are you?

Ever since I learned to read I have always constructed stories. Most of the time those stories never got further than maybe a paragraph or two, although a few became entire paracosms. This was my first attempt at getting an entire story out of my mind and onto a piece of paper (or onto my computer as the case may be). I am a dreamer, a thinker, and an amateur photographer.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

I've known about NaNo for years because my brother has attempted it several times. I had read the past NaNo Nweb threads with interest, but never really felt compelled to join in the insanity. This year I started it on a whim on the 4th of Nov after writing a sketch of a scene during one of my classes (it was a review day, and I already knew the material so to prevent myself from falling asleep I found something constructive to do). My brother encouraged me to join so he would have someone to compete against. Neither of us won, but I did beat his word count.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

My very first.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano?

How far would you go to obey the authorities over you? At what point would you draw the line and say "you are asking too much of me"? If you knew what had been ordered was wrong, would you still do it? What would you do if you were told you had to be accused of murder for the mission to succeed? What would you do if you were going to be executed because you could not reveal your orders? What if by allowing yourself to die, you were saving another person's life?

You can't tell anyone what happened, because to do so would reveal the entire plan. If the plan is revealed the mission is lost and he would be exposed. He would surely die if that happened. Everything is going wrong, but you cannot tell anyone, especially not your commanding officer.

Genre?

Sci-Fi

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

It was still basically the same, although I did wind up revising parts of my hastily constructed outline as I went.

Did you finish? What supernatural events, natural disasters, etc. prevented you from finishing?

Sadly, no, I didn't finish. School had to take top priority over literary pursuits. I would have gotten much closer to 50K if I hadn't been sick for a week and a half on top of all that homework.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Sit down and write the moment I was the slightest bit inspired. Nothing could drag me away from my computer if I was in the middle of a scene.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Coffee and chocolate always helped. Harry Potter soundtracks played a part in keeping me going as well.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

I learned quite a bit about myself. I knew all along that the main character was heavily based on me, but as the month continued I realized that the story itself had become almost a metaphor for my life. All of my struggles and questions somehow found their way into the novel without my realizing it. I learned that even if I never ever attempted to get my work published it was good for me to write because it was a safe way to vent my feelings and frustrations.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

I haven't really posted about my writings, but here is my blog if anyone is interested: http://susannakarth.blogspot.com/

And so it Begins

2012-01-17T22:07:00.000-05:00

After handwriting the entry in my journal while the car jostled my pen, my heart raced quite fast. I was satisfied with the result, amazed at my own depth of brilliance and ready to send it on its way.

Five minutes ago I put the final touches on my entry and sent it off to week one of The Story Within Contest. I'm on a dizzy high after writing and completing a less than 200 word story and from lack of sleep.

Of course this may also have something to do with visiting the Rembrant exhibit in Raleigh. I found a painting there (not by Rembrant, btw) which is begging me to write a story about it. I took a picture of it. Perhaps I'll post up a picture of it and of another picture I took of yellow, dead grass which might be combined into the inspiration.

I fear that if I go on I will not make much sense, so I shall stop it here. My eyelids are drooping to the rhythm of the pouring rain outside.

Until next time!

Interview #7: Winterlife

2012-01-16T00:00:00.003-05:00

Winterlife: Who You Are

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

NW username: winterlife
Reason for it: I live in Alaska, so much of my life is spent "stuck" in winter much like Narnia was during the White Witch's 100 year reign.

NaNo username: Kate_A
Reason for it: It is just a twist of my first and middle names

Who are you?

I am a 17-year-old homeschooled high-school student. I love writing, although I usually write music more than prose. I play the guitar, and a bit of piano. I have been published (I wrote a short quiz on introversion for Susie Magazine; it will be published in January).

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

I believe NW's RubyGamgee (I can't remember her NaNo username) was the one to introduce me. It was one week into November of 2009, so I started late. I wasn't going to sign up, but she told me the support was wonderful, so I did, and I have participated every year since.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

Third time participating, first time winning.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

My original idea was based off a dream I had about a girl trying to rescue her father from wrongful imprisonment by a tyrant. The plot was about how she and her uncle, along with her ditzy best friend and an annoying former juvenile delinquent, navigated the enchanted tunnels below the capital city to get to the secret underground passage to her father's cell. I suppose it was supposed to be a sort of fantasy/adventure novel.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

Totally different. The idea morphed so much during planning and writing that not only did I completely remove the original story line, I totally changed the genre, too. It changed to a period romance about a girl who falls in love with a traveling jack-of-all-trades who turns out to be the long-lost prince.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

I finished, despite several days that I was out of town without a computer. I attribute my win to two things. First, my mom was very supportive and gave me the last day off school and let me stay up late, so I could catch up with my last 8k. Second, I just did it. I stopped the procrastinating that I love to do and just wrote. I would give myself breaks, of course, so I wouldn't go crazy. But I limited my break times so they wouldn't take all of my writing time, and when it came time to write, I wrote.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

I'm not totally sure what you mean by method of writing, but I'll take a stab at it anyway. When writing, I like to briefly study the mood of the scene I am about to write, then put on music that matches that mood. I usually listen to instrumental music because lyrics usually distract me, but at the right times I find music with lyrics to be very effective in putting power behind emotion. For example, during my most emotional scene, the scene where my MMC basically lets God know everything he's angry about, I listened to the song "I Cry" by Leeland. I could hardly write because I was crying so hard, but the scene turned out quite touching.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Well, I did have some caffeine, but as a general rule caffeine does not keep me awake or give me more energy. I don't know why; it just doesn't. I would say my biggest motivator was seeing my word count bar fill up. I became rather obsessed with watching it be added to, and I hated having days where it went up less than 3k.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

Just do it. That's the main thing I got from my novel. When I would write 4 or 5k in a day, people would always be amazed, but I never was, because I had never before realized how fast I can write when I actually just do it. I can write 1k in 45 minutes when I don't procrastinate. So I apply that principle to everything now. For example, when I don't procrastinate on chores, I have more time for reading or playing guitar, or other things that I enjoy doing.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

www.alaska-song.blogspot.com is the only one I can think of. It has my novel prologue on it.

Birth of a Novel....#7?

2012-01-15T22:49:00.036-05:00

I've quite lost track of where I should be in the Birth of the Novel blog chain posts. All I know is that I'm not quite done with it yet because I'm not quite done with my NaNo novella. I keep adding a little bit here and a little bit there, but distractions in the form of magazines and editing submissions have pulled me away from a steady writing pace. However, I can report that, however slowly, novella #2 is inching towards the end. All I have left is to write a chase and crash scene.

In other news, I'm putting the finishing touches onto Victor's Crown (it so needs a new title) and once done I'll submit it to Intergalactic Medicine Show. If they don't like it, I'll submit it to Andromeda Spaceways. And if that doesn't work, then I'll pick another magazine to submit it to.

I've also submitted my first twitter fiction story to Nanoisms, and I plan to keep submitting one a week. I hope to get a few published. (I mean, getting paid to write tweets?!)

The final distraction, I mean, submission opportunity I found this past week was The Story Within contest I mentioned in yesterday's post. I still haven't drafted my entry for this week yet. Bad me! My excuse? I've been progressively getting sicker. Today culminated in almost total suffocation. I don't know when I'll be able to breathe properly without waking up with a bone dry mouth. Oh and I could do without the sneezing. Most definitely without the sneezing.

Until next time!

Links Saturday

2012-01-14T23:29:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok. I know the schedule says that Saturdays are when I'd be posting in depth discussions on writing or some other topic related to writing. However, I don't have anything that comes to mind to discuss, so I'll link to you another blog which has an interesting discussion. And I've discovered so much juicy information these past few days that I had to share it. I've learned more about writers, writing and publishing in the past month on Twitter than I have in years previous. I think I made a good choice to dive in (even if Mom thinks I'm crazy [Yes, I do love you, Mom]).

Before the long discussion, another giveaway to report! Sophia Chang is giving away a book and a 25 page critique over at her blog to celebrate her blogaversary. Head on over to enter! (And tell her I sent you. ;) )

Another goodie. "The Story Within" (Penguin books) author Laura Oliver is judging a weekly contest based around writing prompts. Each week will have a different winner and the weekly winners will be entered in a drawing for the Grand Prize: a 2 hour consulting (critiquing?) session with Laura Oliver. So, put on your thinking caps and head over to Laura Oliver's site to read the prompt. Week one entries are due on the 18th! (It's only 250 words or less so I think it's perfectly possible.)

For those of you considering self-publishing, you might find this article informative. It's not just writers seeking traditional publication who have to be careful of scams. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/12/self-publishing-cons_n_1203007.html

And now onto that writerly discussion post I mentioned in the first paragraph. I found it particularly enlightening. (Excerpt below.)

The Business Rusch: Why Not?

Kristine Kathryn Rusch

On TV’s most popular drama series, NCIS, the main character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, walks through the office, and if he hears a stupid statement, he slaps the speaker on the back of the head. Now, this is fiction, mind you. In any real office, military or not, he’d probably be fired, brought up on charges, or forced to have sensitivity training.

But that’s not my point.

My point is: I can relate.

I walk past writer after writer after writer, and as I hear what comes out of their mouths, I want to slap some sense into them. Because words don’t seem to be working.

Which is odd, considering that writers use words as their stock in trade.

The biggest problem writers have as a class isn’t that they work too cheaply, which I wrote about last week, or even that they don’t understand business, which I write about almost every week, but that they think too small.

Huh? you think to yourself as you read this. My last novel clocked in at 140,000 words. I invented an entire world. I don’t think small.

Oh, yes, you do. Every damn day. It’s the rare writer who actually has ambitions—real ambitions—and stands up for them. It’s the rare writer who not only dreams of glory (bestseller lists, millions of dollars, fame, lasting acclaim, or whatever) but actually works toward those dreams.

Click here to continue reading. It's a long post, but well worth the time spent reading it.

One last goodie. I must applaud these indie bookshop owners for all the time invested in creating this video and if I lived in Canada anywhere near them, I would be hopping in the car to visit. Enjoy!

Until next time!

Interview #6: Queen Susan

2012-01-13T00:00:00.002-05:00

Queen Susan: Drive, Brother

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

My Narniaweb username is Queen Susan, and it’s been that way since I joined in 2005. Back then Susan was my favorite character in the Chronicles, so that explains why I chose it.
Lianna Merie was my chosen name for NaNoWriMo, back in 2009. Any variations I wanted on my name were taken, so I chose a name I thought was pretty. =)

Who are you?

My name is Rebecca, and I love beauty and inspiration. I absolutely love music, writing, and finding new little gifts that I can make for people. =) I live with my parents and seven brothers right now! They totally spoil me.

Did someone person brainwash you into joining NaNoWriMo?

I read about NaNo on Narniaweb in ‘09, and I immediately wanted to try it, even if it sounded crazy.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

Third!

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

Ooh, that’s hard. I’m terrible at writing any sort of synopsis. The genre was Adventure! I wanted it to be exciting. Here’s the little cheesy synopsis from the NaNo site:

Rylan came back home with a deaf ear and scars, too late to say goodbye to our parents. But he was back. We started a small cafe like the one in my daydreams, and we scraped enough from that to make a living.
I ignored his past--he was different now. I would have forgiven my brother for anything.
But the gang he used to be part of wouldn't. And they didn't.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

Same. I had a few little plotlines in my head that changed, but I’ve never changed a story “full-swing” before. It sounds like it would be fascinatingly fun.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

Yes! On the 29th I wrote “The End”, and smiled. =) Superpowers? The ability to write terribly cheesy lines when pressed for time!

