I'm continuing with the theme of introducing you to authors smarter than me tonight with a link to a post of Kim Vandel's. Kim is a YA AND Speculative author who blogs book reviews and writing craft thoughts. Back in July, Erynn introduced me to Kim's blog, and I must tell you, it is both fun and thoughtful.
I really enjoyed Kim's thoughts on dystopian lit and why it connects so strongly with teenagers (and adults). She says the genre is growing because readers want to believe that one person can make a difference in a dark, broken world, and I completely agree. I believe it's the reason dystopian lit never really disappears. In fact, the premise for my The Free and The Brave series is--One can save them all. Noah's introduction into Maddison's world, and his subsequent salvation, changes everything for an entire nation, and I hope readers will fall in love with my dystopian world and the characters that inhabit it.
Do you read dystopian lit? If so, why does it appeal to you? And what is your favorite? (You can pick out a classic like 1984 or Brave New World or a new best-seller like The Hunger Games, Divergent, or Uglies.)
Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts
Friday, August 31
Wednesday, August 22
A 360 Degree Makeover
If you are reading this post by e-mail or via a blog reader, you won't have noticed, but Relentlessly Pursued has a whole new look. In fact, Relentlessly Pursued's been retired. It's a bittersweet change, but one that's been coming for over a year now.
With the change comes additional content, a new design, tagline, and web address (don't worry, subscribers, nothing should affect you). Every piece of the site is streamlined for your reading ease, I hope.
Why the change? Well, I just can't contain my YA love any more, and I'm hoping to connect with other YA readers and authors, especially those awesome dystopian ones. I'll continue to post my devotional journey thoughts from time to time and any writing updates I may have, but I'll also be incorporating more YA Crush posts (to build up that Websites to Visit tab and to introduce you to my favorite YA authors and books). Add in a feature on dystopian lit and a series on heroes, and I couldn't be more excited!
Speaking of, the new tagline for my fiction is Everyone Wants A Hero. I've always been a fan of heroes, super or otherwise, and if you ask me to choose between pulling for the steady good guy and the tortured bad boy, and I'm going to pick the good guy 98% of the time. While I hope the heroes in my fiction are both good and realistically flawed, I've never been known to put down a book or shut off a movie because the hero was "too good." Something inside me—and, therefore, in my fiction—identifies with the timeless good vs. evil battle. Sometimes I wish someone would swoop in and rescue me.
I don't think I'm the only one.
There's an inherent longing in each of us to be rescued from something. Every now and then, we all want a hero. Or, we want to be one.
The good news is — we have a Hero.
And He can make us heroes as well.
This is no fairy tale. Welcome to reality.
With the change comes additional content, a new design, tagline, and web address (don't worry, subscribers, nothing should affect you). Every piece of the site is streamlined for your reading ease, I hope.
Why the change? Well, I just can't contain my YA love any more, and I'm hoping to connect with other YA readers and authors, especially those awesome dystopian ones. I'll continue to post my devotional journey thoughts from time to time and any writing updates I may have, but I'll also be incorporating more YA Crush posts (to build up that Websites to Visit tab and to introduce you to my favorite YA authors and books). Add in a feature on dystopian lit and a series on heroes, and I couldn't be more excited!
Speaking of, the new tagline for my fiction is Everyone Wants A Hero. I've always been a fan of heroes, super or otherwise, and if you ask me to choose between pulling for the steady good guy and the tortured bad boy, and I'm going to pick the good guy 98% of the time. While I hope the heroes in my fiction are both good and realistically flawed, I've never been known to put down a book or shut off a movie because the hero was "too good." Something inside me—and, therefore, in my fiction—identifies with the timeless good vs. evil battle. Sometimes I wish someone would swoop in and rescue me.
I don't think I'm the only one.
There's an inherent longing in each of us to be rescued from something. Every now and then, we all want a hero. Or, we want to be one.
The good news is — we have a Hero.
And He can make us heroes as well.
This is no fairy tale. Welcome to reality.
Tuesday, July 24
YA Crush
If you were on the interwebs circa 2004, you're familiar with the Teen Girl Squad phrase, "I have a crush on every boy." Well, I have a crush on most everything YA. When I walk into a Barnes & Noble, I head straight for the YA section to see what's new. I have Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, and the Jonas Brothers on my iPod. I paid money to see High School Musical 3 in the theater, and I've been known to curl up and watch the Disney Channel on my sick days.
(Some judge this behavior, but I prefer to categorize it under quirky and market research :)
So, beginning next week, I'll be sharing my YA love with you through three new features: YA Author Crush, YA Book Crush, and YA Site Crush. These won't be just any recommendations; only the things I truly rave about will make the cut.
Coincidentally enough, NPR is showing their own YA love this week with their Best-Ever Teen Novels poll. Several of my newest loves like Matched and the Gallagher Girls series made the list. While beloved favorites such as the Christy Miller Series and the Chronicles of Narnia were robbed. I'm trying to decide if I should start a petition.
Just kidding :)
What about you? What's your favorite YA? Did it make the list? Did you vote?
Update (8/7/2012): Voting is complete. You can view the Top 100 list here.
(Some judge this behavior, but I prefer to categorize it under quirky and market research :)
So, beginning next week, I'll be sharing my YA love with you through three new features: YA Author Crush, YA Book Crush, and YA Site Crush. These won't be just any recommendations; only the things I truly rave about will make the cut.
