Denise Jaden's Blog, page 22
December 24, 2012
Happy Christmas, Eh!
I like to say Happy Christmas, rather than the standard Merry Christmas because it reminds me of the part in Stephanie Perkins's ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS where Etienne says Happy Christmas to Anna and she calls him a weirdo.
And I added the Eh because, yes, I am Canadian. Though I rarely say Eh. Except at Christmas, and then only to honour my Canadian pals, Bob and Doug McKenzie. If you have not Canadianized your Christmas yet, let me help you with a little video...
Thank you, friends, for stopping by my blog all through the year. I hope you and your family have a healthy and happy Christmas, filled with plenty of laughter and joy!
And I added the Eh because, yes, I am Canadian. Though I rarely say Eh. Except at Christmas, and then only to honour my Canadian pals, Bob and Doug McKenzie. If you have not Canadianized your Christmas yet, let me help you with a little video...
Thank you, friends, for stopping by my blog all through the year. I hope you and your family have a healthy and happy Christmas, filled with plenty of laughter and joy!
December 18, 2012
GCC Presents Laurie Faria Stolarz and DEADLY LITTLE LESSONS!
Read on to find all sorts of goodies, including an interview and a great contest!
DEADLY LITTLE LESSONS By Laurie Faria StolarzISBN-13: 9781423131625 Disney/Hyperion Books for Children
Synopsis: Camelia Hammond's trying junior year of high school is finally over...but her troubles aren't. After she discovers a painful truth about her family, she escapes to a summer arts program in Rhode Island. Determined to put family - and boyfriend - drama behind her, she throws herself into her artwork.
At the arts school, she gets caught up in the case of Sasha Beckerman, a local girl who is missing. Even though all signs suggest that the teen ran away, Camelia senses otherwise. Eager to help the girl, she launches her own investigation. Meanwhile, Camelia realizes how much she misses Ben, despite being committed to Adam.
But time is running out for Sasha, and Camelia will have to trust her powers if she's to save her. Will the lessons Camelia has learned in the past give her the strength to do so?Show More Show Less
Wanna sneak peek? Go here: http://www.lauriestolarz.com/dllessons.pdf
Check out the book trailers: DEADLY LITTLE SECRET: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzMpVMy2fQDEADLY LITTLE LIES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Qk0VG2Nz0DEADLY LITTLE GAMES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc8N4Q0YDuM
Praise for the TOUCH series: Texas Tayshas List, 2010 (DLS)
Children’s Book Council’s 2010 & 2011 Teen Choice Book of the Year Nominee
Reluctant Reader Quick Pick Nominees, 2010 & 2011, American Library Association
Teens@Random, Favorite Book of 2009 (DLS)
Gold Star Award, TeensReadToo.com, 2009 (DLL)
"...lively first-person narrative.... CW-worthy dialogue, quirky secondary characters, romance and suspense: a winning combination" - Kirkus Reviews
"An engaging, eerie tale about the darker side of relationships - when it becomes a matter of life and death to know who your friends are." - KLIATT
“The book was full of shocking surprises and revelations, earning the book five stars. This is a must-read for fans of romance, suspense, and mystery because it won't disappoint.” – Teens Read Too (DLL)
"Laurie Faria Stolarz is a master creator of suspense and romance. Her words cause the heart to pound, the palms to sweat, the spine to shiver, and the stomach to flutter. The trepidation born from the anonymous threats will make the pages fly, and the palpable tension between Camelia and Ben as they attempt to ignore their hearts causes the fire to burn hotter." - TeenReads.com
Karma Chameleon Contest In celebration of the release of DEADLY LITTLE LESSONS, I'm so excited to announce the launch of a brand new contest. I'm calling it Karma Chameleon - yes, after the Boy George song from the '80's (in case any of you have heard of it; if not, you can YouTube it for fun). I'm naming it that, not because of Boy George or his song, but because the contest is all about karma - goodkarma that is, and the spreading of it, andbecause, five books later, I thought it'd be the perfect time to celebrate Camelia from the Touch series (recall that Camelia's real name is Chameleon).
