My Weekly Update – It’s Back

All I want for NaNo Bloghop

nanobloghop

J.A Bennett and her friends created this anthology with all proceeds going to NaNoWriMo. The Spirit of Christmas is now available for purchase. Make sure you get your copy here!

To celebrate, me and my co-authors Jessica SalyerDavid Powers KingKelley Lynn, andCassie Mae are doing a bloghop.

My NaNo wish? All I want for NaNo is a few “in the zone” writing sessions and a completed first draft. That’s not to much to ask.

NYC Midnight – 2013 Flash Fiction Challenge

This has been a really cool contest. I placed fifth in my group in the first round. I was given the prompts of wrote a humorous story, located in a rain forest and had to mention a water balloons. Kind of random, right, but I wrote a strange, but amusing story about a robot and his crazy master. I will post it once I receive the feedback. They combine the scores for round #1 and #2 and round #2’s prompts – Horror, Tattoo Parlour and a pair of high heels.  My mind is already racing.

#NaNoWriMo 2013

In case you haven’t heard (haha), NaNoWriMo has official begun. This is year number two for me and I had a great first three days. I also had the opportunity to do a write in. Something I missed from my previous WriMo. It’s fun to hang out with other writers, and share this crazy experience. Here is one of my #NaNoWriMo Daily Journal from last week.

Date: November 2, 2013
Word Count:  1737
Observations:  I missed out on a write in at a local Irish pub, it’s to early in nano for life to get in the way.  Still, I was able to meet the Nano daily goal. A little less then my personal goal, but I also finished my outline and had to write my short story for the Flash Fiction Challenge Round #2. All in all, a productive day of writing. Working on the outline, the story went in a slightly different direction then I had intended. The absolute best reason why outlines are the way to go. The story didn’t quite work the other way, but now it’s more interesting and I created more tension. The scene I wrote today included the moment when the guy sees the girl for the first time. I’ve never written first person guys POV. It’s  a challenge. What does a guy say to himself when he sees a beautiful women for the first time? Is it all about sex. Would a guy describe how her smile warms his heart? I have no idea. Might need to do some male research. I also talked about how her perfect ass made him want to grab it. Maybe a mix of both will work. It helps that my guy has mommy and daddy issues. Allows me some leeway in the emotional department. 
 

Sports Updates

Congrats to the Boston Red Sox – 2013 World Series Champions.

NHL season started a couple of week. Go Stars!!!

NBA season started this week. Go Mavs!!!

I have denounced my citizenship to Cowboy Nation, but my sweet Peyton is having an amazing years, so I am officially a Broncos fan. I lived there for two years, so I’m allowed.

What do you want from NaNo? Do you ever join these type of contests? Have you ever won? What is your current word count? Have you ever given up on your favorite team? 

My Weekly Update – Happy Memorial Day

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I saw this on Google’s banner and loved it. I have seen this scene played out at airports a few times and I cry like a baby every time.  My prayers go out to those families who didn’t get to experience this happy ending.

3Ups Blog Hop

3up blog chain

Created by Randi Lee, this is a pay it forward blog hop.  I had the pleasure of sharing three items about Michelle from Writer-In-Transit.co.za.  We appear to have a lot in common.  I did my research and seems like we have attended several of the same virtual parties, but haven’t officially meet.

  1. She loves the Bloghop/Blogfest – In the last three months she has participated in Overcome Adversity Blogfest, Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Celebrate the Small Things, Top Ten Movie Blogfest, The Big Reveal and A to Z Blog Challenge.
  2. She loves Flash Fiction – A true creative can compose a story out of five sentences and she hits on several different genres, which is cool.
  3. She loves the blog community – She is a blogger, a writer, a contributor, a cheerleader to other bloggers and that makes her super cool in my book.

Thanks so much to Tyrean for the kinds words she said about me in the 3Up! Blog Hop

Post to Ponder

How to Write a Great Twitter Pitch by Ava at Writability – There is a Twitter Pitch party coming up on May 28th.  Details available here.

Happy Memorial Day!  My Depressing Yet Hysterical Military Career by Kristian Lamb – This story is hilarious and so unbelievable it has to be true.

