Shambalog

Maybe...

2009-04-30T08:18:00.001-07:00

I might be deleting or stopping this blog soon.

Have multiple duties to take care of and I have not enough time to manage it all. One thing I need to fix is having too many blogs. I may stop this one and just use http://dianacacy.livejournal.com for all my writing related posts.

Except for the graduate wordpress blog for the How To Think Sideways course. It stays. Another one I need to update soon.

Revelations....

2009-03-09T12:58:00.001-07:00

cross posted from livejournal blog

The last few days have seemed as if I haven't done much, but I've made a lot of advancements in various areas.

Tobias Buckell is an author I follow well and who I interviewed for an article that was scrapped due to the publication canceling. He's been blogging about being a writer for a long time, and has decided to compile his writing posts into a usable format for his readers. He's started it here sites.google.com/site/lifeisjustadraft/Home

I used the site building tool for my son's page when he ran away, but never thought about using it in this way before. I'm going to put Elpis's M'nine Exploration Story in a similar format. I'll still offer the pdf download option on the site, but this is so much easier for someone to read in blocks of time. Each chapter or section will have its own page, as will all the informational pages. And I can add the sketches of the world and the game clues as I get them done. And any other graphics my friends create for it.

I backtracked on Murial's Story, asking the story creation questions over again of my muse. Couldn't figure out what was so special about the accident that crippled her. What made it more than just backstory for the novel. Turns out that the accident wasn't an accident. Cool! I posted to the grad forum about a few of the details, and will post to the protected blog more specific details as I get them worked out.

Also, found some more training to improve opt-ins and how to use them and why to use them every time. Now I have some definite goals to building my lists. And some ideas for goodies to offer people who sign up for my lists. Now just to find the time to write them. LOL

Early Out at School Today

2009-03-04T14:55:00.000-08:00

School let out at 2 pm today. And on top of it all, it's a beautiful day outside. From 2:30 on, working was impossible.

Not for my personal distractions. I had already spent my outdoor time for the day - about an hour or so in the wonderful weather.

But for traffic noise. Can always tell when the high school kids are free. Loud engines, loud bass.

And for neighbor noise. Loud voice neighbors, plus one on the right and one on the left doing home construction. And, of course, the neighborhood dogs barking at the disruptive people.

And inside...high school boy hanging out inside (who never does!) playing loud rap-style music in room.

Still 1200 new words on the new novel today is nothing to sneeze at.

Uru and Life stuff

2009-03-02T14:05:00.001-08:00

cross posted from livejournal blog

Been missing my friends in MO:UL. Used to relieve stress by going in cavern and finding a good place to sit while I worked. The standalone game is nice, but there's no one to talk to if you need a break from what you're doing and the music doesn't repeat like it did online. I do have some puzzles of URU saved with music that I put on for a few moments - it helps. Also the puzzle helps me think. Open the puzzle, start moving pieces around, and keep pen and paper handy for those ideas and thoughts that spring up. Amazingly it works.

Tried a few other games and they just don't do it for me. Even when the same friends are in there. Often, my computer doesn't like it as much, and I don't know. Just doesn't feel the same. Perhaps I have that complex of wanting something I can't have - and not appreciating what I do have. I need to visit Second Life and hang out in the recreated city more. I'm sure that will help.

Getting it in with all this mess going on around me is the tricky part. Haven't done so well yet.

I'm editing the M'nine book for it. M'nine is an Age I created for the game. A friend created a few screenshots of the offices for me, and I have the avatar pictures for the main characters. Going to work them together to create the cover artwork. This book was my Nanowrimo project this year, so I'm going to get the free author's proof from createspace.com for it when I'm done. If it's not too pricey I might get a few for friends too. When I get my finances figured out to allow me spending money again.

I'll make a progress post on Murial's Story soon - when I have more time. Now I have to hurry and prepare for supper break.

Ended up spending all day trying to fix paypal button versus server issues. Been online for over a month with it and just now figured out that there really was an issue. Stupid. Hopefully, it gets fixed soon. I'm really hoping this will be the main part of my business and hoping it kicks in after we fixed this. Things are still iffy around here. Hubby's plant sent an email out today letting anyone know that they're free to voluntarily take time off. Hopefully, this isn't leading up to more layoffs.

Through life stuff ...

2009-02-28T09:48:00.000-08:00

I'm still plugging along through the lovely pile of life stress. Doing well. But it is exhausting me. I've tried twice to work on the scene cards and just can't seem to 'find my place again' well enough to think them through. I've gone to laying back and visualizing the story - something I do every so often to give myself a mental boost and help my mind clear out the other clutter. I have the opening dialogue that the player receives in the game thought out. Allowing the reader to see that is the best way I can explain the object of the game without slipping into a narrative voice.

Reading Monk Goes to Germany. It's a hoot!

Also have two more books to read for reviews.

I think this weekend I'll finally get through those scene cards and I'll get a few miscellaneous scenes started, hopefully one actually written.

I've also decided to work a few things in TKQ before sending it out again. Make a few areas stronger, and make it a complete standalone instead of part one of two. Some wanted it to be a three part-er, but I'm still not willing to do that. I want to stay in the world of South Reach, but I want to go into other stories of South Reach, and other characters. Awhile back Taun showed me how she dies in a future book - I would like to work on that book before it slips from me.

Murial's Story Progress

2009-02-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

I've posted a lot of information from today at the secure webpage dragynspice.com/sideways.php

Friends, remind me to send you a message if you didn't get the username and password to see it.

I reworked The Sentence according to the steps in How To Think Sideways course. Went through the process a few times after having a discussion with Murial. Ended up with a lot of pages of information, but I think I'm into the mode now. Cool thing is that a lot of the elements naturally fit my Sweet Spot Map.

The sentence elements that threw me were how to describe the internal struggle within her with so few words. I got The Sentence to 30 words, but wasn't sure I could. Finally, the themes settled themselves as Fear and Guilt versus Trust and Courage.

I know what I mean, but I'm not sure that's right. She fears trusting people and going out of her house, so its counterpart is Trust, but I also toyed with Faith. Finally figured that Faith can be part of Trust and thus Trust works. Her guilt holds her back from facing her fear, from thinking that she has a right to stand up to that fear, and thus Courage came into play. Courage to let go of her guilt and face the real world again.

From the Create A Character Clinic, I knew that Murial was a studious person, even though she had been homeschooled after the accident, and had actually gained enough knowledge to have a few degrees. They are online degrees, of course, and perhaps not even accredited, for she was seeking knowledge and avoiding recognition when she took the studies. But she had studied enough to earn the right to a title.

From looking at my Sweet Spot Map and her character, I figured out that she acquired the online degree of Anthropology and a certification in Naturalistic Studies. (or Holistic Healing...haven't quite settled on that yet). Thus, I was able to allow her to be "A partly paralyzed Anthropologist" for The Sentence.

This works well with justifying what made her choose the particular online game she did. It wasn't the community set up - it wasn't wanting to connect with people in that all meaning way - it was that the game is about discovering an ancient civilization, learning a new language and culture, being a true Anthropologistin a way that her real life didn't allow.

Well, that's about all that's settled at the moment. I've been connecting the dots and defining the project's needs for the rest of the day, and maybe tomorrow...after getting the car tire fixed. Sigh...darn real life intrusions! LOL

Family time and regrouping ...

2009-02-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a combination of spending the day with hubby and other planning. We went out to lunch together in Lincoln, bought each other a new book, and got Starbucks. Normally, the Starbucks is the highlight of my day, but they must have had someone new making the lattes. Someone who didn't like coffee. It tasted like they put the syrup in and forgot the coffee! LOL It was still cool enough that we drank our 'steamers' any ways. I'm sure hubby will hesitate before buying another. If he wasn't such a wuss and complaining about how cold it was (it wasn't THAT cold lol), we would have walked around the corner to Panera's instead. Need to use my punch card there.

I chatted with my character, Murial a bit last night, but the house was busy, so I put headphones on and did actual work instead for most of the time. Today, I hope to get the rest of the work with Murial's story going so I can actually start writing tomorrow.

At the magazine front, been talking to my partner-in-crime about the situation this year and about kicking in the new magazine this year also. We're still talking, but I think we've come up with a plan that will work. We're working towards the end goal of having about four online magazines/publications within three years. As soon as we work things out, I'll make an official announcement.

Life's been screwing with the magazines and my helpers have went through troubles that took them away. But they seem to be coming back, one by one, and my life is... well, it's not going, but I'm stable enough to handle the magazine workload again soon. Putting things on hold until summer seems to have done a lot of good for everyone involved.

Life is uncertain, lay offs are getting awfully close to us and scary. But I keep thinking of our friend and the crap's he's been through and how well he bounces back. He's handicapped, recently had his house burned down and his truck exploded on Friday - but he's happy and optimistic about life. Amazing. Oh and he's verified that the exploding vehicles and the percussion from them as you're being pulled from them that's portrayed in Hollywood is realistic. LOL He's a trip!

Side project - getting my nano novel's introduction written so I can get the free proof for it from createspace.com

Sweet Spot Map Work

2009-02-13T05:39:00.001-08:00

I took a break last night to work on my sweet spot map. I cleaned off the dining room table and have claimed it all for the map, and the novel work - we have a small table, but it's still a large section - and we don't eat there anyway, so it's my desk. I'll be working on it as I can throughout the weekend. Life is so full, and I'm so busy right now that it's filling up slower. I'll post pictures as I get the six sections filled out.

Today, I'm going to work on my sentence a bit, and hopefully some freewriting. It's a day disrupted by weather. Storm is now just starting, with rain and sleet, and we're down to about 2 inches for our area now. I'm sure son and hubby will be in and out. For now, hubby went to work to try to make an impression and not be included in the upcoming lay offs, and my son went to play Warcraft at a friend's house.

My "I Fear" cluster has more financial security items in it this time. That lay-off scare is new as of yesterday. Even my muse worries. Guess I should make her reread week one. LOL

Murial's Story Webpage

2009-02-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

Note: Previously I had my character's name mispelled. It's Murial with an 'a'.

I created a secret webpage. Thinking Sideways grads and friends I thought might be interested have the address, along with the username and password. If I missed you, let me know and I'll send the information to you. I'll post here when I make additions to the secure webpage.

Today, I posted the one sentence summary and the working synopsis I created from my notes of running Murial's character through Holly's Create A Character Clinic. They're marked as version one.

Now I must get back to work. Have to spend afternoon doing the payday running - you know, where they tell you that you got paid, but the money disappears before you even get to see it - and then we have a "vigorous storm system", as the national weather service calls it, on the way. Hopefully the snow doesn't get too heavy and knock out power.

Muriel's Story Begins...

