NaNoWriMo Update # 3

NaNoWriMo Progress: 

Starting word count: 18050 
Current word count: 50467
Total NaNo words written: 32417

Current Mood: Excited! 

Inspiration: I've used this quote before, but it's honestly the one that I write by. 

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of thier dreams. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt 

Goals as of Today: I'm aiming for 4K today. Not sure if that will happen since I have a ton of errands to run for Thanksgiving, but it's still my goal.

Recent Favorite NaNo-WiP Line: That color her face turned when she blushed was weirdly a turn on. Or maybe it wasn’t the color, but more the fact that she might actually be thinking the same dirty thoughts I was.

Non-NaNo News: It's almost Thanksgiving, which means my family is about to embark on long week of great food and great friends. I can't wait for the fun to begin! 

In My Downtime I'm Reading: THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas

I probably won't be posting another update until next week, so I want to wish each and every one of you a brilliantly happy Thanksgiving! 

NaNoWriMo Update #2

NaNoWriMo Progress: 

Starting word count: 18050 
Current word count: 30139
Total NaNo words written: 12089

Current Mood: Tired.

Inspiration: To know is nothing at all; to imagine is everything. - Anatole France

Goals as of Today: I've already written a little over 2K today, but since I didn't write yesterday, I'm hoping to get at least 1K more in before the Colts play tonight.

Recent Favorite NaNo-WiP Line: This all felt dangerously close to that area with boys I tried to avoid at all costs. But then I remembered the way he’d smiled at me and I lost all my instincts.

Non-NaNo News: The last three days have been all kinds of awesome. I got to meet and hang out with my crit partner, Jennifer L. Armentrout and also spend some time with the super talented Kate Kaynak. I'm so sad that they are no longer in the Boston area. *sobs*

In My Downtime I'm Reading: THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab

You should read this blog post: A Corollary to NaNoWriMo, or, Why I'm Prouder of 600 Words than 10,000 

By: Beth Revis
Because: Beth is always a source of inspiration for me, and her post about her progress on NaNo is no different. She'll remind you to be proud of what you've written.

Gratuitous Photograph: In honor of the epic election day we all just experienced, how about the most shared image ever?

NaNoWriMo or Bust

If you're a writer you probably heard of NaNoWriMo, otherwise known as National Novel Writing Month. I've wanted to participate in NaNoWriMo for the past two years, but missed it both times. This year I'm finally in a good place--just 20K into my new MS--so NaNo couldn't come at a better time. 

To say I'm nervous is a major understatement. I usually have a 2K writing goal for myself on the days that I write, but I don't write every single day. I'd say I write an average of 4 days a week. That said, I've done the math and 2K a day 4 times a week will not get me to the goal of 50K in one month. That makes me nervous.

Then there is the fact that we always have friends in town for Thanksgiving and that will nix at least 4 days of writing time from my schedule.Again, this makes me nervous. 

BUT....

I have learned a few things about myself over the past few years of writing. One of those things is that I don't give up. Another is that I'm always ready for a challenge.

So...starting tomorrow I'll be knee deep in word count goals and swimming in that blissfully happy place that you can only find when you've written more than you expected. I'm sure I'll also be stressed out and worried about succeeding, but I'm excited to finally experience the month of craziness.

I saw a post on the lovely Katy Upperman's blog with this form to keep up with the month's progress:

Progress (word count or a general status update):
Current Mood:
Inspiration (a writing-related quote):
Goals as of Today:
Recent Favorite NaNo-WiP Line:
Non-NaNo News (because life DOES go on):
In My Downtime (ha!) I'm Reading:
You should read this blog post: By: Because:
Gratuitous Photograph (because she [Katy] loves 'em!  - and I do too!):

I definitely plan to use this, and encourage you to do so as well. 

If you're participating in NaNoWriMo, you can find and buddy me HERE. 

If you're not participating please wish me luck. Happy writing everyone! 

An Update & Some Rambling

For the past few months I've been busy working on revisions for the manuscript that I love more than anything, the one that snagged me an awesome agent. I'll admit that revising isn't always my favorite part of writing. Sometimes it's harder than anything I've ever done, but in the end, it's always worth it.

Right? Right.

