M.J. Fredrick's Blog, page 57

Goals the Week of the CRAZY

I'm going to need a nice Tim O marathon to counter the stress this week.

 

1)      Veteran's Day program and practice. It's the whole district, and open to the public on Friday. This has been stressing me out since I took the music teacher gig. Apparently the schools are very competitive to outshine the other schools. My girls are playing "America the Beautiful" and the Marine Hymn on the bells. I'll have to stand up there with them and point out the notes to keep them on track, but they do sound good. But I am majorly nervous about this. I'm taking a half day as soon as I get the girls back to school.

2)      Finish scarves for girls to wear. Just need the finishing seam on 12 scarves, so it won't take long.

3)      Breakfast duty

4)      Academic Night, 6-8 the night before the Veteran's Day program.

5)      Dinner with Baby Brother

6)      Dad and Sue coming to visit. Not as stressed about this, but working hard to get the house clean. Lots has to wait until the last minute, like sweeping, vacuuming the couches, a final wipe on the bathrooms and kitchen…Today I'm working on the front yard and looking into getting new plants. Yesterday, Mom and I cleaned up the back yard and my step-dad and son put in a new door.

7)      CLEAN HOUSE

8)      Buy plants

9)      Big grocery store trip

10)   Um, write?

See what I mean?

November Releases (Why Don't I Have More Time To Read?)

November is hell on my book budget.

My friend Norah Wilson released the second book in her vampire series, Nightfall, this weekend.

Yesterday Natalie's latest, Behind the Scenes, was released from Carina Press. I had it preordered, and am hurrying to finish the Intrigue I'm reading so I can dive in.

Jessica Scott's debut with Random House, Because of You,  is out this month. Also preordered. I love me some soldier romance. And I follow her on Twitter, so I'm excited.

Julie Rowe, who finalled in the Golden Heart with me in 2004, has a book out from Carina also. Icebound is set in Antarctica, so you know I'm all over that. I actually almost used that same couple for Midnight Sun's cover!

[image error]

The week after that, Toni Anderson's latest from Carina Press, Edge of Survival, is out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theresa Meyers's The Hunter was inspired by Supernatural, so you know I gotta read that. Also, it's steampunk!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there's the new Nora series starting with The Next Always. It's not getting the best reviews, but it's Nora, so….I do hate that it's $10 for an e-book, but I'll probably pay it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meljean Brook's new Iron Seas book, Heart of Steel, is out, too, also $10, but The Iron Duke was one of my very favorite books this year, so I'll pay it.

[image error]

Happy Halloween!

[image error] [image error] [image error]

Goals for the Week of Halloween, STTA in Print and NaNo

I still haven't decided about NaNo. Crazy, right? First grade is going on a field trip on November 1, which means I have a free period and may be a sign I should do it. Also, my husband will be busy all week, which means more time to work. Maybe that's my reticence–WORK. NaNo has always been fun for me.

I spent almost all day yesterday sewing, cleaned for a bit, did promo, but barely wrote.

So this week:

1)      Finish Bluestone 2 revisions. I know, I know, I keep saying that.

2)      Start something new for NaNo?

3)      SARA on Saturday. Jodi Thomas is speaking.

4)      Promo—though I am tired of it. I declare January promo-free.

5)      Sew. I finally figured out the e-reader case. I have 5 cut out. Also, I have a purse cut out, too. AND I have to make my girls scarves for the Veteran's Day program. Got the fabric, though.

6)      House house house—I never called a maid service and my dad and stepmom are coming the weekend after Veteran's Day. The house is in pretty good shape because the hubby cleaned it when he was on vacation last week. I just need to maintain. And keep my crafting supplies under control.

7)      Start exercising again. My evening snacking is a bit out of control, and when I wasn't in music I wasn't as active.

[image error] [image error]

Where I'll Be This Weekend

[image error] [image error] [image error]

Scattered

I absolutely cannot find focus this year. I will have had 10 releases in 2011 and currently I have ONE scheduled for 2012. I've written 2 books and a novella in 2011, and would like another book and a novella but that doesn't look likely.