The contest is all about giving and getting - hence the karma part. As many of you know, the law of karma, in its simplest definition, is that whatever you put out to the world - energy or otherwise, good or bad - comes back to you. And so, in the spirit of good karma, let's spread some goodness. I want to encourage readers to do a good deed, i.e. organize a fundraiser or food drive, volunteer to tutor or teach something, visit the elderly or a children's hospital. All good-karma submissions will be entered into a drawing to win autographed copies of some of my Touch series books. I'll be sharing the most inspiring stories on my website and Facebook, and I'll Tweet about them as well (with your permission, of course). For more information, see the official guidelines and rules on my web site: http://www.lauriestolarz.com/news.html
Author Bio
: Laurie Faria Stolarz is the author of Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, Project 17, and Bleed, as well as the bestselling Blue is for Nightmares series. Born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts, Stolarz attended Merrimack College and received an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College in Boston. For more information, please visit her Web site at www.lauriestolarz.com.
Follow Laurie: FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/laurie.stolarzTwitter: https://twitter.com/lauriestolarzSign up for her e-Newsletter for updates on contest, book, and appearance info: http://www.lauriestolarz.com/newsletter.html.
Laurie’s Guilty Pleasures Favorite snack:Popcorn with Earth Balance butter and lemon/pepper seasoning.
Touristy Trip: Paris.
Fashion addiction (at the moment): artfully torn jeans, tall boots, pretty scarves, and Michael Stars tees.Dessert: Dark chocolate in almost any form - the darker the better.
Fast food: French fries at least once every few months (with lots of ketchup).
Beauty Binge: Aveda haircare products, which includes indulging in high-and/or-low-lights every eight weeks. Also, Caudalie skincare, Ineke perfume (Field Notes from Paris), Revitalash mascara, and Buxom Lips from Bare Escentuals.
Late-Night TV: Real Housewives of (wherever).
Chick Flick: Never Been Kissed, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Juno, Green Card, Once, The Devil Wears Prada, Bridget Jones Diary, Thelma & Louise, Mean Girls, Moonstruck, Clueless, Under the Tuscan Sun, and anything with John Cusack.
Nightlife: Pilates in front of the TV (a regular occurrence), answering e-mail (also regular), and dinner and/or a movie out with friends (happens far too rarely).
Cheap Thrill: Window-shopping, tabloid magazines, buying a new lip gloss, a tall cup of coffee from Starbucks.
Ultimate Splurge: G2O Day Spa for a massage.
Other Random Info Favorite Quote:Perseverance is key.
Favorite cuisine: Indian food – onion chutney, curried vegetables, and kashmir bread. I also love cheeseless pizza from Bertucci's.
Interests: Vegetarian cooking, holistic nutrition, aromatherapy.
Favorite Music: Adele, Fergie, James Blunt, Gavin Rossdale, Tori Amos, Sting, Sarah MacLachlin, Gwen Stefani, Black-eyed Peas.
Hobbies: Walking, napping, cooking,, interior decorating.
How to bring your psychometric senses to fruition By Camelia Hammond, main character, TOUCH series by Laurie Faria Stolarz
1. Make yourself comfortable in a place that feels “sacred” to you. For some it’s outside, surrounded by nature; for others it’s a favorite chair or surrounded by candles; for me, it’s wherever I’m doing pottery.
2. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath, letting go of any stray or nervous thoughts.
3. Now, take an object in your hand. A good idea is to have someone give you something they’ve owned for a long time, i.e. a favorite bracelet or a set of keys.
4. Close your eyes again and concentrate on this object. Be aware of any thoughts or feelings that come about as a result of holding this object. Talk those ideas through, even if they seem silly or insignificant, but never make information up. Remember, this takes practice and a bit of experimenting. The goal is to begin tuning in to your own inner awareness and your ability of perception. What often works for me is asking a question aloud, and then sculpting out the answer, using my power of touch in a creative and organic way. Good Luck!
December 14, 2012
My Superhero / Star Wars Tree!
Here's how it started:
My husband found these beautiful decorations at Target while we were in Florida. One was Darth Vader, one was Yoda, one was Batman, and one was the Superman symbol. Upon arriving home, the Superman symbol had a little accident. So we were left with three.
These beautiful decorations absolutely would not have fit well with our current assortment of decorations (or would have gotten lost among the rest, which would have been a shame). I'm a fan of doing "theme" trees, so I decided my son and I would make some superhero decorations and have a superhero tree this year.
As we started to tire of making them with only half a tree filled, my son said, "But what about Darth Vader and Yoda?"