So I've pretty much ignored all things blogging in order to focus on getting the manuscript as good as it can possibly be. I'm hoping that this time I really do have it. *fingers crossed*

And since I think I'm done with that manuscript, I am finally, finally back to working on the one that's been patiently waiting in the wings for much too long now. I can't tell you how excited I am to get back into this character's voice and to really find out where this story is going. This book just won't leave me alone, and for that I am grateful, because I know I need to write it. I just need to.

So with that said, I'm back and hopefully will be able to blog much more often.

I wish I had more of an update for you, but hopefully there will be plenty of those soon.

Happy writing and reading everyone!

The 7 Most Inopportune Times to Get a New Idea

It's happened to all of us. You get this brilliant idea for a new book, or you've been struggling to fix a difficult plot point in your current WIP.

And then it comes to you! You've figured it all out and know exactly what to do! YAY!

Except, you're in a position that doesn't exactly allow you to abandon ship and snatch up your computer, or even paper, to jot it all down.

Below are 7 examples of true places I've had ideas to either fix a WIP, or for a new one, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to get the ideas out.

1. Driving. And usually when this happens, it's some insanely long trip where I won't be getting out of the car for hours.

Source: kleinaphotography.tumblr.com via Amber on Pinterest

2. In the shower. With soap all over my face and shampoo all over my hair. 

Source: google.co.za via Julia on Pinterest

3. Right in the middle of a long run or workout. 

Source: Uploaded by user via Alecia on Pinterest

4. Rocking the baby to sleep. For hours. 
 

Source: willowtreestore.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

5. At a wedding.

Source: stylemepretty.com via Laura on Pinterest

6. Girl's Night Out. (aka the night your friends forbid you to even talk about writing since you avoid them most of the year to write) 

Source: favim.com via Michelle on Pinterest

7. The minute your head hits the pillow. 

Source: fuckyouverymuch.dk via Marie on Pinterest

Janeal Falor had another worst moment that she shared in the comments. Thanks so much, Janeal!

8. At the park with the kids. I've totally been there as well.

Source: bit.ly via Gayle on Pinterest

How about you? What are the worst times a new idea comes to you? Post them in the comments below, and I'll add it to the post.

Why I Don't Tell People I Write: A Sample Conversation

Every time I tell someone I'm a writer--you know, in person, not online--I get looks from the very impressed to the very disinterested. I generally don't tell many people I'm a writer because sometimes it's still hard for me to believe myself. There's this level of self confidence that I just don't have yet when it comes to announcing to people that I spend all of my free time writing books that may or may not see the light of day.

Just as I never know how the publishing industry worked before I began writing, most non-writer people don't know either. So I thought it would be fun to show you a sample conversation I have when I actually do tell someone I write.


Let's call the person I'm speaking to "Jane" and I'll just be me.


***


Jane: "Wow! You wrote a book? What's it about?"

Me:  *blushes furiously and stares at foot, cursing self for even mentioning it* This is where I fumble for at least fifteen minutes to describe my novel, trying very hard to make it sound interesting, but all the while sure I'm failing miserably.

Jane: *lots of nodding and smiling--or is that grimacing?* "Where can I get a copy?"


Me: "Umm...You can't get it anywhere at this moment. It's not published yet."


Jane: "Oh. When will it be coming out?"



Me: *more internal cursing* "First an agent has to agree to represent it. And after that happens, I'll probably have to work on revisions and then hopefully a publisher will want to buy it. And, well, if that happens, it will probably still be over a year before the book is available."


Jane: "Oh, huh." *levels of interest are seriously waning here* "That sounds like a lot of work, but it will all be worth it when you're rich and famous and have movie deals from it."


Me: *nervous laughter* "The whole rich and famous and movie thing almost never happens, but that would be nice."


Jane: *insert looks of confusion here* "I thought authors got paid a lot of money for their books?"


Me: *internal cursing turns into internal kicking of the arse* "Some authors do, but most don't. It's highly unlikely I'll make very much at first."


Jane: "Wow." *spots someone else in the crowd and grabs his attention* "Hey, Mark! Did you know that Cindy wrote a book?" *makes excuse to leave conversation as soon as Mark begins talking*

***
Of course, not every conversation goes this way. Some people get really, really interested and want to talk about it for hours. Either way, there are always looks of confusion and my guaranteed fifteen minutes of stumbling over my words trying to describe my book, but wishing I could just pull up the synopsis and read it out loud instead.

What about you? Do you tell people you write or do you mostly keep it to yourself as well? How do you handle it when you do tell people?

What is a critique partner?

