So Saturday I got up and went to my chapter meeting which was a lot of fun because I was the speaker. I talked about writing blurbs and showed them my framing technique for the big picture stuff. I also showed them how writing a blurb could lead to a query and a pitch. I hope they thought it was a good session. Then we went to lunch and I ran from there to the kiddo’s soccer game where my allergies exploded.

My eyes were itchy and watery and just wouldn’t stop. I was out of Claritin, too, so that just made things worse. The kid’s team won by a landslide. So I ran directly from there to the mall, where I had a salon appointment at 4:30.

But I had some time to kill which is dangerous when you wander the store for an hour before hair appointment time. I ended up getting Man’s birthday present and NO I won’t say cuz sometimes he gets a wild hair and reads the blog. Then I wondered around the new Sephora store in the newly renovated JCPenney’s and WOW, is it ever cool. I found new cologne for Man – Kenneth Cole Reaction – and it smells so good. Very clear and vibrant with a hint of something citrusy. I bought it for him and he actually really likes it. Score one for me!

My stylist was running late because the client before me had this massively thick hair and it took her forever to dry it. So I got in the chair about 20 minutes late which really wasn’t a big deal because I had nowhere to be afterward. Got my hair done – YAY!

And then it was back home where Man and I watched some of our DVR shows. I only had about 30% available so we had to do some clearing off.

Got to bed late and woke up late. Finally dragged myself out of bed, made my grocery list, and then we headed to the store. It took just over an hour (beating) and then it was back home where we made lunch and then he wanted to go to the mall, so back in the car we go.

Headed to the mall where we did some light shopping. Then it was off to the Farmers Market for fruits and veggies for the week and FINALLY! We got home. He mowed the front and back while I worked around the house getting some stuff done.

My herbs died, sadly, so I replanted them and put them out on the front porch. I suspect the cat had something to do with that. I think he ate them. The stinker.

And speaking of the stinker – I don’t know what’s up with the cat lately. He’s decided it’s okay to sleep on the dining room table while we’re not there. How do I know this? There are cat hairs on the table AND we busted him coming home Sunday. He was curled up there like it was no big deal. And then yesterday he decided to poop on the floor and I had cleaned his litter box with fresh litter THE NIGHT BEFORE! Anyone have any ideas about this new behavior? Nothing has really changed around the house. I still pat him. He gets fed good food. I don’t get it.

Anyhoo, we grilled steaks and burgers and stuffed ourselves. We watched LIFE and I promptly fainted on the couch at 8:30. I slept hard all night. Got up early Monday and checked my email and…

LO and BEHOLD… my sci-fi story, Angel and the Dead Man, is a FINALIST in the Stroke of Midnight contest in the sci-fi/fantasy/futuristic category hosted by Passionate Ink!! I couldn’t believe it. There are five finalists that go on to the final judge which is an editor at Ellora’s Cave. Winners will be announced in July at Nationals. I have to wait until July!! But you know, that’s okay. I’m just stoked to be a finalist. YAY!

Of course, since I entered at the last minute because she was light on entries, the book is not finished. So guess what I’ll be doing until July? Uh huh. Finishing the book! I figure if I can write new words during lunch on the sci-fi and then work on the contemporary edits at night, I can get them both done. The contemporary HAS to be done by May 1 and submitted. I don’t care what happens.

So I’ll be writing my little fingers off. It’s good for me. I’m a much better writer with deadlines than without.

Whee!

Progress Update: 2028 / 38,639. Can I get a HELL YEAH? I was on a smokin’ roll yesterday and I’m nearly done with the novella. WOO!

So. How is everyone today? Any progress in your work? Are you writing? If you are, what are you working on? If you aren’t, what’s your excuse?

I have a confession to make. I DID NOT want to write yesterday. But guess what? I did it anyway. I made myself sit down with my lunch and my Mini and go to town on the WIP and boy am I ever glad I did. I had only a small idea of where the story would go next, but I didn’t let that stop me either. I just started writing. I let the words flow. I didn’t think about the words; I just wrote.

I think part of writing is pushing yourself through the “don’t want to” syndrome. Do I want to go to work everyday? No. Do I have to? Sure, if I want to pay the mortgage. It’s not that I have a bad job either. I just have a case of the don’t-want-tos. I think we all get that. When writing is your second job, it’s all too easy to let it slide with excuses.

