Fun Facts Friday.

Halloween is over and I'm pretty proud that I'm not in a sugar coma. Okay, maybe a slight one, but nothing major. On with the fun:

1. Sugar can stimulate your writing. I've been on fire, thanks to chocolate. Now, it may all be crap when I'm done, but I realized I can type pretty fast.

2. Cutest cards ever! Check out Great Arrow Cards. Both are designed by Kaitlyn McCane.

 

 

3. I'm starting to get the first draft freak out. This is where you realized how crappy a first draft is and how much you have to do to get it right. This does pass and usually (after many revisions) a pretty novel is born.

 

4. Grimm is simply awesome. I can't wait till the next episode.

 

5. To those of you doing NaNo--good luck!!

 

6. What is your favorite book on plotting?

 

7. How long do you wait between drafts (not beer, people, book drafts)?

 

8. Don't forget to check out all the entries in Write Club over at DL Hammons Cruising Altitude. The competition is fierce. Check it out.

9. Ever wonder whether if you are using i.e and e.g. correctly? Check out this great post by Daven Hisky .

10. My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy.To help those in need-- Red Cross.

Have any fun facts to share?

Have a great weekend!!

What's coming up!

I had an idea for a blog post, and it totally left my brain. So, I thought I would let you in on what will be happening on this blog over the next few months.

1. First a reminder-- Write on Con--Yeah, folks starts tomorrow. Go check out how awesome it will be. I did it last year and plan to do it again. August 16-18.

2. August 27th PAYA--If you are in the West Chester, PA. area you must check this out. I went last year and it was so much fun. Plus, lots of great prizes and authors.

3. I will be participating in the promotion/reviewing of String Bridge by Jessica Bell. Blog tour is November 1st-20th. Amazon rush November 11th.

4. I will also be reviewing/promoting Cracked by K.M. Walton. A contest may be with this one. So stay tuned. To be released January 3, 2012.

5. I will be having another contest that includes the works of Kaitlyn McCane. You know you love her stuff.

How was your weekend?

Are you participating in any blog tours, reviews or contests?

I'm working a lot this week so the little blog might be neglected. Only slightly. :)

Have a great day!!

What's Your Writing Process Blogfest

Thanks to Shallee for hosting this blogfest. Go Here to check out the other participants.

Well, I'm not a super authority on the writing process. If you read my blog regularly, you know this. I'm always searching for new ways to make my process easier. What I've learned is that making it easier is not always right. It has to be right for me and fit me, like a comfortable shoe. So with that said, I will describe the process that I've done already, and that may be my fit, despite the hair pulling it's given me.

Most of my ideas are inspired by music. Yes, music. A song will play and I will get a scene popping into my head like a movie trailer. After that, the characters start to show themselves and more songs will start to fill in the other scenes and the story is born. Everything I've written has a soundtrack (the two pieces I'm working on have soundtracks on my music page above).

From there I do characterization, filling journals of each character describing them, with their age, likes, dislikes, and their part in the story. As I do this, I continue writing scenes usually starting with dialogue. It's how I see it in my head...characters talking, then action. After I write the dialogue, I go back and add the details. I don't write from the first chapter through the end. I tried this and for me it doesn't work, at least not now. If I need to, I do world building loosely. This helps me understand the rules of the world or race of the being.

With my first novel, I wrote it not doing anything, making it up as I went. This has made me frustrated though, because I'm now re-writing a lot. Patience is not my forte. I do like to free write, to clear my head, the problem with this is I need a certain atmosphere to write--No one around to bother me and I must be listening to my inspiration music. This is not the case at my house. Let's just say, I can't wait till both kids are in school.

So far, this seems like my fit. The novel just writes itself as I go, just some things have to be worked out before hand. If I think too much about it, all the creativity gets lost.  Oh and lots and lots of chocolate.

Can't wait to see the other processes.

Oh and please go vote for Illustrator, Kaitlyn McCane's windmill design. So cute. It's looks great as a T-shirt. Check it out here and vote.

Have a great day!

Fun Facts Friday

Thanks again to all of you who participated in The Crazy Holiday Blogfest. Go here to see the awesome entries.

