(eureka?)

I don't want to make too much of this, but I think I have figured out how to fix an old story. First it was disorganized, and then it was stalled. It dawned on me recently that I'm trying to fit the story into too long of a time line. I was having trouble coming up with enough story that wasn't day-to-day boring or soap opera dramatic to fill the amount of time I thought I needed. If I start further in and use my back story in dreams and flashbacks I think it will work better. It only took a white board with three colors of pens, two notebooks, and a sheet of scrap paper to figure in out. I think it's time to start a notebook before my fiddly bits get lost in the shuffle. I'm glad I have extra shelf space in my office. Working on multiple projects at once (which it looks like I'll be doing soon) will fill it up rather nicely.

The best part is that while there is significant re-writing to do, many parts of the story will only need light editing to make it fit with the shorter amount of time. It's entirely possible that I could have the first draft done before June 1.

Marketing: Step 1

I rallied enough brain cells last night to start my Facebook fan site. Please click here and join my group so that when I get ready to pitch a book this fall I can say I have a following. Thanks!

Oh, I guess I should probably 'out' myself here and let anyone here who doesn't already know (maybe there are one or two of you) that Wendy Blanton and Elizabeth Joy are the same person. Turns out the pen name created a marketing nightmare, so the Dragons Roost books will be the only books published under that name.

Home and beyond fried

The convention was beyond amazing. It was such a privilege to spend two intense days with such amazing writers. The staff was diverse, knowledge, and approachable. They answered every question thoroughly and graciously. There was no ego, no "I'm an author, bow to me," no "I paid my dues and now you must, too." They came along beside us, no matter what stage we were, and talked to us where we were.

I attended workshops on how to tighten and improve writing, and I also got into the marketing end. Marketing my writing has been a stumbling block for me. I am introverted and humble to the point to self-deprecation. Asking someone to buy my book feels like I'm a door-to-door salesman with my foot in the door. The publicist I talked to told me that if this is God's calling, I can't hide it under a bushel. If I'm going to get published--whether self-published or with a contract at a publishing house--I will need to be involved in the marketing.

Perhaps the biggest realization for me was two-fold. I have to hunker down and do my work with no expectation of reward other than the knowledge that God is going to use my work to touch people, and that in doing so I will attract the attention of the enemy, leaving me vulnerable to attack. I don't know specifically what that means, and I'm glad.

As for moving forward, I'll begin the editing of Gracie Mac and probably recycling an old story that never fully materialized. I have to work on specifics. On the marketing side, I'm going to look into a full-fledged website and perhaps start a fan page on Facebook. I'll be updating here as I put my plan into action.

Not today, though. Today I'm enjoying the sabbath.

Courtesy of I Can Has Cheeseburger

Or not...

I thought I was prepared to get a lot of work done, but the e-reader didn't charge nearly as much as I thought it did. I got Lesson 5 read before it died. If I had read it before I left home, or even before I went (futilely) in search of printer ink, I would have known that Lesson 5 needs a notebook. That's the only thing I didn't have with me.

For a change, I spent 45 minutes reading a magazine.

Pft.

A little thing that simplified my life

I'm cramming on "How To Revise Your Novel." Yesterday I applied three lessons to the part of "Still Gracie Mac" that I'm submitting for a contest this month. Tonight I'll have nearly two hours to sit in a waiting room, and I was thinking about how convenient it would be if I could put the lessons on my e-reader rather that printing them to do away from my computer. I wasn't sure if I could put them on, but I tried it, and it worked! So now I just need to print the applicable worksheets and put them in my folder, and I'll actually be able to get something useful done while I'm waiting.

Between that, the sunshine, and my caffeine levels apparently high enough for upper brain function to work, it's a pretty darn good day.

Starting over

About two months ago I signed up for Holly Lisle's "How To Revise Your Novel" course. I was going to use the extensive back-story from 'Rogue Pawn' for learning purposes, but trying to edit while finishing 'Gracie Mac' was almost an exercise in futility. I've finished week one and read week two, and that's as far as I've gotten.

I just finished the bare bones on 'Gracie Mac'. There is a lot to fill in, but I'm not sure what or where, so I'm going to restart the course with that. It's a matter of printing the 85 pages of manuscript I have so far and the first week's worksheets, and then I can get started on it. I do have an ulterior motive for this. The American Christian Fiction Writers have a new writers contest every year, and I was going to enter 'Gracie Mac.' I only have to submit the first fifteen pages, and I'm not anticipating a lot of change in that section, but I really do have to get it polished up because the deadline is the end of this month.

Finally, I have a deadline that's not self-imposed!


(Yes, Jean, I do remember that you told me to finish 'Gracie Mac' for the course!)

