Road to Writing

The Time Has Come...

2005-06-10T21:29:00.000-04:00

...for me to finally move my blog. I've been working on it for a week or more, and I think I've got the new site as complete as it's going to get without outside input. So please join me for tonight's blog post and all future posts at my new blog site:

http://www.lynndaniels.com/blog

Hope to see you all there!

This blog will remain up with this as the final post in the event you lose the new link...and for the stragglers. *wink*

Having an A-Team Moment

2005-06-10T12:15:00.000-04:00

I love it when a plan comes together.

Wasn't that the stock line from the old TV show? That's how I'm feeling today. Not that any of my plans, per se, have actually come together, but things are definitely looking up.

First, Zone Labs worked quickly and got Zone Alarm fixed. No more crashes! No more MS Firewall! No more fighting to log on to the 'net! Life is good.

Second, the whole Graphical Standards debacle seems to be diminishing to an acceptable level. After I'm sure what must have been a tremendous e-mail campaign (although I can't say for certain it's because of it), it looks like the Board is slowly backstepping. My hope is that they suspend the Graphical Standards pending input from the organization members. The originating idea, as it's since been explained by one of the Board members speaking as a MIGS and not a Board member, was actually reasonable. But it seemed to have snowballed from there and spiraled way out of hand, angering a lot of people and hurting a lot of feelings. I know I'm feeling a lot better about this.

Third, I got a workout in this morning. That makes three for the week. Can I get a WOO HOO?

Fourth, the crit is DONE, man! (Said in my best "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" voice.) Banged that sucker out last night, got it uploaded, and I'm now ecstatic I'm able to cross something off the dreaded "To Do" list.

Sadly, that dratted "To Do" list grows quicker than I can do things, but at least I'm slowly making progress. Today, I'm hoping to tweak chapter two of BMO and get that sent off to my RD mentor, who probably thinks I've dropped off the face of the earth.

Off to tweak!

AAAAAARRGH!!!!

2005-06-10T00:09:00.000-04:00

Y'all don't mind if I rant, whine, and complain a minute, do you? I sure hope not.

Today has not been a good computer today. Oh, the first half was fine. Just dandy. Then sometime late this afternoon, everything went to hell. Suddenly, I couldn't access the internet anymore. Now, our phone line was really noisy today, so I figured maybe the phone company was doing some work and it was affecting the DSL. That is, until my husband told me he was browsing the 'net on the computer in the kitchen without problems. So I rebooted Rocky. When he came back up, I immediately opened Outlook, then got an error message saying that True Vector Internet Monitor had encountered a problem and needed to close. Almost immediately afterward, Zone Alarm gave me a warning message saying that True Vector had closed down and asked if I'd like to restart. Clicked yes, then got another True Vector encountering a problem message. One more time of going through this loop and I said "to hell with this" and rebooted Rocky again.

Wouldn't you know it didn't make a damn bit of difference?

So while the laptop was going through this seemingly endless loop, I went and hopped onto the kitchen computer (my husband went to bed during this time). I browsed the Zone Labs message boards and discovered something interesting. I'm not the only person having this problem. Not only that, but it's a problem that's just started today. Some people worked around it by setting their computer one day back. I tried that. But of course, nothing can ever be that easy for me. Finally, I shut Zone Alarm down and am working with the Windows firewall. Not my first choice, but it's better than nothing.

Anyway, if you're using Zone Alarm as your firewall (I use Zone Alarm Security Suite) and you're having this problem too, somebody at the message boards claimed to have spoken to a tech, and the word is they're aware of this problem and plan to have a fix by Monday or Tuesday.

Does anybody know what's up with Audioblogger? I've received nothing but busy signals for a week now when I try to call the number, and an e-mail to them has gone unanswered. Please let me know if you happen to have the scoop on this.

Hm. There was something else I was going to complain about, but now I'm so worked up about Zone Alarm, I can't even remember what it is. Lucky for you, I guess, but now it's gonna bug me all night.

I suppose this is a sign. TPTB telling me to get of the net, finish that crit, and do some writing of my own. Oh well. Since my Internet access seems to have slowed down to a crawl, that's probably the only thing that makes sense for me to do, anyway. So I'm off to pop the headphones on my head, get lost in some music, and crit my little heart out.

It's Got My Number

2005-06-09T20:35:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Silma, Teresa, and Stephanie for this one:

Your Expression Number is 7

Very intelligent, you are usually thinking, introspecting, or analyzing.
You have a good mind, and you are especially good at finding out the truth.
Very little ever escapes your observation and deep understanding.

You tend to obsess over wisdom and hidden truths.
You are likely to become a authority on any subject you undertake.
Operating on a different wavelength, most people don't know you that well.

Very logical and rational, at times you tend to lack emotion.
So much so, that you often have times coping with emotional situations.
You are not very adaptable - you may tend to be overly critical at times.

What's Your Expression Number?

Hmm. The first paragraphi is spot-on, the second is eh, and the third is a big fat WTF? Anybody who knows me would get a stomach ache from laughing if I told them I lack emotion. And not adaptable? BWAHAHAHAHA! My family moved almost every year when I was growing up. I had to be adaptable. Oh, well. It was fun anyway.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

2005-06-08T22:50:00.000-04:00

Kat tagged me for this thing (a lot of tagging going on lately!), so here goes!

The Rules

Remove the #1 item from the following list, bump everyone up one place and add your blog's name in the #5 spot. You need to actually link to each of the blogs for the link-whorage aspect of this fiendish meme-age to kick in *g*.

Here we go:

1. Soliloquy
2. Joely Sue Burkhart
3. Teresa
4. Kat (The SoapBox)
5. Lynn Daniels

...and then you choose 4 unsuspecting victims...

1. Kristen
2. Jax
3. Dream
4. Jerri

And now for Memory Lane:

5 Things I Miss From My Childhood
1. Being able to eat whatever I want. I know it sounds shallow, but I'd been underweight all my life until I had kids, and I would eat things to try and gain weight. I really do miss that.

2. Whiling away the cool spring afternoons riding bikes, or playing, or doing whatever we decided to do that way without worry.

3. Family vacations. We'd go to Disney World, or New Orleans to see King Tut's treasure, or New York to see where my father grew up. I always looked forward to family vacations.

4. My family dog. He was a German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix, pure white, and his name was Snow. He was the coolest dog ever.

5. Running free in the woods. Four about four years we lived in northern Arkansas. Very rural. The closest house to us was a mile away. My brother and sister and I would wander through the woods all day long, making "discoveries". Ahh, those were the days.

Admit it. You've done it too.

2005-06-08T21:52:00.000-04:00

You're sitting alone with your computer, maybe late at night, and a face or name from the past pops into your head. And old classmate, or friend, or boyfriend/girlfriend. You start to wonder what they're up to, what they've been doing over the years, and what they look like now.

That's what happened to me the other night.

My whole family was asleep and I was up in the wee hours of the morning fighting with WordPress. Suddenly the name of the guy I dated in high school popped into my head. So I did what came naturally. I googled him. I had a general idea of what he'd been up to so I had a good starting point even though his name brought no hits. Zero. Zilch. How many people can plug their name into Google and get no hits? Anyway, I found out he was still pretty much doing the same thing (that's not a bad thing), but no matter how hard I searched I couldn't find any pictures. It was a little disappointing.

But I did manage to find some people who'd seen him lately, and I e-mailed them asking about him. They, in turn, passed the e-mail on to him, and then he e-mailed me. Believe it or not, I just got off the phone with him.

It was kind of cool talking to somebody I haven't spoken to since I was in my early 20s, even if he did tell me it was now obvious I live in the South. We caught up on where we'd been over the years and what's going on in the near future. Talked a bit about my family--the ones he knows and the ones he's never met, and he caught me up a little on his. Overall, it was a pretty nice conversation and a major blast from the past.

Oh, and the WordPress thing? I think I've finally beat it! Okay, maybe not beat it, but at least it's not kicking my ass anymore. So the big news is I'll be migrating both blogs into one soon. Don't worry, I'll post a link for you. *g* I don't have an official launch date for the new blog in mind yet, I still want to play with WordPress a bit longer and get a real feel for the program, not to mention I want to research a few more plugins (more toys!).

So I may be rationalizing, or even making excuses, but I'm not looking at all this work/research I've been doing with WordPress as procrastinating from writing. I was working on a networking tool, something that has the potential to help with my career. Even more important, I've been learning something new, broadening my horizons. That's a good thing in my book.

Anyway, keep your eyes open for the announcement of the launch of the new blog!

It's Calling Me

2005-06-07T14:37:00.000-04:00

My laundry's calling me. Yelling in a high-pitched, whiny voice, and I'm trying desperately to ignore it. I doubt it'll work, though. High-pitched and whiny is extremely hard to ignore...something my kids know well.

I got a new toy. A personal digital music player. I warned my husband last week I was going to buy it. Even asked permission. He joked that it didn't matter what he said, I'd buy it anyway. But I wouldn't have if he'd said I couldn't. Really. I might have pouted, dropped a few of my patented not-so-subtle hints, but I wouldn't have bought it. That's what I told my husband. Luckily, I didn't have to employ any of those tactics.

So I spent Saturday night playing with the little sucker. Loaded about 450 songs into it. Set it to shuffle, popped the little ear buds in, sat back, and with a small satisfied smile on my face, enjoyed my favorite music. I think I'm in love. *g*

Took it with me to the studio last night, and while they were mixing a rap tune in the other room, I sat in the kitchenette with my little music player (it needs a name--any suggestions?) and Rocky and started getting caught up on the RWAOL boards. I would have worked on that crit, but since the chapters are erotic romance and I was at my husband's place of business, I didn't want to have that up on the computer when the client walked in and looked over my shoulder, which they often do. Nosy people.

Now the kids are down the street at a friend's house and I'm home all alone. Guess I really should get that laundry started then work on that crit while there are no young prying eyes (or whiny, high-pitched voices--except for the laundry) around to bother me.

Graphical Standards Firestorm

2005-06-06T14:20:00.000-04:00

There's been a firestorm of outrage, confusion, and discussion regarding RWA's implementation of their Graphical Standards Policy. I have, for the most part, tried to stay out of the discussion, but have been following it intently.

Most of the problem, as far as I can see, stems from the ambiguity of the language posted at RWA's website, and from the way the policy was voted in. But regardless of the reason behind it, the firestorm exists.

Members of the organization are waiting, some quite impatiently, for clarification of the policy language and how it will affect them. Here's what I've learned from posts on RWA lists: Some of the Board members have been away at a conference, and there is sincere hope the ambiguity will be cleared up when they return. There is also the possibility that it might not be cleared until the next Board meeting. However, the Board has indicated that the individual organization chapters will be receiving an e-mail regarding the new policy.

The President of RWA just posted to one of the RWA lists, and although I can't quote her specifically, I will say she indicated that most of what's been tossed around on blogs and listserves is rumor and pure speculation. RWA is not looking to kick any of their members out of the organization, they are simply trying to move forward as a romance writing organization.

That being said, there's a lesson to be learned here. If you're unhappy with the direction of RWA, get involved. Volunteer. Run for a Board position. Answer the periodic surveys RWA sends out. Read the RWR, and when asked for opinions, make certain to share yours. The Board members endeavor to act in the best interest of the organization as a whole, so let them know how you, as a paid member of RWA, feel.

But, along with most of the other RWA members, I'm anxiously awaiting clarification of the policy. How will it affect me and my future with RWA? Or the futures of my CPs? My other online writing friends? How much of what I've read is truth?

And that's all I'm going to say about that. For now.

It's Good to Be Queen

2005-06-06T00:17:00.000-04:00

That's what my t-shirt says today. Okay, so I'm not really queen, not even of my household. But I can dream, can't I? Besides, it's a souvenir.

We finally made it out to the Georgia Renaissance Festival yesterday. This is the last weekend--matter of fact, today was the closing day--so as usual, we made it in just under the wire. The weather held out for us, and we had a great time. Plus, I got a t-shirt declaring me queen. What more could a girl want?

I've been thinking about moving this blog to my website, so I downloaded WordPress to do some playing. OMG. I've been fighting with this stupid program all day, just trying to move my layout over, and it's still looking funky. And I don't mean that in a Starsky & Hutch Huggy Bear kinda way, either. The problem (or at least the biggest one) is I know exactly zippo about PHP coding. Trust me, my cut-and-paste skills have been getting a major workout. I think I'm going to put it aside for now and work on something that won't make me pull my hair out by the roots.

And I'll close with two more quotes from Friday night (thanks for reminding me, Sheri):

Oh, yeah, he's a dog. A cute dog. But he's definitely a dog.
The box man should come every day.

I hope everybody had a wonderful weekend!

Oooh! "Space Cowboys"!

2005-06-04T03:13:00.000-04:00

I met up with Sheri tonight in a local bar to smother her battle scars with alcohol (my friend Kip joined us). Admittedly, I was the only one drinking, as evidenced by my constant declaration of "It's the beer." Here's some quotes from our night (in no particular order):

You know, I saw her through the window and now I don't see her.

fuck face

I'm gonna lose my 'I wanna shot' buzz.

Barry Manilow!

This song reminds me of Viagra.

I wish [he] would walk through the door right now, but I'd settle for [him]. (Names removed to protect the innocent...and the not-so-innocent)

He looked good in leather.

His chest was so hairy he looked like he was wearing a bathroom rug.

I feel like I should be stoned for this song.

Look at her tattoos.

Let's keep talking so he won't try to draw us into the conversation.

Where are you from?

I couldn't understand a word he said.

He knows we're married and he actually gave us his phone number.

Now I really need that damn shot!

I wonder if she used to be a stripper.

I've never heard "Brick House" sound so much like elevator music.

It makes me never want to dance again.

Table dances are free--go ahead and hop on up.

Thanks a lot, guys.

Oh, you meant the state? I thought you were talking about Kansas, the band.

HEAD EAST!!!

Oh. My. God.

(points to ring finger) I'm married.

Where the hell's that damn waitress?

Oooh! Space Cowboys!

I can't believe they're actually playing this. -- It's ten to one. I can.

(rolling eyes at each other)

There's that damn waitress!

No, I'm the only lush here.

Okay, all of a sudden he's cute.

Oh, look! The prayer channel!

Oh, look. He's conducting.

I have to warn you. It's not Derek St. Holmes. (BTW, Sheri. I checked the schedule. Although this week was originally listed for that bar--I swear--now this week and next week are blank.)

Oh, he does have drumsticks.

Why are all his fingers bandaged?

EWWWW!

I gotta wash that.

Oh, look. They match.

I thought you'd be standing there with Bubba!

What the hell did he say?

Oh, gross! My heels are sticking to the floor!

He looks like a child molester.

Give him your husband's phone number.

She's got a butt like a man.

The family is the family.

Lottie says: Foreigners don't tip.

When you go out, don't talk to anybody.

That was kind of scary.

I'm married too.

You're nice people. American's are not nice people.

Sorry? I didn't get that?

Shit, that was weird.

Why do 300-year-old men always try to pick up on me?

Stupid Audioblogger. (Ths one was said by me when I tried to audioblog and got a consistent busy signal)

And that's just a small part (believe it or not) of our night. I think we succeeded in smothering Sheri's wounds. What do you think? (Yes, Eve, we do always end up with stories after we go out.)

And the Dust Settles...

2005-06-03T03:14:00.000-04:00

...I think.

I've been working a few hours now, and I think I've got all the kinks worked out of the new layout. Please let me know if it doesn't look as good in your browser as it does in mine. I've tested it in both Mozilla Firefox and Explorer, but feedback always helps, you know?

So...why did I choose this layout? And why did I want to change the layout in the first place?

The layout change was inspired by Kristen, whose cool new blog look made me want to try and go for something a little less generic. For something half a million other Blogspot bloggers weren't using.

The search for a new layout proved more difficult than I anticipated, though. I had to find something that was me. Something that either fit my personality or the style of stories I write. Easier said than done. I came across some beautiful layouts: some that made me wish I was more "froo-froo" in personality, some that made me wish I wrote paranormal or fantasy, some that made me wish I was a chick-lit kinda gal.

But I'm not in the least bit "froo-froo", so the pretty flowers were out. Although I love to read paranormal, I can't write it to save my tail, so the otherworldly, the ethereal, the mystical, and the fairies were out. I'm not cutesie, so out went the sweet layouts and the anime. I live in rural Georgia and favor faded jeans with either my Avias or my beat up old cowboy boots, so anything that hinted at hip urban chic was out of the question too.

What did that leave? Not a whole lot.

I finally chose three layouts that I thought were pretty close to me. I set them up with test blogs, then decided on the one that looked best, in my humble opinion. The result is what you see.

Once upon a time, I wouldn't even have considered this layout. I would never describe myself as a coffee addict. But I do drink coffee now (for years my caffeine jolt came from a can of Coke) thanks to Teresa introducing me to Kahlua Vanilla Cream flavored coffee (have I mentioned how much I love Kahlua?).

I settled on this layout mainly because I liked the title (and the colors were nice). Not because of the coffee insinuation, but because it described the real eye-opening smack in the head I received when I first started researching romance writing.

What? You mean I can't just write whatever story that comes to me? You mean there are occupations considered tabboo? The hero and heroine can only be with each other and nobody else once the story starts? They have to meet in the first few chapters? The hell, you say.

Hence, my jolt of reality.

I won't even mention my jaw-dropping discoveries of POV, GMC, and scene and structure, or the hell commonly known as the synopsis, query letter, and agent/editor research.

But now I'm aware of all these things. I'm dealing with them. Gaining proficiency. I'm working to expand my knowledge. And my writing is stronger as a result. I've come a long way, baby.

