2020 - Keep On Rollin'

Are we really over a week into 2020 already? This whole time flying thing needs to stop.

Well, Happy New Year!

As always, I've written up a yearly plan for myself. I don't always expect to hit all the goals I plan out, but I've gotten much better at being more realistic with them depending on the time I have available.

So shall we see how much I get through on my list for this year? I've already written 4800 words - that's a good start!

2020 Mantras

❦ Just Write.

❦ Finish Them!

❦ Focus.

❦ Embrace My Process.

Yes, a little repetition in there from last year, and I'm putting determination under the umbrella of focus for now.

2020 Upcoming Publications

❦ Well of Solitude (Fortunes of Fate, 7) - Spring 2020

❦ Fortunes of Fate Collection #1 (to include titles 1-6) - Fall 2020

2020 Writing Goals

❦ Draft 22k of Chains of Nect: Obsidian's Obsession - Yes, I'm continuing this, so there will be some new chapters available soon. If you want to see the chapters earlier, please subscribe to my Author Newsletter. Otherwise, starting in May or June, I'll post one chapter every other month on Born to Write and Wattpad.

❦ Revise and Edit Well of Solitude (Fortunes of Fate, 7) - Mind you, this will be novella length. Solis's and Resz's stories needed a bit more room to unfold than expected.

❦ Revise Dead As Dreams - This is a novel I hope to publish in 2021, currently not tied to any series (though I do have thoughts for sequels, but I won't be exploring those ideas at this time).

❦ Draft Fortunes of Fate, 8 - Right now, the Tarot card and title are unknown. I'm sure I'll think of something soon enough, though, and then the characters will keep bugging me until it's their turn - lol.

❦ Draft Downward Spiral (Urban Unicorn, 1) - After wrapping up all that's listed above, I'm finally going to focus on this series. I just feel like I need to complete a few other tasks before I can devote most of my time to the Urban Unicorn novels.

❦ 1 Author Newsletter per month.

❦ Sporadic blog posts, but at least one per month unless life explodes on me.

❦ Keep writing consistently when the kids are in school.

I do have extra projects in mind if I happen to hit these goals out of the park, plus I have some notes to myself about social media and marketing. This year I won't bore everyone with the boring things like making sure my beta reading and developmental editing work for Haunted Unicorn Publishing doesn't take over my writing time. Hm, I guess I did just mention it now. Oops.

The 5-Year Plan is still too scary to think about. Actually, I may never want to consider drawing one up ever again. Plans work much better in smaller bites for me. Even a year is pushing it at times. Life changes too much, no matter if both kids are in school full-time or not.

What are your goals for the year? Or are you best at only planning weekly or monthly? Feel free to share any of your goals below, and if they're writing goals, please join us over at Writing Quest!

Setting My Sights On 2017

Well, 2016 was a busy year, as you saw from my last post.

Time to charge headfirst into 2017! (Kind of like my toddler does to the door when we put her in a time out... but maybe with a little more focus and intent - lol.)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I won't be publishing as much in 2017. This is mainly because a lot of the stuff that came out in 2016 only needed a bit of polish before it was released to the world. ;)

But that doesn't mean I won't be writing! I'm scared my to do list might be too ambitious with a THREEnager in the house, but we'll see how it goes. I reserve the right to change my trajectory at a moment's notice. That's the great thing about indie publishing -- if real life slaps you silly, you can shift deadlines around. I'll of course keep everyone posted if plans change. The best way to keep track of my upcoming publications, as always, is my newsletter (there's a form to sign up to the left).

Anyway, first I'll list my intended publications, and then I'll list my writing goals for the year! Here we go!

2017 Publications

❦ January 2017 - Mind Behind the Mind (Trinity Torn, 1) - I'll be releasing it to several retailers other than Amazon.

❦ January 2017 - Patreon page! I intend to offer flash stories and poems. If you become a supporter you can even feed me story prompts!

❦ March/April 2017 - Edge of Sorrow (Fortunes of Fate, 6) - Remember Jasp from Reversed? Yeah, that rotten mage Darney asked for help. Well, it's time to get into Jasp's head! This will immediately be available at several retailers, and not just Amazon.

❦ August/September 2017 - Hell On Wheels (Devil Made Me, 2) - So, last time we dealt with Moira's first experiences in Hell. I wonder how things with her and Jared are going... Can't be good, right? Not with her stubborn streak. You'll find out in this sequel to Hell Hath No Fury!

❦ November/December 2017 - GSD (Getting Stuff Done) vs. Everything - This is humorous non-fiction, but if you like any of my humorous fantasy, you may like these essays. I'm hoping to have this published by the end of the year, but it's a side project, and it will be the first thing removed from my to do list if I get behind on my fiction. I'll remain optimistic for now, though, that it'll get completed.

2017 Writing Goals

❦ Complete the first draft of Thorns Entwine the Blade (Trinity Torn, 2).

❦ Find beta readers for Thorns Entwine the Blade.

❦ First draft and revisions of Edge of Sorrow (Fortunes of Fate, 6). And publish it!

❦ First draft and revisions of Hell On Wheels (Devil Made Me, 2). And publish it!

