Friday Funnies

I just wrote a book, but don't go out and buy it yet, because 

I don't think it's finished yet.

~ Lawrence Welk

Once you've put one of his books down, you simply can't pick it up again.

(Mark Twain talking about Henry James)

I take the view, and always have, that if you cannot say what you are going to say in twenty minutes you ought to go away and write a book about it. 

~ John Cuthbert Moore-Brabazon

A Very Lovely Surprise

The very sweet Tira at Runaway Moments presented me with this lovely award. Thank you so much, Tira. I really can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I've got an extra spring in my step today :) If you haven't visited Tira's blog yet, I highly recommend it. It is full of beautiful images and lyrical words. Just wonderful :)

Here are the rules for the award:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog along with the name of the person who awarded you, and their blog link.

2. Pass the award to fifteen other blogs and remember to contact the bloggers to let them know.

Here are my nominees, just a sampling of a few blogs I love to read, in no particular order:


Abby Annis at Evolution of My Neuroses
Suzanne at Tales of Extraordinary Ordinariness
Lisa Amowitz at Why A?
Mary Anne Gruen at the Starlight Blog 
Bonny at B.J. Anderson 
Cole Gibsen at Hair Dye and Samurai  

Corey at Thing 1 and Thing 2  
Jody at Author, Jody Hedlund 
Stephanie at The Writer's Cocoon 
Natalie at Natalie Bahm 
Megan at Megan Rebekah Blogs...and Writes
Sheri at Diary of a Children's Book Writer  
Stephanie at Chronicles of a Novice Writer 
Carol Anne Strange at My Writing Journey 
Kate at The Lovers, The Dreamers, and Me

WIP Wednesday

Soooo....are we all ready for NaNo? :D I am cautiously optimistic. I have a fairly good synopsis for my new book and an outline of sorts. It's more of a "This happens then this happens then this happens" type thing, but hopefully it will help give me an idea of what to write :) I'm sure the story will mutate at some point, as it always does, but at least I've got a starting point.

I'm curious to see how this will work for me. I've never tried outlining before, at all. My stories always turn into something completely different than what they started out as. In fact, my first two books both started out as sort of "coming of age" stories about a girl and a few of her relationships. Somehow, that storyline turned into a historical romance with a treasure hunt and a YA paranormal with gods and cool powers. Go figure :)

But, I've never had this much of an idea of where I wanted the story to go. It was always a general "I want the story to be about this." This time, I actually have the whole story mapped out. Not specifics necessarily. I don't have any of the chapters fully outlined with minute details. It's more of a "Chapter 1 - The MC meets character one at the bookstore - he follows her home" "chapter 2- flashback to how she got where she is - meets up with character 3"...That sort of thing. But it's much more defined than anything I've ever done before. I am actually really excited to see if this method works well for me :)

My current novel is just about done. I've done all the major revisions it needs (I think). My main group only has about 30 pages left to go through, and my second group has about half the book, but as they've only been finding minor things here and there (commas and dialogue tags that could go, etc), I'm pretty confident that this book (which finally has a title!!!) is ready to fly the coop :)

How is everyone else doing? Present projects making progress? NaNo novels prepared to go?

Blog Chain - What do I fear?

Okay, this is for the blog chain, though I am several days late. I was going to skip it altogether but as I'm feeling so much better and this round is still going, I thought I'd squeeze in :) Kat picked our topic this round. She wants to know:

What are the primary fears that drive your characters? Do they battle aliens or gangsters or monsters? Or do they battle unreconciled issues in their lives? Which do you prefer writing about? What do you fear?

Fears are funny, I think. When it comes right down to it, all fears are internal. You may have a very good reason to fear something, (see Cole's post if you haven't yet), but the fear you feel is based in your head.

I had a nightmare once, when I was in my mid teens. I was in my room and a blinding white light was shining through my window - like someone had focused a spotlight on it. There was a man standing in my room, but he was made of shadow - black and sort of hazy. No features, just a black outline though it was solid. And red eyes.

I've slept with a nightlight ever since. To this day.

I also fear spiders, ghosts, enclosed spaces, heights and losing my loved ones. All of those fears are totally irrational, justified but unfixable, or unavoidable. I'm huge compared to a spider. I step on it and it dies. But I'll run if one is big enough. I generally stay out of my basement at night and never EVER watch or read ghost stories...esp at night (not even Ghostbusters). I avoid enclosed spaces and heights if at all possible and go to my happy place and breath deeply if I can't (no amount of exposing myself to such places has cured these fears). And I'm going to lose people I love. I already have. And I will again. Yet I fear it.

