.
I finally made it to the novel's
last Part. And I've divided into two less intimidating sections. I have
only 5 months until my deadline, which means that the last read
through/proofreading will likely be rushed, which makes me unhappy. So here goes:
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 2.5
Pages Cut: 6.5
New Scenes: 3 --- 11 3/4 pages of new stuff!
Bad Things that Happened: sneaky schemes of murder are hatched
Good Things that Happened: A prince is born
In
other news, I'm grieving this week because our circle of friends is
losing not one couple, but two. Two couples are moving out of state on
the same weekend! Losing one was almost too much for me to contemplate,
but two? My husband's mountain biking buddies are moving to Denver,
which is their dream come true. The other couple, from our LifeGroup, is
employed to build those enormous windmill farms, so they go where the
business is. In truth, we got to keep them longer than we hoped, but now
they are moving to far southern Texas, near South Padre, which is an
absolutely gorgeous island on the Gulf. They'll adjust; we'll adjust.
But I'm not sure others realize how traumatically this might affect me. I
think it comes from moving so often as a child. All through Elementary
School, we moved every two to three years, and I would make maybe a
single friend each time. I don't even remember their names, and
doubtless, I'm no more than a blip in their memory. I hung out more with
my sister's friends b/c there was less of a heart-attachment involved. I
wasn't leaving my friends, I was leaving hers. No biggie.
Seriously,
the past year-and-a-half is the first time I've had friends as an adult
(I was 32). I'm settled at last in a place I mean to stay, so I opened
up and let myself become attached to people. Then they move away. I'll
have to work very hard to keep from convincing myself, "What's the
point? Why bother?" Good thing is, our circle is still intact, just
smaller. We get to watch one of our remaining couples become parents for
the second time next spring. And they mean to officially open up the
LifeGroup for new participants, so new couples will try us out and
hopefully be a good fit. We're a crazy lot. We love to have fun while we
explore the Word of God. Serious? Us? Ha, rarely. But we're all sad
this week.
So here's to learning how to cope...
.
Showing posts with label novel project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label novel project. Show all posts
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Progress Report, 10-7-11, and Gleaning Good Stuff From Negative Comments
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THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 0
Pages Cut: 2
New Scenes: 2 --- 9 pages of new stuff! This particular section has allowed me to apply what I've learned about Show vs. Tell
Bad Things that Happened: A bridge comes tumbling down
Good Things that Happened: Nobody was on it
When Daniel Pool of Larks Fiction Magazine reviewed my novella Mists of Blackfen Bog at the Examiner, one of the few criticism he had about it concerned the "Interlude" that I included near the end. It's a linking scene, summarizing the passage of time while including the important details, between the rising action and the conclusion. He called this a "hiccup." Now, I'm indifferent about the matter. I can't agree or disagree with his opinion, but I see his point. How does that relate to my novel Falcons Rising and the revisions it's suffering through? Don't tell, but I had an "Interlude" there as well, in which I summarized not the events of a few days, but the highlights taking place over a couple of years. The reader does not need to know every event that occurs during those couple of years, but some important things do happen. How to handle this information has proven a problem in the past couple of weeks.
My conclusion is to choose the major pieces of information and show them in full detail, while tossing in the tidbits of other important info, as my POV character learns of it, letters, hearsay, battle reports, etc. If "telling" must done (and it must b/c there's just too much info), then let it be done through the characters themselves, their words, their thoughts, rather than a very, very ... very ... distant omniscient narration. It's been tough trying to decide how to present the information in a more interesting way without belaboring the issue and drawing out the book to ridiculous lengths. But I think the reader will appreciate the results, if not the immense effort involved.
So, if nothing else, it's good to read the negative comments as well as the good, in the hopes that one's future endeavors benefit. Have you received a less than favorable comment that helped strengthen your writing later?
.
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 0
Pages Cut: 2
New Scenes: 2 --- 9 pages of new stuff! This particular section has allowed me to apply what I've learned about Show vs. Tell
Bad Things that Happened: A bridge comes tumbling down
Good Things that Happened: Nobody was on it
When Daniel Pool of Larks Fiction Magazine reviewed my novella Mists of Blackfen Bog at the Examiner, one of the few criticism he had about it concerned the "Interlude" that I included near the end. It's a linking scene, summarizing the passage of time while including the important details, between the rising action and the conclusion. He called this a "hiccup." Now, I'm indifferent about the matter. I can't agree or disagree with his opinion, but I see his point. How does that relate to my novel Falcons Rising and the revisions it's suffering through? Don't tell, but I had an "Interlude" there as well, in which I summarized not the events of a few days, but the highlights taking place over a couple of years. The reader does not need to know every event that occurs during those couple of years, but some important things do happen. How to handle this information has proven a problem in the past couple of weeks.
My conclusion is to choose the major pieces of information and show them in full detail, while tossing in the tidbits of other important info, as my POV character learns of it, letters, hearsay, battle reports, etc. If "telling" must done (and it must b/c there's just too much info), then let it be done through the characters themselves, their words, their thoughts, rather than a very, very ... very ... distant omniscient narration. It's been tough trying to decide how to present the information in a more interesting way without belaboring the issue and drawing out the book to ridiculous lengths. But I think the reader will appreciate the results, if not the immense effort involved.
So, if nothing else, it's good to read the negative comments as well as the good, in the hopes that one's future endeavors benefit. Have you received a less than favorable comment that helped strengthen your writing later?
.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Falcons Promo
A bit of promo art, anyone?
Well, ideally, I'm not lying about
the date. Okay, okay, it's not a date, it's a season, which gives me
lots of leeway. Friend Virginia is getting very, very upset that this
project isn't finished yet. She only got to read the first half of this
novel, and she's anxiously awaiting the rewrites for the rest. I can't
let my new head cold get in the way. Rewrites must go on.
.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Plot vs. Character - Which Side Do You Cheer For?