Quandry of the day

I've got nearly 40,000 words on "Still Gracie Mac." They're pretty good words, but I think they're in the wrong order. I think 15-20,000 would finish her off, but as usual I'm stuck in the middle. I kind of wanted to have this done by the end of the year so I wouldn't carry it into the new decade, but Christmas interfered with writing.

Here's the real issue: Holly Lisle is starting the next "How To Revise Your Novel" class January 2 (or there-abouts. Registration is January 2-9.) A finished novel is required to take the class. She doesn't say *how* finished. I'm wondering if I should sign up with a mostly-done-plot-challenged book. There is, of course, always the chance that inspiration will strike and I'll hit on the right combination of conflict. No matter what, if I sign up for the course, it will be a VERY rough first draft. I guess I can sign up for it and download the lessons, and then start them when I'm ready. Anyone who is currently taking the class have any thoughts?

UPDATE: It occurred to me later that I cut a huge piece of Rogue Pawn. In the original, Sieger didn't appear until almost half-way through the book. That gives me a nice sized piece of manuscript to work with. It's not something I'd publish, probably, but it will work for a learning piece. Problem solved!

Heading back to normal

Chadwick headed home today. I take Alex back to school tomorrow. Overall, we had a good week with them. There was some drama, but that's to be expected with teens and young adults. The downside is that I haven't written anything in about a week and a half, and it's getting to me. I'm going back through How To Think Sideways lessons to make sure I'm on track with 'Still Gracie Mac' and might get some words in tonight. I might look at the parts I have to rewrite. I need to flesh out my goals for the book so I can get back to work Monday morning. Tomorrow is already shot; I'll be on the road all day. Half of the trip I'll be alone, though, so if I can refresh the story in my head, I can use the drive home to ruminate. I'm SO ready to get back to work.

Eric and I indulged in a little retail therapy this afternoon. Alex needed two flat queen sheets to take back to school for his fraternity initiation. The guy he talked to didn't say why he needed them, and I'm not sure I really want to know, but I suspect togas will be involved. We also went to the bookstore, where I picked up some history books for research. I'd intended to use my e-reader for that, but I couldn't get all the books I wanted. I found some good stuff anyway, and I got a little fix.

Now for another fix--back to Think Sideways and a little plot doctoring.

Birthday present to myself!

I didn't plan it this way, but I just got the e-mail that "Sword And Scabbard" is good to go! I will be uploading "The Dragon's Lady" this week, making the entire series available from one source, just in time for your Christmas shopping convenience! (I wonder if I can time it so that "The Dragon's Lady" becomes available on Black Friday?)

Left turn at, err, Charlottesville

'Still Gracie Mac' is trying to turn on me. I thought of a way around the legal procedure problem I ran into, but it will require a rewrite of about a quarter of what I have so far, plus I'll have to rewrite my outline. Not a big deal; words are words. I haven't completely decided to do it, but I'm leaning that way. For now I'm working on a later part of the story.

I've discovered that it's better to write in the afternoon, not right after dinner. For some reason, my average size dinner seems to be a little on the 'too much' side lately. Tonight was steak (2-3 oz), garlic mashed potatoes, and broccoli, and I'm stuffed. I really haven't been hungry all day, which is so strange for me. Not that I mind. It's easier to grab a piece of fruit when my concentration starts to flag than to deal with actual meals. I think I see a cup of mint tea in my future, though.

Time to get some more work done. I'm working two extra days this week, and I get much less writing done on work days. I'm also getting the house ready for company at Thanksgiving. Lucky for me there's nothing good on TV...

New working title

I'm nearly 20,000 words into a new project, and it occurs to me that I may not have mentioned it. The working title up until today was 'New Project'; not very descriptive, but it was an effective place holder until Walter offered up something more appropriate. Something like 'Still Gracie Mac.'

It's a (an?) historical fiction with a romance angle and a strong Christian theme. Grace accidentally steps through a time rift and goes from 2009 to 1789. On the plus side, she's a historical novel author who is very into living history. (No, I didn't base her on me. At least not any more than my other heroines!) On the minus side, she realizes quickly that knowing about a time period and living in it are very different things.

This project was inspired by Diana Gabaldon's 'Outlander' series, which are some of my very favorite books. The research to write this has been very interesting but very time intensive. I have begun to realize why the 'Outlander' books take so long to write. Well, that, and the fact that they're all, like, 900 pages long! "Still Gracie Mac" will not be that long!

