OMG, GRACELING!

So, this weekend, I fell in love with a book. This is not that unusual an occurrence, in fact it happens often. I read A LOT, even by writer/reader standards. (I'm talking 150 books a year...yikes and shame).

But every once in a while, I read a book that I not only LOVE, but I mourn it after I'm done. I go into a little bit of a reader depression, where I think of the world and miss the characters. We all do this, right? I experienced this with GRACELING, by Kristen Cashore.

I've really surprised myself these past few months with how much I love YA fantasy. Fantasy would never be a genre I would have said was one of my favorites. Ever. But the YA fantasy I've been reading lately is sooooo good.

GRACELING is no exception. Katsa was such a badass, It was kind of refreshing to flip the common brooding boy/lovesick girl thing around. Not that Po was needy, he was actually PERFECT!! He will go down on my short list (again...this is relative, because it's kind of a long list) of best lead male's of all time.  Of course, this book included my favorite love element...the separation. I can't help it, I love the reunion.  I was also surprised with how much I liked Bitterblue. At first I was all "oh gah, we're going to add a child to this mix?" (spoken like a true mother, right?) But I loved this element, and loved Bitterblue's character. In fact, I can't wait to read her book. :)

The ending and 'sort-of'' twist. Not really even a twist, but a surprise, was perfect. It made me love the characters even more than I already did.

In my true review style, I don't give a lot of info except for the plea....YOU MUST READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T!! It's truly an amazing book. And if you're a writer, you have to check out Kristen's blog. She has the most amazing writing process. whoa! Whatever she's doing though, she  must keep it up. :)

Yay Spring...Yay Books!

The weather round these parts has been glorious! I know I'm not winter person, but the emotions that I feel during the first few beautiful days of Spring weather always catch me by surprise. It's such an inspirational time of rebirth and inspiration. Does anyone else experience this. I allow many things to plague me through the winter months but Spring is like a salvation. I know this is all very dramatic and over the top, but that's really how it feels to me.

I'm sure a lot of it stems from the fact that my business goes dormant in Winter, leaving me feeling a little useless...and well, a lot broke by the time Spring rolls around. I know that useless feeling is unwarranted, since I am still a mother, wife, writer and homemaker. But I can't help it. I need to feel like I'm producing something that is bettering our family. Now that I'm shooting again, it feels so good.

I'm also writing. Tons. I'm nearly done with my wip and I'm so happy I could scream. I love the characters, love the story, love that it's almost to "The End". So, as we all know, it can really get started! I'm actually very excited to do edits and revisions. Very excited. I think I'll be one of those people that enjoy that process the best.

On to other things, I've read some fantastic books lately. Thought I'd share.

1. Bright Young Things  Anna Godbersen

I adored this book. It's historical, prohibition, speak easy's, it's YA, there's drama and hot boys. Seriously? The only thing that could ruin it would be the writing...but no, Anna has not failed me yet. I loved the Luxe series (which I wrote about last year) and I know I will love the BYT series as well. 

2. Born Wicked  Jessica Spotswood

I will use one word to describe this. Yummy! That's how I felt. In some ways, this book is very complex. It's about witches and a very male dominated suppressive world. It really taps into some deep rooted issues that pertain to our world today, I think. I love this about it. I love how she writes it, but at the same time it's incredibly simple. I mean that in a positive way. It's just simply pleasurable and easy to read. Now, I can see where the following books may not be described this way. I can tell that things are sort of "just getting started" so to speak. That being said, I think Jessica has a writing style that is not fluffy, or full of useless jargon. I don't even know what that means! haha But I just felt like she nailed this one. It seemed like an ideal young adult book. Enough mature conflict and theme to please an adult, but the perfect voice, writing style and motivation for a teenager. If you can't tell....I loved it!!

3. Lola and the Boy Next Door  Stephanie Perkins

Oh Lola. Can you make me some clothes? Can you do my hair? Something? I want a little more Lola in my everyday life. Anyone else? What a fantastic character.
I loved this story as much, if not a smidge more than Anna ATFK. But I have to confess something. I loved Cricket, and she without a doubt made the right choice...but who else had a little bit of a crush on Max??? It must be a deep psychological issue of mine, but I have a weakness for the bad boy. What is wrong with me? But at the same time, I don't think Max was BAD, per se. He was just older, and wrong for her. But in my world, after they broke up, I was the older woman he saw while he was gone. Just sayin...

