Been away - but I'm coming back.

It's now the end of the year and I've struggled to stay up on many things.  Starting November 1st, I went into NaNoWriMo with all my heart, but it quickly got out of hand and I didn't make it.  Since then, I've felt a bit down in my writing, but things are picking up now.  I've read a few really good books (more about that later) and that always gets me in the mood to write more.  Writing, in turn, makes me want to keep up with the online writing community, which brings me to my blog reading list, and, since I'm here, I feel like I should probably stay up-to-date on my blog postings.

Whew!  What a loop!  But, none-the-less, I have a new resolve going into the new year to stay up-to-date on here, with my reading, and, most importantly, my writing.  I imagine I'm not the only writer who's making a new years resolution to be more active in the online community.  :]

And with that said, I'm getting a start on a few great blog postings that will be coming shortly.  Also, I'm making pretty good progress on my new WIP.  And after the kids start up into school again in the new year, I hope to find even more time to write.

Until then, I hope everyone had a great year with great success, and here's to a great New Year!

Getting my Butt Kicked

Between life and NaNoWriMo, I'm getting my butt kicked and have NO time at all to be on here.  I'm WAY behind in NaNo and I'm running out of time to find time to make up time.  (it does always seem to be about the time, doesn't it?)

So, never fear, I'll be back on here (and back onto Twitter) after I catch up on NaNo, and keep (get?) everything else in line in my life.

Then I'll get back to regular posting.

NaNoWrimo vs Life

We're all starting Week 2 of National Novel Writing Month and according to Twitter, people are at almost every stage of their novels.  I've seen tweets from some who have already given up.  Others say they aren't going to make it and are thinking about giving in.  Many are on schedule or close and some are way out there in front.  I'm yet to see a post of someone who has already hit the 50K goal.  But hey, anything's possible.

Me?  I'm behind, for now.

For me, November of the past 3 years represents a significant battle between my desire to compete in and win NaNoWriMo, and life in general.  I've been fortunate to win the past 2 years and have every intention of doing the same this year.  But this past weekend was not a winner for me, when it comes to my wordcount.

I participate in local choir and this weekend we had a concert 4 hours from my home.  Being the opening soloist, I didn't have the option to skip it due to NaNo.  With the stress of singing, I didn't even try to write on the way down there, and hitching a ride home left me no chance to write then either.

In the end, Saturday gave LIFE a win over NaNo and I've fallen behind in my wordcount.  But I'm not too concerned just yet.  I'm very happy with the words I DO have down and expect things to pick back up now that the concert is out of the way.

But today?  Life takes another shot at NaNo by waking my youngest child with something like a cold.  She's clingy and I'm tired (late coming home from concert).  Combine the two, and add the housework that needs to get done and I can see a possible NaNo failure again today.

I know I'm not the only one fighting this NaNoWriMo vs Life battle, most everyone does.  I've also been blessed with an ability to put the story down quickly and haven't really hit any plots snags or writing blocks.

I'll keep pushing, finding time to write, catching up and hopefully getting ahead.  I'll watch Twitter for support and ideas, and I'll encourage where I can others who are struggling.

In the end, I hope to find the same balance I did in the previous years and win NaNo without sacrificing Life.

Do you have any suggestions on ways to keep the two balanced? I'd love to hear from you if you do.

Know Me Better for 11.03.2011

"Know Me Better" is a meme hosted by Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. She will answer 5 questions off her author interview list each week and invite other bloggers to do the same.  Find it here.

Here are my answers:




What's your favorite season/weather?
I would prefer hot over cold, I love Spring, but I really love the Christmas Season.

PC or Mac?
My husband maintains our home computers and network so he has us on PC's, and I'm good with that (as long as I don't have to maintain them myself!)

Favorite music?
I enjoy a range of musical genres, but focus on country and soft rock more than others.

Facebook or Twitter?
Both?  I've been a fan of the connection methods presented by Facebook for a long time, but I'm just getting to know Twitter and find it fun and helpful to get to know other people.

What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit?
This is an odd question.  If I'd be embarrassed to admit it, and assuming I don't want to be embarrassed, I won't admit it here.  :]



Now join the list and read about others.

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop Winners!

It's November 1st, and despite being inundated with NaNoWriMo writing pressure, I thought I'd take a  moment to post the winners list of my first ever Giveaway, the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop.  I want to thank I Am A Reader Not A Writer and The Diary of a Bookworm for hosting this great giveaway.  With 400+ hops, there were SO many chances to win.  I hope everyone had fun entering and getting to know some of the hops!  I know I did!


I had great success in meeting new people, finding new blogs to follow and finding people who now follow my blog.  Thank you to everyone who signed up and entered my First Giveaway!  I'm excited to announce this winner list.  So without further ado ...  Chosen from 136 entries via random.org, the winners of my Spooktacular Giveaway Hop, winning a free copy of my Clean Historical Fiction Romance, Sweetwater Springs are ...

1. Entry #99 - sweepingtheusa - via Facebook
2. Entry #7 - Kristie Betts - via Facebook
3. Entry #81 - Tiffany Drew - via Facebook
4. Entry #110 - kayswereski - via GFC
5. Entry #9 - Mamamunky - via GFC
6. Entry #118 - Mo - via GFC
7. Entry #70 - Holly Wright - via GFC
8. Entry #63 - Jess R. - via FB
9. Entry #85 - Alicia - via GFC
10. Entry #127 - Ruth - via GFC

And the Grand Prize Winner, the winner of a $10 Gift Card to Amazon, is:

Entry #84, MaryEllenT who entered via Twitter!

