J.R. Pearse Nelson's Blog, page 29
March 26, 2012
7 Lines From Page 7 of Flight
The darling Lauralynn Elliott tagged me to show off 7 lines of my work in progress, Flight, the third paranormal romance novella in my Children of the Sidhe series.Go to page 7 or 77 in your current manuscriptGo to line 7Copy down the next seven lines as they are – no cheatingTag 7 other authorsHere's my excerpt from the 7th page of Flight:
She could go along with Abarta. If she gave him the bird boy…
Tessa's gaze found the hawk, now standing on one leg in the corner, his neck feathers still ruffled. As she watched, his form shifted; it was like watching the aura separate from the body, then snap back into place, with the body in a different form. She'd expected an adolescent, and was shocked to instead see a grown man.
The man huddled on the floor, his hands pressed to his temples. His eyes were still closed in an attractive strong-jawed face, framed by dark blond hair long enough to curl
Now I just feel like such a tease! lolOkay, who's it?!? I'm tagging:Alexia ChamberlynnLena CorazonC. Michael HubbardKate CopeseeleyGene LemppTia BachRyan King
March 22, 2012
ROW80 Round 1: The End!
I can't believe Round 1 is at an end! Crazy how time flies.
For those of you who haven't heard of Round of Words in 80 Days, it's a writing challenge where writers set their own measurable goals four times a year, and cheer each other on while we reach for them.
Over the last few days, I've written the final scenes of my paranormal romance novella Flight. It's always such a rollercoaster for me to finish a book, like my brain can't process both the finishing touches of a story and my personal emotions simultaneously. Having this deadline was really good for me. I can shy away from final scenes, because I worry I won't get them right, despite the fact I know I'll be editing and revising later. Silly. But I'm often silly -- I've just learned to work around my worst habits and inclinations. :)
I didn't make all of my goals for the round -- by far. And honestly, I learned something from that, as it's the second time in a row I've set my goals way too high. Next round I'm learning moderation on the goal side -- because I think I should let myself feel successful here, you know? I am making lots of progress. I just haven't been able to clear as much of my time for "my stuff" as I'd like. There's no point in wearing a big frowny face over the past. Stressing out does not produce word count, or proofed pages, or published books. So there, stress. I'm turning a blind eye in your direction.
I will definitely be back for Round 2. I already know my goals for next round, but I'm not sharing them for a few days. :)
Here's how I did in Round 1:
1) Write Flight, the third Children of the Sidhe novella. Status: I've just finished this by the skin of my teeth. And I like it. 2) Work on the paper edit of Queen Witch, the book I wrote last round, by editing 10 pages a week starting February 19. Until then, I'm getting some distance from that project. Status: This one I didn't touch this round.3) Exercise three days a week for at least 30 minutes, to improve my energy level. Status: Some positive changes and steps in the right direction, but I didn't achieve this goal.
So that's how I did. I'll be trying to stop by a bunch of ROWer blogs over the next few days to check on others. And see you all in ten days!!
For those of you who haven't heard of Round of Words in 80 Days, it's a writing challenge where writers set their own measurable goals four times a year, and cheer each other on while we reach for them.
Over the last few days, I've written the final scenes of my paranormal romance novella Flight. It's always such a rollercoaster for me to finish a book, like my brain can't process both the finishing touches of a story and my personal emotions simultaneously. Having this deadline was really good for me. I can shy away from final scenes, because I worry I won't get them right, despite the fact I know I'll be editing and revising later. Silly. But I'm often silly -- I've just learned to work around my worst habits and inclinations. :)
I didn't make all of my goals for the round -- by far. And honestly, I learned something from that, as it's the second time in a row I've set my goals way too high. Next round I'm learning moderation on the goal side -- because I think I should let myself feel successful here, you know? I am making lots of progress. I just haven't been able to clear as much of my time for "my stuff" as I'd like. There's no point in wearing a big frowny face over the past. Stressing out does not produce word count, or proofed pages, or published books. So there, stress. I'm turning a blind eye in your direction.