Feel free to judge me on that last comment!!! :)

Paid in Full

Yesterday was a wonderful day. I paid off a whopper of a fine to my local public library. I love to buy books, but I'm a readaholic. Our budget doesn't support my habit to the fullest, so I have to borrow. Well, I used to borrow. I hadn't been to the library in about a year because I owed them $. Ridiculous? yes. It started with the usual. Overdue fees, etc. Then the biggie…my three boys accidentally destroyed one of those big Star Wars encyclopedia books. Sigh.

Why are replacing books for the library more expensive than just buying it at Barnes and Nobles or Target?? That whole "reshelving" thing? I don't know. But finally that's all behind me, and yesterday my youngest and I walked into the library and took a good, deep breath! Ahhhhh. It felt so good. We loaded our arms with books of all sorts, picture books, graphic novels, chapter books, YA. It was bliss. We checked out without question...YAY! Then, I came home and filled my online hold list with every book imaginable. In a few days I'm going to be walking out of there with a serious bag of books. (Our library system in KC is quite impressive considering I live in a tiny country suburb.)

I was thrilled to find that my small library had a book on the shelf that I had really been wanting to read.

 

While googling this, I discovered that Selena Gomez is said to be playing in the movie of this. I like her, no haters please. Did anyone else know there was a movie being made?? Very cool.

Some of the titles that will be mine in a few days!! SQUEEE!!!

 What is everyone else reading??

It's 2012!!

Sadly, this is my first post of 2012!

ACK!

It's shameful, but I'm already over it.

I have missed blogging! I have missed bloggers. I have missed writers!! But I have not missed writing because I've been writing my butt off! That is the upside of my lack of blogging.

I had been nursing my wip for way. too. long. It was going nowhere fast. I was totally pantsing it. But something clicked a few weeks ago. I gave into a feeling I was having about this wip and it opened the floodgates. The writing was coming easy and it felt so good!! (Don't we LOVE that!)

Then one day I was overcome with an intense urge to plot it out. So I did...on about 20 envelopes. An envelope a chapter. I literally grabbed them off my desk and scribbled them out before the feeling passed. It has changed things for me. Having this—albeit crude—outline has made everyday writing a no brainer.

Here is the key.....

    I know what is supposed to happen.

Seems obvious doesn't it?? But I realize for a long time I didn't know! It was all feelings and theories. But it was not a plot. I pray that the next book I write will not require the marinating time that this one did. Please tell me that it gets easier. That ideas come quicker, that concepts come together faster!! Anyone???

The About Me Bag...A Character Analysis

    I've been over at WriteOnCon the past few days when I've been able to. It's wonderful and kudos to the ladies that bring it to us. More kudos to those authors, agents, and editors that participate. Yay!
One thing I've heard mentioned frequently is knowing your characters. It seems obvious, and at first glance you think, "Well duh, I dreamed up these characters...of course I know them!" 

    But do you??? I don't know. I thought I knew mine, but I did a little exercize with myself and found I might have some work to do. No, I KNOW I have some work to do. However, I enjoyed this exercise and I'm particularly proud because I came up with it myself. *pats back*

    So yesterday my boys went back to school (insert happy dance) and they both came home with an identical assignment. They were both titled The About Me Bag. Here is what it involves.

    Pick 3 items to put into the bag that you can present to the class. These items must tell us something about you.

This is a random google image kid, not my child! Although he is a cutie!

    So, obviously we went around finding photos of them with their brothers (I have 2 brothers), Darth Vader Lego minifigures ( I love Lego's and Star Wars), a Photo of Abe Lincoln (I love learning about history...my 8 year old is the bomb.com!) and other things that a little boy would show to represent his precious little life.
Of course one of my children asked me, "What would you put in your bag mom? A camera?"

"Hmmmmm. Probably something related to my photography, a picture of my beautiful family, and a book." I said.

They seemed pleased with this answer. All of those items fit me perfectly. I think even my husband would have chosen those three items for me. They clearly show who I am.