“I’m too tired.”

“I don’t want to tonight; I want to watch Lost.”

“I have to take the kid(s) to soccer/basketball/dance class/insert destination.”

“I have to cook dinner/do dishes/clean house/insert chore.”

And while those may be valid excuses, they’re only detrimental to your writing. I know, I know. I’m the LAST person on the planet that needs to be preaching that. I’m the World’s Worst Procrastinator (I’m sure you can relate, Lara). I love to wait until the last minute. That’s why I work so well on deadlines. I’m awesome at deadlines. If I know I have a deadline looming, and I wait until the 11th hour, I can knock it out and it’ll be some of my best work ever. Don’t know why it’s like that. It just is.

I’m a working mother, president of my local chapter, and volunteer judge. I have to give the Man and the Kid and the Cat ample attention or they all pout. Except for the cat who poops on the floor. Even I know how hard it is to squeeze in writing. But let me tell you – I’ve learned over these last few weeks that it CAN be done. All you have to do is carve out the time and find a way to make it happen. There are things that get in the way of writing even for me. And I know that means I have to push myself extra hard the next time I sit down to write. I know that writing during lunch absolutely works for me. It may not work for you if you have nosey co-workers.

If you want it to happen bad enough, you WILL find a way. I know Devon is nodding her head as she reads this. And she’s right. She’s aboslutely right about it all.

If you want to write, you find a way. If you want to be published, you never give up. If you want to stay published, you keep writing even if you receive XX number of rejections. If you want to be a bestseller, you write the best book you can. 

Don’t tell yourself you’re not fast enough or good enough or smart enough. Don’t compare yourself to other writers. That will kill your confidence. Know what works for you and why. Know how YOU write. Embrace it. Love it. Enjoy it. DO IT. The only one stopping you is YOU.

Now go take on the page.

Progress Update: Not much since I was busy yesterday with the door install and evenings are taken up by the contest

Yesterday morning, I woke up with some chatter in my head. Sometimes that’s not a good thing but in this case, I actually worked out some important backstory for the new sci-fi story. It’s the one where I need an ancient South American culture. I know, you think that’s weird to incororporate an ancient South American culture in a science fiction action/adventure story. I assure you, there’s a very good reason.

Thanks, Devon, for the tips! I will check them out and see what I can find. I don’t want to go to them until I have more concrete information and solid questions. Don’t want to look like I don’t know what I’m doing.

I also figured out a better ending, whick really works for the story and the characters. I’m excited to get started. However, it feels like this contemporary is dragging on and on forever. Like I can’t get to the end. And then I have the revision stage. Right now, I’m just spitting it out along the way.

The new storm door was installed yesterday and it’s awesome. I love it. And what a difference it makes. I’m hoping it will help on the electric bill. Makes me want to get a new one installed on the back, now! And new windows… I have big deals and a pauper’s budget.

The contest is taking up WAY too much of my time. It turns out my emails never made it to some of the judges which ticks me off. I blame it on effing Outlook. So I’m scrambling and trying desperately to get all these entries judged and back to me by Monday so I can get them out to the final judges. Stress. Once I get them out to the final judges, then I have to deal with getting all the non-finalists stuff out. I can knock it out in an afternoon. It just takes TIME. And time is precious these days.

Oh well. At least no soccer games this weekend. I can’t believe it’s about to be April!

I think every writer has one of “those” days. Yesterday was it for me. Doubt Demons stormed onto the scene, brandishing their shiny broadswords, sharp pointy teeth, and growling their war cries. Determined to set me back another notch. Or two. (Don’t ALL Doubt Demons look like pointy-teeth, sword-weilding fiends? Mine do.)

Not that I need any added help in the doubt department. I’m pretty well versed on my own, thankyouverymuch. But yesterday was a particular doubtful day. I love to hear when my friends get deals – I really do. But sometimes it makes you sit back and think, “Huh. Does my stuff suck?”

And the answer always is, “Yes, of course, you ninny. What makes you think you can write worth a damn?”

I got to thinking about my writing, my career course, and everything in between. It depressed me. Oh, SURE, you say. You have five books published. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I realize most people never even get an offer. I realize some are stuck in the slush pile. And some get this close only to get that no (been there). I’ve received 12 rejections on the same book from 12 different agents. Still waiting on some. I had intended to query more but then I thought, what’s the point? They’re just going to reject it, too. Maybe this book is never meant to see the light of day. Maybe it should be retired to the proverbial drawer. Maybe it should be shot.