2009-02-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

I'm ready to get started working on Muriel's story at the graduate board for Holly Lisle's How to Think Sideways students. I haven't set any time goals for this book, and I need to. I think this is going to be the next book I want to market, meaning the others will be pushed back into the background. I believe Muriel's story has the strongest storyline to compete in today's market.

Not sure what genre to put it in exactly. It's real life fiction that takes place in the rpg world of a game for much of the book. Guess I'll have to wait and see just how much that is before deciding. I'd like to see it under "urban fantasy"... we'll see if it qualifies or not. A question for the people in the know of such things reading my progress, I guess.

These posts are mirrored from The Tortured Quill journal at http://dianacacy.livejournal.com

This blog is set to public, as is the other one. Anything private on details will be posted on the secure graduate board, and I may or may not make notices of them here. This will be more for a progress report and general questions and answers.

The writing...

2009-01-21T09:35:00.000-08:00

The writing is ever on going...

I'm really looking forward to the forum for graduates from Holly Lisle's How to Think Sideways course. Graduates get to work on the graduate forum, side by side with her, on their next novel while she goes through her next one at the same time. This is a special deal for graduates that will end soon. If you're interested in improving your writing and getting your writing career off of the ground, better get in on it soon!

Working working...

2009-01-13T15:22:00.000-08:00

For fiction, I'm working on my difficult novella series and the intro to my rpg creation during my free time.

I'm really busy working on the website and guides for helpmychurchgrow.com that goes live this week. I'm writing the guides as I go along, so I'll be busy with that for the next 12 weeks. It's really fun and really giving me a lot of ideas for future projects. Appears I'm going to be busy for a long time!

Being a copywriter, information writer, and a genre writer is challenging at times. The different areas don't always agree about what's fair in the marketing - and here I am doing them all. LOL Nothing like trying to complicate my life!

Help Preditors and Editors....

2009-01-04T13:07:00.001-08:00

Preditors and Editors is an excellent watchdog group for writers. They do a wonderful service. Naturally, those who wish to take advantage of unsuspecting writers out there don't like it and are suing them. Help them raise fund for their defense.

http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/

The Fan Fiction Project

2008-12-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

Two people are reading my fan fiction project for the Myst/Uru universe. It was my Nanowrimo project and introduces a new game Age called M'nine. One has finished it and given me his comments.

Based on his suggestions, I'm going to write an introduction to the game and the characters within it. Even he, who has played the game for a long time, had a hard time at first keeping track of the characters introduced. I do have a section for the characters in an appendix. I may use that and move it up to the front with the introduction.

I have a couple of friends who haven't played the game at all. I may have them read the introduction after I'm finished to see if it flows well.

Another option is that if this is just to be offered online as a pdf download, is to refer the reader to a link where Ellen has already created an introduction to the game. Still have to introduce the Friends of the Fissure part of it and those characters, but it would be shorter.

The Writing...

2008-12-16T11:50:00.000-08:00

The writing has really suffered lately. My son's disappearance has cost a lot of time with the writing. But ideas are still coming and I'm still putting together different pieces of work on my free time.

I have started writing a book length piece on being the parent of a runaway as part of my therapy. Still not sure if it will become a memoir-style private writing or if it will be given to the public.

Website for my son

son update...

2008-12-03T15:11:00.001-08:00

After we created the website and started passing out the six hundred fliers, we got a call of a possible sighting of our son in Lincoln Nebraska. http://sites.google.com/site/findmikehawkins/ Still don't have this confirmed. Also, not confirmed is that he is heading back to family in our home state of Iowa. Something we were trying to work on making happen for him in the spring. Not sure why he felt as if he couldn't wait.

We truly hope it was him. At least if it's him, he's alive.

The local sheriff is doing a great job, but we're in a small community and they are limited. State patrol said all we could do is wait, basically, and that he doesn't qualify for the Amber-alert system.

Luckily our pastor made that call for us - or I would have said a thing or two. I'm getting pretty punchy and already barked at someone who was being nice to me when she said, "Did the sheriff say we should do this?" I said, "We're saying you should do this!" Hubby said he's never heard me do that before.

Some of the media has been notified so far. Can't get him on the one Lincoln channel unless it's the police calling them. Another had a voicemail. We have more media to call and get him on if this sighting does not lead to him.

Help Us Find our Son

2008-12-03T08:38:00.001-08:00

http://sites.google.com/site/findmikehawkins/

Important Matters

2008-12-01T19:56:00.001-08:00

Dealing with a missing son right now. I will be trying to work while trying to find him, but may be absent from blog if searching for him takes my time.

Amazing how using Web 2.0 helps generate leads in this situation. In the last few hours a multitude of people have changed their status to reflect well wishes for us and to encourage help.

Our status - without going into details. Getting closer, but things aren't adding up right, and the aftermath of this could get bad. Obviously, we're very worried about him...beyond thinking he just wants to be away from home.

Nano Finish

2008-11-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

Oops! I thought I had updated here. On November 19th, I completed my novella for the Nanowrimo project. Yay to me!

I still have a lot of magazine emails to weed through and some things to write for someone else, but I hope to get some of the editing done this week. At least the light editing for the final Nano count. Then I'll have to do the deeper editing to get it ready for online exposure.

Nanowrimo update

2008-11-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

I did fall short Friday, but not due to the count. Went into chat online to work and keep an eye out for friends and found my daughter online. She is due Dec 20, but was having contractions. So, granddaughter trying to make an early appearance distracted me for Friday. She's trying to wait at least two more weeks, according to doc's instructions. And managing it so far.

Still between now and then I've increased my count to 15,000. I'm only 4,800 from where I want to be. I may or may not get that during the rest of the day. I have a few things I must get done for the mag and a landing page tonight also.

The flu is keeping me home again, but not down. Watching what I eat and drinking plenty of liquids to help keep the worse of it at bay.

Nano update

2008-11-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

I'm now up to 8777 as of last night. Only a little over 3000 behind at where I want to be. Plus the requirement for today.

Shaking off the illness is tough, but I'm trying. It may cause me to fall a little short on my count for tonight's writing. We shall see...

Nanowrimo

2008-11-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in Nanowrimo this year, but have to catch up. Saturday was great - got 3,179 words in. But came down very ill Sunday and was too bad off yesterday to do any. So, now I have to catch up on two days plus keep up on my regular word count goals.

In the midst of catching up on the housework...sigh!

Help Zette...

2008-10-24T11:35:00.001-07:00

Proof pages for TKQ

2008-10-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

I finished going through the proof pages - what I call the final copies of my manuscript file that's set up for the targeted publisher - for TKQ. TKQ turns out to be the first book of four that take place in same world with same characters. By far, not the last of the world, as more characters take over at the fifth book. There's also a few good candidates for before book one.

Anywho, now I'll be putting into the computer file the few corrections I found, and preparing the synopsis and book jacket for the submission. I have an extended synopsis already - never could get that sucker down to one or two pages. I'm going to use Holly Lisle's techniques this time and see if I have better luck at getting it to the right length.

I'm confident that the synopsis will come through well. I've already worked on a few non-related book synopsis and those ended up as one page easy.

Hopefully, this book will be out to the publisher at the end of the week. Then, it's wait patiently for the next 2-6 months to hear as to whether they will buy it or not.

Creating the Writer's Life

2008-10-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Being a writer among non-writers is not easy. In most instances, the writer does not have the person space and freedom to pursue the writing career right at the start. Often times, there are small children involved, or a small house set up.

This can be overcome, however.

The writer must set down the ground rules for the family. Allow time to be with the family, spend time with the kids, but also block off times of the day for writing. Some writers overcome this hurdle by choosing to write before other members of the family rise in the morning or after they go to bed.

Non-writers do not understand this need. Nor do they like it. Kids want attention when they want it, not on anyone else's schedule. Spouses are tolerant, sometimes to say the least. And this will not change. Well, with some it'll change when the paychecks come in or with the notoriety that comes with being married to a professional writer.

Once a writer reaches this point (actually before, if possible), the need for one's own writing space and time is crucial.

First, write down your goals as a writer. Make a list of the tasks needed to reach those goals. Mark how long it will take to complete those tasks.

Make it realistic. Allow yourself extra time in there to deal with unplanned instances. Then take those figures and see how much time you'd need to make those accomplishments.

If you're not working a full-time job and don't have kids, being able to write 8 hours a day is realistic. If you have a full-time job and kids, you will have to cut this down dramatically.

And then sit with your family and explain the situation to them. Let them know your times that are reserved for your writing, and ask them to respect your space and needs. They'd certainly would ask the same of you for their needs and wants, so don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. At this point, you will also want to explain to any other family members and friends that you are not to be interrupted at these times.

Even with a busy life, a writer needs to get into the routine of writing. This not only includes the self-control to write at the allotted times, but also the writer must nourish the mind.

Health is a big factor. Pay attention to your heart, weight, and other areas. Be as healthy as you can. Take your vitamins regularly. Drink plenty of water. Keep a glass of tea or water available to wet your throat as you write.

Exercise. Whether it's a nice leisurely stroll in the morning, aerobics, dance, or serious weight training, get that blood flowing. Keep your brain and muscles supplied with fresh oxygen. Sitting for hours at your writing table or computer can wreak havoc on the circulation.

Clear your mind of troubles. You don't want to be thinking about the creditors, the broken washer, the mounting hospital bills for a sick family member, or the ailing friend while you're writing. Unless you're writing about those topics, of course.

Guilt often keeps the writer from having a clear mind. If someone we care about is suffering, we feel guilty at pushing that aside for a few hours. Clearing your mind does not mean you forget those you love. In fact, doing this often helps you when you do have to return to the trouble at hand.

Everyone has their own method of clearing their minds. The exercise can do it for some. A morning coffee or tea while watching the sunrise is refreshing. Meditation and/or yoga helps many. Find what works for you and do it. Sometimes playing a mindless puzzle game on the internet for a few moments helps reset the mind.

Limit your indulgences. This doesn't only refer to sweets, but to other things also. Don't drink gallons of pop or stuff a whole box of truffles into your mouth as you write - that's not healthy. Don't miss your writing time by spending hours on civilization games or role-playing games and try to pawn it off as world-building research.

A clue: even non-writers know that's a tall tale.

Create your atmosphere. Yes, I know. Not every writer has a desk all to themselves or an office. But you can find a place that's comfortable to you and create with medium your comfortable with be it a pc or pen and paper. If you're more comfortable creating the first draft with pen and paper, by all means do so. It doesn't mean you’re archaic. You really don't have to have that perfect printed draft until it's ready to go to the marketplace you're working towards.

