Control Me Cover Reveal

I doubt I really need to say anything. Been busy writing my other book and figured this would give me drive to edit more.

Hope you all like. May be fixed before publication date.

Almost Time to Edit…Again

Well, that title pretty much gives away what this post is going to be about. I finished typing up Control Me, reaching just over 90,000 words. There is one problem though, I tend to add more than remove in my novels.

I find when I write I forget parts of sentences or I don’t fill in the blanks when it comes to describing scenes or parts. It’s the only downside of handwriting what I think of at the time.

Editing will resume soon, I just need to make sure I’ve taken a long enough break. I did do all the chapters, making sure that they were not too long. I like smaller chapters, easier to read. This, too, may change as I edit. I remember changing a lot with Murder Never Dies and Unknown Caller.

Once I get the first 10-15 chapters edited I will post them for free for people to download and get a feel of my novel. It’s not like any other I have written and I enjoy it, but I am sure most may not.

For now, I have been working on the sequel to The Selected while processing two other book ideas. This tends to happen a lot, I get many ideas, but I have to make sure I really want to edit or not. The sequel is going well. Most of the plot is starting to fall in place already, making it easier to write. The only problem is my work and health issue is making it difficult to stay awake once I am home.

I am 60 pages into the novel, which is a nice chunk. Some day’s I wish I was a full time writer with a schedule I created and had a room I could lock myself in that never let me get distracted. I’ll continue to dream.

Back to writing! I am in the mood to do it and have not done any yet…I am terrible. Next week I should be editing and should have Control Me up by the summer!

Proud of my Mommy

This week I went to my mom’s for a change of scenery. I tend to do this more now that I am off because it helps me in a way. I read several books because my stupid pain pills make me all hyper when I should be sleeping. Only wrote a little; I feel like writing today so I can at least make up some lost time.

Now, no one laugh, but I am helping my mom out with her crafts by knitting again. Yes, I know how to knit, laugh all you want. I re-learnt in less than a day. We went to the little shop that hosts a lot of crafters, maybe to sell some things (we hope), or just to get their stuff out there. Here are a few of what my mom had displayed. She is working on ereader/tablet covers. I kind of am helping knit them. Hence kind of.

While knitting I told mom about my dream I have at least once a week about starting a Creative Arts Summer Camp for kids; primary focus is writing. She wants me to consider trying to do it because it would be something I would love to do and also something no one teaches anymore. To be honest, I learnt to write a novel by myself. Sure, you can get support, but no real lessons on how to start or what to do.

Enough of that idea/dream. Off to do a little bit of writing. Took my time to do this. It is amazing how one can do something to pass the time and turn it into something other people can cherish. That is why I love writing. I will blog again about why I hate writers that just want to write to get professionally published. Writing should never be about money making; if that happens, great, if not, one is still creating a work of art.

Hope everyone likes my mom’s work!

Picasso’s Work & Inspiration

Come on people, that one should have been obvious.

Yesterday, the hubby and I took my mom to the AGO to see Picasso’s work for Mother’s Day. Fantastic to see! We all enjoyed it, more so my mother and me. We grew up with my Uncle and Grandpa interested in art, both quite good too. It was only natural for us to want to see it and enjoy it. Plus, once in a lifetime thing.

What we discovered was how you had to look at each picture differently in order to see the pictures. It was fantastic. My mother and I would angle our heads opposite of each other to see what we could see. Each angle brought out something different in the pictures.

We ended up with two favourites. Viola! Here they are! One on the left is called Two Landscapes and the other I cannot remember for the life of me, it involves a guitar.

 

All this made me think. He started becoming noticed when he was 14. Now, I am not saying I should have been recognized at that age for me books. I look at how things have changed. When we wandered the contemporary exhibits we did not like much at all, well….we maybe liked one or two things and really disliked the rest.

I am picky about art and I will admit, I prefer paintings more than anything else. I remember knowing some people that went to Brock and enjoying their paintings. They were unique and beautiful to look at. Not some backyard looking things.

As you can tell, I am not cut out for art, I am cut out for writing. I found this trip to be helpful, more of a “stick to your roots” when it comes to my writing lesson. Sure, I dabble here and there. Everyone has to. I am sticking with my roots because it is my better style of writing. I just think back to what inspired me. My inspiration is not so visual as in Picasso’s works. I have to mould the inspirations to make them work for my writing.

All right, enough rambling about me! I best try to write a little before I fall asleep. Long days and not enough sleep for my liking.

I will say one thing, the show was fantastic and very inspirational. Happy I went and happy that it has helped inspire me to keep writing. Oh, and I got a writing book from there. Hehe, got the mom and hubby annoyed. I needed to keep a little memory of the trip!

Great Past 24 Hours With my Writing

Time to be all cheesy, but the past 24 hours have been great for my writing…and me too I guess.

Since I have become sick and taking painkillers my mind has been everywhere but on my writing. My grandma told me not to worry. She always has supported me and understands me.