So now we have a half Superhero tree and a half Star Wars tree. My camera is lame, but here are a few shots (we filled in some gaps on the Star Wars side with action figures, but most everything else is handmade by either my nine year old son or myself).
Ironman and Flash
Wonder Woman, Superman symbol, and several versions of Captain America (because he's my favorite superhero.)
Darth Vader's head is the tree-topper on the Star Wars side. We're still looking for Batman to use on the Superhero side, but for now, Ironman is our placeholder.
This R2D2 one is one of my favorite ones that I made.
The pickle in the Santa hat doesn't belong, but he was a gift from a friend this year.
Lots of Green Lantern and various Superhero symbols here...
In the middle (above) is the cool Batman one that we originally bought.
This is my son's favorite one that he made: Deadpool!
Spawn and Superman.
Kia-Mundi action figure and a homemade Captain Rex.
Cool snowflakes, huh? Above is Darth Vader, below is Boba Fett and Clone Troopers (alternating)
It took me three tries to get a decent Punisher, but here he is.
And for all those who had suggested Spiderman for our last wooden figure...my son actually went with Venom, so I did a Spiderman ball instead.
I hope you enjoyed a little peek at our tree! Does anyone else you know do any kind of interesting themes for their trees?
My husband found these beautiful decorations at Target while we were in Florida. One was Darth Vader, one was Yoda, one was Batman, and one was the Superman symbol. Upon arriving home, the Superman symbol had a little accident. So we were left with three.
These beautiful decorations absolutely would not have fit well with our current assortment of decorations (or would have gotten lost among the rest, which would have been a shame). I'm a fan of doing "theme" trees, so I decided my son and I would make some superhero decorations and have a superhero tree this year.
As we started to tire of making them with only half a tree filled, my son said, "But what about Darth Vader and Yoda?"
So now we have a half Superhero tree and a half Star Wars tree. My camera is lame, but here are a few shots (we filled in some gaps on the Star Wars side with action figures, but most everything else is handmade by either my nine year old son or myself).
Ironman and Flash
Wonder Woman, Superman symbol, and several versions of Captain America (because he's my favorite superhero.)
Darth Vader's head is the tree-topper on the Star Wars side. We're still looking for Batman to use on the Superhero side, but for now, Ironman is our placeholder.
This R2D2 one is one of my favorite ones that I made.
The pickle in the Santa hat doesn't belong, but he was a gift from a friend this year.
Lots of Green Lantern and various Superhero symbols here...
In the middle (above) is the cool Batman one that we originally bought.
This is my son's favorite one that he made: Deadpool!
Spawn and Superman.
Kia-Mundi action figure and a homemade Captain Rex.
Cool snowflakes, huh? Above is Darth Vader, below is Boba Fett and Clone Troopers (alternating)
It took me three tries to get a decent Punisher, but here he is.
And for all those who had suggested Spiderman for our last wooden figure...my son actually went with Venom, so I did a Spiderman ball instead.I hope you enjoyed a little peek at our tree! Does anyone else you know do any kind of interesting themes for their trees?
December 3, 2012
My Superhero Tree!
Anyone who knows me well, knows that my Christmas tree was up a long, long time ago.
But we've decided recently what kind of decorations to add this year. My husband and son really want it to be a superhero tree, so today my son and I worked on these:
In case you can't recognize any (and I don't blame you if you can't!) from top left: Ironman, Superman, Wolverine, Hulk, Captain America, Wonder Woman, and Batman.
As you can see, we have one left. I need some votes on what we should do. Spiderman? Thor? Someone else?
But we've decided recently what kind of decorations to add this year. My husband and son really want it to be a superhero tree, so today my son and I worked on these:
In case you can't recognize any (and I don't blame you if you can't!) from top left: Ironman, Superman, Wolverine, Hulk, Captain America, Wonder Woman, and Batman.As you can see, we have one left. I need some votes on what we should do. Spiderman? Thor? Someone else?
November 28, 2012
GCC Presents The Awesome Eileen Cook and THE ALMOST TRUTH!
I'm so excited to welcome one of my favorite authors and people today. Eileen Cook's latest YA contemporary, THE ALMOST TRUTH, is out this month, and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of this one! And don't you totally LOVE this cover?
Welcome, welcome, my friend! Tell me about your book in seven words or less.
Con-artists, boys, best friends, finding yourself.