    Well, the writer in me started thinking about my....duh, writing. (As us writers always do) So I started to wonder what my main characters would have in their bags. Here is the scary part. I wasn't really SURE!!  *GASP* How is that possible?? I could maybe pick one or two items. Maybe. But overall, I realized that I couldn't pinpoint it exactly.

    Ummmm, I think we should know our characters that well...no?! So my mission is to figure out what my characters 3 items would be in their About Me Bag. Let's take it a stop further...what will be in their About Me Bag at the END of the story?!  *Insert dramatic oooooohhhh and awwwwww*

    If were writing a good story, I don't really think their About Me Bag should look the same by the end of the book, know what I mean?? Take this yet another step further. Imagine your character presenting them to the class. (This is especially easy if you write YA...if not, just pretend!) Who is watching? Are they nervous or confident? Do they not put what they really want to in their bag because they are embarssed? Is the bitchy antagonist in the back of the class making fun of them? What was in that girls bag??

    Point is, you can really work this idea to come up with a really clear picture of who your character is. I highly suggest it...or please share what you do to explore your characters!!

What a DAY!

Today is one of those days. The kind that are wonderful and stressful at the same time. Where you have a lot to do....just so you can get to the good stuff? Know what I'm talking about?

My son is having a birthday party tomorrow. Here. In my house. Ugh. Now I know why we moms are willing to spend buukuu bucks on having the party SOMEWHERE ELSE. There is that whole cleaning thing. It sucks. On top of that, I decided to make him a cake. Double ugh. I actually used to be pretty decent at making cakes. People actually paid me. I quit for a reason. But here I am doing it again for my beloved son.

I was up last night making Lego Star Wars Mini-figures out of fondant. Seriously. It will be awesome though. So today I'm baking, cleaning, fondanting, and all the while planning to get the four of us (me and my 3 boys) ready to hit a huge water park this afternoon with my sister. Oh, and I have a shoot tomorrow morning at like 7 am....before the party at 2:00.

Yeah. Sounds good, right? I will enjoy the water park....when I get us there. The shoot will be fun, although it will be early. (Plus I love this family!) And I will enjoy the party....when it happens. But the stuff in between?? Not so much. After that party tomorrow I will throw on some "soft pants" (as we call slumming clothes) and curl up with a good book to recoup.


Oh wait. Still haven't written through the kissing scene yet.

AHHHHHHH!!!  Sunday + Me = SERIOUS WRITING AND KISSING!!!

Happy Friday Peeps!! :)

Dirty Little Secrets...are hard to keep

If you read yesterdays post you saw where I mentioned giving my husband back control of our finances.

Now, I'm not going to air my dirt laundry here...but we needed to button up. We've needed to do it for awhile. My husband knew this...but not to the extent he should have. I knew it too, but you see...if you are really only answering to yourself with your spending it's easy to buy a book here or there. Or decide you don't want to cook the kids lunch and head to Chick Fil-A. Those things add up, and faster than you think. When I shared with my husband the whole situation it was a relief. His words were, "Okay, but you can't spend even a penny without us discussing it."

Now, to some of you that would be a "WTF?" moment. Well, maybe at one time it would have been. But right now it is a weight off my shoulders. It is accountability. It is partnership. It's direction.

We have a plan. We are a team.

My husband doesn't realize it, but I secretly do the same thing to him with my writing. I casually voice what's going on to him. I know many of these things he really doesn't care about. But, when I voice them...I'm sharing my plan. It's not just in my head anymore...it's out there. I've said it to the universe. I do the same thing here on this blog. When you put your intentions to the world, you want to keep them. You want to work harder.

That being said, my intention was to not read another book until my two main characters kissed. I haven't read in almost a week. I'm tempted to throw a kiss in and edit it out later...but that would be lame. And weasley. No more.

Often I think my husband isn't listening when I talk about writing and kissing and blah, blah, blah. Well, last night as he was drifting off to sleep I cracked open a nutrition book. It was NON FICTION FOLKS!! That certainly doesn't count right? Well...I did feel a little guilty. About three paragraphs into protein and legumes I felt his weight shift on the bed.

"Have you written a kissing scene? Are you reading?"

"Pshhaaa, it's a diet book!"

Silence.