❦ Revisions of Dead As Dreams (Shepherd of Dreams, 1). And get it ready for publication for January/February 2018! This is what I decided to work on instead of attempting revisions of Thorns Entwine the Blade this year. My heart is telling me it needs to be released to the world. Though, if I get enough people demanding the next Trinity Torn novel, I'll be willing to switch my focus back to Thorns.

❦ Start the Patreon page!

❦ Start offering clean and simple ebook formatting services via Haunted Unicorn Publishing. Also consider offering developmental edits, depending on the toddler.

❦ Finish first draft and revisions of GSD vs. Everything. And publish it!

❦ Continue writing 3 blog posts per month and sending out a newsletter every month at most and every other month at the least.

❦ Read more. Always need to read more. I just restarted the Dresden Files series. So many books, so little time.

Well, those are all the main things at least! Personal goals this year mostly focus on my mind and body health. Writing is not a very active career - lol.

What are your plans for 2017? Resolutions or goals? Are they quantifiable or more general? Good luck with whatever you decide to aim for! And if you have any writing goals, remember you can always join us at Writing Quest to share them and be cheered on.

OK, 2017 -- here I come!

Writing Tip #3: Accountability

Any past Tips & Prompts can be found on my website: Writing Tips & Prompts.

Writing Tip #3: Accountability

Now, I know not everyone is a writer, but this may be helpful to non-writers as well, especially those who have careers that are more solitary and need a lot of self-discipline and self-motivation to keep you on track.

For the most part, writing is a solitary endeavor. Not all the time. I mean, there are the wild parties at the writing conventions. (I know I've had a few crazy nights at In Your Write Mind with my writer friends.) But the biggest chunk of time spent tending to the business of writing is your butt in your chair, typing out thrilling tales. And you're alone. So alone. Unless you count the characters in your head and on the page, but if you start believing they're real, that's a topic for a different writing tip.

When you're on your own, especially if you don't currently have publication deadlines threatening you, it can be hard to focus, to stay motivated and productive. Making your own deadlines or bribing yourself are good attempts at keeping yourself in line, but they don't work for everyone.

Fear not, there is something else that may help.

Though us writers spend most of our time working in solitude, one of the great things is that other writers know what we're going through. They're going through the same thing. And writers are a great bunch who are willing to band together to support each other! You see it with all the writer forums and groups that spring up all over the place. Most other writers are welcoming and supportive of other writers (and if you find some who aren't, turn tail and run -- you'll easily find others who are).

And these fellow writers can help with accountability, keeping you on track. I feel this works best in small groups. What I do follows -- you may need to adjust for your own preferences.

Now, big forums like Kboards, which I frequent, definitely have support, but it's sometimes hard to keep the accountability going with such a large group of writers. This is why I love Writing Quest and my two fellow SHU Writing Popular Fiction grads. These are smaller groups, and even if Writing Quest ever grew to larger proportions, the focus of the group is goals (and cheering each other on).

For those of you who read my blog regularly, you know I've been running Writing Quest for some time. It started out as monthly events on Facebook, but now it's Facebook group. At the beginning of each month, we list our monthly goals. We can check in throughout the month, but some people also check in only at the end of the month. Sometimes putting your goals out there to a group spur you to be productive so you can come back at the end of the month and declare your success.

OK, sometimes a group still isn't personal enough to get you in line and working diligently. This is also why I don't know where I'd be without my two WPF cohorts, J. Gunnar Grey and Melanie Card. Because of them, I have kept on task more often than not.

What we like to do is e-mail each other and check in -- see what we're up to, what we've gotten done recently, and what our plans are for the next few days ahead. Now, we don't e-mail every day, but usually at least once or twice a week (OK, sometimes we e-mail daily or even more than once in a day, but that's usually when we're having a lively discussion about something or another about writing or publishing).

This checking in on a consistent basis is helpful because it makes me want to have something to report. I hate the messages that start out, "Well, I got nothing done all week." It makes me feel guilty and unproductive. I want to feel as productive as they are (well, almost -- my production is no where near at their level, but I have a toddler to blame for that).

And the funny thing is, even when I think I haven't gotten that much done, when I type it up in an e-mail or a post to Writing Quest, I realize I actually got a lot more done than I thought. It's encouraging to see your accomplishments, however little, put down in words!

So, if you want to find a way to be accountable, find a couple of other like-minded writers willing to do a mini-group e-mail exchange with you. Or join a small group focused on writing goals. Remember, any writer is welcome over at Writing Quest, so feel free to send a request to join the group!

Goodbye 2015, and Hello 2016!

Wow. What a year 2015 has been. I laid out a plan for myself back in April, and I think things are coming along rather nicely. Of course, I'm not even halfway through the Baker's Dozen Experiment, and completing that will be my main goal for 2016.

So far, I've published 3 items, a total of 5 short stories in those publications. I've also posted 21 chapters of Chains of Nect to Wattpad and my blog. Here's hoping I can keep the momentum going through the next year.

Of course, I had to sit down and reassess some things. The Baker's Dozen Experiment will continue, however, I've decided to pause my progress and posts on Chains of Nect. I have other projects that I feel need to be moved to the forefront, especially since my reception on Wattpad hasn't been strong. This doesn't mean I'm not willing to change my mind, if enough people request for me to continue Chains of Nect. Feel free to post here or use my contact form to request I continue it sooner rather than later. If enough people ask for it, I'll definitely shift things around!