Last night I decided to type up some more of my novel. It has been almost a week since I typed. Well, with the hubby’s encouragement to keep typing I have now moved on to the second part of the book. I handwrite so most of my novels take up two writing books.  As my current word count displays I am sitting at just over 53k words. My goal of over 80k should be able to be managed before editing. Yippie!

That’s not the best part of my writing day. Today I decided to go sit at Mahtay Cafe & Lounge. It’s a nice new cafe. Why did I go there? I went there for a change of place to write. I tend to get easily distracted at home, which is obvious for those that know us and our place. I managed to write over 5k words. That is a lot of handwriting in a sitting and I am damn happy. I plan to try to go there once a week to two weeks depending on how I feel.

This book has been giving me some massive writers block and seemed to never want to let go. Plus, I need to get writing more again. It is get help at distracting me and keeping me focused all at once.

Finally, good news with writing.

For those that are wondering about my experiment, I have had 22 people download the 10 chapter preview from smashwords. I am curious as to how much that number will increase once it is available on different sites.

Back to typing I go. I’m all giddy and no longer feel like torturing those that are reading this. But, if you have experienced this, let me know how it makes you feel. Does not have to be just about writing.

Eek! Forgetting to Blog

I set this up to talk about my writing and how it is going.

Now look what happens when I start writing, I FORGET to blog. Such a terrible thing to have happen. The only upside is, I have written ALOT.

Since starting the whole Nanowrimo adventure, my hand has been frantically writing. It’s amazing having written over 20,000 words. Normally this would take a couple months.

I am not going to lie, it is really hard to do this and work full-time. I have to devote hours and sometimes, I can’t because I get distracted or cannot think of what to write next.

Thank goodness I am not professionally published because I do not know what I would do. This challenge is amazing, but difficult for those who work 40 hours a week.

Some people are even done their 50,000 word mark at day 13. What the hell? My max is 4,000 words in one night.

I am just imagining writing that much and how many novels I could pump out. That would be amazing. New goal, write like a fiend.

But, I think I will take this challenge again next year. If this existed in highschool, I would have made that goal mark so easily. Writing was all I did then. 2-3 novels a year.

My novel is being really nice to me, not so nice to the characters. I do admit I ask friends a question because the decision is too tough. The hubby I ask too.

But, time to eat and get my butt back into writing. I only wonder, who the hell will get my writing books after I die? I am already over 30 books written in. Fun question to ponder….

See how distracted I get? Alas, goal of writing 2-3,000 words is in place today. I would say wish me luck, but for those who know me, they know the answer to that.

No More Typing…Must Get Writing

Am I a procrastinator? Sure am.

Since when? Since essays in university existed.

What am I procrastinating? Writing my book.

Eek! At last, I am forcing myself to stop typing up one of my other books and making myself handwrite my novel.

Why? Because the idea needs to come back into my brain, finish being written and then leave again.

Splendid, such a happy image for one to think of when writing a novel. I want the idea out.

With most ideas they get stuck in my brain and loom. This book idea has been waking me up in the middle of the night and not providing me with any idea of what the hell to write. Just wants to say ‘hi’ I guess.

With the month of November being NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), it is time to kick my butt into gear and get writing.

This procrastination, easily distracted part is why I could never be a real, published, novelist. I would need an office with no distractions.

So, my writing book is beside me and pen too. It is time to start writing…or when the hubby wakes up so I can turn on the light to start writing.

Novel writing is difficult, but only if you make it. Learn from me. I can make books come out easily, other times the novels are a pain in my butt.

But, if I do not write…oh god! I do not ever want to think of what I would be like if I never wrote. It is such a terrifying image.

Back to writing I go! Everyone have fun in NaNoWriMo. And a shout-out to all the men participating in Movember. Time to see some epic moustaches and even beards for some.

Back From Vacation

Florida was great. Long ride though, so still recovering from that.

Went to Harry Potter World in Universal Studios. Absolutely loved it. Yes, I support Harry Potter. In a recent study, it was researched and proven that that novel series increased literacy rates by 13% in Canada alone. That’s pretty impressive. So, did I get anything there? I got stuff for two other people, and in fact I did get something for myself. A really wicked writing book.

My first ever young adult novel was written in a Harry Potter journal; which was a long time ago. A decade ago.

We did go to Disney World. Had a great time. Enjoyed the changed firework show at Magic Kingdom. The before show was fantastic with a great message. It shows how one dream created something so spectacular.

I did get another writing book from Disney World. Sadly, not Eeyore but it is Pirates of the Caribbean. Could I find a picture of it anywhere? Nope.

Well, enough of my trip, now on to my writing. I wrote 4 pages. Crappy. But, to save my lack of writing I did think about where to take the novel. Do I still get some credit with that even though I did not produce much on paper?

Ugh, being a writer on vacation sucks. So much fun and distractions. I will write more being back home…

Maybe I should challenge myself to write a certain amount for NaNoWriMo? I have never done it before.

Alas, my writer mind is all confused. I will do my best, read a little more for inspiration and then get writing.