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Ignoring facebook and email and blogs and basically all distractions. I’m not very good at it.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

I definitely drank more coffee then normal, and I definitely stayed up too late.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

Be happy with what you can accomplish, even if you start laughing out loud at your writing near the end. Heavy editing can come later. (And I think you’ll be happy when you’ve edited, even if it can be torturous.)

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

Sure. =) This holds a few sporadic, shorter writings:
http://endwilljustify.blogspot.com/

World Book Night

2012-01-12T15:19:00.002-05:00

(Photo Credit)

What if 1,000,000 non-readers received free books? And what if those non-readers were turned into readers by those books?

That's the idea behind "World Book Night". It started in the UK and now has spread to the US. And, the cool part is that they need volunteers to distribute 20 books a piece on April 23rd. I'm considering applying to volunteer once I figure out 20 people to give books to. Sign up here or just visit for more information.

Another interesting link: a guest post on a literary agent's blog about Needs vs. Wants. http://www.rachellegardner.com/2012/01/needs-wants-and-pretty-blue-pens/

Until next time!

Linked to Infinity

2012-01-11T00:03:00.002-05:00

Since I've been procrastinating, the amount of interesting things I've discovered has increased into quite a stack. I shall try to organize them into a somewhat coherent order. Enjoy!

First and most important, my friend Sky is having a joint blog giveaway with two other bloggers. The fabulous prizes have been kindly donated by Etsy shop owners. Answer each question on each blog for a total of three entries. (And tell her I sent you, if you'd be so kind.) Click here to enter!

Next, some writing advice.

Some tips on writing dialogue: writetodone.com/2011/12/12/10-easy-ways-to-improve-your-dialogue/

And a short discussion on what it means to really be able to talk (and therefore write) with eloquence: blog.writeathome.com/?p=2150

And finally, some more fun!

ncf.idallen.com/english.html
This poem incorporates 800 of the most difficult and/or confusing English words to pronounce. For shame that it took a Frenchman to write it. (I dare you to read it aloud. I did it three times so you can do it. If you're feeling exceptionally daring, record yourself and post it in the comments!)

Now, the last two items are just for interest's sake.

I followed a link over on twitter to this site. It tells the interesting story of the first animated Hobbit book to movie adaptation. The movie is only 12 minutes long and deviates from the book quite a bit. Watch it for a smile and a laugh! (There's even a princess!)

And finally....now, I don't normally like to engage in sparring fights over popular books concerning allegations that they aren't written well, buuut, I had to give in just this once. I read this article on i09.com about how Twilight would have been written/plotted had famous authors from the past 200 years written it instead of Stephanie Myers. Cue a load of Twilight hating in the comments below. However, one commentator (unicycle) made their point quite clear in a whimsical fashion. Here it is for your amusement.

Twilight, by Dr. Seuss

Jake likes a girl. Her name is Bella.
Bella likes a different fella.

See this vamp? This is Ed.
Ed is pale. Ed is dead.

Ed saved Bella from a van.
Ed must be a special man.

Ed won't kill boys. He won't kill girls.
Ed gets fed on deer and squirrels.

This is James. He's a tracker.
He's a sort of vamp attacker.

James hunts Bella for a thrill.
Will Ed kill him? Yes, he will.

But James gave her a little bite.
Will she be a vamp? She might!

Edward fixes Bella's cut.
She won't be a vampire.
But...

She becomes one. Read some more.
She's a vampire in book 4.

And with that I leave you. Until next time!

Interview #5: AJAiken

2012-01-11T00:00:00.005-05:00

AJAiken: Selling Santa

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

AJAiken. As someone on NarniaWeb once told me, why was I so dumb to use my own name? That I can't answer.

Who are you?

After spending most of my childhood and teen years and beyond reading books, I completely expected that one day I'd find a wardrobe that led to another world / be swept off my feet by a prince / discover my superpower. When I went to university, I settled for find my soulmate / become a world-famous film director. By the time I left, I hadn't got either, and soon ended up working in my local bookshop. There I am still, and, funnily enough, though I still dream of doing something wonderfully creative with my time (instead of serving customers) I've found that life is just great!

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

As far as I remember, there was an enormous discussion about NaNo one year on the NarniaWeb Writers' thread. I have a feeling that the person who wrote these questions had a significant influence on my decision to join up ... and she also helped me get through it, too! Was this your first, second, tenth time participating? 2011 was my fourth year of NaNo.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

"Noel and his wife have brought up their children very carefully. They attend church every week without fail, are model citizens, and have never believed in Father Christmas. One December, a few days before Christmas, Noel's brother arrives at the family home. When it is revealed that the children's uncle is in fact the real "Santa Claus", Noel will have to revisit his brother's business and placate his family - all while not forgetting the true meaning of Christmas."

I put it in "Mainstream Fiction", but I'm not sure that it is. It must be more like "Christian Christmas Fiction", or something.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

The synopsis is still remarkably accurate, but the feel of the novel is quite different.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

I did finish, for the fourth time. I think this year was the most difficult for me, but I can honestly say that it was my participation in an ML's "Skeleton Marathon" (which requires participants to update their word count every day) that got me through. So yes, the threat of humiliation was what did it for me.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

When I got stuck, I put the things I was thinking about into my characters' thoughts. Sometimes it led on to some really interesting plot developments. Sometimes it did not.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

It involved being pretty honest with myself!

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

To prepare a LOT more. I was writing about a lot of things I knew nothing about, hence why I used myself as a source of inspiration so much. Most of the story was set somewhere I'd only visited for a few days ten years ago. I also had a lot of private jets / limousines, and though I have been in a limousine (once), that was also about ten years ago. So ... research! Or write something that I can make up.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

One day I hope to be tremendously organised and set one of these up. However, I struggle to find time to write as it is, so it hasn't yet happened. When I reach world famous author / director / creative something-or-other status, you can be sure I'll set something up, so ... watch this space.

Interview #4: The Jedi Clone

2012-01-09T00:00:00.001-05:00

The Jedi Clone: 3025

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

Nweb: The Jedi Clone
NaNo: Mimsy101 My Nweb username was inspired by the fact that I learned about the force unleashed two and the fact that 'Starkiller' was now a clone, I loved that idea, hence my username. My NaNo username is one of my several RL nicknames, '101' is only there because I needed a longer username and I would probably forget anything less simple.

NaNoWriMo or YWP?

Sadly, I did YWP.

Who are you?

I'm a 13 year old hyper happy-go-lucky Christian girl bursting with mischief I'm the proud older sister of two and the happy younger sister of two I have a weakness for chocolate and anything yummy and sugary! I am an avid fan of Narnia, LotR and Star wars. (Did I mention Narnia?)

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

Two years ago, my older sister told me about this wonderful thing that would help me write better, so I, being the only Jr. High girl who liked writing in the history of my family, was like "Sign me up!" However, I didn't do it that year, the next year I did, and I loved it, even if I lost. However, I WAS HOOKED!

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

This was my second time participating, and I loved it even more than the first time 'round.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

The original idea at the beginning of my novel was as follows: 'The year was 3025, Prussia had declared war on the world, it was world war 10, and we may not survive.' The genre was mainstream fiction.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

My synopsis stayed the same though I decided to write two short novels instead of one long novel.

Did you finish? What superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

Yes I finished...ish, I met the word goal but neither novel is completed.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Word Wars. No contest, Word Wars with chat kept me alive, that and WoD.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

Yes it does. For me it consists of: a) In October stocking up on candy and tea bags. b) Using WoD and Word Wars on chat, Weir, Gildor, and the other Nwebbers who didn't do NaNo and were just the support/(in Weirs case for me) research team.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

That I have a great deal of perseverance and can finish something that I commit to. I also learned that it is possible to test for a black belt and do NaNo at the same time.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

Um, just my blog, http://mimsjournal.blogspot.com/ I haven't posted on it lately but I try to when I'm not overly busy.

Thank you Menelve for this interview and also... *Lets all give a round of applause to the Mods, Admins and normal users on Nweb for supporting us all during NaNo, and also, thank Elve for being an amazing supporter and not being mad when Mantis, Badger and I all pestered her for a Word War.*

[Note: Menelve and Elve are two of my nicknames on NarniaWeb. I'd have to second the round of applause for the people of NW. After all, they let us take over the chat for the duration of NaNoWriMo]

Interview #3: Narnia_Fan12

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Narnia_Fan12: Travel App

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

Narnia_fan12... and narnia_fan12. They were inspired by the fact that when I joined narniaweb I was a narnia fan and I was twelve.

NaNoWriMo or YWP?

NaNoWriMo.

Who are you?

Your worst nightmare. I kid. I'm me, of course

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

I was sucked into NaNoWriMo thanks to an overflow of ideas and a rather large push by Nweb user The Rose-Tree Dryad (she was cheerleading the entire time, it was awesome).

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

First. I nearly participated the year before but I chickened out at the last minute.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

My genre was science fiction/comedy and my synopsis was a computer nerd who travels through time while attempting to win the heart of his crush.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

My synopsis ended up being a computer nerd who travels through time while attempting to win the heart of his crush but hits multiple obstacles throughout mainly due to a psychotic puppeteer.

Did you finish? If no, what supernatural events, natural disasters, etc. prevented you from finishing? If yes, what superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

I actually finished some ten days early. Do fingers count as a superpower? Because they did not fail me.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

...Typing?

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

It involved sore wrists and many coffee-lacking late nights writing.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

That your ideas will hardly (if ever) turn out the way you want them. And that I can write 50k in a month and it turns you into a complete nerd at school. me: "Hey! I just finished writing a fifty thousand word novel, and it even counts as extra credit!" friend: "Dude... you need a girlfriend."

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

Aslanscountry.com is pretty cool. I sometimes write news on there.

Interview #2: MoonlightDancer

2012-01-04T00:00:00.001-05:00

MoonlightDancer: The Last Sailing Day

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

They are both MoonlightDancer, a name inspired by Prince Caspian.

NaNoWriMo or YWP?

NaNoWriMo

Who are you?

My name is Callie. I am a senior in college studying pre-law with a minor in English. I am a New England girl at heart. I have two pets, a bunny and a kitty, and I live in an apartment with three great girls. I love having fun and I’m still a total kid at heart. I’m a complete bookworm; I love poetry, especially Plath and Rilke, and it would take too long to name all my favorite authors. I love horror and I find ghost stories to be fascinating. I also love romance. I’ve personally had awful luck in the romance department but I still believe it’s possible to find true love. It’s something I dream about all the time.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?

Ever since I’ve heard of it, I wanted to do it, but I never had time before. I didn’t really have time this year either, but I decided to do it anyway.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?

First

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?

The original idea was for it to be both horror and romance (my two favorite genres). So I started out with a main character and her love interest, added in some supernatural horror, and outlined it from there.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?

The same, although I added some side plots and went off on tangents and developed my characters more than I had planned.

Did you finish? If no, what supernatural events, natural disasters, etc. prevented you from finishing? If yes, what superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?

I finished; I really have no idea how.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?

Just sitting down and writing. I kept all my chapters short so that I could change the pace often whenever I lost inspiration. Also, adding in lots of action made the writing go faster.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?

I’m thoroughly addicted to caffeine anyway, so I suppose it did.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?

I’ve never written this much before, and I find it’s incredibly difficult to keep track of all the side plots and minor details. I have new respect for authors now; I realized that even authors I always thought weren’t that great are better writers than I am. I also find it hard not to fall into traps of cliché writing, such as purple prose, deux ex machine, and making your Main character into a Mary Sue. I also realized that characters aren’t just your puppets, because once they have established characteristics, you can’t just make those characteristics disappear so that a certain chapter will turn out better. Because of this, it’s really hard to make your characters do what you want, and my MC got into a lot more trouble than I had expected. Also, I never realized how much fun it is to write and bring to life all these funny situations I always imagined could happen but never experienced myself.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?

