Sunday, April 30, 2006

Sundays

Its my one and only day off. I have such a desire to just lay on the couch in a vegatative state and stare at the television, catch up on the shows I've got saved up on Tivo and the movies that I've been waiting to see. Of course I haven't though. No, I've made lunches for a week (well, probably more like 3 days), made a cheesecake (I must admit I make a hell of a good cheesecake), been doing some editing (yeah!!! I've got my groove back) and now I've pretty much roped myself into taking the kidlets to a movie (Ice Age 2)

Not to mention the grocery shopping I have to do.

What was I saying about vegatative states?

And the day will fly and then it'll be a repeat of last week and every other week for the past 2 years. I'm thrilled. I'm all for 3 day work weeks. After all, when am I supposed to get my editing done?

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Off Off and Away!!

I just mailed off my lobsterman story to Woman's World. Maybe this one, which is a humorous story, will be to their liking. My parents and sister, who've seen a preview of it, love it. But they're family, they have to be nice to me.

In the meantime I'm trying to get my editing done on SF. I'd like to get through them as quickly (but thoroughly) as possibly. I CAN DO THIS!!!!

Thank goodness for quiet phones! Thank you customers for doing other things besides calling us today! :)

Friday, April 28, 2006

Humph

How in the world can I write romance when I'm so grumpy?

To tell the truth I don't even want to edit. Well, I do want to edit, get this baby into good shape, but all I really want to do at the moment is to close my eyes and sleep and not wake up until sometime on Sunday.

Yet there's work to be done. I should just make a pot of coffee and settle down and do it. And not let myself be distracted by other websites.

Unless they're writing oriented.... right?

More happy news

I've heard from the editor who has my manuscript Sweet Forever. I resubbed it to her at her request after ironing out some spots. She said she loves the changes and wants me to iron out a few more places that would strengthen the story before offering a contract on it. Nothing that will change the story line at all, though. Soooo its back to Sweet Forever to work on it some more and resub it again. She says that it has a lot of potential and she really loves the story.

Yeah!!! I'm so pleased that she's still maintaining interest in it. I don't know how many publishers would still want to keep going with it after I've resubbed it once. It pleases me. :)

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Oh yeah Oh yeah!

I finally got a letter from my editor (has a nice but surreal ring to it) giving me my (tentative I'm sure) release date.

My baby will be making her debut June 2007.

Okay, so thats over a year away, but there's tons to do and I've got plenty of other things to work on in the meantime (hello, Samhain, do you want my manuscript??).

Now I get to do all the fun stuff like getting the cover art all set up (sends shivers of excitement up my spine) and then there's the (impending doom music) editing that I'll have to face.

But this will be worth it. Right?

Like I have to ask!!

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

All's Quiet

Well, not really. If it were really all quiet then maybe I'd have some writing or editing done. But I haven't gotten anything done in the past few days.

Nada

Zip

Zilch

Between being so overwhelmingly tired because of this nasty cough and my son's broken elbow that has "required" him to sleep in my bed at night, I haven't slept well in about a week now. My brain feels like mush.

And the kids are hyped up.

I think I'm going crazy.

But I have been looking over some old wips trying to find one that I want to pick up after edits are done on WORL. After the synopsis is done, I mean. Oh, yeah, and the query letter.

Sigh

And I thought writing the sucker was tough.

If the kids leave me alone for a while maybe I'll be able to get something done...

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Long night

My son and I stayed up for a good chunk of last night. He just wasn't sleepy. Poor dude. At least he wasn't in a great deal of hurt. He's doing better today, I've heard. Complains that the splint is too tight, but already made a play date to go back to his friends house on Wednesday.

No trampoline. for a long time.

And my day is less than 2 hours away from being over. I've been hacking and coughing my way through phone calls, which is always pleasant. At least its been quiet here. Didn't get great amounts of editing done. Going back and forth between the mss and my crit notes is a pain in the hiney. BUT I did break the 58k mark with it, so I'm pleased.

I continue to wait for some kind of word on Sweet Forever, which I resubbed a few weeks ago to Samhain. Ya'd think I'd be getting good at waiting. No way.

So, its back to the grindstone.

Friday, April 21, 2006

A Real Owie!!