I will definitely be back for Round 2. I already know my goals for next round, but I'm not sharing them for a few days. :)
Here's how I did in Round 1:
1) Write Flight, the third Children of the Sidhe novella. Status: I've just finished this by the skin of my teeth. And I like it. 2) Work on the paper edit of Queen Witch, the book I wrote last round, by editing 10 pages a week starting February 19. Until then, I'm getting some distance from that project. Status: This one I didn't touch this round.3) Exercise three days a week for at least 30 minutes, to improve my energy level. Status: Some positive changes and steps in the right direction, but I didn't achieve this goal.
So that's how I did. I'll be trying to stop by a bunch of ROWer blogs over the next few days to check on others. And see you all in ten days!!
March 18, 2012
Sunday Update: Finally Getting Somewhere
Well, I don't know if it's the panic from knowing these are the last days of ROW80's Round 1, or what, but I've been productive this week! I'm tying together the threads of my story in the last handful of scenes. It's exciting territory, and devouring a large part of my attention in recent days. Thrilling!
Here's my word count for the week:
Tuesday: 1,200 words
Thursday: 500 words
Friday: 1,400 words
Saturday: 700 words
And with that, we're well into the final week of Round 1!! Can you believe it? Overall, I haven't gotten to where I wanted to be when I started the year, but with that handy self-forgiveness, I'm very happy with where I've ended up. I'm in the process of adjusting my goals for the rest of the year in light of how little writing got done in the winter.
I'm still on track to meet my major 2012 goal of publishing three books. I'm finishing up the first draft of the second one I plan to publish this year. The first is still awaiting edits. That's what my spring is going to entail -- lots and lots of editing!
The decision I need to make before setting goals for Round 2 is when to start writing the next Children of the Sidhe book. Its timeline overlaps with the book I'm finishing now, and the characters are clamoring to be heard. I feel like I'm walking a tight rope here -- I don't want to choke off the creative side, but the editing pile is building and that takes a fair amount of the wind from my creative sails...First things first, I'd better start the next round tackling edits on Queen Witch, and see how far I can get in the first month.
One more thing to mention: There's still a giveaway of my paranormal romance novella Tribute going on for a couple more days at Paranormal Opinion, along with an interview with your's truly. If you haven't read Tribute, head on over and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! It's running through Monday.
Good luck in the final days of the round, ROWers!!
Here's my word count for the week:
Tuesday: 1,200 words
Thursday: 500 words
Friday: 1,400 words
Saturday: 700 words
And with that, we're well into the final week of Round 1!! Can you believe it? Overall, I haven't gotten to where I wanted to be when I started the year, but with that handy self-forgiveness, I'm very happy with where I've ended up. I'm in the process of adjusting my goals for the rest of the year in light of how little writing got done in the winter.
I'm still on track to meet my major 2012 goal of publishing three books. I'm finishing up the first draft of the second one I plan to publish this year. The first is still awaiting edits. That's what my spring is going to entail -- lots and lots of editing!
The decision I need to make before setting goals for Round 2 is when to start writing the next Children of the Sidhe book. Its timeline overlaps with the book I'm finishing now, and the characters are clamoring to be heard. I feel like I'm walking a tight rope here -- I don't want to choke off the creative side, but the editing pile is building and that takes a fair amount of the wind from my creative sails...First things first, I'd better start the next round tackling edits on Queen Witch, and see how far I can get in the first month.
One more thing to mention: There's still a giveaway of my paranormal romance novella Tribute going on for a couple more days at Paranormal Opinion, along with an interview with your's truly. If you haven't read Tribute, head on over and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! It's running through Monday.
Good luck in the final days of the round, ROWers!!
March 17, 2012
Otherworld Inspiration: A Gnome for Lauralynn
My friend Lauralynn Elliott is working on a supernatural horror story that features a garden gnome come to life. I'm totally intrigued, and can't wait to read the story. It also reminded me of a picture my friend Kate Bateman -- the source of my Otherworld Inspiration series of pictures -- sent me after our walk last fall in Portland's Forest Park.