Please Pardon My Dust

2005-06-03T00:58:00.000-04:00

I'm changing the layout of the blog, and as you can see, I still have some tweaking to do in order to get this sucker fixed. I sure hope I'm able to get it fixed, because I really like this layout.

Anyway, please pardon the kinda funky look until I get everything straightened out.

Yellowstone, Here We Come!

2005-06-01T12:19:00.000-04:00

My husband has been talking about taking a trip out to Yellowstone National Park this summer, and this morning he asked me to start researching hotels and other trip information. Of course, he hasn't bothered to give me exact dates yet, nothing beyond "the middle of July", which makes it a bit hard to do any good research. Anybody out there have advice?

Finally got a workout in this morning. I had to be subtle with my husband: "It kind of sucks that I'll be paying for this membership all summer and not be able to use it since the kids are out of school." He agreed to go in late to work two mornings a week, which will give me at least three workouts per week. I didn't think he'd actually do it, but he shocked me! WOO HOO!

Still haven't done any of my own writing, but I did manage to make great progress on that critique I'm working on, so I'm pretty pleased. I'm hoping to get it finished today (still have 20 pages to go through), but first I have to shower, do laundry, and convince my daughter to do the dishes. Oh, and mustn't forget my daughter's Tae Kwon Do lesson this afternoon.

How's your day going?

I Couldn't Look Away

2005-05-31T19:38:00.000-04:00

PostSecret

It's all Kate's fault.

That Damn Synopsis

2005-05-31T14:29:00.000-04:00

Not only is today the last day of May, it's also the last day of the month-long course I was taking with Mary Buckham, Mastering the 1-2 Page Synopsis. It's been a wonderful workshop--Mary's an awesome (and very patient!) instructor--and if you have the opportunity to take this workshop in the future, I highly recommend it.

Unfortunately, I fell way behind in the course (along with everything else pertaining to my writing life), so I didn't get my synopsis done. BUT I have all the lectures and templates saved, and as soon as I finish this crit (it's coming, Eve, I promise!) I'm seriously going to tackle this thing.

It's frustrating to look down at my plate and see that it's not just full, the contents are spilling over off the plate and onto the table. I'm reminded of a line from the movie "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" (I'm paraphrasing because I don't remember the exact line): Try not to feel overwhelmed. Just do one thing at a time. That line's about to become my new mantra.

Hope everybody's having a wonderful "day after the holiday"!

Overworked and Undervalued

2005-05-30T22:11:00.000-04:00

Mood:Inspired!

Progress: Finished 1-1/2 crits last night

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

I hope everybody had a wonderful holiday. It's been a typical Georgia holiday, meaning rainy and blah. We didn't do anything special...my husband wanted to retrieve something he'd left at the studio, so we drove down and ended up staying for hours. That's okay--I ended up winning an online Bingo game while playing a rousing round of Hide-n-Seek with the kids, so I'll chalk it up as a good day.

Finally got one of those crits finished that I owed, and sent it on to that CP. The same person had also asked for some brainstorming help, so I sent along a couple ideas off the top of my head. She hasn't responded with an Are you kidding? This is crap! e-mail yet, but then again, it's Memorial Day. I'm kidding. I know she won't respond that way. She's too nice. She might think it, but she'd never come out and say it. *g*

Another of my CPs received a rejection letter today, so she's online shopping to help heal the wound. I'll be meeting up with her Friday night to help smother that new battle scar with alcohol. If you get a chance, pop by and give Sheri a hug. She can use it.

I received an e-mail from my Romance Divas Bootcamp mentor this evening that really made me feel good. She called me a very talented writer, and said she thought I undervalued myself when I rated my work for the program. Talk about an ego boost! I'm now publicly thanking Diva Lisa for her wonderful comments. She may not realize it, but her words gave me a much needed kick in the butt.

So now I'm home and the kids are upstairs, which means I have time to work. I'm going to work on another crit and hopefully finish it by tomorrow (it's three chapters), then revisit that old grindstone on BMO.

Here's to making good progress!

Just When I Wasn't Paying Attention...

2005-05-29T20:52:00.000-04:00

Gina and Kristen tagged me, and I didn't even realize it! Sorry it took so long for me to get to this. (BTW--Love the new blog look, Gina!)

Anyway, here goes:

Total number of books I own: Good question. Unfortunately, I don't have a good answer. I have lots and lots and lots of books...so many, my husband says we'll have to buy a separate house just for my books.

Last book I bought: I bought four books on my last book-buying trip. I went into the store to buy one book--really!--and came out with four. Losing the Moon and Where the River Runs by Patti Callahan Henry, Master of the Moon by Angela Knight, and Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton.

Last book I read: Does this mean in its entirety? That would be Losing the Moon by Patti Callahan Henry. Right now, I'm reading Fire Me Up by Katie MacAlister.

Five books that mean a lot to me: Only five? Hm. I'm trying to think of five books on my shelf, under my bed, in my black hole, and in the millions of other places I've stashed them, that mean something or have made some kind of impact. These probably aren't the same choices I'd make on another day, but here they are off the top of my head:

Night Embrace by Sherrilyn Kenyon - The first book I ever read in the Dark Hunter series, which has spurned many late-night lust-filled reading jags. I'm still waiting impatiently for Talon to tire of Sunshine. (Gawd, I so want to be Sherrilyn Kenyon when I grow up.)

Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice - My introduction to vampire romance, even though it's not really a romance. But it sure did whet my appetite for vampires. I can't write 'em, but I love to read 'em.

Legend by Jude Deveraux - One of those books most readers either love or hate. I fall in the category of the former, rather than the latter. I love to reread this one (and her A Knight in Shining Armor) and always cry when Kady "reunites" with the very young Cole.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - And not just for the wonderful story that immediately captured me and made me want to read on and on and on (and crave a burly red-headed Scot of my very own). I love the story of how this book was published. I love the rules it breaks. But hey, the story's great, too.

First Love, Wild Love by Janelle Taylor - This is the first romance novel I really remember falling in love with, and one of the few older books I truly enjoy returning to and rereading. I'd like to say that this book inspired me to try my hand at writing romance, but I'd be lying. However, I did find my Paula character in IH frequently morphing into a carbon copy of the Selena character from this book, and it took quite a bit for me to make her different. I suppose that says something about the way Ms. Taylor's characters stuck with me.

I know I'm supposed to tag somebody else, but that's going to take some research to find people who haven't yet been tagged. As soon as I can, I'll edit this post and tag somebody!

You Believe Me, Don't You?

2005-05-29T20:03:00.000-04:00

Mood: lazy, lazy, lazy

It's been a dreary day here on the homefront, which of course means lazing about the house and thinking about how I really should get to work on the various writing projects I've been steadfastly avoiding. I do it so well, but then, I've had a lot of practice.

Right now my son is angry with me because I won't let him ride his bicycle outside in the rain. I'm such a mean mom. Again, practice makes perfect!

But now, I'm honestly going to start getting caught up. As soon as I close this post, I'm off to catch up on blog-hopping then I'll attack those crits I've been hiding from. Really. I swear.

Good News / Bad News

2005-05-27T15:02:00.000-04:00

The good news is I'm home.

The bad news is I'm still feeling a bit lazy.

The good news is Rocky's open and in my lap.

The bad news is he's been closed for so long, I think he's mad at me. He's taking forever to do anything.

The good news is I've finally downloaded the hoardes of e-mail I've been ignoring.

The bad news is it seemed to take an hour to do it and it'll take me forever to get through it.

The good news is I actually thought about BMO last night, and decided to drop the outline into my story file and try "filling in the blanks"--I'm hoping that will get me jump started again.

The bad news is...still no writing.

The good news is the day's not over yet!

Habits Are Important

2005-05-24T17:24:00.000-04:00

Edited to add: This audio file may not play properly in Mozilla.

A Diminishing Spot in My Rearview Mirror

2005-05-20T12:34:00.000-04:00

What I'm Reading:
Losing the Moon by Patti Callahan Henry

Today was the last day of school for both my kids. We spent this morning first attending an awards ceremony for my daughter, then an end-of-the-year pizza party for my son. Now we're all home, and my freedom is behind me, at least for the next three months. I'm so reluctant to let it go that I'm turning in my seat and reaching for it, stretching as far as I possibly can. Unfortunately, my foot's duct taped to the accelerator and weighed down with a brick, making me move so fast I can do little more than whimper and watch sweet freedom fade into the distance behind me.

Let's not forget my kids are in the back seat, laughing uproariously and shooting straw paper at my head.

I remember last August--the beginning of the school year. I was so excited both my kids were finally in school. I'd finally have time to do all the things I needed to do during the day: laundry, housework, writing...can you say naïve, boys and girls?

I did manage to get things done, including quite a bit of writing even though I've since discovered I write much better at night, when the household is snoring.

But now it's summer vacation, both my kids will be home every day, and I think my daughter said it best: "Now we'll be able to torture you every day!" I look forward to torturing them, too. Besides, it's summer. They'll be outside most of the time (I hope). For now, I've banished them upstairs so I can take care of e-mail and get those crits done.

I'll sign off now, search for my sense of humor, ever grateful to Kristen for finally returning my motivation.

Freak? Or Geek?

2005-05-18T16:07:00.000-04:00

Got my first report card from my RD Bootcamp mentor. She pointed out some shortcomings I knew I had but didn't know how to articulate, but overall, it was good, so I'm not freaked out. She wants me to send her more, which reminds me, I need to respond to her e-mail.

Worked out this morning with my friend, and I think I did something do my back. It's killing me! My daughter walked on it for a little while, and that helped, but damn, did I really need this reminder that I'm getting old?

After the workout, my friend and I met up with one of my CPs, Teresa, for lunch. We laughed a lot, ate a lot, and had a great conversation. We decided the food probably negated our workout, but then again, at least we had a workout to negate, right?

The past couple of days, I've been watching my DVDs of the old television show Freaks and Geeks. I'd forgotten how great this show was! It was one of those shows that died an early death, never receiving the recognition it truly deserved, despite the Emmy nominations.

If you never saw it (and most people probably haven't), it's about a group of high school students in 1980 Michigan. One of my favorite things about this show is the music. I mean, how many shows do you know have used Ted Nugent, Van Halen, Cream, BTO, Madness, Journey, Styx, The Allman Brothers, Supertramp, and a bunch of others in the soundtrack, all reflective of the time period? Even if the other components of this show sucked (which they don't), I'd be watching just for the tunes.

Does that make me a freak? Or a geek?

I'm hoping to get some work done on BMO tonight, since it's my husband's late night at work. One problem. Has anybody seen my motivation hanging around anywhere?

Sunday in the Mountains

2005-05-17T11:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a decent writing day...met my husband at the studio again, and I managed about 10 handwritten pages. Got the sore spot on my pinky to prove it. *g* Today I'll work on getting those pages into the computer and do some work on the crits.

How about some pictures? Here are some of the things we saw during our drive in the mountains Sunday (captions are below each picture):

We were driving on one of those dirt roads up the side of a mountain. I saw this and made my husband stop.

My husband stopped for this one without me having to yell. We all climbed up the side, and we're not going to talk about me losing my balance and nearly sliding all the way down on my tail when a big fat raindrop hit me in the center of my forehead.

When we stopped to eat, another couple pulled up and left this parked outside. How could I not take a picture?

Was It Good For You?

2005-05-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

I hope you enjoyed my Audioblog this morning. I'm still undecided about doing it again. Any opinions?

This morning's workout went well--worked up a sweat, guzzled some water, and headed home for microwave popcorn. I haven't started my crits yet, but I have been writing steadily. Started out working on Rocky, struggled, then remembered I seem to work better with pen and paper. And so far, since picking my son up from school, I've scored four handwritten pages. I'm not done yet, though. Just taking a quick break to keep my promise and post a "regular" blog entry.

Now my break's over, entry's done, and it's time to pick my green pen back up and get back to work.

Hope everybody's enjoying their days!

My First Audio Post!

2005-05-16T08:40:00.000-04:00

(I've just discovered it doesn't work well in Mozilla Firefox)

How Bizarre is This?

2005-05-15T21:18:00.000-04:00

Have y'all heard about Blogshares? From their homepage:

BlogShares is a fantasy stock market for weblogs. Players get to invest a fictional $500, and blogs are valued by incoming links.

What's really bizarre is my blog is represented! According to this, my blog is presently valued at $4,361.47 in the fantasy trading world, and valuations are updated every time the blog is re-indexed. Pretty cool, huh?

What's your blog's valuation?

(Thanks to Deidre Knight for turning me on to this.)

Good News

2005-05-15T11:16:00.000-04:00

Yahoo was quick to react to my cry for help and has deemed me worth of receiving e-mail again. My e-mail address has been reset to normal, and I got all my groups back. That meant a little clean-up on my end this morning, since I'd resubscribed to a number of the groups under a different addy, thinking it would take the busy people at Yahoo longer to respond.

A lesson learned...if you send 50 or more messages to the same group in a 20 minute period, Yahoo assumes you have a vacation auto-responder enabled and disables your account. Guess I need to slow down in the future. *g*

I'm still grinning evilly, though. The other two members of my crit group are out of town this weekend, and will both be coming home to full inboxes. So, even with the trouble I went through, it's still mission accomplished.

Wasn't Friday the 13th Yesterday?

2005-05-14T21:42:00.000-04:00

I'm so mad I could scream.

Earlier today, I was forwarding a bunch of messages through to my little crit group on Yahoo Groups, when suddenly I started getting "undeliverable" messages. I opened one up.

Your Yahoo! Groups account has been disabled because you had an auto-responder set up.

What the hell happened? There's no auto-responder set up on that e-mail addy! Yet, Yahoo decided there was and disabled it, consequently unsubscribing me from all the groups I belonged to. Including my crit group.

I've spent this evening e-mailing the owners of all my groups, asking if I could resubscribe under an alternative address, and I think I've finally finished. One big problem, though. I can't resubscribe to my crit group.

You see, I'm the owner of that group, and I set it up so that all new subscriptions had to be approved. By me. So now my crit group has no owner, and I can't get back on.

I've e-mailed Yahoo, but there's no telling how long it'll take. I hate Yahoo. Did I say hate? Hate is such a strong word. I don't hate them, but I am extremely torqued.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Running on Football Time

2005-05-14T12:16:00.000-04:00

...or I Really Need to Carry a Baseball Bat

The kids and I were on the way home from my daughter's Tae Kwon Do lesson yesterday when my husband called me. He told me he had to mix a couple of tracks, so I should bring the kids down to the studio. Said he was going to call "O" and have him bring his kids too.

Because all five of the kids love to play together and keep each other occupied, him telling me "O" is going to bring his kids is actually husband-code for "it's going to be a long night." So after I got home and took care of a couple things, I loaded the kids in the truck, packed Rocky up, and made the forty-five minute drive to meet him, with visions of all the work I'd get done dancing in my head.

When we got there, my husband and "M" were in the shop portion of the building, discussing a giant, scary saw. My kids ran off to their "hang-out" portion of the building, and since I'm not very interested in power tools, I went to the track room and booted Rocky up while I munched my dinner.

As I was going through e-mail, my husband came in and told me the plan for the night had changed. We weren't going to be staying long--O's wife had come home with NHRA tickets, so they were off to the races. Literally.

With this in mind, I nixed the idea of working on BMO--no point and starting on a big project since I'd probably have to stop mid-thought--and instead concentrated on e-mail and the bulletin boards.

About 7:00-ish, while my husband was giving me a walking tour of the planned build-out for the building, a local sound company owner showed up ("R"). Since these sound guys have their own language (my husband included), the conversation became more technical, leaving me lost and bored. I headed back to the track room and got back to what I was working on.

My husband popped his head in the room and told me we'd be leaving in just a few minutes, so I packed Rocky up and, using the desktop computer in the room, continued what I was doing.

Three hours later, my husband and R came in to look something up on the computer. As I sat there tapping my fingernails on the tabletop, my husband asked why I didn't have Rocky out.

"I packed him up three hours ago when you told me we were getting ready to leave. I didn't realize we were back on Football Time," I said.

R looked at me a little oddly, asked what Football Time was. I told him it was like a football game, where ten minutes could take an hour or more. He found that very funny.

We did finally leave after 11. I could have finished up my BMO edits for my RD Bootcamp mentor. I could have done a lot more writing. I could have got so much done.

If only I'd realized we were on Football Time.

It's Friday the 13th. How's Your Luck Been?

2005-05-13T13:27:00.000-04:00

Friday the 13th. A day of general weirdness and bad luck.

Met up with a friend this morning, and we signed up at Curves together. We're both hoping that doing this with a buddy will shame us into going and working out even when we don't feel like it. They took our weight and measurements, and although I'm clearly not 25 anymore, my results weren't as bad as I thought they'd be.

No Friday the 13th stuff there.

When we returned to the parking lot, I noticed my right front tire was low on air. Very low. My husband is supposed to take care of the vehicles, and I'd been complaining that my truck has been pulling hard to the right. He said it was probably tire wear (I need new tires). It was a tire, all right, just not the wear he thought it was.

The tire's not low anymore, and the truck's not pulling anymore. Imagine that!

That was kind of Friday the 13th-ish.

We did a little shopping afterward, and I finally picked up "Freaks and Geeks" on DVD. WOO HOO! Can't wait to watch it. When I got home, I realized the fabric softener I bought was leaking. Not pouring out, but enough to get the shorts I bought wet. Transferred the fabric softener into the container in my laundry room. Made a big mess.

Definitely Friday the 13th-ish. And the day ain't over yet.

Last night, after After School Activity Hell, I got a little writing stuff done...posted my Antagonist Template in the workshop. Although I didn't get the "good job" I would have liked to receive, I do feel somewhat vindicated. She now understands why I've been having so much trouble with the templates, and it has nothing to do with being template-challenged.