"Ugh."

Dirt little secrets...it's best to share.

What I know for sure....right now.

Today I'm channeling my inner Oprah. I need to do that sometimes. Don't you?


A few things I know for sure today.

Giving my husband back the job of handling the bill paying and finances has been the best decision I've made in the last 5 years. Really.

I'm desperately ready for school to start.

The last two days I've watched more TV than I have in the last year.

I made a deal with myself that I couldn't read another book until the two main characters in my ms have their first kiss. I haven't read anything since last Thursday!!! OMG!! (Hence the tv watching.)

I haven't been able to write because I've had so much picture editing to do. Ugh!!

My little puppy is almost one. He is still a brat! We love him anyway.

I'm feeling rather optimistic about everything lately. It's a good feeling.

The heat here in the Midwest is getting OLD!!

Having my work email give me issues has become a real problem. When you aren't getting your emails, you are just SURE that the ones you're missing are very important. I'm sure I'm missing a local celebrity asking me to shoot their wedding. I'm sure of it!

My wip has suddenly developed a new piece to it's puzzle that I'm very excited about. Don't you love it when your characters reveal a part of themselves to you that you didn't see coming??  Now....if I could just get some time to write!


Happy Tuesday to you!

Can't find the rhythm.

My brain has a little problem. It goes like this.

I read a book in first person present...and then when I go back to my novel words don't sound right anymore! I get confused, things don't make sense. Wording seems awkward.

I just finished up the novel Anna and the French Kiss...which I LOVED! Don't get me wrong, it's not Anna's fault. But all I can hear is 1st/present. The end.

Does anyone else have this problem???? How can I switch my brain back?

Sometimes you have to Steal!

That was a hook of a title...no? Sorry, I didn't mean it. I should have put borrow. But that didn't have the same zest at 7:00 AM on a Tuesday morning where it's already 83*.

Speaking of the heat, it's HOT. Like, hope my AC does freeze up hot!

Summer does not equal creative process for me. At. All. I have to literally suck the words from my over-processed brain. It's tough. Very tough. Anyone else have this problem? It may be the heat. It may be the kids. It may be the desire to do other things...go to the pool, vacation, nothing.

Anyway, two of my favorite bloggers recently had excellent post that inspired me. I thought they might inspire you too. Hence the stealing/not stealing. I'm actually referring you. You should get to know these gals if you haven't already, because they are the shiz!! (Sorry, too much iCarly as of late.)

Heidi Willis of Some Mad Hope did a great post on Motivation. Loved it. There is no story without motivation, and she gives you some things to think about. (We're talking your characters motivation here...not your own!!) Plus, she is currently getting her MFA, so she might sorta know what she is talking about!!! ;) I love reading her posts every time!


Natasha Hanova of Writes By Moonlight has a post on being stuck. I can relate to this and she has an excellent set of questions to ask yourself about your "stuck scene" that I love. Sometimes you just need a little something to get the wheels turning again. Check her blog out, she always has good stuff. Oh, and I've read her writing so I KNOW she knows her stuff!! :)

I've mentioned this blog before, but it deserves another mention. Stephanie Morrill's blog Go Teen Writers. Don't be discouraged by the name adults, there is some seriously  awesome content on this blog. And Stephanie will welcome you even if you are 45. She is just like that. I love what she is doing for young writers though. Giving them a place to share and learn. She holds contests that encourage their creativity and sharing and I think that is so awesome. If I would have had access to Stephanie fifteen year ago it would have been a game changer! She has done a whole series on writing a novel and it is great. Locate the info by the tabs at the top of her blog. Good stuff peeps. Oh, and check out Stephanie's awesome series here. I've read it and LOVED it.

Sometimes you just need something to light the fire...I know you can find something with these ladies!!

Happy Tuesday!

Historical Fiction....*SIGH*

I just can't get enough of it. My love of history is extensive. My love of reading....ridiculous. Put them together?

BLISS!

Oh, and throw in a strong romantic element??  HEAVENLY BLISS!

So, last week being what it was, (see post below) I needed an escape this past weekend. In a bad way. An escape is really what all my reading is. I think that is why I have to read books that end happily. They may not be happy throughout, that's okay. But they must end feeling good. I'm escaping my stressful life for goodness sakes. I want some hope in there...some kissing too if we're being honest.

