Writing Challenge: April

 I doubt I'll be finishing a project this month either, but I have gotten over 50K words written, so I'm calling it a win. The fact that over half of those were written in the last three days...well, we'll call that a minor miracle.

The Night Shift, is over halfway done, and rolling along quite well actually. My new project (the one that's grown so quickly) is The Rules of Engagement (working title) and at current count over 26K. It's been causing some late nights...

Writing query letters to send out, trying to figure out what a query blast is, if you know please comment, and trying not to eat all of the Easter candy in one fell swoop.

While the point of this year was to finish projects, I can't argue with word count and I am writing inordinately more words than I normally do. I've noticed something else too, my early drafts are getting cleaner and sharper with each passing month. The first project I finished, A Nefarious and Evil Tale, needs a serious revision, which reminds me to announce next year's challenge.

The Year Long Revision Challenge!

That's right, I'll be revising, finishing, revising, editing, revising, etcetera, a novel a month starting in August with... A Nefarious and Evil Tale. I'll put up a full schedule later.

Strange

"Love will find a way through paths where wolves fear to prey." - Lord Byron

I'm currently looking for beta readers for a few projects. Mostly Legion's Web, and possibly a couple others. I will need beta's for my contracted project at some point, because I believe it's important to get as many opinions as humanly possible. 

In other news, I'm drawing again. I think this is because I'm not writing. It seems like I can't do one while I do the other. Very odd. 

Also, went through my files and discovered three stories were eaten by demons. THREE. This is highly irregular. I found the original hand written version for one, but am searching for the other's and the final was actually more of a rough concept but still, it just...vanished. 

This has also been happening with my Itunes library. I've complained, but nothing has been resolved. Seriously, when a song is there one day, and gone the next, it's a problem. 

Currently I'm listening to music. It serves a twofold purpose of keeping my alert and at the same time relaxing me enough to not get irritated by my missing files.

Welcome to the Jungle

I have finished the erstwhile Adder's Breath, and changed the title to The Hanged Man's Ghost. See, that's much better. Currently it's under review in a contest I submitted to.

Fingers crossed everyone. Post my losing the contest, I'll be sending it off to whomever I can think of. Meanwhile, book two, The Night Shift is moving right along. I was surprised actually, I usually need a rest period between sequels but this one was being very insistent.

In other news I've been reading. Like, a lot. My count for the year, (thus far) is forty-two. (I'm including manga/graphic novels in this count, so sue me). Currently I have Joseph Delaney's Clash of Demons and Kim Harrison's The Outlaw Demon Wails, sitting on my floor waiting to be read. I just finished up Found, by Sarah Prineas and Conspiracy of Kings, by Megan Whalen Turner, Gen's antics, as per usual, left me both speechless and awaiting the next book.

I finished up the Codex Alera series (thank you local library), it ended very satisfactorily, which I cannot say was true for the Cirque Du Freak series, which I also finally finished. That last book left a sour note in my brain I scrubbed away through liberal applications of Jasper Fforde with First Among Sequels. Still trying to get my hands on the new one, One or Our Thursdays is Missing, but it only came out a week ago so...I'll have to patient.

I am still job hunting. I have a portfolio slash resume online for perusal. At this point I'm getting more than a little desperate.

Yeah. More than a little.

In other news I did, finally, get a yes from a publisher and will be putting forth my very first e-book publication in a few months. I'm pretty excited about it, but that means I have some work to do between now and then, and let's face it people, that's a gamble. I'll be promoting my butt off to make a sales amount that can aid in my efforts to pay off debts, feed myself, and obtain housing arrangements on my own terms.

Seriously, I just want a job. I just want to make a living, get my own place and live like a normal "grown-up" person.

Is that so much to ask for?

For the love of...

"Writing is not a genteel profession. It's quite nasty and tough and kind of dirty."

~ Rosemary Mahoney

I am, at this juncture, finishing up a project I am, at the moment, calling Adder's Breath, but after further thought, it sounds...dirty. The quotation above (which I found because I unashamedly stalk Ms. Gail Carriger's blog when she's between novels. Don't give me that look, I know you do it too).

It reminded me of the when I first started writing Fynn Adder's story (see, his name is in the title, I'm so frickin' clever, right?). I remember wrestling with myself frequently. There were long nights, periods where I forgot to shower, eat, and in general take care of myself like a normal hygienic person ought to. Of course, at the time, I was also living in a dorm room with three other girls so I would say that I wasn't quite as bad as I could have been, if only for the sakes of my roommates and homework.

Fynn's story has come quite a ways from it's original roots. For one, it's longer, which I find to be a bonus. Two, it's cleaner, sharper, and funnier--so ha. Third, I've untangled the plot (which was atrocious looking back) killed off some typo demons which were getting afoul of my writerly awesomeness and overall, gotten my hands dirty.