What to do When You’ve Written the Worst Book Every by Amanda Fanger – It happens to all of us. So, read on for tips to handle it.

Stress and the Creative Process by Ali Cross – How do your emotions effect your writing?

There is Nothing Wrong with You by Randi Lee – I am tired of explaining myself to those who just don’t understand or don’t get it.

Coolest Things

Saw The Great Gatsby and it was a beautifully shot movie. Baz did a great job.  I enjoyed the movie immensely, but there was much more tension created in the book then in the movie.  Amazing thing to be able to create tension in the written word.

Saw Star Trek Into Darkness and I absolutely loved it.  Spock was so perfectly frustratingly Spockish and I love him.  I hate to admit it but James T. Kirk is growing on me.  Khan is so gorgeous and not just in the bad boy kind of way.

New Followers
Camilla Kyndesen
Jordan Latour
Michael Armstrong
Ray Ferrer
Raven Ruckus
Jennifer Ricketts
Issy Goode
Andrew Toynbee
Chester Maynes
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Wednesday – Get Healthy Bloghop
Friday – The WHIP IT Good Blogfest
Saturday – Prince’s and Hero’s Bloghop
 

For someone who did not have the opportunities to enjoy three day weekends for the last 6 years, I am appreciating the pleasure of free time.  

My Weekly Update – Better Late Than Never

Twenty Seven days into 2013 and I now I am starting to understand.  Well, Better Late Than Never, right?

  1. I understand that my lackadaisical, laid back, ‘oh, I’ll get to it’ attitude about blogging is not for me.  I need a schedule. I am going back to announcing my schedule for the week – better late than never, right? 
  2. I understand that while I can’t spend all my time on social media and be a productive writer, I can’t ignore days of social media and expect to be on top of things.  Playing catch up all the time doesn’t work for me – better late than never, right? 
  3. I understood that I needed some time after my last job to relax and recharge.  But, 6 weeks out of work and I am bored and unproductive in every part of my life.  Far be it from me (What a great saying, I feel like my grandma) to use all this extra time to practice writing habitually, reading cognitively and editing effectively.  But, I am starting now – better late than never, right? 
  4. I am realizing that with so many opportunities out there for pitching/querying/submitting to agents/publishers on blogs/twitter/facebook/writer’s conferences. My three first drafts aren’t ever going to be ready, sitting on my desk unedited – better late than never, right?

Have you had any Better Late Than Never lessons learned this year?  

Awards

one-lovely-blog-award

Thanks so much to EM Castellan for the The Lovely Blog Award.

Also, a quick thanks and shot out to Karens Different Corners for awarding me the Liebster Award, although I am not sure I should except because I have more then 200 followers, I appreciate the recognition regardless. And, she is close to 200 herself, so follow her and prepare to gain knowledge and be entertained.

Post to Report On

Hey, Y’all: Dialect and Slang From the Write AngleAs someone from Texas, I have to practice not making all my characters sound like Texans.  What do y’all think about dialects and slang? 
Character Study by Left and Write – How much character development do you do before and during writing and editing? 
6 Things You Didn’t Know About Becoming and Published Author: a guest post by RaeBeth McGee-Buda on Amanda Fanger – #2 – Editing is Tough – I knew it. 
The First Draft Run Through Blues by Raewynn Hewitt – Makes me want to cry. 
Editing is Writing Too by Raewynn Hewitt – The push I needed to get off my butt and put my butt in the chair and edit. 
New Followers
Tim The Film Guy
William Stadler
Special thanks to my email followers as well.  
 

Next Week’s Schedule

Monday – Re-Introduce Myself Blog Hop
Wednesday – The Word Master Challenge
Friday – Imaginary Friend Blog Hop
Sunday – My Weekly Update

And, don’t forget to sign up for Blogging from A to Z Challenge on Wednesday, January 30, 2012.  Click the badge below for rules and Tips on Blogging from A to Z.

 

And, congratulation to Aldrea Alien for knowing her Bilbo/Gollum Riddles. Here are the answers:

1. Mountain.
2. Teeth.
3. Wind.
4. Sun in the sky shining upon daises on a hill.
5. Darkness.
6. Egg
7. A Fish.
8. A fish lay on a table. A man sat on a stool. And the cat got the bones.
9. Time!