Archive for the 'Writing Movements' Category

April 21, 2008 | Book One, Book Stuff, DA Series, Draven Atreides, Life in General, Revision Hell, The 4-1-1 on Me, Writing Movements

Hasn’t been as hellish as I thought it would be. Another 27 handwritten pages are under my belt, several pages have gotten tossed and some of the old material is still being used or written over. A common pattern I’ve seen is “Chapter This” is now “Chapter That”, “Chapter This” no longer exists, and “Chapter That” has now been combined with “Chapter This.” The December release date I had planned has now been changed to April 17 of 2009. That day is Teen Literature Day and I thought, what better day to drop a book?

So, it’s good. Revisions are going well. I’m going to go for a May 31st finish deadline. Hope I can stick with it. Wish me luck.

Technorati Tags: Teen Literature Day

April 14, 2008 | Book One, Book Stuff, Calendar of Events, DA Series, Draven Atreides, Life in General, Revision Hell, Writing Movements

Friday night I had a book reading at a coffee shop. I normally don’t forget to post events on here, but I forgot to do so for this event. However, Draven was kind enough to post it on her blog. Thanks, D. This is my second time doing it and it’s hosted by Monsoon Voices Live Literary Magazine: Spoken Word, Poetry, Prose and Song. Authors and musicians submit their pieces and if chosen, have approximately 6 minutes to read or sing their piece. Hence, the Live Literary part. If you’re a musician or an author wanting some exposure, and live in the Phoenix area, contact Traci and Patrick at monsoonvoices@cox.net. The next event is Friday, May 23rd and the submission deadline is May 9th. If you have merchandise, you’re allowed to sell it. I sold two books.

This time it wasn’t as packed, but normally, by the time we get started–or even after the first two performers–it’s standing room only. Those are good, but this time was better. Our musician of the nite was Darin Mahoney of Mahoney Guitars. He makes and repairs instruments. He plays guitar too and he does it beautifully. The first song (all of his songs are instrumental, by the way) he played was called Woodland and it was about his mother’s favorite place. He set the scene by giving us a visual:

“Picture yourself by a lake, anyplace, anywhere, the sun is starting to go down, birds calling, crickets chirping lazily, a slight wind rustling thru the trees…this piece starts out with a few chords from my mother’s favorite song.”

Her favorite song is Amazing Grace.

Tears welled up in my eyes when he began to play. It was a different version of a song I’d heard so many times, even though it was only the first stanza. The whole song, beginning to end, just moved me. The songs he played after were just as fantastic. Maybe it’s because he’s 10 yrs cancer free (creative people tend to write great stuff and we’re going thru something). A cancer that was terminal but obviously not, because he was performing that night. I can guarantee the chemo he went thru was more vigorous than what my father got. His CD comes out at the end of the summer and I’m looking forward to buying a copy. He said that sometimes be performs with a violinist. I can just imagine how that would sound and would like to see him perform again.

My other favorite was Nadine Lockhart, who had some great poems about an 87 yr old aunt who’d recently passed away and a poem that had the word “panty” in it 36 times. LOL. That one got a lot of laughs. After the event, as I was driving home, I called my BF because Darin’s music was still resonating with me. I was reminded of her and I knew she would’ve liked it, too. For the next 20 minutes we talked and cried. She had been going thru a spiritually cleansing exercise that night and she suspected I had felt her energy. I think I was feeling Darin’s too.

Saturday was a do-nothing day. The hubby went hiking with his BF, so I had a little quiet reading time in the morning. He was in the mood for ice cream later, so we hit up Swensen’s. Sunday, I did laundry (GOD, HOW I HATE DOING LAUNDRY), spent some time typing up revisions, and working on the book cover. I hit a 4 ft wall in the writing movement process on Friday. Rader had just dropped a verbal bomb on Draven and I was instructed by my editor to get to “the plan” quicker; and throw more obstacles in their path in getting to the bottom of the case. If I think about it too much, I might get stressed. The hubby hates it when I get stressed because he can’t do anything about it. My BF says I should meditate more and I think she’s right.

