J.J. Devine's Blog, page 41

Catching up on all things writing...

Good evening, everyone!!!

I know it has been a little while since I've blogged, but between my eye swelling shut, my iron levels going bonkers, work and NaNoWriMo, well, let's just say there hasn't been time for much else.

Tomorrow on my facebook author page, https://www.facebook.com/JJDevineAuthor/
a few author pals and I are doing a fun facebook hop. There will be lots of prizes to win and of course a nice grand prize to enter for :) So make sure you check us out tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m. EST.

I'm also running up to my day job in the morning to do the drawings for all of our fun giveaways for our March of Dimes raffles. So tomorrow is just going to be a day of free stuff for lots of people :)

I've had some pretty funky shifts this last week, and yes, I'm behind on my NaNoWriMo writing, but the good news is I took a notebook with me this week and actually just need to get some words transferred from my notebook to my WIP on the computer and guess what, yep, you're right, I still won't be caught up LOL.

I've found sprint writing has been a wonderful asset to my writing. I've been working half hour sprints at a time and actually have been able to get a good many words in on those little sprints :) It's felt so good getting some decent word count in for a change. I still hold out hope of finishing NaNoWriMo this year and I won't let go of that hope until I've finished or run out of time :)

I'm off work tomorrow other than running up there for the drawing, so I plan to write as late as possible tonight and tomorrow night :) This story is really taking shape and it has been a fun write so far :) A few areas had me stumped, but when I made myself work through them by writing in sprints, it did wonders.

Well, if I am going to get any writing in tonight, I guess I better sign off this blog and hit the WIP.

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Time to get this day underway...

Good morning, everyone!!!

I'm up early today to ensure I have time to vote before my work day begins. Over the course of the years I don't believe I've missed an election.

That's about as much political posting for me :)

I managed to get in two half hour writing sprints last evening!!! I was super stoked. I was able to get in 2,100 new words which is still way off from where I need to be for NaNoWriMo, but it is 2,100 words closer than I was yesterday :) So I'm okay with that :)

I needed to get some cookies ready to go for the store bake sale, but I didn't manage to get any baking in :( Hopefully I'll have a bit of time before work to pop some in the oven and then maybe after work mix up my puppy chow and no bake cookies for tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.

This is our last week of the bake sale and charity drive. I'm good with that. We've done a great job up at our store and I'm super proud of everyone for their effort they've put in.

I am hopeful to get in at least one writing sprint before work today. Then this evening get in several more to help me catch up on my word count numbers. I am so excited with the way this story is coming along, and am hoping to push the mark with this.

A writer friend and I brainstormed on the way back from the writing meeting Saturday and she helped me iron out a solid game plan for my writing year ahead. In fact, it helped me take the pressure off and made more sense than my current plan. So, keep your eyes open for some publishing changes for next year :)

Well, I better hit the shower and head up to stand in line for voting.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Off to a slow start...

Good morning, everyone!!!

I hate when things detour my time. I have had eye issues for the last few days so very little computer time for this woman. In the month of November time away from the computer is NOT what I need.

Thankfully last night I reminded myself just because I'm behind doesn't mean I can't do this :) So, today after work I have big plans for writing sprints to get me back in the groove of things :) And hopefully nail down some major word count :)

We are our own worst enemies when it comes to meeting our dreams. One little flaw and we often times throw in the towel. I'm horrible at telling myself, "Well, such and such happened, so now I can't do it." But the reality is and I've proven this to myself in the past, that we can do it. All it takes is a bit of dedication and hard work.

So when I found myself whining to myself yesterday, I sat myself down and said, nope not happening this time, you got this. So I am renewed with an energy to finish what I started. With the time change, well, I have an extra hour every day to get there also :)

Our meeting Saturday was uplifting. I think what I like best about these writing meetings is we share the deep dark of our writing worlds a good deal of the time. Bringing something out into the light takes the edge off of it. Sure, it can still suck, but when you find out you are not alone in the place you thought your were drowning in, it does make a difference. So, share those writing fears with other authors, because chance are they too have similar fears.

Well I better sign off of here today. I have the day job to head out to soon and then home for the writing job.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

A new month, a new day...

Good morning, everyone!!!

