It's been some time since I've posted and I thought I'd come up for air. This year has been crazy up and down and all around. I have some exciting [and scary] news to impart! I am MOVING! [insert gasp here]
After living in sunny, gorgeous, balmy California my whole life, I'm doing the one thing I wasn't sure I'd ever do. I'm uprooting myself and moving 3k miles away. And for what? The best thing ever of course. Love. That is right! Until we can trek our way back across the continental US, my Mythical Man Beast and I shall abide in the New England...blizzard bowl. I don't know what else to call it. For crying out loud, what Seattle gets in an entire winter season the New Englanders can get in a single snow storm! I'm gonna freeze my piglets off.
It'll be nice because [for a few weeks until I can find a day job at least] I'll have some free time and space to breathe after the insanity that has become - and honestly been - my current place of employment. I'll be able to be all marshmallowy and lovey dovey with my favorite person in the world. And I'll be able to get to know his friends and family better so it's not like some crazy tattooed and pierced California hippy is absconding with their pal without even a "Wassup?"
I'm planning on taking that sweet time to do two things [other than be sickeningly sweet with the Mythical Man Beast]:
1. Work on figuring out what the hell I'm doing with the Haegtesse series since, for Crissakes, I can't for the life of me think of where my brain was going with that. I'm going to have to sit down and do some serious re-thinking, re-editing, planning, outlining and general word-witchery to get it to heel. Luckily, I've left it on the back burner in my brain so I've got some ideas simmering and an itch to continue writing past the first 6 chapters I've already got done for Thistletorn. I am still planning on redoing Thistledown and once I have Thistletorn and Thistlebalm all laid out so nice and purdy in the ways in which I've been handling the Welkinbane as of late, I'll get it all fixed up and re-self-publish it. I'm going to probably reduce the price to $0.99 just to get it into more people's hands since I suck major eggs at marketing myself. Har.
2. Write the Welkinbane. Such a straightforward sentence and one that is laden with manic laughter. Good on me, I used the writing of Thistledown and the brick wall that has become Thistletorn as a lesson and actually planned out the entire series. If you've been wondering what I've been up to, that's been it. I took the nebulous cloud of ideas and laid them out in strict order - filing in the gaps and working out the major plot threads so it makes sense. 5 books [with a potential for a backstory novella] all laid out so shiny and pretty. Taking on laying out each chapter hasn't been so hard. I'm attempting to outline at least a few chapters ahead so I give myself some wriggle room to move things around instead of having to completely rework the entire expanded outline. Since the book is from the point of view of the three main characters, I've outlined the chapters in the points of view of each girl in paragraph form. To clarify - I have a working plot point and note style outline for each chapter and book - but I'm only fleshing out the outline to prime it for writing a few chapters at a time. So far, this is working. With more time and quiet on my hands, I'm hoping to wrap this up and begin sending it out to some agents before we head back to the West Coast. If you'd like to read the unfinished first three chapters of the Welkinbane, you can find it HERE.
I don't think I'll be competing in NaNoWriMo this year as I'm moving halfway through the month. The first half will be crazy work-related and packing-related shenanigans. The second half will be re-learning how to breathe and trying to find another day job around writing. I may still "compete" but it won't be to reach the word max. It'll be just to track my writing progress for those few weeks.
Oh, have I mentioned that trying to choose which reference books to take has been one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do my entire life? All of the books I'm sending out there fit into roughly 4 USPS flat rate boxes. That's it. It may sound like a lot, but if you saw my bookshelves at home you'd be like "Wait, you really aren't taking that many with you are you?" Luckily the parental units are letting me store my stuff with them until we move back to this coast so it's not like I have to loose any of them in the long term. Still.
I'm super glad I have my Nook with all of my pleasure reading books on it since, for the weight of one paperback, I can have thousands of books at my fingertips.
Well it's off to the think tank.
Adieu!
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Taking an Arrow in the Knee
Hello all!
It has simply been an AGE since I last posted, and holy canoli what things have transpired!