I will have one final chapter of Chains of Nect that will be posted to Wattpad on January 1, and subsequently posted to my blog on January 6.

Aside from that change, here are some highlights of my goals for 2016:

❧ Publish 9 more short stories for the Baker's Dozen Experiment
❧ Publish my novel Mind Behind the Mind to finish off the Baker's Dozen Experiment
❧ Complete a revision of Dead As Dreams
❧ Write a Fractured Fairies Christmas story for next December
❧ Start writing Thorns Entwine the Blade, the sequel to Mind Behind the Mind
❧ Draft 2-3 other short stories
❧ Find some beta readers for the Mind sequels (if you're interested please contact me for more info - you do not need to be a writer to be a beta reader!)
❧ Blog once per week - stay tuned for The Adventures of Karriya the Wizard!
❧ Continue critiquing, participate more in Broad Universe and on Kboards
❧ Read, read, and read - I'd be happy to take any recommendations

So, here's hoping 2016 is as productive as 2015. May the toddler be an angel, the eldest child not whine, and the kittens become fat, lazy non-tree climbing cats. Oh, and the house self-clean itself. Too much to ask for? Nah, I don't think so (as I listen to the toddler freaking out at her older sister).

Also, if you're a writer who would like some camaraderie while working toward monthly goals, please join us in the Writing Quest group on Facebook. I'm now running it as a group instead of separate monthly events, and anyone is welcome to join!

I hope everyone has a happy start to 2016. What are your hopes and dreams for the year to come?

Chains of Nect - Blurb and Cover Reveal

It's time for an update! Aren't you all so lucky. Don't care about what's going on with me and my progress? Feel free to skip the post. But I can't promise you won't miss something super crazy awesome if you do.

The Plan is unfolding nicely, so far at least. I've been posting parts of "Dude in Distress" to Wattpad twice per week now. The last section is due to be posted on July 10. So, if you're curious if the unicorns manage to save Dom from Big Bad Girl, please pop over to Wattpad to read the story.

Chains of Nect will roll out on Wattpad starting July 17, and there will be a new scene posted every Friday. I already have two scenes good to go, and this month I'll be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo which should net me several more scenes--it's nice to be ahead of the game, just in case something happens! (Like last week when I got sick and my writing schedule went to hell.)

Interested in reading the prologue of Chains of Nect 8 days before it releases on Wattpad? Then you should sign up for my newsletter (form is to the left) because the first issue will go out on July 9 and include a sneak peak of the prologue. The main goal of the newsletter is to announce my upcoming publications, but I'll also have some bonuses in them now and then. If you're worried about your inbox filling up, I'll send no more than one per month, sometimes less frequently.

Oh, but you want to know what Chains of Nect is about? Of course, of course. Here's the blurb:

Obsidian successfully plays the game expected of her, passes the tests, and is accepted as a Guardian. Though she jumps through the hoops, she doesn't want to follow the precepts at all, to guard the portals but never open them. She believes its a waste to not explore the worlds within, like her ancestors had. How can they protect themselves if something comes through the portals if they don't know what's in them?

Obsidian's appointed mentor, Damian, is a straight-laced young Guardian, who can't contain the young dedicant. He's always believed the laws are in place to protect all of Nect, but Obsidian starts to make him question his own principles. She doesn't allow him any time to examine the possibilities, though, and he has to decide between reporting her or standing by her side to protect her from whatever horrors she stirs up.

Will the Guardians end Obsidian's life, or will something from another world get to her first?

Not enough for you? Fine you've talked me into it. Here's the cover!

I've also been playing the Short Story Submissions Game. The intention of this game is to gather as many rejections as I can. Yes, I know, the point should be to get as many acceptances as I can, but if I aim for that, I'll just depress myself. Here are my tallies for 2015 through June:

Submissions - 28
Rejections - 25
Acceptances - 1

I may not hit 100 rejections this year, however I hope to hit at least 50! And yes, you noticed, there's one acceptance. I had that story listed at the top of The Plan. "Bloodstains" will appear in a limited time fall anthology through Dingbat Publishing (anthology title and publication date still to be determined). That should be a fun set of stories.

I'm also still running Writing Quest every month--feel free to join us if you have some writing goals.

I think that's all as far as writing goes. Probably leaving the state of my house out of this post is the best idea (scary pretty much sums it up). I get writing done and everything else gets neglected. Go figure. Though the evil kitchen is due to be remodeled this month, barring more delays.

I feel like I'm forgetting to cover something, though. What do you think? Is there something else I should have touched on?

NEXT UP: Crazy Necro Antics - Wedding Bells Part 2

Writing Journey

I came across this picture to the right while looking for something suitable to use for my writing updates. Aside from it being a beautiful picture (it's a Public Domain picture on Pixabay), it reminded me how grand of a journey writing is. I write about many journeys in my fantasies, but I have to remember that I'm on my own journey as well, and one where I'm taken to many different worlds.

A journey where I cross countless bridges.

This bridge is a bit of a lonely view, but I'm not alone on this adventure. Not only do I have companions travel with me during parts of my journey (friends, family, acquaintances, business associates), but I also know that many writers are on their own journeys, and our paths may cross--we may traverse the same bridges even at one point or another.