The Doubt Demons drooled.

You’re not good enough.

All your characters sound the same in every book.

You’re so not original.

You will never be published again.

Give it up, Miles, while you’re still ahead of the game.

Oh, the pressure. And so I started thinking about the writing again. Where I wanted to go, how I wanted to get there. What is my plan? My direction? What is going to be the outcome? Maybe I’m just not ready for an agent, yet. Maybe I need to keep trying with the publishers and forget the agent. That’s what I came up with so far.

I think I’ve decided it might be too soon on the agent-hunt. I’m not ready. I’m not polished enough, not good enough, not ground-breaking enough. I need to sit down, figure out my career goals, how I want to achieve them, and how fast. Which is all fine and good but when you have demands on your time by things beyond your control, it gets mighty frustrating. Beyond frustrating.

So I’m writing this because I have a case of the “blues” (and Doubt Demons breathing down my neck). I don’t expect anyone to sympathize with me or give me any advice. I’m just venting. I’m mad at myself. And disappointed I’m not farther along than I wanted to be. And I have doubts. Lots of them. I will get through them, I know. But for now, I’m just going to wallow.

But will be much of the same as yesterday. Though, I think a little calmer. I might actually get a lunch hour today. Which means I’m going to be writing. I really want to get back to my story.

Yesterday was hectic, too, but I was actually able to get some work done. We had this photo shoot at work for some professional head shots and some candid photos for our upcoming marketing campaigns. I took some photos and had a lot of fun with it. We’ve worked with the photographer in the past, and he’s super. He knows how to chat people up to make them feel comfortable.

A week or so ago I read a blog where Sourcebook editor, Deb Werksman, talked about branding and career arcs. I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately and trying to figure out my direction, what sort of writer I am and want to be, and where I want to be in 5 years. I’m a true Gemini and as such I tend to be “of two minds” about EVERYTHING. It maddening sometimes, actually. So I’m trying to force myself to focus on the end goal and figure out what the process is to getting there. I want it to be flexible enough that I can roll with it when things to go as planned but rigid enough that it keeps me on my goal course. And I know me, so I know I won’t be able to set monthly goals. I think what works for me is more generic goals. Like, “I want to write three books this year,” as opposed to, “I want to write 4000 words per day.” 

So. That’s where I am on the writing front!

Hi, gang. Today, I’m pleased to host Shelley Bradley writing as Shayla Black! She has a new release out this week, so check it out. Following is information about the book – where to get it – and a link to read the first chapter. If you’re looking for today’s regular post, it’s below this one. Enjoy!

Doomsday Brethren Series, Book 2 — Caden’s Story
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN-10: 1416578447
ISBN-13: 9781416578444
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance
Release Date: September 29, 2009

Buy links:
Order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders
Books-A-Million | Simon & Schuster | Indie Bound
Overstock | Target
Download eBook: Kindle | Barnes & Noble
Fictionwise | Sony | Simon & Schuster

Read the first chapter here!

Reviews:

Rated HOT “Dramatic… A page turner!” ~ RT Bookclub

“Another dark and steamy addition to this fabulous paranormal series.” ~ Fresh Fiction

Recommended Read! “Emotionally charged conflict and sizzling sexual tension add to the page-turning quality of this paranormal suspense. Once again, Black delivers!” ~ Fallen Angel Reviews

5 out of 5! “SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW is highly addicting and emotionally gripping. The plot sizzles with twists and turns that kept me engrossed long after I finished reading. Highly recommend…” ~ Romance Junkies

“…full of the same excitement, sensuality, and suspense as its predecessor…Seduce Me in Shadow is engrossing. The Doomsday Brethren is an intriguing series and I look forward to the next installment.” ~ Joyfully Reviewed

“Ms. Black blends magic, mystery and romance into a suspenseful tale. Her masterful storytelling comes through on every page.” ~ Paranormal Romance Writers

“I really enjoyed this book. Seduce Me in Shadow hints at the next book, teasing the reader into wanting more. I cannot wait!” ~ ParaNormal Romance Reviews

“This book is chock full of action…and twists and turns that leave you craving more. How many days do I have to wait until “Posses Me At Midnight” comes out?” ~ Naughty Editions Books