See, I'm stuck in revisions. Bluestone 2 is going SOOOO SLOWLY. It doesn't help that I've had a lot of interruptions, like edits for other books and promotion. And it doesn't help that I've let myself get into some bad habits. AND it doesn't help that I'm in a new position at school and learning the ropes. Or that I was pulled from the position for 2 weeks, and now will be going back. That keeps a person off-balance.

But mostly I blame my bad habits and my sudden inability to finish a book. I started two in the spring. Couldn't finish. I pushed myself to write Bluestone 2 because I really love this series, but a GOOD writing day on this book is 100 words. Y'all. I'm not used to 100 word days.

Then there's the new sewing machine and my weekly (or more) visits to JoAnn's. The pile of fabric and yarn calls to me. And y'all. There are craft supplies EVERYWHERE in this house.

I have two half-formed short story ideas and another novel idea but I have two OTHER novels (including BS2) to revise first. And I just can't make myself. What is wrong with me?

[image error]

 

[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]

Countdown Blog

1 more day of subbing in 4th grade (so ready to go back to music!)

2 more days until we get a cool front (and can turn the AC off for a bit)

3 more days until I can wear jeans to school

4 more days until the weekend

5 more days until I get to go out for breakfast

6 more days until Halloween

7 more days until Something to Talk About comes out in print (also, NaNo)

What are you counting down to?

[image error]

Happy Release Day to MEEE!

Today's the day! Three Days, Two Nights, my novella from Carina Press, is out today.  You know how I love reunion stories. Well, this is one.

Nathaniel Reis screwed up. He put his career as an air force pilot before his marriage to Tess, and wound up divorced. Now that he's left the service, he has a plan to fix things, if only he can get her alone for a few days.

When Tess misses her flight to a corporate retreat, Nat's there with his island-hopper plane and a plot to get stranded in paradise thanks to "mechanical problems." But his plan goes awry when a storm blows them off course and they have to make a real emergency landing—and not on the island where he's stashed supplies.

Tess is furious. She's anxious to get to her retreat, and away from Nat. She's even angrier that being so close to him arouses her in a way she hasn't been for a long time. Rescue can't come soon enough, but in the meantime, she's going to have to trust Nat to keep her safe. Even if she's in danger of falling for him all over again.

 

It's available from Carina Press, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

[image error]

Goals for the Week 3 Days, 2 Nights Releases

So I have a new novella out this week! Very exciting, but there will be so much else going on….

 

1)      Guest blog at Sweet Sunday, Carina, Leah Braemel, Manic Readers and LASR.

2)      Finish subbing for fourth grade, then make the adjustment back to music.

3)      Get back in the groove of cooking and cleaning. Fred was off last week and cleaned and cooked. It was nice.

4)      Finish revisions on Bluestone 2 (oh please oh please)

5)      Sew (have a laptop sleeve cut out and want to work on an ereader cover.

6)      Schedule someone to clean my house before the 12th

7)      Adjust to painters being here for the next week

8)      Buy a new door, new address and new mailbox

9)      Return painful shoes

 

I need 24 hours where I don't leave my house. I haven't had that since…well, I can't remember, but it's been a long time. I'm behind on everything.

To NaNo or Not?

You know how I love NaNoWriMo. I have participated the past few years. (Five? Six?) I sold 2–Road Signs and Sunrise Over Texas. I have a book planned for this year.

But.

I have to do a Veteran's Day program with my kids, for the community. It's one song, and I did the whole program a couple of years ago for the school, but….I'm nervous about this.

My dad and stepmom are coming the day after the program and will be here four days. Again, I've done NaNo when they were visiting in the past, but…

I have requested revisions for last year's NaNo book. I have nothing on the schedule for next year, and I need a sale.

I haven't been able to get into any kind of writing routine this year. Not just this school year, but all year. I wrote 2 rough drafts and a novella on summer vacation, but nothing else all year. Which is why I should do NaNo, but I don't think I can be disciplined enough to succeed.

Then there are all these good books coming out in November–Jessica Scott's debut, Meljean Brooks's sequel to The Iron Duke and the new Nora series.

Are you going to NaNo this year?

 

[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]