A lot of times I get discouraged because unlike the end of a novel, it's impossible to see the end of the journey. Heck, like most writers, the end of the writing journey doesn't come until breaths no longer pass my lips, and I don't want to know when that end is around the corner. It's not only the end though that's elusive, but even the next path I'll travel, the next bridge I'll cross. It's like a Choose Your Own Adventure. I can make a choice to go one direction, but I can never be sure exactly where that direction will take me.

It seems futile, doesn't it? That doesn't stop me from remaining on the path, even if I've needed to take rest stops along the way due to life (life is that big monster in the path with sharp teeth and bloodshot eyes--after a while, it gets bored and wanders off, allowing me to continue).

This was supposed to be an update, but I guess it's turned into more of a reflection. No, the life monster isn't growling at me right now. I've actually made steady progress on revisions of Dead As Dreams. I also re-designed my website, as well as adjusted a few things on the blog. I sent The Mind Behind the Mind out for consideration to another publisher last week, and my short story "Ode to Buses and Libraries" got put into a slush pile the week before.

Though I don't have any new publications to report, I'm proud of the steps and choices I've made on my journey recently. Keep watching my word count trackers in the left column if you're curious how I'm doing. And if you're a writer on your own journey and would like to cross paths with me and some other writers for a bit, please join us at Writing Quest. I create a new event each month on my Facebook author page.

For now, I'm curious where my current choices will lead me. And if they make me go back across the bridge (rejection), I'll just cross another (more submissions, and even some indie publishing).

You'll be seeing a lot of this bridge in the future, whenever I post my updates and writerly ramblings.

NEXT UP: What Am I Writing? Another excerpt from Dead As Dreams!

Caffeine--Stat!

It took its sweet time getting here, but I think spring has finally arrived! Which is great because I need the sun and warmth to recharge. I'm always more productive in the spring and summer (so say my graphs!).

I can't say much of my productivity for cleaning my house. *coughs* Well, if my husband doesn't like it, he can clean it - lol. Not that he complains--I can happily say he wouldn't ever tell me to clean if he saw me writing, since he knows how important it is to me.

But I doubt anyone really cares about my messy house, not unless they have to come visit (it needs to be clean by June 28th, yes, must clean for a cookout...it'll happen the week before when hubbie takes off of work just so we can clean the damn thing). I hope some of you care about my writing progress, though! If you don't, that's OK too. You can pass this post by then, and eagerly await my next post instead. ;)

I am going to answer a series of questions (so what if I'm interviewing myself--no one said writers aren't crazy).

Have you been writing the last couple months? Yes!

Have you been revising? Well, no, but--.

No excuses. Have you been focusing on one project? Um, that's a no too. I can explain, though!

I said no excuses! Have you been happy with your productivity and what you've been working on? Oh, I can answer this one with a yes!

Do you feel you've succeeded at your general writing goals? Yes, yes, yes! And that's what matters, isn't it?

What is your main goal? To keep the writing gears oiled, like I mentioned back in January. Any writing counts! I've been working on this fun short story (well, maybe it's a short story) that has rabid unicorns in it, and the baby blows raspberries with squirrel blood, and these things called blurberries--.

Slow down, slow down. No, not going to slow down I don't want to! Time for you to shut up. I haven't put any goals or constraints on what exactly I'm working on because I need the freedom to dabble right now. And I will mention an excuse--I have a 6-month-old who depends on me to take care of her. As a matter of fact she's wiggling on my lap right now while I type one-handed.

Uh, well. Don't you "uh, well" me. I've also been working on another contest entry for Valley of Unicorns. This one is a role-playing campaign. And I'm having a blast doing it. I wrote 1500 words on just one scenario last night. Is it something that I can publish? No. But I am keeping my creativity flowing, plus all writing is practice. 1500 words in one night! Think of how that will translate when I can focus again on material I intend to seek publication for.

And the main point is I'm pleased with my progress. Happy I'm having fun romping with words. There will be more time to focus on revising and such when my baby decides she's going to finally sleep through the night (and not grab at my face and hair when I'm just trying to type up a blog post), or maybe when I can get a constant IV of caffeine without all the unhealthy negatives of soda or sweet tea (which I'd seriously be sucking on all day if I could stop thinking of the acidity and empty calories).

OK, maybe I do need to slow down a bit. I shouldn't have drank that sweet tea.

Clearly I've been productive by my standards. All writing is practice and the more you do it, the more you'll improve.

I've also been running Writing Quest every month still. Don't forget to join in if you have some writing goals!

That's pretty much all I have for updates. Now get me more caffeine, and hurry, or I'm going to crash!

UP NEXT: What Am I Writing Now? -- A snippet of what I'm currently working on.

Write What You Know

I'm pretty sure I've touched on the topic of "write what you know" before. My apologies if this post seems repetitive (I hope not!), but a scene I'm currently writing reminds me of this little dictum.

So, you claim you haven't experienced enough things to write about? You can't write about a character jumping off of a bridge because you've never done it?

I've never jumped off of a bridge either, but I can still pull from my experiences to aid in writing such a scene. Writing what you know isn't just literal (though it can be in some instances)--if that were the case, I definitely wouldn't be writing fantasy! Even if you think your knowledge and experience is limited, you have a lot more to use than you realize.

No matter our experience, we all have emotions, and different situations bring different emotions. It's these emotional experiences we need to tap into when writing. Emotions are what we know.