Other than your main character, who's a favorite character of yours in your novel and why?
I adore Brendan. This is a common problem for me, falling in love with cute boys that I write. Brendan is from the wrong side of the tracks and has a questionable sense of morality, but he’s fiercely loyal to his friends. I admire his tenacity and sense of humor. I always fall for the funny guys.
What's one piece of writing advice you would give to aspiring authors?
The best advice is to read. Books are the best teachers. The second is to know why you want to be a writer. This is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. If you understand your motivation for wanting to do it, it’s easier to stick with it when times are hard. My final piece of advice is to surround yourself with good people who will cheer you on and pick you up as needed.
What did you write when you were a teen? Did you journal? Write poetry? Write overly literary or emotional stories? Or avoid writing altogether?
I’ve always been a huge reader and writer. I knew that I wanted to be a writer from a really young age, but I didn’t always believe it was a real option. It felt a bit like saying you want to be a princess or wizard- great idea, but not likely to happen.
What's the last book you read that you really loved?
My two favorite books this year (and they couldn’t be more different) were The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in eight different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. Her latest release, Unraveling Isobel came out in Jan 2012
You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at www.eileencook.com. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.
Book Summary:Totally sounds awesome, right? And Eileen stopped by to answer a few questions about her and her writing for me...
From the author of Unraveling Isobel and The Education of Hailey Kendrick, a smart, romantic novel about a teenage con artist who might be in over her head.
Sadie can’t wait to get away from her backwards small town, her delusional mom, her jailbird dad, and the tiny trailer where she was raised…even though leaving those things behind also means leaving Brendan. Sadie wants a better life, and she has been working steadily toward it, one con at a time.
But when Sadie’s mother wipes out Sadie’s savings, her escape plan is suddenly gone. She needs to come up with a lot of cash—and fast—or she’ll be stuck in this town forever.
With Brendan’s help, she devises a plan—the ultimate con—to get the money. But the more lies Sadie spins, the more she starts falling for her own hoax…and perhaps for the wrong boy. Sadie wanted to change her life, but she wasn't prepared to have it flipped upside down by her own deception. With her future at stake and her heart on the line, suddenly it seems like she has a lot more than just money to lose....
Welcome, welcome, my friend! Tell me about your book in seven words or less.
Con-artists, boys, best friends, finding yourself.
Other than your main character, who's a favorite character of yours in your novel and why?
I adore Brendan. This is a common problem for me, falling in love with cute boys that I write. Brendan is from the wrong side of the tracks and has a questionable sense of morality, but he’s fiercely loyal to his friends. I admire his tenacity and sense of humor. I always fall for the funny guys.
What's one piece of writing advice you would give to aspiring authors?
The best advice is to read. Books are the best teachers. The second is to know why you want to be a writer. This is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. If you understand your motivation for wanting to do it, it’s easier to stick with it when times are hard. My final piece of advice is to surround yourself with good people who will cheer you on and pick you up as needed.
What did you write when you were a teen? Did you journal? Write poetry? Write overly literary or emotional stories? Or avoid writing altogether?
I’ve always been a huge reader and writer. I knew that I wanted to be a writer from a really young age, but I didn’t always believe it was a real option. It felt a bit like saying you want to be a princess or wizard- great idea, but not likely to happen.
What's the last book you read that you really loved?
My two favorite books this year (and they couldn’t be more different) were The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Praise for Eileen Cook’s booksAbout Eileen Cook
".. enormously appealing and great company throughout this breezy read.....the highest quality—like a gourmet truffle. Cook has whipped up a real treat." - Kirkus Starred Review
"Thrilling and creepy, super sexy, and so very hilarious." - Lisa McMann, bestselling author of the Wake trilogy
"Sassy and sly and sweet all at the same time, this book made me laugh out loud." - Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries and Airhead
Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in eight different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. Her latest release, Unraveling Isobel came out in Jan 2012
You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at www.eileencook.com. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.
November 23, 2012
Friday (Is It Friday Already?) Four
1. 48,000 words and counting on NaNo. In the midst of the climax and so close to the finish line I could spit over it. Why is THIS the hardest point to keep going?
2. American Thanksgiving has me thinking of all the many things I'm thankful for. Right now I'm thankful for mandarin oranges, cold mornings where I get to stay inside, and my blog and book readers. In no particular order...