First off....The Mythical Man Beast proposed! He liked it so he made sure to put a ring on it. :) To sate your curiosity, it was simply done the night before our 1 year anniversary. We were at his house, hanging out, talking about what to get from the local pizzeria for dinner, he was standing, I went to get up because my bladder was screaming at me....he grabbed my hands and guided me down to the sofa....I laughed thinking he wanted to cuddle....when suddenly! He took an arrow in the knee! He said my name and pulled out a box, my eyes felt like they grew to the size of saucers while he opened the box and his voice turned into that of the teacher from Charlie Brown. When my brain finally overcame the shock, all I caught was "....will you marry me?"
I missed his entire speech.
My stupid ass brain decided to detach itself from the rest of the universe for a few minutes and I missed his ENTIRE speech! GAH!
I don't feel too bad though, as he forgot it too.
Needless to say, I squeaked yes, we hugged, I turned into a sobbing marshmallow and we spent the remainder of the night being disturbingly sweet and telling one another our love and hopes and vowing eternal love like the hopeless romantics we are. I'm still going to propose back to him though, gender roles be damned!
In the end, I was overcome and completely forgot I had to pee.
Other than that!
My work situation has changed quite a bit. We got a new mattress and it is alieviating a lot of my back pain. I am impatiently anxious for the Mythical Man Beast to find a job here on the West Coast so he can move here and we can start our lives together finally.
I've ALSO decided to make some changes in regards to Thistledown. It had been too long since I'd read it so I took the time to do so before I hopped back into Thistletorn. Aaand my grammar nazi brain found errors and inconsistencies that I have to fix or I will go nuts. Well, more nuts than I already am at any rate. So I have decided to completely revisit Thistledown.
I plan to re-do it / edit it, pay for PressBooks to format it for me to save me the headache, and re-self publish it through Smashwords. I thought about attempting to submit it to literary agencies, in hopes of landing an agent, but all paths lead to Do Not Pass Go. I hadn't quite realized that once something is self-published - it's done. So, what to do, eh?
Why, finish one of my other crazy number of books! I have decided to revisit and finish The Welkinbane as I attempt to get Thistledown and Thistletorn all set for self-publishing. I would love to find an agent to represent me, as I have discovered that self-publishing may be a good way to go, if you lack marketing skills you're kind of SOL.
So I've decided to move forward with the Welkinbane. Not only is it a hoot to write, but it is also pretty strong so far in terms of plot, characters, development and scene. I think, if anything, this story will be my best chance. I've got a few more sequels to it that I'm attempting to plot out now in order to get my facts straight.
So look forward to some more updates on the Welkinbane as well as the heads up when the 2nd edition of Thistledown comes out!
Adieu!
It has simply been an AGE since I last posted, and holy canoli what things have transpired!
First off....The Mythical Man Beast proposed! He liked it so he made sure to put a ring on it. :) To sate your curiosity, it was simply done the night before our 1 year anniversary. We were at his house, hanging out, talking about what to get from the local pizzeria for dinner, he was standing, I went to get up because my bladder was screaming at me....he grabbed my hands and guided me down to the sofa....I laughed thinking he wanted to cuddle....when suddenly! He took an arrow in the knee! He said my name and pulled out a box, my eyes felt like they grew to the size of saucers while he opened the box and his voice turned into that of the teacher from Charlie Brown. When my brain finally overcame the shock, all I caught was "....will you marry me?"
I missed his entire speech.
My stupid ass brain decided to detach itself from the rest of the universe for a few minutes and I missed his ENTIRE speech! GAH!
I don't feel too bad though, as he forgot it too.
Needless to say, I squeaked yes, we hugged, I turned into a sobbing marshmallow and we spent the remainder of the night being disturbingly sweet and telling one another our love and hopes and vowing eternal love like the hopeless romantics we are. I'm still going to propose back to him though, gender roles be damned!
In the end, I was overcome and completely forgot I had to pee.
Other than that!
My work situation has changed quite a bit. We got a new mattress and it is alieviating a lot of my back pain. I am impatiently anxious for the Mythical Man Beast to find a job here on the West Coast so he can move here and we can start our lives together finally.