Try googling what a critique partner is and you'll find all kinds of answers. Generally, a critique partner is someone who willingly reads your writing and provides honest feedback that will both encourage and push you to write better. They'll tell you what's missing and what's working, and will (hopefully) be someone you can go to time and time again to discuss writing with.

 Photo found at Kristine Carlson Asselin's blog.

All of that's pretty awesome, but I happen to think that my critique partners go above and beyond that basic definition. They're the kick-butt kind of amazing that keep me going even when I'm pretty sure I'd have given up already if I didn't have them.

 Photo found at Confessions of a Twenty Something Fiction Writer.

So, when someone asks me what a critique partner is, lots and lots of things go through my mind. Below you will find just a few of those things.

To me, a critique partner is:

• Someone who will read the same scenes from your manuscript so many times that neither of you are sure of the count;
• Someone who will be completely and totally honest with their feedback, even if it sucks to hear it;
• Someone who will listen to you whine about your writing and/or lack of writing;
• Someone who knows the right moment to tell you to shut up when you're complaining too much;
• Someone who can't stop thinking about your characters and calls/texts/emails you in the middle of the night with ideas and solutions for them;
• Someone who never complains about your constant complaining and lack of confidence;
• Someone that makes you write when you just don't want to;
• Someone that will never let you give up, no matter how much you feel like it;
• Someone, that after you've connected, you just can't imagine ever writing a book without.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that finding the right critique partners can be life changing in really great ways. I adore mine, and truly don't know what I'd do without them. So, to each of my critique partners, this one's for you! 

The Blank Page

It's exciting and daunting and a wonderful mixture of the unknown. The blank page is that magical beginning to something you just know is going to be the writing love of your life.

It doesn't matter if you're a plotter or a pantser or some combination of them both, the blank page can be as much overwhelming and terrifying as it is thrilling. Chances are that first sentence is going to morph into something completely different by the time you're draft is complete, but there's no denying that it's an important one.

The first paragraph of a brand new WIP can mold a character and a story in just a few short sentences. It can tell you nothing at all or everything you've been wondering about your plot. It's hard not to put a ton of weight into those first words.

On Friday, I'll be heading out of town for my very first writing retreat, and since my current WIP is now complete, I will begin working on my brand new shiny idea. I'm SUPER excited. I'm also super nervous. For the past two years I've been working on the same novel. Day in and day out, I've been writing and revising and tightening up a story that I've known very well. It's been a challenge and a blast all at once.

So starting something new is frightening beyond words. Am I ready? Do I know how this story is going to go? Am I going to hit a brick wall right away? Will my character cooperate and allow me to actually write her story? Will I want to bang my head against my laptop and cry from the lack of words flowing?

The answer to all of these questions is: YES.

It's going to be difficult, but it's also going to be fun. And even though it's a bit scary, I'm ready to turn that blank page into something worth reading. Bring it!

Writing Muses

It's been a while since I've posted any pictures like this, and since I'm having a busy week, I figured now would be a good time. Below are some photos that I'm loving because they are providing me with great mental images for my newest WIP.

Bet you can't guess what tree is prominent to the story. :-)

Happy Writing everyone!

P.S. If you'd like to follow me on Pinterest, you can find me HERE.

The idea that just won't leave you alone...

About a year and a half ago, when I was knee deep in still writing the first draft of the last version of my current WIP (was that confusing enough for you?), I woke up with this vision of a girl in my head. I only knew one thing about her, and nothing else.

Over the course of the past eighteen months I've successfully ignored her for other writings and chose to keep ignoring her even though she wouldn't quite leave me alone. I kept telling her to go away and to stop bothering me. She had no story. What was I supposed to even do with her? I continued to push her away until finally, last night, I decided I'd write down what I did know about her. That one tiny thing and see if anything else came to light.

It did. She presented a whole host of new facts about herself and within an hour I figured out exactly (okay, maybe not exactly) who she is and what story she wants to tell. It was amazing and exciting and I'm so very excited to get started writing all about her. And to make it even better, I'm heading out for a writing retreat in less than a month and the fact that I actually have something new to work on--and it's something I'm excited about--is making me super duper giddy.

And you know, I'm not even annoyed at myself for making her wait this long to get to know her story, because now just feels like the right time. Did I mention I'm excited?