At the time, I just put this picture in a folder, partly because I needed to ask Kate to tell me more about how she did it. I had trouble telling if it was a photo or a drawing, which is a cool effect, but kind of hard to talk about on my blog!
So I asked Kate how she came up with this gnome picture, and here is what she told me. "I did take the mushroom pic when we went on our nature hike. I added the gnome thing to it which I found online. It was a picture of a creepy clay gnome baby, so I blacked out its eyes and manipulated the face/body to make it look even more evil. Then just to get a consistent texture, I think I posterized the image, which can make it look like a drawing." Do you get a sense from this what a cool chick Kate is? I love hanging with her, she is so inspiring!
I hope you enjoyed today's dose of Otherworld Inspiration. You can check out other pictures from this series on the Otherworld Inspiration tab of my blog.
At the time, I just put this picture in a folder, partly because I needed to ask Kate to tell me more about how she did it. I had trouble telling if it was a photo or a drawing, which is a cool effect, but kind of hard to talk about on my blog!
So I asked Kate how she came up with this gnome picture, and here is what she told me. "I did take the mushroom pic when we went on our nature hike. I added the gnome thing to it which I found online. It was a picture of a creepy clay gnome baby, so I blacked out its eyes and manipulated the face/body to make it look even more evil. Then just to get a consistent texture, I think I posterized the image, which can make it look like a drawing." Do you get a sense from this what a cool chick Kate is? I love hanging with her, she is so inspiring! I hope you enjoyed today's dose of Otherworld Inspiration. You can check out other pictures from this series on the Otherworld Inspiration tab of my blog.
March 13, 2012
Giveaway of Tribute on Paranormal Opinion!
This is super exciting! Tishia at Paranormal Opinion invited me for an author spotlight and giveaway of Tribute! She's also giving away a necklace she created with the Tribute image. That's right, Tribute bling!
Here's an excerpt from the first chapter of Tribute. If you haven't read it, head on over and comment to enter the Paranormal Opinion giveaway!
Getting her oil changed wasn't exactly Hazel's idea of a fun chore for Friday afternoon, but the sixteen-year-old drooling over her made it nearly unbearable this time. Literally, drooling.She shot him a short-tempered look as she put on her sunglasses, the Portland sun requiring it for once, though a deep gray line of clouds already clustered along the western horizon. "Can you just finish with the car already?"He gulped. "Hey, when I'm done do you want to go to dinner or something?"Hazel sighed and cast him a sweet smile. "You don't want anything to do with the likes of me, kid."He just smiled at her and nodded, his brain obviously addled."So that's a no. No dinner. Just finish my car. Thanks."Confused and deflated, he shook his shaggy hair into his face so she couldn't see his profile as he worked. He called out to his pit crew, his tone wistful and sad.Gods. Wouldn't it be great to be normal?Crushing men wasn't Hazel's idea of a good time. It was just that many of them had no control over themselves when she was around. The drooling was not attractive. But they didn't know that. They didn't even realize how silly they looked. It was part of her draw; men tended to be totally focused on her, unable to string together more than a sentence, much less keep her entertained for a date. They were compelled to look, to touch if she'd let them, hovering over her the entire time.She'd heard she was lucky. Some Sidhe drew humans to madness, despair – even violence. They just wanted to love her.Still, it was annoying.A buzzing from her purse cast a wave of relief over her. Blessed distraction. She looked up and caught the boy staring again, and frowned at him as she reached into her purse.Checking the number that had just flashed on her cell phone, Hazel sighed. The age-old question: to answer, or not to answer? Swallowing, she hit send."Hello?""Hazel. Glad I caught you. Got a little problem I could use your help with.""Thankfully, your problems don't have anything to do with me anymore.""They do when they're not mine specifically, but more, you know, ours.""Great," Hazel said. If he meant what she thought he did, her hope of getting out of whatever this was had just faded fast."There's a human over here who needs to get in touch with the Fomorii. Has to pay a tribute of some kind, but hasn't been able to get through. Think you could take him?""Can I take him?" Like she didn't have enough to do. "Drake, this is your job. You know I was never