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THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 5
Pages Cut: 3.5
New Scenes: 3 --- 10 pages of new stuff. I love diving more deeply into old characters. I know them so well that elaborating on unexplored facets of their lives is easy and enjoyable.
Bad Things that Happened: The White Falcon discovers that his hero is just a man
Good Things that Happened: Arryk is free of his brother's torment -- for a little while
____
Character-driven vs. Plot-driven
To any good story, well-rounded characters are a necessity, but so is a plot. What's the difference between these two and what defines a story as one or the other? Can a story be both?
A character-driven story, as described by speculative writer D. Lynn Frazier on her website, is a story in which "the character moves the story forward through action and choices. She initiates the events of the story and causes the events to happen. Each scene is instigated by the characters within it." Whereas plot-driven, also called Quest-driven or Action-driven is a story in which "the events ... move the story forward and cause the character to react to those events. Characters are secondary to the plot. They act in accordance with the plot and do not create events or situations on their own."
When I first started writing, not only did I not know what these terms meant, I didn't know these terms existed. I just wrote. Only later did I find out that the stories I was writing had to somehow fit into one definition or the other for purposes of pitching my ms to agents, editors, and the like. Or, in the least, I had to choose one or the other as the best definition for my work.
Many years later, I can happily say that I prefer to write character-driven fiction. If I get insanely bored while writing a story, often I will find that I've diverged somewhere into Plot-driven storytelling and left the characters behind. As much of an introvert as I am, it's the dynamics between people that keep me interested in what I'm writing.
Now, do my characters drive every event in every story? Certainly not. If events beyond my characters' control fail to happen, that's just unrealistic. Where was it that I read this? -- that the initial catalyst that gets the ball rolling may come outside your main characters, but after that, the story is driven by their reaction to that event. So a well-told story can certainly contain elements of both.
What do you think? Which do you prefer to read and/or write? Can you think of any examples of widely loved fiction that might be defined as both character-driven and plot-driven?
.
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 5
Pages Cut: 3.5
New Scenes: 3 --- 10 pages of new stuff. I love diving more deeply into old characters. I know them so well that elaborating on unexplored facets of their lives is easy and enjoyable.
Bad Things that Happened: The White Falcon discovers that his hero is just a man
Good Things that Happened: Arryk is free of his brother's torment -- for a little while
____
Character-driven vs. Plot-driven
To any good story, well-rounded characters are a necessity, but so is a plot. What's the difference between these two and what defines a story as one or the other? Can a story be both?
A character-driven story, as described by speculative writer D. Lynn Frazier on her website, is a story in which "the character moves the story forward through action and choices. She initiates the events of the story and causes the events to happen. Each scene is instigated by the characters within it." Whereas plot-driven, also called Quest-driven or Action-driven is a story in which "the events ... move the story forward and cause the character to react to those events. Characters are secondary to the plot. They act in accordance with the plot and do not create events or situations on their own."
When I first started writing, not only did I not know what these terms meant, I didn't know these terms existed. I just wrote. Only later did I find out that the stories I was writing had to somehow fit into one definition or the other for purposes of pitching my ms to agents, editors, and the like. Or, in the least, I had to choose one or the other as the best definition for my work.
Many years later, I can happily say that I prefer to write character-driven fiction. If I get insanely bored while writing a story, often I will find that I've diverged somewhere into Plot-driven storytelling and left the characters behind. As much of an introvert as I am, it's the dynamics between people that keep me interested in what I'm writing.
Now, do my characters drive every event in every story? Certainly not. If events beyond my characters' control fail to happen, that's just unrealistic. Where was it that I read this? -- that the initial catalyst that gets the ball rolling may come outside your main characters, but after that, the story is driven by their reaction to that event. So a well-told story can certainly contain elements of both.
What do you think? Which do you prefer to read and/or write? Can you think of any examples of widely loved fiction that might be defined as both character-driven and plot-driven?
.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Progress Report, 8-1-11, and Writing Amid Sorrow
.
What a tough weekend this was. Crying with friends who had every reason to think they were having a miscarriage, only to learn today that the baby is alive and kickin' so we have the glorious opportunity to celebrate and thank God for mighty miracles. And each life is rare and precious. Now learning that my husband's grandfather is in the hospital with heart issues. *whew* Life is a roller coaster, all right.
As for writing, things are good:
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: n/a
Pages Cut: 4
New Scenes: 1 - the last 4 pages of the "ship" chapter make way for almost 19 pages of new material! I'm far happier with the content now. There actually is content instead of useless words with no conflict to speak of. But, like I said last time: Ugh! I loathe writing rough drafts. It hurts.
Bad Things that Happened: Athna's plan goes awry
Good Things that Happened: my, but don't those ships look stately. In other words, I'm not tellin'. ;)
It's difficult to press on with a project when circumstances put it into perspective and make it seem like one of the least significant items on the list, but there it is.
.
What a tough weekend this was. Crying with friends who had every reason to think they were having a miscarriage, only to learn today that the baby is alive and kickin' so we have the glorious opportunity to celebrate and thank God for mighty miracles. And each life is rare and precious. Now learning that my husband's grandfather is in the hospital with heart issues. *whew* Life is a roller coaster, all right.
As for writing, things are good:
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: n/a
Pages Cut: 4
New Scenes: 1 - the last 4 pages of the "ship" chapter make way for almost 19 pages of new material! I'm far happier with the content now. There actually is content instead of useless words with no conflict to speak of. But, like I said last time: Ugh! I loathe writing rough drafts. It hurts.
Bad Things that Happened: Athna's plan goes awry
Good Things that Happened: my, but don't those ships look stately. In other words, I'm not tellin'. ;)
It's difficult to press on with a project when circumstances put it into perspective and make it seem like one of the least significant items on the list, but there it is.
.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Progress Report, 7-21-11, and Tough Going
.