Boys will be boys.

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

My son went over to his friends house today for the last day of spring break. I got a call at work from my DH. My DS had an accident. His friend has a trampoline (yeh, you know where this is going). Even though it has one of those safety nets, or fences, or whathaveyou around it, my DS managed to fall off it.

So they picked me up from work and it was off to the ER we went. He has a broken elbow. Currently he's in a splint, bandage and sling and feeling pretty miserable despite the fact that his sister and I fed him (such a little prince) his dinner. Monday we're heading to another doctor. Maybe they'll put his arm in a cast, don't know.

So, another day of writing gone. Tomorrow.. hopefully will be a quiet day at work so I can get more editing done. We'll see. Just hope my boss is in a good mood so she doesn't give me a hard time about getting time off on Monday.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Owie

I took the last two days off from work. Yesterday it was shopping with the kids and my mom. Had to get clothes for my oldest for her trip to Washington DC next month. Today Jim, the two younger kids and I went for a hike. Okay, about 11 years ago this hike would've been a piece o' cake. Only 3.5 miles, with about 1.5 miles through woods (very pretty, by a lake and brook) and the last 2 miles partially on blacktop road and then dirt road. I'm sooooo sore right now, its pathetic. To make things worse I'm so stuffed up and coughing. Quite the mess. I just want to go to sleep, but I doubt I'll sleep well because I can hardly breathe out of my nose.

And I haven't done any writing in 2 days!! I feel so lost. So alone.

Cold.

Okay, so I'm a little overdramatic. I'm sick, cut me some slack.

Monday, April 17, 2006

Another Peterborough shout out

Well, not really.

We were watching the Sopranos last night and one of the characters is on the run and ended up in a New Hampshire town in the White Mountains (good ole "Dartford" which I swear looked more like a seaside town in Maine than a town in the New Hampshire mountains). The guy made a phone call to directory assistance for a phone number for his cousin in PETERBOROUGH. heehehe.. that was kind of funny.

Okay, so I have to get more editing done. I'm still trying to fine tune details like the car accident. Its gotta be bad enough to kill 3 people, but my heroine can't be driving too fast because the road is very windy. 40mph, plus being sent over an embankment might do it though. I have to find the right cars and then again, why would someone follow a driver who is driving recklessly?

Maybe I just shouldn't ask these questions. Life would be easier......

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Yeah!!

I just broke 57,000 words for WORL. I'm on chapter 4 now in edits so there's oh so much more to go. I think it's perfectly logical that I could go to 60k when all is said and done.

*touchdown dance*

I don't like Saturdays

Yeh, I know, it sounds kind of bizarre, but its just another work day for me. The longest of the week, working 8:30am to 530pm. Its the price I pay for working shorter days during the week. But it doesn't make it any better. My kids always give me those puppy dog eyes when I'm getting ready to leave. My only consolation is that its generally a fairly quiet day (when we don't have any promotions going on) and I can get some work done-my work, my writing and stuff. So I guess thats one plus. Probably get more done there than I do at home.

I had the most horrible nights sleep and I woke up feeling hung over. No, I didn't drink, not one bit. I'm wondering if MSG will make a person feel hung over because we had chinese last night. Thats the only thing I can think of. But I tossed and turned and was generally miserable all night.

Great set up for a new day.

At least I have tomorrow off. But I have to come up with some Easter baskets for my kids. *Sigh* I'm so ready to tell them that the Easter Bunny doesn't exist, but I hate breaking their hearts.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Sometimes....

editing is a wonderful thing. It sure is nice to be able to go back and remodel a story in places that were lacking in the first draft. The more I edit WORL the happier I am with it and the more ideas flow. I'm already over 56k words, thats almost 1000 new words and I'm still just on chapter 1. If I get my way I'll get close to 60k.

It's been a productive day. We have the day off from work but the kids are in school. I got massive amounts of laundry done (but still needs to be put away... ugh) and now the editing. Kids will be descending on us soon though.

So I better use this next half hour wisely.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Prologue No Prologue

My current manuscript, WORL, originally had a prologue. I cut it out, thinking that I could work the info into the story as I go, but I'm not sure I want to do that.

What are other's thoughts on the use of prologues?