Sound is important to your atmosphere. If barking dogs disrupt you, don't have your writing area at the window next to the neighbor's dog. This goes if kids bother you. A window on the side of the house facing the neighbor's yard when kids are playing isn't a good spot either. If you need library silence, then create the atmosphere that gives that. Or go work at the library.

Music is the most used sound element in a writing atmosphere. Different writers are motivated by different music. If opera spurs your mind to kick out the next best-seller, by all means play it. Same with any other like country, rock, Celtic, new-age, inspirational, rap, etc. If you're in a small space of your house, use headphones. This is also great for blocking out noises of family life if you can't get out of range to create.

Plan your space and routines, stick to those routines. Non-writers may not fully understand the need for them, but after you implement them and stick to them, they will get into the habit with you.

Life is hectic. Life is impossible to handle at times. Make your writing a routine, and you'll be able to focus through life's chaotic and blessed moments alike.

The Assassin Journals: Hunter

2008-09-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

Available now in paperback!

The Assassin Journals: Hunter by S.L. Partington

Those of you in OWW , Dreaming in Ink, and WoW may remember critting this book.

Get it today from My Book Store and More

Barnes and Noble

Or

Amazon.com

Great book! I highly recommend that you turn off the TV - take a break from the depressing, confusing, and scary with this terrific read. Now ... Your sanity level depends on it!

the color of my mind

2008-09-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

Susie Hawes directed me to this ...

Your Mind is Purple

Of all the mind types, yours is the most idealistic.

You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense.

Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries.

You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

What Color Is Your Mind?

42 Blips

2008-09-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

42Blips.com has officially launched. It's a new site for science fiction news. Very interesting.

Thanks to Tobias Buckell for the reference.

Candle Wishes

2008-09-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Remember by clicking a candle in the water
http://www.worldtradecenter.com/

Remember ...

2008-09-11T07:59:00.001-07:00

A great tribute:
The USS New York

2002 Time Issue:
Time.com September 11, 2002

BBC News:
BBC - September 11, 2008

Crits, ideas, and writing ....

2008-08-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Not doing so well on the crit marathon this week. Had to send comments for three chapters to a person by email because I couldn't produce a full critique. Seems I have a really hard time doing hard sf. Weird since one of my best buddies writes sf and I have no problems giving him full comments. And then, the latest is that I miss three postings. I copied all them one day and went to post crits two days later and they were all replaced already. Hate when that happens, and it looks like others are in the same situation. It's common, especially for me - and I don't think there's anything that can be done about it. I just edited my posts to let people know on what day I'll take them down. Maybe I can help someone else avoid this too.

In spite of missing being able to count six crits this week, the marathon's really helped me get a jump start back into the game. I just copied five more posts. Let's see if I get them read before they disappear.

I posted the beginnings to two ideas I had on OWW. So far, getting good feedback that will help me determine where to go with these ideas. I think it will work out well, and I'll be able to salvage both ideas and make good stories out of them.

On the writing ... working on the going green series, more articles (as always), and formulating a children's story idea.

Finally and Wordle

2008-08-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

This morning, we were finally able to get my paypal payment to go through. From now on I'm going to check on the 15th of each month and try to make sure everything will work as it should before the payment time hits.

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

I did one for this blog - their code's not working here, but it can be found at this address: http://wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/142827/Shambalog

Also did one for a backstory for the Knightens Quest books
http://wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/142809/Ashlyn_Dying

Create your own at http://wordle.net

Giving Holly Lisle some grief ....

2008-08-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

Feeling pretty bad now. My paypal subscription for the How to Think Sideways Course got screwed up and Holly's been trying to help me with it. She gets it set up so I can fix it and then I go mess it up again.

Her course is awesome and I hope she has the patience to deal with me on this. I hope and pray that I get this right the next time!

Also, her course has made a huge impact on me at church. Partly because I also am putting together church related articles, so my mind is always in the writing mode. At yesterday's sermon I was getting some good writing fodder from the pastor, and before I knew what I was doing I had a whole cluster map created from the sermon itself. It was so cool!

This experience has turned me off from using paypal too much for my own products. I really thought I would as a fillin until I can get all the products set up on clickbank ... but I'm not now. Even if I have to hold back the next module until the third one's finished and publish both of them at the same time. Luckily, it's still early enough in the game for me that I can do this without endangering my business too much.

Progress Update

2008-08-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

Today, I've outlined the next info product report for the Digital Church Secretary website. I also planned out the extras that go with it and am working on the one for kids. Doing a bit of the extra bonus that goes with the report first so that my daughter can proofread it for me when she's in town Wednesday. I'm not a kid person, so I want to make sure someone who is helps me word it for kids.

This may be a short work week for me anyway, as we may have a weekend trip coming up. But I may cut another day out. A friend of mine who hasn't been here for four years is back in town. She has to take a day trip tomorrow and I may take off to accompany her.

Still, I've checked my to-do list, and I should be able to get the writing and marketing work for this week done. Either tomorrow or Thursday, I work on my assignment for Holly's fiction writing program, and some scenes/sketches for the URU creation project.

Side work in non-fiction is the wine report and sales letter report/article.

Transcriptase

2008-08-01T05:41:00.001-07:00

Cross-posted from my editorial blog for Whispering Spirits Digital Magazine

In light of this year's incident with a sf/f editor's bigotry coming out in official magazine correspondence with an author, I feel compelled to assure my readers, and authors, of a few things.

I do not care what color you are or where you are from or your religion or cultural life. I care about your story. We remove all author identifiers before reading each story.

We do not judge the story based on what culture it represents - we judge the story. And cultural differences within ourselves NEVER make it into our analysis of the story, even amongst ourselves (the staff).

I do not dare speak for my staff, as they are their own people, but I do not carry any biases against others. And if I did, I would NOT allow them into my editorial comments.

OK, I lie. Sometimes a favored author does submit a story or poem to me, and that does influence me. I am the one who removes the author identity before sending it on to the editors.

The internet itself is a huge world, and people of all nationalities and all cultures and all lifestyles free mix together within it. I'm friends with many who live lifestyles and cultures I don't agree with, but I respect their choices and their freedom. I do my best to make sure my magazine(s) respect the rights of others also, even the rights of a character in a story.

Google the blogs for Helix, if you're unfamiliar with this situation. Or go to Transcriptase and read the intro, along with the author statements.

I suggest everyone visits Transcriptase, by the way. It's a good lesson in how to be professional, why you should be, and how others will hold you accountable if you are not. And how writers should stand up together against those who refuse to respect others.

First Information Product Package is done

2008-07-28T12:34:00.001-07:00

The Digital Church Secretary at digitalchurchsecretary.com is live now.

My first information product through this adventure is The Church Newsletter Toolkit, a complete instructional system for writing your church newsletter, using the basic software that comes with your computer.

I really enjoyed putting this package together and building the sales tools for it. It copies my own methods I used during my employment and volunteering as parish secretary. I hope it helps others too.

Up next,
* writing more articles to go with the package and to let people know about it.
* getting the first two-hundred direct mail sales letters out.
* preparing the next report on building church worship folders.
* finalizing the coffee report.
* starting the wine report.

time goes by ....

2008-07-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

By the time I get around to making blog posts ... I'm really not sure what I want to say or if I feel like "talking". I guess I should regurgitate stuff that I write and publish elsewhere, but really don't want to.

So, time has been flying by, so to speak, and I'm still trudging through at my own speed on things. I've got a lot done. But life has been exceptionally busy for the last month or so, and will be through September at least.

For the fiction side of things, I'm setting goals on some small projects for the fiction until things calm down. I still have a magazine and writing business to run. But I do hope to be able to start a course program for fiction writing soon. I'll find out tomorrow if I get in or not.

Another new project

2008-06-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

Started a new novel idea. LOL just what I need. It's all good. I've been wanting to do a fantasy detective piece for a long time now and I think the characters have finally let me know how to do it.

While I'm busy...

2008-06-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

I'm busy with a huge project right now, so here's an important off-topic post for everyone, thanks to an email from my aunt and uncle.

Everyone needs to read the story and hear the tribute to our veterans of WWII and the Korean war. These veteran's are dying at the rate of 1000 to 2000 per day. It's time to pay them a tribute "Before You Go"

Read the story and then click on the left menu to listen to and watch the tribute video of "Before You Go".

BEFORE YOU GO

Timelines

2008-06-16T08:57:00.001-07:00

I've been working on the timeline and distances in the South Reach series.

Also working on a big URU project. An Age creation that was going to be a small project, but shows promise of becoming a completely new game in itself.

World building flip book

2008-05-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

I'm working on flip books for my rpg work, copywriting techniques and customer needs.

I think I'm going to work on a flip book for world building in the South Reach series. It's sort of done to an extent, because I've taken a lot of notes and put them into a binder, tabbed for easy referencing. But I think I'm going to design a more structured technique for it and build that into a brainstorming exercise. They will be 15 minute a day brainstorming exercises.

Maybe once I have the basics down as it works for me, someone with experience producing a lot of books, such as Holly Lisle, could make it into a model that others could use. She's done a lot of paying it forward to me, maybe this could be a way I could pay it forward to her - so to speak.

A bit of a snag....

2008-05-27T08:59:00.001-07:00

I've been organizing my time to allow me to work daily on my fiction, non-fiction, information products, and copywriting.

On the fiction front ... I may have multiple novels in the works, but it will take me awhile longer to get my main series going. Seems the timeline for it doesn't quite work with the map design. So, back to the planning of the steps for the two parties before they meet at the end of book one.

I suspect there will be some gaps that I have to fill in. Could end up with another book's worth out of it.

For now, I'm going to work the in-human series and post it to OWW. Then, I've decided to use it as a blog-book. Have to figure out a decent title for it before I can make the blog though.

Patience in Publishing

2008-05-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

The more I get into what it takes to get recognized and given a chance by those in major publishing circles, the less it appeals to me. I want to be published, I want to have my books available to everyone, and I want to make this a paying career.

But ... I've been silently observing a friend's trials recently of getting the query letter just right. The amount of time consumed in getting that one letter just right is incredible. Another book could have been written! She's excellent at providing information on how to get a good proposal package together, and is doing an awesome job. I'm sure some good books will now get the chance at publication because of her effort.

If you're in the process of figuring out how to get an agent or publisher to notice you, see her blog at Jenn's Realm It's worth it. She's also heading up a proposal package group through OWW.

I thought about participating on the group, but I'm glad I'm not. I would like to observe it though.

I just don't have the patience to devote the amount of time some people do. I'd rather just write. For me, I'm going to stick with submitting to small publishers, self-publish the projects that are suitable for it, and be more involved in the marketing of my own books.