Sunday night, we had dinner with friends at the Salty Seniorita, a place with great Mexican food and 50,000 different types of margaritas. Okay, not that many but close to it. For the record, I rarely drink. A few years ago, I tried the berry sangria at Olive Garden. That’s the only alcoholic drink I like–and am willing to drink–and since most restaurants we go to don’t have it, I hardly drink. If they do happen to have it, it’s in a glass so freakin’ big there’s no way I’d be able to finish it. In general, my family is not a drinking family. My Dad always had a semi-stocked mini bar, but it was only for guests. The bottles of liquor had been down there for so long, they were caked in dust. When they moved into the new house, he probably tossed it. Or my Mom did. We both have a nasty habit of just throwing stuff away, thinking we–or anyone else–will ever need it again. Anyhow, dinner was fun. It was us and two other couples. Lost of laughter and margarita drinking(on their parts) abounded.

So, how was your weekend?

Technorati Tags: Monsoon Voices Live Literary Magazine: Spoken Word, Poetry, Prose and Song, Darin Mahoney, Mahoney Guitars, Woodland, Amazing Grace, Nadine Lockhart, Salty Seniorita, , Olive Garden

April 9, 2008 | Book One, Book Stuff, DA Series, Draven Atreides, The 4-1-1 on Me, Writing Movements

Revision Hell officially started for me on Sunday. Today is Wednesday and you all will be happy to know that I’ve rewritten 27 total pages so far. These are handwritten pages, not typed. It might not seem like a lot to you (or to the writers doing the “write thing” full time), but to me, it feels damn good. In general, my goal is to write–or rewrite–at least one page a day. It usually ends up being more than that, so yay me. Some of the material I can still use, which is good, but I have a feeling I’m going to be doing more cutting out than adding in.

Yay me!

April 7, 2008 | Book One, Book Stuff, DA Series, Draven Atreides, Life in General, Revision Hell, The 4-1-1 on Me, Writing Movements

Friday night, the hubby and I went to eat at this British pub called The Rose and Crown. It’s located right in the heart of downtown Phx in a spot called Heritage Square. It’s a bunch of little Victorian houses turned into businesses. I had the Chicken and Mushroom pie and it came with garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned steamed asparagus. The pie part was okay, but everything else was really good. However, the service sucked and the pool table needed to be in a room all by itself. Trying to eat while not getting hit with the business end of a pool stick was not my idea of a good time.

Saturday was too boring to even tell you about…that was the dash of nothing I mentioned in the headline. Sunday, I started revisions on Book One. I went through and started with small stuff, then today, I started working on the big stuff. And after talking to a co-worker, I decided to leave one of the “big stuff” in. I’m going to have her reread it, but then I think I’m also going to get some readers to look it over, too. Something I’ve never done before.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I think once I get started, it won’t be so bad.

So, how was your weekend?

Technorati Tags: The Rose and Crown

December 20, 2007 | DA Series, The 4-1-1 on Me, Writing Movements

I’ve noticed lately that my posts seem to consist of weekend wrap-ups. Sorry ’bout that. I’ve been meaning to post about other stuff (like the fact that JAMIE LYNN SPEARS IS PREGNANT AT 16!), but I’ve been frantically cleaning up the first 50 pages and the synopsis of DA Book One to submit to The Editorial Department contest. The grand prize isn’t money, but a full MS edit. My intention was to start revising Book One next year anyway. I’m going to try and get it done for free. I was going to go with this company anyway because, if you visit the website, you’ll see the special program they have.

I was pretty much sold.

The contest ends on the 22nd and I found out about it last week. It’s been going on since Nov 1st. Wish I’d known about it way back when or I would’ve started on it way back when. Anyhow, my Dad’s been helping me with something and the more leg work I’m doing, the more I’ve been thinking..

Do I really want that book deal?

It’s going to get me an advance and space on a shelf. Annnnnd that’s about it. As a new, unknown author, I’ll still be responsible for marketing and promoting. I won’t get a check for years (not until I make back that advance, anyway) and the what if’s are killing me:

What if they only want the one book?

What if the series never sells?

What if they only want three books and I have more?

What if I don’t like the book cover design? I’m obsessed about that and I don’t know if I can ever let that go.

I had every intention of getting Book One edited next year and starting the whole agent submission process all over again. I even bought the 2008 Guide to Literary Agents and dog-eared some pages, but…

I guess I’m having third and fourth thoughts now. I went back and forth on this issue whole “traditional route” last year: I’m gonna do it. Now I’m not. Now I am. And I did. But this thing my Dad is helping me with is making me excited about the new direction I’m taking and it’s stirring up some thoughts. I’m feeling….I dunno.

I just…

I just don’t think I want it as badly as I once did.

Technorati Tags: The Editorial Department, 2008 Guide to Literary Agents