Congratulations to the winners and thank you ALL so much for entering.  I look forward to getting to know many of you much better and I look forward to doing more giveaways.  Be sure to check all the other hops to see the winners there too!

Winners will be contacted by their method of winning and will have 10 days to respond. Non-responders will forfeit their prize.

More NaNoWriMo Planning

NaNoWriMo continues to encircle our thoughts and forces most of us to plan. 50,000 words isn't something to shake a stick at, so, unless you are amazing at 'seat-of-your-pants' writing, you need to do some planning.

My first novel attempt, Summer In The Bitterroot, was a 'seat-of-my-pants' experience and it went really well. Unfortunately, I'm yet to finish Summer, but have since completed Sweetwater Springs. Sweetwater was also a seat-of-the-pants writing and I am very happy with the results.

But since those attempts, I've tried to spend more time planning, organizing, plotting.

For NaNoWriMo 2009, my first NaNoWriMo attempt, I did all kinds of planning. I had my characters well-defined. I did several character interviews. I had their pictures hanging on my wall above my workstation.

I use real people for my inspiration. I took time to research, plan and choose the right actor for the part. Just in case they ever made a movie out of my book, I'd know who was to play the part. You know, because - why wouldn't they want to make a movie out of my book!

As I continue to gear up for this years NaNoWriMo, I'm following people on Twitter and blogs who seem to have an endless supply of ideas and concepts for planning. Some of them I find very useful, others, not so much.

I did recently come across one suggestion that I'm trying, in an effort to get to know my characters and plot better before the big write-in. Ink Stained Scribe

The first part helps you get to know your character using Descriptors, Nouns, Secondary Descriptors, Motivations and Secondary Motivations. That post helped me get to know my early characters better. Define them. Help me plan for later for when my character must do something. I can think back on that summary of them and help them behave as expected.

I'm thinking of trying notecards this year for NaNoWriMo. Physical, write-on or print-on notecards. I've seen posts and suggestions to try this.

One thing I am learning, though, is that there is still plenty to learn.

As I go about learning the social medium, the ins-and-outs of social decorum, the hows and whys of getting noticed and noticing, I find my little follower numbers growing, ever so slightly. Twitter growth seems exceptional, but I attribute that to a 'I follow/you follow' concept that seems to be the norm. That's OK with me, especially since I am still early in my entrance into this game.

Anyway - as I watch my little numbers slowly growing, it makes me smile to know that other people are getting to know my online self and I am starting to get to know a few of my followers as well. In fact, it makes me happy enough to want to do a Giveaway !!!

But you know what? I don't know yet what I want to giveaway! I know that it will be totally awesome because getting to 100 followers on my blog IS totally awesome. Maybe I want to giveaway some of my favorite books. Maybe something rare and signed. Maybe I'll giveaway a rare opportunity. Or perhaps I'll have to go to the 'ole standby' and go with a gift card (or maybe several!)

But whatever it is that gets given away, the winner(s?) will think, "This is totally awesome!" I promise!

So I'm looking for more followers (aren't we all?), people who can semi-relate to this writing thing. Someone who might be able to relate to being a parent.

Follow me to 100! Then let's give away something Awesome!

Post in the comments if you have suggestions on what you think I should giveaway. Who knows, you might be the one to win it!

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To be eligible to win, you MUST be a GFC follower of this blog and you MUST fill in the form below (you don't even have to post a comment! But I'd love it if you did. :] ). When I hit 100 followers on this blog, entries will be closed and a winner will be chosen from the ones listed below this form. The randomly chosen winner will be contacted via the email address they enter here (so please be sure it's correct).

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Follow Me To 100 Giveaway

The Required Stuff

Name:
(this is the only thing posted in the list below)
Your email address:
(must match in GFC)

Optional Stuff, if you'd like to share.

Your Twitter Name?

Your Blog Address?

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Time Flies Friday for 10.28.2011

This blog hop is hosted by Passion for Novels

Ahh, time to reminisce on another book. While growing up, I read a lot of books, and like I mentioned before, my mom would read to us all the time. One book that really stuck with me was a book called:

The Giver

by Lois Lowry -

This book talks about a world within our world that everything is controlled. You are not 'born' into a family you are 'given' to a family based on the skills of the husband and wife. As you grow, you are directed to participate in different, specific activities. Then someone else decides what you are going to be when you grow up. My favorite part in the book is when our main character, Jonas sees in color. I would love to explain the whole thing but it really must be experienced for yourself. Just take it from me, this is a must read. I have, over and over and over again.

Have you ever read this book? Did you like it? Post in the comments below your thoughts on this book.

Blog Hops!

Here are a few blog hops that I follow and in which I try to participate regularly.

Monday: (open and looking)

Tuesday: (open and looking)

Wednesday: (open and looking)

Thursday: Know me Better hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer

Friday: Time Flies Friday hosted by Passion for Novels

Saturday: (If I find I have time on Saturdays, maybe I'll follow a blog hop here)

Sunday: (currently open - I don't blog much on Sundays)

Do you have some suggestions for good blog hops to follow? Please post in the comments below with suggestions. Thanks

Know Me Better for 10.27.2011

Hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer

This Week's Questions:

• If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?

Helen Keller or Anne Frank Their stories of courage and strength always encourage me to do more and do better.

• Chocolate or Vanilla?

Chocolate

• What do you do in your free time?

Not a lot of free time. But when I do have it, I tend to read or write.

• What movie are you looking forward to this year?

The new Jane Eyre movie. But we aren't big movie fans. We wait for them to go to DVD or Netflix.

• Spontaneity or Planning Ahead?

A Planner I am. I'm a big fan of lists and schedules.



Now it's your turn! Share an answer to one or more of these questions as a comment or post your answers on your blog and link up here!