Although IH is most definitely commercial by definition, it mostly deals with emotions: love, jealousy, self-esteem, among others. So she suggested I give the Literary Template a shot. Today I'll finish that up, post it, and I'm hoping that'll get me in the ball park.

Fingers crossed the Friday the 13th stuff is done.

Wish me luck!

On Old Ladies and Bouncing Quarters

2005-05-12T08:45:00.000-04:00

Millie's not angry with me anymore!

Last night, I was able to write a seven-page scene between her and Dakota. No more petulant Millie, refusing to talk to me and staring up at the clouds, calling out the shapes she sees (although I admit, some of the shapes she called out were rather humerous). Nope. Millie talked. Dakota talked. And I, more or less, took dictation.

Millie's usually pretty easy to write, though. Her scenes are fun. And she really enjoyed this one. I mean, why not? She got to talk about bouncing quarters off somebody's butt. Or her desire to do so, anyway. Millie Jericho and her skewed games of heads or tails.

Yup, I'm pretty damn happy, and even indulging in a happy butt wiggle or two.

But now I have to prepare for an appointment with a friend, and later this afternoon I return to After School Activity Hell. The good news is two of the activities are an end-of-season soccer party and the final soccer game of the season. That means no more praying for rain until Fall.

Writing time (or hair-pulling time, depending on how you look at it) will be reduced today as a result, but I'll find a way to get some more work in on BMO and that synopsis workshop. Can't stop now, I'm on a roll!

----

MOOD: Excited
MUSIC: None at the moment. Gotta go get dressed for the day.
PROGRESS: 7 pages of quarter-bouncing fun
WHAT I'M READING: Return of the Warrior by Kinley MacGregor

Baseball bats and gum

2005-05-11T19:57:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting on the couch last night, Rocky in my lap, when my husband comes into the room and stretches his arm toward me.

"Try this," he says. "It's Altoids gum."

My brain immediately makes a correlation: Altoids=breath mint, Altoids gum=breath-freshening gum. Hm. Okay. I take the gum from his hand and pop it into my mouth. After the first few chews, I literally feel my entire face puckering as my eyes bug out and squinch up at the same time.

"Holy crap!" I choke out. "What the hell is this?"

He shows me the little tin. Altoids Sour Chewing Gum. My wonderful, considerate, loving husband (in case you can't tell, my tongue is firmly in my cheek at this moment) conveniently left the word sour out so he could watch my reaction to the gum. And laugh his ass off.

Where's a nice heavy baseball bat when you need one?

He needs to be very afraid. I will get him back.

A Different Plan of Attack

2005-05-11T14:51:00.000-04:00

Sorry I didn't get online to blog yesterday, but in my absence from the Internet, I did get some things done.

After getting my 5-year-old registered for kindergarten (an adventure in itself), I took some time to catch up on TiVo and do some reading (LOVED Marianne Mancusi's A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court! I highly recommend this book.) . Later that evening, we met my husband at the studio, and I took a look at my writing projects.

First, the synopsis workshop. I'd planned to get my Antagonist Template filled in, and I must have stared at the stupid thing until my eyes crossed. After quite a bit of shifting in my seat, loud sighing, and playing with my hair, I went ahead and opened the Literary Template our instructor uploaded for those of us writing literary novels. Just for giggles, of course.

Okay, I was actually doing a bit more procrastinating. But I was having serious trouble, and I really hoped this template would jump start my snoozing brain. So it really wasn't procrastinating, right?

Now, according to the definitions Mary Buckham gave in an earlier lecture, IH is not a literary novel by any stretch of the imagination--it's most decidedly commercial fiction. The building of the plot toward the Black Moment, the character arcs...all signs of commercial fiction. However, I opened that Literary Template, read through it once, and proceeded to fill it in without any problem whatsoever.

What does that mean? Talk about confusion! Looks like I'll be raising my virtual hand in the virtual classroom, and hoping our workshop instructor can explain what's going on, because I sure don't have any idea.

But at least I got somewhere.

With BMO, I've made a decision. For a while now, I've been telling myself that I really need to get on the stick and get those FDi30D worksheets completed. I know I need to do this. I'm determined to finish this book, and SR after that. But the moment I open a worksheet, I find something else that needs to be done. The other day, I even cleaned out my refrigerator, for crying out loud! So last night, as the result of a recent e-mail I received, I pondered the situation. I don't have the opportunity to ponder very often, so it was actually quite enjoyable. Anyway, I've decided it's time to attack this book from a different angle. I'm going to set aside the worksheets and just try some straight writing for a while. I've got a basic outline for the story done, I know where I want it to go, so today I'm going to start working on getting it there.

I'll turn on my soundtrack for this particular book (all Danny Vaughn, all the time), pop on the headphones, and let my fingers fly over the keyboard.

So now I need to quit blogging (and no, this is not more procrastination) and get writing!

Of Rural Towns and Tying it Down...

2005-05-09T08:21:00.000-04:00

I hope all you moms had a lovely Mother's Day!

My husband came home from his four-day business trip late Saturday night, and since he didn't go to work yesterday, he let me sleep in. Then he and the kids woke me with gifts of jewelry! A gorgeous drop necklace and matching earrings with my birthstone. I praised my husband for managing to hold the gifts until yesterday morning, since I knew they'd probably been burning a hole in his briefcase the night before when he got home. He's never been good at keeping gifts from me--he usually gives the me things he buys for me as soon as he brings them home.

Later in the afternoon, we took the kids to buy new bikes. Since my daughter's been riding a hand-me-down bike from her half-sister that's so not her and my son just learned to ride without his training wheels, we figured it was time. As we were leaving the toy store, I said, "Funny. It's Mother's Day and the kids are getting gifts." My husband replied, "These bikes are for you too. It'll keep the kids out of your hair." He was right. After he got the bikes assembled, we didn't see the kids until it was time to drag them in off the street, kicking and screaming, for dinner and their baths.

Yup, it turned out to be a nice day.

On the writing front...I took the day off yesterday. But I did find out that my RD Bootcamp Mentor would like me to send her a copy of my edited chapter once I'm done. I've almost finished--just a couple more edits to make. I'm hoping to finish those today.

A couple observations I made yesterday...

Why is it whenever there are just two cars out there, me and the person waiting to turn onto the road I'm traveling, they always choose to turn directly ahead of me at the very last second? I would say it's because the other driver is in a hurry, but that can't be it because they get on the road and always seem to go ten to fifteen miles under the speed limit. So there I am, jamming on the brakes to avoid rear-ending them, and swearing up a storm. And this happens with frightening regularity. Are they blind? Can they not see my giant black SUV barreling toward them? Or is everybody just that inconsiderate these days? Must be one of the dangers of living in a rural area.

Sometimes you've just gotta wonder how people's minds work. After we bought the kids' bikes yesterday, we were waiting for the toy store folks to bring the bikes out to us. There was a car ahead of us, a Volvo wagon, whose owners had just purchased a large item. They had the back seats down in their vehicle, the large box slid inside, and the husband was trying to secure the rear hatch door with a ratchet strap. He got it hooked to the door, and was searching for a place to secure the strap at the bottom.

My husband was highly amused as the guy crawled all over the ground, searching for something under the bumper to hook the strap to. This must have gone on for a good ten minutes, the guy going this way and that, searching with his eyes, feeling with his hands, and getting nowhere. His wife came out of the store, stood and watched him a few moments, then went up to the front of the vehicle and started moving stuff around. Next thing we knew, they were putting the front passenger seat down and sliding the box all the way up.

"Is he going to strap his wife to the roof?" my husband asked.

"They probably don't have an extra ratchet strap," I told him. "I'll bet she's going to lay down in the back next to the box."

It was then the husband finally spotted the other tie-down spot my husband had smugly mentioned to me before the wife came out--the hook the hatch door latches to when it closes. The man in front of us latched the strap to that hook, and after his wife climbed in next to the box (I was right!), he tied the hatch down.

Both my husband and I wondered why, once the guy had found the hook, he didn't pull the box back out, pull the front seat up so his wife had a place to sit, and tie the door down as he'd originally planned. Instead, he left his wife laying in the back (not completely laying down, she was up on her elbows) with a couple of small boxes piled on top of her body. Must have been very uncomfortable.

My husband kept wondering aloud why that guy had made an easy job so difficult, and I reminded him that not everybody is mechanically inclined, and that poor guy had probably never had to move something so large in that little car. My husband agreed, saying, "I guess he hasn't toted as much stuff as I have."

My response? "From the looks of that guy, he's probably never used the word 'toted'."

We didn't stay to see how the whole ordeal ended. Our bikes came out, my husband quickly loaded them in the back of my SUV, and we took off. As we left, my husband assured me he would have never left me laying in the back of our vehicle like that. At least, not alone.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

2005-05-08T13:40:00.000-04:00

...to all the moms, soon-to-be moms, and want-to-be moms out there! I hope everybody's children are behaving better than mine are today. *g*

---

MOOD: Got some new jewelry today, feeling pretty good
MUSIC: "Thank You for the Love" by Mother's Finest

Someday, I'll Look Back And Laugh...

2005-05-07T14:32:00.000-04:00

...at the hair-pulling, top-of-my-lungs screaming, want-to-throw-Rocky-out-the-window difficulties I'm having with synopses. I'll think, "Wow. I was such a newbie. I can't believe I thought it was so tough." I'll pull out early synopsis efforts and giggle uncontrollably. Then I'll whip a new one off in a few short days and send it out.

That's my fantasy. Well, one of them. I do have some much more interesting fantasies than that, but that's the one that applies here.

What brought this on, you ask?

Most of you know I've been battling with a synopsis for IH for months. Writing. Re-writing. Changing the focus. Writing again. All of that intermingled with a tremendous amount of healthy bashing my head against the wall.

Okay. Maybe not so healthy.

Anyway, I've studied and learned all I could about The Dreaded Synopsis. I've poured over article after article on the Internet. I've purchased books about the subject. I've taken workshops. Yet still, the ability to effectively summarize my 115,000 word book in just 3-5 pages evades me. And does so gleefully, thumbing its nose at me as it skips and dances just beyond my reach.

So I'm taking another workshop: Mastering the 1-2 Page Synopsis with Mary Buckham. I'm hoping that during the course of this month-long workshop the proverbial light bulb will flash somewhere in the vicinity of my head and I'll yell, "Oh my god! That's it! That's the secret!"

And if my sudden yelling startles my husband and children, well, that'll be a bonus.

The first worksheet was a short one about our protagonist. I agonized over this thing. Wrote, re-wrote, and wrote again. Finally finished and sent it in. The bad news is, based on Mary's comments, that ol' light bulb isn't just burned out. Somebody's stolen the little sucker and tossed it in the trash. The good news is she gave me some wonderful advice on how to fix it. So I've edited and resubmitted. No word yet on if I'm still off in La La Land.

I'm determined. I will learn this. I will finally get this synopsis done and sent out. As far as I'm concerned, there's still hope.

They say that which does not kill us makes us stronger. Hell, I'm He-Man now. Anybody have any idea what they say about that which makes us bald and adds extra lines to our faces?

---

PROGRESS: I did manage to get a bunch of edits done yesterday on BMO chapter 1 for my RD mentor!

Tell Me About Me

2005-05-06T11:45:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm procrastinating when I should be working on those worksheets and torturing my characters. Got this one from Diana:

Your #1 Match: ESFP

The Performer

You are a natural performer and happiest when you're entertaining others.
A great friend, you are generous, fun-loving and optimistic.
You love to laugh - and you like almost all people equally.
You accept life as it is, and you do your best to make each day fantastic.

You would make a good actor, designer, or counselor.

Your #2 Match: ISFP

The Artist

You are a gifted artist or musician (though your talents may be dormant right now).
You enjoy spending your free time in nature, and you are good with animals and children.
Simply put, you enjoy bueaty in all its forms and live for the simple pleasures in life.
Gentle, sensitive, and compassionate - you are good at recognizing people's unspoken needs.

You would make a good veterinarian, pediatrician, or composer.

Your #3 Match: ENFP

The Inspirer

You love being around people, and you are deeply committed to your friends.
You are also unconventional, irreverant, and unimpressed by authority and rules.
Incredibly perceptive, you can usually sense if someone has hidden motives.
You use lots of colorful language and expressions. You're quite the storyteller!

You would make an excellent entrepreneur, politician, or journalist.

What's Your Personality Type?

Hm. Doesn't look too far off, actually. One question, though. Does You use lots of colorful language mean I swear too much? *g*

Rats. No sex.

2005-05-06T08:58:00.000-04:00

I had a pretty darn decent writing day yesterday. The crit is done. Finito. Out the door. Got some work done on BMO--a substantial portion of my FDi30D Fact Worksheet, and started on the timelines at the same time. Yup, felt like I accomplished something.

Unfortunately, my characters don't agree. All my fellow fiction writers know these characters we create don't just live on the page, but in our heads as well. Such is the life of a writer: one ear trained on the characters duking it out inside your head, the other ear to the ground, listening to make sure the men in white coats aren't coming for you after being called by a kind-hearted passerby who's heard you having a conversation with yourself. Sometimes using different voices.

I'll never forget the look on my husband's face on one particular day. We were walking through Lowe's Home Improvement store and he was talking about copper piping or table saws or something like that. I made sure to agree in all the right places, but I wasn't really listening. You see, I had recently added a new character to my story--not a very nice one--and I was trying to figure out how to end his plot thread. And when I had intended to interject another uh-huh in the conversation with my husband, what I actually blurted out was, "That's perfect! I'll just kill him!"

At least I finally learned not to argue with my characters out loud when my husband was nearby. He took too much delight in giving me hell about talking to myself. Looks like I taught him too well. *g*

Anyway, back to the subject. My characters are not pleased I'm filling out worksheets. Chad, the hero, thinks it's wonderful that I've finally got the rest of the story plotted, but he says it's time I stop screwing around with worksheets and write the rest of the story. As he paced back and forth, more stalking than walking, he threw his hands in the air and yelled that all my plotting wasn't getting him laid. But he didn't put it quite so nicely.

In the meantime, Dakota, my heroine, is a little torqued I just left her sitting on a footbridge with Millie Jericho. Not that she doesn't like Millie, but Dakota thinks there are better things she could be doing with her time than watch dragonflies divebomb the lake.

All the characters living in my head are extremely demanding (I'm not even going to mention Jackson pouting and Rebecca's reaction to his pouting), and apparently, pretty darn horny. And at this moment, none of them are getting any.

I'm considering torturing them with celibacy for a while longer. See their reactions. It's fun. Besides, I really need to finish these worksheets.

---

MOOD: Can you hear my evil laugh?
MUSIC: "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'" by Vaughn
PROGRESS: Made some headway with the worksheets yesterday
WHAT I'M READING: The Trouble With Harry by Katie MacAlister

Laughing My Ass Off

2005-05-05T08:52:00.000-04:00

I really wish it wasn't just a phrase. Wouldn't it be great if you could lose tonnage just by laughing? Shoot, I'd already be back down to my pre-husband weight if I really could laugh my ass off. But after a really good laugh, I've checked. It's all still there. Rats.

I officially declare today Writing Day. I only have two small errands to run, so I'll just leave early to pick my son up from school and get them done on the way. The rest of the day is for writing--at least, while my kids are in school. I'll finish that crit. I'll get more done on BMO.

My copy of FDi30D seems to have sprouted legs...I'm afraid my husband might have "put it away" last time he helped clean house, and goodness only knows where it's ended up. Darn good thing I'd already done up all the worksheet templates and stored them on my JumpDrive.

I started to work on stuff last night, but another idea I've had brewing for a while got in the way. Demanded to be let out. So instead of working on BMO or the IH synopsis I jotted down a four-page beginning for this other idea and went to bed.

So today will be all about that crit, and Chad and Dakota. I'll turn on some tunes and get hopping. Of course, I'll have to get it all done before the kids get home, because afterward, it'll be After School Activity Hell Day. My daughter's got her Tae Kwon Do lesson AND a soccer game.

Wonder if I'll be able to convince the kids to go to bed early so I can get more done tonight?

My Birthday

2005-05-04T19:42:00.000-04:00

Stole this one from Lady Tess. Scary how accurate it actually is!

Your Birthdate: February 11

Your birth on the 11th day of the month makes you something of a dreamer and an idealist.

You work well with people because you know how to use persuasion rather than force.

There is a strong spiritual side to your nature, and you may have intuitive qualities inherent in your make up, too.

You are very aware and sensitive, though often temperamental.

Although you have a good mind and you are very analytical, you may not be comfortable in the business world.

You are definitely creative and this influence tends to make you more of a dreamer than a doer.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Yet Another Female Moment

2005-05-04T17:26:00.000-04:00

Late post today. Sorry about that. Anyway, first, let me respond to Yankeebob's comment on my previous entry:

Who is Danny Vaughn BTW? (No offense intended.)

*g* None taken, Bob. Danny Vaughn has become one of my favorite artists, and his music has been my soundtrack for BMO (remember the bar scene and Millie Jericho?). He has song clips posted at the Vaughn website under "Media"—you should pop over there and give a listen. Based on what you've posted in the past about your musical tastes, I think you'll like him and his band.

Now, on to my entry.

I have many types of female moments. There's the drooly female moment. The oh-my-god-I'm-dying-here female moment. The *insert happy butt wiggle here* female moment. And that's just a small sampling. This morning's moment could easily fit in either of those last two categories.

Have you ever had one of those moments when something so exciting yet unexpected happens and suddenly you realize if breathing weren't an automatic function you'd be laying dead on the ground?

That was me this morning.

