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Just a spot for random musings. No one ever accused me of being a conscientious blogger. |
| I am miserable at blogging. Life and other things (like writing) keep me from doing any musings on a regular basis. We'll have to see how it goes. |
| It's been a long time since I've updated my blog. For that matter, it's been a long time since I've been on WDC or even written anything. Long story short, I suffer from depression. I've always turned to writing as my anti-depressant but things got worse and I had to give in and get medication. Because I'm weak? No, because I'm smart enough to know when I need help. And I needed help. What I didn't expect was for my ability to write, to lose myself in another world, would change with the medication. I could pull up a WIP, know exactly what's supposed to happen but the words wouldn't come. For the past six months, I've fought my inability to write. I've tried everything I could think of to restart that part of me. I could grouse for pages about the things I've tried and how they didn't work but I won't bore you. Needless to say, it's still a battle but I'm working on it. I haven't given up. I have two rather decent stories very close to finished and I will finish them. Hundreds more stories are batting around in my brain and haven't dimmed any in spite of the current word-dam I'm experiencing. Wish me luck... |
| It's been a busy week. Sunday was my 30th wedding anniversary. My husband had planned surprise and I went along, curious to see what he'd come up with. A surprise renewal of our wedding vows. Our daughters were in cahoots with him, making sure I showed up on time and blindfolded. Our 3 year old granddaughter was the flower girl, our 5 year old grandson was both the ring bearer and the best man. The biggest surprise? He brought my sister from outside the state so that she could be at the ceremony. I haven't seen her in 15 years and it was wonderful. He's a wonderful, thoughtful man and people wonder why I write romance. On the writing front, I've had a couple of things going. For those of you who are curious about my work, the Double Feature with both Pantheon and Faery Tail included now Free on Smashwords. It is also 99 cents on Amazon if you prefer. Check it out! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/330987 Styx and Stones, the fourth and final book in the Pantheon series, is now available for pre-order now on Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/561012 and on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Styx-Stones-Pantheon-Book-4-ebook/dp/B011VCYQ1Y/ref=sr_1_3... The book will be released on August 6th. |
| Just finished the book block proofs (or galleys) for Styx and Stones and now it's a matter of waiting for a release date. It's been a long journey with this series and I've learned a great deal along the way. The most important thing, perhaps, is to trust my own instincts. When I wrote Pantheon, I was told over and over "first person POV doesn't sell". Fact: It's sold and fairly well. It also is a story that doesn't work in third person. When I started Hades, the gripe was that it was about Hercules and not Athene. It was third person not first. Fact: It is the best selling of the series and the best liked. . Elysia was too different, too edgy. The love scene was written from the man's POV. Fact: The differences add up to a different perspective on the over-arcing plotline. Styx has been another journey. Walt is a nerd. It;s difficult to play a man like that as Alpha Romance Hero. The first version of the book I tossed out except for two chapters and started over from scratch. That was 130K words discarded. The final version is 170K and a much tighter story than the first. I like it. I'll have to see what y'all think. |
| For years, I've heard Stephen King's book "On Writing" touted as the bible of us writerly types. Given I had some time (I'm on vacation in between home improvement projects), I decided it was time I read it. Now, let me say that I've always held Mr King in the highest regard as a writer. He gets to you, gets under your skin, and he does it without seeming to even try. His writing is impeccable. I've only managed to read a few of his books for the simple reason that my imagination won't let go of the images he draws and I hate not sleeping for weeks on end. He's that good. The book is not a how-to for dummies. One of the first things he says is that there are bad writers. Lots of them. And you can't make a good writer out of a bad one. The craft can be taught, vocabulary broadened, grammar updated, punctuation rules memorized. The art, however, is an inborn instinct, a gift of knowing how to tell a story much as a true artist knows what colors to use and I, on the other hand, make blobs and squiggly lines. I finished the book in two days (it's not particularly large or convoluted) and I have to say I feel a sense of accomplishment. Not only did the suggestions he makes make sense to me, I already have most them ingrained in my psyche. Will I ever write as well as King? Probably not. Does that make me sad? Not really. One of the things he emphasized is to do it for the joy of it. Not for money. Not for prestige. Definitely not for the adoration of millions of fans. Do it because you love it. I do. I love writing. I love telling stories and losing myself in them. I'm satisfied with what I read, learned a few things along the way. If you're a new writer or someone who just happens to be thinking about writing, I would list this as a must read. He doesn't pull punches. Doesn't glamorize anything. He gives it straight and that's invaluable. |
| I hate sitting down at the computer and the words not flowing. I've rarely had this issue. This time, it's lasted for months rather than a few days and a plot change. I decided to try something new. Usually, I have a day off work and my plan is to sit and write for 8-10 hours. The plot is in my head, the scenes fully flesh in my mind. I used to be able to crank out a chapter or two a day. Lately, I've been lucky to crank out a paragraph with a page being a major accomplishment. I'd heard of writing sprints but never tried them. I mean, if the words aren't coming when I have all the time in the world, how is adding the stress of a time limit going to help? Then I realized something. Every time I'm writing and my hubby says "we need to leave in ten minutes" or "dinner will be ready in fifteen", the words suddenly spurt out like life blood. Today, I decided to try fifteen minute sprints. I need to water the garden and finish cleaning the kitchen. Small chores that can be done in pieces in between sprints. The verdict? I have written more in the past hour and a half than I have in the past week. 1500 words in four sprints with small breaks between them. I'm going to keep going today, write a little, work a little, and see what my total is for the day. So far, I'm ecstatic at the progress. I'll keep you posted on the outcome. |