How do you think having to jump off of a bridge into rushing water to escape from a rabid pack of unicorns feels like? You think you might be afraid? Maybe even nervous? I sure would! You'd have to make the decision to risk being skewered by the oncoming horns or risking bashing your head on the rocks below. I'm sure you've had to make a hard decision between two bad choices in your life. So you take what you have experienced and translate it to the situation you're writing about.

Emotions are important to have on the page, they bring your characters to life. And you know emotions. Every human does. So you can write what you know. And don't forget that!

* * * * *

Some updates.

Sorry for the delayed blog post. I'm still trying to find a balance between tending to the baby and writing life. She is not making it easy by changing up her patterns every couple of days. My first child was so much more predictable! Hopefully, I'll manage to blog once more this month.

I did get some writing done in January though. I play the game Valley of Unicorns, and they ran a short story contest, so I managed to write up a 4000 word story. To view it, you need to register, so it's understandable if no one wants to do so. But if you do decide to register, follow the link to read "Winter Wishes", which is under my forum name, Jadeunicorn.

Also, I finally received my rejection from Harper Voyager for The Mind Behind the Mind. I'm sad it wasn't accepted, but I'm still pleased the novel made it to the final round. It will find a home one day, or I'll make it a home (after I write the other two novels in the trilogy)!

And don't forget about Writing Quest - February. I am still running the event monthly, and they can always be found on my Facebook page.

Happy reading and writing!

UP NEXT: Writing with an Infant

NaNoing With A Newborn?

I am far overdue for an update!

I was hoping my next update would be announcing the birth of my second child. However, she has proven stubborn. I'm still pregnant. =/

So, then why is my post title NaNoing With A Newborn? Well, it was my intention to do a series by that name starting in November. But I need the newborn first! I am actually 40 weeks along today, and since I have gestational diabetes, it's time to force baby out whether she wants out or not. I won't know the exact details until later this afternoon, but I suspect she'll arrive no later than Wednesday, likely sooner.

I thought it would be fun to undertake the challenge of doing NaNoWriMo even with a baby on my hands. And since I need to keep my head in my Dead As Dreams' world (for revisions), I'm going to start the sequel, Seeker of Dreams! The first scene I want to write is actually a birth scene, so I'll be waiting until baby's arrival to start my word count. I'm not too worried about starting a few days late because I think my goal will be more around 25,000 than 50,000.

Good luck to everyone doing NaNoWriMo this month. And don't forget to join Writing Quest - November! I promise my next update will be in no more than a week. ;)

NEXT UP: Birth Announcement (stubborn baby has to come out!) and NaNoing With A Newborn Part 1

Camp NaNoWriMo - July 2013

Wait, what, you were expecting me to keep to my word on exactly what I intended to blog about today? Maybe I would have if I haven't been dealing with getting my luggage back from the airlines for two days straight. My trip home was hellish. It will be vented in a brand new Grinka and Syndago story.

And...that is the first thing on my list for Camp NaNoWriMo. I'll be getting started a few days later than originally intended, but the goal I've set is 25,000 words. Totally doable. Especially since the morning sickness is pretty much gone and my 5-year-old will be spending a week with my in-laws! After I finish the super rough draft of the new Grinka story, I'll work on the super rough draft of Into the Ash, the first novel in my Elements of Anian series.

Yes, I have revisions to do on Dead As Dreams, but since I haven't touched anything for a few months, I don't want to worry about perfection for a month, and then my gears should be well oiled.

I promise, next post will be about In Your Write Mind. I just need a few days to organize things and figure out what specifics I'll post about. A lot of great workshops (and a lot of fun socializing). =)

Don't forget about Writing Quest - July! Of course my goal this month is simply Camp NaNo.

So, anybody else diving into Camp NaNoWriMo this month? It allows you to key in your own word count goal - no need to aim for the usual 50,000 words!

NEXT UP: July 10 - In Your Write Mind 2013 (I mean it this time)

June? Where Have You Gone?

So, this post was originally supposed to be a Magic Is Reality, Reality Is Magic post, but my house is such a mess, I don't think I'd easily be able to find all the books I'd like to refer to for the post on Summer Solstice. That post will have to wait for next year! But I hope everyone has a happy Solstice today!

My evil morning sickness has pretty much passed, but I am still not feeling the best in other regards. My plans for revisions kind of went down the drain, but at least growing another human being is a good excuse, in my opinion. To ease back into writing, I'm actually hoping to do Camp NaNoWriMo in July, and since the In Your Write Mind retreat is next week, that should feed the writing itch in mass quantities! It's much easier for me to pump out rough draft material than it is to revise (although I'm going to aim for 25k and not 50k so as not to kill myself - lol), and then the pump should be primed for August, which is when I'll dive back into revisions of Dead As Dreams.

Not to mention I have a house to get in order. I am NOT going to be hard on myself over the lack of writing, as that will just put up more roadblocks. Sometimes you just have to accept that life gets in the way.

I'm still running Writing Quest on a monthly basis, and you can always find those events over on my Facebook page. Also, I'm hoping to build up more consistency with the blog posts. I won't be posting next week, since I will be traveling, but the following week should bring a post about this year's In Your Write Mind retreat!

So, what does everyone think are valid reasons/excuses to interrupt writing? Do some of you think nothing should? I'd love to see others' opinions!