Please check me out on tumblr! I post excerpts, poems, and Vlogs and update regularly. You can find me at www.moonlightwisdom.tumblr.com.

Interview #1: Bookwyrm

2012-01-02T00:00:00.002-05:00

Bookwyrm: Love Me Slender

I did not actually make this amazing cover myself. Ithilwen was nice enough to make it for me.

Your Nweb and NaNoWriMo usernames, were they inspired by anything?

NWeb: Bookwyrm. It's been so long I don't really remember the exact inspiration, only that I thought it would be neat to substitute the alternate spelling "wyrm" for "worm".
NaNoWriMo: Eruantien. I've been told this is my real life name translated into elvish. Though whether that's Quenya or Sindarin, I have no idea. I'm an elvish noob. I can say "hello" and that's about it.

NaNoWriMo or YWP?
NaNoWriMo

Who are you?
I am a 23 year old college student pursuing an English degree. I like to play video games, read, listen to music, and watch entirely too many DVDs. When I finish with my current degree, I'll be going back to get my MFA in Creative Writing and hopefully after that get someone to publish me. Or before that. I'm not picky about when it happens.

How were you sucked into NaNoWriMo? Did someone person brainwash you into joining?
NaNoWriMo has been a fixture around NWeb for years, so there's no one particular person who got me into it. It's kind of our official sport now.

Was this your first, second, tenth time participating?
This was my first serious attempt at the challenge. Previously I had written a few hundred half-hearted words and abandoned it after the first few days.

What was your novel synopsis (or original idea) at the beginning of nano? Genre?
The original idea was to incorporate the Slender Man Mythos into a sort of cosmic horror/urban fantasy storyline, all set on a university campus modeled after the school I attend. So genre would be horror/urban fantasy I suppose. Plus there was a lot of sarcastic humor involved.

Was your synopsis the same or different at the end? Or did you end up writing something completely different?
Essentially the same. I tweaked a few details, gave some characters greater narrative importance than they had originally.

Did you finish? If no, what supernatural events, natural disasters, etc. prevented you from finishing? If yes, what superpowers enabled you to write 50k in one month?
I ended up coming in around 16k. Not even halfway done, but things started to get hectic with school and work and sleeping started to look like a better option than staying up too late writing.

What method of writing proved to be the most effective?
Exiling myself from Twitter and Facebook.

Did this method involve glue, ropes, caffeine or some other forceful inducement?
There was a lot of caffeine involved. I also found that it was helpful to play Fallout 3 and kill things whenever I became frustrated with something I was writing.

What lesson(s) did NaNoWriMo teach you this past November?
That if I can overcome my procrastination, I can actually get a lot of writing done.

Website, blog, twitter, etc you want readers to know about?
I have a Tumblr that I barely use:
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/lair-of-the-snark-lord
I'm an avid Twitter user though:
http://twitter.com/#!/SnarkLord

A New Year and a New Feature!

2012-01-01T01:53:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year's Day!

I socialized with relatives, counted down the hours, listened to all the fireworks set off in the neighborhood, watched the ball drop on TV, and rang in the new year with a wreath made of jingle bells. What better start to a new year? On the flip side, the fireworks have been popping and cracking for the two hours since resulting in an over anxious dog. She was scared stiff and she shivered more and more violently until I scrubbed her down thoroughly. So, now my arms hurt, but at least she isn't whining and shaking anymore. Poor dog.

Some writers are in the habit of posting writing goals for the new year for their first post of the year. However, I don't have much of a plan. My goal is to get something, or several somethings, published this year and it would be nice to finish the 1st draft of my new duology project. However, those are things which are up in the clouds at the moment.

However, there is something a little more definite that I can announce today. And that is the feature I'll be running on here for the next two months. I mentioned it a few posts back, but now I shall reveal all.

During NaNoWriMo I spent a good deal of time on a forum I joined years ago. That forum is Narniaweb.com, a Narnia fansite. However, I discovered years ago that quite a few Narniawebbers are also NaNoWriMo participants. This usually leads to the chat being taken over during NaNo by word wars and novel discussions. These discussions gave me the idea for my feature. From my curiosity about the other NW NaNoers came the idea for a feature providing a glimpse into the journeys of the others. So, I rounded up over twenty people to participate and interviewed them with the same set of questions. I hope you find their answers as fun and enlightening as I did!

I'll be posting three interviews a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and this feature will continue until I run out of interviews to post. Look for the first interview tomorrow!

Until next time!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T18:15:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Though a bit tired at present from unwelcome insomnia last night, I have had fun today. We opened presents, watched other people open ours and generally enjoyed ourselves. Then, we set up the new slackline (!) and laughed ourselves silly at everybody else's acrobatics. Dad, in particular, seemed to be attempting to walk it at a 45 degree angle. Now why would he do something that silly? But he did improve on the 2nd go around.

I was going to post pictures of us on the slackline so you could laugh as well, but I ran out of time to get the picture edited and uploaded, so instead here is a wonderful cello rendition of the Carol of the Bells. Another excellent video by The Piano Guys!

Until next time!

3 Days till Christmas!

2011-12-22T23:12:00.003-05:00

I finished it! I finished it! Pardon me while I dance happily around the room. What, you ask, did I finish? My dear Mother's Christmas present. I debated posting a picture of it for today's post, but I decided against it. I can't take the chance that she might see it. However, I promise I'll post a picture of what has so consumed my time recently upon Christmas Day. I highly doubt I'll get around to writing on novella #2 before Christmas. I will have to direct my energy toward cleaning and baking and catching up on my blog posts.

If you've been paying attention to my twitter you'll notice I've been tweeting about collecting interviews for a feature. All I'll say now is that it'll start on January 2nd. I'll announce further details on or around January 1st.

As for the picture, a cute attack kitty! I just love cats. They're so crazy independent and cute!

(Photo Credit here)

Until next time!

4 Days till Christmas!

2011-12-21T23:15:00.000-05:00

It's starting to get close now! I can't believe that only four days separate me from Christmas. So, in light of that I was desperately sewing my fingers off today on the present I'm making. However, I still didn't get it done! But, I don't have more than one day's work left. Yay! Since I'm short on time today, I'll leave you with a hilarious video. It has nothing to do with Christmas and everything to do with dancing.

Until next time!

9 Days till Christmas

2011-12-16T23:04:00.003-05:00

Yet more lovely distractedness today. For this video the question is, is it real or fake? I found it even more interesting and distracting to read through all the comments debating that point. The first video is the actual prank and the second video has segments on how they did the prank and the results.

On another thought relating to Christmas and writing, do you know of the idiom circulating about how giving is better than receiving? Well, I've come to believe in recent years that it is very true. Lately, I've found it more fun to give people presents and see their reactions rather than receiving presents. So, giving being more fun than receiving could almost be given the placement as the second stage to the process. But then I began thinking. Isn't writing similar? We all start out by receiving (reading), but somewhere along the way, those of us that are writers start enjoying the process of giving (writing) more than receiving (reading). Just a thought.

Short version:

Long version:

Until next time!

10 Days till Christmas

2011-12-15T23:48:00.000-05:00

Back yet again slightly later than I had hoped. This christmas present I'm making is throwing me off my stride both on here and for writing. Though, I anticipated it delaying the latter. So I leave you with a very amusing video. I hope you like sheep + led lights + people with too much time on their hands.

Until next time!

11 Days till Christmas

2011-12-14T23:33:00.004-05:00

The first of the Christmas presents put in an appearance today. The lucky recipient? The family dog, Sandy. Mom bought her a new doggy bed that has more padding. Sandy needs all the padding she can get in her old age of 10. It was funny to see her investigating her new bed. She wouldn't lie down until we made her and even then she had this guilty look on her face like "Am I really supposed to be on this?".

I put one of her blankets on the bed and she seemed to take to it more after that, but I still think it'll be a few days before she adjusts completely.

Present status? I put in almost 3 hours today. Results? Finished one color and started another. I should be able to get that color done tomorrow. This is where copious hours of audiobooks come in handy. Now, I must be off. There's a Christmas brunch tomorrow for which I have to rise at 6 am. Have I mentioned before how much I hate waking up early?

Until next time!

12 Days till Christmas/Birth of a Novel #6

2011-12-13T23:42:00.001-05:00

Earlier, I thought about what number the title of this post would contain. Then I panicked. I've got a present to finish. In 12 days. AHH! I mean, I'm pretty sure I can finish it by then, but I'd have to put in 3-4 hours a day to get it done most likely. I meant to start back working on it December 1st, but see how that turned out.

I won't say what the present is, but the picture should be enough to ascertain that it's some form of cross stitching. Having to work on this will seal my doom when it comes to writing. All those hours that I could spend writing will have to poured into this project since it has to get done by Christmas morn.

On other news, I finally gave in and joined twitter. Pardon me while a shudder races up my back. I never thought I'd join Twitter. Just what I need. One more social network to keep an eye on. However I joined in the name of networking. So, don't expect me to tweet every five minutes like some people do. You'll be lucky to see one tweet a day from me. More likely, outside of tweets signalling blog posts, I won't do much with it. I created the account more for announcements rather than for bleeding out my daily life. That is what my diary/journal is for, not twitter or this blog or facebook. You can follow me on twitter either by clicking here or clicking the links in the twitter widget in the sidebar.

Until next time!

13 Days till Christmas

2011-12-12T23:33:00.004-05:00

Eugh. This is how I feel right now:

I mean, the sick part. Not that I'm cutting myself short on cuteness, but you get the idea. If this lasts till Thursday, I might even hit the 3 week mark for being sick. Yay me. So, not much time, or motivation, to write or take photographs. So, instead, enjoy this picture by BMartin.

I promise I'll get around to writing sometime this week. However, rearranging and cleaning my room took priority today. (And, let me tell you, my room is looking good right now!) Plus I have to fit resume writing in there somewhere. Oh the joys of having too much to do and too little time.

Until next time!

14 Days till Christmas/How to Wrap a Cat

2011-12-11T23:41:00.000-05:00

So, I'm breaking my tradition today of putting a picture for each day of the countdown. I really just didn't know what to photograph today and was panicking slightly until I saw this video shared on facebook. Please take this in place of the usual picture and enjoy!

It makes me wish I had still had a cat. Oh the sorrow of being a cat person when living in a house with an allergic to cats person. I haven't had a cat since I took on a stray twelve years ago. Her kittens were soooo cute!

On the writing front, I stumbled across an interesting blog post today. I found the link in my daily digest for the yahoo writing group I'm in. It details how the writer boosted her daily word count to 10k. Click here for the blog post.

I'm not sure I could pull off the first tip mentioned, but the other two sound like things I could work on. So, I cobbled together an excel sheet to keep track of my time writing so I can gather some statistics on how I write. That should help improve my productivity. Now, to find a way to counter procrastination....

Until next time!

15 Days till Christmas and a Discussion on Copying

2011-12-10T19:20:00.000-05:00

Only fifteen days to go. It's hard to believe that's the measure of the time remaining. But whether I wish it or not, the time ticks by. What I really wish is that this lingering sickness would go away. I must have gone through 10 cough drops in row this morning and afternoon to keep from coughing all over our yard sale customers.

Isn't my sister cute? She was our cheerleader/living signpost.

Yes, today was the big day and my room is emptier than yesterday. So, after I clean up a bit (the amount of dust that collects under a desk is astounding!) I can rearrange things into a nice little cozy reading corner. But first, cleaning is a must. The baseboards and carpet look disgusting covered in grey webs of dust and dirt.

As for writing, I still have several more hours left of the day to accomplish something on that front but to be on the safe side I'm downgrading myself from 500 words a day to 250. Perhaps once the holidays are over and the relatives gone, I can go back to 500 or more words a day. After all, I've set a new project for myself. Perhaps I should say, an old new project. It's been floating around on my head and paper for 10 years now and it's about time I finally wrote the whole thing down. I've never managed to get beyond 4 chapters before. But a bit of background first.

