New Release #writing

It's been a while since I've had anything published. A while since I've written anything, actually. Been busy with other things, other projects, other stuff. So I decided to take some time and write. This week I'm devoting my entire week to a new project, a contemporary romantic suspense based in LA.

The little writing bar on the side has held steady at 11% for months while I tried to figure out the rest of this story. Sunday I decided to rip it all out, start fresh, and begin anew.

It took forever to get through chapter 1! But once I was in there, firmly entrenched in Jules head, story plotted through the 90% mark, it was smooth sailing. Jules is a little left-of-center, stream-of-conscious woman, while Archer is a no-nonsense, ex-military man with a sense of the ridiculous and sarcasm that matches Jules.

I'm hoping my writing week will get me through the 3/4 mark of this story, and so far-judging by the % bar to the right-I'm not doing bad!

New Year--New #Goals

I've left writing for far too long, 2013 is the year I'm going to step up my writing. No more putting it off, no more doing other things.

Romantic suspense: police, Texas Rangers, FBI, and hot lovin' what more is there?

Grooving again

There's just something about a 3-day weekend that makes getting back into the swing of things difficult. Very very difficult. This whole week I've felt as if I should have had more time off! Anyone else feel the same?

July

It's another month and I finally have story ideas! I was afraid (read terrified) that the stories I wanted to do were so far off the beaten trail they'd never be publishe (like that 1920s story I love and adore that's really difficult to sell!)

But a couple weeks of not doing any writing and I think I have a few ideas. Two are for sequels to Shadow State, which I'm in the process of self-publishing now that I have the rights back. One is a vague concept for In the Shadows (see reason above) and one is for a fun sexy contemporary.

This summer I want to plot out all of these stories so that when I'm ready to sit and write them, I can with as little trouble (read writer's block) as possible.

What are you working on?

When do you give up?

I don't mean giving up writing, I mean when do you give up on a story?

I have 2 stories-one is a stand alone 1792 Regency and one is a 1860s paranormal historical series. I have the first plotted down to each scene. I have the series planned for the overall world as well as the first 2 books' overall arcs.

But I'm not writing them. I'm not even close to writing them. In fact, I cannibalized the Regency for parts. The paranormal is one I'd love to get to, but how far back can I push it before I lose interest? Or it doesn't work? Or a whole slew of other things?

What do you do? Do you lovingly tend to a story you know you're not getting to any time in the foreseeable future? Take it for parts? Forget it and shove it in a metaphorical drawer-folder?

March Goals

Maybe I should start keeping track of my monthly goals rather than story word counts? Something to think of, though in this they're one in the same.

This month I have:
Bemoaned the fact that another month has gone from the calendar.
Wondered if we'll ever have consistent warm weather.
Battled head colds and sinus/allergy problems every frakkin' day.
Enjoyed maybe 3 days of sun, warmth, and teasing spring-like weather.
Wrote. Don't get me wrong there, definitely wrote!
Planned out a workshop for the 2011 NJRW Conference

Thursday Progress

Some days writing is harder than others. Those days it's better to walk away than continually bang your head against the keyboard.

Lately, life has not been that way. OK, to clarify, WRITING has not been that way. Writing has been flowing rather smoothly. Dark Inheritance is going along very well, I adore the plot and the characters, but mostly right at this moment I'm loving the way it's all flowing! Not just meshing together, not just the way it's all coming out, but the pace of it.

These are the days I love writing, the ones I brag about, the ones I'll look fondly back on in another couple of months and wonder what happened.

And this Friday, my guest will be Wendi Zwaduk who's talking about how to act naturally and her new release, Careless Whisper.

Thursday Progress

Dark Inheritance, formerly known as Dark Regency, and open to title changes. I'm deep into it now, after a longer-than-I'd-like absence.

Jumping right in.

Screaming as I do so.

How do you dive into a story you've set aside for so long? Just do it? Read what you already have and go from there? Or don't you do that? Do you work on one story until it's finished and aren't sidetracked (like I am) by other projects?

1920s story redux

Tri-dux? Is that a word? Re-redux? Either way, I'm slowly widdling it down. Revamping, rewording, basically rewriting large sections to get this story ready for submission. Man, makes me wish I'd done this when I finished it! Would've saved me lots of time now...

Alas I didn't. So I am now. But all this is really why the term 'FIRST DRAFT' was coined. I'm on draft 3, and am so very much happier with this, I can't begin to describe it.

The good news is that I'm through Acts 1 and 2 (of 5) and moving on through Act 3. I think I actually will have this finished by Christmas!

And don't forget my Title Contest!

Chapter One

This weekend I planned on writing 20-25,000 words. This included chapter one which is always the hardest to do. It has to be intriguing, progressive, captivating.

Great!