“Captivating… SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW should not be missed.” ~ Romance Reviews Today

“I’m completely in love with Shayla Black’s Doomsday Brethren. If you like dark paranormals with a lot of action then you have to pick up Shayla Black’s Doomsday books. Trust me, these are books you don’t want to miss.” ~ Heather Marie, Bookseller

“Innovative storylines and a marvelous cast of characters make paranormal romances by Shayla Black exceptionally noteworthy. With fascinating circumstances, appealing characters and a delightful brand of humor, SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW is a rewarding paranormal romantic adventure.” ~ SingleTitles.com

“…a very satisfying read.” ~ Realms on Your Bookshelves 

For the last few weeks, I’ve been cleaning. When you’re cramped for space, every inch counts.

I went through my son’s room and cleaned it up, rearranged the furniture, and threw a bunch of stuff away. I made him have a Donate, Keep, and Trash pile. He did fairly good. The donate items are still in my trunk, though. I really need to get rid of them. I want to give them to a placed called Arc of Texas. They have Thrift Town stores and I feel like the stuff will go to good use.

I also donated two giant bags of my clothes to Salvation Army. This week was about selling off my crappy furniture. I got rid of my two chairs that both Man and I hate (they were terribly uncomfortable). I sold off the bunk beds in my son’s rooms to a lady with two small children and one on the way. I sold the couch (which will be picked up this Friday). I made enough to put down a nice chunk on the new sofa that’s arriving this Saturday.

But this past Saturday… Man and I drove out to Arlington to pick up my son’s new bed. It was a nice afternoon drive and the wait wasn’t too bad. At least the distribution center was highly organized. And Man was happy because there was college football on in the waiting area. We watched the tail end of the LSU-Miss State game. Which was rather exciting, if I’m being honest.

Anyway, got home and put the kid’s bed together. It’s fabulous! See below.

I’ve already made use of the two drawers and the two side storage areas. It’s really nice to have all his junk off the floor and hidden away. Plus I now have more room for important things like socks and underwear and pajamas. And his room is CLEAN! Love that.

Yesterday, Man and I went to Wal-Mart and got two filing cabinets which we both needed. We are so organized is disgusting. I finally have a place for all that crap I needed to keep (years back of RWA contest stuff). I finally found a home for all my researching and writing files. It’s wonderful! I love getting organized! I love cleaning house! I love getting new furniture!

I also got back to the WIP. While Man and I had lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings on Saturday I talked through some plot problems and he helped me with them. I thought I had written myself into a corner, so he helped me figure out a way out. That night, I did more researching and I finally figured out my Dark King. Amazing what talking out loud about yoru story will do. And even though he’s not a writer, sometimes he can see the best solution. “Well, why don’t you have the queen do this and that,” he says. And it was like a light-bulb moment for me. He’s brilliant.

So I made some changes in one of the chapters and then finished writing chapter four. I think I can finally go on, now. I still want to have the draft done by December 1 and I’m fairly confident I can reach that goal.

Hard to believe October is right around the corner. Also hard to believe that is time for the State Fair. Where has this year gone?

Another good thing this weekend: my allergies weren’t bothering me as much. I doctored myself up a lot and also slept in Sunday. I didn’t get up until nearly 10 which is super late for me. I needed the rest, though.

It’s Monday, though. Another long week ahead. Here’s hoping for more productive nights on the WIP.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by Devon’s blog yesterday with my characters/emotions post. It was fun.

We finally got a break in the rain yesterday. We even had some sunshine and a patch of blue sky! I’d forgotten what it looked like since it’d been raining for, oh, FOUR FREAKING DAYS. Ah well. We needed it. The lakes did. And especially my yard did. Plus we have cooler temps and the air isn’t running so much, which is nice. I like it. Keep it up!

The other night, I managed to get about 1500 words done on the new WIP. But then the next night I got only 200. BLAH. Hey, still progress, right? I inched closer to 12k, though. I finished chapter three and started on four and it’s hard for me to write. Hard as in there’s a lot of dark moments.  Makes me actually feel back for the charater.

I fully intended to work on the book again last night but I had some things I needed to catch up on and answer some emails and well, it didn’t get done. Plus I had a raging headache. Must be something in the air because I woke up with it.

Tonight, I get the kiddo back. Looking forward to that. Guess I need to think about something to thaw for dinner, huh?

Happy Wednesday!