I should wait to post this tomorrow,
but today is one of those days when the words and I aren't getting along. So I've jotted down some dialog in the hopes that the scene will fall together more easily tomorrow. Therefore, I'm posting the week's progress a day early. I failed to post any kind of update last week, because I wrote so little that there was just no point. Not sure what happened there, but that means I am still working on the two chapters that deal heavily with ships, sailors, and battles at sea. I'm getting a bit seasick at this point and will be happy when I can move on. More, I'm not exactly sure where these two chapters will fall. The chronology is clear, but the placement at present seems ... ungraceful, if that makes sense. I dunno. So here goes:
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 8
Pages Cut: 3 2/3
New Scenes: 1 (the whole last half the second chapter will be all new material. The old version was boring. Went off in a completely new direction. Can I finish it tomorrow? Unlikely. So here's to next week on the open sea as well. Progress is going so slowly b/c I'm practically writing a new rough draft for a story that is a decade old. Ugh! I loathe writing rough drafts. It hurts.)
Bad Things that Happened: Two ships colliding never ends well.
Good Things that Happened: Athna is rescued by a pirate. Wait, how is that good?
But enough negativity. Progress is progress and every word is one step closer to completing the project. There's no way I'm gonna make my deadline. But isn't that a common story? Oh, wait, positive thinking ... positive ... positive ...
.
I should wait to post this tomorrow,
but today is one of those days when the words and I aren't getting along. So I've jotted down some dialog in the hopes that the scene will fall together more easily tomorrow. Therefore, I'm posting the week's progress a day early. I failed to post any kind of update last week, because I wrote so little that there was just no point. Not sure what happened there, but that means I am still working on the two chapters that deal heavily with ships, sailors, and battles at sea. I'm getting a bit seasick at this point and will be happy when I can move on. More, I'm not exactly sure where these two chapters will fall. The chronology is clear, but the placement at present seems ... ungraceful, if that makes sense. I dunno. So here goes:THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 8
Pages Cut: 3 2/3
New Scenes: 1 (the whole last half the second chapter will be all new material. The old version was boring. Went off in a completely new direction. Can I finish it tomorrow? Unlikely. So here's to next week on the open sea as well. Progress is going so slowly b/c I'm practically writing a new rough draft for a story that is a decade old. Ugh! I loathe writing rough drafts. It hurts.)
Bad Things that Happened: Two ships colliding never ends well.
Good Things that Happened: Athna is rescued by a pirate. Wait, how is that good?
But enough negativity. Progress is progress and every word is one step closer to completing the project. There's no way I'm gonna make my deadline. But isn't that a common story? Oh, wait, positive thinking ... positive ... positive ...
.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Progress And An Award!
.
Progress is everywhere. Slowly but surely, the wall we've called Jackson has begun looking like stone again. We hope to knock even more paint away today. We shall conquer! In the meantime, the novel project is inching forward as well. A slow mighty galleon with all her sails unfurled flees time who chases her. That's a pathetic metaphor, but can anyone tell I've been researching old ships for this segment?
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS:
Pages Revised - 11
Pages Cut - 7
New Scenes - 2
Items Researched - Naval battles, 18th Century. Only problem is, my novel takes place before a gun powder age, so adaptations in weapons is lots of fun. Primary resource: Patrick O'Brien's Navy: The Illustrated Companion to Jack Aubrey's World, by Richard O'Neill, editor. Next step: read a Jack Aubrey novel.
Bad Things That Happened - sails on fire is never good
Good Things That Happened - Athna's lure worked
In other news, Monica Mansfield of Storytelling & Me graciously bestowed upon me this blogger award! Cool!
Seven things about myself:
1. I collect prints of Waterhouse and Leighton art.
2. I've never read a Twilight novel or an Eragon novel, nor do I intend to.
3. I love the American Girl dolls.
4. I used to want to be an airplane pilot.
5. I'm terrified to venture into water where I cannot see what's under my feet.
6. I'm prone to acne, despite being 30-something. :(
7. The last name of my penname is a combination of my middle initial and my father's name.
Now to pass it on. I bestow the Irresistably Sweet Blog Award to:
1. (Anyone else having trouble with their followers not appearing on their page? When the follower service is functioning again, I will choose award winners.)
2.
3.
4.
5.
.
Progress is everywhere. Slowly but surely, the wall we've called Jackson has begun looking like stone again. We hope to knock even more paint away today. We shall conquer! In the meantime, the novel project is inching forward as well. A slow mighty galleon with all her sails unfurled flees time who chases her. That's a pathetic metaphor, but can anyone tell I've been researching old ships for this segment?
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS:
Pages Revised - 11
Pages Cut - 7
New Scenes - 2
Items Researched - Naval battles, 18th Century. Only problem is, my novel takes place before a gun powder age, so adaptations in weapons is lots of fun. Primary resource: Patrick O'Brien's Navy: The Illustrated Companion to Jack Aubrey's World, by Richard O'Neill, editor. Next step: read a Jack Aubrey novel.
Bad Things That Happened - sails on fire is never good
Good Things That Happened - Athna's lure worked
In other news, Monica Mansfield of Storytelling & Me graciously bestowed upon me this blogger award! Cool!
Seven things about myself: 1. I collect prints of Waterhouse and Leighton art.
2. I've never read a Twilight novel or an Eragon novel, nor do I intend to.
3. I love the American Girl dolls.
4. I used to want to be an airplane pilot.
5. I'm terrified to venture into water where I cannot see what's under my feet.
6. I'm prone to acne, despite being 30-something. :(
7. The last name of my penname is a combination of my middle initial and my father's name.
Now to pass it on. I bestow the Irresistably Sweet Blog Award to:
1. (Anyone else having trouble with their followers not appearing on their page? When the follower service is functioning again, I will choose award winners.)
2.
3.
4.
5.
.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Random Happiness
.
I just feel happy today, so I think I'll post random good stuff.