NoNaNo

I've successfully done NaNoWriMo several times, but I've decided to forego it this year. I'm trying to train myself to write regularly, and the mania of NaNo is not conducive to that. I put too much pressure on myself. Last year I stopped writing November 30 and didn't write again until April. That's not a good way to build a writing career. I'll still be writing in November, I may even break 50,000 words, but that's not the goal. Besides, this year I'll have a week when I may not get any work done at all. Chadwick is thinking about coming for a week to see us, and Alex will be home on break. That means somebody will be sleeping in my office, unless I drag the mattress into the guest room. Considering the Bowflex is in there, it might be better not to do that!

Done!

The final "Sword And Scabbard" typo check is done! I'm working on the title page, acknowledgments, cover copy, etc and will be uploading to Lulu in the next few days. What a relief!

Glassy-eyed

I'm nearly half-way through the final "Sword And Scabbard" typo check. I started from the back to try to catch more of the evasive little buggers and it seems to be working. I also find myself wanting to read forward again occasionally, which I think is a good sign.

Numbers from the book signing weren't as dire as I thought. When I sifted through the numbers this morning I discovered I made $25 more than I spent on the books to take with me, and I still have a few copies left. Of course, gas money is still out of pocket but I did get free room and board, and I'd have had the gas expense just going to visit anyway. Plus there's the whole 'finished Christmas shopping' thing. ;-) I love it--it's not even Halloween yet! I literally have about nine people left to buy for. Eric and the kids and I are doing 'token gifts' this year--stockings and small things under the tree, and then taking the rest of the budget and going shopping after Christmas. That will allow us to take advantage of the sales, plus it will take a ton of pressure off me--less shopping, wrapping, debating style/color/size, etc. Between that and probably only having to sing at one service this year, I'm actually looking forward to Christmas this year! I *might* even get some baking done this year!

So that's the excitement here: edits done this weekend, hopefully off to Lulu next week, and on to new things.

Getting back to work

I got home yesterday afternoon. The book signing was a let-down. The five press releases I sent did not get published. The sum total of publicity was a pair of computer printed signs in the book store windows amongst several others (some of which were color, which made my signage that much more pitiful). Thank goodness my family showed up, and a big thanks to my mom for reminding everyone that it was going on. I still managed to sell a few books and left some with mom to foist off on her friends. Mom has promised to handle publicity for me if I decide to do another signing there in the future.

We did do some shopping while I was there; we both finished our Christmas shopping for that part of the family. I had some stuff for Mom already, but that's all I have to wrap and ship for them.

Next up is printing "Sword And Scabbard" (after I stop buy more printer ink) and the final typo check before I send it off to Lulu. I don't go to work tomorrow, but my work is cut out for me here.

thanks for the help!

I started a post about half an hour ago about how I'm just now thinking about stuff for the signing this weekend that I should have thought of earlier but didn't. I hit the major details--ordering books, packing clean clothing. I didn't think about little things, like business cards. In the middle of my lament, I remembered seeing a package of printable cards that I bought sometime in the last four years.* That's half the battle, you realize: Not just to have what you need, but also to know where it is. That's so hard sometimes. Anyway, a quick browse through the business card templates in Word and half an hour later, I have a stash of business cards. I even saved the template so I can print more!

I'm starting to feel like a real business woman!

*Thank goodness I had them on hand, too. It's early enough I could have run out to get them, but it's dark and rainy and yucky outside. (Yes, okay, it's a dark and stormy night!)

Reminder

For anyone in the thumb of Michigan, my book signing will be Saturday, 12-3, at The Book Shelf on Nepessing St. in Lapeer. If you're not busy, come on out and say hey!

Eeek!

We had our lawn aerated and seeded yesterday, which means I get to water each morning to keep the seed from dying. This morning I was chasing sprinklers when I noticed red patches in my garden. Turns out, half my tomatoes decided to ripen what seemed like overnight. Not a big deal under normal circumstances, but I'm heading out of town for a wedding tomorrow. I picked everything that looked like it was going to ripen over the weekend, and I have tomato sauce going in the crock pot. All that before I went to work! I'll get it done as much as possible tonight and store it in the fridge for a few days. I'll deal with canning it next week. I sure don't have time to do it now.

Heads' up for anyone in the area of eastern MI: I'll be in Lapeer next month on the 10th for a book signing at The Book Shelf, just in case you want to put off mowing the lawn to bring ten friends to see me! (Seriously, if you're coming and bringing ten friends, let me know so I can make sure to order enough books!)

Done, out, available!

Rogue Pawn has officially been launched into the world! It's available here right now, and should be on Amazon in about 6 weeks.

Rated PG-13; suitable for all gift-giving occasions and lazy afternoons.

Next is to send Sword and Scabbard forth, and then to redecorate my office. Pictures shall be forth-coming, and I might even remember to take 'before' pictures. :-)