It started out pretty normal — I got up, took my kids to school, then came home and watched a couple of TiVo'd episodes of Revelations. Preparing to hop into the shower, I made a cup of coffee, booted Rocky up, downloaded e-mail, and futzed around downstairs for a bit. I grabbed Rocky on my way to the stairs and started reading as I headed up to the bedroom. I hit that first stair and nearly tripped and fell as my gaze zeroed in on one particular subject line:

From Danny Vaughn

Nothing worked properly, and my mind was a jumble of scattered, incoherent thoughts. If I'd tried to speak, it probably would have sounded like buh buh buh buh buh or something equally as intelligent. I took a deep breath, realized I should probably be sitting down.

As I raced up to my bedroom, my initial thought was, "Huh. Probably just somebody having a good laugh." That idea pretty much disappeared as I read the e-mail. My heart started pounding. My hands started shaking. I read the e-mail again. And again. I picked up the phone and called Teresa. Very calmly (stop laughing, Teresa), I told her what I was looking at. Read the e-mail again. After leaving a voice mail, I finally got in touch with my other CP, Eve. I'm not going to detail those conversations—that would only serve to embarrass myself more than I already have here. Suffice it to say there was definitely a happy butt wiggle or two involved. *g*

So now, with a reminder from Danny Vaughn that I'm not alone in my battle against fear (and a few other inspirational, goofy smile-inducing comments), it's time for me to quit being a slug, get up off my ass, and finish those mss!

But before I sign off this rambling, probably nearly incoherent post, let me first publicly say thank you to Danny Vaughn for bringing a little extra excitement into my day. For pointing out things I already know but don't always remember. For reinforcing the wonderful things I've heard about you. But mostly, thank you for your music.

More Music

2005-05-03T10:06:00.000-04:00

We all know I'm music obsessed...I've taken more than a little ribbing about the boombox thing. That's okay. It's just the way I am and I know it.

Because of this, I know it'll come as no surprise to anybody that I was bouncing-off-the-walls excited when I found out Danny Vaughn was putting up rarities for free download at the Vaughn website. Just got to "News" then click on "Rarities". Right now he has five tracks up there with a little explanation of each. Very cool!

(See? I promised happy posts! I'm delivering. WOO HOO! But I've just realized I've been going overboard with exclamation points in my titles. Gonna have to work on that.)

I've been TAGGED!

2005-05-03T09:16:00.000-04:00

Oooh! I’ve been tagged by Sheri. Here goes! (This is supposed to be idealistic, right?)

If I could be a scientist...
If I could be a farmer...
If I could be a musician...
If I could be a doctor...
If I could be a painter...
If I could be a gardener...
If I could be a missionary...
If I could be a chef...
If I could be an architect...
If I could be a linguist...
If I could be a psychologist...
If I could be a librarian...
If I could be an athlete...
If I could be a lawyer...
If I could be an innkeeper...
If I could be a professor...
If I could be a writer...
If I could be a backup dancer...
If I could be a llama-rider...
If I could be a bonnie pirate...
If I could be a midget stripper...
If I could be a proctologist...
If I could be a TV-Chat Show host...
If I could be an actor...
If I could be a judge...
If I could be a Jedi...
If I could be a mob boss...
If I could be a backup singer...
If I could be a CEO...
If I could be a movie reviewer....

If I could be a musician I’d travel the world, making people happy with my music. The age of screamers and growlers in music would end as everybody sat back and said, "Huh. Imagine that. A melody." I’d put together a daylong music festival with all my favorite bands, and it would sell out completely. Then all those wonderful melodic bands who struggle in the US but do well elsewhere in the world would have the American record labels banging on their doors, begging them to sign and promising them artistic control of their work. And I'd be able to listen to American radio again without only hitting the classic rock stations.

If I could be a farmer I'd have fields and fields of beautiful, healthy crops. And since fresh veggies always taste better than processed ones, my kids would finally beg to eat vegetables, and my whole family would be much healthier. Of course, I'd have to share excess, not only with my friends and neighbors, but also with those who couldn't afford to buy them. Especially families.

If I could be a painter I'd paint all the beautiful landscapes I love to photograph, and I'd travel the world to find more. I'd experiment with different painting mediums, and enjoy the impact each has in its own way on my work.

If I could be a doctor, I'd want to be a pediatrician with unlimited resources so that I could help the millions of children out there who don't have access to healthcare. I'd be able to ignore the word of the HMOs and dispense the care I think is necessary.

If I could be a scientist I'd come up with a smart magic pill. One that you could take and it would sense and solve all medical problems, yet it couldn't be fooled into solving problems that don't exist. It would help the blind see, eradicate cancer, bring you to healthy weight and cholesterol levels, cure chronic sinus problems, end migraines...you get the idea.

This was kind of fun! And of course, I'll spread the fun. I'm tagging Larissa, Steph T, and Yankeebob. Ladies and Bob, choose five, have fun, then tag somebody else!

Sheesh!

2005-05-02T15:35:00.000-04:00

I just looked over my last few posts, and UGH! Could I possibly whine any more? Next post will be happy. I promise.

Attack of the IDONWANNAS

2005-05-02T14:43:00.000-04:00

It was a weird weekend. It started out well enough...Friday afternoon I went with my husband to pay for a mixing console he purchased for the studio. A monster of a thing—throw a sheet and pillows on it and it’d look like the bed I had when I single. The owner of the studio introduced himself, shook my hand, and asked if I was a “recordist”. I was very flattered.

That afternoon, my 5-year-old finally rode his bike without training wheels. After my daughter pushed him around the front lawn a couple times and he took a couple bad spills, he was off and running. Now he rides like an old pro.

That night I met up with one of my CPs for a few drinks and some loud rock n’ roll. I had just picked up my new blue contact lenses (kind of fun to change my eye color!), and I actually received a compliment. Plus I had a great time with Teresa, as I always do.

Saturday it was back to the studio to drop some things off and meet up with one of the artists who’s been recording there. Ended up hanging out and chatting all afternoon.

But Sunday’s when it got weird. My husband took my truck to work, and he had to work late, so it was just the kids and me at home. But the kids took off to terrorize the neighborhood (in other words, play with their friends), so it was just me. Prime writing time, right?

That’s when the IDONWANNAS slammed me. BAM! Like a stone thrown at the center of my forehead. I did read one of the forums at Romance Divas...only because I’m required to as a moderator. But I didn’t read e-mail, didn’t post anything. Got the forum out of the way, closed Rocky, and put him aside.

Why was I suddenly struck by the IDONWANNAS? I’m not sure. Could be that female monthly curse. Could be that my husband’s preparing for a business trip. Could be my kids driving me nuts. Or it could just be that I needed a break from the internet and writing world. I did read a couple books, then immersed myself in the 4th season of The West Wing, watching every episode back-to-back-to-back. And as I listened to the commentary, how they used this lens or that effect or blocked the scene this way, I wanted to pull out my cameras.

But I didn’t. Damned IDONWANNAS.

Today, though, I have to get back to business. It’s a HAFTA. I HAFTA finish my crits. A month-long synopsis workshop started yesterday, and I HAFTA read those posts. I HAFTA reaffirm my presence at RD. I HAFTA get caught up with my RWA chapters. And I HAFTA do something with BMO and IH.

Luckily, writing this blog entry has helped me get back in the mood to connect with my online friends and interests. And maybe the IDONWANNAS have finally gotten bored and left for greener pastures.

I Spy With My Little Eye Something That Is FEAR!

2005-04-28T13:22:00.000-04:00

Okay. Now that I got yesterday’s rant out of my system, I’m feeling better. I figured after that, today’s entry should be something a little more lighthearted. So, I think I’ll talk about: Fear.

What? Did you think it was going to be about peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches? (Shoot. Now I’m hungry.) My son stayed home from school today after spending half the night vomiting. Believe me, fear is as lighthearted as I’m gonna get.

Anyway, fear. It’s been the subject of a few blogs lately, Silma and Sheri immediately spring to mind. Looks like I’m jumping on that blog-wagon.

I can’t say that my fears are unusual. Matter of fact, after reading other blog entries, I’d say they’re pretty common. Normal, even. My biggest fear as far as writing goes is very simple. I’m not good enough.

That’s not to say I think I suck as a writer. I know I don’t suck. If I did, I think any one of my three wonderful CPs would have long ago said, “Hey, Lynn? I think they’re hiring down at the mall food court.” But they haven’t, so I think it’s safe for me to say I don’t suck without sounding conceited.

Even so, I still can’t shake that little voice whispering in the back of my mind.

I’m not good enough.

It’s a self-esteem issue, I know that. And it’s not specific to my writing. A lifetime ago, I used to hang around with a bunch of musicians. On a pretty regular basis, they’d ask me to come do a song with them. I’d shake my head so vehemently that I’m certain part of my problem today is something shook loose and is rattling around. Hm. Could be the cause of that voice?

I’m not good enough.

Call it what you want: lack of self-esteem or self-confidence, stage fright, whatever. In my case, it’s all the same. Whenever I’ve sent something to my CPs or my new RD Bootcamp mentor Lisa, that nagging little voice starts to sound like the mother in Stephen King’s “Carrie”: They’re all gonna laugh at you.

For the bootcamp, we had to fill out a form that lists what we feel are our strengths and weaknesses, and what we’d like to get out of it. When I asked my CPs what they saw as my weaknesses, one said: You worry too much, imo, and it seems to slow the creative flow at times.

Yup. That’s me.

That said, the big question is how do I overcome this fear? How do I get past it? I certainly don’t have the answers, and if anybody does, please feel free to share. I might even pay you.

All I can do is keep trying. Keep pushing myself. Get the synopsis for IH done and start submitting. Finish writing BMO and SR and get those submitted, too. Write more. Submit more. Work through the fears and deal with the disappointments as they come instead of planning or expecting them.

Do I think that’ll solve my problem? Overcome my fears? Um...no. But it might help to make them easier to deal with and a little less bothersome.

Who's the real professional here?

2005-04-27T23:35:00.000-04:00

It's amazing the dust one narrow-minded letter can kick up.

There are a lot of writers out there who are torqued, the result of a debate (re)started by a letter printed in the May issue of RWA's trade publication, RWR. In a few words (and in my humble opinion), the writer of this letter insults the erotic romance genre, one of the publishers of that genre, and the writers of erotic romance by indicating writers of erotic romance aren't professional writers, and the RWA "made a big mistake in lowering our standards to accept such a publisher ."

It bears mentioning that the publisher in question is RWA recognized, meaning they have met the standards set forth by the organization for recognition.

Apparently, the writer of this letter was offended by the May RWR’s back cover advertisement, placed by this same publisher, describing it as “dopey-looking hunks in ridiculous costumes”.

For more detailed discussions of this issue, please visit Sylvia Day, Shannon Stacey, HelenKay, Monica Jackson, and Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Novels.

My own opinion? I have a problem with the letter-writer's comments. A huge one. It seems to me she feels that writers of erotic romance are beneath her. That they have no business being part of a professional romance organization such as Romance Writers of America.

I wholeheartedly disagree.

I don’t write erotic romance, but I do know that writers of that genre work just as hard as those writing contemporary romance, romantic suspense, inspirational romance, etc. Not professional? Pshaw! I have no questions about the professionalism of the erotic romance writers I’ve encountered. And those “dopey-looking hunks”? Shannon Stacey has posted links to some of the letter writer’s own covers, and frankly, I don’t see a difference.

I may be beating a dead horse here (to coin a cliché), but I’m more offended by intolerant elitists than I am by erotic romance.

But that’s just me.

Don't Say it That Way!

2005-04-27T02:49:00.000-04:00

When I read Larissa’s blog tonight, I came across her entry entitled ”Don’t Roll Your Eyes” (yes, I was procrastinating—again), and it got me thinking. She talked about a person who hated reading the phrase “she rolled her eyes”. Said it “conjured up images of two disembodied eyes rolling across the floor”. Anyway, like I said, it got me thinking. Personally, the rolling eyes thing doesn’t bother me, but are there phrases/actions I’ve read in published books that do bother me?

The answer is yes, there are. I just finished a book by a multi multi-published author, who (whom?) I happen to love. And a number of times, she used the phrase she gave [insert action here] (example: she gave an eye roll). I understand the need to change up the way you phrase things in order to keep it interesting, but as I mentioned in my comment to Larissa’s post, I couldn’t help but wonder if she wrapped that eye roll up in pretty foil holographic paper and slapped a bow on top.

And here’s another couple that never bothered me until I read Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: she tossed her head/hair and she dropped her eyes. After reading SEfFW a couple hundred times, when I see these phrases I ask myself “How far did she toss it” and “Did she have to go to the hospital?” in that order.

I’m sure there are other phrases that give me pause, but I’m tired and can’t think of them right now. What phrases do you see in published books that drive you nuts?

Rainy Day in Georgia

2005-04-26T17:38:00.000-04:00

Pathetic title, I know. What do you expect? It's been raining all day here. Dreary day, dreary title. Tit for tat and all that.

Anyway, I'm sitting here on my living room sofa, eating a roast beef and provolone sandwich on honey wheat bread (yeah, that's doing wonders for my diet!), drinking a Diet Pepsi and blog-hopping. Although, technically, I guess you can't call it blog-hopping anymore. Thanks to Diva Gina at RD, I'm now reading my favorite blogs through SharpReader. So now all the blogs I read are listed in one spot, and all I have to do is click on the blog name, then the entry title of choice, and BAM! I'm reading! Plus, it lets me know when somebody's updated. Very cool. And it's a new toy for me, so that makes it doubly cool.

Haven't done much writing today, but the day ain't over. After I finish blog-reading, I'll finish up some crits (I have three waiting to be done--well, two to finish, one to do) and then take a look at BMO again and do some FDi30D work on it. And if I'm feeling really ambitious (or I just get a real hankerin' for punishment) I'll pull out that IH synopsis again and see if I can make any headway with that.

---

MOOD: Hungry! (But getting better with this sandwich)
MUSIC: Blessed silence. My kids aren't even fighting.
WHAT I'M READING: Love is All Around by Lori Devoti

It's a procrastination fest!

2005-04-25T10:13:00.000-04:00

With thanks to Steph T:

1. Take first five novels from your bookshelf.
2. Book 1 — first sentence
3. Book 2 — last sentence on page 50
4. Book 3 — second sentence on page 100
5. Book 4 — next to the last sentence on page 150
6. Book 5 — final sentence of the book
7. Make the five sentences into a paragraph.
8. Feel free to “cheat” to make it a better paragraph.
9. Name your sources
10. Post to your blog.

Okay, first, my shelf is upstairs and way too far to walk to (I’m feeling a little lazy right now), but I do have a plethora of books stuffed in the black hole (the cabinet under the TV), so I grabbed five from there.

Here goes, without the cheating:

“Baby,” groaned the guy--Ted? Tad?--something like that--and crushed his lips against the side of her neck, shoving her face against the wall of the toilet stall. I threw the lock and then the change had me. Twice. I’d have to invest in martial arts coaching and learn some police techniques for subduing felons. “I knew even then that I was waiting for the man of my dreams.”

Sources:

1. "In Her Shoes" by Jennifer Wiener
2. "Hunter's Moon" by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
3. "Loving Mercy" by Teresa Bodwell
4. "One for the Money" by Janet Evanovich
5. "Falling Awake" by Jayne Ann Krentz

And now for the blog version, also from Steph:

1. Select five blog links from your links sidebar
2. Blog 1 - first sentence of the latest blog entry
3. Blog 2 - second to last sentence of the earliest blog entry on the front page
4. Blog 3 - last sentence of the first blog entry of the entire blog
5. Blog 4 - third sentence of the third blog entry on the front page
Then, click on the last link of the Blog Links sidebar at Blog 4. If there isn’t one, do this with Blog 3
5. Blog 5 - last sentence of the latest blog entry
6. Put all together to create a paragraph out of all that
7. Post it to your blog along with links to all blogs that you used here.

And we're off!

I surprised myself this weekend by actually meeting my BIAW goal. Isn’t it funny how we stress over a few tiny sentences? And like a phoenix, I was reborn through fire... It disciplines you to write on the fly, like a journalist. May it lead you to lucrative book contracts!

Sources:

1. Teresa's Journey
2. Cynthia Justlin
3. Silma's Misadventures of an Unpublished Writer
4. Sylvia Day
5. Diana Peterfreund

Now that that's done, I'm off to run errands.

Updates, updates everywhere!

2005-04-24T23:07:00.000-04:00

I spent a good part of today trying to set up a photo gallery on my website. Three or four hours into it I gave up. The particular script I was using (available through my server) was just more trouble than it was worth. Now, I'm no techno-idiot. I'm no web genius either, but I think I can hold my own. Or I thought so until I came up against that stupid program.

Anyway, after deleting everything related to that gallery from my webserver, I did an internet search for a different gallery to use. The luck o' the Irish must've been smiling on me, because I found one in no time flat! AND, it was unbelievably easy to set up. So now on my website I have a gallery of some of my favorite photographs.

Earlier today, I added excerpts from three of my mss: IH, BMO, and I2I. Don't have a blurb or excerpt up for SR yet, but that'll come in time.

So if you're bored and have nothing to do *snort*, feel free to stop by www.lynndaniels.com and take a look at the new features!

Now, off to write!

I have tunes!

2005-04-24T00:58:00.000-04:00

Yep, the dealer finally put my CD changer back in yesterday, so I'm no longer tortured by the local radio stations, and the boom box has been removed from the truck. Can you hear my sigh of relief?

My husband shampooed most of the carpets in the house yesterday, and since they were still wet today he decided we all needed to go out for the day. Spent the day driving around looking at property, then it was off to Lowe's. Somehow, we managed to decide to repaint most of the rooms in our house, and even bought the paint. I think it was the clean carpets that did it. But I ask...are we insane???