It's very encouraging when one's
small success inspires others to take a step in the same direction. Once I posted on LegendFire that "A Mournful Rustling" had been accepted by Dead Robots' Society, another of our members hopped on board and readied a story to submit to them. Another mentioned doing the same. I hope she does. I hope submissions stay open so they both have time to revise and send their work in. It's my greatest joy to know that all the time and learning and painful decisions (and often biting my tongue) that go into administrating and moderating a writing community may help some folks achieve their dreams.
Renovations: inching forward. Experimentation with chemicals plus sandblasting, we hope, will finally remove white paint from natural stone. At least, we think it's paint. It may actually be some alien substance engineered to drive earthlings mad. It's war now. There's no turning back. We shall conquer!
Reading: On Guard by William Craig. Apologetics. Defending one's faith with reason. Yikes. Apparently it can be done. Chapter three was a wicked piece of brain work. Cosmological defense of the existence of God. Or an introduction to it. Some of the points I can grasp; others, not even close. The last pages require knowledge of subatomic particles, believe it or not. Well, I thought, if that is what's required for me to defend my faith, I'm doomed. On the other hand, the average Joe on the street who asks me, "How can you believe in an all-knowing, all-powerful invisible God who lets all these terrible things happen to us?" probably won't know the ins and outs of subatomic particles either to be able to argue that aspect with me. So I gave up trying to understand what the heck chapter three was about. I hope chapter four is more on my level. I doubt it, but we'll see.
Also reading some free material from Smashwords that I've downloaded onto the Kindle. Some of it is really worth reading. Some of it ... well, I really wish the authors had submitted the material to LegendFire for crits. They went to all the trouble of formatting manuscripts for publication, even perfected SPaG, but, well, the story I'm reading right now started out too late, with a hook like five pages in, instead of five sentences in, and I'm not sure I'll finish it or not. Shame that.
Novel project: Typing in the revisions made to another fat section of paper. I'm making the story stronger, I'm sure of it now. But all the small changes are adding up to make big ones farther down the road. Snowballs and avalanches!
Hmmm ... better stop now and go work on my floor ... or walls ... or ceiling ... or something.
.
I just feel happy today, so I think I'll post random good stuff.
It's very encouraging when one's
small success inspires others to take a step in the same direction. Once I posted on LegendFire that "A Mournful Rustling" had been accepted by Dead Robots' Society, another of our members hopped on board and readied a story to submit to them. Another mentioned doing the same. I hope she does. I hope submissions stay open so they both have time to revise and send their work in. It's my greatest joy to know that all the time and learning and painful decisions (and often biting my tongue) that go into administrating and moderating a writing community may help some folks achieve their dreams.Renovations: inching forward. Experimentation with chemicals plus sandblasting, we hope, will finally remove white paint from natural stone. At least, we think it's paint. It may actually be some alien substance engineered to drive earthlings mad. It's war now. There's no turning back. We shall conquer!
Reading: On Guard by William Craig. Apologetics. Defending one's faith with reason. Yikes. Apparently it can be done. Chapter three was a wicked piece of brain work. Cosmological defense of the existence of God. Or an introduction to it. Some of the points I can grasp; others, not even close. The last pages require knowledge of subatomic particles, believe it or not. Well, I thought, if that is what's required for me to defend my faith, I'm doomed. On the other hand, the average Joe on the street who asks me, "How can you believe in an all-knowing, all-powerful invisible God who lets all these terrible things happen to us?" probably won't know the ins and outs of subatomic particles either to be able to argue that aspect with me. So I gave up trying to understand what the heck chapter three was about. I hope chapter four is more on my level. I doubt it, but we'll see.
Also reading some free material from Smashwords that I've downloaded onto the Kindle. Some of it is really worth reading. Some of it ... well, I really wish the authors had submitted the material to LegendFire for crits. They went to all the trouble of formatting manuscripts for publication, even perfected SPaG, but, well, the story I'm reading right now started out too late, with a hook like five pages in, instead of five sentences in, and I'm not sure I'll finish it or not. Shame that.
Novel project: Typing in the revisions made to another fat section of paper. I'm making the story stronger, I'm sure of it now. But all the small changes are adding up to make big ones farther down the road. Snowballs and avalanches!
Hmmm ... better stop now and go work on my floor ... or walls ... or ceiling ... or something.
.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Snags
I'm actually getting to write in the middle of these renovations, which is a pleasant surprise. I suppose it's because we've hit a snag in our progress. The ceiling is almost painted (hubby working on the high peak right now, actually), and this weekend would've been perfect timing to strip the white paint off the stone fireplace (stone fireplace that is almost as long as the entire living room, by the way), but machinery is machinery and it breaks or malfunctions or ... or ... or. So the present state of living room is:
- Gorgeous ceiling, check
- Ladders galore, check
- Paint supplies strewn everywhere, check
- Bare concrete floor, check
- Fireplace stones that are still as white as ever, check (by the way, what idiot paints natural stone in an attempt to hide it?)
- Walls that are still sage green, check
- Furniture still piled into dining room, check (makes for a great maze for three curious cats)
- White concrete dust on all surfaces, check (I've cleaned my kitchen surfaces at least, so they are usable again)
The only positives of all this are (1) I no longer have to climb onto very tall ladders with a paint brush in one hand and a bowl of paint in the other, (2) I'm getting to type revisions on the novel, and (3) I appear to have adjusted to the chaos and am no longer suffering from anxiety at having my house in shambles.
I have only to remind myself that I still have a house that is intact (see post below). So its state is irrelevant. Also, if I become too frustrated with the snail's pace and the topsy-turvy condition of my living space, I can always go punch away at my new punching bag. It's pink. It came with pink kickboxing gloves and pink handwraps. Whacked around on it for about five minutes earlier today, and I feel marvelous. Every girl needs one. :D
.