Trials of a writer gaining respect

2008-05-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

I've written before how others don't take the career of a writer seriously - or many other forms of self-employment, for that matter. When you couple writing with internet marketing, it really gets a little tougher.

To get your name out there you have to do things that are considering "playing around" online. It's called networking, but it's also a lot of internet talking and playing.

Message boards - You talk to people. They like what you say. They check you out through your signature links.

Blogs - You write things people need to know or hear someone else say. They check you out through your profile, or through the links you list.

Membership Community sites like Facebook, Myspace, etc also give you exposure - and they are proving to be valuable networking tools.

But if a non-writer sees you "playing around" with anyone of these, they suddenly think you're not working and that makes being taken serious by them that much harder.

At least until you really start making money, and become a consistant income producer. Or so I've heard. I still haven't made it that far.

On being a writer

2008-05-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

And all that comes with it.

I'm a hermit type of person. I like my privacy. I like not being the center of attention. But once you're published and you have a fan base, that goes away. And sometimes you're targeted.

BUT I would like to be financially successful at it. And that means taking the good with the bad.

This has been on my mind since last night's episode of Murder She Wrote. Jessica is targeted because her plot in a mystery book is like that of another real-life incident that she knew nothing about.

In this world, it's so easy to come up with a storyline that mimics someone else's life, or a storyline that is close to another's creation, without any knowledge of the other's existence. If most people weren't so busy, this type of thing would probably crop up all the time.

I have no fear of being a writer. No fear of being published. But I do have a fear of being targeted. Guess it's a fear I'll have to deal with.

In the meantime, I have to go check Mundania Press's reading periods before I get the manuscript out to them. Seems there's a change in them.

Vacation's over

2008-05-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

Just had five days off with family time. Now it's back to work.

Have large non-fiction project #1 to work on.

Have a novel and novella to prepare for Claw and Quill Writer's Guild and OWW.

General Progress

2008-05-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

I've made it through one small report course, and am working on a series of reports that will fit into a big course package once I'm done.

Going is good, although slow. This is a busy, busy week for the family. We have family coming in this week, a graduation party to throw, and a banquet to attend. I hope to get one small report ready before chaos slips in this week, and work on getting it posted and for sale next week.

Non-fiction work

2008-04-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

Still busy with the non-fiction work, although I've been working on journals and scripts for Friends of the Fissure when I can.

I was supposed to start being a regular columnist for Worlds of Wonder Ezine, but the management changed hands, so I'm waiting before getting into that market. It means I need to create those series of articles and present them to another market. I'm going to work with presenting them to Vision and Sam's Dot Publishing first.

Once I get through the overly busy family stuff, during which it sounds as if we'll have guests for up to a week starting next week, I'll be able to get back to the fiction. I have a series I want to put on OWW. Need to type those in first though.

In the meantime I'm working on the information products. Once I get the series emails set up and a few products ready for purchasing, I can ease into writing 3/4 fiction and 1/4 non-fiction - the goal I'm shooting for.

Mostly non-fiction now

2008-04-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Haven't been able to concentrate on the fiction writing lately. Major time eaten out of my days due to family issues cropping up. I did a major reworking of Whispering Spirits Digital Magazine's website, along with getting Issue 18 and the flash fiction contest guidelines up. Still have a lot to do on that. Plus get all the financials ready for the magazine on Thursday.

I have been working on some non-fiction projects though. Sure hope I get to work consistantly on those. I'd love to be able to put them on the market in a few weeks.

I'm reposting things on The Claw and Quill Writer's Guild forum site. I've let our few current members know I have enough of the site ready for new members to come in. I am also looking at advertising it for a day or two on a high volume site. Don't want just anyone to come in, but I do want to get the word out.

I'm also the forum tester for a new forum for our URU Bevin board. Myss Terrie's Bevin. So I've been playing with boards to see what we like.

But mostly family and non-fiction work. Family stuff is still going on and escalating, but I hope to be able to get something done anyways.

Slowly moving

2008-04-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

Still getting the manuscript ready to go out again.

Haven't worked too much on fiction writing. Had to take care of the magazine work this past week and getting some of the informational products going. A bit of a family disruption took some time and still is too.

Hoping to get back into critting some this week. Perhaps even choose something to start posting on OWW myself too. Also have to work on the Claw and Quill Writer's Guild this week - get it ready for new members!

Agents to publishers transition

2008-04-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I let it go until after my visit home for our Easter. Now I have all but one agent who's responded with a rejection for TKQ.

I've decided to go straight to publishers. I've chosen three and am preparing the manuscript this week to submit to the first one next week.

Agent Update

2008-03-19T13:41:00.001-07:00

Still waiting on six agents, but another turned me away. Not exactly a rejection, but just a notice saying they're full up and can't even read my query.

Agent Searching

2008-03-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

I chose eight agents to start with and have queries out with them for TKQ. It's been awhile, but not that long. So to have a rejection come in already was a little disheartening. The worse thing about it was that this came from the agent at the top of the list. The one I REALLY wanted.

But I am glad I know for sure now. If, by chance, I had gotten an offer from one of the others, I would have been tempted to drag my feet hoping for his response before giving my final decision.

Not that I am too saddened by this. I know how this business works and how the market is right now. There's a good chance that no one will pick me up - unless I just happen to hit them at the right time. Can we say "wheel of fortune"?

I do have back up plans - and I'm going for it rather than just wait and wait on agent searching. If those eight turn me down, I will go to the next step. Not self-publishing. That's not the route for TKQ.

Create A Clinic Review

2008-03-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

Holly Lisle's Create A Character Clinic is a very valuable resource for the fiction writer. Her exercises flesh out the characters and story in amazing ways.

I decided to use it to create the main character for a newly formed novel idea. This idea was very small. I only knew my inspiration -- how the world of online gaming connects people together -- but no idea of how to pull it off.

Through Holly's techniques, I found my character. And a load of surprises. Instead of a male character, as I imagined in my preliminary idea, my character turned out to be a young female in her twenties named Muriel. Also, instead of owning just one or two of the possible life and personality traits from my list of inspirations, she has nearly all of them now.

How could I possibly show a character with so much going on? At first, I balked when she developed so many traits. This was stepping out of my comfort zone with characterization. Holly's exercises and techniques not only show me how a character could work with so much going on, but also how the story itself could evolve out of those traits. I now have pieces of the beginning, middle, and end of my novel, and I know how to connect them.

What's really amazing for me is the fact that this novel is outside my normal genre.

The surprises Holly's clinic brought didn't stop there either. Characters around Muriel leapt out of the exercises and into my story. Her exercises not only fleshed out my main character and the story, but also brought life to the secondary characters.

Holly Lisle's Create A Character Clinic is one resource I'm going to use over and over again.

Click here to try Create A Character Clinic, by Holly Lisle for yourself!

The writing workgroup

2008-03-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

I'm currently getting the new writing workgroup's forum ready. We've decided to call it The Claw & Quill Writer's Guild. It will be a multi-genre forum, with a lot of references, discussions, and an area for exchanging crits on full novels and stories.

New idea

2008-03-09T09:45:00.001-07:00

A friend made a comment about something being out there for people just getting into the publishing phase of their writing.

Has spurred many thoughts in my mind that may become a short newsletter course that I'll offer people.

Sorry, being cryptic about this because I'm still working on the thoughts for it.

I am working on my writing newsletter also. It'll be weekly. For the first month, it'll be a combined Whispering Spirits and writing one. I'm going to start with my old newsletter list, create a sign up page for new signers and go from there.

Get a free ebook from Tor

2008-03-07T13:08:00.000-08:00

Building Characters

2008-03-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

This week, I've been working with a product about building your main character. I've ended up with a whole new novel planned out because of it. I'm really more excited than I thought I would be about this novel. I've had it in mind for a few months or so, but didn't know how to write it. Now I do. I'll be writing a review article on the product and will post it soon.

Fan Stories

2008-03-03T07:49:00.000-08:00

I wasn't much for fan stories myself. I do have a friend who created a complete set of fan stories based on the characters of a tv show during our teenage years. Recently, I became interested in it for a storyline within the game URU.

As a member of Friends of the Fissure, I am a key character in our own storyline. Elpis is my character and mainly my part is taking care of her journals. I'm also working on ideas for an Age Creation to go with it. The loss of URU's publisher is a blow to our plans, but it has also made us that much more determined.

This is not an easy venture. We hope to tie this into the storyline that Cyan created, while respecting their creation. The plan was to work this slowly over a span of two years. May not take that long to do the part we slated for that section.

I did have Elpis take out extra linking books from the cavern that the DRC hadn't discovered yet. URU will live again. Somehow the game will be back. In the meantime, we'll keep making our own Ages for the game.

The progress of various multi-player games over this past year and some of the future advances planned for these games do make me think. Game writing may become another broadspread venue for writers. Many games are encouraging fan creation. Whether we participate for play and something outside our own fiction-writing 'jobs', or if we do create storylines officially for the game creators, it shows promise for writers.

Characters

2008-02-25T12:04:00.000-08:00

The creation and development of characters have been on my mind today. I wrote two articles this morning, "Finding Your Characters" and "Motivating Your Characters". I'll have to determine where to send them. I'm sticking to online markets for many of my articles and will post here as they get out and accepted.

I know I said I would go through how I come up with my characters and so I will do so now....

Some characters come to me in dreams, some just jump off of the page and say "here I am!", and others take a little work.

In TKQ, Dagan took some work. I'm female and so it's easier for me to connect with the female mind. Taun came first, naturally. Just out of the blue. A little girl who was her father's joy. Loved and torn from her family at a young age. Her story was the first I wrote and I admit I had a torturous time getting it out. There were so many issues she went through and I wasn't sure how to get them on paper. My husband took a shot and helped me figure out where I had a good start for her and he helped me get the writing to make sense even.

I know, not everyone has a spouse to help and I was lucky he did. I knew Taun for many years, but didn't know how to start her story for the reader. I had forty pages of notes. Once I realized I needed to start at the mine, I started writing. The first words that came to my mind for that scene was "I go... I go... I go... He don't hurt me now." That wasn't Taun. That was a young boy from nowhere who I pictured her watching. That young boy doesn't exist except for that one scene, but his speech remains a focal point for Taun throughout the novel.

Later, after I had her start, the storyline let me know this wasn't a part for one main character, but two. And that's where Dagan came in. I didn't have him in mind for many years like I had Taun. From Taun's quest, grew Dagan's character and he became her equal. It was tough. I hadn't been used to writing from a male pov before. After many trials, I believe I got him right though.

Truthfully, the first character of all for the world of South Reach, which TKQ takes place in, was Druid Mage Kerix. Only he was the Druid Salsa. Don't ask me why, but he refused for over a year to let go of that name. Finally, after many words worth and references to tacos by my critters, he relented and told me his true name was Kerix. Seems he had a strange sense of humor.