And of course, since we were gone all day, I got NO writing time in. Sheesh. Looks like it's gonna be a late night tonight.

P.S. I'm behind in comment responses, and waaaaaay behind on my blog-hopping. Apologies to all. I'm hoping to start getting caught up on all that tomorrow. (Suddenly feeling like Scarlett O'Hara.)

I'm Not Buying Anything

2005-04-21T14:15:00.000-04:00

The past couple of days have been good writing days for the BIAW. Three hours Tuesday, 7 hours yesterday. And yesterday, I did my FDi30D scene capsules, did a bunch of research for BMO, and completed my first draft of my IH synopsis overhaul. Sometime later today, I need to type that synopsis into the computer.

Additionally, I've been assigned a mentor through Romance Divas. I need to return my "report card" to her today, which I need to finish filling out with what I see as my strengths and weaknesses, and what I want to get out of the mentor program boot camp. Then I'll be sending her the first three chapters of BMO.

And did I mention that my daughter has a TKD lesson and a soccer game today? Sheesh. Does it ever end?

On top of all that, my poor son was up half of last night coughing. I took him to the doctor today, and it turns out he has bronchitis. That's what they're calling it this time. However, the doctor warned me that if this becomes a repeat problem, the diagnosis will change from bronchitis to asthma. Lovely. So on top of his three separate daily allergy medications, his also taking another three medications plus he needs breathing treatments with a nebulizer (not sure if I spelled that right) every four hours.

*sigh*

While my son and I were at Wal-Mart waiting for his prescriptions to be filled, we wandered around a bit. Of course, I wandered to what is, for me, the most interesting place in the store. The DVD section. As we headed that direction, I repeated a silent mantra: I'm not gonna buy anything. I'm not gonna buy anything.

We hit the DVDs and I started to browse.

I'm not gonna buy anything. I'm not gonna buy anything. Oh, look! "Sideways"! No. I'm not gonna buy anything. I'm not gonna buy anything. Shoot. The first season of "The Pretender" is out. I'll just look at the back. Hm. We did say were were going to buy this one. Okay. I'll get this one. But I'm not gonna buy anything else. I'm not gonna buy anything else. Huh. I've been looking for "Sister Act 2" on DVD. It's not even $9. I'm not gonna buy anything else. I'm not gonna buy anything else.

You get the idea.

---

MOOD: Exhausted, and it's not even 2:30pm
MUSIC: None. Watching Season 4 of The West Wing
PROGRESS: 3 hours Tuesday, 7 hours yesterday for BIAW
WHAT I'M READING: Full Bloom by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes

Return of the Divas!

2005-04-19T09:09:00.000-04:00

Looks like the Divas' site and forum is back up and running. WOO HOO! The return of a former form of serious procrastination has returned.

Got in some decent time yesterday for the first day of this month's FTHRW BIAW. Managed to type in all my handwritten pages from Sunday, then moved on to the FDi30D Worksheet 15, Story Evolution Worksheet. Can you say frustrating, boys and girls? This is where my plotting suckiness (is that a word?) really shines through. On part of this worksheet (and this is only a small part), you're supposed to list short-term goals your characters have set in order to help them reach the story goal, how that short-term goal was thwarted, the characters' reactions, how the stakes are raised, and how the characters react to the new stakes. I had problems right out of the gate on this one. I mean does (to put it delicately) boinking count as a raising of the stakes? It's definitely a raising of something, right?

So what did I do in reaction to my problem? I plopped the headphones on my head, cranked some tunes, and stuck my tongue out at Rocky. Constructive and adult, don't you think? Yeah, me neither. But it sure felt good.

After my very adult and very constructive reaction, I stared at the computer screen for a while. All these actions were certain to get the ball rolling for me. (Yeah, right.) I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I continued to draw a blank on filling out the worksheet. I knew I needed to do something, though.

Lately, all my energies have been focused on BMO. I finally decided those good ol' creative juices might flow again if I pulled out and reread what I have written on SR. Not to pat myself on the back here, but I must admit that rereading those scenes with Jackson and Rebecca (some from the beginning of the story and some from near the end), reminded me of the vast potential of that story. I really liked what I have so far. Sure, it's only the first draft and those scenes could definitely stand some reworking, but the basic elements are there. I ended up defying Karen Wiesner's (author of First Draft in 30 Days) suggestion and worked up Character Sketches (Worksheet 1) for that story.

I may not have progressed much with BMO yesterday, but at least I went to bed feeling like I'd accomplished something. And that's always a good thing.

As for IH, after revisiting the crits on my synopsis, I've decided the entire thing needs to be reworked. Since I'm planning to market the story as women's fiction with strong romantic elements, I clearly need to adjust the synopsis to take emphasis away from the relationship between Chris and Teresa and place it firmly on Teresa's self-discovery journey.

So for my BIAW time today (I committed to 20 hours for the week), I plan to get started on that synopsis. And I've got two crits due, so I need to get those started today, too.

And I'll get all that started after I go pick up my new contact lenses. And clean the living room. And start the laundry. Crap. At least my bed's made.

---

MOOD: Still a little frustrated, yet hopeful
MUSIC: "Soul" by Matchbox Twenty
PROGRESS: 5 hours yesterday toward my BIAW goal

Oh, The Wonders of Modern Technology

2005-04-18T08:24:00.000-04:00

My internet access was knocked out by a storm.

I was happily be-bopping along, working on getting caught up after vacation, and we were hit by a nasty storm. Pea-sized hail and everything. Next thing I know, no internet. Phooey. So much for getting caught up. Luckily, it's finally back.

So while it was out, I decided to get caught up elsewhere, starting with weeding my garden (Saturday was a gorgeous day). You may remember I broke my ankle last spring, and I haven't been able to weed my garden since. And it shows. So, Saturday afternoon, while my husband and son were down at the studio, and my daughter was away at a birthday party, I pulled on my gardening gloves, grabbed my gardening shovel, and headed out front. Made good progress, too. But, oh, am I regretting it now. I've never known such back pain. My husband says it's a sign I need to get out and do more gardening, that I'll regret it if I don't. I want to know how I'm supposed to do more gardening when I can't even bend over?

Since I could barely move yesterday, I got back to work on BMO with the FDi30D method. Good news! I finally filled the whole between where I left off writing and the beginning of the end of my story! WOO HOO! Today I'll start on the Dialogue Worksheet, and continue working on the Story Evolution Worksheet. And since I signed up for the FTHRW BIAW this week with a goal of 20 hours, I anticipate making great progress.

Friday afternoon I finally had the opportunity to meet another of my CPs. Teresa and I got together for lunch with Eve Jameson, as she happened to be in town. You know how when you usually meet somebody in real life that you've been online friends with, they're usually very different from their online persona? (And did that sentence even make sense?) This has happened to me a few times. I won't say I was disappointed those times, but it was pretty weird. Anyway, Eve's just like she is in her e-mails, which was very cool. The three of us had a great lunch, which ended too soon, since I had to get back to pick up my son from school. I'm just sorry Eve doesn't live closer so we could get together more often.

Oh, and my truck. It went in for service Friday morning. They fixed all the problems, except I got it back Friday evening with a big hole in the dash where my CD changer used to be. Yup, they removed it to send out for repair. They said it'd be back Tuesday, but until then, no tunes in the truck.

Yeah, right.

After my daughter's Friday night soccer game, I stopped at Wal-Mart and picked up a small boom box. The music doesn't sound as good as it does coming through the truck's sound system, but at least I have tunes now. My husband about laughed his tail off, said I couldn't even take one trip in the truck before the silence drove me nuts.

He was right. What can I say? Love my music.

Anyway, I need to quit blogging and work on getting caught back up on e-mails and bulletin boards, then work on BMO. I wonder if the Romance Divas boards are finally back up?

---

MUSIC: "Come to Be My Friend" by Shaw/Blades
PROGRESS: 21 handwritten pages yesterday!

Me and Mickey, Part 2

2005-04-13T09:21:00.000-04:00

So where did I leave off? Oh yeah, we'd just arrived at the hotel. I won't be relaying this chronologically, but I'll hit some of the highlights.

First of all, we really loved the perks that come from staying in a Disney resort. Being able to send purchases back to your hotel? Awesome. Being allowed to enter certain parks early and stay late? Fabulous! We got some great rides in during the extra three hours in the Magic Kingdom. Proximity and transportation to the parks? Can't beat it.

Like I said, we'll never stay off property again. And I've already started hinting to my husband (actually, I started hinting while we were still there) that I'd like to stay in the Grand Floridian next time. Don't worry. I was subtle. As we rode past on the monorail, I said, "Honey, I want to stay there next time."

See? Subtle. *snort* Since that level of subtlety is what my husband expects of me, it's all good.

As for the rides, we hit everything we really wanted to...except for the Aerosmith roller coaster at Disney/MGM Studios. My youngest wasn't tall enough for that one. But three times on the Tower of Terror made up for it. Matter of fact, we hit all the thrill rides multiple times.

Test Track at Epcot? Very cool, although we all agreed on a wish for the straight, high speed portion being longer. This was the first time on that ride for us. I should add that at 10am, we picked up our Fast Passes for that ride. And what time did it tell us to go back? 3! Damn! Talk about a popular ride!

We rode the Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom twice during the Extra Magic Hours. And I got soaked to the skin both times. And I mean soaked. Like somebody had dumped a few hundred gallons of water over my head. Which is essentially what happened. Twice. Ain't I lucky?

And now I have to take a minute to talk about the food. OMG, the food. We purchased a vacation package which included our hotel stay, our park passes, and most of our food. We got one snack, one counter-service meal, and one table-service meal per day. I'm so glad we did, because otherwise we'd never have experienced the wonderful Disney table-service food. Of all the places we ate, my number one recommendation is the Concourse Steakhouse at the Contemporary Hotel. I'm still humming with pleasure from that meal.

We also did two character meals, a dinner at the Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom and a breakfast at Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary. Both were absolutely wonderful, and having the characters come right to your table beats waiting in line in the heat to meet them any day, hands down.

One night, we actually went off property for the evening, and took in the show at Medieval Times. What fun! My husband and I had done this last time we went to Disney, but this time we took the kids. And they had a blast. My son was really into it--standing on his chair, whooping and hollering for our knight and booing the others. My daughter was into the whole thing until she was singled out by our knight. She received a carnation from him, and a scarf that signified it was she he would be jousting for. I think she was really embarrassed. My daughter is an athlete, and used to being recognized for that. Being recognized for any other reason is foreign to her, and she just didn't know how to handle it. She did really like the food, though.

The night before we left, we received our shopping bill (they allow resort guests to use their resort ID as a kind of credit card). My husband's comment to me when he saw the bill? "I'm proud of you. You spent less than half of what I thought you would!" My response? "Get up off your ass. I've got shopping to do!"

And that, in a very large nutshell, was our Disney vacation. I absolutely did not want to leave, and would happily live at Disney (as long as the meals are paid for). I can't wait for the next one!

Any questions?

---

MOOD: Hungry
MUSIC: None now. Watching "Mr. Romance".
PROGRESS: Got my crits done! Still trying to get caught up after vacation
WHAT I'M READING: The Bane Affair by Alison Kent

Me and Mickey, Part 1

2005-04-11T17:05:00.000-04:00

As I said earlier, we're back from vacation. And now I'm wondering if I'll ever catch up. Yahoo seemed to burp again while we were gone, and I was getting double posts on every list, which means my inbox filled up quick. Which also means several messages started bouncing. So if you've tried to e-mail me within the past few days and I don't respond by Thursday, please feel free to try again. My apologies.

Okay. So, the vacation. Let me start by saying that Walt Disney World is probably my most favorite place in all the world. Of course, I say that without ever having visited most of the world, so take from that what you will. Anyway, the days leading up to the vacation were jam packed and I felt like one of those little wind-up toys that wander around, bouncing off the walls to change direction. You ever have those days where it feels like your head is spinning and everything's taking off in different directions and no matter how hard you try you can't get a handle on anything? That was me before we left.

One good note--we went shopping before we left because the whole family needed new shorts. Can't go to Florida without shorts, right? And my weight has yo-yo'd so much since breaking my ankle last year, I was afraid nothing I had fit. But when we went shopping, I discovered I was a size smaller than I thought I was. Always a nice discovery, and it should have got me started on a great foot.

Should have.

The day before we left was house cleaning day. We desperately wanted to come home to a clean house (not to mention the fact that I didn't want to be embarrassed when my neighbor came in to take care of the dogs), so we spent Sunday cleaning. And cleaning. And cleaning. We finally collapsed into bed in the wee hours of the morning, exhausted, but with a clean house. Of course, that blew our 6am leave time right out of the water...we were just too damned tired to drag ourselves out of bed at 5am to get ready. But we were on the road by 8am, and things were looking up.

By the time we hit South Georgia, the CD player in my truck crapped out. At first, we thought it might need to be cleaned, so we stopped and picked up one of those cleaning disks and tried it. No dice. Kept getting "focus error" and "bad disc" messages. Must I even mention how devastated I was? A road trip without my tunes! Let's just say that part sucked with a capital S-U-C-K-E-D.

But we did finally get to the hotel all in once piece, and the kids were sufficiently surprised, since we'd misled them about where we were going. We spent the first night just hanging out in the hotel so we could start on the parks the next morning, fresh and raring to go.

Since this entry is already long, I'll break here. But first, let me just add that after staying on Disney property, we'll never stay off property again. It was a wonderful experience, and I'll continue the story later.

---

MOOD: Tired
PROGRESS: I'm still freaked out by all the catching up I have to do!
WHAT I'M READING: The Bane Affair by Alison Kent

Did ya miss me?

2005-04-11T14:29:00.000-04:00

I'm back!

We just got home after a weeklong vacation at Disney World. Unfortunately, I don't have time for a full post right now, but I thought I should let everybody know I'm alive, happy, and going nuts trying to get caught up.

More later!

It's a Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood

2005-03-31T11:04:00.000-05:00

Pardon my Mister Rogers moment, but I thought the song was fitting. It's a horrible day out--stormy and gray--the perfect day to curl up in front of a roaring fire with a cup of hot chocolate. Except I don't have any firewood. Or hot chocolate.

Instead I'm sitting on my bed, Rocky warming my lap, a glass of water by my side. Not really the same thing. I won't even slide down under the covers because I've made the bed and I don't need to add yet another thing to my "To Do" list. Ah, hell. At least I'll find out who got booted from American Idol last night (thank goodness for TiVo!).

Am I whining? Tough. *g* It's a whiny kind of day. The good news is my daughter's soccer game has already been cancelled, so that's an extra 1-1/2 hours I'll get to tackle my "To Do" list. Oh, and my shower this morning felt really really really good. Why do showers feel better some days than others?

I'm thigh-deep in vacation preparations. Yesterday I researched Disney restaurants and made our Priority Seating arrangements. We invited my mother to drive up from South Florida and spend a day with us...she decided to make a week out of it. I had to call the Disney Reservations line and find out what that would add to our bill. I hope my husband remembers to call and get that taken care of.

And on top of vacation itinerary prep, I have to find a way to get this house cleaned before we leave. Can't be embarrassed when the neighbors come in to take care of the dogs, now, can I? There's also tons of laundry to be done, and my husband wants me to have my truck detailed. Doesn't look like I'll be taking care of the truck today, though.

Then there's my writing. I owe two crits, and I'm hoping to get those out before we leave. Ideally, I'd also like to get those FDi30D Worksheet 6 holes filled before we go, too. But I've decided to let the IH synopsis sit until we get back. That means I've got three days to finish two crits and a worksheet. I can do it. Power of positive thinking, right?

In the midst of all my running around like a headless chicken, I did have one bright spot last night. Okay, more than one, but this one was really bright. Final Frontier's Rob Moratti e-mailed to thank me for my recent comments about their new release, High Tension Wire. He also forwarded along some photos of him performing with Survivor's (the band, not the show) Jimi Jamison last week at a fund raiser. The song was "I Can't Hold Back". Damn, but I wish I could have heard that performance!

And now it's time for me to stop rambling and get to work!

---

MOOD: Gray and somewhat frazzled
PROGRESS: Got all my longhand pages from Worksheet 7 typed in and printed last night
WHAT I'M READING: Get Bunny Love by Kathleen Long

DONE!

2005-03-30T13:41:00.000-05:00

Yes, my FDi30D Worksheet 7 is finished. Even got to throw in a few good Millie Jericho lines there at the end. I'm not entirely pleased with the resolution, but it can always be tweaked later. Today I'll be working to fill in the gaps I've left previously, then it's time to move on to Worksheet 9, the Dialogue Sheet. I'll be skipping worksheet 8 (Interview Questions) at this point, because I don't yet think I'll need to be interviewing anybody. But it's there if I need it.

There are two new bloggers listed on the First Draft in 30 Days website! Sheri Haynes (who's also one of my CPs) and Florence Cardinal. Go, ladies! I hope this book is working as well for you as it is for me.

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PROGRESS: 12 handwritten pages yesterday. Finished FDi30D Worksheet 7!
WHAT I'M READING: Get Bunny Love by Kathleen Long

OMG, YUM!

2005-03-29T12:02:00.000-05:00

I had the most amazing dinner of my life last night. We went to Fogo de Chão in Buckhead. My husband had eaten there last month for a business dinner, then came back and told me he would have to take me there someday. And someday was last night.

Fogo de Chão is a Brazilian steakhouse. We all ended up referring to it as a carnivore's paradise. After we were seated, the restaurant concept was explained to us, and then we hit the extensive and somewhat unusual salad bar. We all finished our salads then turned our cards over. What does that mean?