into this stuff.""You're missing the point. He needs to go. I can't take him, so I thought of you.""Why can't you take him?" Drake was the obvious choice. After all, he worked for the Sidhe Authority, taking care of the Otherworld government's business in the human world. Hazel had as little to do with Otherworld affairs as possible. "Let's call it a little interpersonal issue between me and the Fomorii contact. I'm waiting another decade at least before I meet up with that guy again, for everyone's sake. I'm supposed to be smoothing relations, remember?""See, that's what I'm talking about. When we were together, I dealt with your interpersonal issues. Now that we're not, I don't see what this has to do with me.""You're Sidhe, so you're in. Our problems are your problems, and this falls into that category. Just think, what would Aunt Brigit say?""Damn," she growled. He had to bring her aunt into it. Of course she knew what Brigit would say. You get the benefits; a certain amount of dirty work comes with it. Help your people. "Tell me what I'm supposed to do again?"
Here's an excerpt from the first chapter of Tribute. If you haven't read it, head on over and comment to enter the Paranormal Opinion giveaway!
Getting her oil changed wasn't exactly Hazel's idea of a fun chore for Friday afternoon, but the sixteen-year-old drooling over her made it nearly unbearable this time. Literally, drooling.She shot him a short-tempered look as she put on her sunglasses, the Portland sun requiring it for once, though a deep gray line of clouds already clustered along the western horizon. "Can you just finish with the car already?"He gulped. "Hey, when I'm done do you want to go to dinner or something?"Hazel sighed and cast him a sweet smile. "You don't want anything to do with the likes of me, kid."He just smiled at her and nodded, his brain obviously addled."So that's a no. No dinner. Just finish my car. Thanks."Confused and deflated, he shook his shaggy hair into his face so she couldn't see his profile as he worked. He called out to his pit crew, his tone wistful and sad.Gods. Wouldn't it be great to be normal?Crushing men wasn't Hazel's idea of a good time. It was just that many of them had no control over themselves when she was around. The drooling was not attractive. But they didn't know that. They didn't even realize how silly they looked. It was part of her draw; men tended to be totally focused on her, unable to string together more than a sentence, much less keep her entertained for a date. They were compelled to look, to touch if she'd let them, hovering over her the entire time.She'd heard she was lucky. Some Sidhe drew humans to madness, despair – even violence. They just wanted to love her.Still, it was annoying.A buzzing from her purse cast a wave of relief over her. Blessed distraction. She looked up and caught the boy staring again, and frowned at him as she reached into her purse.Checking the number that had just flashed on her cell phone, Hazel sighed. The age-old question: to answer, or not to answer? Swallowing, she hit send."Hello?""Hazel. Glad I caught you. Got a little problem I could use your help with.""Thankfully, your problems don't have anything to do with me anymore.""They do when they're not mine specifically, but more, you know, ours.""Great," Hazel said. If he meant what she thought he did, her hope of getting out of whatever this was had just faded fast."There's a human over here who needs to get in touch with the Fomorii. Has to pay a tribute of some kind, but hasn't been able to get through. Think you could take him?""Can I take him?" Like she didn't have enough to do. "Drake, this is your job. You know I was never into this stuff.""You're missing the point. He needs to go. I can't take him, so I thought of you.""Why can't you take him?" Drake was the obvious choice. After all, he worked for the Sidhe Authority, taking care of the Otherworld government's business in the human world. Hazel had as little to do with Otherworld affairs as possible. "Let's call it a little interpersonal issue between me and the Fomorii contact. I'm waiting another decade at least before I meet up with that guy again, for everyone's sake. I'm supposed to be smoothing relations, remember?""See, that's what I'm talking about. When we were together, I dealt with your interpersonal issues. Now that we're not, I don't see what this has to do with me.""You're Sidhe, so you're in. Our problems are your problems, and this falls into that category. Just think, what would Aunt Brigit say?""Damn," she growled. He had to bring her aunt into it. Of course she knew what Brigit would say. You get the benefits; a certain amount of dirty work comes with it. Help your people. "Tell me what I'm supposed to do again?"