NEXT UP: July 3 - In Your Write Mind 2013 Actually, Camp NaNoWriMo

Fun With Words

Yes, I realize I'm nearly a week late in posting. As it stands, better late than never the way I've been feeling.

I haven't made any progress with my writing projects, although I did complete a critique for someone. And I've been reading a lot.

I'm starting to feel a little better, though, and I'm hoping I can start chipping away at revisions for Dead As Dreams either later this week or next week. I'd love to get a full revision done by mid-June, since I plan to go to the In Your Write Mind retreat, and I'd like to be able to pitch. We'll see how things work out.

Since I've been dealing with morning sickness, though, I thought it would be fun to examine the term. Morning sickness is a true misnomer. For most women, morning sickness doesn't just happen in the morning (mine is actually worse at night). So, why is it called morning sickness? From some of the stuff I've looked at on the internet, my guess is it's because most cases doctors observed happened in the mornings.

But since my brain doesn't like to shut off, I thought of another interesting way the word "morning" could be perceived. Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. The first trimester could be considered morning, the second afternoon, and the third evening. Most morning sickness (except for some extreme cases that can last the entire pregnancy) happens during the first trimester. So, it's during the "morning" portion of pregnancy.

Do I think too much? Maybe. But it's still fun to consider, in my opinion.

OK, enough about silly words. It's still not too late to join Writing Quest - May for those interested!

NEXT UP: At this point, no clue! Some time in June there will be another Magic Is Reality, Reality Is Magic entry, but I can't promise exactly what I'll post before then. ;)

Oh, Look - March!

How are we over a week into March already? Where does the time go?

Well, I honestly don't have much progress to report. LIFE has intervened. I'm not going to go into details right now, but I'm thinking life interruptions will be a factor in my writing progress for the next couple of months still.

Now, this doesn't mean I won't be trying to get some writing done, but unfortunately, there are just some other things that need to take priority. The only thing that would immediately move writing to the top at this time is a book contract. =P But here's hoping I can find little slots of time to continue revisions on Dead As Dreams as well as work on some short story projects. I would still love to indie publish more of my short stories, but right now I'll have to wait until I have bigger chunks of time.

However, I am still hosting Writing Quest every month. Come join us at Writing Quest - March!

NEXT UP: Wednesday, March 20 - Ostara!

Is Winter Over Yet?

The post title pretty much sums up my thoughts over the last month, and likely for the next month or two ahead. I HATE winter. Not only is it cold and painful to trudge through snow that people feel they shouldn't have to shovel (grrr - shovel your sidewalks!), but I have zero motivation, for anything. This unfortunately includes writing.

I have made some progress. Chapters 5 and 6 of Dead As Dreams are now revised. However, that's not a lot of progress. My to do list for writing and home grows longer and longer, and I can't keep my head above water because all I want to do is hibernate. I need spring! It has to return quickly. The stupid groundhog better be right about spring coming early, or I might make it so he can't predict anything next year.

Oy. Was that a vent? Yes, that was a vent. My apologies. *straightens head out*

But yes, I've revised a couple chapters of Dead As Dreams, but didn't do much else in January, aside from transferring all of my manuscript submissions tracking to spreadsheets (I mean, that did take a while, but it was busy work in the end). I also found out about Duotrope going to a pay model, and I'm a bit sad about that--that was the best place to search for markets to submit my short stories. I picked through a little of my study, but that just means the books I had piled in there are now cluttering the rest of the house, and the box of papers I started to chip away at has a new home on the loveseat in the living room. Sigh. It needs to warm up, so the the heat can put a fire under my behind.

This month, I hope to at least get something done, a little progress. But until it warms up, I don't think I'll move above a snail's pace, not unless I have an actual deadline that I don't assign myself (it's amazing how imposed deadlines from other people, like when I was in school, get me going even in winter--if only I could trick myself with my own deadlines).

In other news, my 4-year-old is now writing books of her own. =D She writes squiggly lines on several pieces of paper, draws some pictures along with the lines once in a while, then has her teachers staple the papers together. She then reads me the books when she gets home. Her first series is The Five Cats of Christmas. What do you think, will she have a book published before I do? Lol.

Oh, yes, don't forget to join us at Writing Quest - February, if you're interested! How is everyone else dealing with the winter weather? Having any motivation issues? Just want to pull the covers over your head and sleep until it's warmer out? If so, I sympathize!

NEXT UP: Lavender Legacy--Chapter 2 (Will likely be posted on the 20th...sorry for skipping a week!) - The Best Laid Plans....

2013 Will Be THE Year! Right?

The year for what? I don't know. Use your imagination! Anything could happen in 2013. Absolutely ANYTHING. We're only two days in, so possibilities abound!

Maybe it will be the year where I never miss a planned blog post. *laughs* Or the year that I reach my writing goals each month. *laughs harder* Could even be the year I complete more than my slated goals. *laughs my ass off*

Sorry about that. Perhaps that's a sign I want it to be a year where I don't guilt trip myself and can laugh off my shortcomings. No more dwelling on the past or missed opportunities. Onward into 2013!