Oriel was an interesting character. I just pictured this young woman sleeping in the forest, resting her head on a great forest cat's belly. The two were best friends and bonded. I tackled the question of how did she become friends with this forest cat ... why was she in the woods and what would make her be alone enough to partner up with a wild animal like that. The novel's story grew from her backstory.

I took on a writing contest about writing a story revolving around music in some form. I imagined music being the pull for a person to follow. I needed a person to follow the music. And that's how the character, Terra, came into existence.

For me, usually the story comes from the character. I get the character first and then the story. But once in awhile the story comes first and then the character emerges.

Making the jump finally

2008-02-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I've started sending agent queries out for TKQ. It took me quite awhile to decide whether or not I wanted to go with an agent. In the end, I determined that if I wanted to work multiple projects, it might be a good idea to have someone else handling the business end of it for me.

I've been a bit overwhelmed by the copywriting side of the business. Not with jobs, mind you, but with keeping my head on straight and having the motivation to properly wade through the mess of start up, stepping out of my comfort zone, and the mass of life stress that's being thrown at me right now.

Plus we're having the flu make its rounds through the household. Hasn't stopped me from working. Doing a lot of fiction revisions right now and setting up some article topics. But I have postponed any personal meetings I wanted to set up until next week. Not very professional to ask for a business meeting when you're coughing and look like 'death warmed over.'

Myst Online: Uru Live

2008-02-09T08:42:00.001-08:00

I've been pretty busy working on the non-fiction work and the book manuscript. But this post has been on my mind for a long time. I've been mulling over how to write it and post it here - because it does stay on topic for writing, since I'm thinking about it as a writer.

Gametap decided to not publish Myst Online Uru Live again this year. A huge mistake. But understandable. I don't have the knowledge of how the gaming business works and contracts and such, so please bear that in mind as you read this. I do have a rudimentary understanding of the circumstances.

Years ago, Rand Miller wrote three novels. He then took those novels and built the Myst games through his gaming company, now called Cyan Worlds, Inc. His games became forerunners in the gaming industry. It grew to five games on disc for the pc. Great storylines. Non-violent. And they promoted learning about a new culture, new language, etc.

Eventually Ubisoft decided to help publish the game online for multi-player format. The players were huge fans of the game. But in the end, there weren't enough players to make the dollars add up and they cancelled it. With Cyan's help, the players created an environment to hold online and stay in contact. Those were the most die-hard players.

Then last year, Gametap agreed to publish it as Myst Online Uru Live. And it really grew. This is where I got involved. My first experience with online gaming. And perfect. It was storyline driven, although slow due to the time consumed by actual game development. They updated the game regularly, adding more stuff for us to do and find and learn. You're able to play at your own pace, by yourself or with others, as you see fit. It's suitable for all ages and whole families did join the game.

It promoted togetherness, belief in one's self and hope that not all in this world is built upon violence.

But, sadly, this world is so warped, that it's violence that sells. And Gametap had to pull it from their listings. I’m not mad at Gametap for having to go by the numbers, but I'm disappointed and unwilling to believe in them as a gaming port for me. I would have loved to find out that they worked out a way to keep such a valuable game online. The other family games out there are just cheezy.

Cyan keeps the game on their own servers. But word is that Gametap evidently still holds the rights to the game, denying Cyan the ability to keep the game online for the passionate fans. They are in negotiations to try to allow Cyan to see if they can keep the game going - it depends on Gametap's willingness to release those rights and Cyan's employee status. My feelings about Gametap will be on hold until the decision is made. If they act like a corporate giant intent on destroying all competition by withholding rights, then my view towards them will be extremely negative.

But my feelings on this as a writer is for Rand Miller. This must be bittersweet for him because the Myst story is his baby and it still has so much potential for growth. To have your novel expand to the online universe and develop such a devoted, fierce fan base must be very energizing. And then to have the opportunity to keep it going yanked from you, when it's your creation, no matter what contracts say, must be frustrating. I know the last few months have been very stressful for many with Cyan Worlds, Inc., and I hope something is resolved soon.

The players have not given up - not the ones devoted to the game, rather than just getting a service from someone. The non-devoted ones have pretty much left. The game is up until April 4th, and many of us are hanging on, hoping that Rand figures something out before then.

But many of us are also prepared for if things are out of his control. The one group I started with about six months ago on a player created storyline are continuing our work. We're building the story and the game components on our own. Many others are doing so with their groups. For a peek at what they are doing, go to http://www.mystonline.com and look at the forum. There are number who are talented in codework, as well as the creation, and are looking at holding the servers themselves if they need to until something permanent can be achieved.

For us passionate fans of Rand Miller's world, we will hold on and further the work on our own, if need be. I can only dream of creating such a loved storyline with my own novels.

Fiction Slow Down

2008-01-14T14:29:00.001-08:00

I'm still working the fiction novels through the writing, revisions, and brainstorming. It seems the business goals I want to achieve involve me writing more special reports than I first figured on. Means for a little while the fiction progress slows down.

Probably not that slow though. I find a lot of my inspiration for making the fiction better and solving issues come to me while I'm working on other things.

In the meantime, I'm still asking for new writers for my writer's group Critter's of the Round Table, participating in OWW, and setting up a new writer's group in-game at Myst Online: Uru Live.

Dagan's Dilemma

2008-01-08T14:44:00.000-08:00

In PoM, Dagan is troubled by guilt. And that guilt needs to give Dithron an edge. I know this. I know what caused the guilt. But I don't have what edge this gives Dithron, or how it stops Dagan from being effective. This has been in the plans for years, but I still don't have the 'how' of it. And it's bothering me. Now that I'm into the book this far, I need to know.

I'm also changing the Sol Nomen a bit. Instead of the bulky body structure that makes them too dwarfish or hobbit-like, I'm going to give them the body type of pygmy people.

Mainly in PoM, I'm making notes on changes, additions, thoughts, etc. I did have to stop and do some actual writing on a scene which will happen in the book after PoM. It was too fresh in my mind to wait. That book has been coming to me lately and will probably have an outline or synopsis appear in the next month or two.

I'm trying to get through my two chapters per day on TKQ revisions. That seems about the right amount that I get time for, but only just - with everything else that has to be done.

There are also some non-fiction reports in the works. One's coming together very well, and I have ideas on a few of them. I think they will be good candidates to break up into smaller bits and use in different areas.

Characters

2007-12-31T07:18:00.000-08:00

A big discussion at the OWW workgroup has been about minor characters. I've never had a problem with them myself - and I have about 75 total in my first novel. I think I handle them well because none of my readers have had any problems with them. They naturally grow from the story and basically develop themselves - however little or much I need them to develop.

I would imagine the problem comes through when writers have a recurring minor character. If they are in more than one scene, then you would naturally need to know more about them. Again, mine tend to develop themselves as the story moves along.

There's one scene that will be a bit emotional that involves one of my main characters and two minor characters. My main character is a new King, caught in an ambush and trapped with his army. They are waiting for help to arrive, while many of them die from a poison. My king sits and talks with one of these dying men. The man is the first minor character, and he doesn't survive, so I don't need to know as much from him. Basically, some physical traits, that he's married with a kid, and as much as he reveals about loving his wife and kid. That's it. The other minor character is a healer elf. She comes into the scene for a short time, but I know a whole lot more about her. Her family, her background, her desires, plus more. Why? Because she's actually a major character in a following book.

Developing minor characters is something I'll have to sit down one day and really think about. And then write a piece on how I do it. I really can't say right now, because I've been just letting it occur naturally for so long, and not paying attention to the 'how' of the process.

How to Find Your Writing Discipline

2007-12-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

I bought and have fully used Holly Lisle's "How to Find Your Writing Discipline" critical skills series.

This is a great tool for the busy writer, especially those new to the writing career, such as myself. I did have to tweak it a little because I'm working on setting up my work in both copywriting and freelance writing.

Now to be fair, I didn't have multi-colored index cards, so I had to use paper. And I did have an idea of perhaps using colored post-it notes instead. I may try that next week.

The ten-minute strategy is Holly's strength in this course. It really is magic when you think of everything in ten minute increments. ANY ONE who is having a hard time organizing their time to meet their goals should get this course.

This week, of course, is a bit jumbled because of holiday time with the family. Monday and Tuesday were out as work days. Then yesterday went downhill fast, when I found a problem with my wonderful dog Sable and got her to the vet - which involves a lot of time since we only have one car and hubby had to work. So between the scheduled dog baths in morning and the running for Sable - I only got about an hour to work on anything. The circumstances weren't conducive to writing, so I worked on the website instead. Finally set my homepage the way I want it.

As for Sable - She has a huge cyst that gets removed on the 11th or 19th. Then it will be tested for cancer. I suspect cancer. There's been a lot of things I've been fighting and she's had skin problems for years - these things make me think it will be cancer. By the end of the month, I should find out.

In the meantime, I've used Holly Lisle's method of breaking everything down into ten minute increments. I have 12.25 hours of work for today and tomorrow. Not really that bad - a lot of time is studying and reading research, so it won't feel like that long. I only scheduled 2 hours each day of revision work on TKQ ... that's the part of the job that feels long to me. LOL

December 21, 2007

2007-12-21T14:18:00.000-08:00

I’m an affiliate of Holly Lisle's Shop.
I’m a member of her website;
and I subscribe to her newsletter.

One of the valuable resources recently presented to me is a free mini course, “Create Your Professional Plot Outline.” I, of course, snagged it right up. Not because I have problems with plotting (yet), but because Holly Lisle’s techniques are motivating, thought-provoking.

In this, she presents the plotting technique of using your character as a starting point in this mini-course. I chose my character Oriel. It worked great!

Now, I have sent those results off to the side now. I have to complete the other projects first. But I am excited to try this method with other projects. Even to fill in blanks on a few projects where I feel I need more content.

I’m also interested in if I will come up with a reason to use her techniques in building a two-book series into three. I have a two-book series that works as is. But there is the chance an agent, publisher, editor, etc. would request that I make it into three. I know what happens during a two-year period I can build that third book from, but not the guts of it. I believe her plotting techniques would help me a lot there.

This mini-course tells me all I need to know about her full clinic: “Holly Lisle’s Create A Plot Clinic.” Buy it now! You’ll be glad you did, and so will your characters.

December 20, 2007

2007-12-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

Today is bill paying running and Christmas gift gathering day for me. But I did manage to make a good contact for the health copywriting. A retired doctor out here gives nutritional guidance to businesses, corporations, and individuals - plus he puts out his own newsletter. I ended up with a good resource contact and a 17 dollar book on nutritional lifestyle meal planning for free.