2011 In Review

This year has been a busy one. In January I started revisions on the YA novel I'd finished back in October 2010. I spent the next few months trudging through that mess and was pretty close to finishing it when I realized I couldn't get past the issues in the novel. It needed to be reworked. It needed a makeover. Badly.

So in May I began rewriting that novel from the beginning. While I was able to keep the main characters, most of the novel was totally scratched. It was terrifying and wonderful at the same time. It felt right. The changes I was making were working, things were making sense and I was falling in love with the characters all over again. It was exactly what I needed.

Once again I spent the next few months writing. I finished the first draft in the summer and have been working on revisions ever since.

Throughout the months I somehow managed to gain several amazing crit partners. They have kept me in check when I freaked out, they've read and re-read scenes and have always been willing to offer suggestions when I needed it most. And most importantly, they've kept me sane. I don't know what I'd do without them and I feel so unbelievably blessed to have them be a part of this journey with me.

Also, I read 95 published books this year. I was aiming for 100, so I'm pretty proud of how close I came.

Oh, and I have a shiny new idea ready and waiting for me once my current WIP is complete. I'm hoping to start that one in earnest sometime in January. Fingers crossed!

Overall, I'd say this has been a great year. I've learned a lot when it comes to writing and as the year is winding down, I'm finding myself grateful for all the ups and downs I've experienced with my novels and characters.

I'd also like to send a very warm thank you to each and every one of you who actually read this blog. I'm still struggling with what to say about writing and myself without just talking about myself all the time. So I appreciate you hanging in there with me.

This is for you:

Here's to hoping that you all have a wonderful and safe New Year!

It's Not You, It's Me

Before I starting writing I had real life friends. I wanted to go out to dinner and shopping. I wanted to get out of my house and breathe fresh air. I enjoyed their company and looked forward to anything they wanted to do. What happened, you ask?

Writing happened. Imaginary friends happened. Drafting and revising and drafting again happened. Now all I ever want to do is write. I think about my characters all day long and live for the moment I kiss my children good night so that I can perfect their story. I sneak a few paragraphs here and there throughout any day that I can, but most days I can't get anything considerable done until my children are fast asleep. This means the nighttime hours are my writing time. And my writing time is very, very valuable to me. So much so that I get annoyed when I have to leave my house to do something else. (I know it's horrible. I'm ashamed.)

But it's like I'm possessed. I have this undying, unwavering, unending need to finish this book. I absolutely have to do it. And when I'm away from my characters, I'm not even enjoying myself because all I can think about is how much time I'm wasting NOT writing. As I said before, I'm not proud of this. I know it's not fair to the real life friends. So I've decided to write them this letter, this formal apology for my lackluster friendship skills as of late:

Dear Real Life Friends,

It's not you. It's me. Honest. I have a disease, an addiction to something you can't yet see, but is entirely real inside my head. I hear voices. These voices are telling me a story and I can't seem to rest until I've written down every word of what they have to say. I know this must sound ludicrous and maybe even a little nutso, but it's true.

I know that you're wondering what happened to your spontaneous and exciting old friend, and well, I just wanted you to know that I'm still here. Somewhere inside of me is still that same friend that you know and love, she's just a little possessed at the moment. It's not that I don't enjoy your company. I do. Or at least, I did. But I know, just know with all my heart, I'll still love your company once I finish this book. I swear it.

I just need a little space right now. Some time to work things out in my head would really be helpful. I hope you can forgive me. I promise to come back to you someday. Just...not right now. I still have 66 pages to revise. And then I'll probably revise it one more time for good measure. But one day in the future, I'll show my face again. Honest. 

Truly,

Your Dear Old Friend

Do you think that will earn me forgiveness? If not, maybe a little funny from one of the most hilarious shows of all time will help? 

Write, Revise, Rinse, Repeat

Twelve days ago I finished the first draft of my most current WIP. I sent it off to my crit partners and some betas and I've been twiddling my thumbs and playing around very gently with a new project. The new project isn't inspiring me as much as I'd hoped and I'm finding that I'm still very much immersed in the head of my MC of the drafted WIP. 

I had a few ideas swirling around for how to improve the draft and allowed myself to see how it felt to add that into the story last night. Let's just say it didn't fit and I walked away more than a little frustrated. After some brainstorming with my crit partner this morning, it now makes sense to me as to why it wasn't working. It wasn't where the story was supposed to go--at least not at that point. And now that I've talked it through and can clearly see it all playing out in my head I'm so ready to dig back in. 