I spent the whole yard sale and the rest of the afternoon reading the fourth and final novel in Christoper Paolini's Inheritance Cycle. That behemoth of a book took me all that time to read it because it sits at well over 800 pages (!). I have to admit that his writing has improved over the duration of the series so I look forward to his next book or series, when, hopefully, he'll start from scratch. Yes, I'm a firm believer that Paolini copied far too much from other books and movies. However, that's what happens when you're a young writer embarking on your first novel. I did it, but more on that later. In Paolini's next series, I hope he begins on a new world where he will draw more on his imagination than the books he's currently reading. Each new book in the Inheritance Cycle gave me more and more hope that he was finding out what it truly means to craft your own unique world from not so unique building blocks. Every writer starts out with the same materials. It's how a writer uses them that sets apart the good from the bad, the original from the copies.

In the first half of my senior thesis, I discussed this phenomenon of copying. You might recognize it better under a different name. That is, imitation. When you realize that copying is actually imitation, you can see the logic behind it. Imitating the masters has always been one of the first ways for artists and writers to learn how to write. And so this is where all beginning writers start. Most of these novels never see the light of day after they are written. Paolini just had the misfortune that his novel did see the light of day and was published with all the imitations intact, thereby leaving him open to criticism. Of course, once you start down the road of imitation I would argue that it is impossible to completely erase all traces of imitation even with countless edits and revisions.

But you must move past imitation to become a creator of original works. That first imitative novel or work is an essential step, but it's not the destination.

That leads me back around to my imitation novel. I started it 10 years ago when I was asked by my mother to choose an English course for our homeschool that year. I chose "Learn to Write the Novel Way". I embarked full of enthusiasm on a fantasy novel which I called SwordQuest at the time. I know, such an original name, is it not? At the end of the year I had 4 chapters of a fantasy novel and I had figured out two very important things. 1) I. Hate. Planning. (I still do to this day. Minimal planning/pantsing it is the way to go!) 2) My MC was a carbon copy of the heroine from Robin McKinley's "Hero and the Crown". Why? Because that was the latest novel that had captured my interest and obsession. Once I realized this, I scrapped the novel, revised it and began again until I finally put it aside. Of course that may have also had something to do with the fact that I'd attempted an outline and had not only failed, but I had written myself into a corner.

Three years later, when I again turned my creative efforts to novels, I started writing my first sci-fi novel "Adventure at Anwar" which is still unfinished to this day. However, in those three years my original fantasy novel had been stewing in the back of my mind. My MC went from a princess, to a soldier, to the sister of a soldier, to the daughter of a village head. The series expanded to three books instead of one and I discarded the original idea of having the MC questing for magical items. In other words, I revised it significantly. One by one, I attempted to strip away all the imitations I could see. Around that time, I had a brainwave about how to start writing the novel again. A story about unicorns in "Deep Magic" ezine gave me the idea and so I started back in on it. I wrote most of the prologue and started into chapter 1, figured out a good deal of the main plot points and characters, and even settled on a love interest. But the idea didn't go anywhere. I shelved it in the back of my mind.

This year, I cleaned off the dust. The series has once again morphed. Now it will take the form of a duology thus solving the problems of having no climax for book 1 and a boring journey for half of book 2. I combined them into one book, though the third (now second) book has remained the same so far. It is this series then, that I wish to return to. Even though it has several imitations left in it of Robin McKinley's work, it is hard to find them. One cannot be eliminated because it is essential to the plot. So, once I finish novella #2 for the "Across Time" series, I shall be taking a break to stroll down memory lane and complete this old imitation novel that's been 10 years in the making. Who know? Maybe it will turn out good enough to publish. But I have to finish writing it first. It's been 4 long years since my last foray into the fantasy genre and I think it's about time I went back.

Until next time!

P.S. This blog post is over a thousand words. Haven't written a post that long in a while. O_O

16 Days till Christmas

2011-12-09T23:26:00.000-05:00

Charge it! Or just put them under your dinner plates. Mom went shopping and found $1 chargers at Michael's. She seemed quite delighted when she returned, eight chargers in hand.

Today was spent on yard sale stuff. I spent the morning and afternoon painting six signs to post around the neighborhood. Bending over the dining room table painting is the perfect way to acquire a sore lower back. But the signs looked good when I was done. Mom remarked on my use of red and green in addition to the black. She said it looked Christmasy. Honestly, I didn't intend it to be so. I found green, red, and yellow paint and thought the former two would show up better. And while I was painting our street name in red I realized it matched with the 'Red' in the street name. How weird is that? I guess it means I do have some subconscious artistic sense....

Again, no writing today other than this blog, but the ideas have been floating around in my head. I'm considering whether to write or read one of the five library books waiting for me while running the yard sale tomorrow morning. Of course, this is all contingent on my actually being awake and alert. We'll see how well six hours of sleep suits me.

Until next time!

17 Days till Christmas

2011-12-08T23:09:00.004-05:00

Babysitting and choir practice dominated my time today. No time for writing or photography as spent my free time this afternoon practicing Brahm's German Requiem op. 45 for choir. However, I decided to snap a picture of a item which has been carefully saved for the past few years. Ages ago I earmarked it for a white elephant gift. Finally, it will see the light of day on the 17th at the church class's Christmas party. Can you guess what it is?

It's a toilet lid cover! This picture is of the picture on the underside of the lid. In other words, the part facing your, um, backside when making use of the toilet. I'll leave it up to you. Is Santa peeking or not?

I hope to get a good laugh out of it at the party if it isn't too old fashioned for my peers to understand.

Until next time!

18 Days till Christmas

2011-12-07T23:40:00.005-05:00

Today was spent peacefully in the house. No excursions or unexpected surprises. Which means I had to hunt around the house for a good picture. Since I already heavily photographed the house for the last Christmas picture countdown, I had to be creative in said hunt. And this is my result.

Mom reads the advent storybook each night we can gather the family (we're reading Tabitha's Travels this year though we have all three books in the series). It's quite amusing to hear the different voices she uses for each character. The joke this year is the Jewish character which Dad pointed out sounded more Mexican than Middle Eastern. She wasn't too pleased with the accusation. I wonder why. At the end of the story, there's a section explaining how the story relates to a Biblical message. At this point, my little sister became bored tonight.

As you can see, she started playing with a pillow. Mom then reminded her that the last bit is the most important part of the evening. I don't think my sister quite heard Mom.

Until next time!

19 Days till Christmas/Birth of a Novel #5

2011-12-06T23:48:00.000-05:00

I am of the firm opinion that loan companies wish to squeeze as much money as possible out of you through confusion and unclear information. Gah. Though, I will admit that CFNC is quite straightforward. I'm more frustrated with the dear old US Department of Education. First off, they got my graduation date wrong so we had to correct them and now it's still wrong just a different date. So I'm not 100% sure when my first payment is due. And, one of those two loans may be serviced through another site/company even though it's listed on a different servicer's website. I wasted my entire afternoon digging through old paperwork and online sites for answers. Is there a wall nearby I can bang my head on? It's already hurting.

The picture for today tries to capture the mood in this house. On the one hand we're eagerly looking forward to and planning for Christmas (hence the nativity) but on the other we're scrambling to prepare for the yard sale this Saturday (which is going to take place in around 40 degree weather *shivers*). In the background you can see Mom hunting around in the cabinets for cups and other items we don't use and could sell.

So, technically this is post five for the birth of a novel blog chain. However, I don't have that much to report for writing. I've spent it recovering from NaNo and seeing to everything I neglected during November. However, I did write something! And it should only be another few thousand words till novella #2 is over. Now, the big question is should I go ahead and start novella #3 since I have it planned out or should I save it until July when Camp NaNo rolls around and work on editing novellas 1 & 2 as well as other stories. I'm really leaning towards the latter option at the moment.

Until next time!

20 Days till Christmas

2011-12-05T23:19:00.000-05:00

My adventures today consisted of unexpectedly having to cook supper and sorting shoe boxes at the local Operation Christmas Child center. The former resulted in a frankfurter casserole and the latter resulted with tired muscles and meeting a friend. Though it was only in passing, I managed to exchange words twice with an online friend I met through NarniaWeb last month. It was nice to see her, though I regretted not having more of an opportunity to talk. Our shifts just didn't sync like we originally thought they would.

On the line, I snagged the role of taper as soon as the team leader called for a volunteer. I've done it before and consider it more fun than sorting through the boxes and trying to cram everything back in.

So, I stood next to both the sorters and the carton/box packers. It was intriguing to watch, and sometimes help, them stuff 15 or more shoe boxes into one carton. I believe the record for the person next to me was 17 in one carton.

There was an unusual side effect to taping. First, I must attempt to describe the awful smell of this tape. It was stringent and icky, however, my stomach started grumbling. Don't ask me why or how, but I was hungry and merely became hungrier as the 4 hours of our shift progressed. That and thirsty. But my thirst could be explained by a deficit of water intake today. I downed a 10 oz bottle of water in the 10 minutes it took for us to drive home.

Of course, with all that on my plate, I didn't have time for adding more to my story. I will try again tomorrow. If I can fit it in between scouring my room for yard sale items.

Until next time!

21 Days till Christmas

2011-12-04T23:02:00.003-05:00

And today we decorated. The tree is now completely covered in ornaments and we still had some left over. Ornaments seem to be a popular gift among our relatives and so we've collected too many to hang over the years.

On the topic of writing, I did actually write on my novella #2 today. Yay for me! The MC is now cornered and trying to find a way to escape from the friend turned foe. I wonder how she'll escape because she'll have to in order to fly her way into the sequel.

Until next time!

22 Days till Christmas

2011-12-03T22:16:00.000-05:00

I rose at the insane hour of 6:15 this morning to accompany my dear little sister to her ballet recital. She performed very well, dancing without looking at the instructor, and her class was by far the best in her recital group. On the way out we stopped to admire the singing bears which appear every Christmas at this hall. I have fond memories of competing with them during high school choir caroling.

My little sister hasn't seen them in years and she was fascinated.

Once we arrived home, nap time became my first priority, but mother had other ideas. Around mid afternoon we dragged out the artificial tree and started testing the lights. Only half of the small lights worked, so we supplemented it with five extra light strings, one of which gave me a sharp electrical shock when my thumb found a broken light. I'd smashed the light years ago in a door jamb while at college. It, apparently, had been holding a grudge. Father most graciously helped mother and I as we lit the dark patches of the tree.

And we left it at that. The ornaments will be hung up tomorrow or whenever mother decides she's tired of boxes cluttering half the couch. So there was no need for the tree skirt just yet. Our dog, Sandy, decided to claim it. At first she merely lay on it, but then she pawed it into folds and circled to find just the right spot. Doesn't she look guilty?

Needless to say, not much writing got done today except for this post, however I will get back on track tomorrow. I always write something on Sundays.

Our soundtrack for the tree raising was Irish Christmas by Craig Duncan and the Smoky Mountain Band. I cranked up the volume on my laptop and it blasted the music for the whole house to hear. It carries memories of my grandparents' house as that was where I first heard it. Click here to sample this wonderful CD!

Until next time!

23 Days till Christmas

2011-12-02T18:49:00.004-05:00

A Christmas goody for today!

Mother baked delicious Apple bread this afternoon. First she ground up the apples and mixed them with sugar

Then in went the flour and spices and she stirred them together into a batter.

Finally, she poured the batter into the pans to bake.

Don't they look delicious?

However, they are earmarked as Christmas presents for our neighbors and we won't get any. Alas. If you're interested in the recipe, click here.

(Ahem, mother prompted edit: She found the previous statement too pitiful, so she is currently cutting one of the loaves for us. And I got the biggest piece. How's that for the power of a blog post! :D And let me tell you, the bread is delicious! )

Until next time!