- Gorgeous ceiling, check
- Ladders galore, check
- Paint supplies strewn everywhere, check
- Bare concrete floor, check
- Fireplace stones that are still as white as ever, check (by the way, what idiot paints natural stone in an attempt to hide it?)
- Walls that are still sage green, check
- Furniture still piled into dining room, check (makes for a great maze for three curious cats)
- White concrete dust on all surfaces, check (I've cleaned my kitchen surfaces at least, so they are usable again)
The only positives of all this are (1) I no longer have to climb onto very tall ladders with a paint brush in one hand and a bowl of paint in the other, (2) I'm getting to type revisions on the novel, and (3) I appear to have adjusted to the chaos and am no longer suffering from anxiety at having my house in shambles.
I have only to remind myself that I still have a house that is intact (see post below). So its state is irrelevant. Also, if I become too frustrated with the snail's pace and the topsy-turvy condition of my living space, I can always go punch away at my new punching bag. It's pink. It came with pink kickboxing gloves and pink handwraps. Whacked around on it for about five minutes earlier today, and I feel marvelous. Every girl needs one. :D
.
Friday, May 13, 2011
I'm the Proud Owner of a Kindle!
Well, I officially crossed over today. It's happened at last. I now own an e-reader. It only happened because my husband's five-year anniversary for working at his present company rolled around and he got to choose his ... prize (which makes it about the most hard-won, expensive Kindle ever). None of the other options made much sense (a watch when he doesn't wear one, a briefcase when he carries a backpack, and so on), so he chose the Kindle. Though it's really his, he knows who will use it more. He's so sweet.
So now I am excited to be able to buy all the ebooks LegendFire members have written, as well as those by authors I've met at blogger and Goodreads and Smashwords. Reading them via PDF on my computer is no fun when I want to curl up in my chair and read. Now, the Kindle is not warm and fuzzy pages, but at least it's book-sized and portable. So we're good to go.
Seriously, the most expensive Kindle, ever. I had better appreciate it and get years of good use out of it. Now, where do I begin? ...
---
Also, in compliance with my new posting schedule, instead of updating the novel progress daily, I'm now updating weekly:
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 12
Pages Cut: 6.5
New Scenes: 1 (4.5 pgs)
Bad Things that Happened: Ogres stink like roadkill that's been on a hot road in summer for many days.
Good Things that Happened: Alliances are forged. Well, that might be really bad for our heroes.
.
So now I am excited to be able to buy all the ebooks LegendFire members have written, as well as those by authors I've met at blogger and Goodreads and Smashwords. Reading them via PDF on my computer is no fun when I want to curl up in my chair and read. Now, the Kindle is not warm and fuzzy pages, but at least it's book-sized and portable. So we're good to go.
Seriously, the most expensive Kindle, ever. I had better appreciate it and get years of good use out of it. Now, where do I begin? ...
---
Also, in compliance with my new posting schedule, instead of updating the novel progress daily, I'm now updating weekly:
THIS WEEK'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 12
Pages Cut: 6.5
New Scenes: 1 (4.5 pgs)
Bad Things that Happened: Ogres stink like roadkill that's been on a hot road in summer for many days.
Good Things that Happened: Alliances are forged. Well, that might be really bad for our heroes.
.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
My First Interview!
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I'm pleased to announce that Jeff Chapman of The Midnight Diner approached me this week and asked for an interview about "Mists of Blackfen Bog." I was astonished and thrilled. So, of course, I accepted. He sent me several thought-provoking questions that really struck at the heart of the story, and I loved getting to answer them. The interview is now posted on his blog, along with a review of the novella. Please hop on over and check it out, HERE.
Thank you, Jeff, for this amazing opportunity.
On the other hand, it's Cinco De Mayo and this is the first time I've posted this month! Part of my absence is purposeful. Last week, I came to the difficult conclusion that I've got to back away from the social media to get some writing done. Both my social life and my online life have picked up in tempo, which means the writing has suffered. And a dragon with a panic attack is not a good sight. So I've determined that Thursdays and possibly Mondays are my days to post in my blogs, and only on those weekdays do I get to drop by LegendFire as often as I want and cruise all the other blogs and websites that are of interest. All other weekdays are reserved for writing exclusively. Three out of seven days still sounds like too little time to devote to the novel project, but that's all I can promise myself. There's still a big stack of paper waiting to be touched. But the panic attack is over, and discipline is back on the table.
.
I'm pleased to announce that Jeff Chapman of The Midnight Diner approached me this week and asked for an interview about "Mists of Blackfen Bog." I was astonished and thrilled. So, of course, I accepted. He sent me several thought-provoking questions that really struck at the heart of the story, and I loved getting to answer them. The interview is now posted on his blog, along with a review of the novella. Please hop on over and check it out, HERE.
Thank you, Jeff, for this amazing opportunity.
On the other hand, it's Cinco De Mayo and this is the first time I've posted this month! Part of my absence is purposeful. Last week, I came to the difficult conclusion that I've got to back away from the social media to get some writing done. Both my social life and my online life have picked up in tempo, which means the writing has suffered. And a dragon with a panic attack is not a good sight. So I've determined that Thursdays and possibly Mondays are my days to post in my blogs, and only on those weekdays do I get to drop by LegendFire as often as I want and cruise all the other blogs and websites that are of interest. All other weekdays are reserved for writing exclusively. Three out of seven days still sounds like too little time to devote to the novel project, but that's all I can promise myself. There's still a big stack of paper waiting to be touched. But the panic attack is over, and discipline is back on the table.
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Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Progress Report, 4-25-11, and Promo Art
TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 6
Pages Cut: 3 1/2
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: Kelyn takes the blame
Good things that happened: When you fall off a horse ...
Best of all, we finished Part 4 today and tomorrow begin Part 5. In "Part 5: Interlude" we get to all the characters who were neglected during the tight flow of action in "Part 4: Slaenhyll" which will be a nice change of pace for the next few weeks. And because I cut more than half of today's content and rearranged the rest, I finished revising abnormally early. So now we get to work on book covers.
