And The Winner Is ...

Hello again to all!

I made it through November's grueling challenge to write 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo.  Except I didn't write just 50,000 words - I wrote over 57,000 and I am still counting, currently just over 60,000 words and I am sure I have at least two to three more chapters to go! I tried to speed up the tale but the characters were just too chatty a bunch and all were clamoring to be written about! However the end is in sight and now I am certain the manuscript will be finished.

Looking back at all the hard work and 'no play' I put in this month, I can say it was worth it. I learned a few things which helped in my writing too. First, using a timer is a good thing for me! It made me focus and keep on task. The tick...tick ... tick ... made me write because I realized my time was ticking away and I had better produce! Secondly I learned to say when I got to the end of one scene, "And then what happened?" So that I would progress the story in a coherent way. The third thing I learned was that having a daily word count goal was extremely motivating for me!

I know that in the coming months there will be revisions, cutting and editing that will need to be done, but the idea that I nearly have a whole manuscript to work with is very exciting!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and that the upcoming holidays will only bring pleasant surprises.

Marie

It's NaNo Time Again!

Hello everyone!
It seems that I can only update this site every month as I am so busy writing! But that is good, right? I have been struggling to dribble-drabble out a new novel - up to chapter three. But the fire is under my behind now! Or should I say? The seat is under my behind? NaNoWriMo is back around again. Dang, November comes fast doesn't it? Anyway, since November 1st, I have written two new chapters and close to 8,000 new words towards my goal of 50,000 words in a month. Since I have a relatively good handle on the characters, the plot is beginning to flow now. Check back with me later in the month and see if that remains true!

The truth of NaNoWriMo is that you don't really edit the story as you go along, therefore sometimes I think it is the best stuff I have ever written and at other times I wonder if this is something I will just put out of my mind and junk it as it is so bad! My very first effort at NaNo was like that, some great characters and a half way good story, but it wasn't leading anywhere. Recently I looked at it again and realized there just might be something to salvage in that story ...

Always, always chasing that elusive tale!
Type to you all later.
Happy writing to you all!
Marie

Catching Up on Tales

Oh dear I have been neglecting my dear Blog again. Honestly I turn around and time has just flown by! That doesn't mean that I have been dormant though! September 27th was the 1st Anniversary of DiscusssionStation.com . I helped to celebrate by working on some opening threads for both the Cuppa Presents and the Book Club discussions. That is for the books The Cuckoo Calling by Robert Galbraith (AKA J.K. Rowling) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, respectively.

Of course I have also been hard at work wrestling with my newest manuscript - a story of a woman and her infant son. Unfortunately, the scenes seem to be dribbling forth instead of coming in a even stream this time. The thing is when I do sit down to write, after mulling forever where I want to go and how the characters would be reacting, the words flow rather well. Now that I am more familiar with the characters, I am seriously thinking of attempting the NaNoWriMo challenge. It begins next month. I think I would have a pretty good manuscript if I can craft another 50,000 words to what I already have. Of course one has to put just about everything on the 'back burner' when you commit to do NaNoWriMo. (Which means all my Holiday prep will either have to be done this month or very early in December - a pretty Herculean task!)

Early in October, our writing group, The Ink and Quill, was featured in the West Orange Times. I wasn't sure of the outcome from that story but, I was extremely pleased that our writing group had 9 people come to the last meeting! I knew after the publicity that we would have a few new people, but I didn't think that 5 new people would come! Yeah for us! If you are in the neighborhood come join us the first Monday of the month at the Jessie Brock Community Center in Winter Garden! Anyone is welcome! See you all soon.

Computers - Can't live with them, Can't live without them ...

Having just gone through a blight on my main computer and Wifi problems on my laptop, I can tell you that living without computer access is both a curse and a blessing. Not being 'connected' sets off  this panic within you that you won't be able to meet deadlines and expectations that surround your life. Writing for DiscussionStation.com had to be put on hold as much as I love doing that. I tried to only do essential email and the things I knew I had to do. Trying to print off a copy of my next chapter in the new book was a four hour ordeal. At the moment I don't even have a way to print. It is terribly frustrating to know you don't even have Skype access which is how I keep connected with many of my friends. Not to mention that I use my computer for research and keeping track of my accounts and bills. I kept thinking as I was reading or out and about - "Oh, I will look that up." or "I wonder if I can get that cheaper somewhere else?" But I had no way to research any of that. Having limited to no computer access really puts your life on hold.