Last weekends escape was The Yellow House: A Novel, by Patricia Falvey. It was perfect. A strong voice in the protagonist and yummy secondary characters. The icing of course was the historical setting, which was Northern Ireland in the 19teens and 1920's. If you know anything about Irish or English history at that time you know it was an extremely tumultuous period. Home Rule, Easter Rising, Catholic, Protestant, Quaker, and of course WWI. It covers all of that time thru the eyes of a young Catholic girl coming of age and trying to keep her family together through it all. 

What I appreciated about Patricia Falvey's style was that it was smooth and easy. Sometimes with these historical fiction books you're in for a grueling roller coaster of emotions and drama. While there was no lack of drama or intensity...it wasn't heavy. It was perfect for summer and gave me my historical fix with the perfect romantic story woven in. I loved it. I escaped perfectly...and I thank her for that!

Love and Movies

I love, love. I love it in books, I love it in real life, I love my job because of it. Shooting weddings and families makes me happy.

When I read a book, I must have it in some way. I can't easily do a pure mystery or thriller. I can, and I have, but I'm not naturally drawn to it. Therefore, I don't write without it. I don't know if I could. Sometimes I consider trying to write (just as an excercize for myself)a purely horror short story or something. Just to test myself and strengthen my skills. I do that with my photography sometimes. I shoot something in a completely new way just to see if I can, and then to see if it helps me in my "normal" work. It usually does.

Does anyone ever try this? Write something that feels foreign to you? Obviously we were forced to do that in school...but that was a LONG time ago. I remember times in school when I would hear the assignment and groan only to find that I was actually pretty good at whatever was assigned.

That's my tip this week (hmmmm, I don't usually give tips) I'm going to write a couple of pages of something completely out of my comfort zone. It will have to be thriller or mystery. I encourage you to do the same. Let me know how it goes for you!! I'd even love for you to post and link it.

Also...has anyone seen the movie Midnight in Paris? If you are a writer, you will get a kick out of it. I wouldn't call myself a Woody Allen fan, but I adored this movie. Check it out!

A-Z Challange WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME- and some REVIEWS

For some reason the last week or so of this A-Z challenge has been, well, a challenge! Really. I flew right along at first, now I'm struggling. Not really to come up with anything, but just to make myself do it. Hmmmm. That seems to be a recurring theme in my existence.


So, anyway, I've been reading a lot of first person woman's fiction. Some more literary...some even a little chick littish....sorry. But recall, I've confessed to being a romance junkie so you really shouldn't be surprised.

Without further ado....here is what I've been reading.

Bloodroot by Amy Greene

Named for a flower whose blood-red sap possesses the power both to heal and poison, Bloodroot is a stunning fiction debut about the legacies—of magic and madness, faith and secrets, passion and loss—that haunt one family across the generations, from the Great Depression to today.

I LOVED this book. The voice was amazing, and by 6 different narrators no less. This was fascinating, and she did it so well. The imagery she created was so real I could feel and hear it. This story was intense and haunting and I loved the way it all related. It made me think of my own past  and how connected we are to our heritage by ways we can probably never appreciate. This kind of book is right up my alley, and it's getting really good reviews. Check it out!!!


Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn 

First-century Rome: A world of depravity, blood, and secrets. The ruthless and enigmatic Emperor Domitian watches over all, fearing assassination from every direction . . . but not from the woman who fascinates him most.

Passionate, musical, and guarded, Thea is a slave girl from Judaea. Purchased as a toy for the spiteful heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea becomes her mistress's rival for the love of Arius the Barbarian, Rome's newest and most savage gladiator. His love brings Thea the first happiness of her life - but their affair ends quickly when a jealous Lepida tears them apart.