24 Days till Christmas

2011-12-01T15:11:00.004-05:00

And it begins! Most helpfully Mom decided to bring out the first decorations last night. Though, when she suggested it, I picked up my laptop and backed slowly out of the room. So my Mom and sister began decorating while I frantically raced to finish NaNo.

Today, I ventured out into the house camera in hand, but I didn't have to go far before I saw these hand made bird ornaments sitting on the piano. They await the Christmas tree and until then are enjoying the music. I captured this shot as Mom played an accompaniment to one of my sister's practice songs. A beginner four hand duet.

Mother crafted these bird ornaments from felt. The wings are decorated with thread and bead embroidery. She barely finished the ornaments on time to give some to the relatives for Christmas gifts. (If you're interested in making them as well, Gooseberry Patch Christmas 2010 magazine has the pattern and the instructions. Click here for the magazine!)

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 30 - The End or is it?

2011-11-30T23:30:00.004-05:00

I WON! And I managed it before midnight. I'm both shocked and impressed at myself. Considering that the first and only other time I won I actually crossed the finish line around 5 am after a 5 hour/10.5k sprint...oops did I just say that aloud? Yes, I'll admit it. I only won my first time because I set the timezone back like 6 hours. So this time was an official win (If you don't count that I started 6k into a story, though I did not count the 6k toward NaNo. I promise I didn't.)

As for my story, I didn't finish the second novella, though I think it will be done before another 5k has passed. The story decided it wanted to start the climax today. Means I have an interesting point to start at tomorrow. Yes, I said tomorrow. While snooping around on Angela's blog I found this little contest/idea for writing a certain number words a day. I chose the 500 word option because I don't know if I could keep up 1k during the holidays. So, click on the icon in the sidebar if you want more information. And, while you're at it, go check out Angela's blog.

On another note, I'll be continuing in the Birth of a Novel blog chain at least until I finish my story. Several of the others are continuing it as well so make sure to check their blogs out. (Look below for links).

One more piece of news before I sign off. This is my 100th post! I could hardly believe it when I looked at my post count. Yay! Hopefully it won't take almost 4 years for me to reach 200. :) So, I change around the blog a bit to modify it more toward a polished look. Look for more content from now on.

Words written today: 3,774

Words total: 50,058!

As you know, tomorrow I start the Picture Countdown to Christmas. Look forward to it!

Until next time!

Blog Chain People:

Angela H.
Anna M.
Brooke Busse
Charity Bradford
Elizabeth Davis
Elizabeth Poole
Fida Islaih
Huntress
Jen McConnel
Lena Hoppe
Mia Hayson
Miranda Hardy
Nyxie Moon
Tessa C
Zoe

NaNoWriMo: Day 29/Birth of a Novel #4

2011-11-29T23:04:00.006-05:00

Excellent progress today! I set a new record for this month with my 4k written today. Now, I just have to pull off 3.7k tomorrow and then I'll win! *chants* I can do it, I can do it, I can do it. I really empathized with Lindsey Grant's pep talk today when she talked about feeling like "The Little Engine that Could" because I've been feeling like that all of today.

Words written today: 4,033

Total words: 46,284

Words behind: 2,049

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 28

2011-11-28T23:36:00.008-05:00

Well....today I backslid again....Around 1k words written which means I'll have a little less than 4k to write on each of the last two days. It sounds like I might have to sacrifice my usual tv shows tomorrow night. It depends on how much I can cram into the afternoon.

Oh, I nearly forgot. I should mention that I had a brainwave on how novella #2 should end, so I do know where this story is going now. And I planned out the sequel. :D "Jump #3 - Atlantis" has now been greenlit.

Words written today: 1,032

Words total: 42,251

Words behind: 4,415

On a sweeter note, I leave you with the video which caused my distraction earlier this evening and started my destructive, downward spiral of video hopping in which I discovered a new musical group that I might have to add to my favorites (look below for one of their videos if you dare) and which led to my writing so few words today.

(Click here for promotional/music video for Shine since I couldn't embed it)

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 27

2011-11-27T23:36:00.001-05:00

Another day of meeting and exceeding my 3k quota for the day! Looks like whatever I'm doing differently is working, though I'm still procrastinating. I again wrote 3k in the last 2 1/2 hours before midnight. I'll try to do a little better tomorrow. But at least my average is now down to less than 3k per day.

Words written today: 3,743

Total words: 41,219

Words behind: 3,781

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 26

2011-11-26T23:52:00.000-05:00

Yee-haw for starting to get back on track! I intended to write 5k today, but I only managed just over 3k but that's still enough. I'm to the point where I have to write over 3k a day to make it, but I'm making sure to write more than I need so my last day will be easier. Now I just need to keep this up.

Things have started to turn for the worse for my MC. And I just got to kill off the annoying creep from novella #1! Yeah, the first time I kill of a character I almost cried, but this creep was satisfying to kill. What does that say about me the writer? I'm not quite sure.

Also, I have an exciting announcement to make today. I have decided to redo an old post countdown I did the first year I had this blog. And that is.....(drum roll please)....a pictorial countdown to Christmas! I will post one picture a day that has some connection to Christmas, the festivities, or preparations. I'll try to add some poetry or something to go along with the pictures this time around. Look forward to the first post on December 1st! And while you wait, go look at the first pictorial countdown I did back in 2008. Enjoy!

Words written today: 3,249

Total words: 37,476

Words behind: 5,857

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 25

2011-11-25T23:42:00.001-05:00

My goal for today? Write 3k! Actual writing count? A few hundred. How pathetic is that? It's getting to critical point on how behind I am. I think the graph is hovering around 3k per day to finish on time? Help?

Words written today: 491

Total words: 34,227

Words behind: 7,439

On a lighter note (literally) I leave you with this amazing video I found. I nearly died from bliss. The pianist/composer is top notch and he's arranged an amazing piece.

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 23, Day 24 and Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T23:14:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Or turkey day, or any other nickname you have for it. Mine was full of food and tinged with sadness (see my last post about Anne McCaffrey). And it was lacking writing. Yes, I'll admit it, I still haven't stopped slacking for writing and it's getting me further and further behind. I need to do something about that, like actually write.

Words written the past two days: 328

Total words: 33,736

Words behind: 6,264

Until next time...

In Memory of Anne McCaffrey

2011-11-24T17:38:00.001-05:00

It was with great sadness that I checked my email this morning to find the news that Anne McCaffrey had passed away from a stroke on Monday. Her books were the beginning of many things for me, not the least of which was the beginning of my experiments in the sci-fi genre. "The Harper Hall of Pern" was my first introduction to her writings. Since I am a musician, the trilogy struck deep chords within me, especially "Dragonsong" and "Dragonsinger". To this day, it is still my favorite. From there I found the rest of her Pern series, coming to love "Dragonsdawn" for its explanation of how Pern began and "Dolphins of Pern" for its open door to the limitless possibilities of Pern's future.

Once I ran out of Pern books to read, I began hunting down her other books. I still haven't read the Acorna series or any of the ones she co-authored, but I found a few special loves in her military sci-fi short stories. (Her futuristic Cinderella at a military ball particularly caught my fancy.) Anne McCaffrey's range in sci-fi from bordering on fantasy to military/technical was amazing to me. She showed me how sci-fi didn't have to be boring science facts, but rather a fantastical story based in speculative fact.

Usually, one finds detailed world building prominent in fantasy but not elsewhere. However, Anne McCaffrey was an amazing world builder. She wasn't content to build one sci-fi world and write all her stories in it. She built a new one for each series, though with similar points so that one could almost connect all her stories into facets of the same universe.

All of us - readers, acquaintances, family - will miss her. The words of her character Menolly sum it up best:

The tears I feel today

I'll wait to shed tomorrow.

Though I'll not sleep this night

Nor find surcease from sorrow.

My eyes must keep their sigh:

I dare not be tear-blinded.

I must be free to talk

Not choked with grief, clear-minded.

My mouth cannot betray

The anguish that I know.

Yes, I'll keep my tears till later:

But my grief will never go.

--Menolly's "Song for Petiron" (Dragonsinger)

Every time I make a beeline for the M section in the library or bookstore, I'll remember her in the brief moment when I see the name "Todd" preceding "McCaffrey" instead of "Anne". Each time I read one of her books, she'll live again for a moment. She'll always be there, never forgotten.

Harper, tell me of the road

That leads beyond this Hold,

That wends its way beyond the hill...

Does it go further on until

It ends in sunset's gold?

--(Dragonsinger)

Until next time.

NaNoWriMo: Day 22/Birth of a Novel #3

2011-11-22T23:45:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving preparations really suck out all the time I use for writing. There's extra chores to do, extra cooking, extra everything which equals less time to write. And that all leads to my presenting another awful word count for today. Oh well, at least I wrote something. I did accomplish one significant thing, and that was naming that new character I mentioned two days ago. His name is Bladevik. It'll suffice for right now, until either I find a better name or he grows into the name.

On a more interesting note, I thought I'd present the synopses for the NaNo novellas I'm writing. It's past time that I should do so.

Jump 1:

Sarah Flynn is your average, young American just out of college. Setting off to teach English in a Japanese school is her idea of an adventure, but it turns into much more when a time portal whisks her away to Japan's past. Over 100 years in the past, she struggles to adapt to a foreign culture and just when she starts to fit in, soldiers sweep into the village. Now she finds herself labelled as a primitive and imprisoned by the walls surrounding the town. She isn't allowed to leave and her chances of returning to the portal grow slimmer each day. Sarah must fight her way out of the physical and social constraints that bind her to the past in order to return to the future.

Jump 2:

Sarah Flynn has made it home, or so she thinks. When a man from her time in the past turns up, she begins to realize that something is very wrong. What will she do when she finds out that home is only an illusion?

So, the first synopsis is a true one (since I've completely written it and know what happens) and the second one just covers how much I know/have written. (And no, Bladevik isn't the man from the past. That's a different guy who sort of turned creeper/stalker of his own accord.)

Words written today: 109

Total words: 33,448

Words behind: 3,218

Until next time.

NaNoWriMo: Day 21

2011-11-21T23:18:00.000-05:00

I never realized before just how busy a person can be. I had too many other things to do today that I didn't even get a single word written. I'll have to put my hopes on catching up tomorrow.

Words written today: 0

Total words: 33,339

Words behind: 1,661

Until next time.

NaNoWriMo: Day 20

2011-11-20T23:39:00.000-05:00

Finally, I've caught up! And today I introduced my main secondary character who might be villain or victim. He hasn't told me what he is yet so I'll find out later. Maybe I can think up a name for him along the way cause he doesn't have a name yet.

It's quite exhilarating to looks at my stats chart on the NaNo site and see that I have 16,661 words left. It feels like those words will be easy to write in 10 days. I feel like I can do this!

Words written today: 2,260

Total words: 33,339

Words ahead: 6

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 19

2011-11-19T23:01:00.002-05:00

Today, I discovered that I'm back up to my old and faster writing speed! Yay! Just when I needed a boost. This'll help me keep up my flagging spirits as I sprint along the last two weeks of NaNo. It's all downhill from here now that I've passed 30k. Oh and my movie I get to watch because of passing 30k? Captain America! If I can find it...

Words written today: 2,029

Total words: 31,079

Words behind: 587

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 18

2011-11-19T00:57:00.003-05:00

And I didn't end up catching up today, though I did start Novella #2 today. But I made sure to write more than the daily goal of 1,667. That way I'll catch up bit by bit while I keep the pace. Now off to six short hours of sleep before I have to get up for choir practice/dress rehearsal tomorrow morning.

