Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Happy Dancing!
MaryJanice Davidson is in a nearby town today! About 10 hours from now I hope to be getting a book signed. This is the first time I've gone to a book signing, so it will be a new experience for me, and one I expect I'll enjoy. Plus it gave me an excuse to take a 1/2 day vacation, which makes the day even better!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Ridiculously happy and humbled
Okay, so maybe it's not THAT big of a thing, but I was ridiculously giggly, happy dancing, blushing, and humbled to see a link to my little, insignificant blog on MaryJanice Davidson's website. Really?!?!?! MJD has stumbled across my blog? She and Tracy (her fearless assistant) are too busy for this, aren't they?
Even better yet - MJD will be in my state in just 4 short days for a book signing of MMY! Can't possibly explain in feeble little words how great that made my day.
I just had to gloat a little...a New York Times Bestseller posted a link to my itty-bitty blog (the only thing itty-bitty about me). Woo-hoo!!!
Even better yet - MJD will be in my state in just 4 short days for a book signing of MMY! Can't possibly explain in feeble little words how great that made my day.
I just had to gloat a little...a New York Times Bestseller posted a link to my itty-bitty blog (the only thing itty-bitty about me). Woo-hoo!!!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
NaNoWriMo is looming
National Novel Writing Month is on the horizon and I'm having a hard time picking a character to concentrate on for the competition. I may end up trying to tackle something to soothe both Jess and Collie. Merie would be WAY more fun, but I don't think they'd be too fond of some of the story lines and the possible Jihad (did I spell that correctly) that could arise as a result.
Just the thought of NaNoWriMo is helping cheer me up a bit, and I'm hoping all my "girls" chime in to let me know who should be my primary focus for this go-round.
It's also possible that I go completely off-track and instead write something about the challenges of being in an industry that is in more upheaval and turmoil than the UAW. Given that I may be on the unemployment lines soon myself, it might not be a bad thing to do. I've been through the process often enough to know how get my feet back under me, dust off my backside, put a smile on my face, and go job-hunting.
There's also the MaryJanice Davidson book signing coming up to look forward to. That could be a hoot, standing in line with other fans, talking about characters. I've never been to a book signing before and I love new adventures like that!
Just the thought of NaNoWriMo is helping cheer me up a bit, and I'm hoping all my "girls" chime in to let me know who should be my primary focus for this go-round.
It's also possible that I go completely off-track and instead write something about the challenges of being in an industry that is in more upheaval and turmoil than the UAW. Given that I may be on the unemployment lines soon myself, it might not be a bad thing to do. I've been through the process often enough to know how get my feet back under me, dust off my backside, put a smile on my face, and go job-hunting.
There's also the MaryJanice Davidson book signing coming up to look forward to. That could be a hoot, standing in line with other fans, talking about characters. I've never been to a book signing before and I love new adventures like that!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Writing Moods
It's been a rough month with a lot of unexpected losses of pets and people. So I'm understandably not in a "chipper" mood.
I often wonder if other writers have to be in a specific mood or mindset in order to write effectively - or at all. Just writing this short bit of fluff is taking a lot of concerted effort.
On a more happy note though, MaryJanice Davidson will be at a signing near enough for me to get to "quickly" for her new book Me, Myself, and Why. I'm hoping to be able to get off of work to head over early and grab a spot in line. I'd love to be able to thank her in person for writing her book and for being willing to answer my myriad questions about her writing style. More importantly, I'd love a chance to shake Tracy's (her assistant) hand for being so generous to the fans and making sure questions don't go unanswered for too long.
I'm still looking for an agent, or an editor. I haven't heard a peep back from the last submission, so I'm done waiting and will hit a bunch at once after another go round of the current drafts. I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth the effort to chase down an agent or whether I should take the plunge and go the self-published route by trying to make it available on various eReaders.
I often wonder if other writers have to be in a specific mood or mindset in order to write effectively - or at all. Just writing this short bit of fluff is taking a lot of concerted effort.
On a more happy note though, MaryJanice Davidson will be at a signing near enough for me to get to "quickly" for her new book Me, Myself, and Why. I'm hoping to be able to get off of work to head over early and grab a spot in line. I'd love to be able to thank her in person for writing her book and for being willing to answer my myriad questions about her writing style. More importantly, I'd love a chance to shake Tracy's (her assistant) hand for being so generous to the fans and making sure questions don't go unanswered for too long.