Oh my gosh!!! I just finished this book last night at midnight....I'm in love with Kate Quinn. I want to be her. I LOVE HISTORICAL BOOKS! I love them. If a book has me getting up and google searching it's facts, I'm all good. If the author is spot on...I'm in heaven. Of course she took some liberties, she admits that...but it's a fiction book. BUT, Emperor Domitian is real and she did him so well!! Thea and Arius The Barbarian....I was in love. They were fictional but you could believe every word of it. I loved the scenes of the Gladiator games. So graphic and realistic. She didn't hold back and you could imagine every second of it. This world was brutal, in fact if you're easily offended it might not be your cup of tea. It's very honest in the telling of what life would have been like for a slave or child in this time period. I love reading about things like this, reminding us of where humanity has been. Relating it to where we are now. I'm in awe of Kate Quinn...she is good, people. Real good.

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, this book could not go wrong. (Well, yes it could...but it didn't, phew!!) Love, passion, emperor's, Rome, Colosseum, Traitors, Fighting, GLADIATORS!! Yes, you need to read it.

The Provence Cure for the Broken Hearted by Bridget Asher 

Brokenhearted and still mourning the loss of her husband, Heidi travels with Abbot, her obsessive-compulsive seven-year-old son, and Charlotte, her jaded sixteen-year-old niece, to the small village of Puyloubier in the south of the France, where a crumbling stone house may be responsible for a mending hearts since before World War II. There, Charlotte confesses a shocking secret, and Heidi learns the truth about her mother's "lost summer". As three generations collide with one another, with the the neighbor who knows it all, an enigmatic Frenchman, Heidi, Charlotte, and Abbot journey through love, loss, and laughter amid the vineyards, and delicious food of Provence. Can the magic of the house heal them all?

The cover of this book pulled me in immediately. Traveling is my dream. The idea of a mother having a "lost summer" spoke to me immediately. As did the idea that a mother and child were alone after the loss of  their father. I've been there. I've written previously on this blog of the need to escape after that loss. So, this book was an easy buy for me. Once I started reading I was a little concerned. Something about this book wasn't pulling me in right off the bat. It was a little too witty. I'm not really sure what I mean by that...but it reminded me of a Gilmore Girls episode. For the record, I hated Gilmore Girls. The whole witty banter was so over the top It made me cringe. This wasn't THAT bad...but it was giving me that vibe.

Thank goodness I didn't cave right then and there. I ended up really enjoying this book. It was a feel good book. With that being said, she described some very real, very spot on emotions of pain and suffering. I could get a good feel for Heidi's grieving. I'm not sure if it's because I imagined my mother or she just made it very believable. I'm thinking both. Once they got on the plane to France, I was all in. Captivated. I loved the relationships, and I loved the imagery. Who couldn't picture themselves living in a little home on the side of a mountain in France surrounded by vineyards? Seriously! This is a perfect summer read. You'll want to get out your passport!

FYI, Bridget Asher, Juliana Baggot, and NE Bode are all this same woman! :) You're children might have read her Nobodies books. This woman writes a lot! Cheers to her!! 

Has anyone read any of these books...or read something good lately???

A-Z Challange KANSAS

Oops!! I missed yesterday, please forgive me. I did think about it, and thought some more...but nothing came. Then, at a certain point I decided to forget about it, that's my prerogative right???

KANSAS

My state. As a child I thought Kansas was so boring. There didn't seem to be anything special about it. It was in the middle, flat, really cold in winter, and super hot in summer. It wasn't exotic, or romantic.

I was wrong. It is a beautiful state, full of wonderful people and perfect little towns. I've seen a lot of this state, and I've learned to  appreciate all the beauty it offers.


Sure there are no palm trees, sandy beaches, or majestic mountain tops. But that's why I have so much money...to fly to these places!  HAHAHAHAHAHA. (good one!!)

Sometimes, I will get to visit other places, but for now I love living in Kansas. It's home.

It's also home to my WIP, which is really special. It's so fun to write about a place you know and create people you end  up loving to live in it!

Endless Summer

Over the weekend, as I let myself rest up and relax, I consumed this double feature by Jennifer Echols.



I really enjoyed it. It completely took me back to high school or even middle school. This main character started out a little behind in the social/feminine department so she came across a little younger to me. (Either that, or I was a hellion...both maybe.)
Jennifer seems to effortlessly capture the emotions of teens. The drama!!! She was able to walk the line perfectly at being very real but not being too grown up.

This book is really two books in one, first The Boys of Summer and then it's sequel Endless Summer. Both with the same main characters.

Highly recommend and I'll be trying some more of her books! Any suggestions?