Words written today: 1,747

Total words: 29,050

Words behind: 950

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 16 and 17

2011-11-18T02:23:00.005-05:00

So, it's been slow writing these past few days. I'm still behind on the daily word count. And, due to computer malfunctions and the upcoming choir concert plus rehearsals, it'll probably be a while before I can catch up. If I can't catch up on Friday then I probably won't be able to until Monday.

However, I have good news to report! I just finished the first novella! I think that's the only reason I was able to write nearly 2k today. It feels good to be done. But now I need to dig up the sequel and start work on that.

Day 16:

Words written today: 307

Total words: 25,355

Fights with computer: 10+

Day 17:

Words written today: 1,948

Total words: 27,303

Words behind: 1,030

Choir shirts sewn: 1

Choir rehearsals attended: 1

Fights with computer: 2

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 15/Birth of a Novel #2

2011-11-15T23:52:00.000-05:00

The long and short of it is that I didn't get anything written today. Technically I'm not behind due to my awesome sprints of the past few days, but I don't like riding this close to the line between on schedule and behind. I wish I had something more wonderful to report (like the finishing of novella #1) but that will have to wait.

It feels a bit weird to be posting about finishing up a story right now when all the NaNo pep talks are about how the first two weeks are the honeymoon and the last two are the hardest. So while others are trying not to fall out of love with their stories, I'll be beginning anew with a fresh and (as it seems right now) more interesting story.

I know once I finish my current novella I'm not going to look at it for a very long time. The poor thing's going to be covered with marks when I finally get back around to editing it. But at least I'll have finished the first draft of it which is an accomplishment. Firequeen, my first NaNo novel, is the only one that has made it all the way to 2nd draft and I didn't even win with that one. I aim to change that this year!

Words written today: 0
Total words: 25,048
Words ahead: 48

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 14

2011-11-14T23:29:00.000-05:00

The end of week 2. It's hard to believe that 14 days have passed during this crazy month of writing. And the good news? I crossed the halfway point today! Now, if my characters would quit taking detours, I might actually finish the first novella tomorrow....

Words written today: 2,544
Total words: 25,048
Words ahead: 1,715

I'm still trying to catch up to a 2k per day average. I'll get there eventually.

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 12 and 13

2011-11-13T23:56:00.002-05:00

Why didn't I post yesterday? Because I was procrastinating so badly that I didn't go to bed till 4 am this morning. Which means I just plain forgot to post. Oh well. It was bad news anyway. I wrote very little on day 12. Now, today, day 13, was very lucky for being such an unlucky number. You don't believe me? Just take a look at these numbers!

Day 12:
Words written: 1,000
Total words: 19,402

Day 13:
Words written today: 3,102 (go me!)
Total words: 22,504
Words ahead: 838

My excuse for the 1k written on Saturday? I vacuumed the entire house, cleaned the bathroom and cooked myself a time consuming supper. So I did accomplish something.

Also, I accomplished something even better Friday night after I posted on here. I had a brainwave about how I would develop a character and end the novella! So, the end is in sight! I didn't finish it like I thought I would this weekend, but I can feel it coming. And the result of developing that character? My MC now has a stalker/overly forward employer whose creepiness is going to end up with....well...I think I'll keep the end a secret. Once I've written the end, I'll tell you how it turned out since there's still one more question to solve at the very end concerning the stalker/creepy employer.

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 11

2011-11-12T01:05:00.003-05:00

*cue happy dance* I'm back into the writing saddle! And I'm not behind anymore. Well, not according to the daily goal on my profile's stat graph. Now, if I was counting according to my usual of 2k per day then I'm still behind by about 3,600 words. But I'll catch that up later. Today was a good day!

Words written today: 3,251
Total words: 18,402
Words ahead: 69

Now, that's a far cry from my goal of hitting 20k today, but at least I caught up. I'll hit 20k tomorrow (and hopefully 21k as well). I just won't get to watch a movie as a reward since I used that up tonight. "The Court Jester" with Danny Kaye is hilarious and kept me in stitches the entire time. Tis a good watch and I would recommend it highly.

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 10

2011-11-11T00:04:00.007-05:00

Another day gone and no more writing accomplished. So I'm officially behind, but not by much. Now, I'm going to try to "catch up" to the daily goal before I go to bed so technically when I go to sleep I won't be behind but that hasn't happened yet. Add to that I want to count what I write towards Friday's goal and I have less motivation to count it towards Thursday.
If you haven't dropped by the Word Wars, Prompts and Sprints area on the NaNoWriMo forums you might not have seen that someone came up with the idea to write 11,111 words on 11/11/11 (111,111 being considered overmuch). I shall try though I know I probably won't pass 5 or 6k max since I've been writing so slow on this novella. Hence why I want to count as much towards it as I can. My goal for tomorrow? Hit 20k! (If you can't tell, I'm in a much better mood than I was earlier today).

So, words written today: 0
But, powerpoints completed: 1
And, 2 1/2 hour choir rehearsals completed: 1 (I was squeaking by the end though)

Now, onto writing!

Until next time!

PS: Make sure to visit the other people in the blog chain!

Angela H.
Anna Mittower
Brooke Busse
Charity Bradford
Elizabeth Davis
Elizabeth Poole
Fida Islaih
Huntress
Lena Hoppe
Mia Hayson
Miranda Hardy
Nyxie Moon
Tessa C
Zoe

NaNoWriMo: Day 8 and 9 Recap in Birth of a Novel #1

2011-11-10T13:26:00.007-05:00

I come before you with great trembling to post the results of the past two days. In a word - abysmal. The only good part? I was two days ahead in words count so I could afford to slack off for the past two days. So what did I accomplish?

Day 8:
Words written: 149
Research done: 1 book on noren vs. kicho vs. towels
Helpful writing sites discovered: 1 (thanks to Charity for that distraction)
Other distractions: A lot....

Day 9:
Words written on novel: 0
Words written when jotting down a weird dream from that morning: 600
Free writing books downloaded and begun reading: 7 (you can get the FREE books here on the writer's digest site until the 12th)
Costume distractions: 1 (which turned into plans for next year's comic con)
Powerpoints begun: 1
Doctor Who episodes watched: 1 ("Blink" related to above costume)

Total words unwritten over the two days: 3,849
Number of daydreams interspersed between above activities: countless....

In other words, I've kept myself busy over the past two days with every thing except writing. Of course, some of it wasn't just fun stuff. The powerpoint (which I have to finish up today) is for my mom's presentation she's giving on Saturday. It's just inconveniently timed.

The dream went into my story ideas folder (and it was really, really weird). I think it may have be inspired by the new dystopian, sci-fi anime "Guilty Crown" I was watching before NaNo started and in whose world I've been daydreaming ever since.

Also, thoughts have been festering over the past few days about how bad I'm writing this draft and how I've no clue when or how the end will come. My sentences are too choppy and simple and I've been beating myself over how many 'had's I'm using to tell instead of show....Not good thoughts to be having.

And the solutions are? 1) Force myself to write today and 2) Finish the novella over the weekend (because it's just that close to being done).

Obstacles in the way of said solutions? 1) Finishing that powerpoint, 2) Practicing for the 3) choir rehearsal tonight which is going until it is done meaning it'll take 3-4 hours. I won't get home until 11 pm-12 am which means no time for writing after rehearsal/supper...

I've got a lot of work to do today and not enough time to do it.

Oh, and this is my first official post for the Birth of a Novel blog ring (the reason why I spruced up the blog). What a lovely rant to start off with. I had planned to be upbeat, optimistic, post my synopsis and generally not try to scare new readers off. But oh well. Since I'm running short on time I'll post the others in the blog ring in the post later today of what I manage to accomplish (which I won't get to till after midnight).

Until next time....or should I say later today?

NaNoWriMo: Day 7

2011-11-08T00:07:00.003-05:00

And the plot thickens! Or least my MC now has to find a job which she may have. I have no clue if the job will be permanent. I'll find that out tomorrow!
Today I made it to 15k which means I wrote 3k or close to it. The write in was fun even though it was long and only one person showed up. But hey, I sat myself down and made myself write. That's got to count for something.
I've made it one week in and kept a fast, steady pace. There's hope for me now. :)

Words written today: 2,985
Total words: 15,002
Words ahead: 3,336

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 6

2011-11-07T01:11:00.002-05:00

I cut it close again today. I made it to my 2k word goal barely 9 minutes before midnight. But the point is that I made it. And I left the plot hanging on purpose so I'd have a fun part to write tomorrow. She's stolen a map and two guards block her way across the bridge. Can she get back across the river before the sun dawns and she's found? Heehee. As I said, a fun point to start back up on tomorrow.
I'm leading a write-in for my area tomorrow and since I'll be there overlong (around 6-7 hours) I'm aiming for 3k at least if not 4 or 5k. Good luck to me! :)

Words written today: 1,878
Total words: 12,017
Words ahead: 2,017

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 5

2011-11-05T23:54:00.003-04:00

10k! I just passed 10k! *dances happily around the room* True I only hit it 6 minutes before midnight, but I made it! And that means that I can have my reward: eating a candy apple while watching Alice in Wonderland! The plot is still crawling along, but I just dropped some important information into a story a character told. I would be surprised if this story even reaches 25k, but that's why I have the sequel already lined up. And no, I'm not going to tell you what the sequel is about! Not yet, at least.

Words written today: 2,082
Total words: 10,139
Words ahead: 1,806

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 4 and a New Blog Design!

2011-11-04T23:40:00.002-04:00

If you haven't noticed, I changed around my blog today. This sprucing up is so the blog doesn't look so boring. The reason for this will be posted next Tuesday. Look forward to it!
Day 4.....was the hardest yet! Let me explain. Yesterday, I reached the end of the first plot arc in the story so I wrote fast fueled by the excitement of the climax. Today, I started arc or part 2. I didn't even know that this part would exist but it forced itself into existence. And let me tell you, it was a rough forcing. After much fishtailing, I think I've figured out which direction it's wanting to go however it was a hard slog to get even 2k today. But I forced myself to keep the pace and I'm glad I did. The writing should pick up from here on. Well, in this part at least.

Word written today: 2,025
Total words: 8,057
Words ahead: 1,391

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 3

2011-11-03T22:38:00.005-04:00

It is now the third day of my successful NaNoWriMo attempt! I am keeping the pace of 2,000 words a day so we'll see where that takes me. On another note, I read up about the new Alice in Wonderland that came out last year and I think it looks very interesting. I like how they've styled it as a sequel. And so, watching that movie will be my reward for hitting 10,000 words on time (preferably on day 5 though).

Words written today: 1,995
Total words: 6,032
Words ahead: 1,032

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 2

2011-11-02T23:32:00.002-04:00

I am very, very pleased with myself today. I caught up and more! Also, the action is just about to accelerate into all out war.....Quite the convenient stopping place, wouldn't you say?

Word written today: 2,820!
Total words: 4,037
Words ahead: 704

Though I shall try to write 2,000 words a day as an average. I want to finish this first story and get to the sequel soon because it'll be fun and easier to write.

Until next time!

NaNoWriMo: Day 1

2011-11-02T00:21:00.005-04:00

As many of you may know, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) takes place in November. And this will be my fifth time attempting it. Hopefully that will include my 2nd win as well but only time will tell. But for why I'm posting. I wish to keep myself accountable to the daily word requirements because I am notoriously bad at keeping them. So here goes nothing.

Word written today: 1,217
Total words: 1,217
Total words behind: 450

Now to catch up tomorrow.

Until next time....

The Sweet Rewards of Exploration

2011-08-25T23:25:00.001-04:00

I have a new area to explore. This hobby, though, has tasty rewards. I'm talking about the wide world and art of Japanese cuisine. Art?, you might say, but it is an art. And recently I've been experimenting in not just creating Japanese dishes but creating food art as well.