Coincidentally enough, NPR is showing their own YA love this week with their Best-Ever Teen Novels poll. Several of my newest loves like Matched and the Gallagher Girls series made the list. While beloved favorites such as the Christy Miller Series and the Chronicles of Narnia were robbed. I'm trying to decide if I should start a petition.
Just kidding :)
What about you? What's your favorite YA? Did it make the list? Did you vote?
Update (8/7/2012): Voting is complete. You can view the Top 100 list here.
Monday, June 18
When My Brain Needs A Break...
I just finished seven weeks of devotional writing. Today, I'll jump into Noah and Maddison's world full-time. Don't get me wrong; I love these characters. If I wasn't a writer, the amount of time and attention these two imaginary friends receive would qualify me for some serious therapy. And, please, don't even get me started on Daniel.
Given my deep devotion to these characters, one might assume I can write and edit non-stop. Alas, this is not the case. At some point in the process, my brain muddies. My thoughts scramble. My eyes cross, and I have to step away.
Since napping is a "no-no" for those with CFS, I've found another way to let my brain rest. My solution? Delightfully mindless TV.
This is not to say that I don't enjoy well-produced television. White Collar returns July 10th at 9 p.m., and you can bet I have a date with my couch on that night!
Sometimes, however, you just need to turn off your brain. When I have that urge, I turn to a special host of shows that fit the bill. What Not To Wear, Food Network Star, and Good Luck Charlie are at the top of my list. I like to alternate between food/style reality shows and the Disney Channel. Don't blink. You read that sentence correctly. I admitted it. I am an adult Disney Channel viewer. :)
After an hour, I'm usually re-energized and ready to jump back into whatever project requires all of my attention. What about you? What do you turn to when your brain feels like it might explode?
Given my deep devotion to these characters, one might assume I can write and edit non-stop. Alas, this is not the case. At some point in the process, my brain muddies. My thoughts scramble. My eyes cross, and I have to step away.
Since napping is a "no-no" for those with CFS, I've found another way to let my brain rest. My solution? Delightfully mindless TV.
This is not to say that I don't enjoy well-produced television. White Collar returns July 10th at 9 p.m., and you can bet I have a date with my couch on that night!
Sometimes, however, you just need to turn off your brain. When I have that urge, I turn to a special host of shows that fit the bill. What Not To Wear, Food Network Star, and Good Luck Charlie are at the top of my list. I like to alternate between food/style reality shows and the Disney Channel. Don't blink. You read that sentence correctly. I admitted it. I am an adult Disney Channel viewer. :)
After an hour, I'm usually re-energized and ready to jump back into whatever project requires all of my attention. What about you? What do you turn to when your brain feels like it might explode?
Wednesday, September 28
The ACFW 2011 Recap
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." -Ephesians 3:20-21
These verses were the theme of my first ACFW conference. Every single expectation I had about the conference God blew out of the water. He is always good and always working on behalf of His children and His name's sake, but sometimes that work is extra visible. Sometimes He moves in special ways, and that was definitely true last week. I'm not sure these posts will do justice to all God did, but I'm going to try by using a list. Because I love a list :)
1--At the My Book Therapy (MBT) Pitch and Promotion Scrimmage, Susan May Warren taught us the essential elements of a pitch, and James Rubart mentored the writers at the speculative table. (For those that don't know, speculative fiction --spec fic-- encompasses any work that contains a timeline, event, or character that we speculate about: fantasy, science fiction, futuristic novels, and my own dystopian book fall under this genre). Although I was intimidated at first to give Jim Rubart my pitch, the entire afternoon was a huge encouragement. I left the room feeling prepared to pitch Unclean to an agent or editor.
2--Erynn and I also left the room with two new friends! Amanda Stevens writes dystopian as well (plus she was home-schooled :) and Jessica Keller Koschnitzky writes Romantic Suspense like Erynn. We were able to grab dinner together at a local pub and lunch the next day. We four were a team, and I'm so grateful for these new lifelong friendships.
3--We were given FIVE free books (between ACFW and MBT). Several of these novels haven't been released yet, and I was eagerly anticipating these shelf dates. Free books? It's like a writer's dream :)
4--I felt great for most of the trip. I knew people were praying and God was giving me strength because this girl doesn't do five hours of sleep anymore without getting really sick. However, I had three of these nights in a row at the beginning of the trip, and though I had to skip a session each day to rest, I did not feel the exhaustion symptoms until Saturday night once all the appointments were over.
5--I met the talented Melanie Dickerson, author of The Healer's Apprentice. Melanie and I had e-mailed back and forth before the conference, and I was so excited to meet her in person. She was incredibly gracious. We were able to get to know each other during lunch on Saturday, and she was so kind to answer my questions about her upcoming novels and her life. Melanie is a Carol Award finalist (among other award nominations), and she graced me with an invitation to sit at her table for the Carol Awards Ceremony. Melanie's first book is a twist on the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, and I've always been a sucker for fairy tales. But a fairy tale with a Christian worldview? Even better. Her second book, The Merchant's Daughter, releases in November, and I'll be posting more as the release date draws nearer. I was humbled by the welcome Melanie and the other YA authors gave us newbie writers; they are all as giving as they are talented, and I hope you'll check out their work.
And that's just the half of it.
More to come later this week....