I'm still looking for an agent, or an editor. I haven't heard a peep back from the last submission, so I'm done waiting and will hit a bunch at once after another go round of the current drafts. I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth the effort to chase down an agent or whether I should take the plunge and go the self-published route by trying to make it available on various eReaders.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Of Family Matters
It's been a busy month on the in-law side of things. First an Uncle passed, then my mother-in-law's best friend, followed shortly by my mother-in-law and then a "dog-in-law". (Hubby's Aunt's Goldie). Lots and lots to deal with none of it much too happy.
Due to this my characters have been uncharacteristically quiet of late. They're still there, ready to cause chaos in my head at a moment's notice, but they seem to understand I need time to deal with things and won't have much time to write yet. Or perhaps they know about the impending layoffs and are waiting to pounce once I'm on the unemployment line. Who knows? They do have minds of their own; which I find utterly fascinating.
Then today, I get told about a dinner table discussion about some responses I had to things my nephew's posted on a social media site. Jess had a bit of a hissy fit, not a long one, but a rant that would make a sailor blush during this conversation. (Granted, she's right, I haven't sat down to dinner with these people in at least 5 years). They aren't children either, they're both over 18. It's funny (in an odd way) that they even complained about it. First off, isn't the rule of thumb don't post anything on the internet that you don't want people to see? And second rule of thumb, if you can't take the heat of a response that you don't agree with, don't post stuff to the internet? Or perhaps I'm just showing my age as I've been on the "Internet" since back in the old ARPANET and FLASH days.
Anyway, it got me to thinking about how odd my family can truly be and how I SO don't fit their "expectations" of who I should be at all. Which may explain why my sister has now lost 5 copies of my book that she's supposed to be editing.
Which, in turn, brings me to the family I have built for myself, a.k.a. "The Family". It's an eclectic mix of very fun, wonderful, loving and accepting people. We don't have to see each other often to know we care about each other or to know what's going on in each other's lives. We treasure the time we have together and have great fun when we are together. And these are the people who step forward to help out on a moment's notice when tragedy hits and I unexpectedly need help in any number of ways. There are no expectations, no demands, just simple offers of assistance. And I happily do the same for them.
What does all of this have to with writing? Well, I've given up on asking my family for an honest evaluation of my writing. Instead I'm going to The Family to ask people for opinions, criticism, and input on my book. And I'm hoping to gain more insight from a new writer's group (well, new to me anyway) from people that aren't "family" and will not hesitate to give an honest opinion. Which in turn means this entire process is going to take a lot longer and I will hopefully learn a TON about writing, whether it be for pleasure or profit.
At any rate, I'm sure Jess will jump in at some point, demanding attention and kicking my virtual butt to get back to work on her storyline. And I really can't wait I do have such fun jumping into her world.
Due to this my characters have been uncharacteristically quiet of late. They're still there, ready to cause chaos in my head at a moment's notice, but they seem to understand I need time to deal with things and won't have much time to write yet. Or perhaps they know about the impending layoffs and are waiting to pounce once I'm on the unemployment line. Who knows? They do have minds of their own; which I find utterly fascinating.
Then today, I get told about a dinner table discussion about some responses I had to things my nephew's posted on a social media site. Jess had a bit of a hissy fit, not a long one, but a rant that would make a sailor blush during this conversation. (Granted, she's right, I haven't sat down to dinner with these people in at least 5 years). They aren't children either, they're both over 18. It's funny (in an odd way) that they even complained about it. First off, isn't the rule of thumb don't post anything on the internet that you don't want people to see? And second rule of thumb, if you can't take the heat of a response that you don't agree with, don't post stuff to the internet? Or perhaps I'm just showing my age as I've been on the "Internet" since back in the old ARPANET and FLASH days.
Anyway, it got me to thinking about how odd my family can truly be and how I SO don't fit their "expectations" of who I should be at all. Which may explain why my sister has now lost 5 copies of my book that she's supposed to be editing.
Which, in turn, brings me to the family I have built for myself, a.k.a. "The Family". It's an eclectic mix of very fun, wonderful, loving and accepting people. We don't have to see each other often to know we care about each other or to know what's going on in each other's lives. We treasure the time we have together and have great fun when we are together. And these are the people who step forward to help out on a moment's notice when tragedy hits and I unexpectedly need help in any number of ways. There are no expectations, no demands, just simple offers of assistance. And I happily do the same for them.