Hey, all! I’m a guest over at my friend, Devon’s, blog while she’s off visiting Prague. You can read my post here! Stop on by and give us some love.

So I got two rejections yesterday from two agents. Something like that can seriously deflate a person, you know? And here I thought that book was kick-ass and it would easily be snatched up.

Wrong. Of course, I’m still waiting to hear back from a few others. Of course, I still have hope there will be a bite. But I still sat back and went, “You know, maybe it DOES suck.”

And I’m cool with that.

And then I thought: Maybe it’s not the book it’s the QUERY that sucks. Yes, that has to be it. The query letter is awful.

And then I re-read the query and I’m convinced it DOESN’T suck and the book is really as kick-ass as I thought it was to begin with.

I hate this business sometimes. It makes you want to rip your hair out. Then other times it makes you leap for joy. Other times, still, it makes you weep. For a variety of reasons!

Such is the way of things. Okay sure I know – work on something else while you’re waiting (I am). Don’t get discouraged (I’m not). Write the best book you can (I did). It’s just frustrating that it takes so darn long to get a response back.

Last night I spent a good portion of time doing some brainstorming on the new book and trying to figure out a particular piece of the puzzle. I also did some writing. I got in abou 1500 words and busted 11K. GO ME! That felt good and the story is getting fun. My poor heroine just got the shock of her life. And even as I write this, I’m wondering what sort of hell I can put them through to make it all worthwhile in the end.

And NOTE TO SELF: Never watch any show pertaining to Charles Mason before bedtime. I made the grave error of watching the documentary, Manson, on History Channel the night before and ended up with a restless night. That guy was just evil. And those mindless minions of his were evil and freaky. I’m fairly certain there’s a special place in Hell for them all.

AND! On that note, I’m off to work. But DO stop by Devon’s blog today if you can!

This weekend was awesome. And jam-packed with fun and frivolity. Okay maybe not the latter, but fun nonetheless. (I really just wanted to say frivolity.)

Saturday was about errands and visiting Mom. So we got up Saturday morning, I made my list, and then we headed to what the kiddo refers to as “the big Walmart”. And the absolute second we stepped a toe into the store, he started in with the fact that he didn’t get a Transformers toy for his birthday and he really wanted one and could he please get one? To which I answered a big fat NO.

Hey, I’m not that mean, usually. But, you see, his birthday party was the next day. No way was I going to buy him more toys when he was going to get more for his birthday. Yes, I know his party was a week late. But I couldn’t see sending birthday invitations to school the first week. And so, alas, I delayed things. So I had a pouty kid for about 10 seconds into the trip when I told him very firmly if he didn’t knock it off, he could forget about having a birthday party. Period.

Okay, so I was in no mood to drag a sour-faced kid around the store for the next two hours.

Yes, you read that right. It took me two, long, life-sucking hours to grocery shop. By the time I got home, I was ready to slash my wrists.

And, by the way, the temps were in the mid-90s all weekend. I’m sick of sweating my ass off everywhere I go! Come on, Cool Front!

Anyway. Got home, unloaded the groceries, fed the kid lunch and then decided to hell with getting party favors. I’ll get them at the place the next day. So we packed up and headed to Mom’s for the rest of the day. We stuffed ourselves silly with brisket (yum) and beans and lots of other yummy food. I was completely full and miserable the rest of the night. And the kiddo got more birthday presents from his aunt and uncle and his Grammy. He was happy. I was happy. Good times.

Sunday started with chores. Then we went to the game place for the birthday party where 12 boys showed up. And can I just say boys are completely rowdy? Yes, it was chaos. My objective was to feed them, open presents, and eat cup cakes as quickly as possible so I could release them into the wild. And release then I did, armed with $5 game cards and one free attraction. They scattered. I ran out to the car with all the gifts (oh, yeah, he made out like a bandit too) and then I was stuck in the game place for the next… two hours. My life seems to be revolving around the two hour time slot. Oh and I spaced and FORGOT the durn goodie bags. Ah well.

I came home exhausted and the kid came home happy. He tore into all his presents. He made a giant mess. There were cardboard boxes and directions and itty bitty guns everywhere. Enough to drive a sane Mom to the brink. So while I was trying to cook dinner (because I refused to eat that cardboard pizza), I think I heard “Mom” about a thousand times. So much so I think I’m ready to NOT be called Mom again. I think I heard “MOM” more in the last three days than in the last eight years of his life. Man said the cat was going to start calling me Mom.