Revising may not be the most fun part of writing the story, but it sure is necessary. It's also such an amazing thing when you have a crit partner (or two!) who really understand your characters and your vision. I honestly don't know what I'd do without mine. I'm absolutely a better writer because of them. 

Now, with all that being said, let the real revisions begin. I'm.....er......excited! :-)

Words Count

I've heard that the more books you write, the less you think about word count or how much you've written in a sitting. You just write.

I'm not to that point yet, as I tend to use word count as a form of motivation. I aim for a minimum of 1500 words a day. Some days I accomplish that goal and some days I don't even come close to it.

Recently, I've been blowing that goal out of the water and because of it, I'm in a constant state of giddy happiness. I'm sleep deprived, over caffeinated, and totally neglecting my house, but I feel GREAT.

Likewise, when I'm not meeting my writing goals, I'm despondent and feel like finishing this book will never happen.

I realize I'm probably not alone in this way of operating and that makes me feel much better about my little obsession with daily word counts. Sometimes I wonder how many books it will take me to get to that comfortable place where I no longer think about the number of words in my manuscript.

Until then I'll just keep wishing for more giddy high word count days. It's really much better for everyone in my household.

What about you? Do you share my obsession with words? Do you have a system for keeping up with the number of words you've written each day?

Sharing is Caring?

Since I started my current WIP a little over a year ago, I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually brainstormed with my husband or someone else in my family about the book. For whatever reason, I've sort of clammed up when it came to sharing what I'm writing with people I actually *know* in person. I have my critique partners that I've never actually met. I have a few beta readers, only one of which I've met. I just couldn't bring myself to tell people near me in real life what I was writing.

I think it's partly due to the fact that I was afraid of failure. If I told all of my local friends what I was writing, and then I failed, well, that would be so embarrassing. Then, there was the fact that I'm writing a young adult novel.I suppose I thought those around me would think I'm childish if I'm writing for young adults. I'm not entirely sure what I was afraid of with that one. I mean, who truly wants to forget what those days were like when you first fell in love? I know I don't.

But here's the kicker, I've recently learned that my friends and family are extremely supportive. They've read what I'm writing and they encourage it. They ask me questions that get me thinking about the tiny little things in the novel that can really turn out to be important big things. My husband will actually brainstorm with me and help me tie pieces together in ways I hadn't even thought of. It's remarkable how relieving it is to have people know what I'm doing and to actually want to see more. It's so wonderful to know that I was wrong about what people would think about what genre I'm writing.

It seems like I'm always blogging about the lessons I'm learning while writing. I won't complain about that, though. It's these lessons that are keeping me on track. It's these silly little things that happen in my life that inspire me to keep writing in the first place.

With whatever your goals are for writing or even just life, I wish you the same support and encouragement that I've received. It's amazing the difference it can make. 

For the Love of Writing

There are days when I struggle with writing. There are days I don't feel motivated at all to open those word docs and just want to curl up with a book--or *gasp* even television. On those days I wonder how I'm ever going to finish this book. I doubt my ability to make this manuscript something someone else will want to read. I think I must be the worst aspiring author ever. I put off revising because, well, I'm intimidated by my characters or the scene that's in need of major work. Yes, I realize that I've created this world and that I shouldn't be scared of it, but I am. What if I screw it up? What if I don't tell their story correctly? What if they hate me?

Isn't that the fear all mothers have? What if our children hate us?

I know this must sound crazy to those of you who don't write but those characters have lives of their own now and it's up to me to make sure they have the best tools possible to survive in the world of publishing. They really are my children now.

But even after all the fear and intimidation, I continue to come back to them. I can never stay away for more than a day or two before I'm itching to see what they are up to next. I love them too much to leave them unfinished. I realize that sometimes it's okay to take a break. Mini vacations are good for helping me reset and remember that I can, in fact, handle this.

And you know what else I realized? I realized I absolutely love to write. I always have. Writing makes me happy. Even if I knew there was no way their story would ever be published, I would still write it. I would write it because their story needs to be told, even if it's just me and my crit partners who read it. For now, I'm going to allow myself to just enjoy the process. I'm not going to think too much about whether this story will ever be seen on the shelves in some bookstore. This manuscript will some day be finished and when it is, I'll worry that stuff then. Until then, I'm going to have fun with this and remember why I started writing in the first place.