These verses were the theme of my first ACFW conference. Every single expectation I had about the conference God blew out of the water. He is always good and always working on behalf of His children and His name's sake, but sometimes that work is extra visible. Sometimes He moves in special ways, and that was definitely true last week. I'm not sure these posts will do justice to all God did, but I'm going to try by using a list. Because I love a list :)
1--At the My Book Therapy (MBT) Pitch and Promotion Scrimmage, Susan May Warren taught us the essential elements of a pitch, and James Rubart mentored the writers at the speculative table. (For those that don't know, speculative fiction --spec fic-- encompasses any work that contains a timeline, event, or character that we speculate about: fantasy, science fiction, futuristic novels, and my own dystopian book fall under this genre). Although I was intimidated at first to give Jim Rubart my pitch, the entire afternoon was a huge encouragement. I left the room feeling prepared to pitch Unclean to an agent or editor.
2--Erynn and I also left the room with two new friends! Amanda Stevens writes dystopian as well (plus she was home-schooled :) and Jessica Keller Koschnitzky writes Romantic Suspense like Erynn. We were able to grab dinner together at a local pub and lunch the next day. We four were a team, and I'm so grateful for these new lifelong friendships.
3--We were given FIVE free books (between ACFW and MBT). Several of these novels haven't been released yet, and I was eagerly anticipating these shelf dates. Free books? It's like a writer's dream :)
4--I felt great for most of the trip. I knew people were praying and God was giving me strength because this girl doesn't do five hours of sleep anymore without getting really sick. However, I had three of these nights in a row at the beginning of the trip, and though I had to skip a session each day to rest, I did not feel the exhaustion symptoms until Saturday night once all the appointments were over.
5--I met the talented Melanie Dickerson, author of The Healer's Apprentice. Melanie and I had e-mailed back and forth before the conference, and I was so excited to meet her in person. She was incredibly gracious. We were able to get to know each other during lunch on Saturday, and she was so kind to answer my questions about her upcoming novels and her life. Melanie is a Carol Award finalist (among other award nominations), and she graced me with an invitation to sit at her table for the Carol Awards Ceremony. Melanie's first book is a twist on the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, and I've always been a sucker for fairy tales. But a fairy tale with a Christian worldview? Even better. Her second book, The Merchant's Daughter, releases in November, and I'll be posting more as the release date draws nearer. I was humbled by the welcome Melanie and the other YA authors gave us newbie writers; they are all as giving as they are talented, and I hope you'll check out their work.
And that's just the half of it.
More to come later this week....
Wednesday, September 21
ACFW Today!!
I know I haven't been around much this summer. We can chalk that fact up to the presence of two little words in my life: chronic fatigue.
The summer was filled with fatigue, doctors' visits, new medication, a job transition, and other lifestyle changes to help deal with the symptoms. Oh, and I was really tired. Did I mention that? I'll be blogging more about this journey with CF in the fall, but today I wanted to focus on one thing:
I leave for St. Louis and the ACFW Conference today!
Erynn, myself, and the ladies from our critique group will all fly out about 10 a.m. and walk right into 4 1/2 days of honing our craft, pitching our manuscripts, making new connections, and meeting new writer friends. It promises to be encouraging and overwhelming at the same time. :) I won't be taking my computer with me, but I'll post a full report once we return.
In the interim, would you pray that God would lead Unclean toward publishing during the conference, that He would move mightily, that I would be able to serve and encourage others, and that my health would not keep me from enjoying and participating in the events? Would you also pray against fear and insecurity, especially during my appointments with editors, agents, and a published author critiquing my work? I would so appreciate your prayers.
One of the verses I have been praying and meditating on in the last three weeks is 2 Timothy 4:17a: "But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed."
I have been praying that God would strengthen me so that my writing and my life would proclaim the gospel of grace.
I can't wait to tell you all about it.
Now, how do I cram these boots into my suitcase? :)
The summer was filled with fatigue, doctors' visits, new medication, a job transition, and other lifestyle changes to help deal with the symptoms. Oh, and I was really tired. Did I mention that? I'll be blogging more about this journey with CF in the fall, but today I wanted to focus on one thing:
I leave for St. Louis and the ACFW Conference today!
Erynn, myself, and the ladies from our critique group will all fly out about 10 a.m. and walk right into 4 1/2 days of honing our craft, pitching our manuscripts, making new connections, and meeting new writer friends. It promises to be encouraging and overwhelming at the same time. :) I won't be taking my computer with me, but I'll post a full report once we return.
In the interim, would you pray that God would lead Unclean toward publishing during the conference, that He would move mightily, that I would be able to serve and encourage others, and that my health would not keep me from enjoying and participating in the events? Would you also pray against fear and insecurity, especially during my appointments with editors, agents, and a published author critiquing my work? I would so appreciate your prayers.
One of the verses I have been praying and meditating on in the last three weeks is 2 Timothy 4:17a: "But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed."
I have been praying that God would strengthen me so that my writing and my life would proclaim the gospel of grace.
I can't wait to tell you all about it.
Now, how do I cram these boots into my suitcase? :)
Sunday, June 19
My Perfect Day
This week was fairly wonderful, including some of my favorite activities and places, but Wednesday was my perfect day.
I woke up in a wonderfully large bed in the peaceful and delightfully decorated white and blue toile room at the historic Arrowhead Inn . For breakfast, I was served scrambled eggs with béarnaise sauce, sausage, fruit salad, and a homemade cherry pastry. Quite possibly the best breakfast I've ever eaten.
Then I was able to spend the rest of the day plotting and writing outside in the gazebo, in the hammock, and on the swing. The gardens were quiet and colorful; the breeze just enough to kiss my face, and the temperature perfect. Clearly, God was showing off.
I took a break to grab lunch from Foster's Market, where I had the best burger with dill havarti cheese, spinach, and lemon caper mayo. It was too good for words I tell you, and I fell in love with the old-fashioned general store feeling of the market, complete with mismatched chairs and tables scattered inside and out.