Yes, that's right, having no computer access puts your life on hold and that turns out to be a blessing in a different way. Let me explain. Since I knew I couldn't jump online, I had to fill my time somehow. So I opted to read, or to sit in a chair and think, or even to watch a favorite TV show without the urgent feeling that I wasn't doing something productive on my computer! It was actually pleasant to sit outside and hear the birds sing and watch the flowers enjoy being watered. I could do all that without that constant feeling of guilt that I should be doing something very important on the internet. Being without the internet gave me a reprieve from all the activities that I thought I should be doing to fill my life. It was a pleasant interlude.

But in the long run - I have to confess - I think I really do enjoy being 'wired' and 'plugged  in' to the world around me! I am anxiously awaiting my new monitor so that I can get back to doing work on my desktop. Hopefully the printer problem will be solved soon. My WiFi is actually working now so I now can at least work on my laptop. Life is almost back to where I can feel I am able to work effectively again. I would love to hear from any of you that have had similar problems and how you managed to get through it! Just leave a comment below!    

The Peacock Flies!

Wow! I just looked and The Peacock's Tale is now available on Sony e-Readers, Nooks and IPads - either through Nook or Kindle apps. So basically The Peacock's Tale is now available through most any e-Reader! You can also read on your PC through those apps. (Strange, but after so long waiting - this seems to be going really fast!)

I just want to thank all of you that have taken the time to contact me with congratulations and comments on your thoughts while reading the books. It means a great deal to me that you are enjoying the book. I am hoping to soon put up some questions that can be used for Book Clubs! So stay tuned for my next post! Thanks everyone!

The Peacock has landed!

Well Marie is strutting around like a proud peacock today because The Peacock's Tale is now available on Amazon! I was so excited last night I composed an email to all my friends and then forgot to include a message! Silly me! I'm not sure which was the bigger thrill - seeing my book for sale on Amazon or having a friend call me - "the writer"! I hope that if you chose to read The Peacock's Tale that you will enjoy it!

The Proof is in the Pudding

Oh ho, all! I just got done looking at the proof of The Peacock's Tale. All those months of careful formatting was worth the effort! It looks great on the eReader. The cover looks really catching too! I can't wait for all of you to see the finished product! Stay tuned - it may still be awhile before it goes live on Amazon and longer for Nook and other readers. Be patient it will be available soon!

Peacock's Picture Perfect Cover

OK so this is the cover I decided to go with. I hope you like it! I used a great designer from fiver.com (sapizol), I am sure I got my money's worth!

The book is now at the publishers - BookBaby - and I am waiting with bated breath! Stay tuned!

Covering the Tale

I have been quiet lately because I have been very hard at work preparing The Peacock's Tale for publication as an eBook. I decide to go with the eBook format because I am not getting younger! Besides, I really think that eBooks are the new way of getting a book published! Why not be out there in front, instead of putting so much effort into trying to get an agent?  I want to progress to my next book. For me, personally to progress, I need closure on this project before I can really put my heart onto the next one. That's me and that's just how I feel now. Right or wrong ...

After many, many re-formats and several edits and lots and lots of learning about this whole process, the book is in its final countdown! Now I am at the stage of picking the cover! This too has been a learning process. I have two possibilities for the cover. I took these to the center where I hold the Writer's group each month and took a poll as to which they thought was the most intriguing - it was a tie!  Sigh. So I guess - you all will have to wait until I decide what the cover will be! Stay tuned!

    

Wordsmith's WhistleStop

DiscussionStation.com has opened their writer's forum called  Wordsmith's  WhistleStop. It is a great forum where writers can discuss their various questions as well as share their writing journey. The platform even allows published writer's to post information on their works. If you are interested in posting unpublished works for feedback there is also an area for that. Already there has been many interesting chats. Come join us when you can!

And while we are talking about DiscussionStation .com ,  the Platform Cafe has opened a reading Group on The Hobbit. Hop on over and join in!