Elizabeth Schechter's Blog, page 39

Work in Progress: The White Raven, week 6

I might not make the Nano goal of 50,000 words in a month, but just over a third of a novel in six weeks? That’s really nothing to sneeze at. Especially since this week was a holiday week, and I had one day of no words, and one day of close to no words.  I pulled my total weekly words out today when my husband and son went out to catch Pokemon.

The White Raven
Week Six Total Wordcount

I’ve been having a lot of fun with the research into Roman baths. According to what I’ve read, Roman men spe...

Work in Progress: The White Raven, week 5

I’ve never really been sure how people can manage to do NaNoWriMo in November. Camp Nano in April, sure! But full on Nano in November? How? I mean, the holidays are starting and Thanksgiving is this week and I still have to get my words in?

I did get my words in this week. Yesterday, as a matter of fact. Which is good, because today brought in a whopping 71 words. Total.

The White Raven
Week Five Total Wordcount

Trying not to be spoilery. I suppose it might be a little spoiler to say that Lo...

Work in Progress: The White Raven, week 4 (and two days)

I realized last night, after I’d shut down the computer, that I never posted my weekly words on Sunday night. I blame Disney (no, really. We were at Disney Springs on Saturday, and that leaves me in a Disney Coma for a day or two afterwards). Add to that we stopped at Ikea on the way home and… yeah. The one-two punch.

I did make my words last week, though, even with the Disney coma. And as of Sunday night, I’m just short of a quarter done with the book.

The White Raven
Week Four Total Wordcou...

Yelling Down a Well.

I just sent this letter to Marco Rubio, our Republican Senator:

Hi, Marco. It’s me, one of your friendly neighborhood constituents. I’m at home in Lake Mary, and I have a question for you.

Have enough people died yet to make you change your mind on gun control? Or are you still so firmly in the NRAs pocket that having a five year old, a toddler, and a pregnant woman gunned down in CHURCH doesn’t even phase you?

You tweeted that you were praying for the victims. Doesn’t it strike you as just a...

Work in Progress: The White Raven, week 3

A little short in my weekly words this week, but I’ll take it. I’ve been over two weeks in a row, so I’m still ahead of the game. I’m also reaching the point where picking excerpts is going to be harder. I don’t want to tell you the whole story before I sell it, after all!

The White Raven
Week Three Total Wordcount

Excerpt:

“That was wonderful,” Owyn murmured.

“And… it was the last time, wasn’t it?” Lorcan asked. “That’s what you weren’t going to say?”

Owyn raised his head. “You can hear my...

Work in Progress: The White Raven, week 2

Writing got a little behind this week until this evening. Writing sex scenes does that to me — writing gets slooooow. Tonight, however,  I wrote a scene out of sequence, because I was inspired and didn’t want to lose it. Part of that scene is this week’s excerpt.

The White Raven
Week two total wordcount

Excerpt:

The courtyard was full of birds, the like of which Lorcan had never seen before. They were majestic beasts, long legs, long necks, and the longest tail feathers he’d ever seen. Some...

Work in Progress: The White Raven

The current work in progress is The White Raven, a sequel to my first novel, Princes of Air.  As I work, I’m going to be posting regular updates on my progress. This will, I hope, keep me on track — important, since I have four books to write in the next two years.

The White Raven
Week one wordcount

Excerpt:

It was early enough that there was still a sharp chill in the mountain air, still thin shreds of fog lingering over the urla. The figure moving through them was pale enough that he could...

RWA Nationals and What I Learned There

I recently had the chance to attend the annual convention of the Romance Writers of America. I’ve been a member of RWA since 2010, but this is the first time since I joined that I’ve been able to go to the convention (usually referred to as Nationals). The location changes every year, and this year, Nationals was at Walt Disney World. For me, that’s close enough to commute.

What happens at Nationals? I didn’t know before I went. I’ve been to conventions before – mostly science fiction convent...

Release Week, Day 4 — Writing the Other, part 2

Today I’m a guest over at Bending the Bookshelf, talking once more about Writing the Other.

This book did it to me again — first, it was Matthias telling me halfway through book one that I was wrong when I planned for him to be gay. He was asexual.

Now, there’s a new character who did the same damned thing! I wasn’t planning on writing a transgender character when I started this book, but the character had other ideas.  Which meant that once again, I had to stop midstream and make sure I was...

Today!!!!

It’s out! It’s here! 

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No longer in exile, the rebel mage Matthias can finally return to his home enclave and settle into a new life with his beloved Solomon. As he struggles with his role leading the new town of Sanctuary, upheld by the people who once rejected him, Matthias knows all too well that the relative peace he’s found is temporary. The forces that razed Haven are still out there, still looking for him, still seeking to destroy everything he now protects. While there are alliances t...