Rekindle the Fire and Happy New Year!

I'm back. Okay, I don't normally post on a Saturday, but I have good stuff coming up Monday and Tuesday so I thought I give a quick blurb today.

First, Happy New Year!

Now, I plan to be doing a lot more writerly posts this year and I thought this may be one others can relate to. I'm ready to say goodbye to 2011. I did learn a lot, but the one thing that is truely sticking out is that I need to re-light my love for writing. It seems my quest for getting an agent and book deal has become more of an obsession than a search. Not that I'm quitting the quest or writing. It just seems that the excited love I used to feel has smoldered a little, faded slightly. I know it's not easy when the others around you are getting agents and book deals or are in the position you want to be.

So, how do you fix it? That is something I've been trying to figure out all year. This past week I started reading things I've written a while back. Other stories that I started, thinking that they weren't good enough or I lost interest because my focus switched to getting an agent. The fact is--I love those stories, and those characters. I want to immerse myself back into them. I think taking a break, re-focusing on what is important in your writing, and reading some things you've hidden away clears the smoke that covers the love, making you see what made you write in the first place.

 What's next? I still plan to query, early in the year (after the betas read it). The thing is I'm looking at it differently. Not with the fiery eyes of obsession, but with the acceptance that it is a step in my journey. A step of learning and growing. I also can't wait to get back into writing my other stories.

What's coming up:

Monday, I will participating in Frankie's 3rd Annual No Kiss Blogfest. I better get writing. :)

Tuesday, Giveaway announcement for this lovely number.

I will also be doing a series on what I've learned with some great links so stay tuned. So that was short and quick cause the kids are fighting. Argh.

Happy New Year!! Any plans?
Stay Safe!!

Fun Facts Friday (Holiday Edition)

Yep, the season is in full swing. I haven't written much, but I'm filling up with a ton of ideas. I'm also "seeing" my sentence structure issues in certain spots of my manuscript. Exciting. So, that means I'm taking a hiatus. I'll be back after the new year. One, family time. Two, putting finishing touches on the manuscript (double checking things).

I decided to do a holiday edition. Feel free to answer these questions on your blog too.

Favorite ways to say Merry Christmas other than English-- Frohliche Weihnachten and Mele Kalikimaka.

Favorite Christmas song: Okay, other than the classics. Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon.

Favorite Christmas TV show: Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer.

Favorite Christmas Movie: This is tough. I love the classics, but I have a thing for Elf.

How is your tree decorated? Eclectic. I have pretty ornaments, kid ornaments, and Star Wars ornaments. Yes, you heard me.

Best Christmas Memory: Six years ago. Even though I was a emotional mess of being a first time mom, I'll never forget my grandmother's eyes when she saw her new great granddaughter. I miss you mom-mom.

So there you have it. Short and sweet. A couple of things to mark on your calender.

1. Frankie's 3rd Annual No Kiss Blogfest January 2nd. Be there.

2. This little number (see below) by K.M. Walton will be released on January 3rd.

Pre-order it or go to local bookstore and get it. On January 3rd. CRACKED. January 3rd. CRACKED. Got it in your head. Mark it on your calenders. Don't forget. I will have some giveaways with this one. :)

Feel free to add your holiday favorites below. I wish everyone a happy holiday. Enjoy. I can't wait to return with a fresh brain ready to tackle 2012.

Happy Holidays!!

Monday Mumbles

Grab your favorite wake up beverage and kick back. Yep, I'm still here. I know I've been M.I.A. but I haven't forgotten about you. It's that time of year so things get a little more hectic than usual. I'm not only buying and wrapping up presents, I'm also wrapping up clients (not literally). I've been thinking about the blog and how to freshen it up. I realize that it seems to have strayed off the path I intended. Yes, I did intend to discuss my journey (hence the name), but I think I want to try to focus on being more helpful. Writing posts that inform more about writing than about my woes. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for the support and will need it from time to time. It's just something I'm aiming for in the new year.

I usually discuss this closer to the new year, but I've decided to write about it today. What I've learned this year. That's easy lots and lots. I considered this year my sophomore year so here's what stuck out besides the usual show not tell.

1.The big thing--how to take a crit. I know I should've learned this last year but I'm getting better at sorting through feedback and knowing what needs to be fixed and what is opinion.

2. No matter how much you revise, you can do more. At least, that what it seems like. Amp it up is one of the many things. I will be discussing this in a future post.

3. I have the best support group in the world. Okay, I knew this last year, but it's even more evident this year.

4. I've learned more about queries than I ever thought possible and I'm not done yet. The darn thing will get there, I'm sure of it. The hope is to query early in the year.

5. Even though I feel like the oddball, the weird one or just the one who doesn't fit in, I will get there at my own pace. I'm a writer. It may be frustrating, but I know I will not stop till I get there.

6. Realize I still have a long way to go. I'm not that awesome (not that I thought I was awesome in the first place). I've learned how to be a better writer. I see how to write a novel differently. It doesn't mean I'm not giving up my panster style yet. It's just how I write. That probably makes no sense. I'd better go and grab some hot chocolate.

So what did you learn this year?

Stay tuned on my blog for some giveaways--yep they're coming. :)

Have a great day!

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Thanks to Alex for putting this all together. Go check out the other bloggers who participate.

I don't have much today other than my fear of empty brain. With all that is going on, I have no words. I feel like a shell just walking around. Someone who is screaming, but no one can hear. I don't know. It's weird. I want to move along continue with my usual schedule, but so many things are getting in the way. I'm trying to finish up (10 pages to go) the last round of revisions so I can have a clear head to write something else. Argh. I guess I'm just frustrated because I want to keep moving, and yet again, things keep getting in the way. *taking a deep breath* I'm keeping a positive outlook the best way I know how, but you know how things can be. I will get there I know. *goes and eats some chocolate*

How is your progress?

Any news?

Have a great day!

Multiple backups

Get on over to Frankie's blog and sign up for the 3rd annual No Kiss Blogfest. I'm such a sucker for no kiss scenes. Such a tease. It's on January 2nd. Now if I could get my brain to work to come up with something.

Photo removed.

This is how I felt when the virus hit and also how I feel trying to write something new. Funny how the looks go hand and hand.

Last week my computer got hit with a virus. Yeah, completely scary. It was a Malware thing. I'm no tech-head gal so my terms are not legit. It basically froze my computer, flashing a lot of red and saying it could only fix six things and if I want the other eight fixed I had to pay $84.95. Um, no. So I called a friend (who is a savior) to help me through it. We got the computer back up and running. I was saved or so I thought. Yes, my computer worked but when I went to cue up my doc files. Nothing. All  my files gone.

How do you think I felt? Yep, heart melted and an ache pulsed around my eyes traveling to my forehead. But wait, I have an external drive that I back everything up, but I was backing up my files when this virus hit so when I went to search on the external there was nothing. I hear your silence and maybe a gasp. Yeah, I was freaking out. All the pictures of my kids, other info, and all my writing files--gone. Poof. Like it never existed. (Oh story idea--sorry this sometimes happens to me when I encounter scary situations.)

After composing myself (it took a little bit of cursing and tears), I opened Word and went to my recent files. About 12 things showed up and I could open all of them. The hubs told me it's there, it has to be. So after we both did some research, it turned out the virus hid all my files, and since I was backing up at the time, it hid all those files too. Needless to say, I've found everything and lesson learned. Have more than one back up. It also made me realize how much work I've done and how much it means to me. Yes, I knew this before, but I felt so helpless when it was gone almost like a part of me was stolen. It amazes me how words can mean so much.

How many backups do you have?

Have a great weekend!