Middle of the night brainstorms

So I send off my latest excerpt to my critique group. It's the next part of a novel where I'm not totally happy about the beginning. (I like the chapter but felt it didn't need to be at the beginning since I was using the events of the future and then flashing back to the past for the rest of the novel.) Well...that night I had a dream. A dream where little...no, not that dream. I realized I needed to go into the past. (Seventy-four years in the past to be exact) Into the past to a birthday party and a birthday wish. THEN I realized that the little girl in that birthday party (who is the MC's deceased great-grandmother) needs to play a more prominent role as her grown-up ghost haunts the MC! WOW! Now I'm totally revamping that beginning but not scraping what I've sent out. Why couldn't this brainstorm happen the night BEFORE I sent out the excerpt? Then the new ideas could have been critiqued! Oh, well. I'm thankful for brainstorms anytime they occur.

Wow! It's been a while

Since I've posted here. That's what happens when life continues to progress around me. This has been a stressful school year, and it's only 7 weeks into it! I'm doing more with less time, have more responsibilities to shoulder, and wonder when it's all going to get done.

The trolls have now met a tricky little sprite (actually, she's more like a giant to them...trolls are REALLY short) who's going to escort them to her homeland...the quest continues!

But November starts soon and that means....NANOWRIMO! I've been saving my thoughts on a dystopian YA for next month, and I'm itching to get started as are most (some?) of my fourth graders. It's interesting to see 174 novels in progress for a month. I might not reach the goal this year. I do tend to need sleep.

Just a Spoonful...

...of stories! I've submitted my entry into the Cheerios Spoonsful of Stories contest! I'm excited because I actually took the very first children's story I wrote (intended as a picture book, but really not a very good story since the vocabulary was WAY too advanced for young children) and changed it into a rhyming picture book! It is very cute if I do say so myself, and I just did! I know there will be some tough competition but you can't win if you don't enter!!!!

The trolls are moving right along on their quest, traveling to Drocnoc and then on to Anirav Yawkuf. I hope to finish this draft, and maybe another draft, before school begins in August. Like always, there's another story pushing for my attention that I keep jotting down ideas for and then putting it aside. I MUST FINISH TROLL QUEST FIRST!

Anniversaries, summer camp, and heat

Ahhh...there's nothing like 101 degree days to be happy in the air conditioning.

Then, of course, if you add to that sending all three children away to summer camp on the same day and having your 17th anniversary to celebrate, it makes you want to go...YIPPPEEEE!!!!

To celebrate our anniversary, I sent my manuscript to both editors who I met at a writer's retreat. (Not unsolicited...they gave permission to attendees to send them) After all, there were lots of positive vibes going on that day! Hopefully a few of those vibes survived the trip in the envelope. Of course, that leads to the "wait and see" game.

With all the quiet in the house, you would think I'm getting some writing done. Instead, I've read a book (it's been awhile since I've had time for that!) that was actually written (GASP!) for an adult audience....Lost and Found. Great book that I enjoyed while waiting for The Seventh Level to arrive which should hold me off a little ways until Mockingjay comes out. I am planning on writing tonight. (I finished my online course development for the fourth graders this afternoon. Now for some "me" time.)

Week 4

That's right! I'm in week 4 of Couch to 5 K which means I actually jogged an entire 5 minutes without stopping...TWICE! (I also had 2 3-minute intervals as well!) So far so good, and we're looking at running the Race for Life 5K in August. (Gulp! It's gonna be hot!) My goal is to finish a 5 K in 30-35 minutes. I think that's obtainable.

Now that the running is over for the day (I get up at 7 to run before it's too hot and sunny.), it's time for writing. The dilemma is not solved for J.T. I still haven't decided which version to send off, but I do know a version WILL be sent off this week.

That's why I'm working on the Trolls. Or, I will work on the trolls when I get off this blog! There's also an opening chapter of my YA/Sci-Fi/Fantasy that I need to get written down after having heard it in my mind the last few nights.

Happy writing, and stay cool!!!!

On the Road Again...

...Or, to be more precise, on the keyboard again while the Trolls progress through the woods and on to Drocnoc.

Today was a busy day for writing. Now comes a dilemma only I can solve: answering the question, when is enough, enough? When do I stop minor little alterations (the BIG alteration is already done) and print out J.T. and send it to the editors who are willing to read it? Do I trust my instincts that are saying, "Do it now!" Or do I listen to my analytical side that says, "Read it again. And then again. Don't be too hasty."

Once I solve that dilemma, I have a second problem. Should I send version 16 (current version) by itself, or do I send the first two chapters from version 14 (last version before the BIG changes I made after the Carolinas Retreat)? Would the editors want to see those? I have mixed reviews on the newest version compared to the older version. First, everyone loves the new stuff. BUT...those who read the old stuff said they missed one of the big scenes in it! That scene was removed at the advice of the critique at the retreat.

Problems, problems, problems.

Oh, wait! I only have TWO problems, not three! Whee! Of course, that's nothing compared the problems that pair of trolls is facing right about now...

Write or exercise?

Those are my choices of early morning activities. Both are worthwhile. Both are healthy (albeit one mental health and one physical health). Both are important to me (although I will confess exercise is not quite as high in the rankings).

On the one hand, I need more time to write when I'm not mentally exhausted from dealing with 1000+ students all day, helping my own children with homework, dealing with dinner, and playing referee when WWIII breaks out in my own home. Between editing J.T.'s story for a summer deadline, finishing Troll Quest, and wishing I had the time and energy to concentrate on Enalia, writing could be a full time activity. (Notice I did not say job...there's no paycheck so currently it cannot be my job...it'd be great if that would change in the future.)

Then there is the semi-dire warning of my doctor to lose a little weight. (Hey, in comparison to many, many people, 20 lbs is little...to me, well, not so little.) I'm forty now (and not over the hill...I plan to live way past 80) and need to take better care of myself. I definitely won't exercise in the afternoons since I get home around dinner time, fix dinner (or sit down to eat if my husband's cooked it), help with homework, get the kids in bed...unless it's Scout night or Relay for Life night...at least soccer and track seasons are over now!

So there's my dilemma...mental health or physical health? It'd be nice to get these voices, urrr, I mean, characters, out of my head and onto paper. (or embedded in a digital code on my flash drive as the case might be.) It'd also be fabulous to fit back into this gorgeous turquoise, purple, and lime dress in my closet.

Ah, decisions, decisions, decisions.