On the Mend!

You're back?! Thank goodness. I was sure that yesterday sent any readers heading for the hills after my very self indulgent pity party I threw.

Well, after many rounds of sudafed, tylenol, and sleep I feel about 85%. That's better than yesterday so I can only be thankful. As for this snow that is predicted? I'm peeved, but I won't go there.

I did, however, go back and work on my old ms. It was AWESOME! This is a story I had started years ago and left alone for a long while. I opened a brand new file and started in a brand new place. Even gave the mc a brand new name. I loved everything about the "new" old ms. The plot is the same...and I know this plot like the back of my hand.

It felt really good. Thank you to those ladies that encouraged me to do it! Now the question is....do I continue working on both or focus on one or the other? We'll see.

Bring on the snow...and PLEASE let it be the last!!!

Oh yea...only about a day and half to enter the kissing contest!! Give those 2 girls a run for their money!!

I'm going to end on this gem I had found a few years ago...anyone relate? I SURE CAN!!!!

To TITLE or not to TITLE

That is the ques-chee-un.

What do you do? Can you start a ms without a title? Do you title it the main characters first name? Do you title it wip?

Do you ever come up with a title first and then plot it? I'm curious about these things.

I get kind of consumed with titles and I really wish I didn't. I can accept that eventually it (the title) might change but I stress it as I work until I find something that makes me happy. Anyone else?

Also....how does a books title effect your desire to read it?


Image source Kimberly Hayle

State of the WIP- and a little emotion

clocking in at 11,048. Awesome. Things are coming along nicely, but I'm going to get serious for a minute.

Is anyone else out there scared to write sometimes?

Do some manuscripts just seem to awesome. (I know, I know) but yes??? The idea in your head is developing into the most amazing thing you could ever think of. You are on a roll, every time you get in the car and turn on the radio you are inspired. Characters in your mind are so mufti dimensional there is NO. WAY. you could ever do the idea in your head justice?

Hello? Hello?

I'm a perfectionist. I struggle with a first draft. I don't do first draft well. It mocks me.

I want to spew final draft onto the page perfect, and ready to query. The END.

Now, whilst you laugh in my face stop and listen. I'm not stupid. I know this is ridiculous and my logical mind tells me that this is not the way it works...for almost anyone. Who knows? BUT, I get frustrated with myself. Maybe it's because I haven't been doing this long enough. Maybe it's because I just need to force myself to work everyday and plow thru until I overcome this problem.

Now, don't get me wrong. When I do write and even when I read something later I don't cry when I realize it needs some work. I'm always OK. And often I'm pleasantly surprised and satisfied with myself....but often I hesitate to write certain scenes because at least while they are playing out in my head...(sometimes for years!!!) THEY ARE THE BOMB!!! If I write them, they may crumble and wilter, and die.

Please tell me I'm not alone. And yes, my husband does accuse me of the over dramatics!

My apologies to you, my wip...and the world!

Since my last post discussed my goal of 100 words a day, you might think my lack of posting meant that I was busy pounding out chapter after chapter of goodness.

You would be wrong.

I have pounded out a total of ........zero words.

Seriously.

Why? Well, like I said I went to this photography conference and ever since I've been immersed in my business. It's not that I don't think about my writing. In face I think about it all the time.

I replay certain scenes, scenes I haven't even written yet, so often that they have become real to me. Like memories.

I love doing this and it helps because when I finally get around to writing these scenes I know exactly what happens, the emotions, the looks. Everything.

Anyone else day dream there novels into life? I mean, obviously we all do this to a point...but I mean day dream them to death?! I have been day dreaming the climax of my next ms for the past 6 months!! It has changed a little. Dialogue has evolved, clothing, but the meat of it has stayed the same.

I often do this in the car! lol

Anyway, I'm almost done with photography stuff and then my brain can swing back to writing. Soon!

DOUBLE FEATURE

What in the world will I do on March 11th? Red Riding Hood now this?? This is one of my FAVORITE books of all time. I think I've seen all versions of this...and I have to say this one looks amazing!

Oh, and photos are edited, laundry is getting there, bags are not packed...kids are somewhere in the house (but picked up from school!). It may be a late night...what am I doing watching movie trailers??????)