March 11, 2012
Sunday Update: And I Lost An Hour?
Suck. Time suck. The disappeared hour .
Can somebody tell me what the heck justifies daylight savings time in this day and age? Totally upsetting to the body clock -- especially with little kids.
I'll quit complaining. Especially since that isn't the reason I have about zero progress to report since last Sunday. I'm not going to give specific reasons, because that's a temptation to carry on far too long. Suffice it to say I've been busy, busy, busy at work and at home.
I've also been reading that Carrie Vaughn book I mentioned a couple weeks ago -- After the Golden Age, about the grown up daughter of two aging superheroes. It sucked me in, and that's what I've done in the evenings. That's good, because I really don't make enough time to read. Sometimes I fear my own creative well will run dry, because I tend to live in my own head far too much.
Eleven days left of Round 1. Probably 8,000 words left to write of my first draft of Flight. That means I need to fit in writing at least eight days in the next eleven -- and that's to make my first goal for Round 1. Jeepers. It didn't go so well this winter. But there's no point in looking back. I'll get back on track.
The health stuff is going pretty well. I've lost three pounds in the past two weeks. I've been eating better, and doing it the right way. Also, my dog has come to expect our evening walk once the kids are in bed. That's a virtuous cycle, because if he knows when walk time is, he'll pester me, and I'll spend as much time fending him off as walking him. So I walk him. Good stuff! I haven't hit the bike, though. At least I know what I need to improve. :)
I wish all my writer friends good luck in the final stretch! How's it going for you? Did you meet your goals this round, or fall behind like this author?
Can somebody tell me what the heck justifies daylight savings time in this day and age? Totally upsetting to the body clock -- especially with little kids.
I'll quit complaining. Especially since that isn't the reason I have about zero progress to report since last Sunday. I'm not going to give specific reasons, because that's a temptation to carry on far too long. Suffice it to say I've been busy, busy, busy at work and at home.
I've also been reading that Carrie Vaughn book I mentioned a couple weeks ago -- After the Golden Age, about the grown up daughter of two aging superheroes. It sucked me in, and that's what I've done in the evenings. That's good, because I really don't make enough time to read. Sometimes I fear my own creative well will run dry, because I tend to live in my own head far too much.
Eleven days left of Round 1. Probably 8,000 words left to write of my first draft of Flight. That means I need to fit in writing at least eight days in the next eleven -- and that's to make my first goal for Round 1. Jeepers. It didn't go so well this winter. But there's no point in looking back. I'll get back on track.
The health stuff is going pretty well. I've lost three pounds in the past two weeks. I've been eating better, and doing it the right way. Also, my dog has come to expect our evening walk once the kids are in bed. That's a virtuous cycle, because if he knows when walk time is, he'll pester me, and I'll spend as much time fending him off as walking him. So I walk him. Good stuff! I haven't hit the bike, though. At least I know what I need to improve. :)
I wish all my writer friends good luck in the final stretch! How's it going for you? Did you meet your goals this round, or fall behind like this author?
March 8, 2012
My Writer Friends Are Good for Me
Hi there! Are you a good listener? Well, for me it's hit and miss. Ha!
What I mean is that sometimes I have the most difficulty listening to those closest to me, especially my family. (Most especially my husband -- sorry honey, you married kind of a difficult lady. Can you see where our girls get those stubborn streaks?)