I put these same fears into my characters. Sure I give them a real monster to fight- that's always fun. :) But those internal fears...now those are intense battles. I like to watch my characters conquer their fears. Sometimes it takes more than one try, but there is nothing more rewarding than beating a fear...even if it's only temporary.

Several of our members have posted some really awesome quotes. One of my faves is:

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that 

something else is more important than fear. 

~Ambrose Redmoon

I actually first heard that quote while watching The Princess Diaries :) But it's so true. I may fear a lot of things - but I can be courageous, no matter how bad my boots are shaking, when I need to be :)

The awesome Shaun is after me in the chain and check out Bonny's post before me!

A Heartfelt Award

Diana Paz over at Writing Roller Coasters very kindly awarded me with the Heartfelt Award last week. Thank you so much Diana! Receiving this award definitely put a smile on my face during a very difficult week :)

The description and rules for this award are:

Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you're relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know the feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea, or a hot toddy? That is what the Heartfelt Award is all about, feeling warm inside. Rules: Put the logo on your blog/post. Nominate up to to 9 blogs which make you feel comfy or warm inside. Be sure to link your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have been nominated by commenting on their blog. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.

I know this may seem like a total cop out, but every blog I read falls under this description. The writers whose blogs I follow are all incredible people who truly love this wacky business we are in. Their posts are insightful and heartfelt and warm my days. So...my nominees are...all of my wonderful followers, readers, and those whose blogs I follow. I know I don't get around to commenting much, but every morning when I come downstairs and turn on my computer, it is with a little thrill of "ooo I wonder what everyone will have to say today" :) Each and every one of you deserve this award, so if you are reading this post, copy the award and post it proudly on your blog. And thank you again, Diana!

Are You Having Fun?

I'm baaaack :D Still a bit loopey, as I have to stay on a few meds for the next several weeks, but doing much better. Thank you so much for all the kind comments and get well wishes. You guys rock :)

So, what have I been up to lately? Well, for the most part, editing and preparing for NaNo :) My current book is so, so close to being finished, and I think I have a pretty good idea of where I'm going for my new book. And I'm excited...EXCITED...about both of these things. And it got me thinking about why I do what I do.

I've come across people in crit groups or writers forums that seem so stressed out and disillusioned by the endless rounds of edits and revisions and harsh critiques and agent rejections and publisher rejections that they do nothing but complain and bash writing and the publishing industry in general. Yet, when asked, "If you hate it so much, why do you do it?" they invariably answer along the lines of "I've put so much work into it, I can't justify quitting" or "Because being a published author has been a dream of mine since I was little, I'm not going to quit."

While I admire being able to stick with something even when it gets difficult, it's the attitudes behind it that confuse me. This business can be hard. It is a roller coaster of emotions and successes and failures. But most writers I know still love what they do. LOVE it with a capital L. Despite all the hardships and ups and downs, writing just isn't something they could ever do without.

I came across a quote the other day that sums up how I feel about it.

Most people quit. If you don't quit, if you rewrite, if you keep publishing in fancier places, you will understand thta "What's the secret?" is not the question, which is "Are you having fun?"

~ Robert Lipsyte

I read that and thought, "Yes! That is the question!" Are you having fun? Even though you may be crying in your Cheerios over that rejection or at having to cut half your book and start over - are you having fun? Cause if you're not...then what's the point?

Life is too short to spend so much of it engrossed in something you don't enjoy. I write because I love it, because I enjoy it, and because I have fun doing it. Coming up with new storylines, reading the comments of people who are enjoying my stories, losing myself in new worlds and ideas, penning that perfect line, all these things make me dance around with joy. Polishing up that manuscript, sending out those queries...even with the rejections and the hard work and long hours...it's fun to me. Have you ever seen the look on a dog's face as he rolls around in the grass? That look of sheer and utter happiness?

Yeah, it's like that :D That's what writing does for me.

Writing, even with the downsides, is one of the great lights in my life. If it wasn't, I wouldn't bother.

So how about you? Are you having fun? :)

My Apologies

Sorry for the post flakeage this week. I am battling an allergic reaction to some new medication and the medication they put me on to get rid of all the hives and swollen limbs sort of knocks me out :D I'll be back next week!!