Even though the last couple months of 2012 weren't that productive, I have to keep reminding myself I did accomplish a lot. I mean, I did earn my M.F.A.! However, I'm sorry to admit I have no submissions stats to report this year. Not because I didn't submit (I did, I did!), but because I lost track of tallies due to being busy with school. Maybe next year I'll have stats, but it looks like I'll have to draw up my own spreadsheet for manuscript tracking--my old program will soon be unusable once I upgrade my computer, and I have not found a suitable replacement. From scratch it is!

I am rather optimistic about 2013, which is a good thing. Let's just hope I can hold onto that optimism.

Oh, you want me to stop yammering about the year ahead and just spit out the goals list? Sure, OK, whatever. ;)

Writing Goals of 2013:

- 20 hours of writing-related work each week, except for certain occasions (like holidays, and let's see, vacation time - everyone, even writers, need vacation time)
- Complete the first revision of Dead As Dreams by June 30
- Complete the second revision/edits of Dead As Dreams by October 31
- Start sending out queries for Dead As Dreams by November 15
- Participate in one Camp NaNoWriMo
- Maybe even give November NaNoWriMo another go
- Short stories--work on lots, submit lots, indie publish a bunch (Perhaps it's THE year of the Short Story!)
- Fiddle with some Elements of Anian world-building
- Blog consistently =D
- Read 50 novels (The one goal that might be over-reaching it?)

I have a few other odds and ends on my list, but the rest is boring (things like catching up with writing forums and groups and fiddling more with social media, yadda yadda yadda). Oh, and I may join Critters again--the perfect place for short story critiques. Can you tell I'm not trying to overdo it this year? I have one novel on my plate, and if I get some work on other novels completed, that'll be gravy.

This list is doable. Yup. I can do this. You don't think I can? You don't want to be optimistic along with me? No dragging me down! Ready or not, here I come!

No, I don't promise to beat down my off-the-wall mood. I like it. I'm having fun, and I hope you're having fun reading my crazy scribblings.

Anyway, I can't forget to mention Writing Quest - January! Come join us if you have any writing goals of your own that you plan to start the year off with.

And I bet I'm not the only one with goals or resolutions for the New Year. I'd love to hear some of your goals too! Writing related or not. It's always fun to share with others--it solidifies those goals more, makes them more real. Feel free to post in the comments! ;)

Happy New Year, and Happy Writing!

NEXT UP: Crazy Necro Antics--Second Edition - Necrosicle?

Do You Speak Simlish?

Your friendly monthly update here!

NaNoWriMo was a bust, per usual, but I think in 2013 I'm going to pick a better month and see if I can hit 50k words then. Getting into the winter and the holidays my writing productivity drops for various reasons (family, life, the urge to hibernate, etc.), so a spring month would be so much better than November! Still, I have a complete rough draft of one Fate short done, and the start of another--can't say I didn't get anything done.

I've also been attempting to organize my house. For me, I feel if things are tidy around me, my brain will work better and be less panicked. I have yet to prove this theory because the house is always a mess. However, I'm making better progress than usual. This month my study WILL get completely cleaned, including the endless papers.

This month I also hope to get back to sending some short stories out, as well as maybe prepping another story to be indie published (or maybe two in one!). It won't be released until 2013, though, most likely. I also plan to get back to revisions of Dead As Dreams.

So, are you still wondering what the title of this blog post means? OK, I give.

I recently purchased The Sims 3 along with the Supernatural expansion. Many people on The Sims 3 website like to do Family Challenges or post stories of their Sim families. And I thought it would be fun trying that out as a series here on my blog--starting with chapters in the life of the Lavender family, the progenitor being a fairy named Lila.

Now, I know some people may be skeptical over this. I will be telling more than showing (a big no-no usually when writing fiction), but I think it will be a fun exercise! And it will definitely have the fantasy slant to it (which makes it far more interesting, in my opinion). I likely won't post a chapter more than once per month, depending on how much time I have to play the game--right now I'm trying to play for a couple hours each week.

That means you all have the first chapter on the Lavender Lineage to look forward to this month! As well as a post about Yule. Oh, and a special edition of the Gamer's Lexicon too.

Don't forget to join us over at Writing Quest - December! Happy writing and reading. =)

NEXT UP: An entry in the Gamer's Lexicon! What game was nicknamed Rat Killer when it was first released?

NaNoWriMo 2012!

Yes, I am attempting NaNoWriMo again this year. Last year I had no hope of hitting 50k, but this year I seriously hope I can finally reach that goal. Most of my writing will likely be done on the weekends. I plan to write a little bit each day though.

I'm approaching NaNo slightly different this year, though. I'll be working on short stories, mainly ones from my Fate, Tarot card based series. I have a couple stories started in that series that need to be finished, plus plenty more that need to be written (I mean, I do need to write 78 stories, and I only have 2 done!).

And I hope to keep updates going on my blog when I switch over stories! I will have my first excerpt from the story I'm working on now ready for Science Fiction and Fantasy Saturday tomorrow. First up is "The Magus" card. I likely won't have titles for the stories until a later time, not unless some slap me across the face - lol.

My current tracker is at the bottom of this post, and I'll make sure to have a new one in each NaNo post for the month. So the previous tracker will stay at the word count I ended at before the next post. =)

Also, please don't forget that my short story, "Dancing in the Wind" is now available for purchase! If you go back two posts, you'll even get to read a snippet, and the purchase links are there as well.