I knew when I branched out into the writing community that is ROW80 that I'd be commiserating over a deep love of writing, which is what brought us together. Yet I'm seeing far more benefits to this community of writers than I ever expected. Some of the topics that come up as we all work toward our writing goals generate conversations of real value to other areas of my life. Who knew I'd be chatting with other writers about health tips, or tips for forgiving ourselves and moving forward when things don't go our way?
Writing is what brings this group together, but the specific people involved are such wonderful specimens of humankind! I never expected having a writing community to literally MAKE ME HAPPIER, in all areas of my life. Thank you, writer friends!
And for any writers out there who have not yet heard about ROW80 -- if you feel like you'd benefit from knowing other writers (and who wouldn't?), click that link above and get signed up for Round 2, which will begin April 2, 2012.
What I mean is that sometimes I have the most difficulty listening to those closest to me, especially my family. (Most especially my husband -- sorry honey, you married kind of a difficult lady. Can you see where our girls get those stubborn streaks?)
I knew when I branched out into the writing community that is ROW80 that I'd be commiserating over a deep love of writing, which is what brought us together. Yet I'm seeing far more benefits to this community of writers than I ever expected. Some of the topics that come up as we all work toward our writing goals generate conversations of real value to other areas of my life. Who knew I'd be chatting with other writers about health tips, or tips for forgiving ourselves and moving forward when things don't go our way?
Writing is what brings this group together, but the specific people involved are such wonderful specimens of humankind! I never expected having a writing community to literally MAKE ME HAPPIER, in all areas of my life. Thank you, writer friends!
And for any writers out there who have not yet heard about ROW80 -- if you feel like you'd benefit from knowing other writers (and who wouldn't?), click that link above and get signed up for Round 2, which will begin April 2, 2012.
March 4, 2012
Sunday Update: Where Are the Words?
Not much got done this week in terms of writing goals. I wrote about 500 words on Tuesday, and did some more fiddling with my outline for the end of this novella. Gulp. It's March and I still need to write a quarter of it. Which means it might be June before I get this book in publishable shape. And I still haven't tackled editing and revisions of the novel I wrote in the fall. I mean to get started with that in March. I opened up the manuscript the other night and read through parts of it. It needs work. The to-do list is piling up! But that's enough freaking out about it. Panic never saved anyone time. One foot in front of the other, with the first order of business: finish writing Flight!
As for what's been going on with me: work is crazy. And it looks to be that way for the next month or so, while a few major projects collide. I'll be putting in a few extra hours until things are calmer. This week didn't go well. Multiple doctor/dentist appointments, then a sick babysitter, which took any hint of flexibility out of my schedule. Saturday was a day at home for the whole family. The kids have a cold again, and we decided to just lay low for the day. We ended up getting a lot of cooking done and stocking the freezer, and had a great time just playing with the kids at home. Today looks to be more of the same. Plus, I'm going to a friend's baby shower this afternoon. Can't wait for that!
Smashwords is doing a promotion March 4-10, called Read an Ebook Week. I've enrolled my paranormal romance novellas, Tribute and Vessel. You can use coupon code REW50 to get half off my books for the week. :)
I wish all of our writer friends across the country (and world) peace today. I haven't heard so far of anyone directly affected by the major storms, and I do hope you are all safe.
Less than three weeks to go in Round 1 -- how do you feel about where you are?
As for what's been going on with me: work is crazy. And it looks to be that way for the next month or so, while a few major projects collide. I'll be putting in a few extra hours until things are calmer. This week didn't go well. Multiple doctor/dentist appointments, then a sick babysitter, which took any hint of flexibility out of my schedule. Saturday was a day at home for the whole family. The kids have a cold again, and we decided to just lay low for the day. We ended up getting a lot of cooking done and stocking the freezer, and had a great time just playing with the kids at home. Today looks to be more of the same. Plus, I'm going to a friend's baby shower this afternoon. Can't wait for that!
Smashwords is doing a promotion March 4-10, called Read an Ebook Week. I've enrolled my paranormal romance novellas, Tribute and Vessel. You can use coupon code REW50 to get half off my books for the week. :)
I wish all of our writer friends across the country (and world) peace today. I haven't heard so far of anyone directly affected by the major storms, and I do hope you are all safe.