I worked in The Keeping Room during the late afternoon, enjoying the tea, classical music, and conversation with Rebecca, the interim innkeeper. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations and getting to know her a little bit. She is creative, engaging, amicable, and a delight to be around. I didn't even know that such a position as interim innkeeper existed, but how intriguing is the idea of traveling from B&B to B&B to serve as hostess, concierge, and chef? Her story inspired me.
Finally, I was able to sink back into bed that night with a completely new understanding of my "story world" (the world/time/setting in which a story takes place), a face to match Potentate Marcioni's character, and seven new pages of insights. My time in the Word and prayer that evening was sweet.
I couldn't have planned a better day. No, the One who knows me better than I know myself allowed His face to shine down on me Wednesday. Our Father who delights in giving good gifts gave me a perfect day alone with Him.
And I am grateful.
I woke up in a wonderfully large bed in the peaceful and delightfully decorated white and blue toile room at the historic Arrowhead Inn . For breakfast, I was served scrambled eggs with béarnaise sauce, sausage, fruit salad, and a homemade cherry pastry. Quite possibly the best breakfast I've ever eaten.
Then I was able to spend the rest of the day plotting and writing outside in the gazebo, in the hammock, and on the swing. The gardens were quiet and colorful; the breeze just enough to kiss my face, and the temperature perfect. Clearly, God was showing off.
I took a break to grab lunch from Foster's Market, where I had the best burger with dill havarti cheese, spinach, and lemon caper mayo. It was too good for words I tell you, and I fell in love with the old-fashioned general store feeling of the market, complete with mismatched chairs and tables scattered inside and out.
I worked in The Keeping Room during the late afternoon, enjoying the tea, classical music, and conversation with Rebecca, the interim innkeeper. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations and getting to know her a little bit. She is creative, engaging, amicable, and a delight to be around. I didn't even know that such a position as interim innkeeper existed, but how intriguing is the idea of traveling from B&B to B&B to serve as hostess, concierge, and chef? Her story inspired me.
Finally, I was able to sink back into bed that night with a completely new understanding of my "story world" (the world/time/setting in which a story takes place), a face to match Potentate Marcioni's character, and seven new pages of insights. My time in the Word and prayer that evening was sweet.
I couldn't have planned a better day. No, the One who knows me better than I know myself allowed His face to shine down on me Wednesday. Our Father who delights in giving good gifts gave me a perfect day alone with Him.
And I am grateful.
Wednesday, June 8
Not Quite Visions of Sugar Plums...
Sugar plums dancing in my head? That sounds delightful, doesn't it? Unfortunately, my head is not filled with these sweet confections. It is a mess of questions and to do lists.
You see, the ACFW conference is this September, and that's only three months away. I have story-world edits to finish, a second book to start when I can narrow down the protagonist, craft notes for the edits of Unclean, comparative titles to read for my market analysis, a book proposal to put together, a pitch to write and hone, a critique to prepare, a contest to enter, books by workshop leaders to read, editors to stalk, blogs to write, a blog overall to carry out, chapters to crit for my fellow writers, and the list goes on and on....
To say I feel overwhelmed would be an understatement.
Even though I realize that this list is too ambitious to complete in three months, and I should really pare it down, but where to start? I mean what is realistic? And how do I prioritize when I am excited about everything above?
I have no idea.
But this one truth holds firm and enduring--God is in control. Even here. Especially here. Unclean will be ready when He decides it's ready. My job is to be a good steward of my gift, mark off what I can, and trust Him with the timing and the result.
After all, "all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:16b, NIV)
I'm trying to remind myself often.
You see, the ACFW conference is this September, and that's only three months away. I have story-world edits to finish, a second book to start when I can narrow down the protagonist, craft notes for the edits of Unclean, comparative titles to read for my market analysis, a book proposal to put together, a pitch to write and hone, a critique to prepare, a contest to enter, books by workshop leaders to read, editors to stalk, blogs to write, a blog overall to carry out, chapters to crit for my fellow writers, and the list goes on and on....
To say I feel overwhelmed would be an understatement.
Even though I realize that this list is too ambitious to complete in three months, and I should really pare it down, but where to start? I mean what is realistic? And how do I prioritize when I am excited about everything above?
I have no idea.
But this one truth holds firm and enduring--God is in control. Even here. Especially here. Unclean will be ready when He decides it's ready. My job is to be a good steward of my gift, mark off what I can, and trust Him with the timing and the result.
After all, "all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:16b, NIV)
I'm trying to remind myself often.
Monday, January 10
As We End One Year And Begin Another...
The last time you heard from me I was furiously typing away at the last chapters of UnClean. Well, I am happy to say that I did meet the goal of 50,000 words in order to score this:
And as a NaNoWriMo winner, I can purchase that cool writing software (Scrivener for Windows) for 50% off when it releases, and I receive one paperback copy of my book from Amazon's CreateSpace for free! Plus, during a "Thank Goodness It's Over" party in December, I won a year's membership to NC Writers' Network, which offers educational and networking opportunities for writers here in North Carolina.
Most importantly though, on December 13th, I wrote the final word, number 68,288, in my draft. Praise the Lord!
Some of you that know my writing life was frustrating for the majority of the year--stumbling through one project only to start over again and again. But, I am so grateful for God's grace in the last two months through the above and the encouragement of my friends and family.
And now I have the first complete original manuscript I've written in twelve years. Thank you Jesus!
So what's next?