That's right. Being an author is not some noble ideal folks. It's about work. Actual work. Days of research, headaches, hand cramps (tendonitis sucks by the way) and a reclusiveness and aversion to sunlight some might call unhealthy.

Fynn's story is reminding me why I want to write, which is nice. I want to write because I like to read. I write stories I want to read. Sure, in the back of my head is that creature with a pitchfork I like to call Steve, he's the part of my brain filled with commercial information and publishing know-how that has, as of yet, gotten me nowhere.

Steve and I have an interesting relationship. While I strive for art, Steve is thinking about that all important thing--Money. But a person who as never been published (we're excluding my unpaid self aggrandizement here.) it is difficult to get money to write. Therefore, I write because I want to, and money is secondary (at the moment).

Every striving novelist wants to be published, and I'm far to young to throw in the towel on trying just yet, but the rejections do hurt. I don't think anyone likes to be rejected.

Which has led to the creation of a mantra I repeat to myself several times before working up the courage to open emails and letters from publishers/agents/etc.

"The worst thing they can say is no."

I say it alot actually. See, here's the thing. That is the worst thing they can say. Oh, I know, some will argue and say they could trash talk your work, blah, blah, but all of that is just a smokescreen for what they are really saying. No. We don't want it.

So you move on. Because it only takes one yes. One. (That's my other mantra).

Adder's story (whatever I end up titling it) will be sent off in hopes of publication just like everything else I have sitting in a neat little folder labeled: Finished Drafts.

And for the love of good books, go buy a magazine.

December

So I had the misfortune of catching broncitis in the month of December in conjunction with having no access to my computer as I moved and an integral cable was left behind...eh.

I am currently feeling better and trying to write while attempting to find a new job, and finally obtain the one thing that has eluded me for the past eight years.

My driver's license. Yes. I know, it's sad. But I have actually been driving with a friend and have high hopes.

As for the month of January, I am writing, but I choose to keep that a secret for the moment as...well, I do.

The CFM is putting out it's Steampunk Edition tomorrow! Then at the end of the month we're invading Ohayocon. If you spot us, you'll be entered into a drawing for some fabulous books!

Hope to see you all there.

Cheers.

Computers...

At the moment my computer is unuseable do to a lacking component part of attach computer to monitor.

It's in the mail.

So I should have my computer back, which will mean happiness for me.

The schedule says I'm writing When Angels Cry or Dusk Moth this month, however, I may change that to something else. I may write Merry Bones and the Taxidermy Prince instead. It's more festive I think.

Or something. Meanwhile, I have submitted Legion's Web to Immanion Press. They say they get back to every submission within a month, so...finger's crossed everyone.

I'd rather like that as a Christmas present I think. It's what I asked Santa for at least. (Yes, I am a total dweeb and wrote a letter to Santa. I asked for peace of mind and a publishing contract)

These things, we do them to remain sane.

In other news, I finished Nano. (whew)

The rest of the novel is, unfortunately, on the inaccessible computer at the moment, so the Fiction Press updates will have to wait till I get my part.

I've moved (last weekend) back to my home state and am currently job hunting. Opportunities are sparse, and I am car-less/license-less (hoping to correct the second at least) so it's somewhat difficult.

Well, that and my current location is in the middle of a corn field. All right, surrounded by corn fields. (A big thanks goes out to my copy editor and her family for letting me stay with them whilst I attempt to get on my feet)

The second issue, which feels much like a debut issue really, is coming up fast. Submissions close in nine days! It's due out January 14, and from the 28-30 the CFM staff will be at Ohayocon! (It's a Steampunk theme this year) lurking. If you spot us (we'll have badges on) you get a free issue of our e-magazine and a chance to win some fabulous prizes! (IE, Books!)

We'll be there all three days (albeit in different numbers each day as we all have different schedules), so keep an eye out.

I'll post a picture of our badges once they're made.

Well, that's all for now. Cheers and good luck to all of my fellow author hopefuls!

Caught Up!

I've broken the 12K mark, which means I'm on target for October! Blood War is taking a rather interesting turn. I'm following the outline...mostly with a few changes here and there.

I've got a very old draft to work from as well, but none of that is making it into this one beyond the general drift of the story.

I'm toying around with doing the third volume; Blood Hands, but haven't decided for certain. I've pretty full up on my schedule, but we'll see.

I sent The Grave Watchers, last years Nano, off to a publisher, and Legion's Web is next up but that requires printing the whole damn thing and that's a whole lot of dead trees.
Any who, still chugging away at the January issue. I have high hopes for it. I really do.

Cheers