Yes, that’s how much he said it. Mom, this and Mom, that. Hey, don’t get me wrong. I love being Mom. But Mom was tired and Mom wanted some dinner and a martini. And Mom crashed early, too.

Monday. Cook-out day. Man forbid me to do anything regarding dinner. I wasn’t even allowed to step foot into the kitchen. The Earth moved. The Angels wept. Somewhere in the distance, I heard the Hallelujah chorus. Talk about a woman’s dream come true! Sure. I’ll let you cook. You go right ahead. He even did the dishes. Gotta love a man who cooks and cleans. And yes, I’m keeping him.

Anyway, did some plotting on the new book that morning with CP. I finally have a direction and I completely forgot about using the 20 Master Plots book I have. Duh. Jotted down lots of notes and I’m going to start working on the GMC now. I have an idea and I have a big picture idea – but I needed something for this book. I’m thinking trilogy at least.

While Man prepped in the kitchen, I tackled the kid’s room. I figured I needed a task to keep me busy or I’d be in his way and he’d get mad. And BOY was the kid’s room a disaster area. I made the kiddo help, too. We made piles of things in the hallway: Keep, Trash, Donate. He was pretty good about getting rid of his ”younger” toys but I suspect he had a hard time parting with some of them. But I told him – everyone needs to purge every now and then. I just got rid of clothes I hadn’t worn in 15 years. And that felt great. And now it was time to clean up and organize.

I even moved his furniture around to change it up. I’ve discovered the bunk beds HAVE to go. And the sooner the better. They’re blocking the AC vent and the ceiling fan and the kid sweats at night. TIME TO GO. BUH-BYE. The only catch is I have to get some other things paid off before I can spend more money. Where is that money tree when I need it? I’m hoping we can hold out until January for a new bed.

I managed to get all his toy tubs in the closet (a big one for big toys, one for Legos only, one for action figures, etc.). And gave him a little more floor space to play in. Plus I finally found a new home for the chest so it’s not in the way of the closet doors. His room is small – only 10 x 10 – so it’s a challenge with furniture placement. And I don’t want his bed by the window AT ALL.

Dinner. It was fantastic. Burgers were awesome; hot dogs rocked. And yes, I stuffed myself silly. Again. But I wasn’t miserable like I could have been. I forced myself to stop. Even though I really wanted another chili dog.

Afterward we watched The Mummy because I hadn’t seen it before and Man picked it up for $7.50. Fun flick! And even the kiddo enjoyed it. And by the time that was over, the evening/weekend was done. Another one for the record books. Another Labor Day over with.

And today – it’s back to work and back to school. Another busy week ahead. I swear I think this was a marathon post like the weekend.

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend and a smashing holiday!

It’d like to lodge a formal complaint: The weekends go too fast!

I spent Friday night alone, which wasn’t all that much fun. I’ve gotten used to having a constant companion of some sort – the Man or the Kid. But the Man was still on vacation and the Kid was at his dad’s. So I researched. For two hours. I took notes. I searched for information and I have a really great foundation for the new book. I’m about 5000 words in.

Got up early Saturday morning for the first soccer game of the season. We won! And the boys played great. Then I ran errands. To the library, to Best Buy, to the store, Bed Bath and Beyond. Lots of things to do. Since I knew Man was coming home that day, I got home and cleaned house. I discovered this great stuff – Comet Spray Gel – for my nasty shower. And WOW! That stuff really works. I ran out of energy and was tired of breathing the fumes, but one wall is glistening. I’ll have to go back and scrub the others. I bought one of those shampoo/conditioner dispensers you hang on the shower wall and put that up. It’s awesome by the way. I love it! And it was well worth the $30. I’m thinking if I can get the nasty shower clean, then I won’t have to replace the whole thing like I originally thought. Which will save me about $3000. It just means lots of elbow grease and sweat. I can do that.

Man made it hom finally about 8:30 that night and we stayed up until nearly midnight. He told me all about his trip and brought me a little stuffed black cat from Salem, Massachusetts. It is, of course, wearing a witch hat. I also got a mini replica of the St. Louis Arch. Too cool. It was nice to see him after 7 days.