3. I'll be raising the price slightly on my nonfiction book, WRITING WITH A HEAVY HEART. I admit, before I published it, I hadn't done a lot of research into pricing. I just knew that $2.99 was the threshold with Amazon to put me in the higher royalty-earning bracket for ebooks. I've since done more research and found that most writing craft books are priced significantly higher. WRITING WITH A HEAVY HEART will still be very much still on the low end, and I'm okay with that because I'm not doing much marketing, hoping the low price will make it appealing, and also it's not a terribly lengthy book.
But...if you are a blog reader of mine and are still wanting a copy (or want to get a copy for a writer-friend for Christmas), click the link above to get it at the lower price before it goes up.
4. My son turned nine while we were away on holidays. People say it goes fast--raising children--but holy cow! I'll be spending my time this weekend trying to keep my sanity around a group of nine year olds. Any ideas for indoor party games for this age? So far I have them building and decorating marshmallow men and playing pirate charades, but it's supposed to rain, so I'm open to other ideas.
Happy weekend, my friends!
2. American Thanksgiving has me thinking of all the many things I'm thankful for. Right now I'm thankful for mandarin oranges, cold mornings where I get to stay inside, and my blog and book readers. In no particular order...3. I'll be raising the price slightly on my nonfiction book, WRITING WITH A HEAVY HEART. I admit, before I published it, I hadn't done a lot of research into pricing. I just knew that $2.99 was the threshold with Amazon to put me in the higher royalty-earning bracket for ebooks. I've since done more research and found that most writing craft books are priced significantly higher. WRITING WITH A HEAVY HEART will still be very much still on the low end, and I'm okay with that because I'm not doing much marketing, hoping the low price will make it appealing, and also it's not a terribly lengthy book.
But...if you are a blog reader of mine and are still wanting a copy (or want to get a copy for a writer-friend for Christmas), click the link above to get it at the lower price before it goes up.
4. My son turned nine while we were away on holidays. People say it goes fast--raising children--but holy cow! I'll be spending my time this weekend trying to keep my sanity around a group of nine year olds. Any ideas for indoor party games for this age? So far I have them building and decorating marshmallow men and playing pirate charades, but it's supposed to rain, so I'm open to other ideas.
Happy weekend, my friends!
November 22, 2012
Wow, It's Been A While...
I guess I've kind of dropped the ball on blogging lately, huh? I have a few decent excuses.
First, I'm still working hard at NaNoWriMo. Since November 1st I have written just over 47,000 words on a new YA novel! I don't like to talk about my novels too much before they're written, but since this one is close to being done, I'll tell you a couple little tidbits. It's tentatively titled TENT and it's about a girl named Delaney who gets caught up in the world of religious tent meetings and unwanted miracles. I'm having fun researching this one, and especially researching the location. It's set in South Carolina. My fingers are crossed that I'll get a chance to visit there at some point during the writing/revising process.
Secondly, we took a family vacation this month to Florida! I've been looking forward to this trip for a long time (years) but we ended up booking the actual dates very last minute. And yes, I kept writing on my NaNo project every day on vacation. At least a little.
I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan (*cringes away from all the people who want to hit me*) but I must say, the Harry Potter ride at Universal is probably the best ride I've been on. That, or Expedition Everest.
They really do things up big in Florida (besides the ride, the Harry Potter castle was quite amazing.)
We spent all of our ten days away pretty much walking. And walking. And more walking. My feet and back are tired, but it was a very satisfying and fun vacation.
Then on the way home we had something really cool happen. We had a 3 hour layover in the Dallas airport. None of us were all that happy to be stuck there, but we chilled out in the little food fair in the airport terminal. My husband kept saying that a guy at the table behind us looked like Toby Mac - who is my son's favorite musician. It turned out it WAS Toby Mac, and not only that, but he came over and complimented my son on his shoes.
My son told us later that in a group class he goes to each week, his teacher asked everyone what they would wish more more than anything else in the world. My son said he wished he could meet Toby Mac!
So right up until the end it was a fun and exciting vacation for us. Life is always busy getting caught up after being out of town, but I hope to be around more on the blog in the next while. I'll also be holding some upcoming giveaways and such once I get organized.
Hope everyone else has had a great November!
