Happy 2014!

I really did want to update in December, but two more struggles with mastitis made things difficult (I am still finishing antibiotics from the last case). My Little Green Girl will be two months old this Sunday. It hasn't been easy, but I can tell as the days pass, her fussiness fades a bit more. I see enough smiles now from her to lighten my heart and make me more optimistic that I'll be able to write more soon (and that these darn infections will stop). I can't be too hard on myself, as even writers deserve a bit of maternity leave, no?

Perhaps it's the new year that has me more optimistic and less anxious. I always love the feel of a clean slate when one year ends and another begins. Of course a new year brings new goals, including writing goals. And I always have new goals at the beginning of each year!

Right now, I'm going to enjoy the next month with my newborn and focus on getting and staying healthy. Though, I hope to write a scene for Seeker of Dreams that just wants out. Writing even a little helps keep the writing gears oiled. Last month I finished writing my pregnancy journal--all writing counts!

Come February though, when Mama's Little Green Girl is three months old, I'll be picking up the pace again, at least on weekends, while my sweet husband wrangles the two kids. Right now, there is no rush to complete something. A little at a time will show progress. That might change if I'm offered a contract, of course. Then things will need to go a little faster instead of a slower easing in, and well, frankly, the housework can just suffer if something as wonderful as that happens.

Speaking of contracts...the last update on the Harper Voyager website stated that they are down to 295 manuscripts. I have yet to receive a rejection, so I assume The Mind Behind the Mind is still being considered! I feel privileged to have made it to the final round, and it will be the final round. I should know one way or another by the end of the month. My fingers and toes are crossed, and if I am offered a contract, all other writing plans will probably go out the window since I'll be elbow deep in edits on The Mind Behind the Mind. If I could only be so lucky. ;)

However, since that is still up in the air, my main focus starting in February will be revisions on Dead As Dreams. I'm also hoping to write and revise another handful of short stories, maybe even indie publish a couple by the end of the year. "Dancing in the Wind" needs some company. Oh, and I plan to blog twice per month at least.

Ah, that's enough about my current tribulations and my plans for the year.

What goals do you have for 2014?

NEXT UP: Write What You Know

NaNoing with a Newborn - Part 2: Mastitis Interruptus

It seems life wants me to slow down and stop trying to do more than I can currently handle.

I was healing fine from my daughter's birth, but then I got a pretty nasty cold, which was then followed by mastitis. Mastitis is a breast infection with flu-like symptoms that knocked me on my behind. I am still trying to recover, and running on little sleep between the newborn and cough keeping me awake. Breastfeeding has also been difficult and painful, so I have a lot on my plate with just that!

Needless to say, the only thing I've written this month is the birth story, which clocked in around 3000 words. I don't plan to write anymore this month. Not actually sure when I'll start writing again. It's definitely more difficult to adjust to a second child, and the health issues have made things even more difficult. I can hope I'll have adjusted by the end of the year, but I really can't predict. For now, I'm going to concentrate on keeping healthy and tending to the newborn, then I'll slowly add things back in.

I hope everyone else who attempted NaNoWriMo succeeded or at least made a decent amount of progress. I'll try to post another update in December. But if things don't shake out the way I'd like, I send my holiday wishes to everyone!

NaNoing with a Newborn - Part 1: Newborn Has Arrived!

Mama's Little Green Girl arrived on November 5 at 1:46am! Better late than never. And now that I can step back and look at things, she had perfect timing.

This of course means my NaNoing with a Newborn will be getting a late start. I did begin a pregnancy journal right before she was born, and I intend to use the word count from that as well as the birth story for NaNo before I start work on Seeker of Dreams. I mean, it wouldn't be a normal NaNoWriMo for me if I wasn't a bit of a Rebel. ;)

Hopefully by the end of the week I'll start Seeker of Dreams. I've been itching to work on it, but there are just some things that need attention first! I still hope to reach at least 25,000 words for the month. At least I already have 500 in from the pregnancy journal.

Good luck to all those deep in NaNoWriMo waters already.

I'll leave everyone with a picture of both of my girls, Little Dragonfly and Little Green Girl!

NEXT UP: NaNoing with a Newborn - Part 2