Some time ago, I confessed that I was painting a cover for my novel. I'm not sure I like the results, so now I'm experimenting with other options. The maps for the interior are finished as of Monday, which is a plus. Now just the cover remains.
Speaking of cool art stuff, I have got to post the promo art that Brian Fatah Steele worked up for "Mists of Blackfen Bog."
He really does amazing work, and I'm honored that he took the time to put this together for me.
Now, the coupon for downloading this ghost story is still valid for a couple of weeks. I'll post it again, b/c the conveyor belt is moving it too far down the line: TR89N
Remember, type that code into checkout at Smashwords for 50% off the regular price. You'll pay only $.99 for the novella.
Note how awesome that looks in the sidebar! Woohoo!
.
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 6
Pages Cut: 3 1/2
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: Kelyn takes the blame
Good things that happened: When you fall off a horse ...
Best of all, we finished Part 4 today and tomorrow begin Part 5. In "Part 5: Interlude" we get to all the characters who were neglected during the tight flow of action in "Part 4: Slaenhyll" which will be a nice change of pace for the next few weeks. And because I cut more than half of today's content and rearranged the rest, I finished revising abnormally early. So now we get to work on book covers.
Some time ago, I confessed that I was painting a cover for my novel. I'm not sure I like the results, so now I'm experimenting with other options. The maps for the interior are finished as of Monday, which is a plus. Now just the cover remains.
Speaking of cool art stuff, I have got to post the promo art that Brian Fatah Steele worked up for "Mists of Blackfen Bog."
He really does amazing work, and I'm honored that he took the time to put this together for me.
Now, the coupon for downloading this ghost story is still valid for a couple of weeks. I'll post it again, b/c the conveyor belt is moving it too far down the line: TR89N
Remember, type that code into checkout at Smashwords for 50% off the regular price. You'll pay only $.99 for the novella.
Note how awesome that looks in the sidebar! Woohoo!
.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Progress Report, 4-25-11, and Rain
TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 4
Pages Cut: 1 1/2
New Scenes: 1
Bad things that happened: Kieryn goes missing
Good things that happened: ale about a roaring fire, mmm
It feels so good to be back to writing. This last week wore me out, but all that creativity being bottled up isn't a bad thing. I'm hoping for a good run of rewrites this week as a result.
Most importantly, we finally have had a good rain. The last time we had rain like this was last August. We had trace amounts in October, then nothing. Two snows don't count if the snow is as dry as mountain snow and leaves dry powdery ground behind. We've suffered devastating and deadly wildfires. Our farmers have lost their wheat, most won't bother with cotton this year, and the cattle are going to have a tough time with dry ponds, and the hundred degree heat hasn't hit yet. But we've had rain this weekend. A blessing on Easter. Please, God, send more. My creek isn't even rising yet, so parched is the ground.
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 4
Pages Cut: 1 1/2
New Scenes: 1
Bad things that happened: Kieryn goes missing
Good things that happened: ale about a roaring fire, mmm
It feels so good to be back to writing. This last week wore me out, but all that creativity being bottled up isn't a bad thing. I'm hoping for a good run of rewrites this week as a result.
Most importantly, we finally have had a good rain. The last time we had rain like this was last August. We had trace amounts in October, then nothing. Two snows don't count if the snow is as dry as mountain snow and leaves dry powdery ground behind. We've suffered devastating and deadly wildfires. Our farmers have lost their wheat, most won't bother with cotton this year, and the cattle are going to have a tough time with dry ponds, and the hundred degree heat hasn't hit yet. But we've had rain this weekend. A blessing on Easter. Please, God, send more. My creek isn't even rising yet, so parched is the ground.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Progress Report and Goodreads
TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 6
Pages Cut: 4
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: replaced romance with brutality. Fun times.
Good things that happened: We're over the climax, baby!
Back to the novel project, thank God. This feels normal, comfortable, after all the new territory I've crossed in the past couple of weeks. So, after "Mists" was uploaded and published on Smashwords and that hurdle jumped, I dived into Goodreads. I love books, the smell of them, the feel of them, so entering into a place that is all about books hasn't felt too alien. Adding my own book to the roster there does, however. When I compare my little novella to the other books on my bookshelf, I have to admit that I'm in some intimidating company. Hemingway, Steinbeck, Le Guin, Anne Rice, Amy Tan, Tolkien and J.K. Rowling ... yowser! Quite the company to keep. All for the sake of self-promotion. No pressure, though. I'm enjoying this exploration of new stuff. Though I have to remind myself to stop clicking on links, tweets, blog entries, etc. by 11:30 and get to work. The stack of novel pages is still quite fat, and it's almost May.
If you are a Goodreads reader or author, you may want to visit my author page. You'll find it here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4788408.Court_Ellyn - And be sure to leave me links to your pages, too.
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 6
Pages Cut: 4
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: replaced romance with brutality. Fun times.
Good things that happened: We're over the climax, baby!
Back to the novel project, thank God. This feels normal, comfortable, after all the new territory I've crossed in the past couple of weeks. So, after "Mists" was uploaded and published on Smashwords and that hurdle jumped, I dived into Goodreads. I love books, the smell of them, the feel of them, so entering into a place that is all about books hasn't felt too alien. Adding my own book to the roster there does, however. When I compare my little novella to the other books on my bookshelf, I have to admit that I'm in some intimidating company. Hemingway, Steinbeck, Le Guin, Anne Rice, Amy Tan, Tolkien and J.K. Rowling ... yowser! Quite the company to keep. All for the sake of self-promotion. No pressure, though. I'm enjoying this exploration of new stuff. Though I have to remind myself to stop clicking on links, tweets, blog entries, etc. by 11:30 and get to work. The stack of novel pages is still quite fat, and it's almost May.