ETA: Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends!! Please enjoy an extra serving of stuffing and pumpkin pie for me :-)
First, I'm still working hard at NaNoWriMo. Since November 1st I have written just over 47,000 words on a new YA novel! I don't like to talk about my novels too much before they're written, but since this one is close to being done, I'll tell you a couple little tidbits. It's tentatively titled TENT and it's about a girl named Delaney who gets caught up in the world of religious tent meetings and unwanted miracles. I'm having fun researching this one, and especially researching the location. It's set in South Carolina. My fingers are crossed that I'll get a chance to visit there at some point during the writing/revising process.
Secondly, we took a family vacation this month to Florida! I've been looking forward to this trip for a long time (years) but we ended up booking the actual dates very last minute. And yes, I kept writing on my NaNo project every day on vacation. At least a little.I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan (*cringes away from all the people who want to hit me*) but I must say, the Harry Potter ride at Universal is probably the best ride I've been on. That, or Expedition Everest.
They really do things up big in Florida (besides the ride, the Harry Potter castle was quite amazing.)
We spent all of our ten days away pretty much walking. And walking. And more walking. My feet and back are tired, but it was a very satisfying and fun vacation.
Then on the way home we had something really cool happen. We had a 3 hour layover in the Dallas airport. None of us were all that happy to be stuck there, but we chilled out in the little food fair in the airport terminal. My husband kept saying that a guy at the table behind us looked like Toby Mac - who is my son's favorite musician. It turned out it WAS Toby Mac, and not only that, but he came over and complimented my son on his shoes.My son told us later that in a group class he goes to each week, his teacher asked everyone what they would wish more more than anything else in the world. My son said he wished he could meet Toby Mac!
So right up until the end it was a fun and exciting vacation for us. Life is always busy getting caught up after being out of town, but I hope to be around more on the blog in the next while. I'll also be holding some upcoming giveaways and such once I get organized.
Hope everyone else has had a great November!
ETA: Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends!! Please enjoy an extra serving of stuffing and pumpkin pie for me :-)
November 6, 2012
#Nanowrimo Tips
The question I get asked beyond any other at this time of year is this: How the H E Double Hockey Stick do you write a book so fast?
Well, I've done this for a few years and seem to get faster and faster each year, so I do have a few tips.
1. Write before you do anything else each day. Once your brain gets busy with other things, be it making your kids breakfast or getting dressed or even making coffee. When your brain is still hazy from sleep, it is much closer to The Creative Zone. Use that time to your advantage. And then come back later and write another chunk of words. And maybe one more. Make these junks manageable--something you can do in 20 minutes to half an hour. Then it won't feel like such a burden or obstacle to your day.
2. Make a plan with your family. Once my family understood how important to me it is to write before I do anything else, they started to back off from talking to me or asking me for things. If you involve them as part of your plan for writing your novel, they may be more receptive to helping you.
3. Don't say you can't think of anything to write. Try not to even think those words, but above all else, don't say them. Even if you really CAN'T think of anything to write, make yourself a deal that you'll sit down and start anyway. You'll be amazed after typing a first sentence (even if it's "I don't know what Character is going to do now, but it's sure to be something!") I guarantee, your second sentence will come easier. And the next one, easier than that. The act of writing, whether by pen or computer, gets the brain to hand connection going. It's like opening floodgates. Only a little water gets through at first, but if you keep going, soon it's gushing through.
4. Jot down scene ideas when you're not writing. If you at least have a scene in mind that you want your character to head toward, it will help keep your momentum going and won't leave you staring at a blank page, wondering which direction to go.
5. Do something else creative. Creativity breeds creativity. Whether you paint or draw or dance or sing or write a poem or act out charades for your friends, if you do something else creative, it will help get the juices flowing.
That's just a few tips for today. I admit, I also type very fast, but that wasn't something I was born with. Ten years ago, I pecked with two fingers. I practice. A lot.
If you have other Nano tips, I'm always excited to hear them. I want to grow better and make this less and less painful each year!
Well, I've done this for a few years and seem to get faster and faster each year, so I do have a few tips.
1. Write before you do anything else each day. Once your brain gets busy with other things, be it making your kids breakfast or getting dressed or even making coffee. When your brain is still hazy from sleep, it is much closer to The Creative Zone. Use that time to your advantage. And then come back later and write another chunk of words. And maybe one more. Make these junks manageable--something you can do in 20 minutes to half an hour. Then it won't feel like such a burden or obstacle to your day.