| Actually did a review swap this week on Goodreads. My paranormal romance, Crystal Dreams for a cowboy romance, Texas Dreamer. I wasn't sure what I'd wind up with but it turned out to be a good thing. Maybe I got lucky but the book was good with a good eye for details and the mores and customs of the time. Might do it again sometime. Today, I agreed to be a Beta reader for another author. I've done copy edit and my reviews on WDC and she wants any suggestions in track changes so I get to start reading a vampire novel tomorrow. I've missed doing critiques and helping other authors. It might jump start my own writing. Yes, my writing is going slowly still. Not blocked but trickling rather than the deluge I'm used to. Still working on my fairy tale, Stargazer, and started working on the first novel in another series, a space romance. I'm thinking two books, maybe four if I can, but, hey, at this point I'm tickled with three chapters with minimal hesitations. Wish me luck |
| This is a test really. I've named my dark world after the Icelandic world of elves but while the words showed up fine while I was writing an email to a friend on here, they were strangely truncated when they arrived on the other end. I hate that so here's hoping it was something simple and not that those punctuation marks won't translate here. Álfheim Dökkálfar Dökkálfr(singular) So, once I post this, I'm hoping it will show up as Alfheim, Dokkalfar, and Dokkalfr. Once again, this is just a test... |
| Barely 1500 words today but I finished one chapter and started the next, got through the first important scene and now have a few decisions to make about the next step. I'm feeling a bit better but my head is still full of cotton wool and I have no energy. In spite of feeling a little like death warmed over, I actually sat down and plotted out the next faery tale. Next faery tale? After I said no more? I think I've said that a few times before but this one has been gnawing at me for a while now, especially with me writing a faery tale now. Wait. Plotted? Yep, an outline and all. I hate the things but I'm going to try it this time and see how it works. Oh, and this tale has too many sticking points I could run into if I don't think it through ahead of time. The Stargazer is loosely based on the twelve dancing princesses and dips its toes in other tales as well. The Hunter Prince is more snow white or, rather, the huntsman. It's already got a darker, edgier feel to it and I haven't even started writing it yet. I have the first few chapters in my head but nothing on paper beyond a (very) loose outline. There a couple of vague spots that I'll have to hash out when I get there but it's fairly cohesive as it stands. Wish me luck with it. I've tried outlining before and it's never ended well. This time might just be different. |
| Head cold, now a chest cold. Lungs hurt. Head hurts. Toenails hurt. Three days out of work for lack of oxygen to my brain. Yeah, feeling just dandy. The upside of that is I've gotten three chapters written because I simply don't have the energy to move out of my chair. I now have a fairy in the future on a strange world about to meet even stranger magical creatures. This is where things get fun again. Already have another fairy tale percolating at the back of my brain. Not surprising, really. They are fun to write and I need some fun after the intensity of Styx and Stones. I still need to find another series or start one. I'm not sure which way to jump there so a few fae tales in between won't hurt. Oddly enough, I read an article this week where editors/publishers complain about plot lines they're tired of and fairy tale remakes are in the top ten. I can understand that to some extent since most tend to be Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast remakes. Even Red Riding Hood. In my defense, I have to say I've never seen the twelve dancing princesses redone. I'm enjoying it, too, so neener-neener to those folks. The next one? Not Snow White, really. More like the Huntsman. Or, in this case, the Hunter Prince... |
| So working on another fairy tale. I swore I wasn't going to do it but fairies have a way of sneaking into my brain and taking over. The fun in the stories is part of the allure. Coming off of writing Styx and Stones which is very action oriented and more intense, I need a bit of fun right now. Stargazer is about a cranky human man and an independent faery princess trapped in a spell. It's based loosely on the Twelve Dancing Princesses but there will be Beauty and the Beast moments as well as some Pinocchio and Sleeping Beauty. And all because I had to create a place for Melody and Carradoc to live in at the end of Wilding Heart. See? I do it to myself and I haven't figured out how to stop.
The Pantheon Series is done. There's a huge sigh of relief and a moment of sad goodbye because I genuinely enjoyed that universe. I need to start a new series but I seem to want to write the second in the series before I write the first and my fantasy tale is sort of stuck right now. Too much politics and I have to figure out how to weave what my mage girl learns with what happens later. I could jump over this section, maybe, and come back but I haven't had that method work very well for me in the past. I know futuristic romances are out at the moment and hot paranormal have taken their place but that's where my imagination is leading me. I have two series tugging at me but I'm not sure where they're going just yet. I'll just have to pick one and run with it, I suppose. One is about people from a planet where psychic phenomenon are common place and the other is about two earth women who meet aliens and fall in love. The first is far more action oriented and intense and the second filled with more humor. Culture clashes are so much fun to write, lol. |
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