If you are a Goodreads reader or author, you may want to visit my author page. You'll find it here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/478
Monday, March 28, 2011
Progress Report, 3-28-11, and Stress
TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 4 1/2
Pages Cut: 1
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: a secret lurks
Good things that happened: nearing the emotional climax now! While this bodes bad things for the characters, it means excitement for readers. Well, it does for me anyway. :)
It's Monday, thank God! That sounds backwards, doesn't it? This weekend was so stressful and nasty that I have to get to Monday for recuperation. Not sure I'll go into detail, but I was . . . not well. Physically, emotionally, or spiritually. It was rough. Really rough. But I am on antibiotics now and have had a good talk with the Lord Almighty.
He is faithful. And this bedraggled little writer is on the mend.
.
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 4 1/2
Pages Cut: 1
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: a secret lurks
Good things that happened: nearing the emotional climax now! While this bodes bad things for the characters, it means excitement for readers. Well, it does for me anyway. :)
It's Monday, thank God! That sounds backwards, doesn't it? This weekend was so stressful and nasty that I have to get to Monday for recuperation. Not sure I'll go into detail, but I was . . . not well. Physically, emotionally, or spiritually. It was rough. Really rough. But I am on antibiotics now and have had a good talk with the Lord Almighty.
He is faithful. And this bedraggled little writer is on the mend.
.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Progress Report, 3-25-11, and Poetry Readings
TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 6
Pages Cut: 3 (so much disgusting, useless content. Ugh!)
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: a manhunt!
Good things that happened: that harp comes into play again and wins a second chance for Kieryn
Six days until Margaret Atwood
speaks at USAO, my alma mater! I heard she was coming, way back last fall, like September or something, and I've been counting the days. When I lived in Indiana, I got to hear Naomi Shihab Nye read, now I get to listen to Ms. Atwood. There's nothing like hearing a poet read their own work and talk about the craft they love.
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Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 6
Pages Cut: 3 (so much disgusting, useless content. Ugh!)
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: a manhunt!
Good things that happened: that harp comes into play again and wins a second chance for Kieryn
Six days until Margaret Atwood
speaks at USAO, my alma mater! I heard she was coming, way back last fall, like September or something, and I've been counting the days. When I lived in Indiana, I got to hear Naomi Shihab Nye read, now I get to listen to Ms. Atwood. There's nothing like hearing a poet read their own work and talk about the craft they love..
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Progress Report, 3-24-11, and a Red Rider
YESTERDAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 2
Pages Cut: 1 (Yep, I cut more than half the content)
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: Elves have killer, cold glares. *shiver*
Good things that happened: nothing yet, and it's about to get worse.
I got a late start writing yesterday, but I was able to squeeze in a couple of pages. Today won't be any better, I'm afraid. Still trying to learn the ins and outs of Twitter (along with taking care of LF and other networking business). Twitter is really very simple; it's just that one name leads to a thousand others, not to mention the # marks and lists to explore. Once the birdie is old hat, I'll be able to fly through and get on with writing.
On a sidenote:
Here's an absurd picture for you. Yesterday, a gorgeous spring afternoon with a sky unhazed by field dust and pollen, and this prissy, country-girl writer, sitting on her back patio with her pages to revise; alongside her, a new Red Rider BB gun. A pink Red Rider. Oh, yes, they make them, just for prissy country-girls like me. I filled the barrel with shiny steel BBs and waited, lurking under the trees, looking, oh, so innocent with my novel pages propped on my knee, in my lime green high heels and frosty pink toenail polish. Then lo! and behold, those pesky, loud, hungry cowbirds flocked overhead, landing in the elm tree, thinking they were so clever that they found a sucker who is still feeding the finches. Those pesky, loud, hungry cowbirds cleaned out my feeders in one blinkin' day! So, as I say, they flocked in and landed for another course. Down goes the pencil and up comes the BB gun. My dad taught me excellent form. Those BBs must sting like hell, 'cause off flew those pesky cowbirds for another treetop. That wasn't far enough -- *pop pop* -- and off they flew to some other sucker's bird feeders.
(No pesky, loud, hungry cowbirds were killed in this battle. Though I hope their bottoms sting)
Ah, back to writing...
.
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Revised: 2
Pages Cut: 1 (Yep, I cut more than half the content)
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: Elves have killer, cold glares. *shiver*
Good things that happened: nothing yet, and it's about to get worse.
I got a late start writing yesterday, but I was able to squeeze in a couple of pages. Today won't be any better, I'm afraid. Still trying to learn the ins and outs of Twitter (along with taking care of LF and other networking business). Twitter is really very simple; it's just that one name leads to a thousand others, not to mention the # marks and lists to explore. Once the birdie is old hat, I'll be able to fly through and get on with writing.
On a sidenote:
Here's an absurd picture for you. Yesterday, a gorgeous spring afternoon with a sky unhazed by field dust and pollen, and this prissy, country-girl writer, sitting on her back patio with her pages to revise; alongside her, a new Red Rider BB gun. A pink Red Rider. Oh, yes, they make them, just for prissy country-girls like me. I filled the barrel with shiny steel BBs and waited, lurking under the trees, looking, oh, so innocent with my novel pages propped on my knee, in my lime green high heels and frosty pink toenail polish. Then lo! and behold, those pesky, loud, hungry cowbirds flocked overhead, landing in the elm tree, thinking they were so clever that they found a sucker who is still feeding the finches. Those pesky, loud, hungry cowbirds cleaned out my feeders in one blinkin' day! So, as I say, they flocked in and landed for another course. Down goes the pencil and up comes the BB gun. My dad taught me excellent form. Those BBs must sting like hell, 'cause off flew those pesky cowbirds for another treetop. That wasn't far enough -- *pop pop* -- and off they flew to some other sucker's bird feeders.
(No pesky, loud, hungry cowbirds were killed in this battle. Though I hope their bottoms sting)
Ah, back to writing...