November has to be the most insane month of my years. Ever since I was introduced to NaNoWriMo way back when, my Novembers have changed drastically :)

I remember writing my first 50,000 word novel in a month, Darkness Brings Desire. Oh my word, by the end of the month I just knew that novel sucked but I felt fantastic for completing NaNoWriMo. It took me six months to look at what I'd written again, only to find out it needed a LOT of editing but it was better than I feared it was :)

The next year I participated I threw in the towel on the novel I was working on because it just wasn't doing it for me, nine days before the end of NaNoWriMo. I decided to at least see how far I could get on Passionate Pursuit before the end of November, and guess what, I finished it by the skin of my nose :)

Since then, I've still participated in NaNoWriMo, however, I haven't finished a novel in this time frame since those two. This year I truly want to make it happen. I have publishing plans for 2017 that require me to push the mark this month and see this to the end.

I'm sure over the next month there will be times I sit and stare at the blank page before me. I will tell myself, this is insane. I will even feel like throwing in the towel and say, really, why are you doing this to yourself. Then I will pick myself up, brush myself off, and say, you can do this, you have what it takes, so do it.

So for the next month, please friends and family be patient with me. I will be slowly driving myself even more insane than usual, and really that's not a far throw. If I start rambling on about my fictional Indiana town, or my characters who you have no earthly idea who or what I'm talking about, just smile and nod, I'm having issues going from fiction back to reality.

I promise once this new month is over I will either slow down a bit or keep up the momentum, which if I keep up the momentum, I apologize now in advance for turning back into the crazy author lady who lives in the worlds of her own making more than she lives in the real world before her.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!



 

They don't pay me enough???

Good morning, everyone!!!

I guess I should explain this blog right out of the gate. No, I'm not disappointed in my jobs, this statement is something I've often heard people say over and over again about working. Yesterday was no different and it wasn't even a fellow employee, but a customer. Of course this started my wheels turning, because here I was going about my day, getting things done at work and just going with the flow of the day.

I guess you could just say this blog hit me.

No one likes work, let's face it, it's work. We all have our days we'd rather be home in bed, watching stupid movies, and just being lazy. Or off doing something fun we enjoy. However, that is not reality.

To make the statement, they don't pay me enough, really makes no sense. Regardless of the job we do, you will find someone saying this very thing. Why, because all too often value ourselves too highly.

If I felt this way I would never have written my first book. Why, because of the time, effort, and yes, rejections that go into writing a novel. The pay, well, unless you're in the big time, really sucks, so is it worth the pay? Not so much. Then why do we do it? Because it's in our blood.

Working is an every day occurrence for most people in this life. We get up, we go to work, we do our job, we go home. We get a paycheck, we pay bills, we barely have anything left over to get us through the week, and we repeat.

With every job comes shit, but if you are always looking at it on the negative side, well, you are never going to see the good behind the job you are hired to do.

I can honestly say I don't believe I've ever truly hated any job I've ever done. Sure, I've had days where I didn't want to go, everybody does. Would I like more pay, who doesn't? And yes, work is work. There's no getting around it.

However, to me work is also a place to prove to yourself you have what it takes to get up everyday, head out into the world, and be the person you want to be. At every job there are going to be people you feel don't do enough. I've been there done that over and over in my 34 years of working. Then we have our days where we just have enough in ourselves to get through a day. It happens.

I had a job once where one boss thought things should be done a certain way, the other boss, however, was a smart lady. She knew that at the end of the day, if the work that needed done was getting done, it didn't matter how the person accomplished it. See, the thing I learned from her was there is no right or wrong way of doing anything. Each person is different. What might work for one person may not work for another. So each person does their tasks in the manner that best suits them.

Hard work does pay off regardless of how much you are paid. I wouldn't be a published author today if I was so concerned about how much I get paid all the time. Hell, I haven't even made a dollar an hour yet if you consider the time and effort that goes into writing a novel versus how much we actually make off of our writing. Over the course of twenty-one years I've put in 56,448 hours of writing. That's give or take a few hours, but that's the jest of it. So until I'm well into the millions royalty wise, well, let's  just say, it is probably still not being paid enough to balance out much by the hour, just saying.

So why do I torture myself creating worlds, characters, and the like? Because this is who I am. I love reading and writing and creating. It is a side of myself I would do even if I never made a dime. I look at every job I do as something worth doing. Sure, realistically we need money to live. Sure, we want to make as much as we can for our time. But, that is on us, in our life choices on which job we do. The choice is on us in the education we obtain to work better paying jobs. And the choice is ours at how we go into our job each day and what attitude we bring with us.