Every diner is given a little round card, red on one side, green on the other. The restaurant's brochure says Fogo de Chão features continuous tableside service of fifteen different delectable cuts of beef, pork, lamb and chicken... Patrons control their service with a small green and red-sided chip. The green side signals the "Gaucho" chefs to bring out skewers of sizzling meats to the table, while the red side indicates a stopping point.

These "Gaucho" chefs, as the brochure says, roam the restaurant with different meats on skewers. They ask if you'd like whatever meat they're holding, and then upon your consent, begin to slice some off for you, which you retrieve with special little tongs. And they keep coming, until you finally flip your card back over to red in defeat.

Everything they served tasted amazing. I mean, totally amazing. I didn't want to stop eating, although my body was telling me if I didnt, I'd soon have meat coming out of my ears. I did finally stop, though, and by the time the dessert menu came around, I thought I might be able to stuff in just a little bit more. Tiramisu. YUM!

The meal wasn't cheap--$45.50 per plate plus drinks and dessert. But in my personal opinion, it was all completely worth it.

On the writing front, I just finished typing in my longhand summary for FDi30D Worksheet 7. One more scene summarized, and that worksheet will be done. It's taken me a little longer than the book schedules, but Karen Wiesner (FDi30D's author) does say we should work at our own pace. And since I'm still getting a feel for this method, I assumed it would take me a little longer. I'm sure my own methods will become more streamlined as I continue to work the method.

I'm just happy the scene ideas are still flowing.

Rain Rain Go Away

2005-03-28T10:21:00.000-05:00

It's been raining pretty solidly since late Saturday night. The blah skies outside have given me a bit of a blah feeling inside. As I sit here watching Sliders on the SciFi Network, I can't help but wonder if anything will help that blah feeling go away.

Tonight my husband is taking me out for a nice dinner, so I have things I have to get done today. I need to call the sitter and tell her what time to be here. I have to clean the first floor of my house so I won't be embarrassed when she arrives. I have to get my hair trimmed and my nails done.

Okay, those last two things aren't haftas, but wantas. Regardless, they're all still on my list.

One of the Sliders plots this morning made me wonder if I could write a book like that. If you're not familiar with the show, it's about four people who have a device (invented by one of the show's characters) that transports them to parallel universes for finite periods of time. Their main objective is to find their way back to their universe.

Anyway, in this episode, Quinn, Collin, Remmy and Maggie slid into a world where drug use was mandatory, and the Quinn of that world had been imprisoned for spreading anti-drug propoganda.

Interesting premise. Could make an interesting story. Or a it could make for a really stupid story that has people shaking their heads and throwing the book against the wall shouting, "Impossible! It'll never happen!" I'll just add it to my list and let it sit a while.

Today, that grindstone is knocking me in the head. "C'mon, Lynn. You promised you'd put your nose to me and get back to work."

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's on my list. Once I get all my haftas done today, I'll sit down and finish the FDi30D worksheet 7 in between yelling at my kids to clean their rooms.

Now...what am I going to wear tonight?

Happy Easter, Everybody!

2005-03-27T14:10:00.000-05:00

My husband's at work, my kids are tearing around the house on a chocolate high, and I'm doing housework. A typical Easter Sunday around here. *g* I hope everybody is having a wonderful holiday.

Yesterday was absolutely NOT a writing day. I was out of the house all day--my daughter competed in the County Jr. Olympics (took third place in two track events and fourth place in a field event) and then from there, we headed to a downtown venue where my husband was setting up for Easter services (he works for a church). In other words, I left the house at 9am yesterday, and didn't get back until almost 11. By then, I was too burned out to get any writing done. So I finished reading The Next Big Thing (wonderful book--kudos to Johanna Edwards!) and started a new book.

This past Friday night, I posted my synopsis for IH over at the RWAOL critique board, and just popped by there this morning to take a look at the critiques I received. It's pretty much unanimous that I need more info in there about Chris, and a couple lines didn't read like they were supposed to. Looks like I'll be splitting my time between the FDi30D worksheets and editing and polishing this synopsis.

And I don't think I'll be meeting my self-imposed deadline for submitting IH, but it'll be pretty close. I'll probably hold it until we return from vacation. That way, I'm not worrying about it while I'm riding Space Mountain. *g*

Oh, and I finally watched my TiVo'd second episode of Mr. Romance, the contest on the Oxygen Network where the winner gets a contract to model for the cover of a Harlequin Romance. As with the first episode, I laughed my butt off! I'm not rooting for anybody yet, although Adam (one of the contestants) has posted a couple times over at Romance Divas. I do know who I don't like, though.

Seriously, if you haven't seen this, and you get the Oxygen Network, I recommend it for some light, fun entertainment. New episodes air on Monday nights at 10/9 central.

---
WHAT I'M READING: Night's Kiss by Amanda Ashley

Lynn, Meet the Grindstone

2005-03-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm reintroducing myself to that proverbial grindstone today. I took the day off yesterday. No writing. Instead, I trucked my kids around for after-school activities, got caught up at Romance Divas, and did some reading.

Finished The Pleasure Slave. Loved it. But I knew I would. Congratulations, Gena Showalter, you've just elevated yourself to my auto-buy list. Then I picked up Rocki St. Claire's Hit Reply. The buzz on this book had me curious for a while, and it's another I'll recommend to my friends. Especially since I read it in one sitting. It's unusual in that the entire book is comprised of e-mail messages and IM conversations. No narration. No description, other than what the characters type to each other. And the author pulls it off beautifully. Definitely going on my keeper shelf.

Today, though, it's back to business. I have one more crit to get out, so that's first on the list. Then it's back to finishing worksheet 7 (summarizing the end of my book) in the FDi30D method. And I'm determined to get that worksheet done today.

I also had a nice surprise yesterday. Karen S. Wiesner, author of First Draft in 30 Days, apparently found out about the fact that I've been blogging my progress with her method, and has linked both me and Lady Tess (who has also started blogging her progress with this method) from her First Draft in 30 Days site. I can't even begin to express how flattered I am. It's always nice to be noticed.

Could that have been what pushed me into getting back to work today? *g*

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MOOD: Determined
MUSIC: None right now. Just finished watching Finding Neverland
WHAT I'M READING: The Next Big Thing by Johanna Edwards

Jabber Jaws

2005-03-23T12:18:00.000-05:00

They call him Jabber Jabber Jabber Jabber Jabber Jabber Jabber Jaws...

After I got off the phone with my neighbor this morning, the theme song from that classic cartoon started running through my head. Not in reference to her, but me. I've never been one to sit on the phone and blab, but for some reason, when she and I get on the phone together, I can talk for hours. And the sad thing is we live right next door to each other.

Anyway, I got about half of yesterday's list done. I ended up splitting the difference -- got as much of the list taken care of before I picked my son up from school as I could, and then wrote after that. I'm so much closer to finishing the end-of-the-book summary! It's like when there's a word you want to use--it's on the tip of your tongue but you still can't get it. The end of the last part of this summary is in sight, and if I reach my arm out and stretch, my fingers almost brush the edges of it but I can't yet grab it. It's so close.

But of course, once I finish that part, I have to go back to the middle-of-the-book summary and fill in the giant whole that occupies the space from where I left off to the beginning of the end. Still so much to do.

So this morning, I took my notebook with me when I went with my husband for his haircut, and I wrote while sitting in the chairs waiting for him--even had an idea to help with the book's resolution . Got home, called my neighbor, jabbered with her for a while. Then I mopped my kitchen (with a husband, two kids, and two dogs, my kitchen always needs to be mopped), and now I'm sitting down and blogging. When I finish this, I'll grab something to eat, then probably go back to writing. With all the progress I've been making, I'm anxious to do more!

Edited to add: My husband just called to let me know our Disney vacation is booked and paid for! It'll be our first time staying on the property, and we'll be in the Contemporary Hotel. WOO HOO! *insert happy butt wiggle here*

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MOOD: Feeling productive!
MUSIC: "Far Beyond the World" by Ten
PROGRESS: About 5 hand-written pages between last night and this morning
WHAT I'M READING: The Pleasure Slave by Gena Showalter

Good news so far...

2005-03-22T11:35:00.000-05:00

I'm having a good day so far. I'm not totally caught up with blog-hopping, but I'm getting close! Last night I got another 4-1/2 handwritten pages free-written on my final chapters summary. Got closer to being caught up with e-mail, too. And I'm even sitting here with my makeup on!

All I have to do is finish getting dressed, overnight a payment for our property out west, get the care package for one of my CPs completed and sent out, get started on the crits I owe, catch up on the bulletin boards, and clean and vacuum my living room.

Wow. That's a long list.

Shoot. Now I'm depressed.

Maybe I'll 86 it all and do some more writing.

My work is never done...

2005-03-22T01:02:00.000-05:00

BIAW is finished, and I finished out the week making 133% of my goal. Yup, I'm proud of myself. I completed a tremendous amount of my free-written summary, and now have a great groove going. I'm pretty damn pleased.

But, of course, since BIAW is done, I now need to spend time catching up on everything I neglected last week. Housework, e-mails, bulletin boards, blog-hopping, crits... *swiping my hand across my forehead* Part of me wonders if I'll ever get caught up.

I did manage to get through a bunch of e-mail today, got some laundry out of the way, and my husband and I took my truck down to have the oil changed. At this rate, I figure I'll be caught up by sometime in October.

Tonight, instead of tackling those crits that are waiting patiently for my attention, I spent time listening to music clips and listing the next group of CDs I'll be ordering at the end of the week. I think my husband's still shaking his head. After that, I started writing again. Like I said, I've got a good groove going, and I would really hate to lose momentum. So now the headphones are on, and as soon as I finish blogging, I'll be immersing myself in Chad and Dakota's world again.

And did I mention my husband decided this weekend that our family vacation this year will be a trip to Disney World in Florida? I can't wait!

Enough rambling...back to work!

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MOOD: Smug satisfaction (I don't get to say that often!)
MUSIC: "My Sanctuary" by Soul SirkUS
PROGRESS: 3 hours yesterday for a total of 133% of my BIAW goal
WHAT I'M READING: The Pleasure Slave by Gena Showalter

Why I Write Romance

2005-03-20T17:13:00.000-05:00

Diana Duncan's blog answers this question more eloquently than I ever could.

Bethany's Rite

2005-03-20T14:31:00.000-05:00

One of my CPs, Eve Jameson, just received the cover of her upcoming Ellora's Cave Release. Isn't it yummy? Look for Bethany's Rite at Ellora's Cave this coming July.

Putting Pen to Paper

2005-03-20T13:09:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a really wonky day. I actually hadn't planned on getting much writing time in for the BIAW because my husband wanted to take the family out for the day, probably hiking. I wasn't complaining--I'd already put in some good time with the writing this week, and I can really use the exercise. I only wanted to make sure the mailman got here before we left the house (see previous post).

So the kids were out playing, I was downstairs typing my work from the previous day into the computer, and my husband went upstairs to take a shower before we left. Then he came downstairs and told me we weren't going anywhere. Apparently our water heater had just bought the farm. Of course, the first words out of my mouth were, "And how much is this going to cost us?"

So much for hiking. The kids went next door and stayed with my neighbor while my husband and I trucked on down to Home Depot to buy a new water heater.

Some good things did come as a result of this fiasco, though. My neighbor wore my kids out. Replacing the water heater wore my husband out. That meant the entire family went to bed early, left me alone downstairs, and I got a considerable amount of work done.

As I sat on the sofa, green pen and spiral notebook in hand and writing madly, I couldn't help but be amazed at how easily my summary for the First Draft in 30 Days worksheet 7 (summary of closing scenes) was flowing. Nothing, and I mean nothing, had flowed that easily and consistently for a long long time. Not since Irresistible Harmony.

Then it hit me. I was using a pen and paper, rather than working directly in Rocky (my laptop). And suddenly I realized that was my secret. That was the thing that got my muse talking. Because the initial summary outline of IH was written the same way. Pen to paper. Although, at the time I was doing IH, I didn't realize I was going to turn it into a book; I was just trying to get that dream down on paper so it would finally leave me alone. It was only when that dream turned out to fill over 2-1/2 70-page spiral notebooks that I thought it could be made into a novel.

So the family went to bed early, I stayed up late, and got in 6 hours of writing. And apparently my poor little left hand (I'm a lefty) is finally getting used to this, because when I finally went to bed my hand wasn't cramped and I had no new blisters to speak of.

And the only reason I went to bed when I did was because I knew I needed sleep. Otherwise, I'd have stayed up and kept going for at least another couple hours. But since today's the final day of the BIAW, I thought it'd be better if I saved that for today.

So I'm going to finish up BIAW tonight, hopefully finish that closing scene summary outline, then get back to posting once in a while on the bulletin boards I frequent and start visiting blogs again. I'm happy with all I've accomplished, but I've really missed everybody!

Final Frontier is back!

2005-03-20T12:31:00.000-05:00

For a while, I had a virtual Post-It Note on my desktop reminding me of the release date for Final Frontier's new record, High Tension Wire. And that release date is coming up on Tuesday. So, imagine my surprise when one of my CPs posts that the record has moved from NEH Records' Coming Soon column to their Now Available column. Of course, being a fan of Final Frontier's previous two albums (and we won't even mention my reaction to the video), I popped right on over to NEH and ordered my copy.

Yes, I'd been anticipating this release. I'm not going to review the record here, simply because I'm not a record reviewer. I know what I like, and oftentimes everybody around me knows what I like, but I can't necessarily tell you why I like it. Besides, I depend on Andrew McNeice at Melodicrock.com for my reviews, and he's infinitely more skilled and knowledgeable than I am. Matter of fact, his review of the Japanese release of High Tension Wire whetted my appetite that much more for this record.

So anyway, I ordered the record on Wednesday, and from past experience I know that NEH Records always delivers quickly. I figured it'd be in my mailbox by Friday. Didn't stop me from running out there on Thursday, though. Hey, you never know. On Friday, my husband asked his usual "Anything good in the mail?" question, and laughed when I pouted and said, "Who cares. Final Frontier wasn't there."

Nice to know he still finds me so entertaining.

Then Saturday came. My 5-year-old met the mailman at the box then came flying up the driveway, the mail clutched in his little hands, brown padded envelope at the top of the pile. He gave me what he had, I put the rest aside and tore into the envelope. WOO HOO! It's finally here! Popped that little sucker into my laptop, sat back, and waited for the music to start. Even shushed my husband when he came into the house and asked about the mail.

I can honestly say, I'm not disappointed. There's not a track on this record I'm likely to skip. Andrew McNeice commented that this band is getting better with every release, and I'm inclined to agree. Great hooks, soaring choruses, sigh-worthy ballads--as far as I'm concerned, this record's got it all. (I will say I'm really digging the groove they've got on Who's Gonna Love You Now, and Sunset at Dawn did bring a smile to my face.)

My neighbor (who's 7 years younger than I) has said that I've got one foot firmly planted in the rock of the 80s. Final Frontier's music is often compared to the AOR releases of Journey, Styx and Foreigner of that era. After listening to High Tension Wire, I've decided that if my neighbor's right, it ain't such a bad place to be.

Last time I checked, Final Frontier didn't have clips posted at their site yet, but NEH Records does. If you haven't heard this guys yet, pop over to the NEH website and give them a listen.

(I know this blog is supposed to be about my writing, but I had to get this out of my system. Now that that's done, I'll be posting shortly about yesterday's writing.)

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MUSIC: Do you have to ask? High Tension Wire by Final Frontier

In the Studio

2005-03-18T09:32:00.000-05:00

Last night, the kids and I met my husband down at the studio again. These days, if we want to see him, the studio is where we need to go. Anyway, I didn't bring Rocky along -- the weather was decidedly icky and I didn't really feel like lugging him around. So I grabbed the chapters of BMO that I've already done, my copy of First Draft in 30 Days, a spiral notebook and a pen and got to work.

Four hours and a pinky blister later, I feel like I got quite a bit accomplished. I worked on worksheets 5&6 of the FDi30D method, free-form summaries of the scenes in the beginning and middle of the book. Since these are scenes that I've already written, it went pretty smoothly. So I didn't add anything new to the story yet, but I'm quickly reaching the point where I'll need to. As soon as I'm finished with these worksheets, I move on to #7, which is a free-form summary of scenes at the end of the book. Those are scenes I've not yet written but have ideas for, so I'm really looking forward to that.

I also stopped into Wal-Mart yesterday and actually bought some things to get organized with. Pocket folders, labels, and a couple reams of paper. Now I have three folders to store work in, and they're marked Burn Me Once, Shifting Rhythms, and Eye to Eye.

The organization's done. Let get the stories finished!

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MOOD: Eager to get back to work
MUSIC: "I Will Be Your Witness" by Styx
PROGRESS: 4 hours yesterday toward BIAW
WHAT I'M READING: Sex, Lies, and Vampires By Katie MacAlister

You call this progress?

2005-03-16T19:10:00.000-05:00

WARNING: This entry's a bit long-winded, but, what the hell. It's been somewhat cathartic for me.

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Day 3 of BIAW, and my third day of trying the First Draft in 30 Days method. Because I'm working on the half-finished (and stalled) BMO, I decided to use chapter 8 of the book: Creating an Outline for a Project Already in Development or Re-Outlining a Stalled Project. Makes sense, right? On days 1 and 2, I followed the book's instructions and printed out the scenes I've written so far, starting each scene on a new page. No problem.

Next the book says to evaluate the previous draft. Hm. Okay. I read through what I've got so far and tried to determine if all the scenes were necessary. As far as I could tell, yeah. They were needed. But obviously, something's wrong because the story just stopped.

So I read through the scenes again. Nothing changed.

Now, I was doing this last night while sitting on the floor of my husband's studio. Lucky for me, I planned ahead. I'd read the chapter and knew what was expected of me, then trolled the internet for information about scenes. I jotted down some notes on things scenes must do in order to be effective, hoping they'd help me later.