Evil thy name is Krispy Kreme

I have looked into the face of Evil and it is a Krispy Kreme donut.

Yes, I'm sad to say that I've found it lurking in our town. I thought that I was safe here. That I'd only just dream of what a Krispy Kreme donut would taste like, that living in a small New Hampshire town I'd be safe from its seductive lure. Now I know how Eve felt when the snake offered her that apple.

I was wrong.

It found me.

And all that I've heard is true.

I'm doomed.

Now I need to move farther out into the country, where no store will ever carry KK donuts. Where it'll be too far to drive to find its villainous temptation.

Its the only way.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Another Lightbulb Moment

I've been trying to figure out how to make WORL longer and better and I had another slap my forehead moment. I know what at least one scene needs and that will add more into other scenes. I love those moments.

Its such a beautiful spring day out there. It reminds me of my youth when I lived up in Portland Maine, young and single and hanging out with my notebook and writing my heart out. Not a care in the world. Work was fun, didn't have too many responsibilities. Those were the days. Not that I'd trade my kidlets for that time, but it'd be nice sometimes to be able to just go out a long peaceful walk by my lonesome. Of course when they're all grown up and gone I'll miss them and want them back, but I'll have all the peace I want.

Guess we can't have it all.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Oh my fickle mind

So now I'm back on the edit wagon. My head has taken control. So, here I sit, with the document open with my nice little Nano manuscript, along with the crits. Its at 55k words and I'd like sooo much to add another 10k words (at least) to it. So, I have to come up with a nice little subplot for my characters. I guess I could go deeper into Krista's stalking incidences. That'll be good for a few thousand words. Maybe I need to pull in some more secondary characters, give them bigger roles in the story.

And the good news... I got my contact lenses. No more glasses. Yeah!!

Like thats revelant to writing.

Monday, April 10, 2006

To Edit or Not to Edit

that is the question.

On one hand I could dive into edits on WORL, but on the other hand I could start working on the fantasy that I want to do and wait on edits til I have all my chapters critted.

Oh what to do.

Which direction to go in.

I know what I SHOULD do. But I know what I WANT to do.

And in the meantime I'm not getting anything done.

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Writing Prompts

I love them. I can get so many good ideas from them (and some bad ones too) and I can write out different scenes from current wips. They come in handy.

I've been cleaning out some old files and I came across a humorous short story that I think I'm going to submit to Woman's World. Its been a while since they've heard from me (now that I'm over my snit that they didn't want the last story I wrote). Maybe I'll have good luck with this one. Its cute and different (I think).

Back to cleaning my files. Maybe there'll be something else worthy of submission.

Saturday, April 08, 2006

Wondering...

Yeh, its me again. I have way too much time on my hands.

I've started getting my story ideas down on paper (in my defense, I don't have my memory stick here so I'm unable to do any editing), but I've considered putting these things in blog form. I did a lot of Nano planning on a blog, but I gotta wonder about the safety. Not that I'm expecting someone to lift my ideas, but it did cross my mind.

Still it would be nice to have some feedback and such as I'm going.

Gonna be a long day

It's Saturday again. It's just 20 minutes pass 10 in the morning. I'm stuck in the office until 5:30. I'm bored.

Well, been doing a little surfing, doing a little of my Maass workbook, thinking about all the editing I have to do, and thinking about the next project I want to tackle. I have a number of them standing ready to go..... there's Aidan and Julianna, Wren and Jack, Seamus and Lainey, Isobel and Eli, Iona and Mac. But I just reread a prompt I wrote a while ago and its got characters from a story that I'm DYING to do!!!!! I came up with the concept about 15 years ago, a fantasy. In fact I had about 100 handwritten pages done, but it needs total revamping. It's my dream project and my most challenging, I think. Am I strong enough to tackle it? I think this one would push me past my panster limits and I'd have to actually (dread music here) PLAN AND ORGANIZE (clash of thunder, lady screaming in the background).

Wow, what a concept!!!

The nice thing about writing fantasy is one doesn't have to do research (or historical research to make everything work). I know that sounds bad, but I HATE RESEARCH!! A fertile imagination is what's needed. I think with this type of story I'd have no problem getting over 55k which has been a ceiling for me with the past few wips I've been working on.