I for one chose to look at any job I do as not a waste of time, but as a place that has something to teach me about this world and this life. For the highest education we can receive in this lifetime is not taught in books, but is learned from the world around us. You can't put a price on that.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

NaNoWriMo is almost here!!!

Good evening, everyone!!!

Yep, it's all about the NaNoWriMo :) With things so crazy with the bake sale at work and trying to maintain life around this place, I believe I'm insane for even thinking about doing this... oh wait, we all know I live on the verge of insanity as it is LOL.

I've decided Unfinished Business is the NaNoWriMo project this year. Of course, I have been letting things stew on this one for a little while, but I'm so excited to just really focus on writing a novel and this one is going to be a fun write.

My writer friends and I have come up with a few ways to help one another through this long exhausting month ahead. With writing sprints, checking in on each other, meeting up for write ins. Yes, the month ahead will have to be skillfully balanced and there's only one day left to mentally prepare for what is yet to be :)

Am I ready??? Not in the least bit. There really is no real preparing for what is to come. NaNoWriMo is the time of the year where writers go even more insane than they are normally. Which is really saying something, because we live in our own worlds so often sometimes the real world is foreign to us :)

I've been thinking over the muse aspect of writing these last couple of days and I believe I am ready to let things just run wild and see where the muse takes me once again. It's a hard thing to do when you like to be in control of things, but writing is one area of my life where I am not in the driver seat, but my characters are, and that is a hard pill to swallow sometimes :) But, if I'm going to get back to writing like I used to, then I need to bite the bullet and just start doing it with the passion I once had while writing. And what better way than to go full blown into NaNoWriMo :)

Well for all of you doing NaNoWriMo this year, good luck!!! I hope you find your muse and the words just flow.

Everyone have a lovely night!!!

Blessings to all!!!

New week, great publishing month!!!

Good morning, everyone!!!

It has been an exciting month, with the release of The Porch Swing in both ebook and paperback :) Then last night I received the email saying Into the Darkness audio book went live :) So I would say this week has started off on the right foot for sure :)

Last week I had a few blood pressure issues. I believe I've gotten them under control now, thankfully :) At least my readings yesterday were in the right range again. However, it does drain you when you go from up to back down again. I didn't let it get me down too much, but I did take it a bit easier than I do on a normal day. Sometimes we just need that reminder we're not as young as we used to be :)

I do have plans to finish getting things organized for my NaNoWriMo month :) I have the next two days off of my day job so my goal is to get the housework aspect done tomorrow so I can have some grandchildren fun Wednesday night :) Then off to help my sister work on getting her new house move in ready on Thursday evening :) So yep, the week is full already and it has barely even started :)

I wouldn't change a thing :)

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

What being a grandma has taught me...

Good morning, everyone!!!

What better time to post a blog like this than my second granddaughter's sixth birthday. Happy Birthday, Lil Miss!!! You bring sunshine to this grandma's heart!!!

I'm always going on about life being a learning process. About deep inner evaluations and learning who we really are. Well, one thing that has shaped my life is becoming a parent and a grandparent.

Becoming a parent taught me so much I didn't know but thought I knew about raising children. Like every child is different. No two children are exactly alike in any way shape or form. However, becoming a grandparent has given me the opportunity to not only see these differences but enjoy them to their fullest.

Being a grandparent has taught me that even at this age there are times to throw caution to the wind and just play. That everything in life doesn't always have to be filled with work and rules. Sometimes it's best to make the rules up as you go along. You're never too old to jump on a swing and let the breeze blow through your hair as you go higher and higher. Or find the biggest slide at the park and zip through the air until you reach the ground again. Or run through the sprinkler on a hot day, or float in a pool, or splash around. Jumping in mud puddles after a summer rain is still okay, even if your fifty.

Being a grandparent has taught me that adventure never dies away. Treasure hunts are more fun when you have someone to share them with. Taking walks to see what is in the world around you, and seeing that world through the eyes of a child, its eye opening to say the least. Being silly is part of the fun, and make believe can take you to far away places while still being firm footed in one place.

Being a grandparent has taught me that love comes in all shapes and sizes. It's not the outer we see but the soul that resides within. We see past the every day, to see the future residing within the little ones growing up so fast in our midst. We see the things that are forming their thoughts, ideas, and wonder.