As I result, there I sat, on the floor, books on one side of me, my scenes and a notebook in my lap, and my carefully written notes at my other side. (There was also a bottle of water behind me, which prompted me to complain about needing longer arms when I realized I couldn't reach it. My husband thinks I'm insane.) And I studied my scenes. And I struggled. And still, nothing changed.

I tried filling out the "scene capsule" forms--basically a summary--for each scene, thinking that might help me see things a little more clearly. No dice.

So I tried a different approach. I went over each scene one by one, and at the top of the first page jotted down things about the scene that helped it to meet the scene criteria I'd jotted down. Okay, so now we're making progress. Matter of fact, there were a few that I marked as "sequel" as defined by Dwight Swain. I felt like I was getting somewhere. I'd have patted myself on the back if I had longer arms.

Unfortunately, all that work still garnered the same results. To say the least, I was extremely frustrated. What was I doing wrong? I blamed my lack of knowledge. 2.5 hours of work yesterday that really got me nowhere.

Last night, I climbed into bed, and instead of fantasizing about my favorite slurpilicious male, I puzzled out my next step. Where was I going wrong? How could I correct it? What should I do next?

I finally made a decision, smiled to myself, and let my favorite hottie visit my dreams.

I took a little break from the writing this morning, and instead watched The Incredibles on DVD. Then after I picked my son up from school, I got down and dirty.

Okay, maybe not down and dirty, but I did get to work.

I decided that what I needed was to follow the method as though BMO were a new project. I filled out the character charts, easy to do since I'd already been getting to know my characters. I moved on to the setting sketches, again, easy, since I'd been working with these settings a while.Next worksheet is the Plot Sketch. Where I'm supposed to note things like the story goal, romance threads, subplots, tension, etc. Pretty much the skeleton of the story. As I moved along with this form, I started to smile, then giggle. Thank goodness my husband wasn't home, or I'd have been on the receiving end of that look again.

Anyway, where this long-winded entry is going is I finally had some SUCCESS! *insert happy butt wiggle here* Not that I figured out why the story stalled, but I did manage to brainstorm a couple more ideas for the story and a new subplot that will clear up my black moment problems.

2.5 hours of work so far today, and this time I know I've made real progress. And I'm not done yet! Next step is a free-form chronological summary of introductory scenes, and after I scarf down some dinner, that's what I'll be working on.

Tomorrow I'll pick up a folder for storage, print out what I've done so far, and depending on what happens while I work the rest of tonight, may even do a joyful butt wiggle in the middle of my living room.

Author, Know Thy Character

2005-03-15T08:41:00.000-05:00

How well do you know your characters when you start a new story?

Out of curiosity, this was a question I put up at Romance Divas, and of course, I received the variety of answers I expected. Almost everything from "My stories have characters?" to "I know those folks inside and out."

I had been wondering because, as I've blogged before, I've been reading Karen S. Wiesner's First Draft in 30 Days. The first thing she has you do is a character chart. Hers isn't as intense as some I've seen--I have a copy of one somewhere that's 20-30 pages--but, as I said, it got me wondering.

When I start a story, I'd have to say I have varying degrees of knowledge about my characters, depending on the story. With IH, I dreamed the story, which means I knew the whole story. But did I know Chris or Teresa's religion or favorite color? Nope. I still don't, because that information really wasn't pertinent to the story.

But there are people who know everything there is to know about their characters before the first line of the story is written. They know favorite colors, favorite foods, religion, minute details about childhood . . . everything. And that works for them.

But not me.

I tried one of those extensive character sheets once, and the phrase "Who cares?" passed my lips more frequently than the answers to any questions. I tried a character interview with Jackson and Rebecca in SR (this was for a workshop), to no avail. Rebecca started wondering if she'd dusted the picture frames in the upstairs hallway, and Jackson crossed his arms, rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, and began whistling.

It would seem I just don't work that way.

My characters tend to unfold, reveal themselves to me during the writing process. I discover things about them as I move along. In IH, Teresa started out to be very much like me. Almost a carbon copy. "They" say you should write what you know, so it was easy in the beginning to write her actions and reactions according to how I might act or react to any given situation. But she didn't stay that way.

Eventually, Teresa became her own person, her thoughts and actions very different from my own. Even though all my female characters are some part of me in their base form, they're no longer me. Yes, I can be snarky and sarcastic, but nowhere near Dakota or Braelyn. I have self-esteem and self-worth issues, but I ain't got nothing on Teresa, Rebecca, or Aine. And Keelin? I don't know enough about her yet to know what parts of her are me--except I do share her fondness for dark hair on a man.

I find it very interesting that as authors, many of us share common goals, yet as with most other things, our journeys toward those goals couldn't be more different.

---

PROGRESS: Got three hours in yesterday toward my 20 hour BIAW goal this week.

The Days Just Fly

2005-03-14T08:32:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the days really get away from me.

Yesterday, my husband had me bring the kids to the studio, and while they played in a different room, I had the opportunity to watch extra vocal tracks being laid for a song the studio's been working on. This isn't the first time I've been able to watch, but it was the first time I got to watch and hear at the same time. It really was interesting!

Then I listened as the tracks were mixed. Now this is something I've heard before. Matter of fact, it's something I got bored listening to before. My husband hears thing I can't hear, so while he listening to a track over and over and over again, making minute changes each time, he's hearing different things each time he listens. Me? I just hear the same thing each and every time. For the most part. But last night, I actually heard a lot of the changes he was making.

That was my weekend education. *g* And it lasted until pretty late last night.

On the writing front, I'm still reading First Draft in 30 Days, and started getting BMO separated into scenes so that I can start using Karen Wiesner's method to outline that story. Maybe it'll get me jump started, or at the very least, show me where I took the wrong turn. And since I committed to 20 hours of manuscript work for this week's BIAW, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to get this sucker figured out.

Oooh! I did have an idea late last night for the portion where I was stalled. Need to jot that down before I forget.

Anyway, off to have breakfast then get to work!

---

MOOD: Motivated to work
WHAT I'M READING: First Draft in 30 Days by Karen S. Wiesner

happy butt wiggle

2005-03-11T15:15:00.000-05:00

WOO HOO! I'm floating on air right now. In LA Banks' workshop over at Romance Divas, Writing with the Senses, I posted a piece of a dialogue scene from BMO. My CPs had never looked at this scene, so it was all me. And let me tell you, I was a little more than nervous. I was shaking in my boots. (Yes, I do wear boots, mostly of the cowboy variety.)

Here are her comments:

Oooohhhh…. Lynn, this is excellent! Yeah! Fast, quick/hot, you can feel what’s going on, there’s a hint of the sensory, this scene doesn’t need any more to bog it down. You get the tension and mood between them right away. Her stomping, etc, nicely done! Hugs, Les!

I feel vindicated! I'd been worried I couldn't write a decent scene without input from my CPs, but Leslie just told me it's not true. My butt's wiggling like mad.

Two of my CPs, who are also taking this workshop, received similar comments from Leslie, so now I'm triply excited. ^5 Sheri and Cynthia!

AND THEN, to top it off, I got five good pages written on SR yesterday.

Yup. Feeling pretty darn good today.

---

MOOD: It's in the title, but it bears repeating. *insert happy butt wiggle here*
PROGRESS: 5 pages on SR yesterday

Words Words Words

2005-03-09T12:29:00.000-05:00

I'm in the midst of two workshops: Dialogue The Works: Less is More with Elizabeth Lowell through RWAOL , and Supercharging Your Scenes With the Five Senses with L.A. Banks through Romance Divas. Both have been excellent, and I'm learning quite a bit about my own writing.

But here's the problem. They almost seem to contradict each other.

In the dialogue workshop, we posted excerpts of our work for Ms. Lowell, and she cut and slashed them, showing how we can have the same impact, or even more impact, with fewer words.

In the five senses workshop, we're posting excerpts and Ms. Banks is layering in additional words, bringing out more emotion, more sensuality, more everything.

One seems to say use fewer words to pick up the pace with more impact, the other seems to say use more words to draw the reader in, to hook her.

Which one is right?

Now we all know that as a rule, I'm a wordy person. That's no secret. I love words. Love to play with them, twist them, turn them, bend them to my will. So which of these two authors should I listen to? Which one is teaching me the right way to write?

That was the question I asked myself this morning while going through the authors' suggestions from both workshops, and I've finally reached a conclusion.

They're both right.

The secret, however, is to find that delicate balance between slashing/burning and layering in. To find the right amount of words needed to express the actions, thoughts and feelings of my characters. And to do it in my own voice.

Once upon a time, romance novels were packed with beautiful prose, flowery words that drew the reader into the fantasy world inhabited by characters, carefully and painstakingly built by the author. Unfortunately, once upon a time has passed.

The 21st century is a fast-paced world, filled with the need for instant gratification and drive-by reading. A reader in today's world is more likely to skim past the flowery prose in order to get to the meat of the story. Doesn't necessarily care about the beauty of the sunset.

Hence the need to slash and burn.

Yet, at the same time, bare bones descriptions and narration won't pull your reader in. Won't immerse her in the world you've built. Won't help her, for that brief time she's devouring the pages of your story, forget her real world problems and responsibilities to share in the fantasy.

Hence the need for layering in sensory details and emotions.

Writing a book is work. Hard work. There's no doubt about it. And as a writer, I learn every day. Learn things I'm researching for my stories. Learn techniques of the craft. And now, I'm learning to bend words to my will, layer in sensory details, harness the word monster, and do it all in my unique writing voice.

Today is the day.

2005-03-08T08:59:00.000-05:00

No, really!

Today is the day I'm going to buckle down and really get to work. I've been tiptoeing aroung the writing for long enough. I'm gonna have some breakfast, drag Rocky's a/c cord upstairs, and settle in for some serious writing.

Mailman brought me a lovely surprise yesterday. FIRST DRAFT IN 30 DAYS by Karen S. Weisner, a fellow FTH member. In simple terms, the book is supposed to teach a 30-day method that produces an outline so complete it's considered a first draft. I sure hope this method works for me because I could certainly use a fire lit under my behind.

So now I'm comfy, Rocky's in my lap, the laundry's started, my breakfast is next to me, and I'm ready to go. I'm going to log off the Internet, quit procrastinating, and start writing.

Really. I am.

-----

MOOD: Rarin' to go!
PROGRESS: 2 pages yesterday. I'm hopeful for today.

I'm a throwback...

2005-03-07T20:52:00.000-05:00

Stole this one from Cece:

You Belong in 1973

1973

If you scored...

1950 - 1959: You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in!

1960 - 1969: You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too.

1970 - 1979: Bold and brash, you take life by the horns. Whether you're partying or protesting, you give it your all!

1980 - 1989: Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

1990 - 1999: With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

Got any aspirin?

2005-03-07T13:50:00.000-05:00

Just got Ms. Lowell's response to my first assignment. She gave me a "Good job!" and also made some editing suggestions that probably cut half the words out of what I posted.

First reaction: WOO HOO! I didn't do it wrong, after all!

Second reaction: Does it come as a surprise to anybody that I'm wordy? *shaking head*

Guess I can stop banging my head. Now to get rid of the headache I caused...

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

2005-03-07T13:04:00.000-05:00

Finally got moving on that troublesome scene in SR this morning. Just switched from Rebecca's POV to Jackson's, and we're good to go! It's still a little slow in coming--I've only written two pages thus far--but at least it's moving.

Today is the first day of the Dialogue That Works: Less is More workshop presented by New York Times Bestselling Author Elizabeth Lowell through RWAOL. We've already had our first assignment: to post 15 lines from the first conversation between our hero and heroine. And wouldn't you know it, I think I've already messed up. *sigh*

I understood that we were supposed to post up to 15 lines from the first conversation. Which is what I did. Posted 15 lines from the first conversation between Jackson and Rebecca, including dialogue, reaction, and introspection.

After I posted my assignment, the workshop coordinator posted a blanket admonition saying we were supposed to post 15 lines of dialogue.

Pardon me while I bang my head on the keyboard.

-----

MOOD:Confuzzled, frustrated
PROGRESS: 2 pages so far this morning on SR
WHAT I'M READING:"Midnight in Ruby Bayou" by Elizabeth Lowell

Pilates and Beer

2005-03-06T10:35:00.000-05:00

It's been an interesting weekend. Notice I didn't say wild. I may have story-worth weekends, but I haven't seen a wild one in years. Not sure if that's a good thing. Anyway, it was interesting.

Friday night, my husband wanted a date. Yes, I mean with me. We had dinner at my favorite restaurant, and discussed what we might do next. On the way home, I discovered what old fuddy-duddies we've become. I looked at him, and said, "I'm tired." He looked at me and said, "So am I." We decided to skip anything else and just head home and get some sleep. It was 10:30pm. See? Fuddy-duddies.

Over dinner, we did talk a bit more about my writing. That makes this entry writing-related, right? Ever since I got it through his head I was actually doing this, he seems to want to make sure I understand he's supporting my efforts.

Anyway, I reiterated to him the plan for my first book is to start submitting to agents by the end of this month (I didn't say he listens all the time, and it doesn't always sink in, but he tries). We talked about pen names, and he asked about mine. I didn't tell him I had one. Not that he'd care or anything, but I didn't want to hit him with everything all at once. I did tell him I would be choosing one. Not that I dislike my name, but I think I'd prefer to have a name that doesn't sound like a city in Washington State. He looked at me kind of funny until I reminded him that his nephew thought I had been named after a school he'd attended in Oklahoma.

My husband suggested a name, that I must admit I really liked. Not using it yet, but I'm keeping it "on file" in case I ever need another name. I explained to him that I'll be keeping my own first name. I'll give it another week or two then hit him with the name, since I told him I was kicking a couple around with my CPs.

Saturday night, my neighbors had a party. They used to have a bunch of them, but the years passed, we all had kids (or in my case, the kids got older), and the parties became less frequent and only on special days. Last night's party, however, was a "just because" gathering.

Their parties always end up with the men (most of whom are firefighters) down by the garage with a bonfire, and the women up by or in the house. Now, normally I find the men's conversations more interesting than the women's, but it was too dadgumm cold for me to head out back. I stuck with the women. Glad I did.

The conversation ranged from Pilates (including drunken demonstrations) to plastic surgery to demonstrations of plastic surgery results to waxing to vibrating chairs. I didn't participate in any of the demonstrations because I've never had plastic surgery and I'm not as limber as the women actually doing the demonstrating. But it was a lot of fun.

Oh, and my new red-streaked hair was a hit.

-----

WHAT I'M READING: "Midnight in Ruby Bayou" by Elizabeth Lowell

That's Mrs. Jericho to you stud muffins!

2005-03-01T11:38:00.000-05:00

Afternoon, everyone. Millie Jericho, here. Thought I bought the farm, didn't you?

If you don't remember me, I'm a character in Lynn's Burn Me Once, and a long time ago she said I could use her blog once in a while. If you wanna read my old pearls of wisdom, check here and here and Lynn first introduced me here.

Anyhoo, she said I could use her blog, but she never gives her computer up. "Sorry, Millie, I'm writing." "Sorry, Millie, I'm answering e-mail." "Sorry, Millie, I'm taking a workshop." Sorry Millie Sorry Millie Sorry Millie...COW PATTIES! Workshops and e-mails, my wrinkled hindquarters. I know what she's really doing. She forgets I live in her head (still scary as a red-eyed bull) and can see what's going on. She ain't doing those things. She's ogling pictures of stud muffins and watching those rock videos over and over again. Though I don't really mind those videos. Those two men are--what's the word? Hotties.

All I want to do is hop out here and talk to you nice folks once in a while. Maybe meet a Stud Muffin of my own. Is that too much to ask? Whatever happened to respecting your elders?

But I got her back. She ain't opened my story since the peanut guy was president--yes, I know she says it's Chad and Dakota's story, but you and I know the truth; it's mine--but she finally opened it up the other night. She had Dakota walking to the edge of town, confuzzled--I just learned that word, isn't it a pip?--confuzzled by her feelings for her Stud Muffin. When she stops and sits down on a footbridge, I enter stage right. So I follow along, and even give Dakota my trademark, "Hiya, Moon Pie!" greeting. But after that, I ain't sayin' a thing. I can't whistle, so I squinted up at the clouds and called out the shapes I saw. "Look, a giraffe!" "Look, space rocket!" "Look, a penis!"

Lynn got so irritated, she closed the file. Not sure when I'll be nice to her again. Since she waited months to let me blog (and she didn't really let me--I'm sneaking on while she's in the shower), I'm a-thinkin' it'll be months before she gets any good stuff out of me.

Millie......

Oh, horse hockey. She's back.

The Lollipop Guild

2005-03-01T08:59:00.000-05:00

The only reason I named this entry this way is that little ditty from The Wizard of Oz has been banging around my brain all morning. It's gonna be a weird day.

Almost finished with my crits, and my CP Eve sent us the latest copy of her edits for her upcoming Ellora's Cave release (no definite release date yet), Bethany's Rite. Not for critting, just for enjoyment, and to get an idea of the editing process she's going through since she's the first of us to be published. The scenes she's added at her editor's request are hot hot hot! *fanning self*

I didn't write anything new last night, but I did revisit one of my stalled WIPs, Eye to Eye, the romantic paranormal thriller. (Note to self: change suspense to thriller at the website) And I took it one step further. RWAOL member Kristen mentioned in our chapter discussion about self-editing that she uses Text Aloud when editing to read her mss back to her. Since I'm always looking for a new toy, I popped over and downloaded a free trial of the program, then had it read the WIP to me. Very cool! I picked up a few minor errors that I'd not noticed before. I might have to actually buy this one. (Don't tell my husband.)