With Borders going out of business I just had to head over there myself. After scouring the picked clean shelves I found two books of interest, both in the cooking aisle and both on Japanese food. The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving by Hiroshi Nagashima details basic but elegant food carving. Let's Cook Japanese Food! by Amy Kaneko is beginning cookbook of Japanese recipes found on the average Japanese dining table but with a Western twist. I wish to focus on the former book for this post though. I shall leave the latter for another time.

For several years now I have been interested in Japanese culture. It began with anime and manga but certainly has not ended there. My recent novel/short story series starts off in Japan which has required much research, but even before that I had developed a taste for Japanese cuisine.

I believe it all started the first time I tasted true home cooked Japanese food. Several friends and I hung out together to watch an entire anime. We started around noon and ended at midnight when the guys were kicked out of the dorm lobby. But we decided to make supper - Japanese style. One friend had the tools to make sushi. Another pitched in miso soup and another make gyoza dumplings (potstickers). I fell in love at first taste. Though, I have come to

the conclusion that sushi is ok once in a while but I dislike how bland it is. This led me to hunt down the ingredients and the recipe for both miso soup and dumplings as well as the soup stock (dashi) recipe. Since then I've been acquiring recipes and trying them out on my poor family.

Back to the food art though. My recent urges have been to duplicate the cute food art so prominently featured in animes, namely octopus wieners and bunny apples. Along the way, I found out about another apple cutting method that makes a leaf. Based on memory and some research, I experimented with these three cutting methods. The results were fun and tasty.

Bunny Apples

Leaf Apples

I think food art is amazing and I hope that I can create more intricate designs with practice. That is one reason I bought The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving. I haven't tried any of the carvings yet, but I intend to as soon as I can plan a meal with sufficient time to take garnishes into account.

Until next time!

Observations on a Friday Morning

2011-08-19T23:39:00.002-04:00

Thought I'd share an excerpt from today's entry in my journal. Twas written while sitting at work waiting for my shift to begin.

"Oh the antics of squirrels. They provide endless entertainment through their peculiarities . The one in question this morning is a mother squirrel. I don't know the birthing cycles of squirrels, but surely this is too late in the year for it? However, this squirrel journeys back and forth carrying branches and twigs the size of her body. She always climbs up a brick wall and into a hole where the roof meets the wall. I suppose she is building a nest.
At the same time, squeaks and the scrabbling of claws on bark issue from a tree as three squirrels chase each other, whether in play or not I do not know. They scurry up and down branches, spring from branch tip to branch tip all the while making ridiculous screeching noises.

One of these three had a run in earlier with the mother squirrel. He foolishly went running after her. She tensed up and tried to look intimidating. But I think he quit pestering her out of boredom instead of fright. She made sure he was gone, though, before continuing to her nest. And she hasn't come out since."

Until next time!

There and Back Again: The Story of a College Student

2011-04-18T11:16:00.003-04:00

This extended break that I have taken is a hallmark of my journal/diary. I often don't remember to write for months. But I am back and, this time, am here to stay. Why? I am in the countdown to graduation. A very late last night enabled me to finish the rough draft of my senior thesis. But that brings me to the point I wish to make today. Point, or rather observation, I suppose.
Late on Friday night I finished the creative portion of my thesis which consists of a sci-fi, time travel story. From the first, I planned to kill a character and I followed through with it, but I found myself oddly moved afterward. I guess I can now sympathize with writers who cry after killing a character. But, what I found to be more curious than this, was how emotionally drained I felt after I finished the last word.
To contrast, last night after I finished the critical and thoroughly non-fiction introduction I felt only elated and hyper. But Friday night I felt jubilant but sad and completely unable to write another word or focus on another writing project. Perhaps now I can understand how and why writers continue to write. It's almost as if you're high on drugs except the thrill comes from seeing word follow word. I am very bad about actually finishing pieces. I start many but finish few. I resolve from this point on to work harder to finish stories. Because, like a junkie, I want to feel that feeling again, the rush of a story climaxing and coming to a close.

Until next time.

Water Memories Part 1

2009-09-22T13:17:00.003-04:00

Photo Journal Entry #7

Peace...silent except for the low murmuring of voices in the distance. The loudest sound is the creek rushing by on its merry way down the mountain. I listen and think while seated on the rock. Its bulk divides the creek below into two, staying the water's progress with its immensity. It's a pleasant feeling to be still and watch the water flowing past. The miniature waterfall at the foot of the rock chatters the loudest as the deep water speeds over its small height. I can be at peace here and let my mind wander.

Until next time!

First Memories Part 4

2009-09-21T19:13:00.004-04:00

Photo Journal Entry #6

The first time I went ever went walking along the path to the gate I saw these steps and wondered where they led. I like following paths all over the place, and the more secretive and grown over the more it piques my curiosity. I eventually did follow this path. It merely led to the Montreat Conference Center, but it was still fun to follow it. I love how much stone is used around Montreat and that's part of what gives this staircase a secretive, grown over air.

Until next time!

First Memories Part 3

2009-09-20T00:54:00.004-04:00

Photo Journal Entry #5

A shot of the chapel of the prodigal's cross against the sky is something I've always wanted to get. However, the mountains are in the way if one tries to take a picture from the front, so I didn't figure out how to achieve this until last week when I was walking back from my statistics class in the Science building. I looked up as I walked out and saw the cross silhouetted against the blue, cloud filled sky. It was the perfect shot and I actually had my camera with me.

The Chapel is a major building for me because of my involvement in the music department. I've practiced and performed on the piano inside. I've gone to countless concerts. I've even seen a wedding being held there (I distinctly remember that it was a cold windy day and the bride, for some strange reason, had a strapless dress on. I remember thinking that she must be freezing!).

The Chapel draws my eyes every time I walk by the library or the dorms. It's very beautiful and of course the Prodigal son fresco inside is an attraction that draws people from all over. I love just being inside because it's so quiet. I can be alone with my thoughts inside.

Until next time!

Forcast for Lookout: Cloudy!

2009-09-18T23:01:00.010-04:00

My Place Journal
Entry #2

Clouds again are the fascination today. They slide in quick succession over the mountain ridges like children sliding down a playground slide. I wish they would engulf us in their misty veil but, alas, the wind blows in an ill direction for that to occur. Instead they continue sliding down faster and dissolve into nothingness at the bottom.

It rained earlier today, drenching the trail with a deluge of water. The muddy puddles lay in our path like obstacles on an obstacle course, forcing us to hop and jump to cross them. I do not mind them, for without the rain there would be no low hanging clouds sliding down the range opposite to amuse me. Because of the water, many more fungi have sprouted up. The red-capped mushroom I found last time has appeared elsewhere along the trail, not in so large a form, however, but all still bear the red cap.

My roommate, Lynsi, came with me this time, and we had a pleasant walk up. It was she who thought to bring water and I am most grateful that she did. I forgot to do so last time. Now she lies below me on a rock plateau jutting out from the rocky top, reading a book I lent her—The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley—which is one of my favorite books from my childhood. I must have read it and its partner when I was 11 or 12. I still love it to this day and I am most happy to pass along my love to her.

Still the clouds keep rolling past, stemming, it seems, from an endless supply, and endlessly dissolving into nothing.

Until next time!

Curiosity Killed the Swan?

2009-09-15T23:16:00.000-04:00

An interesting event happened today while I was journaling by Lake Susan this afternoon during class. Here is an excerpt from my journal detailing the event.

"On a funny side note, the swans just came up a minute or two ago and one of them attempted to take a bite out of this journal. It got the pages opposite damp from the water on its beak. I've never had them do that before. I again took pictures of them when they were in such close proximity to me."

The swan on the left is the one that bit my journal several times. The other came up and was nice enough to chase the first off.

Until next time!

First Memories Part 2

2009-09-13T20:52:00.004-04:00

Photo Journal Entry #4

The library is a main attraction on campus. The building is rather centrally located and its lawn serves as the study room for many when the weather holds. Up until last semester, the front lawn was composed of grassy areas and cracked, pitted concrete sidewalks. Several huge trees towered over the lawn providing shade. Now the lawn is changed. Due to the zealous landscaping effort over the summer, two of the huge trees are gone. Only one remains along with a younger, smaller tree. The creviced concrete is gone as well, replaced by a curving path set with large pieces of slate and smaller pebbles. The effect is certainly prettier, but a lot less direct which annoys many, including myself. The best feature though, is the new flower beds. This beautiful cone flower is one of the many flowers that decorate the beds. The new rocking chairs on the front porch are the perfect spot to watch bees buzzing around the flowers and admire the new lawn.

Until next time!

First Memories Part 1

2009-09-10T18:35:00.003-04:00

Photo Journal Entry #3

A mossy, grass covered, stone bridge with a seat midway was the first thing I remember liking at Montreat. After first sighting, it took me a while to find it again, tucked away in the woody area beyond McGregor. I thought at first that it would be a good place to study, but I actually have never gone there to study. I went once and ventured beyond to explore the woody area, but I didn't stay on the bridge. The setting is just beautiful at first glance and seems to speak of peace and stillness. A quiet pulsed with the steady stream of the creek under the bridge. This may be misleading because many cars pass by but it's still a little place unto itself.

Until next time!

Frozen Memories Part 2

2009-09-09T22:41:00.002-04:00

Photo Journal Entry #2

Again, I love the water when it is frozen. The creek also partially froze last winter when the lake froze. The thing is, the swans and the ducks were forced to retreat to the creek for sanctuary because it alone was unfrozen. The running water kept the ice thin or non existent. It was amusing to watch the swans attempting to walk on the ice. They kept slipping and cracking it. It was here that I wrote my poem about the swans struggling with the ice:

“Cracking, breaking,
The ice gives way beneath me,
I glide away through frigid water”

Until next time!

Nature or My Place Journal (complete with pictures!)

2009-09-08T03:18:00.000-04:00

Another project, this time to write a weekly journal about "my place". I think I've decided to do the top of Lookout Mountain and here is the result from my hike today.

Clouds shrouded the mountains this morning in a thick vapor. Mountaintops obscured by low hanging clouds gave the impression of mystery, helped along, of course, by the thinner mists blurring ground level walkways. It was one moment where I sorely wished to have my camera on hand to capture the beauty.

However, now as I sit atop lookout, the skies have cleared. Clouds scurrying along higher in the atmosphere not troubling the mountaintops with their veils. The only remnants are the shadows which turn the mountainsides into patchwork quilts of green and yellow hues.

Even though the clouds remain, the sun burns fiercely when allowed a chance. However the same wind which carries the clouds swiftly along, gently dries the sweat on my body, cooling my hot skin. I do wish it would blow more constantly, but I am grateful for what I can have. These are the last few days of warmer weather. Even now, mornings hint of colder weather to come. So I shall enjoy this time while may. Perhaps I can again come when snow lies draped across this stony seat where I sit. In all my two years of living here, I have never troubled to make the hike when there was snow. Ah, there are too many ideas and events that revolve around snowtime in the mountains! How shall I ever try them all? It's no use, I must try, or I'll regret not doing so.

The hike up passed pleasantly and contained several surprises. Upon starting my ascent, a brilliant, red capped mushroom stretched up from the earth.

A purple, spiky pinecone in the early stages of development pricked my head from its leafy perch.

Fungi of many colors bloomed along the muddy trail, delighting in the cloudbursts of the past several days.

Close to the top, a small toad lept out from its cover to sit beside my foot. The mountains are alive with color. A last hurrah before the bareness of late autumn and later winter sets in.

However, it is time to return to the pinpoint valley of Montreat. At the beginning descent, I shall have to hobble for my entire right leg has fallen asleep! T'isn't the first time that this has occurred, but the sensation is still strange

Until next time!