The rest of my writing work for today will be studying for the live-spec assignment and manuscript preparation.

December 19, 2007

2007-12-19T05:55:00.000-08:00

I worked on TKQ manuscript last night. I'm up to chapter twelve on the revisions. My agent letter is done - I have 8 picked out that I really want to be represented by - and I hope to know Friday what day I should send those out. Depends on how long it takes to get through a chapter on the revisions pass and how many days I have to devote time to it.

In copywriting this week, it's mostly working on the vitamin letter and maybe some website work. I patterned my website technique off of three different copywriters I admire, but I still think it looks too much like a copycat of one. I may search for a template I like and switch it to that.

Fitting in the Whispering Spirits work seems very difficult now ... I just really want to have it all set and updated by January 1st.

Today's work is a whole lot of research ....

December 18, 2007

2007-12-18T06:34:00.000-08:00

This is my first full week using Holly Lisle's Writing Discipline course. Her sheets are very good for figuring out the goals each day. Thinking about them in ten minute increments really works well too. I'll have a full review on it next week.

I worked out the chapters for TKQ and wrote the agent letter yesterday, based on copywriting methods. I want to mail it out next week, but I'll know better if that's the way to go on Friday. Some of the chapters needs some altering first, so I'll need to see how far I get with it.

That's the main goal with fiction right now. The other is the copywriting - getting through the letters and course work. I have two more lessons on the way in, and I want to go through this course as quickly as I can absorb what it gives me. I'm doing the exercises fully and studying the Hall of Fame letters each day, so it'll take a little while yet.

After the holiday, I'll try to land a few beginning jobs so I can hopefully pay some bills ... Or I might have to work part-time for awhile until I build work up.

December 14, 2007

2007-12-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

I'm in the second day of Holly Lisle's Writing Discipline Workshop.

Yes, I'm wasting a lot of time (especially today, since I'm plagued with headaches), but I feel that her system will work well for me. It will help me reach my daily goals. Day three will be Monday, since my 'workdays' are Monday through Friday. I do get some things done on the weekend, but since the family is home, I never know when I'll get my alone time or how much of it.

I also found out that I'm already doing a lot of things she suggests. I am getting a decent block of writing time in, and I've already been doing the 'thinking' part of it. That is a natural extension of myself, really.

She's got a lot of great products on her site for writers. And for readers too. I truly suggest hopping over to her shop and checking it out HERE.

So far, my writing today has just been storyline planning for the fan story of URU. A major headache has me slowed down for the morning. I hope to be more productive in the afternoon.

December 13, 2007

2007-12-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

Worked most of day yesterday on a directory project. It went to the board members to have spaces proofed. Hopefully it will be done after one revision pass.

I preordered Holly Lisle's Writing Discipline (links coming soon). I've just started it. It looks like it will work well for me, even though I'll probably have to tweak it a little to fit my situation of freelance writer and copywriter.

Mainly working on the self-motivated gaming project and updating websites. Weather has slowed me down on the items that take going outside for.

Today's writing - about 1000 words on two different pieces.

December 5, 2007

2007-12-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

Full time writer I am now. A paid writer ... not. But I'm getting some leads and that's what counts for the future. LOL It's only the third day of being full time writer, so it's all good.

A few articles on the list, a few jobs to finish up that I can use in my portfolio, and a few manuscripts to prepare. I'm on my way.

Sorry

2007-10-10T13:17:00.001-07:00

Updates and new look in progress ....

May 5, 2007

2007-05-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

Today is Dad's birthday. Happy Birthday Dad!

I took too much upon myself this year and had to back off from working on the blogs. Finally, I'm starting to get some breathing room and can work the blogs in again.

Haven't given up on the writing - heavens no! That's a big chunk of what I've had to work to catch up in.

Getting ready to query an agent this month ... THE AGENT I really want ... get a query out to him first - hopefully, he accepts and becomes my agent. If not, back up plan is to send to ten others I have waiting on a list simultaneously and see who bites.

Not too worried. I have good books lined up with good characters. Only consideration I have is the fact that this book was submitted to Tor already two years ago. But the beginning was different, so maybe that helps.

Reviews is another area I'm trying to catch up on now. I have ten books to read and do reviews on - then post those.

In the meantime, I'm preparing ten stories and five poems for markets. I think I'll send them out all at once during the same week. Do my submissions in batches and organize their times around my zine work schedule.

The anthology work is done. Just have to set up links all over the place and start advertising it. It's only posted on the website itself. Needless to say, there are no sales yet.

I'm also going to prepare a poetry anthology for daughter to list and a few small projects for myself ... for listing at lulu.com, that is.

midnight, January 15th, 2007

2007-01-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

The last few months have been really slow in the writing area. When I am working, it's mainly on organizing ideas, world building, story notes, etc. Ideas on working things out have been coming like crazy to me, so that's where I've been concentrating. Need to get get some story and poetry work done also.

Big reason has been the work for the anthology and web coding. Having fun there! My coding skills have really grown over the last year and I'm enjoying myself.

I became serious about the write in revisions for TKQ this past weekend. Even fighting a major headache, I got about 11 chapters write ins completed. Now I'm at some chapters that need complete rewrites instead of just revisions. I'm really really hoping I can get through those this week, but also know it may not be a realistic goal.

The cold and flu season has snagged my household. And I have major work to do on the magazine and anthology for the next few weeks. That takes time. I need to take a few days off of work to catch up, but with annual meeting to prepare for, the annual report to design, yearly audit, newsletter, and yearbook all crammed together, there's no time for days off. Maybe February...

November 14, 2006

2006-11-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems that November is a terrible month for me to write. I don’t have near the time I do on other months because of family activities and work - then the family visit break in there, which is actually more than a week this year. My parents are coming out for five days and then we’re going back for four days. Then I lost my last weekend, which was the make or break point, due to being so ill I couldn’t even write. What a bummer.

I’m still plugging along on my nano project, but I don’t hold out much hope at getting it anywhere near the 50,000 word mark by the 31st.

At present, I’m at about 6,000 words. I estimate this first novella’s rough will be finished at 30,000 or maybe even 20,000. This will be a series of novellas using the same main character. Looks like I found the project to shoot for electronic book markets in a few years. I want to have three of them completed and then put them out there in electronic format. In that field it works better to have multiple titles by the same author … or so they claim.

November 7th, 2006

2006-11-07T13:20:00.000-08:00

I know - I've let this blog slide. There's been some RL issues going on and some major decisions that we had to take care of. Involved a lot of away time. But that away time allowed me to visit the book store about four times. That doesn't sound like much to many people, but it's major to me - there's no real book stores that are less than fifty miles away from where we live. I loved my visits - got to do so much research, pick up new books, and spent time in Panera or Starbucks.

Writers on the web blog about how little a writer actually works in a coffee shop and that writers who claim to work in one really are just playing around. Not me. I can focus so much better there. I did some kick-ass editing during my recent visits. If only I lived closer and could go there a few days a week for editing sessions... I think it's the background noise that helps me focus. I've always had ear ringing and the people help me forget that and concentrate.

Actually, it was heaven ... I'm a sucker for good coffee shops.

I’ve made my In-Human story a Nano project. So far, I haven’t gotten a whole lot of time to work on it. I have about 4500 words so far. Not too shabby considering I get to work on it for an ½ hour to 1 hour at a time. I’m happy with my progress. I really can kick out the words.

I wanted to get 10,000 words each of the five week sections on the calendar, so this is really a lot less than I set. But understandable. The first week was just too busy for it - and I had something to do yesterday that used five hours of my time alone. Sad as that was, I’m so happy and thrilled to have accomplished that other task.

I’m also in the middle of coding for the website. In the middle of this, I got my own webspace paid for on www.dragynspice.com And I had problems right the first day. Killed the time that I set for kicking out 2000 words.

That’s ok. I’m all for Nano and support what they do whole-heartedly. I’m just not a nano fanatic where everything else is set aside to make sure that word count is met. If I was, I’d have it done in two weeks.

This rough draft writing is the easy part though on this - just write and let it out no matter what it is. The tough part will be the editing. There’s a lot that will go into this book. Gaps to fill in, characters and situations to flesh out, and a ton of research. I came to a place where I needed more insight, so I used up time last week on 20 pages of research. Very fascinating. I’m really excited about this book. I think it will hit a lot larger audience than my regular writing.

On the already scheduled front … on stand by. My non-nano time is taken up with the website building and the life planning stuff we’re going through at home right now. It’s bad timing for Nano, but it’s also very important to our marriage and family life. I’ll be glad when we’re truly settled down … could be why many people don’t go into the writing professionally until after their kids are gone.

Of to office work and Nano-work.

September 26, 2006

2006-09-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

You’ve got to have guts to be a writer. We’ve heard the talk before. A writer has to deal with criticism and rejection, sometimes on a daily basis. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, every word is scrutinized. If an action in your story is not believable, someone lets you know. If you give your opinion on something and that opinion offends someone else, they definitely let you know. Especially with the internet.

Thankfully, I’m strong in this aspect, and I’m stubborn. I write for my pleasure and because it’s the way I reach out to others. I’m crappy at small talk. I’m a hermit at heart. Couldn’t read someone a story to save my life, much less just tell one. But I can be sociable with words.

Even so, sometimes my confidence takes a beating. One thing I noticed lately is that it seems to be from Real Life stress. At times, when it seems that nothing goes right in RL and that everything I do is wrong, to have someone tell me I got something wrong in the story just plucks a little bit more confidence out of me.

Sometimes I read a crit from a fellow critter and think, “Can’t something be fine just the way it is for once?” And that’s wrong. I know that because normally my reaction is, “Oh yeah. I can do that and it’ll make the story SO much better!”

Lately, just a little confidence has been endangered. It’s that RL interruption thing. I’ve had reason to feel ‘out of my element’ here lately, and I find it’s carrying over to the more stable area of my life that’s in the writing field.

And my schedule is getting hard to keep. My RL schedule is so chaotic and out of synch right now that I can’t get things going smooth. And I need that. Add to it increased tiredness. Not sure what that is about. But I’ve started on my morning smoothie breakfast again that I let slip by, and I’m going to start a few other lifestyle changes to help alleviate the tiredness.

Speaking of schedules - I got out of jury duty this week due to my son’s appointment with the specialist. Thank God! If I had jury duty, I would have been so panicked about this week. I have so much to do and so little time to do it in. And it’s all timed stuff - can’t be put off until next week. It was hectic enough already, and then we have a funeral thrown into the mix for Thursday to prepare for. (Thank God it’s Thursday….)

And that’s why I must go. I have to get this work going so I can work on the website and other things I have to do also this week.