Well, for UnClean, lots of editing and numerous drafts in preparation for ACFW's fall conference. (More on that Friday).
As for the blog? I have new plans here also. My goal is to begin posting three times a week. Beginning this week, I'll post a devotion or spiritual journey entry on Wednesdays.
Fridays' posts will be exclusively about writing--updates on my own progress, insight into the process for my encouraging friends who don't write, and helpful links for my writer friends. Several of you have asked me what the next step is now that I have a complete novel and when it'll be published, so this week's post will cover the novel writing journey from idea to publication to give you an idea of what's ahead.
Finally, Mondays will be devoted to book reviews. Sound busy enough for you? I hope so. I'm looking forward to what God has in store for 2011 and am grateful for each one of you who take the time to walk along with me!
See you Wednesday :)
And as a NaNoWriMo winner, I can purchase that cool writing software (Scrivener for Windows) for 50% off when it releases, and I receive one paperback copy of my book from Amazon's CreateSpace for free! Plus, during a "Thank Goodness It's Over" party in December, I won a year's membership to NC Writers' Network, which offers educational and networking opportunities for writers here in North Carolina.
Most importantly though, on December 13th, I wrote the final word, number 68,288, in my draft. Praise the Lord!
Some of you that know my writing life was frustrating for the majority of the year--stumbling through one project only to start over again and again. But, I am so grateful for God's grace in the last two months through the above and the encouragement of my friends and family.
And now I have the first complete original manuscript I've written in twelve years. Thank you Jesus!
So what's next?
Well, for UnClean, lots of editing and numerous drafts in preparation for ACFW's fall conference. (More on that Friday).
As for the blog? I have new plans here also. My goal is to begin posting three times a week. Beginning this week, I'll post a devotion or spiritual journey entry on Wednesdays.
Fridays' posts will be exclusively about writing--updates on my own progress, insight into the process for my encouraging friends who don't write, and helpful links for my writer friends. Several of you have asked me what the next step is now that I have a complete novel and when it'll be published, so this week's post will cover the novel writing journey from idea to publication to give you an idea of what's ahead.
Finally, Mondays will be devoted to book reviews. Sound busy enough for you? I hope so. I'm looking forward to what God has in store for 2011 and am grateful for each one of you who take the time to walk along with me!
See you Wednesday :)
Sunday, November 28
3,995 Words To Go
Hello all! It's the end of week four for NaNoWriMo, and I know you might be thinking, What happened to week three?
Well, the end of it got bitten by the Week Two bug. I sailed right along through most of week three. And then Saturday hit and with it trouble. My body had enough of the long days and lack of rest and rebelled in the form of what I am beginning to think of as "Stress Sickness"--the cold and flu symptoms that seem to develop anytime I choose to push myself a little harder than normal.
I cried and lamented and called my sister to moan about finishing a novel when I felt that crappy. Whether it was the fatigue or my normal crazy, I'm not sure, but I do know that I despaired of reaching my goal, of finishing the novel, of ever being able to finish a novel. (Like I said, crazy). Luckily, she listened and told me to put away the computer and rest. My mom told me to do the same when I told her I hated leaving Noah unconscious in chapter 14 but I started crying every time I opened Scrivener.
They wisely realized I was exhausted and needed to rest before I would be sane again. So I did. For four days, I took it easy and didn't write. Itching to pick back up the netbook the whole time and feeling my pesky little IE gaining strength with each day.
Until Thursday.
After celebrating Thanksgiving with my family that afternoon, I sequestered myself in my old room at home and set a goal of 16,000 words in four days. I stopped only to shower, sleep, and make my meals. My family graciously allowed me to disappear. And now, at the end of that time period, I can say that I surpassed my goal by 655 words!
As we are coming up on the last two days of NaNoWriMo, I'm already appreciating what I'll carry away from the experience: The knowledge that I can write 6,000 words in a day and not lose my mind. The reality that it is possible for me to write on workdays without overdoing it. The reminder of how fun it is to let the story flow and see where it takes you. Not to mention the twenty-four chapters I didn't have on October 31st.
After such a difficult year, it really is hard to believe that I've written 48,005 words in twenty-eight days. But I have! Praise the Lord. And while some of them will definitely hit the cutting room floor in my first edit, most of them make me smile contentedly. It's been a crazy journey, and I've continually been surprised by my characters and the choices they've made. But it's been worth it.
Now, on to those last 3,995 words....
Well, the end of it got bitten by the Week Two bug. I sailed right along through most of week three. And then Saturday hit and with it trouble. My body had enough of the long days and lack of rest and rebelled in the form of what I am beginning to think of as "Stress Sickness"--the cold and flu symptoms that seem to develop anytime I choose to push myself a little harder than normal.
I cried and lamented and called my sister to moan about finishing a novel when I felt that crappy. Whether it was the fatigue or my normal crazy, I'm not sure, but I do know that I despaired of reaching my goal, of finishing the novel, of ever being able to finish a novel. (Like I said, crazy). Luckily, she listened and told me to put away the computer and rest. My mom told me to do the same when I told her I hated leaving Noah unconscious in chapter 14 but I started crying every time I opened Scrivener.
They wisely realized I was exhausted and needed to rest before I would be sane again. So I did. For four days, I took it easy and didn't write. Itching to pick back up the netbook the whole time and feeling my pesky little IE gaining strength with each day.
Until Thursday.
After celebrating Thanksgiving with my family that afternoon, I sequestered myself in my old room at home and set a goal of 16,000 words in four days. I stopped only to shower, sleep, and make my meals. My family graciously allowed me to disappear. And now, at the end of that time period, I can say that I surpassed my goal by 655 words!