Sunday – My sweetie boy’s birthday! I can’t believe he’s 8. That went so fast! Seems like yesterday he was born and small. Now he’s big and he says things like, “MOM, these people just don’t understand what I’m saying sometimes.” Which cracks me up. And he’s in 3rd grade! And a future gamer, much to my dismay. I try to steer him off of that but he’s stubborn. Wonder where he gets that?

Man and I got up early and ran errands. More errands! He needed new shows and I needed toner and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff. Came home, hung out. Kiddo came to the hose around 4 and we had dinner and he opened presents. It was a nice evening. And not nearly long enough for my taste.

And now…Monday. Back to the same ole/same ole. Hopefully I’ll get more work done on the new book. I really need to sit and think about a decent plot and try to get something sketched out before I get too much further. Very pleased with chapter 1, though.

Off to work!

Doncha just love those days when you’re super productive? Oh, man, I do!

A put in a couple more hours work on Phoenixand TADA! It’s finished! It weighs in at nearly 85,000 words now and just over 300 pages (double-spaced, 12 pt, Times New Roman). I’d been shooting for Friday but it sure was nice to get a large chunk of it done last night. That’s what made it go faster today. That and having that handy-dandy outline. (Devon, I’m convinced that is the ONLY way to go! Ms. Pantser is reformed, I think.)

Well, okay, I take that back a little. I did deviate even from the outline. LOL But I still KNEW where I was going and how to get there and just mixed it up a little. And really, you never know what these characters are going to say or do! I got a surprise from Senator Gracchus toward the end. He has a real disgust for slaves. I didn’t even know that until I wrote that scene, sat back, re-read his dialogue and went, “Huh. He’s a real pr*ck.”  Go figure.

The end has a great power punch of emotion now. And I *love* it. I love the way it ends so much better now. It makes so much more sense for the characters and their situation. I even toned down the sex scenes and made the story more about the gritty world Elena lives in and the life-and-death situation they faced instead about the romance. Because, when I thought about it, this story is NOT about the romance. It’s about learning to survive in a world full of deadly obstacles. Oh, sure, it helps Cassius is a real hottie and wants to whisk her off to safety.

Anyway, I really learned a lot about world building and writing better, cleaner, more emotional. I hope the next one will be easier (fat chance).

Speaking of the next one, I want to start working on that futuristic but something has been nagging me. I’ve been thinking about restructuring the MAGIC book into something totally different. Same characters, same basic plot line but totally different setting. I’m thinking urban fantasy. Maybe dark. I need to do some major research on this so I’m putting this away in my To Be Determined pile.

In the meantime, I’ve started writing up a quick synopsis for the futuristic, which is as yet untitled. See? The synopsis thing keeps creeping in.

In other productive news, I went with my co-worker to the Mattel Outlet Store and can I just say CHA-CHING! I love this place. They have all sorts of Hot Wheel, Matchbox stuff for boys and of course Barbie stuff for girls. I got four things for the kiddo for his birthday but the real beauty is, I think I’m going to put a couple away for Christmas. I’m sneaky like that. One of the things I got was a Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots. I think the kiddo is going to dig those. and I can still hear the stupid commercial in my head from the 70s.

Tonight I’m making my Cuban chicken in the crock pot. Which means it will all be done when I get home. MMM. YUM!

Off to work!

So I wake up yesterday morning and as I’m combing my hair out after my shower, I feel something really painful on my neck.

Turns out it’s a frigging zit the size of Wyoming on the back of my neck just at the hairline. What the frack? I mean, seriously? Aren’t I too old for that?

I’m going to attribute it to the heat (which I’m official SICK of). That and the fact that being nearly 40 really kind of sucks.

So, anyway, I was relating this information to my BFF via email and I told her it was totally like Invation of the Pod People or something. I felt like I had been abducted by aliens sometime between Man blowing his nose at 3 am and me waking up at 6 am. That could really be the only explanation right? She asked me if I thought the Wyoming Zit was the point of entry. I told her I thought it was.

Fast forward to later that night – which was Taco Night, by the way. If you haven’t jumped on the Taco Tuesday bandwagon, well, may I suggest you do that next week? It’s grand fun. So after I get the kiddo settled into bed and collect my thoughts for 2.3 seconds, Man is sitting on the sofa watching History Channel’s The Universe. They’re talking about how in about a couple billion years, the Sun will explode and the Earth will be no more. Because, you see, it’s going to burn itself out.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell us something we don’t know.