So, I guess the moral of today's story is this: Do what you love to do even if you are the only who loves it. Oh, and enjoy the moment? :-)

Why YA?

Someone asked me once why so many of the books I read are young adult. I'm not sure there's one definite answer for this. I think I've always enjoyed reading YA books but I vividly remember the book that really ignited my love for them.

In ninth grade, my English teacher assigned us to read The Face on the Milk Carton by Carolyn B. Cooney. Normally, anything a teacher assigns is automatically filed into the "this book will be boring" folder, but not this time. This time, I found myself holding onto the edge of my seat and flipping through the pages quicker than ever before. The suspense, the romance, the sheer mystery of the book was incredible. Once I reached the end, I had to know: Are there more books like this? Where can I get them?

Over the following years I bought all of the books in that series and loved them all. I've read them all several times and love them as much today as I did at fourteen. My own love of writing was well established by then, even if I mostly wrote angsty poetry at the time, but there is no doubt that this one book is a part of my writing history and a part of who I am as a writer.

So many people have this misconception that young adult books are only for young readers, that they can't possibly contain a thoughtful or mature subject matter. They just don't know how wrong they are. Young adult books are not only well written but they often tackle hard hitting and challenging issues that many adults are still facing themselves. Just because the main character of a book is fifteen, sixteen or seventeen years old, doesn't mean the book itself is going to be a shallow or easy read.

So how does that saying go? You should never judge a book by it's cover? Perhaps in this situation, we could say: "You should never judge a book by it's genre."

If I'd judged Carolyn B. Cooney's book by my first impression, where would I be today? Maybe I'd still be writing and maybe I'd still be enjoying young adult books, but I do know the journey wouldn't have been nearly as fun.

Reading, Writing & Insomnia

It's no secret I'm a tad bit addicted to reading and, well, books in general. I have always been an avid reader but in the past few years it's as if I simply can't get enough. I carry books with me when I run errands on the off chance that I'll get to steal a few minutes with its pages. I try to read at least a little bit each night before falling asleep. I feel more relaxed and getting lost inside someone elses' story has always been therapeutic for me.

I never really saw this as a problem until I began writing my own book. Now I often find myself torn between writing and reading. When it's been a particularly long or tiring day, I tend to gravitate towards curling up with a good book and going to bed early. This does not, however, help me reach my writing goals each day. I've heard time and time again that getting into the habit of writing every day, even if it's just a little bit, is helpful to keep motivated. I have to agree with this. When I take more than a day or two off from writing, I feel lazy and find it easier to skip writing again.

And here is where it gets more complicated: I love to read. I love to write. I want to do much more of both of them that I actually have time for. Some days I really do have to choose one or the other. It makes me sad either way. If I don't get time alone with a book each day, I hate it. If I can't reach my writing goals each day, I feel unproductive and overwhelmed.

The problem is, as a stay at home mom, I have very little time to myself. I often attempt to sneak in a few pages of reading during the day. It's not easy but I'm slowly learning that since the only time I really have to write when I can concentrate is late at night, after everyone has gone to bed. This is also not easy. I have always been one of those people who needs lots of sleep to function happily. After nearly a year of training it, I think I'm finally starting to get my body used to getting less sleep.

So my last thought is this: Is it odd that I may actually wish for a dash of insomnia? I'm sure it's a terrible condition to have but I sometimes allow myself to fantasize about how productive I could be if I had hours in the middle of the night to just work on my book.

A girl can dream, right? Or...I suppose in this case, a girl can dream about not dreaming?

Here we go.

So, this is it. One more thing I will do to push myself one little step closer to achieving my goal. The first time I remember acknowledging my dream to become an author was in third grade. I entered a writing contest and, to my dismay, I actually won. Took my family of four out to dinner. It was then that I realized the joy that writing can bring. I had fun writing that little story and as a result, I was rewarded.

Do something you love and get paid for it? Sounds perfect to me.

Now, that payment can come in many different forms; it doesn't have to be cash. Money would be nice, but more than anything, I just want to have fun with this. I want to create something that someone else will truly want to read. Someone outside of my already amazingly supportive friends and family.

So....with that said, here is where things stand today: I have completed the first draft of a YA paranormal novel and am currently working on revisions. My *goal* is to complete this round of revisions by the end of May, 2011.

Let's hope this blog helps to keep me accountable to that goal.

If you are reading this very first post, you probably fall into one of those amazingly supportive categories aforementioned. Thank you!