I've ALSO decided to make some changes in regards to Thistledown. It had been too long since I'd read it so I took the time to do so before I hopped back into Thistletorn. Aaand my grammar nazi brain found errors and inconsistencies that I have to fix or I will go nuts. Well, more nuts than I already am at any rate. So I have decided to completely revisit Thistledown.
I plan to re-do it / edit it, pay for PressBooks to format it for me to save me the headache, and re-self publish it through Smashwords. I thought about attempting to submit it to literary agencies, in hopes of landing an agent, but all paths lead to Do Not Pass Go. I hadn't quite realized that once something is self-published - it's done. So, what to do, eh?
Why, finish one of my other crazy number of books! I have decided to revisit and finish The Welkinbane as I attempt to get Thistledown and Thistletorn all set for self-publishing. I would love to find an agent to represent me, as I have discovered that self-publishing may be a good way to go, if you lack marketing skills you're kind of SOL.
So I've decided to move forward with the Welkinbane. Not only is it a hoot to write, but it is also pretty strong so far in terms of plot, characters, development and scene. I think, if anything, this story will be my best chance. I've got a few more sequels to it that I'm attempting to plot out now in order to get my facts straight.
So look forward to some more updates on the Welkinbane as well as the heads up when the 2nd edition of Thistledown comes out!
Adieu!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Recap: January 2014
Hello all!
I had a bit of a mishap this month as my overworked laptop suddenly began convulsing and entered into it's pathetic and horrifying death throes that involved the inability to go back to any restore point...good news is, I was able to get the help of my techno-wizard friend Josh Slay [best last name ever? I think so...] and he managed to save all of my files before wiping the drive and handing me a shiny, dumb sponge of a laptop back. I've spent the last few days after work re-installing all of my programs and copying and arranging all of my files according to my fastidious system - really my computer is SO much neater than all of my stacks of paper copies...really...
So after this unfortunate setback, I really can't waste anymore time in pumping out Thistletorn if I'm going to publish it by my very real and very necessary due date. There is a rhyme and a reason to why this must be done...it revolves around a plot...a very devious plot that I will eventually explain but for now you can rest assured that it involves the Mythical Man Beast.
I'm going to be walking an incredibly fine line in the next few months because I have to balance work, stress, writing, and the wonderful flying back and forth between here and CT to visit the Mythical Man Beast for much needed couple time. We've started visiting one another once a month so I'm going to be out of commission for any writing for roughly 5 days every month....gah....
Well, I know what I'm doing this weekend....going to a comedy show? Well, yeah but that's for a birthday. I swear. Comedy show aside, I'm going to spend the entire weekend writing and trying to get my ass in gear.
In other news! A very good friend of mine and videographer, Alex Gonzalez, is going to be interviewing/filming me for a trailer for Thistletorn! Whoohoo! We probably won't have it done until March but I'll let you know how it goes!
Well, I am off to the land of Nod...as I have a job to get to in the morning. *sigh* I keep telling myself it's paying the bills but some days it just doesn't cut the mustard.
~The Employed with Drudgery
I had a bit of a mishap this month as my overworked laptop suddenly began convulsing and entered into it's pathetic and horrifying death throes that involved the inability to go back to any restore point...good news is, I was able to get the help of my techno-wizard friend Josh Slay [best last name ever? I think so...] and he managed to save all of my files before wiping the drive and handing me a shiny, dumb sponge of a laptop back. I've spent the last few days after work re-installing all of my programs and copying and arranging all of my files according to my fastidious system - really my computer is SO much neater than all of my stacks of paper copies...really...
So after this unfortunate setback, I really can't waste anymore time in pumping out Thistletorn if I'm going to publish it by my very real and very necessary due date. There is a rhyme and a reason to why this must be done...it revolves around a plot...a very devious plot that I will eventually explain but for now you can rest assured that it involves the Mythical Man Beast.