.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Progress Report, 2-24-11
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TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 5
Pages Cut: 4
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: a demon is on the loose
Good things that happened: the best I can come up with is that despite all that galloping around, Kieryn didn't fall off his horse.
No writing yesterday. It was Wal-Mart day. Shudder. Why does grocery shopping drain me so? It takes up an entire morning, gives me anxiety for two days prior, and when it's over, my brain is shot. I hate it so. On the other hand, the afternoon was heavenly. Shopping done, the day so fine, I put on the bathing suit and sat in the glorious sunshine with a cool Great Plains gale whipping about me. I turned on the ipod, and over strains of haunting Celtic music, I listened to birdsong and wind, and read a chapter of A Wizard of Earthsea. A few hours like those are such a rare gift, and life, for the moment, is perfect.
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TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 5
Pages Cut: 4
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: a demon is on the loose
Good things that happened: the best I can come up with is that despite all that galloping around, Kieryn didn't fall off his horse.
No writing yesterday. It was Wal-Mart day. Shudder. Why does grocery shopping drain me so? It takes up an entire morning, gives me anxiety for two days prior, and when it's over, my brain is shot. I hate it so. On the other hand, the afternoon was heavenly. Shopping done, the day so fine, I put on the bathing suit and sat in the glorious sunshine with a cool Great Plains gale whipping about me. I turned on the ipod, and over strains of haunting Celtic music, I listened to birdsong and wind, and read a chapter of A Wizard of Earthsea. A few hours like those are such a rare gift, and life, for the moment, is perfect.
.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Title? Who Needs a Title?
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TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 4
Pages Cut: 4 1/2
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: Rhoslyn reveals herself to be the most needy person ever!
Good things that happened: Um . . . the shellfish was nice?
Today was obviously about cutting crap, while making use of (and greatly reorganizing) the few odd lines here and there. *whew* I'm still not happy with the flow of the scene, which was intensely emotional, and I'm not sure I was up to it. But there's always the next read-through, so I can relax about it and move on.
Art of the Week:
Stairwell of the Hotel Tassel, a town house built by Victor Horta in Brussels for the Belgian scientist and professor Emile Tassel in 1893-1894. Considered the first true Art Nouveau building.
Enjoy!
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TODAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 4
Pages Cut: 4 1/2
New Scenes: 0
Bad things that happened: Rhoslyn reveals herself to be the most needy person ever!
Good things that happened: Um . . . the shellfish was nice?
Today was obviously about cutting crap, while making use of (and greatly reorganizing) the few odd lines here and there. *whew* I'm still not happy with the flow of the scene, which was intensely emotional, and I'm not sure I was up to it. But there's always the next read-through, so I can relax about it and move on.
Art of the Week:
Stairwell of the Hotel Tassel, a town house built by Victor Horta in Brussels for the Belgian scientist and professor Emile Tassel in 1893-1894. Considered the first true Art Nouveau building.Enjoy!
.
Monday, February 21, 2011
How Does Your Garden Grow?
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No writing today. I'm taking a few minutes during a break to blog a bit. Today being President's Day, my honey is off work, so we're taking the opportunity to get some early gardening projects started (and finished, I hope). So far we've only gotten some lavender shrubs transplanted closer to the house, though we've still got hoses to run and mulch to lay. The point of this particular project is to cut down on the weed problem. Last year was the perfect year for crab grass, and I gave up on weeding in despair for several months. There's just too much to be done by two part-time gardeners, especially when one (me) just likes it to look nice but hates the bugs and heat that must be endured to get things looking that way. To give a hint of the ongoing project, here are some photos to illustrate:
When we first moved into our house, the backyard was a lumpy grassy area. We tilled that grass to create a blank canvas. The kitty posing so languidly is Raphael.
Then came the stone patio. Yep, we moved those stones ourselves. Stonehenge took on a new meaning:
The fun stuff started soon after:
And finally, after a couple of years, we started to achieve our vision:
Now we must maintain. So gardening fabric is making an entrance into the trouble spots, and so is bunny poo (believe it or not, we really do need to fertilize). This early in the season, I'm always hopeful that the beds will look better than the year before. *fingers crossed*
Thus, writing is pushed to the wayside for today. Still, there is Friday's progress to report:
FRIDAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 2
Pages Cut: 1/2
New Scenes: 1 (2 3/4 pgs)
Good things that happened: A harp is carried back to its people
Bad things that happened: Prisoners of war are exchanged
.
No writing today. I'm taking a few minutes during a break to blog a bit. Today being President's Day, my honey is off work, so we're taking the opportunity to get some early gardening projects started (and finished, I hope). So far we've only gotten some lavender shrubs transplanted closer to the house, though we've still got hoses to run and mulch to lay. The point of this particular project is to cut down on the weed problem. Last year was the perfect year for crab grass, and I gave up on weeding in despair for several months. There's just too much to be done by two part-time gardeners, especially when one (me) just likes it to look nice but hates the bugs and heat that must be endured to get things looking that way. To give a hint of the ongoing project, here are some photos to illustrate:
When we first moved into our house, the backyard was a lumpy grassy area. We tilled that grass to create a blank canvas. The kitty posing so languidly is Raphael.
Then came the stone patio. Yep, we moved those stones ourselves. Stonehenge took on a new meaning:
The fun stuff started soon after:
And finally, after a couple of years, we started to achieve our vision:
Now we must maintain. So gardening fabric is making an entrance into the trouble spots, and so is bunny poo (believe it or not, we really do need to fertilize). This early in the season, I'm always hopeful that the beds will look better than the year before. *fingers crossed*Thus, writing is pushed to the wayside for today. Still, there is Friday's progress to report:
FRIDAY'S PROGRESS
Project: Falcons Rising
Pages Rewritten: 2
Pages Cut: 1/2
New Scenes: 1 (2 3/4 pgs)
Good things that happened: A harp is carried back to its people
Bad things that happened: Prisoners of war are exchanged
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