We shall see, but I think that I'll be jotting down some notes, try to get a rough plot mapped out.

I must be crazy!

Friday, April 07, 2006

What the.....

Everytime I tried to open a word doc on my laptop everything froze. I've been informed by my puter that my Office program is outdated and I need to update it. *Sigh* Like I need THAT right now. Maybe my desktop will work.

It feels like Saturday. I wish it was, even though it would be my long day at work. I'm ready for a day off.

But its not and its 8am and I have to get my socks and shoes on and hit the road.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

So you had a bad day...

Well, Mandiva is gone from AI. I'm kinda sad. She's not my style, but I think she was one of the best singers on the show and just because she has one bad performance (well, actually 2) I don't think she deserves to go. I would've been just as happy to see one of the other two in the bottom 3 get the boot. But as long as it wasn't my Taylor I'm good. I was expecting Bucky to go though. Next week should be interesting.. Queen night. How can Kelli handle Queen???

Now I wish America's Next Top Model allow viewers to call in and vote for their favorites. That would guarantee Jade would be gone.... what a conniving little beeoch! I think they're just keeping her on for entertainment purposes. Maybe she'll get slapped by one of the other girls. Yeh, she'll deserve it.

Yes, I'm a reality show addict.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

The Worst Part of Waking Up....

...is no coffee in my cup.

Its bad enough that I stayed up til 11pm for the second night in a row, but I have no coffee in the house. I'll have to do a grocery store run this morning and head over to Dunky Donuts. The problem with their coffee is that it takes about 4 hours for it to cool down enough to drink it.

I took a break from editing last night. Instead I found the beginnings of a short story I started eons ago and started adding to that. It's going to be steamy, if I have my way. At least it'll occupy me until I get all of WORL posted to my crit group. I just don't have the heart to edit right now. First, though, I have tons of crits to do for the group. I'll bring my memory stick with me today. But that's a sure way to guarantee I'll get lots of data entry. It's my "long" day, so maybe there'll be a chance to actually write. Sometimes I do love my job. I'd rather be making a living at my writing, though.

I'm off to spend the last moments of quiet watching the news. Just hope that I wake up in time to get the kidlets up for school.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Curses

The Apprentice was on at 10pm last night instead of 9. I had to watch it and now I'm finding it very difficult, even after 2 cups of coffee, to stay awake. Of course my son's chattering is helping to keep me awake. The tooth fairy visited him last night.

Anyhue, last night I received an email from the Samhain editor I sent Sweet Forever to. She thanked me for resubbing it and she'll read it as soon as she can. Maybe myt wait won't be as long as before (not that they made me wait too long last time. They were really quick with their reply) since I don't have to go through the front door and wait for it to be assigned to a particular editor. We'll see.

Ugh. I'm seeing snow on the weather map. Under 2", but its not pretty. The 76 degree weather we had last week was pretty. But such is life in New Hampshire.

Monday, April 03, 2006

Moving on

I can finally move on with my life. I just finished my edits on Sweet Forever and I emailed it back to Samhain for their paroozal.... or reparoozal, as the case may be. My fingers and toes are crossed that she'll like the changes I've made.

Now I can get to the edits on Where One Road Leads and hope that this one will be publishable by the time I'm done with it. It would be very cool to have more books out there. I just wish I didn't have to wait so long to find out if there's any hope for SF.

Until I do, fingers and toes will remain in the crossed position.

*ouch*

Saturday, April 01, 2006

Quiet Times

Sometimes I love working Saturdays, especially in our slow season. The data entry is light, the phones are quiet except for the occasional call, and I'm free to do my own thing. Right now I've got my editing in front of me. Maybe with some luck I'll get all of Sweet Forever edited so I can resub it to Samhain next week. That would be awesome! Then I'll turn my attention back to editing of Where One Road Leads.

Wouldn't you know it, all morning I've been thinking of 3 other wips, one finished but in serious need of editing, and the 2 sequels to it unfinished. I was considering making it a trilogy, 3 novella's (don't know if I could make them longer), but now I'm thinking that if I combine them I'll make one full length out of them, maybe an 80k book. That could be a good thing.

But I have to keep my attention on SF before I move on.

Thats tricky.