I'm going to be walking an incredibly fine line in the next few months because I have to balance work, stress, writing, and the wonderful flying back and forth between here and CT to visit the Mythical Man Beast for much needed couple time. We've started visiting one another once a month so I'm going to be out of commission for any writing for roughly 5 days every month....gah....
Well, I know what I'm doing this weekend....going to a comedy show? Well, yeah but that's for a birthday. I swear. Comedy show aside, I'm going to spend the entire weekend writing and trying to get my ass in gear.
In other news! A very good friend of mine and videographer, Alex Gonzalez, is going to be interviewing/filming me for a trailer for Thistletorn! Whoohoo! We probably won't have it done until March but I'll let you know how it goes!
Well, I am off to the land of Nod...as I have a job to get to in the morning. *sigh* I keep telling myself it's paying the bills but some days it just doesn't cut the mustard.
~The Employed with Drudgery
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Thistletorn : Up Through Chapter 4 & "Resolutions"
Hello all!
It has been another couple of months since I'd posted anything on my blog and I wanted to let you all know that I still live. A lot of things happened the past few months - including the Mythical Man Beast flying all the way out here to give me cake on my birthday as a birthday surprise - and Thistletorn has sort of fallen by the wayside.
That will no longer be the case!
I have set myself a deadline for completing and editing Thistletorn and a general date around which I will publish it for all to read! Suffice to say that I should be publishing Thistletorn before the 1 year anniversary of Thistledown.
I have nearly completed Chapter 4 of Thistletorn and since the New Years, I have begun working on my author website! I should hopefully have that up and running in about a week's time.
I wasn't entirely a bump on a log over the past few months. Indeed, I even came up with some serious plot points for the entire A Golden Afternoon series that will make you love me and hate me...[evil grin].
Also! The cover art for Thistetorn is currently in the works and I will blog it when it is completed!
On that note, I should tell you that instead of New Years "Resolutions" I have given myself New Years "Goals" as resolutions are only really useful for the resolute and goals give one more leeway and maneuverability. The whole idiom of "quit slackin' and make shit happen" is, in essence, my goal for the year. I have a lot I wish to complete this year - helping the Mythical Man Beast move out here, do some traveling, publish Thistletorn, complete The Welkinbane and send it off to a publishing house I've looked at... the list goes on. And I have done my best so far in the New Year, in order to set myself up for success. So here we are!
I hope that your New Years goals are bright and shiny and completely attainable so long as you don't consider them resolutions! May 2014 be a successful year to you!
~The Absurdly Optimistic
It has been another couple of months since I'd posted anything on my blog and I wanted to let you all know that I still live. A lot of things happened the past few months - including the Mythical Man Beast flying all the way out here to give me cake on my birthday as a birthday surprise - and Thistletorn has sort of fallen by the wayside.
That will no longer be the case!
I have set myself a deadline for completing and editing Thistletorn and a general date around which I will publish it for all to read! Suffice to say that I should be publishing Thistletorn before the 1 year anniversary of Thistledown.
I have nearly completed Chapter 4 of Thistletorn and since the New Years, I have begun working on my author website! I should hopefully have that up and running in about a week's time.
I wasn't entirely a bump on a log over the past few months. Indeed, I even came up with some serious plot points for the entire A Golden Afternoon series that will make you love me and hate me...[evil grin].
Also! The cover art for Thistetorn is currently in the works and I will blog it when it is completed!
On that note, I should tell you that instead of New Years "Resolutions" I have given myself New Years "Goals" as resolutions are only really useful for the resolute and goals give one more leeway and maneuverability. The whole idiom of "quit slackin' and make shit happen" is, in essence, my goal for the year. I have a lot I wish to complete this year - helping the Mythical Man Beast move out here, do some traveling, publish Thistletorn, complete The Welkinbane and send it off to a publishing house I've looked at... the list goes on. And I have done my best so far in the New Year, in order to set myself up for success. So here we are!
I hope that your New Years goals are bright and shiny and completely attainable so long as you don't consider them resolutions! May 2014 be a successful year to you!
~The Absurdly Optimistic
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