If it's just that good, people will read more. If it's not, chances are they'll never read chapter 2. Or, for that matter, buy the book. I've read at least parts of chapter one either online or standing in the book store. If I don't like it, of course I won't buy it. What's the point?

Hence the several hour chapter one tweaking marathon.

I personally think it was worth it. :) Here's hoping others do, too.

Friday Guest: Wendi Zwaduk will be here with her newest release My Immortal, a contemporary paranormal being released from Total-E-Bound. Don't forget to stop on by!

Back story

First, before I get to anything, I want to say that I'm glad all my relatives are back safe and sound (in body if not in mind) from their various setbacks. Alex, I demand pictures of Italy! And no. I'm still convinced "calm, cool, and collected" is no one I'm related to!



Now, back story: Was watching Singing in the Rain last night, or the beginning at least. They take considerable time to go through Gene Kelly's Don Lockwood characters early life. How he got into show business, his move from stunt man to leading man. While slightly interesting, it wasn't very relevant to the story.

I know a lot of writers (me included until a very nice critique partner bashed me over the head and told me to cut it all) have a tendency to include long stretches of back story for their characters. They want everyone to know them as the writer does.

But that doesn't really move the story forward, nor does it do anything but slow the pacing down. Anything relevant to the character's past--as it pertains to the story--should be threaded through the story itself. Little bits of things that come out when they're important.

How do you thread your characters story into your novel? Or does he/she live in the here and now?

Crazy days of spring

It's been a crazy few weeks here. Between everything that normally happens in life and writing, I feel as if I'm always on the go but with very little to show for it. Except these allergies. Yeah. Pollen.

But instead of going even crazier and trying to get more accomplished when I have less time, I'm going to take tonight to buy some flowers for my garden. I don't guarantee they'll survive, I don't even guarantee they'll grow. But I'm going to try.

So tonight is the purchase of flowers and veggie seed packets (and mulch which requires nothing of me save the purchasing and spread of it) and tomorrow is the actual planting of these things. And spreading of the mulch I suppose. I'll take pictures, we can laugh together. :)

What about you? How are your days going? What do you do to ease the stress and tension?

It never ends

I'm on vacation! I'm in Puerto Rico! Ok, ideally I'm here to write (I have 10 days, 3 short stories, 1 set of edits, and 1 longer story to get through). But it's sunny! And warm! With a pool!

So why did I just spend 4 hours on various sites sending out review requests? Because I’m a glutton. There's no other way around it. It has to be done, and I have to do it. Yes, I'd like reviews, sure they're cool and all, but on the other hand there's that bad review. I can probably deal with that - I say so now when I have no bad review to spoil my mood not that I have any reviews! But to spend hours in front of the computer with a gorgeous view and NOT be outside?

These pictures probably won't help any sympathy you're remotely willing to offer, lol.
But I do enjoy the view. If I could sit on the beach all day and write, I would. I love the beach, I love the sight and sound and scents. And it's all conducive to writing. Which I'll be getting back to once I finish sending Dark Desire of the Druids I: Murder & Magick out and finish Star Wars: A New Hope. So I've seen it 1000 times. Your point?

Slave driver

I am, I admit it. I push and push until it's all finished and on time, and it really doesn't bother me that I get dirty looks and grumbles. I think I was a general in a previous life.

I push myself just as hard. Usually. These past weeks haven't bee quite so productive, but I'm happy to say that I'm back in the groove and writing away. I amassed a huge pile of research on Philadelphia 1882 including the docks, Chinatown, Old City, and what's become known as Main Line.

I put it all in a neat pile ext to my computer so I don't have to waste precious time searching for it when I need it. I cleaned that area by my computer (so as not to lose anything) and have dived back into the story.

Just when I wondered if why I bother writing anything since it's all drivel, I realized that this is a great story! I'm kind of impressed, actually. The scenes came pretty easy, the path ever so clear! WOW, I can write!

Looking back, I suppose that break during Christmas & New Years was just what I needed. Sure it was a pain in my lazy way as I wondered why I wasn't writing even as I lounged o the couch. But now, with all this energy back, I'm thinking it was only a good thing.

This week is dedicated to Morgana and a rewrite of Love Birds, the weekend to edits, and all next week to more Morgana. Gotta get that book finished by the 15th!

Back in the saddle again

OK so it's from an Aerosmith song. But the statement holds true.

It's hard to get back into the swing once you've been out for so long. I honestly never thought it'd be true for me, I love writing too much to ever stop. But there you have it. I haven't stopped but it's been hard finding my groove again. I read and edit old stuff. I think up new stories and plot them in my head but no actual writing.

I miss writing! I want to get back to it! Maybe this week. I have a great new story in my head, plus an already plotted one, so something's gotta spark. It's a combination of tiredness and sickness. Which are directly related.

But it's no excuse! That's it, I'm getting back. I'm writing something tomorrow, and it will be good! :)

Just gotta be back in the saddle to make it work. Right?