September 14, 2006

2006-09-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

I think we’ve finally got the computer situation set up at home. If I can work tonight, I’ll get to work on website building and emails to the editors.

Progress on writing:
Dancing Wind (story for WS Halloween issue) is complete and just needs to be posted to the workgroups and revised.

TKQ - Write in progressing well. Finished the spreadsheet for the wordcount and pov stats. Found a logical flow flaw in the later chapters during building the spreadsheet. Dagan connects with Taun and helps her through a situation. Only, that situation doesn’t happen to her until three chapters later. That area will need some serious reworking when I get to that point in the write in. Next, I am creating a spreadsheet to help me track when characters appear. I think a few were brought in and then just melted into the background - and that won’t work for important characters.

PLS - First draft progressing forward. Not as fast as it should because of other progress, but still making its stand. (no pun intended)

BOE - In world building status. Haven’t worked anymore on the world building during this time. At this point jotting notes down here and there. (this one will be in the building phase for a few years yet I think)

It’s been anthology time - and now we’re going to start the story edits and I have a lot of crits to catch up on. Plus the website building. So I don’t plan on having too much going on with the fiction writing for a while yet.

Copywriting is not progressing as fast as it should. But I’ve made great progress and feel really positive about my ability to kick out quality dm letters. Been talking to someone about a fundraising letter too.

September 4, 2006

2006-09-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

Still plugging along. Created a works-in-progress sheet for my longer works, novels and non-fiction. I actually have 14 books in the works! Didn’t realize that. Three fiction ones are active: one in edit stage, second in writing, third in worldbuilding. The rest are waiting their turn and notes compiled as ideas come to me. The non-fiction one is the collection of religious reflections that I’m not sure what I’m going to do with.

August 22, 2006

2006-08-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

Writing is coming along in between life. Bugger how that keeps interfering. LOL But it’s still pulling through. Slowly, I’m getting my work hours figured out to devote them to writing.

I finally made through my first copywriting assignment - at least the rough draft phase. It took a long time due to trying to organize my time wisely with family and other obligations, and I spent extra time studying how they set it up. There’s still a few things I want to study more and then look at it again, but I think I got it now. And it’s so much better than it would have been than if I had just written it myself. Definitely worth taking a course for this! I hope to have it out this weekend.

Only problem with the copywriting letters is that I seem to have to use the computer in order to get my thoughts in line and together properly. I’ve been trying to handwrite it all this time and getting no where, but once I had the time alone and just sat down at the computer, it just poured out of me. Hope that improves once I get a few letters under my belt. I have no problem hand writing fiction or non-fiction writing, or any of the other business related items I do.

I uncovered a story I had forgotten about during cleaning one day. Forgot about it so badly I had to ask my hubby if he had written it. LOL He said the grammar was too good for it to be his. Then I read it and came through the sentence that made me write and remembered it. LOL Knew it had to be one of us since Nebraska was in it.

I posted it to OWW and have had a few crits so far. Seems that people would like me to build on it and use it for something, but they expect it to be a novel or a series of stories with the same character. Sigh! Another book… And more research. It’s inspired by Lemuria and Atlantis, so I’ll have to research that more and talk to a doctor for some areas since my character is a doctor. Good thing I know a few.

Progressing forward

2006-08-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

Copywriting has moved forward - on the studying and research and bringing the letter assignment together. My fourth installment is on the way. And that tells me how far behind I am - I'm working on catching up now. I'll get this letter out and work on my own sales material next - that's my goal for the next few weeks.

I'm getting through the edits for TKQ - don't have a good count as I'm at work, but it is progressing forward.

PLS writing isn't progressing too far forward at the moment. I'll try to get some time devoted to it this week - shoot for a chapter a week on it to keep my crit readers happy.

I've worked on a few new poems, read a manuscript for a book coming out in September, and have a new story going for Whispering Spirits Digital Magazine (new name) - the staff donated Halloween issue this year. I'm waiting for my payment to be processed at OWW so I can post it there for critting.

Finding Time

2006-07-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

I can understand why many people don't actually become published until their kids are grown and gone. I imagine many of them are in enclosed atmospheres like I am. This house is livable - but still so small that it's impossible to get away from everyone and be able to work … well, not impossible, but mighty rough to organize.

I've been editing my first book to get it ready to present at a convention or send to agents soon. And last night I was working on a chapter - really going at it good. Only I couldn't finish the chapter because my son wanted to go to bed. Upstairs there's my studio and his bedroom - two really small rooms across from one another. He claims the light bothers him - I say shut his door - he says the light bothers him still from under the door. Well, that's bull. I'm pretty sure it was hubby talking more than son at that point.

Anyway, I had to quit before finishing the chapter and that hasn't helped my confidence at being able to make the writing thing work. I always get this. And mind you, the family should not have felt any neglect at this time - I had already spent a lot of time with them - my husband and I had a lot of alone time before hand - and the kids had a wonderful weekend.

But I did get a lot of work done last night in the time I had to me - did a lot of brainstorming for a direct marketing letter, messed with getting files in order, and then much of that chapter edited - and it turned out to be heavy editing. Not changing anything, just heavy revisions. More than just a quick spelling and punctuation correction run.

I thought I would rest a little and watch tv and then work a bit more on something once hubby went to bed. And he went to bed, but not to sleep. Kept clapping his hands and hollaring at me to get back there. He had a headache and his chest hurt a little and stomache's upset, so he was needy. He's got to learn how to eat just a little for supper and not as much as he can fit in! … and get some excersize.

Anyway, today isn't as smooth as I hoped, but I'll still get a little copywriting done - research gathered, and maybe some fiction work. Not sure what yet. The kids are home so I might just get to go to the studio and edit a little more tonight. In order to make the progress I want I really need to commit four hours a night to it - but my family life just doesn't allow that yet. I'm working on that.

I do have about an hour's worth of agent name gathering done. Next I'll sort them, crossing off the one's that don't cater to my genre and who aren't reliable. Hopefully, I'll still end up with at least five I can submit to.

Brainstorming

2006-07-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

Ever since the divebombing, I've accomplished more brainstorming than anything in different areas - working on storylines, plotlines, what happens where, etc.

God help me - I've come up with another book. Take the prince falls in love with the pheasant cliche and give it a twist. I don't believe what I'm thinking of has been done before. I'm putting it in my idea file. Let's face it - I don't have time right now to work on it.

But I'm pathetic. I couldn't think of anything to write and just wanted to sit out and work ... so I wrote "When you piss a god off and he drops you back to earth in the woods, it's not pleasant." I ended up with five handwritten pages from that. Looks like either a prologue or part one to a story. I'm shooting for a story, novella at the most from it. Was really surprised where it went though.

I managed to buy another cheap printer - makes great manuscript pages. Went with the one that took cheaper cartridges. Should have known better. I'm almost out. It doesn't last long. And it is terrible in color. Lexmark brand. Now I see why some people said they won't buy them. But my last one was a Lexmark and was great - black lasted forever and it makes great color copies. Kind of thought this one would be too. Thankfully, it's a cheapo. I'm shopping around for the more expensive models. Hubby, the computer professional, wants me to get a really good one - but I've said not until I sell the novel or get the good copywriting jobs in. That will be my first reward for carrying out the writing goal.

Writing thought lately - Props.
I'm great on setting, character and such, but on studying a few other authors I realize I don't use many visual props. You know, the special ring you notice on someone's hand, the particular style of hat that's unique. Those things that if you see them again later, you know what character they are attached to - and they provide the clues to something being up.

Brainstorming

2006-07-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

Divebombing...

2006-06-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

Still working on book two - it's going slower than it should, I know. I still work in a few other works in between time. Yesterday I worked on Dithron's back story … I may perhaps use it somehow as a prologue to book one. I realize I've never let the reader know who Dithron really is and where he came from. And I don't like the idea of working into what I have in the chapters already. There's a book before this series that deals with him, but of course the reader would not have access to it at the time of this novel.

As part of our future plans, I've made environment a huge factor. I'm a writer who needs the proper inspiring environment around me and it's not here. I do try at times. Like yesterday, sat out back in the yard with notebook. Well, I managed to get out ten pages, but only about four in the backyard… nature didn't think I should be there, I guess.

Got friggin' divebombed! How's that for a good day outside? Sable didn't seem none too happy about it … almost acted like she was angry and would have jumped up and chomped on the bird if she could have reached the trees.

Now me and the birds are at war … you don't mess with a writer's notebook!

Anyways, I went out front for the rest of the time and worked - until the weird neighbors came around and the kids on the corner started lighting fireworks and disrupted the quiet.

Sigh! I miss the country …

June Work

2006-06-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

With the copywriting and fiction writing and work, I've been pretty busy. Book two is coming along nicely, and I've started up another project - I think it's going to come along in a quick pace too.

Been doing a lot of non-fiction and fiction research - of course, that always takes a chunk of time. And I've been jotting down a few agents' names that stand out for me to get ready for querying.

Even though it's moving forward, I don't think things will move as quick as I wanted them to. Or maybe I'm wrong there - I'm already getting into the self marketing mode and that may be the jumpstart for it.

Today was mostly research. I have a writing job I want to work on and know where to go with it now. But it means writing when no one else is around. I thought I had at least half an hour to work on it today when my son left with a friend, but five minutes into writing my daughter came home earlier than expected. Went to more research work instead… even though my mind didn't want to.

Hopefully, I can get a few moments to work on it now before I have to go to sleep and I should have about an hour from when hubby leaves in the morning to when kids get up and I can't write on it anymore.

The End of May

2006-05-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Trying to do a bit of editing and writing both today. I need to gather markets for both my daughter and I to send submissions to, but the internet is still acting up. It has been for a few weeks now and it's so frustrating. Makes it very hard to do the non-fiction and fiction research also. And of course the library's not open as a backup. If I need to, I'll go to the office though and use the computer there.

There's a lot of 'bringing out' I want to do to book one yet, and I'm preparing to do that. But first I'm going to do the first revisions on the first chapter of book two. I have a small bit to add into chapter two and then I can post chapters two and three for crits. I'll repost chapter one on CoRT and NCO, but think I'll skip OWW for awhile. I've got a few crits for NCO to do, and I'll copy four more to do crits on OWW soon and post another sub there … maybe one of the stories.

I've went through my stories and poems, thinking I'd have a lot to send out again. I do, sort of, but not as much as I'd like to have. I'm going to have to really work on more stories. I've gotten two more thought completely out and need to write those before they leave me completely.

Other than that, I think I have about fifty-two stories to read for the anthology now. I think I'll weed them down to forty, if that many are good enough, and pass a first batch onto the editors for their reading and scoring. I have to make the score sheets out for them on those yet too.