As we are coming up on the last two days of NaNoWriMo, I'm already appreciating what I'll carry away from the experience: The knowledge that I can write 6,000 words in a day and not lose my mind. The reality that it is possible for me to write on workdays without overdoing it. The reminder of how fun it is to let the story flow and see where it takes you. Not to mention the twenty-four chapters I didn't have on October 31st.
After such a difficult year, it really is hard to believe that I've written 48,005 words in twenty-eight days. But I have! Praise the Lord. And while some of them will definitely hit the cutting room floor in my first edit, most of them make me smile contentedly. It's been a crazy journey, and I've continually been surprised by my characters and the choices they've made. But it's been worth it.
Now, on to those last 3,995 words....
Monday, November 15
Dreaded Week Two
I heard horror stories about Week Two (that's right it's capitalized). Everyone on the NaNoWriMo website talked about it being the week to push through. My inbox was flooded with e-mails from the NaNo team encouraging me to keep on going. Needless to say, I was intimidated by how hard they said it would be.
Turns out? It wasn't so bad. It was actually pretty great. Even considering the fact that I nannyed a very sick and unhappy baby last week. I was able to finish the week with 25,247 words (over the halfway point in just fourteen days)! And with those words came crazy, exciting, and frustrating new changes. Those changes? Well, I rearranged several chapters, had Maddison confess deeper feelings than I had planned, and added a death threat to the plot just to spice things up a bit. This story continues to surprise and excite me. And after a year of stumbling through six chapters of another project, I thank God for the fact that as of yesterday I had eleven complete chapters. ELEVEN!
And I would not have made it through these fourteen days without my family and friends asking me about the story, praying for me, and commenting on facebook. Three of these friends were special gifts last week, and so I'm going to brag on them a little bit 'cause I'm so grateful:
First, I have Sue. The woman who started the online crit group I've been a part of, and the woman who introduced me to NaNo and gave me great tips for preparing for it. My friend is already published, with good reason, and I can't wait to stand in line at a book signing for her. The novel she worked on during NaNo last year rocks my world, and I agree with Erynn that "it's gonna be huge." This wonderful writer friend is extra busy with a husband, her boys, civic duties, and her own writing pursuits, yet she has cheered me on in just about every facebook status, left me comments over here, and sent me links. If my book is half as good as hers, it'll be worth this crazyness. Sue's a genius and I'm so glad to know her.
Second, my friend Rebecca. She doesn't write fiction herself, but she will listen to me go on and on about mine forever. And she is always excited about it to. :) She has designated herself as the "spontaneous hang out friend" this month because she knows I can't make plans to be with friends but wants me to have a way to see one of my girls if I need a break or have already met my word count for the week. She drove up from Durham on Thursday night just to encourage me with her presence and pizza. She told me on Friday that she is already planning a celebration for the two of us at the end of this crazy draft. My job is just to let her know what day I finish. This mysterious celebration is motivation enough to finish.
Finally, my best friend and co-journeyer in this crazy writing process, Erynn. She's my accountability, in that I have to send finished chapters to her and keep them coming. She reads each one and then e-mails me only positive feedback so I am encouraged to keep on going. (In fact, after reading chapter ten, she paid me one of the highest compliments an author can receive). In addition, of her own accord, she's decided to critique every single chapter but save them up in a folder until the month is through so that I'm not tempted to revise early. Finally, she is fielding no less than two, and sometimes many more, phone calls a day when I start to freak out about what comes next or how my characters are complicating things. Most of the time, I just need to hear myself talking about the situation to realize what needs to happen (and that it's really not a crisis). But in the moments I need insight, I can call her and, without having to give her a complete backstory, ask for her input. Invaluable. She's completely invaluable to me, and I know I would've gotten off this crazy train in week one were it not for her counsel and her demands for more Noah.
To these three women, and all of my other sweet friends, thank you. I dedicate this month to you.
Now on to week three...
Turns out? It wasn't so bad. It was actually pretty great. Even considering the fact that I nannyed a very sick and unhappy baby last week. I was able to finish the week with 25,247 words (over the halfway point in just fourteen days)! And with those words came crazy, exciting, and frustrating new changes. Those changes? Well, I rearranged several chapters, had Maddison confess deeper feelings than I had planned, and added a death threat to the plot just to spice things up a bit. This story continues to surprise and excite me. And after a year of stumbling through six chapters of another project, I thank God for the fact that as of yesterday I had eleven complete chapters. ELEVEN!
And I would not have made it through these fourteen days without my family and friends asking me about the story, praying for me, and commenting on facebook. Three of these friends were special gifts last week, and so I'm going to brag on them a little bit 'cause I'm so grateful:
First, I have Sue. The woman who started the online crit group I've been a part of, and the woman who introduced me to NaNo and gave me great tips for preparing for it. My friend is already published, with good reason, and I can't wait to stand in line at a book signing for her. The novel she worked on during NaNo last year rocks my world, and I agree with Erynn that "it's gonna be huge." This wonderful writer friend is extra busy with a husband, her boys, civic duties, and her own writing pursuits, yet she has cheered me on in just about every facebook status, left me comments over here, and sent me links. If my book is half as good as hers, it'll be worth this crazyness. Sue's a genius and I'm so glad to know her.