Less than three weeks to go in Round 1 -- how do you feel about where you are?
March 2, 2012
Indie Author Book Review: Vicki Keire's Gifts of the Blood
I was lucky enough to pick up Vicki Keire's book Gifts of the Blood while she had it on a free promotion on Amazon. I'm excited to read more from Vicki. :)
Gifts of the Blood by Vicki Keire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed Vicki Keire's debut novel, and look forward to reading more from her. This series delves into interesting aspects of angel lore, and I found her take on the Nephilim refreshing. I also liked the setting and the supporting cast of characters. Whitfield is a town I'd love to visit!
This book has a great hook. The author is great at giving the reader just enough information from the beginning to keep those pages turning.
One thing that detracted from the story for me was the amount of description of physical and emotional detail. I felt it slowed the story down. I suspect it's kind of a young adult style thing that I don't get, but I just prefer a more rapid progression of the action.
This was a fun read with lots of paranormal elements, some great action, and a unique storyline. I'd recommend it to anyone with a penchant toward young adult paranormal tales, light on the romance.
View all my reviews
Gifts of the Blood is available on Amazon.
Gifts of the Blood by Vicki KeireMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed Vicki Keire's debut novel, and look forward to reading more from her. This series delves into interesting aspects of angel lore, and I found her take on the Nephilim refreshing. I also liked the setting and the supporting cast of characters. Whitfield is a town I'd love to visit!
This book has a great hook. The author is great at giving the reader just enough information from the beginning to keep those pages turning.
One thing that detracted from the story for me was the amount of description of physical and emotional detail. I felt it slowed the story down. I suspect it's kind of a young adult style thing that I don't get, but I just prefer a more rapid progression of the action.
This was a fun read with lots of paranormal elements, some great action, and a unique storyline. I'd recommend it to anyone with a penchant toward young adult paranormal tales, light on the romance.
View all my reviews
Gifts of the Blood is available on Amazon.
February 26, 2012
Sunday Update: Story Excitement & Spring Calling
I'm happy with my productivity since Wednesday's check-in. I added 1,100 words to my manuscript yesterday, and again this morning. I also wrote a little Thursday night, but that resulted mostly in honing my outline for the final scenes of the book. Friday night, I took a different look at the plot for the series. I went backwards, from where I know the series ends, to determine what points of action in the overarching conflict each book will end on. This gave me a much clearer view of the final two books in the series, but didn't help much with the fourth book. I know I need to give more thought to the rough outline I have now for the fourth book, before I edit book three. I kind of feel like book four is burning a hole in my mind, trying to break out. Like it wants to be written simultaneously with this one. Maybe that's because I've reached the point in book three where the plot for book four takes off. So now, the timelines are actually simultaneous.
I have also recommitted myself to my exercise goals. I'll admit I never gave this my full commitment this round, and I need to get my butt in gear. Spring is calling. A time of renewal and growth. I'd like to make it a season of shrinking. Ha! I need to be active each and every day, and work out hard at least three times a week. I think variety is the key, and hey, there's plenty to do!
How about all of you: Is spring calling? What does that mean for you? Does it make you stir-crazy, or do you run around cleaning as the sun pours in, banishing the winter gloom? Do you notice that first bloom, or the scent of lilacs in the air?
I have also recommitted myself to my exercise goals. I'll admit I never gave this my full commitment this round, and I need to get my butt in gear. Spring is calling. A time of renewal and growth. I'd like to make it a season of shrinking. Ha! I need to be active each and every day, and work out hard at least three times a week. I think variety is the key, and hey, there's plenty to do!
How about all of you: Is spring calling? What does that mean for you? Does it make you stir-crazy, or do you run around cleaning as the sun pours in, banishing the winter gloom? Do you notice that first bloom, or the scent of lilacs in the air?