May 20, 2006

2006-05-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Really not as much as I wanted.. I haven't had time to spend at Forward Motion. I am getting crits done here and there - and have four more to put in computer for OWW tonight. But my writing didn’t go where I really thought it would.

Yet, it's going. I have more poems. My book is coming along. I have two more planned out now. And I have a story completely thought out to fit into the South Reach theme - an incident that occurs after book two and before the next Druid Mage series.

I need to really stop and get some revisions done. There a bunch of stories and poems that can go out the door once I get them revised.

I'm also moseying along in the copywriting course. I hope to really progress on this thing quickly. I've talked to hubby for it, and I think he's on board with me.

I'm getting ready to revise book one too - and I'm afraid it may take me longer than I think. I've been watching movie interviews that involve the author and screenwriters and the other people in the production. It's been making me think of what I would need to put in to make it more visual, more experiencing, and more usable for the possibility of movie productions. Not that I honestly believe mine fit the type that goes to movies, but I do believe that thinking about these things as you write help make the book better and more involving. There's other things I neglected that I have to add to it. Not sure if the revisions will lengthen the ms. by much or not.

Botched week, decent weekend

2006-04-02T20:23:00.000-07:00

My plans for time off last week was cancelled. Two members at the church I work for died last week and at the same time the interim has a family emergency. So I was doing stuff I normally do and the organizing that's usually handled out of the pastor's office.

Through fighting for energy and the right atmosphere, I got about 3000 words out. It's taken me to chapter four in PFS.

This weekend has proven better though. Even though I was still busy with stuff both days I managed to get out over 2000 words. No chapter work. I did worldbuilding for BOE Saturday and a non-fiction article Sunday. I'm very happy with the results.

It's a good start to the April/May Dares for Forward Motion. I'm doing the novel writing, short stories, poems, non-fiction, world building, and total word count dares this time.

We've got funerals the next two days and then preparations for Holy Week, but if... if I can manage it all, maybe I can keep up on the dares on a daily basis.

Wouldn't that just be so cool!

Almost, but not quite

2006-03-20T19:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I thought I had the perfect opportunity to do a writing marathon this weekend and didn't quite make it. I should have rearranged my schedule and I would have. I still had Saturday, the first day for it - but as I went to work on it, I realized there was some editor work that I just had to get done, so spent most of my alone time on that. I had committed to 5k for the 48 hours.

I was too lax because I thought I had more time free. Then the weather smacked us with this heavy snowfall and I lost time due to the family having cabin fever and house too small to get away from it. Also a friend (daughter's) was in a bad accident.

Still I have the next novel outlined now and I did get just a little over 3k written. So it wasn't a total loss.

Now I'm preparing for March Madness, which starts this coming Saturday.

My planned interuptions are church and daughter's birthday lunch on Sunday and working two days in the office during the week. The rest of the time is mine, all mine!

Or I'm really hoping so....

Writing Progress and New Sale

2006-02-13T09:36:00.000-08:00

I sold another poem. This time, my poem "The Tulip Fairies" will appear in the July, 2006 issue of Beyond Centauri, a pring magazine for younger readers. The poem will be accompanied by artwork made specifically for it by Ron Leming.

Yippee!!

I have one more poem out there now awaiting on a rejection or acceptance. Time to get more sent out.

I also found out that the editor who accepted my last two poems will be at a convention at the end of next month just three hours north of me. So I've made plans to attend two of the three days of the convention - first and third. They're also running a short story contest with it. I have two that are close to fitting the word count. One I have to cut about 300 words from, the other I have to add 500. I know I can cut the one - have to work with the other one to see if I can really add to it. I think I can. That's the work for this week, as I have to have them emailed by Friday to meet the deadline.

Other than that, I'm working on another story I just received five crits for and hope to send that out next week at the latest. My daughter now has my manuscript and plenty of paper to make notes on as she reads THE KNIGHTENS QUEST. I'm studying about character development, talking of future writing goals with my husband, and working on the roughs of the chapters for PROPHECY'S FINAL STAND.

Revisions and study time

2006-01-29T16:06:00.001-08:00

Struggling with the revisions to the beginning of PLS. It seems to be difficult like the first fifty pages of TKQ were. Tying the two books together so that I'm not losing the readers seems to be what's throwing me off. I just want to plunge ahead as if there wasn't any space between them, but the reader needs some background reminders in there and that entails some revision work. I've had a lot of critters on chapter one and the suggestions varied a lot. I went with the ones that spoke to me as being right and posted part one for the chapter on Novel Crit. Hopefully I'll get a few crits that will let me know if I did it right or not. It sounds good to me, but I'm awfully close to the subject and feel I need an outside look.

I'm going to study a book on novel writing and then Holly Lisle's Create a Character Clinic before I get into final revisions for TKQ. This seems like the plan because I feel that I know my characters so much better than I did when I started the book and if I study about building characters before I revise, I believe I can strengthen them.

I'm anxious for someone to read the entire novel, and my daughter is going to be the first one. But I'm waiting until just before I want to start the final revisions. Keep her comments fresh and I work better that way. I'm anxious because I'm excited about how the ending came out. I always had it planned out, but in writing (and rewriting due to lost files) I think things came out 100 times better than I expected.

I hope that happens with PLS.

In the meantime, I also have to finish getting the chapters on CotRT too. I think I have the last 6 or 7 to put up there yet.

This week I hope to rejoin OWW. Maybe not for the novel writing, but for getting the stories ready to go. I miss the connections there and I might even pick up a few friends to exchange novel readings with.

The other novels are sitting in their places - every once in awhile a character speaks up and have have to write a short piece or make a page worth of notes to remember. I think they'll turn out well also.

Revisions and study time

2006-01-29T16:06:00.000-08:00

Under the weather

2006-01-17T19:48:00.000-08:00

Our clan has the cold bug that's been going around. Well, except for our son, who we kept getting on for not wearing the proper clothes when it was cold out. Go figure!

My sister also has back surgery tomorrow. My parents are still sick from probably a cold flu.

It wouldn't be so bad, but I'm so tired and yet I can't sleep. I know - take stronger meds. Can't. They raise my blood pressure and I'm a weirdo - can't handle full doses of most synthetic meds either. So, I'm fighting it the best I can. Might still have to get more antibiotics from it settling in my throat. I'm really fighting that and hoping I don't have to. I hate strept throat!

So, I'm resting. No Whispering Spirits work, website work, or anything taxing while home. Doing a little revisioning, research work, books on tape - that sort of thing. Moving forward ever so slowly....

Writing Space

2006-01-15T15:28:00.000-08:00

Many authors have showed pictures of their writing spaces on their blogs. I don't have a digital camera - yet - and I don't have any pictures to show. But I do have two, well three areas I write. Designated areas anyway. I don't have an iPod or notebook - yet - but my trusty pen and notebook follow me everywhere.

At home we now have two computers in diagonal corners of our dining room. Our newest and main computer is my first and most used workstation. The desk is a jumble of notes and folders, with many of our game discs under the monitor's shelf, my fishbowl next to the monitor, and my boombox on a small table next to the desk.

I drive my husband insane by taking over the desk and the dining table with my papers. Maybe the fact that I have my own space upstairs contributes to this.

Upstairs I have a small room that's my studio. As I haven't rearranged since bringing the big table downstairs for the second computer, it's a bit of a mess. A drafting table is the main workspace with file boxes on each side with my materials. The easel in one corner and a small set of shelves next to that. Through the middle sits the bench that holds my english and western saddle. An easy chair is in front of the window overlooking the back yard. Rest of my art and writing materials are in the closets as neatly as possible.

It's nice, but not ideal. Our house is exceptionally small.

Which is why my office at work is my third back up writing space. I love it. It represents my ideal workspace and I have permission to use it anytime I want. The room is huge. Probably fit at least 4 average sized bedrooms in it.

Windows line the outside wall. My computer station sits there. Desk in middle of floor on that side, long computer desk along the wall, with a long worktable in between the two. Like a 3-sided box that takes up 3/4 of that side of the room. The other 1/4 is taken up by a counter and sink where the coffee maker is.

Rest of that wall to the door is bulletin board area. From the door to the other corner is a pantry closet and shelves. From the middle a very large library type shelf system jutts our through the middle of the room.

From that corner is the copier and two more large tables, and three large filing cabinets.

Yeah, that's my little bit of heaven. Open, creative environment with lots of shelves, paper, files, and a constant supply of coffee.

Crystal Rain Review

2006-01-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

Book Review: Crystal Rain

Price: $24.95 Hardcover
Length: 352 pages
ISBN: 0-765-31227-1
Publisher: TOR
Publisher's Website: http://www.tor.com/tor.html
Publication Date: February 2006
Genre: Science Fiction
Author: Tobias Buckell
Author Website: http://www.tobiasbuckell.com

For centuries, a mountain chain called the Wicked High Mountains protected the people from the savagery of the Azteca. But the Azteca, under the guidance of the Teotl, secretly built a tunnel through the mountains and prepared for the day they would be able to take over the land on the other side.

When the Azteca march upon the peoples by the thousands, John deBrun, must escape from them and recover his lost memories in order to save the people. Meeting up with new friends and old, John's journey is filled with challenges.

In a quick-paced, page-turning novel, Tobias Buckell brings us a story rich in character depth, vivid detail, and fascinating culture. Once I was finally able to sit down with this book, there was no way I was going to stop.

The combination of Science Fiction with a lost culture produced an intriguing read. There was just enough technology to make the story interesting without taking away from the rich natural environment. He did a great job allowing me to see and understand the areas I was not familiar with.

His characters lived, they suffered, they rejoiced equally - both young and old, male and female. Characters on both sides were intelligent and real, both sides had emotions and needs and concerns. It really balanced out well.

I especially loved Pepper. I would have never thought of naming him Pepper, but it just worked so well. He is a character who would be difficult to give depth to, but Tobias pulled it off beautifully.

Crystal Rain is a definite must read. Perfect for those slow, lazy days when your life needs a little excitement.

The writer's space

2006-01-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

Lee Goldberg's writing area is much like what I'm thinking of for mine. Big differences are a larger outdoor window and dark wood.

Our kids will be out of school in five years so I've been planning. Let's face it, five years isn't that far away.

Publication News

2005-11-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

On this blustery dreary day that did not go as I planned, I woke to a happy email. Between Kisses has accepted my reprint poem "The Phantom Wolf" for their December newsletter.

This is my first dollar made in publication. All the rest were non-paying. Woohoo! Told hubby I'm framing it when I get it. LOL

I'm tickled pink … I've invested about $500 so far publishing other people. This is the first dollar that’s come to me!