Second, my friend Rebecca. She doesn't write fiction herself, but she will listen to me go on and on about mine forever. And she is always excited about it to. :) She has designated herself as the "spontaneous hang out friend" this month because she knows I can't make plans to be with friends but wants me to have a way to see one of my girls if I need a break or have already met my word count for the week. She drove up from Durham on Thursday night just to encourage me with her presence and pizza. She told me on Friday that she is already planning a celebration for the two of us at the end of this crazy draft. My job is just to let her know what day I finish. This mysterious celebration is motivation enough to finish.
Finally, my best friend and co-journeyer in this crazy writing process, Erynn. She's my accountability, in that I have to send finished chapters to her and keep them coming. She reads each one and then e-mails me only positive feedback so I am encouraged to keep on going. (In fact, after reading chapter ten, she paid me one of the highest compliments an author can receive). In addition, of her own accord, she's decided to critique every single chapter but save them up in a folder until the month is through so that I'm not tempted to revise early. Finally, she is fielding no less than two, and sometimes many more, phone calls a day when I start to freak out about what comes next or how my characters are complicating things. Most of the time, I just need to hear myself talking about the situation to realize what needs to happen (and that it's really not a crisis). But in the moments I need insight, I can call her and, without having to give her a complete backstory, ask for her input. Invaluable. She's completely invaluable to me, and I know I would've gotten off this crazy train in week one were it not for her counsel and her demands for more Noah.
To these three women, and all of my other sweet friends, thank you. I dedicate this month to you.
Now on to week three...
Sunday, November 7
At The End Of Week One...
Well, it's Sunday evening, and I've officially finished week one of NaNoWriMo. And what a week it's been! God has been gracious to grant me 14,163 words. (i.e., a crazy amount of words!) And it turns out, I can ignore my evil internal editor (IE). I left bracketed words and questions throughout the six chapters I churned out last week. So, my IE's probably just storing up her wrath for December, but for now I can say it's been a great writing week.
I am also grateful for the fellow WriMos, friends, and family who've encouraged me on facebook and e-mail this week. My facebook page was filled with people cheering me on which helped me reach my word count goals every day this week, even on Tuesday--the day I hated what I wrote but kept on going. I know it would've been harder without my cheerleaders.
Finally, I am grateful for the story that's developing. I am having so much fun with Noah, Maddison, and their community that I can't wait to sit down and write what happens next. So, with that in mind, I thought I'd interview Noah for you, indulge me...
An Interview with Noah State (21):
Author: Would you describe your appearance for us?
Noah: Well, I have brown hair and green eyes. Daniel would add that I have a constant furrow on my forehead, but that's only when he's around. *chuckles* I'm in fairly good shape, mostly from playing football and wrestling in high school and running now. Does that answer your question?
Author: Close enough. Now, if you had one day to live, what would you do?
Noah: I would start the day at the beach, getting up early to run on the sand and watch the sun rise over the water. Then I'd wander through old civil war sites for the morning and afternoon, and end the day by having dinner with my brother at some sports bar with greasy food and some football.
Author: Wow, you didn't have to think about that last one at all. On the other end of the life and death spectrum, what brings you joy?
Noah: Simple things--like watching the sun rise, a well-made americano, a fully restored book, a greasy cheeseburger with fries, oh, and making Maddison smile.
Author: I like that list. Tell me, what motivates you to do the things you do?
Noah: (pauses to think for a moment, finger tapping on his mouth) A sense of duty, I guess. A thirst for justice, and the hope of there being something better in life.
Author: By something better, do you mean eternity and God? Do you have a spiritual walk with him?
Noah: No. I think there must be a God, but, if I'm honest, I'm sure he's already made up his mind about me. I'm guilty and he just hasn't punished me yet.
Author: I'm sorry. Maybe it won't always feel like that....
So, dear friends, do you have questions? About Noah? The story? My writing process? Leave me a comment, and I'll do my best to answer them and give you a sneak peek into Maddison's head next week.
Until then...
I am also grateful for the fellow WriMos, friends, and family who've encouraged me on facebook and e-mail this week. My facebook page was filled with people cheering me on which helped me reach my word count goals every day this week, even on Tuesday--the day I hated what I wrote but kept on going. I know it would've been harder without my cheerleaders.
Finally, I am grateful for the story that's developing. I am having so much fun with Noah, Maddison, and their community that I can't wait to sit down and write what happens next. So, with that in mind, I thought I'd interview Noah for you, indulge me...
An Interview with Noah State (21):
Author: Would you describe your appearance for us?
Noah: Well, I have brown hair and green eyes. Daniel would add that I have a constant furrow on my forehead, but that's only when he's around. *chuckles* I'm in fairly good shape, mostly from playing football and wrestling in high school and running now. Does that answer your question?
Author: Close enough. Now, if you had one day to live, what would you do?
Noah: I would start the day at the beach, getting up early to run on the sand and watch the sun rise over the water. Then I'd wander through old civil war sites for the morning and afternoon, and end the day by having dinner with my brother at some sports bar with greasy food and some football.
Author: Wow, you didn't have to think about that last one at all. On the other end of the life and death spectrum, what brings you joy?
Noah: Simple things--like watching the sun rise, a well-made americano, a fully restored book, a greasy cheeseburger with fries, oh, and making Maddison smile.
Author: I like that list. Tell me, what motivates you to do the things you do?
Noah: (pauses to think for a moment, finger tapping on his mouth) A sense of duty, I guess. A thirst for justice, and the hope of there being something better in life.
Author: By something better, do you mean eternity and God? Do you have a spiritual walk with him?
Noah: No. I think there must be a God, but, if I'm honest, I'm sure he's already made up his mind about me. I'm guilty and he just hasn't punished me yet.