1. Somehow how I got behind with the whole holiday thing. Overwhelmed is how I feel.

2. We started a new tradition in our house. A book and little elf. It's called "Elf on a Shelf". There's a story and the elf watches the kids then reports to santa at night (a little creepy, yes). Each day he is sitting in a new place. Doesn't really work (keeping the kids in line). I need the elf to wrap presents and shop.

3. I'm addicted to Chocolate Cheerios.

4. I'm going to skip Writing the Next Line this month. With the holidays, everyone is busy so I will plan to start it back up in January.

5. It is bitter cold here. Unusual, yes. Do I like it? What do you think? It's warmer in Munich.

6. I'm supposed to be in a blogfest tomorrow. I may not get my entry done (see below for the reason). Check out Francine's Twisted Christmas Fairytale Blogfest.

7. I enjoy getting comments and email. I'm addicted to checking both constantly.

8. One blinker on my car is palpitating super fast while the other one is normal. Weather perhaps?

9. Reason my entry for the blogfest tomorrow may not be done. We are having renovations done to our house. Last week new windows, this week new front door. This is not the whole problem. Yesterday, the condinsate pump froze in our heater, leaving me with a nice surprise of water in my basement. To top it all off, the presents I just wrapped for the kiddos were down there. Some boxes are water warped. I've come up with the idea that Santa dropped them in snow. I'm a writer, I make stuff up.

10. Illustrator, Kaitlyn McCane, recently had one of her awesome illustrations put on the food network's recipe a day blog. Check it out here and give her a high five.

11. Whoever came up with chocolate chip cookies is a god.

Any weekend plans?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Fun Facts Friday

This week was a blur. The crazy holiday season is in full bloom and, well, writing is the only thing that keeps me sane. So here is how this week went--

1. I did start my shopping, but I'm trying to ease into it. Why do we have black friday when all the "best sales" are going on now? Does anyone go to the stores at midnight?

2. My daughter brought her Lego catalog with her to see Santa. Way too funny.

3. My son didn't want to talk to Santa. So we had a repeat of last year. Lots of tears.

4. Did some critiquing for a CP this week, and  started another critique for another. It felt good.

5. If you are looking for some cool gifts, check out these websites. See below.

Happy Cakes Creations--cool stuff for little girls. Yes, I'm best friends with the owner/creative genius. :)

Kaitlyn McCane Illustration--adorable cards and artwork. Yes, I also put her work on my blog. A lot.

6. Hi to all my new blogging buddies. I hope to visit you soon.


7. Got this in the mail yesterday

I can't wait to read it. Sigh.

8. Despite my cold, I did finally do a little revising and brainstorming which is good. Thanks for all your comments. You guys always know how to rock it. I also want to thank my inspiration songs (yeah you--silversun pickups, civil twilight, muse). They woke my MCs up.

9. I watched more TV than usual this week. I don't like too because most of it may be shrinking some brain cells, hey it's possible. Anyway, I watched 19 Kids and Counting (don't ask) and Little Couple (yeah, I know I have issues.) I swear I couldn't stop watching it, but yet I kept wanting to shut it off. Some sort of mind control...maybe.

10. I finally made my first button for Writing the Next Line November 24th--right here on this blog. See it up there. I need to work on it though. Hey, it's my first button and I'm technically challenged.

11. I found these links this week:

Querytracker --The lovely Stina Lindenblatt did a great post on edgy YA. 

Kelly's Compositions-This post made me think about keepin' it real for teens in YA.

Wish me luck--my daughter's birthday party is this weekend. Lots of cake, candy, toys and kids. Yikes.

Any weekend plans?

Have a great weekend!

Fresh start.

The start of a new week. I like the feeling of a fresh start. Thanks for all your recommendations for the book club. I will let you know what I pick.

Last week, I got tied up with WriteOnCon (yes, it was great) and my WiP. The schedule I have started seems to be working although last week I got a little carried away. I stayed up late and the kids are still not fully sleeping so Saturday night I took the night off. Drinking two beers (look out the party girl is breaking free),watching a little TV (which I don't watch much), trying to read a book and work on WiP #3. It's not that I made myself work on it, they just spoke to me.