But as I sat there listening to the narrator and the scientists, I thought… What would happen if there were still people on the Earth at that time? Would they know the Sun was about to go kaboom? And if so, what would they be doing about it?

I bet you’re wondering what that has to do with the zit on my neck and so I’ll tell you. It’s a twisted way to come up with a new idea for a new futuristic story that involves the Sun exploding, the Earth dying, and aliens. But then, who said I wasn’t twisted? I’m still working on the details.

Worked on more revisions for the gladiator book, too. Stayed up way too late. Need much coffee.

I’m off to Big D today and tomorrow and I’m totally not looking forward to the drive. At least I will be armed with iPod and coffee. And I’m still learning where the END key is on this Mini. And I think I need glasses.

Yeah. It sucks to get old.

I judge a lot of contests. Seven this year to be exact with an average of five entries per contest. I can’t tell you how many times I see the telling in stories instead of the more emotional-punch of showing. And you can tell the difference between a new writer and a seasoned writer by how they describe things and really use that showing to their advantage.

I’m guilty of it, too. Sometimes I just get lazy as a writer and think, “Oh, I’ll go back and redo that later.”

Anyway. I wouldn’t be rambling on about this if I wasn’t going to give you some examples of telling vs. showing. Are you ready? Here we go.

These examples are from my latest, WIP (the gladiator book I’m revising).

Original:
Cassius rounded the corner into the banquet hall and paused to take in the sights and sounds.

The words sights and sounds are vague and don’t tell us anything about the room Cassius is in.

Revised:
Cassius rounded the corner into the banquet hall. Faint strains of harp and lute music floated through the mingling group of men—politicians and Citizens and other dignitaries. He even spotted a few Legion soldiers. On one side, a feast fit for, well, a king and his queen. Not to mention the Emperor. Roasted boar, venison, a rack of lamb among the meats. Fruits, vegetables, wheels of cheese, freshly baked breads, flasks of wine and mead and ale. The palace kitchen must have been cooking for days.

See the difference? In the original version, he pauses to take in the sights and sounds. But in the revised version, we actually hear and see what the character is hearing and seeing instead of the generic sights and sounds.

Here’s another example.

Original:
Heads turned as Elena crossed the room, making Cassius jealous.

Revised:
Heads turned as Elena crossed the room, rousing the jealousy in him with her every step. Cassius wanted to single-handedly rip out each one of their eyeballs.

I love this description – the fact that Cassius wants to rip out their eyeballs for looking at his woman cracks me up.

And one more.

Original:
After all they’d been through now that she obviously needed him she shoved him away, making him angry.

Revised:
After all they’d been through now that she obviously needed him she shoved him away. His rage and frustration exploded. At her. At the Emperor. At this unnerving situation they were both in.

I’m sure there are better examples than I can give you, but at least this gives you the idea of the difference. Just remember: don’t tell the reader “he was angry.” Show the reader his lips pressed in a thin line, his fists clenched so hard every vein pops out on his forearm, the tick in his clenched jaw.

Happy writing!

So I think I’ve mentioned once or twice I’m still in revision mode, working on the gladiator book. It’s coming along nicely and currently, I only have 80 pages to go. That’s right – 80! The end of the book with the big climactic scene.

Recently, I read through my CPs comments regarding these last few pages. When I sent it to her, I warned her I thought the ending was a bit weak and asked her to give me suggestions on making it stronger. I really felt like the bare structure of the story was there but I was having trouble pulling it off the way I wanted.

Finally I get to the final five chapters, read through her comments and when I read her suggestions it was like a light bulb went on. Of course! I thought. Why didn’t I see it that way before?

I know why. I was playing it safe. I was too afraid to push my characters to the very limit of their emotional brink. Too afraid to put them in complete and utter hell. Which in turn meant I was too afraid to push myself as a writer, drop my guard, and write the book the way it should have been written all along.

Isn’t that funny? How sometimes you need an outsider to see the storyline that way? To give you that vision of making the story a thousand times stronger?

So I’ve printed off the last 80 pages and I’m getting my hot pink pen out (because red is so obscene). I’ve started the arduous task of rewriting the climax, making it stronger, making the characters take control of their situation (instead of being a victim) and giving the reader that feeling of, “YEAH!” and making them want to stand up and cheer when the hero and heroine finally defeat evil and win the day.

Yeah. That is so totally going to rock.