Author: I'm sorry. Maybe it won't always feel like that....
So, dear friends, do you have questions? About Noah? The story? My writing process? Leave me a comment, and I'll do my best to answer them and give you a sneak peek into Maddison's head next week.
Until then...
Saturday, October 30
Because I'm Just A Tad Insane...
I've signed up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), a challenge to write 50,000 words in a month. A first draft in 30 days. A completely insane endeavor. One I am very excited about.
You see, I have this incredibly loud internal editor, and she likes to stymie my progress by demanding that I pick the perfect word, turn of phrase, and punctuation or else. And "or else" consists of staring at a blank document for hours until I give up. I will concede that she is very helpful for editing and revising, but for first drafts? She's my antagonist.
So, I'm choosing to use NaNoWriMo to break her a little bit. I'm hoping the word count goals (1667 a day, more on Fridays and Saturdays if I want Sundays as a sabbath) will force me to tune her out and help me reclaim the joy of that fast and furious first draft.
And if I meet my goal? I'll have a complete manuscript before the end of the year, which would be a huge boost to my beleaguered spirit. I will also be able to purchase Scrivener, the best writing software on the market for 50% off when it is released in February. (Today I was able to download the Windows Beta version for my NaNoWriMo draft. Previously, it was available only to Mac users). The authors at BRMCWC raved about the software and now I see why. *insert small squeal here*
This complete manuscript will be especially exciting because it's the first in a four book YA (young adult) series. I love to read this genre myself and knew I wanted to write a YA novel at some point. Unfortunately, I didn't have any plot ideas that would be engaging to the 12-19 age range until two weeks ago. Being stuck in my current WIP, I decided to take a break, and days later, God gave me the new series idea complete with story arcs and a cast list.
I've spent the last two weeks building my futuristic dystopia, casting the series, outlining it, specifically book one, and creating character profiles for the three main characters. I'm thrilled at where it's headed and what it could be. My hope stems from the fact that both teenage girls and boys, Christian or not, could pick up a copy, be hooked, and walk the journey of redemption and eternal perspective with Noah, Maddison, and Daniel.
Book one is tentatively titled UnClean and will be my project for NaNoWriMo. It's about Noah State, who is twenty-one, a Liquidator in The Elite, and at the end of his rope. Trapped in a career that leaves him more blood stained by the day, he's beginning to think of death as a coming relief. Until he meets Maddison James. Her love whitewashes his guilt and gives him hope. But their relationship must survive his brother's interference, a rival for Noah's affections, and a dangerous rebellion brewing in their backyard to have a future. And if it does, will Maddison's love really be enough?
Intriguing, no?
I hope so because I'll be blogging my NaNoWriMo experience this month, and I hope you'll join me by reading along. I'll share my word count progress, my frustrations, my successes, and what I'm learning about Noah and Maddison (and myself) along the way.
On Monday, I'll attend my first "write-in" at the local Caribou Coffee with other WriMos (participants). Should be fun!
Until then...
You see, I have this incredibly loud internal editor, and she likes to stymie my progress by demanding that I pick the perfect word, turn of phrase, and punctuation or else. And "or else" consists of staring at a blank document for hours until I give up. I will concede that she is very helpful for editing and revising, but for first drafts? She's my antagonist.
So, I'm choosing to use NaNoWriMo to break her a little bit. I'm hoping the word count goals (1667 a day, more on Fridays and Saturdays if I want Sundays as a sabbath) will force me to tune her out and help me reclaim the joy of that fast and furious first draft.
And if I meet my goal? I'll have a complete manuscript before the end of the year, which would be a huge boost to my beleaguered spirit. I will also be able to purchase Scrivener, the best writing software on the market for 50% off when it is released in February. (Today I was able to download the Windows Beta version for my NaNoWriMo draft. Previously, it was available only to Mac users). The authors at BRMCWC raved about the software and now I see why. *insert small squeal here*
This complete manuscript will be especially exciting because it's the first in a four book YA (young adult) series. I love to read this genre myself and knew I wanted to write a YA novel at some point. Unfortunately, I didn't have any plot ideas that would be engaging to the 12-19 age range until two weeks ago. Being stuck in my current WIP, I decided to take a break, and days later, God gave me the new series idea complete with story arcs and a cast list.
I've spent the last two weeks building my futuristic dystopia, casting the series, outlining it, specifically book one, and creating character profiles for the three main characters. I'm thrilled at where it's headed and what it could be. My hope stems from the fact that both teenage girls and boys, Christian or not, could pick up a copy, be hooked, and walk the journey of redemption and eternal perspective with Noah, Maddison, and Daniel.
Book one is tentatively titled UnClean and will be my project for NaNoWriMo. It's about Noah State, who is twenty-one, a Liquidator in The Elite, and at the end of his rope. Trapped in a career that leaves him more blood stained by the day, he's beginning to think of death as a coming relief. Until he meets Maddison James. Her love whitewashes his guilt and gives him hope. But their relationship must survive his brother's interference, a rival for Noah's affections, and a dangerous rebellion brewing in their backyard to have a future. And if it does, will Maddison's love really be enough?
Intriguing, no?
I hope so because I'll be blogging my NaNoWriMo experience this month, and I hope you'll join me by reading along. I'll share my word count progress, my frustrations, my successes, and what I'm learning about Noah and Maddison (and myself) along the way.
On Monday, I'll attend my first "write-in" at the local Caribou Coffee with other WriMos (participants). Should be fun!
Until then...
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