2. Make a plan with your family. Once my family understood how important to me it is to write before I do anything else, they started to back off from talking to me or asking me for things. If you involve them as part of your plan for writing your novel, they may be more receptive to helping you.
3. Don't say you can't think of anything to write. Try not to even think those words, but above all else, don't say them. Even if you really CAN'T think of anything to write, make yourself a deal that you'll sit down and start anyway. You'll be amazed after typing a first sentence (even if it's "I don't know what Character is going to do now, but it's sure to be something!") I guarantee, your second sentence will come easier. And the next one, easier than that. The act of writing, whether by pen or computer, gets the brain to hand connection going. It's like opening floodgates. Only a little water gets through at first, but if you keep going, soon it's gushing through.
4. Jot down scene ideas when you're not writing. If you at least have a scene in mind that you want your character to head toward, it will help keep your momentum going and won't leave you staring at a blank page, wondering which direction to go.
5. Do something else creative. Creativity breeds creativity. Whether you paint or draw or dance or sing or write a poem or act out charades for your friends, if you do something else creative, it will help get the juices flowing.
That's just a few tips for today. I admit, I also type very fast, but that wasn't something I was born with. Ten years ago, I pecked with two fingers. I practice. A lot.
If you have other Nano tips, I'm always excited to hear them. I want to grow better and make this less and less painful each year!
November 2, 2012
Friday Four!
1. Check out my Nanowrimo widget! ---------->
So far, so good! As I think of little tidbits that help me along the ways, I'm posting them on Twitter under #nanowrimotips.
2. We gave up on toilet training our cat. At least for now. She found her litter pan stashed in the basement, and has been using that exclusively. She's such a good kitty that we don't want annoy her by forcing her out of her toileting comfort zone. Plus, on the bright side, we have our second toilet back!
3. If you're around the Vancouver area, I'll be part of an AWESOME teen author event at the North Vancouver Public Library tomorrow, including Eileen Cook, Mindi Scott, Catherine Knutsson, and Joelle Anthony. Check out this link for more info.
4. I posted a few of these on Facebook, but I wanted to share some pictures from an amazing local pumpkin artist. Hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween (and my heart went out to all those in New Jersey who were/are still without power. I hope you are finding ways to stay safe and warm!).
So far, so good! As I think of little tidbits that help me along the ways, I'm posting them on Twitter under #nanowrimotips.
2. We gave up on toilet training our cat. At least for now. She found her litter pan stashed in the basement, and has been using that exclusively. She's such a good kitty that we don't want annoy her by forcing her out of her toileting comfort zone. Plus, on the bright side, we have our second toilet back!
3. If you're around the Vancouver area, I'll be part of an AWESOME teen author event at the North Vancouver Public Library tomorrow, including Eileen Cook, Mindi Scott, Catherine Knutsson, and Joelle Anthony. Check out this link for more info.
4. I posted a few of these on Facebook, but I wanted to share some pictures from an amazing local pumpkin artist. Hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween (and my heart went out to all those in New Jersey who were/are still without power. I hope you are finding ways to stay safe and warm!).
October 31, 2012
Ready for #NaNoWriMo ?
I should probably be thinking about getting my son's Snake Eye's costume ready for Halloween. But no. My mind is on NaNo. I plan to spend the day reading through my outline, crossing my fingers I'll actually like it (I haven't looked back at it in several weeks). At this point, I don't remember the names of most of my characters.
I'll have my handy word count widget in the sidebar, if you want to keep track of how I'm doing. My goal is 60,000 words. Last year I blew on by my goal and ended somewhere around 93,000 words. I don't expect anything like that this year, as I'm going to be vacationing in the midst of NaNo.
How about you? Are you ready? If not, what are you doing to get ready?
If you're signed up on the NaNoWriMo site, my username is denisej over there. Happy writing, friends! And for those who are not doing NaNo, well, happy living, I guess.
I'll have my handy word count widget in the sidebar, if you want to keep track of how I'm doing. My goal is 60,000 words. Last year I blew on by my goal and ended somewhere around 93,000 words. I don't expect anything like that this year, as I'm going to be vacationing in the midst of NaNo.
How about you? Are you ready? If not, what are you doing to get ready?
If you're signed up on the NaNoWriMo site, my username is denisej over there. Happy writing, friends! And for those who are not doing NaNo, well, happy living, I guess.