Today I'm going to write. If I can tear myself away from playing with that new program. *g*

It's Over.

2005-02-28T09:26:00.000-05:00

BIAW, that is. And so is the Agent workshop. No BIAW, no workshop, what ever will I do with my time? *g*

Despite my setbacks, I managed to write 11 pages over my BIAW goal, so I'm pretty proud of myself. And I've got a couple of workshops, one through RWAOL and one through FTH, starting soon. So I won't be lonely long.

In the meantime, I've got a couple crits to get done. I also still need to go over crits I received for the first two chapters of BMO (which is now stalled--UGH!) and the synopsis for IH. I think the IH synopsis will be the first order of business (after I get those crits out), since I'm hoping to start sending that puppy out to agents by the end of March.

Wish me luck!

-----

PROGRESS: Another 3-1/2 pages last night to finish out the BIAW

BIG Sigh of Relief

2005-02-26T23:27:00.000-05:00

Maybe working on a different section of the story was all I needed.

Or maybe my earlier whiny post got it out of my system.

I don't care about the reason. Only the outcome. And I'm happy to report that in this case, the outcome involves 13-1/2 new pages! WOO HOO!

-----

MOOD: Jubilant. Happy butt wiggle time!
MUSIC: "Faithful Heart" by Final Frontier
PROGRESS: 13-1/2 new pages on SR

Second Book Blues

2005-02-26T18:08:00.000-05:00

I hear it's a condition many authors deal with. They finish that first book, but when they move on to the second, the ideas don't flow as quickly. Writing is more of a struggle. And they begin to wonder if finishing that first book was a fluke, if they're a "One Book Wonder" (a term somebody on one of the writing lists recently used), if they'll ever finish another story again.

This is the condition I'm facing this week. Was Irresistible Harmony an oddity? Do I really have it in me to finish another one? Am I just wasting my time?

I blame this week's BIAW for the onset of this condition. I signed on with a pretty low goal--30 pages. And I started out with a bang--12 pages that first day. But it's been downhill from there. The last two days (not including today) I wrote a whopping 2 pages, and even that was like squeezing blood from a stone.

IH had been so easy for me. The story flowed like white water rapids. But I feel like I'm banging my head against the wall with BMO and SR. What changed?

Knowledge. That's what changed. When I penned the first draft of IH, I knew absolutely nothing about the craft of writing. And I cranked that first draft out with all the enthusiasm of a child faced with a mountain of gifts. I couldn't wait to dig in. But I did so without concern for the "rules" (more like guidelines). No thoughts to POV, scene & structure, GMC, or any of the other things that are pounded into writers' heads through workshops, books, and articles.

But then I learned. And often, knowledge is a dangerous thing. Because now, as I write, I'm continuously asking myself questions. Will this scene advance the plot? Is this action/dialogue in character for this person? Am I writing this scene in the right POV? Have I started the story too early? Used a good enough hook? Did that scene have an action and reaction and end with a question? Should I have really eaten that bag of Hershey's Kisses?

And all the wonderful things I've learned, all the techniques I've garnered that should make me a better writer, they all seem to be stifling me now. It's too much. And it's frustrating. Pull-my-hair-out-and-scream-at-the-top-of-my-lungs frustrating.

So what's a writer to do?

The most popular advice is to plug away. Write. Daily. And turn off that internal editor. Ignore the devil on my shoulder whispering, just like Carrie's mother, "They're all gonna laugh at you."

I'm trying, but it ain't easy. Today, I decided to work out of order again. Instead of the next scene in SR, I'm working on a scene that I'd visualized and outlined. The setup for the Black Moment. The good news is I've so far written 6 pages, and I'm not finished.

My muse has drop kicked that devil off my shoulder, and has been whispering in my ear non-stop. And I won't stop writing until she stops talking.

-----

MOOD: Really flockin' frustrated
MUSIC: "Bad Water" by Vaughn
PROGRESS: 1/2 page yesterday, 6 so far today

Alpha Beta Gamma

2005-02-25T00:05:00.000-05:00

At least two of those terms are familiar to all romance writers. They describe our heroes, the men we throw in with our heroines, leading the two on a merry chase to find their happily ever after.

The Alphas are those physical, action men, and the majority of romance heroes. Stephanie's are Navy SEALs. Katie MacAlister's are vampires (well, some of them, anyway). Sherrilyn Kenyon has the Dark Hunters. Eve's are aliens. Sheri's have been cops. And the list goes on and on.

These are men who, in real life, I'd happily kick in the shins. It wouldn't hurt them, wouldn't have much effect, but I'd get my point across.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Betas. The cerebral men. Not to imply Alphas are stupid, but the Betas are real thinkers. Vicki Lewis Thompson made them an art form in her Nerd series. Daniel Jackson in the Stargate movie was one (he's also the model for my hero in Eye to Eye).

Then we have the Gammas. A delicious melding of the two. Connel, my Eye to Eye hero, starts out a Beta, but digs inside to find his inner Alpha in order to help Braelyn, the heroine. By the end, he's a full Gamma.

The reason I was thinking about this is the show I'm watching on TiVo right now (gotta love my TiVo!). Rescue Me, Denis Leary's show on the FX Network. I started out watching this show because I thought it was interesting and fun. Denis Leary is Tommy, a NY firefighter dealing with his job, his divorce, and alcoholism.

But as I watched the show, I realized it was great for studying the Alpha male. The Tommy character is a complete Alpha. He's crass and unreasonable, yet inside lies a soft heart, a desire to do good. And every once in a while, when he's not careful, it actually shines through.

He also sees ghosts. Although it's a cool twist for the show, that part doesn't really apply here.

Writers take inspiration from everything we see, hear, and feel. For me, Rescue Me is educational.

-----

MUSIC: None. Watching Rescue Me.
PROGRESS: Edited the final 6 pages of IH yesterday. Wrote 2 pages on BMO today.

Procrastination Gets in the Way...

2005-02-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

And now I have irrefutable evidence of that fact. The other day I had no internet connection, and I banged out 12 pages. Yesterday, internet connection was restored, and I only wrote three pages. It would seem I was too busy blog-hopping, answering e-mail, and researching web hosts to work.

But the truth is, I was a little stuck. I knew where I wanted to go after the previous scene, knew what needed to happen, but I couldn't figure out how to start it off. So of course, being the procrastinator extraordinaire that I am, I figured I might find inspiration in other stuff.

No dice. Found a lot of humor and smiles (and even a drool-worthy man or two), but no motivation.

So I thought I'd try some music. Steve Perry had been helping me with this WIP in the past . . . I figured I'd give him another shot. After the family went to bed, I popped the headphones on, loaded his "Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased" CD into the laptop, and prepared for inspiration to flood like a river undammed.

Still nothing. Although I did get some singing in, not to mention a little dancing. Yup, I was the idiot dancing around my living room while wearing headphones. Thank goodness nobody was up to see or hear me.

What was doubly odd about that is under normal circumstances, if I'm wearing the headphones I'm not inclined to sing. Not last night. Maybe I've been spending too much time at my husband's recording studio, watching vocalists laying tracks while wearing headphones. *shrug*

Like I said in the beginning of yet another longwinded post, I did finally manage to eke out three pages. Figured out how to start the next scene, and got a portion of it written. But I was so bleary-eyed by that time it was pointless to try to continue. I did manage to leave myself a more friendly starting point for today.

Fingers crossed I make better progress this afternoon.

-----

MOOD: Busy busy busy. Got lots of errands to run
MUSIC: "Mickey's Monkey" by Mother's Finest
PROGRESS: 3 pages last night. Hoping for more today.

The Sky is Falling!

2005-02-22T09:57:00.000-05:00

At least, that's what it seemed like yesterday around here.

Talk about the day from Hades! First, the power was out when I got up. Apparently, there was a bad car accident down the street, and they took out a telephone pole. About the time the power came back, my weather radio started going off with severe thunderstorm warnings. It must have gone off eight times throughout the day. Then the storms started. Big boomers that shook the house down to the foundations. And did I mention the hail? At least the kids thought it was cool to watch ice fall from the sky.

And, of course, as must always happen during big storms, we lost Internet access. We didn't lose satellite, which was a miracle in itself, but DSL was gone gone gone. And by the end of the day I was jonesin' jonesin' jonesin'.

The good news about that is along with DSL, I also lost my main form of procrastination. I was forced to actually write! *gasp* And since I joined FTH's BIAW again, I really needed that kick in the butt. Twelve pages written yesterday on SR. I have to admit, I was quite proud of myself.

Still be-bopping along with Jess Michaels' Great Agent Search Workshop through Earthly Charms. I'm learning some great stuff over there. If you have the opportunity to take this one, I highly recommend it.

Anyway, she had us submit agent query letters for comments. I made a couple tweaks to mine, sent it in, then hid in the corner while chewing my nails down to the cuticles. I'm always so nervous when I post anything for comments! But her comments came back this morning, and she gave me a Great job!

*insert happy butt wiggle here*

That good news puts me one step closer to finally submitting IH, which should make my CPs ecstatic. It'll also make my husband happy, since lately, he's been stepping up asking when I'm going to sell a book. And by stepping up, I mean he's actually started asking when I'm going to sell a book.

He says he's asking because he knows it's my dream. I think he just wants something to brag about. *g* I'm kidding. He's actually very supportive, and barely balked at all when I told him he wouldn't be reading what I wrote.

Ain't I sweet?

----

MOOD: Feeling pretty darn good after Jess's comments on my query
PROGRESS: 12 pages on SR. WOO HOO! Can I keep it up?

Look How Much I'm Worth!

2005-02-21T00:03:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Suzanne for this one:

I'm worth $1,507,283.68! How much are you worth?

(My husband's response? "Can I cash you in?" Hmph. So nice to be loved.)

Back in the Habit

2005-02-20T23:12:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not referring to "Sister Act 2". *g* I need to get back in the writing habit. I've taken a bit of a hiaitus from writing, earning the moniker of Queen of Procrastination, and even put together a preliminary website. But I've just signed up for 30 pages in another BIAW, so I've got to get back on the stick this week.

In the meantime, here's another pointless quiz, and it's so me:

You are a Rocker Girl!
If you don't have musical talent, you've got a talent for picking out great CD's.
Music rules your life - and you've got the best MP3 collection of anyone you know.
Many guys find you intimidating, but a select few think you're the catch of a lifetime.
Start hanging out in more used record stores, and you'll find love with a fellow rocker!

What Kind of Girl Are You? Take This Quiz :-)

Find the Love of Your Life
(and More Love Quizzes) at Your New Romance.

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MOOD: A little mischievous. Not sure why.
MUSIC: None. Watching CSI: Miami
WHAT I'M READING: Blue Twighlight by Maggie Shayne

It's quiz night

2005-02-20T01:13:00.000-05:00

I should never have dared to hit this site. This one's for my sisters in Dark Hunter obsession. You know who you are.

You Are Artemis!
Brave, and a natural born leader.
You're willing to fight for what you believe in...
And willing to make tough decisions.
Don't forget - the people around you have ideas too!

What Goddess Are You? Take This Quiz :-)

Find the Love of Your Life
(and More Love Quizzes) at Your New Romance.

I'm a Pinup!

2005-02-20T01:02:00.000-05:00

You are Bettie Page
Girl next door with a wild streak
You're a famous beauty - with unique look
And people who like you are cultish about it

What Famous Pinup Are You? Take This Quiz :-)

Find the Love of Your Life
(and More Love Quizzes) at Your New Romance.

New Picture, etc.

2005-02-19T22:21:00.000-05:00

Yup. I finally put a new, more recent picture of myself in my profile. What do you think?

I had an interesting Friday night. Met up with one of my CPs for a night of drinks and live rock n' roll. I got to the bar first, and immediately knew something wasn't right. The parking lot was too empty and the bar's neon was off. Uh-oh.

Immediately called the CP I was meeting and told her what I was seeing. She thought I was joking at first, as her husband had made a comment about the bar being closed earlier in the week, and I'd called the bar to make sure they were open. Anyway, I caught a guy who'd spoken to a bar employee, and found out the bar was closed that night, but would reopen the following day. Phooey. That wasn't going to do us much good.

When my CP arrived, we stood in the parking lot and tried to decide what we'd do next. Neither of us are major party animals, and our knowledge of decent bars is minimal. In other words, we were lost. She called her husband for suggestions. His suggestion was we go someplace open. Big help. *g*

Anyway, we ended up going to a local large country bar. The night kind of started out bad, but improved. And I somehow managed to earn the description of "mean redneck". Poor little short fat guy (his description of himself, although I do concur) didn't endear himself to my CP, and he seemed to take great glee in insulting me. Good thing I've got thick skin.

The night didn't turn out too badly, but I still wish that first bar had been open. Ah, hell. At least I got to line dance. Haven't done that in years.

Ugh. Headache. Need. Aspirin.

2005-02-15T22:17:00.000-05:00

I'm not hungry. I have a headache.

Slight variation on a line I recently told one of my CPs to start using when she was complaining about nearly debilitating hunger at work. But I changed the line to fit my present mood.

Headache.

Pain.

Ugh.

Finishing up the final crit I have due, so I'm feeling pretty good. Other than my headache. Over at RWAOL in the Challenge forum, I set my goal for the week as finishing my three crits (two down, one to go), writing at least two more scenes for SR (haven't even started those yet), and keeping up with the RWAOL character workshop I'm participating in, given by author Sherryl Woods. And if I get another scene written for BMO, I'll consider that a bonus.

No bonus yet, no scenes for SR yet, but I'm close to the happy butt wiggle on the rest, so I'd consider this a good week so far.

Big thanks to Silma for sharing the extra muses who answered her ad with Teresa and me! I can always use an extra muse. Especially a hot one. *g*

Today I got one of those wild hairs. I've got this great digital SLR camera, have used it extensively, and today decided it was time for me to learn to use the self-timer feature. Very cool! Of course, I had to search the house for something my height standing and/or sitting so I'd have something to focus on before setting the timer (settled on a shipping box my husband left sitting in the living room), but it was fun. And I actually got some shots I'm kind of happy with! I'm thinking I may use one of them for my blog. Yeah, I know I've already got a picture at the top of the page, but in the new ones you can actually see my face.

Might not be a good thing, though. You'll have to decide. But first I need to decide on a picture. I think I've got it narrowed down to two, but I'm still not sure. Gonna let this one stew for a couple days.

-----

MOOD: Check the entry title. Says it all.
MUSIC: "Sea of Emotions" by Jack Blades
PROGRESS: Almost done with those crits!
WHAT I'M READING: Tonight it's a chapter from one of my CPs.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2005-02-14T13:58:00.000-05:00

And in honor of this overly commercial holiday... (Thanks, Sylvia!)

Your Seduction Style: The Coquette

You are a pro at playing the age old game of hard to get.
Your flirting style runs hot and cold, giving just enough to keep them chasing you.
Independent and self-sufficient, you don't need any one person to make you compelte.
And that independence is exactly what makes people pursue you.

What Is Your Seduction Style?

I Cheated

2005-02-14T12:42:00.000-05:00

Remember that goal I set for myself yesterday? Two chapters critted? Didn't do it, although I did get one of those crits done today. One down, two to go.

I wasn't going to work on my own stuff last night, but I cheated and did anyway. I'm not sorry though. I got another four page scene written. It's so nice when it just flows out. And surprisingly, it was the scene directly after the last scene I wrote. I'm still about two chapters ahead of where I actually left off in the story, but if that's the way it's gonna come, that's the way I'm gonna write. Looks like this will be the first book I write out of order.

I don't mind.

Busy busy busy

2005-02-13T18:01:00.000-05:00

Today I will get no writing of my own done. Why? Because I have chapters to crit from all three of my crit partners! My goal for the day is to get at least two of them done. I'm about halfway through the first one.

Maybe I shouldn't have indulged in my "Crossing Jordan" TV festival earlier today (thanks to TiVo!). *g* I might have finished more without it.

Got one of my synopsis crits back. At first, seeing all the green comments made my heart twist. I couldn't help but think Damn. I seriously cannot do these things. But by the end of the crit, it really wasn't so bad, and that particular made some great suggestions. So I might work on that a bit tomorrow.

Oh, and I'm hungry.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2005-02-12T14:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday, so understandably, I didn't spend much time online. It really was a great day!

I started out with lunch with one of my CPs. TGI Fridays. Grilled chicken. Not bad! From there, I went to my son's Valentine's party at school. Took him out of school early, then visited a friend who gave me a hilarious birthday card and some flowers, now sitting on my dining room table. The flowers, not the friend. Then we headed home, waited for my daughter to get home from school, and then off to her Tae Kwon Do lessons. When we finally got home from there (I had my truck washed during the lessons) it was time to switch to "hurry up and clean the house before the babysitter gets here" mode.

My husband finally came home after the babysitter arrived, much to my irritation. It certainly didn't help that he was working on his day off, he was the one to tell me the house had to be cleaned, and he left everything to me. On my birthday. I'm not going to say any more about that, but believe me, I could go on for hours. It's in my blood. *g*

Anyway, he finally came home and gave me my gift. A beautiful white gold/yellow gold reversible necklace. 'K. I wasn't so mad at him after that. I changed my clothes and he took me to my favorite restaurant -- Outback Steakhouse. YUM! At that point, I said, "Screw Weight Watchers!" and ate what I wanted, although I did defer and get the filet rather than my favorite ribeye. I even drank a couple of beers! Light beer, of course, but since that's what I drank before I started trying to lose weight, it wasn't a sacrifice.

Overall, it was a great day for me. I didn't get much writing done, although while I was sitting waiting for my truck to be cleaned I did work on a query letter that I'll be submitting for comments to the workshop I'm taking.

So now I'm 29 again. Wonder how long I'll be able to get away with that?