M.J. Fredrick's Blog, page 77

Happy Official Release Day to Meeee!

Doesn't quite feel real because I haven't seen the book, and doesn't look like I'll get them in time for my booksigning Saturday.

Had a good start to NaNo yesterday but today—slept in because the storm woke me and I couldn't go back to sleep. I had the AC on when I went to bed, and the heater on now!

Anyway—my book is in print!

November 1

Hope this doesn't happen to any of you!

I'm at the Harlequin blog and Long and Short Reviews today, as well as helping Samhain Cafe celebrate its 5th birthday! Hope I can get my word count in around that.

I ordered my NaNo shirt last night. So cute.

Not a lot of trick or treaters–only 10. We have about 6 bags of candy left!

Goals for the First Week of NaNoWriMo

Because it's the first week, of course I have a TON going on.

1)      Academic Night

2)      Booksigning Saturday at the district's Academic Arama. I hope I do better than last year. I advertised this year.

3)      Grocery shopping

4)      NaNo!!!

5)      Vote

6)     Finish art fact sheet for Carina for Road Signs (last year's NaNo book!)

7) Do what I can around the house. I wasn't able to clean well last week because of my burned hand. I'm still pretty wary of bumping it and now it itches like crazy.

 

Enjoy this last pic of Alex—he's not the hero of my NaNo book. He'll be back for book 3, and the new RS I just came up with, but he has to make way for Henry Cavill.

NaNoWriMo Challenges

This is my fifth year doing NaNo and I'm less stressed than usual, though next week is going to be BUSY. I'm wondering if it's because I've weathered this before.

The first year I did NaNoWriMo I had company coming for Thanksgiving, which meant I had to clean the house and entertain that week. That was when I started to wake up early to write, so I could meet my goal.

The second year I got revisions on Hot Shot. Managed to work on both books, but finished the month with JUST 50,000 words.

Last year I was stressed beyond belief—the week before NaNo started, we had a field trip and carnival, and then we had Academic Night and PTSO in November. I was in charge of the PTSO program, so double the stress. I met my goal and sold the book.

This year: burned fingers, a book released, a booksigning, Academic Night, tutoring beginning…I've done it before, I can do it again, right?

Why the Tide Turned

I've been feeding my latest obsession episodes of Moonlight (purchased over a year ago for a good price but never opened) and Hawaii 5-0. While I loved Moonlight when it was on, I didn't love Alex O. He was okay, but didn't hold the appeal he does in 5-0. Natalie said the same thing the other day, and Trish and I discussed it. My favorite question in the world is "Why?" so I've been thinking about it.

Mick St. John from Moonlight is a lost soul. He's a vampire but he accepts the life, doesn't embrace it. When he believes a cure is possible, he becomes almost manic in his quest. He's tormented by his past. Also, he gets his butt kicked pretty regularly. My dh said, "He's like the worst vampire ever." YET he's the perfect romantic lead for Beth. The reason I bought the DVD was the romance. I think the writers did a terrific job with sexual tension and building trust and, well, sigh.

Steve McGarrett is Alpha all the way. He's a chief, a take-charge guy from the first episode when he takes his father's murder case from Haole Danny Williams. He is focused on a goal and pursues it at any cost, not always caring about collateral damage. Okay, as I write that, I'm thinking, "Um, not good. Where's the appeal there?" Maybe it's that there's no wishy-washiness, no, "Should I want this?" No navel gazing. Decisiveness is sexy.

Also, the tattoos and rock-hard abs don't hurt.

So what do you think? Has he held the appeal for you since Moonlight, or did the tide change with Hawaii 5-0?

Epic Awards!

Just got an email that Breaking Daylight finalled in the 2011 Epic Awards! WOOT!

NaNo Collage

I'm so anxious to start my NaNoWriMo book, which will be the first in a series (a first for me.) So yesterday I worked on my collage, and I learned a couple of things about the series while doing so.

I learned the heroine in my first book is the preacher's daughter. That was a surprise. And I know how I'm going to end the second book–has something to do with the beat-up guitar.

The whole board, the Bluestone Lake series:

Book 1: the single dad and the preacher's daughter. The theme is the prodigal returns.

Book 2: The country singer and the waitress he left behind

Book 3: The wounded warrior and the–well, she's hard to describe. She's kind of Lorelei Gilmore and kinda tough chick. She's the one fighting hardest to save the town.

Goals for Last Week of October

 

 

1)      Finish revisions on Midnight Sun and send to Trish

2)      SPED meetings (did the paperwork already though)

3)      Newsletter for Breaking Daylight print release

4)      Send out Breaking Daylight postcards

5)      Enter Rita with DLB

6)      Send out progress reports

7)      Faculty meeting

8)      Get house in order to start NaNoWriMo

9)      Be grateful the carnival is over

10)   WALK!

The Carnival–Pre-Scalding

I was finally going to have a low-stress carnival. We had 2 parents helping at our nachos booth, all the teachers were there and working, so I grabbed my chalupa, and visited with ex-students. So many came by–it's really gratifying when they make the effort.

2 girls I taught at my old school came by, juniors now, and one of them had her daughter with her. But she's still working hard to stay in school. Another student came by who wasn't mine, but she's 17 and has two kids and said the school won't let her come back. Isn't that crazy? She assured me she knew what causes pregnancy and she's still with her babies' dad, but…isn't that crazy? I may not be getting the whole story, I know, but I'm looking into it.

Then another teacher and I got burned by the blasted roaster and ended up in 2 different emergency rooms. I hate carnivals.

Fun Writing News

This week I got an email from Angela James I didn't understand. She said to be sure to let her know if we entered our Carina books in the Rita. What? They're e-books. E-books can't enter the Rita.

Except if the publisher makes print copies, which Carina is doing! How awesome is that? So I entered Sunrise in the Rita! I have 3 books eligible this year. Cool, huh? I only wish I could get a print copy of Sunrise, but, oh, well.

Yesterday I woke up to see a file emailed from my stepdad. It was my very first completed manuscript from years ago. 581 pages in TNR 12, and topping out at 137,000 words! DANG. I can split it into two stories, easy, when, you know, I come up with a better conflict and find more hours in the day. Still, it has my favorite ending of any I've written, and I didn't have a digital file anywhere, so I'm very happy.

Okay, final line edits are done, going to work on Midnight Sun for a bit.

I have to say, I never thought I'd have JLo on my blog.