And even though it's NaNoWriMo this month, I am still running Writing Quest - November! So, come on over and join us, whether you are NaNoing or working on other writing goals.

Good luck to everyone undertaking NaNoWriMo! May we all reach 50,000 words!

NEXT UP: SFFS Snippet - 11/3/12

October = Break Time!

A day late and a dollar short? Sorry for the delay. My daughter had a field trip early this morning, and I didn't want to stay up late to post last night!

Anyway, as seen from the last post, I'm still in a bit of a funk. I honestly think that the weather is affecting me more than usual even. The winter blues have pounced on me and they are digging their claws in! Therefore, I think I at least need a bit of a blogging break. Only for a couple weeks. I will probably have two more posts this month, then if I do NaNoWriMo, I'll likely be posting frequently in November.

That doesn't mean I'm not going to write. I'm through Chapter 4 for revisions on Dead As Dreams. I hope to revise at least another 10 Chapters, but we'll see how the month goes. I need to get my head and house in order so I'm not worrying about a million other things when I write. Maybe it's time to start meditating again (although if I try that, I may just fall asleep instead).

The Mind Behind the Mind received another rejection, and I hope to send it off to the Harper Voyager open submissions call in the next few days. I also received another short story rejection, so I have a few short stories to push out into slush piles again. One I may need to edit first though. =)

Speaking of short stories, I will be editing and formatting "Dancing in the Wind" and placing it up on Amazon for sale (may also go up on B&N and Smashwords) later this month. I need to finish the cover art for it, and I'm waiting on a friend to help out with some nice art. My initial goal is the 15th, but definitely by the 25th, as long as I get the artwork! I can always change the cover I guess if the art is delayed.

So, that's really what I have on my writing plate. I just need to keep plugging along. The two posts I hope to write up this month will likely be a contribution to Science Fiction & Fantasy Saturday with an excerpt from "Dancing in the Wind" and then on Halloween I'll have another Magic is Reality, Reality is Magic entry talking about Samhain--the first sabbat (holiday) in the Wheel of the Year!

Don't forget about Writing Quest - October!

NEXT UP: Only two more posts in October--one for SFFS (date to be determined) and the other will be a post about Samhain on Halloween!

Summer's Over!

It's September 1, and even though the Fall Equinox isn't for another few weeks, summer is pretty much officially over. This is good and bad. Good because it's no longer sweltering outside (or in my house). Bad because I didn't make as much progress with some things on my to do list, especially in August. August was not a waste, though, as it included much needed family time. I need to have some balance in my life!

Of course, Hazard Yet Forward is still available for purchase, so please if you have a few bucks to spare, buy yourself a great anthology. Not only will you have numerous wonderful stories to read, but you'll be helping a good cause. =)

Since August didn't produce much, I'm mostly going to talk about my plans for September. I'm heaping the goals on my plate!

Dead As Dreams has been waiting patiently for me to dig back in to the revisions, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. After some reverse outlining, notes on the world history, and some character exploration, I hope to get a good chunk of the novel revised in September. I'm hoping I'll finish this revision pass by the end of October, just in time for NaNoWriMo!

In the next month or two, I will also be indie publishing my short story "Dancing in the Wind". It will be available through the Kindle, at the least. This story is a twist on the Wizard of Oz story--a modern Dorothy tumbles into Oz and finds that there are worse bullies than herself, including a trio of evil munchkins, one who happens to fear the color yellow. "Dancing in the Wind" received an Honorable Mention in the Writers of the Future Contest. I'll be sure to post here when it's available for purchase.

As always, there is a new Writing Quest up for September. If you have any writing goals, even small ones, please join us!

Happy writing, all!

NEXT UP: School Time

Still Trying to Beat the Heat

Today's title should say it all. It's still HOT here. July was not a fun month for the heat, which means I didn't get as much writing done as I wanted to. That doesn't mean I didn't may any progress though. ;)

I managed to revise or edit four of my short stories. One has wracked up two rejections already, one just received a rejection today, and another is at my invaluable critique partner.

The fourth story, "A Little Bit of Magic", which originally appeared in my undergrad literary magazine, Century, was heavily revised and sent off to a very important anthology. One of my writer friend's, Donna, was diagnosed with cancer in July. Some of her friends banded together and sent a call out for submissions. And I gladly accepted that call and sent over "A Little Bit of Magic".

The anthology is titled Hazard Yet Forward, the motto of Seton Hill University. All proceeds earned from the anthology sales will go directly to Donna to help her with the costs of her medical treatment.

So, if you're interested in reading over 70 stories, including "A Little Bit of Magic", in a range of genres by some awesome writers that have come together to help a friend out, please consider buying this anthology. You can find more information about the contributors and Donna on the Hazard Yet Forward website. It will be available for purchase on Tuesday, August 7, and it's worth every penny!

That's my big news from July, and August will be another hot month by the looks of it. I'll be away for a full week, and I'm not allowed to work on writing or my husband might dig out a pitchfork and go "Rabble, rabble, rabble!" We're finally taking a honeymoon, after over ten years of marriage. I am going to sneak in some research on the sly, though, since we're going to visit a couple plantations!

As always, don't forget about Writing Quest! There's a lot of activity posted for August already. It's sure to be a lively month!

NEXT UP: What I'm Likely Doing in New Orleans