I signed up for the Philly SCBWI conference in September. I'm going with Illustrator Kaitlyn McCane (that's her artwork over there) and my fab CP, Kelly. When I signed up, I decided not to have my first ten pages critiqued. I didn't feel ready and the pressure--let's just say I had an agent critique some pages this year which led me to change my whole beginning. Don't get me wrong it was a good thing. I thank god I had that opportunity.

After my return from vacation, I received an email from the local chapter saying that they still had spots open for the critique. Now, I'm sort of a believer in signs but still was sticking to my original plan of no critique. I wasn't going to do it. A couple emails back and forth to Kelly and now I'm signed up. So last week, I was working hard on my first ten pages along with a synopsis. I'm sending it out today. It's my new chapter so I would like to see what I can improve on. Nailbiting--yes-- but in the end a lesson to be learned.

I'm sure I will have to fight off Pessy (my pessimist side) with a taser and a nine iron because he is already telling me how much red will be on those pages. But I think Opti (my optimist side) will shine through, patting me on the back telling me to soak in all the advice I can. Thanks Kelly. :)

So I have some goals--
This week:
 Revise a chapter.
Write everyday.
If WiP #3 comes knocking, answer the door and let them tell their story.
Take one day a week to learn something new about the craft and apply it to my own writing.

Busy week.

What are your goals? How was your weekend?

A 200 follower contest maybe in my sights. After that who knows, I'm trying to take it one day at a time.

Have a great day!

Psst...Is that a 100 follower contest I see?

Well, well, well, I hit the big one.  Wa-hoo! party time.  Turn up the music, dance and break out the martinis. I really wish we could all meet and celebrate. Why is reaching 100 followers so important? I don't know it just is. It may be because I still can't believe that 100 people think I'm that  interesting or think that I can call myself a writer.  When I first started, I thought no one would want to even look at my blog--except for Kelly (Kelly Compositions--who is awesome and told me to start this.) Thanks Kelly!

I guess I thought people might laugh at my work and tell me I have no business even trying to pursue publishing anything I wrote but you guys have told me differently. So I believe you and trust me I have a fire that is burning in my gut to keep going.

You want to know about the contest, right? Oh yeah, the contest. Since I'm so not qualified to host a writing contest (which I think are really cool), I'll be giving away some great stuff.

Before I tell you the prizes let me just say I want to change the word followers to something different.  I'm not sure to what yet and if you have suggestions please tell me.

Right prizes--it's killing you isn't it.

O.k. So I have never done this before so I tried to pick up ideas from other contests. 

Are you ready--

The winner will receive:

1. Your choice of one of these fine prints (8" x 10")  from Kaitlyn McCane (Check out her blog, website, and ETSY site).  She is a super cool illustrator and her work  is adorable. I thought one of these could decorate your favorite writing spot (I'm an interior designer hence the decoration).

Option 1

Option 2

2. To help get your reader "hooked"--You will receive a copy of Hooked by Les Edgerton.

3. I'm also including a $10 gift card to Barnes and Noble or Amazon (your choice).

4. To help cure your munchies --a bag of M & M's (dark or regular your choice).

Well, what do you think? You even get to choose some of your prizes.

Rules:

1. Leave a comment (Let me know what inspires you to write). +1

2. If you are a old follower of the blog (Follower before March 31st)  +2

3. New follower +1

4. Bring a friend to this blog (they have to mention you in their comment) +1

5. Blog about this contest (leave a link in your comment) +2

6. Blab about this on other sites - Twitter, FB, etc. (leave a link in your comment) +1

7. Add to your sidebar +1

8. Total your score in your comment +1

Contest ends: April 7th at 11:59 pm and I'll use random.org for the drawing.
 
Any questions just let me know. 
 
Thank you to Michelle McLean for taking my count to the big 100.
 
Thank you for all your thoughtful words yesterday.  I'm thankful for all of you.
 
Good luck! (Boy, that's a lot of thank yous).