What does all of this have to with writing? Well, I've given up on asking my family for an honest evaluation of my writing. Instead I'm going to The Family to ask people for opinions, criticism, and input on my book. And I'm hoping to gain more insight from a new writer's group (well, new to me anyway) from people that aren't "family" and will not hesitate to give an honest opinion. Which in turn means this entire process is going to take a lot longer and I will hopefully learn a TON about writing, whether it be for pleasure or profit.
At any rate, I'm sure Jess will jump in at some point, demanding attention and kicking my virtual butt to get back to work on her storyline. And I really can't wait I do have such fun jumping into her world.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Chatty Characters
There must be something about August that gets my characters all riled up. Perhaps it's the fact that school is due to start soon, perhaps it's the weather, maybe it's just because they want to be annoying. Either way, my head is chaotic at the moment.
I'm debating about posting some of the short stories on my blog. Mainly because Jess is so foul-mouthed that it would take me out of the PG-13 category, but there's a part of me that doesn't want to see someone try to snake off with my characters and hose up their voices. Because both Jess and Myrtle get REALLY cranky when their words are changed around. Just try to modify Jess' swearing too much and she'll give me a right royal headache.
Anyway, thought I'd add a short post, just to let people know I'm still alive, I just need many more hours in the day right now.
I'm debating about posting some of the short stories on my blog. Mainly because Jess is so foul-mouthed that it would take me out of the PG-13 category, but there's a part of me that doesn't want to see someone try to snake off with my characters and hose up their voices. Because both Jess and Myrtle get REALLY cranky when their words are changed around. Just try to modify Jess' swearing too much and she'll give me a right royal headache.
Anyway, thought I'd add a short post, just to let people know I'm still alive, I just need many more hours in the day right now.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thoughtful wondering
I'm wondering how long it takes an agent to say "no thanks". Is 3 months long enough, or should I wait 6 before sending them something else? And why isn't there a writer's group in my local area?
More importantly, how useful is this blog really? I'm not sure how many people have even read this one. I have another one over at writing.com but am not finding that site very useful either. Maybe it's just cynicism striking me, or the busyness of my life. Either way I find myself thinking more along the lines of "is it worth it" than "what's the Coven up to today?" or "what's going to happen in Jess/Collie/Merie's world"?
Summer may not be helping either as I prefer to be outside playing on my tractor or working in my garden instead of in front of a keyboard. From time to time, the Coven or Merie or Jess or Collie reaches out and grabs my attention in a way that I have to stop what I'm doing and grab the closest writable device (including my BlackBerry) and write as fast as I can. The problem with that is finding the focus to go back and edit what I've written. And finding willing editors for Jess' book is difficult as well as most find it either: 1) offensive in language or 2) offensive in content. Which is fine with me as I didn't expect it to be a large market range; that's more of Collie's book.
So, if I lapse in posts and you would like to know where I'm at, nudge me with a comment.
Right now, I'm waiting to hear back from 3 agents and searching for an editor that might be interested in either Collie or Jess. Waiting, and waiting, and wondering.
More importantly, how useful is this blog really? I'm not sure how many people have even read this one. I have another one over at writing.com but am not finding that site very useful either. Maybe it's just cynicism striking me, or the busyness of my life. Either way I find myself thinking more along the lines of "is it worth it" than "what's the Coven up to today?" or "what's going to happen in Jess/Collie/Merie's world"?
Summer may not be helping either as I prefer to be outside playing on my tractor or working in my garden instead of in front of a keyboard. From time to time, the Coven or Merie or Jess or Collie reaches out and grabs my attention in a way that I have to stop what I'm doing and grab the closest writable device (including my BlackBerry) and write as fast as I can. The problem with that is finding the focus to go back and edit what I've written. And finding willing editors for Jess' book is difficult as well as most find it either: 1) offensive in language or 2) offensive in content. Which is fine with me as I didn't expect it to be a large market range; that's more of Collie's book.
So, if I lapse in posts and you would like to know where I'm at, nudge me with a comment.
Right now, I'm waiting to hear back from 3 agents and searching for an editor that might be interested in either Collie or Jess. Waiting, and waiting, and wondering.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)