A New Year and New Projects

2009-09-08T02:08:00.000-04:00

"Fairytales are not written to tell children that dragons exist. Children know full well that dragons exist. Fairytales are written to show children that sometimes dragons can be
defeated." - G. K. Chesterton

Again I come back when school has begun. It's a new year with new faces. I've felt the loss of those whose graduated. The empty feeling is still there, but it was most pronounced on the first day of school. I wandered around in a daze, missing friends and wondering what in the world to do with myself. I was completely unsettled. Here it is the 2nd week of school and the figurative dust has settled almost. Though the literal dust is currently being stirred up quite a bit. The road outside of the dorm has been torn apart down to the dirt for repaving. However the rain has kept the dust clouds at bay, without arriving at the extremity of mud.

With the start of the new school also comes the flurry of new writing projects. I hardly touched anything over the summer, but now I must write for school and to gear up for NaNoWriMo. This year I again have a creative writing course--Outdoor and Nature Writing. And so I have more projects to share here. The first of such is my photo journal entitled "My Montreat". It is a collection of 10 photos and entries illustrating memories I've made around Montreat. So here is the first entry.

Frozen Memories
Entry #1

Lake Susan, a favorite spot among Montreatians. Many do their homework under these trees as they stare across the lake watching the swans. I myself have never done this, in fact, I don't visit the lake much. However, last winter I was drawn to it because of one simple reason--it was frozen over. I haven't seen a frozen lake since I was little so the sight was fascinating. Still it took me until the next day to actually walk down the lake's edge and by that time it was already melting. But, curious as I can be, I still walked on the ice. I and my friend (who was with me at the time) weren't foolish enough to venture onto the sun bathed portion of the ice which was already melting, but we stayed in the shade under these trees. Here the lake was shallow enough for the water to be frozen solid. It was fun attempting to skate on the lumpy ice. I did my best not to go sprawling. However, our fun ended when a man across the street at the conference center told us to get off. We were obedient and left. I do hope, though, that the lake freezes over again this winter. If it does, I'll be sure to visit immediately for another bout of "ice skating".

Until next time!

Frozen Over

2009-01-21T21:50:00.002-05:00

The area my school is in has been experiencing some very cold weather due to that arctic air mass that has come our way. Temperatures have been below freezing, even during the day, and the lake has been frozen over for two or more days! I know it's very solid because I went for a walk on it today, though I wasn't stupid enough to walk out to the middle where the sun had been shining on it all day. And what do I think of all this? I love it! Bring the cold weather on! All I want in return is snow and we've gotten some accumulation, but nowhere near enough in my opinion. I shall try to upload a picture of the lake as soon as possible, that is, if the lake remains frozen till I have a chance to walk down there with camera in hand. The rising temperatures have me worried that the lake might deice itself soon.

Anyways, my walk on the lake coincided with my first day of classes. Yes, the break is finally over and we have to do homework again. However, it is good to be back with my friends even though I don't much like the homework aspect of it. Today was nice though because all my classes didn't meet so I had most of the day to myself. Of course, most of that time was spent convincing myself to start working on the homework I've already been assigned. I can't wait till tomorrow though because that is when my poetry class starts. Both my English classes are on the same days. That is going to make things interesting when exam time rolls around.

I am pleased to announce that my dana did wonderfully during classes today when I used it to take notes and keep track of my schedule. It most certainly lightens my load when it comes to all the things I stuff into my backpack.

Until next time!

Polling time!

2009-01-12T01:08:00.005-05:00

Yes, it's time to try something new around here. I've been wondering lately about novels, in particular what length is appropriate for a novel; namely, is the optimal length for a novel short or long? My general research has turned up a preference for short novels, especially in the science fiction genre, but I was also wondering about the fantasy genre which boasts the biggest supposed liking for long, well fleshed out books.

My question to you readers is in two parts. Firstly, do you, as a reader, prefer short books over long books and why?

Secondly, from which genre are you most likely to select and/or buy short novels?

To make things easier on you, you'll find two polls to the left of this post. Please vote in them and then comment on this post with your further thoughts on this matter. I look forward to hearing from all of you!

By the way, for those of you who are wondering, I define a short novel as one that has a maximum of 200-250 pages and a long novel as anything over that.

Until next time!

100 words: A story or a paragraph?

2009-01-05T01:59:00.005-05:00

According to 100 Words or Fewer Writing Contest, 100 words is most definitely long enough for a story and is long enough to win up to $500 in prize money. Yes, this is another contest. For a $15 entry fee you can have a shot at winning either $500, $200, or $100 in prize money. All you have to do is write a story in 100 words or less. Will I attempt it? I don't know right now. It depends on when they post their new contest.

Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine is my next target for the Old Has Passed Away and The New Has Come to Stay. I've finally got some feedback on it and that has been extremely helpful. Maybe I can polish it up in February and send it off once I get the first draft of Dream of a Dream done.

Dream of a Dream is progressing, though at a snail's pace. I have not had much time to myself, thus I have only written 1k of it, enough to cover the background information of the main character.

More updates later. Remember to sign up for the newsletter!

Until next time!

What are your New Year Resolutions? Here's mine!

2009-01-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! Welcome to the year 2009! Many of you, as I did, stayed up till midnight to ring in the new year. This post is a reward for you staying up all that time. Anyways, I've decided to join in the popular custom of making resolutions for the new year. Or at least, I have a few writing goals I'd like to accomplish. And here they are:

First and foremost, my biggest goal by far is to write, edit and self-publish Dream of a Dream, the allegorical novel about NaNo. Since this goal is so large, I have divided it up into monthly goals which are as follows:

January - Write the first draft.
February - Send the manuscript out to readers to get feedback and also finish writing Lwyn: A Space Trader's Daughter Book 1 and 2.
March - Edit second draft of Dream of a Dream.
April - Send second draft out to readers for feedback. Also create a cover for the proof copy and layout the text.
May - Get CreateSpace to approve the documents for the proof copy and print it. Edit the third draft of the novel.
June - Send out third draft of novel to readers for the last time.
July - Make the final changes to the novel. Start laying out the text and alter the cover for the second proof copy.
August - Finalize the proof copy and order it. Finalize the layout, design, and content for my new authors website, Sittybus. Make the graphics for marketing Dream of a Dream.
September - Launch website on the first of the month. Change and order another proof copy if necessary. Launch marketing for Dream of a Dream.
October - Release Dream of a Dream on the first and continue the marketing campaign. Try to get book into a bookstore and arrange a book signing.
November - Continue marketing and hold book signing if arranged.
December - Continue marketing but relax otherwise.

As I said, that's a big goal and it's all divided up. Also mentioned in that goal are my other goals to finish Book 1 and 2 of the Lwyn: A Space Trader's Daughter Series.

I will also be participating for the first time in Script Frenzy in April of this year. So I'd also like to win that by writing the 100 pages of script.

I have already started writing a film script adaptation for Prince Caspian and I'd like to finish that in the new year. I know, a new film has already been made of it, but I feel that I need to work it out myself so I'll feel better, especially if it turns out to be the last Narnia movie made.

Finish my short story Erlkonig and submit it somewhere.

Finish The Old has Passed Away... and submit it somewhere.

Work on my novel with my friend via the letter game and maybe finish it

Write poems for school and, if any are good enough to publish, try to submit one somewhere, maybe the Q.

Enter some sort of writing contest.

And I think that covers it! I know, I've got a lot on my plate and some are rather vague, but I think they are reasonable. Enjoy the new year and I hope many things come true! Just remember, your new year's resolutions and goals won't come true unless you work on them, step by step.

Oh, one last thing. This new year I will launch a monthly newsletter that will contain updates about my writing and upcoming events. Sign up by clicking on the button below or the button in the sidebar. The first mailing will go out on January 31st.

Until next time!

It's here!

2008-12-30T23:31:00.001-05:00

Yes, that's right folks! My new Alphasmart Dana is here at long last. I've already started writing Dream of a Dream on it. I got it set up yesterday, the same day that it arrived, and have been experimenting on it ever since. I'll post up a picture of it as soon as I can. I can't wait to try it out at school as well as for personal writing.

Today was fun as well because I learned how to shoot a rifle and a pistol. Now that was quite an experience. I think I like the rifle better because it had a smaller kickback (because it was only a .22). I can't wait to go back to the range and shoot some more. Might be good to recover my hearing first. Some of our fellow shooters had guns with very loud shots which set my ears ringing even though I had ear protectors on. However I did have fun despite the loud and distracting noises.

Until next time!

1 Day till Christmas!

2008-12-24T23:32:00.003-05:00

It's almost here! Christmas is just beyond reach with all the fun and joy that it brings. Of course, we can't forget the reason for the season and that is the birth of Jesus as a human baby. That is the most significant thing that has ever happened on a Christmas. Of course, some would argue that Jesus's birth wasn't on December 25th, but even if it isn't, December 25th is still the day picked out to celebrate his birth on - no matter when he was born.

A snowflake is a typical symbol of winter. It along with snowmen hail us from shop windows and peek out from Christmas trees. However, most don't think of what snow really stands for. Snow, when it first falls, is pure and white and is a great symbol of Christmas as well as winter in general. This glass snowflake ornament on our tree is one of my favorite ornaments. It is so pretty and delicate, hanging there illuminated by the lights on the tree. But, one should always remember the story behind the symbol and so one should always remember that a snowflake stands for more than just winter and cold, but for the purity of how God's creation was, before we came along and messed it up in the Fall.

Until next time!

2 Days till Christmas!

2008-12-23T22:07:00.003-05:00

Violin music drifts through the air, half heard and haunting. The notes, when coherent, form the tunes of familiar Christmas carols. The player is my mom, practicing her violin long after my sister has been put to bed. This music is what I hear every night, or rather every night since my mom bought her violin. Tis fitting that she should play Christmas carols to practice with Christmas Day so near. The one and only topic on my little sister's lips today was which present she'd get to open tomorrow night. We have a tradition of the kids (my sister and I) opening one present of my parents' choice on Christmas Eve and it is very exciting for my little sister.

The subject of the picture today is something she asked me to take a picture of. She has a child's nativity set that she has set up under the tree. She wouldn't rest until I took a picture of it. The resin it is made from has turned out to be surprisingly breakable for a child's nativity set. I believe the shepherd's staff has turned out to be the most breakable due to its being thin and therefore more fragile.

Until next time!

3 Days till Christmas!

2008-12-22T21:33:00.003-05:00

Brrr...That is what most everyone in the country is feeling today. The cold winter freeze has finally reached us. I just hope it stays long enough to be productive and actually leave some snow behind. I would like a white Christmas and I haven't had one in years. It's about time for another one to grace the house I'm currently living in.

Another ornament from our tree composes today's picture. A small glass angel dangling from a branch, hands folded in prayer, shimmers in the lights from the tree.

Until next time!

4 Days till Christmas!

2008-12-21T21:16:00.003-05:00

Only 4 days left! I'm so excited! Today I wrapped my presents for my family. It was such a nice sight to see all the boxes, perfectly wrapped and just waiting to be put under the tree. I am truly excited. Now all will be perfect once I get the troubles with my christmas present all settled.

The ornaments on our tree caught my interest today. One in particular made a nice sight (and picture). It is a simple blown glass ball with ribbons glued on the outside and popurri on the inside.

Until next time!

5 Days till Christmas!

2008-12-20T23:33:00.004-05:00

Most of the day was taken up with a new project of mine. I'm crosstitching a plate for a lightswitch. My cousin should like it for her new apartment. Tis of a hummingbird and flowers artfully arranged around the light switch. Again, two pictures for today. My mother spent 3 hours picking out and buying her christmas present, a new violin. The tone on it is lovely, especially the lower strings. The first picture is of the new violin.

Second picture, of course, is my christmas related picture. It is an ornament without a tree. I positioned it on a lamp to create the light effect.

Until next time!