Being a grandparent has taught me to grab onto these small moments, for just as with our own children it will be gone all too soon. A messy kitchen for a few moments means we've shared some kitchen fun. Blankets strewn about the livingroom means we've shared some movies, popcorn, and laughter. Piles of leaves, rocks, and weeds are something that will bring a smile to your lips a few days later when you realize their still piled high on your porch. Jars with bugs, old pots and pans with mud stew, even the discarded bandaid that covered a scratch that wasn't there, all of these take on new meaning when a grandparent finds them still sitting around long after their grandchildren have gone home.

I often hear people say I wish I would have had my grandchildren first. Sure, it might make us better parents, to know that freedom that comes with just learning to play again. However, it is our reward for raising our children, to love the children they bring into this world, and giving us a playmate as we grow older in this life.

Grandchildren have taught me of a love I never imagined possible. From utter happiness to the most tragic heartbreak. Loving with my whole self to the fullest extent of my heart and beyond. For this I will always be thankful to my children for giving me this wonderful pleasure in life.

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

NaNoWriMo...

Good afternoon, everyone!!!

I am preparing myself mentally for NaNoWriMo this year. I plan to take advantage of the free time I have and use it wisely. I know our routine like the back of my hand around here and so I know how many days each month I have to be alone with my writing. NaNoWriMo is one of those challenges that you not only psych up for, but you challenge yourself as a writer for.

I haven't finished NaNoWriMo in a few years, even though I have started off doing it. But this year, I want to finish so bad I can taste it. So hopefully that will be enough of a drive to get me set and going. It's been a long time since I finished a novel in a month :)

I'm looking forward to the challenge of setting a word goal each day and meeting that goal, something I use to revolve my daily life around for sure :) I've been letting the idea swarm around in my brain for weeks now. Looking around seeing what I need to do to ensure a month of complete writing insanity. Because I know me, I will sit down to write, see something that needs done, and get distracted from what I need to be doing.

So the first line of order is a deep clean on the house, so next month will be just general upkeep. Since hubby is home this week and writing will be scarce to say the least, I plan to do the housework aspect and have that out of the way!!!

Then there is meal prep. I want to make sure I have lots of things already in the freezer to just pull out and grab for both me and the youngest son. Cooking only when hubby is home :) So on my days off next week I will be planning and cooking ahead :)

Yeah, it takes a bit of planning for me to focus. But plan I will and hopefully this year I will conquer my quest to finish NaNoWriMo. Besides, it's only 50,000 words in 30 days ;)

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!

Happy Friday!!!

Good morning, everyone!!!

Happy Friday!!!

Into the Darkness has now had my approval for audio. I spent the last few days until late in the night listening to my reader lull me into the world I created :) Have I mentioned I adore audio books???

It will be a few weeks yet before the final is ready for distribution. That doesn't stop me from being excited about the whole ordeal :)

Next is working on Unfinished Business :) I can't wait to see where this story ends up taking me. I'm so ready to share this wonderful story with all of you!!! I'm small town, so this is the first time I've actually written a story that takes place in small town USA :) A paranormal at that, because everyone knows its hard to keep secrets in small town USA, so with a pack of werewolves on the hunt for a coven of witches to settle up an age old feud, well, the resident werewolves of small town Jackson, Indiana must decide to come out of hiding and help the witches win this battle or keep their identities a secret and let the witches and rival pack kill themselves. Minding one's own business is hard when one of those witches is the long lost love of Jeff Fowler, resident werewolf, and love sick pup.

Yes, this one is a fun write :)

I guess I will catch up on all things house tomorrow, considering every moment of my home time this week has been spent writing related :) I need to do a deep clean before the beginning of November, because once November hits, the only places you will see me is either at work or in front of my computer. There will be no time for anything else. I haven't been this focused in a long time and I will be damned if I let this go :)

I am doing Indies in Indy in July of 2017 so I want to have a few more books out to all of you between now and then, which is going to take discipline and dedication to make it happen. So, very few chill days between now and then :) I plan to engross myself within the historical realms of my Acceptance Series and the paranormal realms of my Darkness Series. Not to mention any other idea that comes along in between there :) So it is back to some hard writing work in my very near future.

Hubby took his run again this year, so I have no excuses for not having enough writing time :) It is time to take all of my life back, not just parts of it :) Maybe one more trip to Camp Chesterfield before November though :)

Well, it's time to get this day underway!!!

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!