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Days Of Our Lives and me

Weekly Days of Our Lives recap. I can do this on Fridays, and I put this disclaimer out here... I'm not the best viewer in the world. I adore Alison Sweeney. She's amazing. But her character Sami on Days should not be the main heroine. I cannot stand Sami Brady. Sami's okay with Lucas, but honestly I always liked him better than her. The story I want to see and fan like a teenage girl is EJ and Nicole. But Nicole's stuck with Rafe in a stupid story and once again EJ must be used to prop Sami. Nicole hasn't told EJ that the baby is his, but then his moving next to Sami would play on the past. At least I get that story. Gina/Jawn or should I say Hope/John is stupid. Stefano and Kate as the delicious evil duo is destroyed for what?!? This long time fan girl wants to see EJ and Nicole Sami and Lucas Carrie and Rafe right now (this is subject to change back to Austin.) I'm sure most DOOL fans disagree with me. It's okay to disagree. Tomorrow I'll post about my days at Barnes and Nobles with friends... I have a writing party to join. I love my friends and I getting together to write. Keeps writing fun and challenging. I missed this for a conference last week which I must say was a fabulous conference. I love Dallas. And I'll stop the ramblings. Perhaps in the future I'll post something serious... suggestions about a serious non political subject that could be fun... let me know.

Once Upon A Time ABC

I never blog because well I don’t know what to blog about. It’s strange. Guess I’ll talk about Once Upon a Time today. I love this show and I never knew Snow White could be so interesting. Can Graham come back to life for Emma? I miss him. And as for Mary Margaret and David… label me a fan. I keep wanting them to be together, and I want Emma to get the upper hand on Regina. I looked for musical fan vids on youtube. Is this show a hit? I hope so. And will David ever remember to have more Prince Charming manners? Not telling his fake wife of his feelings for Mary Margaret/Snow White made me think less of him. Don’t turn him into a whiny modern man without a clue when he’s Prince Charming. JMO of course and I probably said too much.

Just came back from an amazing weekend. And now Once Upon a Time is on... I love this show. Such a good way to decompress. I never knew Snow White had so many interesting twists. Woohoo.

New Year 2012

New Years poses an exciting opportunity. In 2011 I basically wrote 3 full length novels. In 2012 the plan is to have 4, plus I'm entering into a world of short stories as well as pushing for one of my novels to be published traditionally.

That's alot. Plus I have personal goals in life too, that are closer to the heart and home. I seek positive changes and if you send me good wishes I'll appreciate it. Finding love is hard, but 2012 is the year. It's in the air. And it might be closer that I think, so who knows.

Back to writing goals. I spent December editing. I have some editing to do this week and possibly next as well, depending on how fast the layering goes.

Short stories always kept the creative juices flowing on stressful days, and I found a decent editor to help in that for 2011. I'm excited.

But now I'm itching to start a new project. I have four already outlined. I have one brewing in my head.

The key to success is to be productive, every single day. And my pledge is to put a lightening rod to this and push. I heard Enimem's song yesterday "Lose yourself in the music the moment... never let it go." I'm taking his words to heart.

Today

Editting, rewriting, and going to a new meeting group for writers today. I do love vacations as my other life begins. And in other news, it's Christmas, Channukah, and New Years approaching. Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas. Happy Channukah. And basically anyone who might read this, peace and good will.

My wish for the new year is publication. One way or the other it will be. How is the mystery for 2012. But I have faith.

Wow

I've not blogged in ages. The truth is I'm not very good at blogging all the time and tracking my life. But I will give this an update. Hello world!!! How are you?!? If you are reading this let me know!

Let's see, since this summer, I went to New Jersey's Put your heart in a book conference. Totally amazing! I learned so much. I met with four agents and editors. Everyone asked for a partial. I met amazing women. Such a great experience.

I received one immediate rejection where she said I didn't describe enough. Naturally when I saw this... I was like 'no way; she's wrong.' Then after that upset, I see what she's talking about. She's right. I could give more description. And it's not 'rewrite everything' or 'obviously you can't write.' She gave good advice and can be fixed.

I also received my first manuscript back from an editor. She's beyond right that it needs alot of work. I didn't want to hear that but I felt that already. It's why I wrote a different book to not think about the hot mess of my first novel.

After sending off the manuscript, I would have gone mad. So I worked on a half thrown away but wasn't manuscript from years ago. It was the one I worked on in between my other massive novels and always intended to be 50K or so words. Someone mentioned nano wrimo to me. And I dived right in. My 'I wanna write Harlequin novels' manuscript is done today. Woohoo.

So I was so confused. What does one do after accomplishing the goal for a month a few days early? And the truth about nanowrimo is that I had who the characters were and an outline before November. It was rewriting for one POV chapters for the beginning stuff and then fleshing out the novel with alot of words. Next time I do Nanowrimo, I will be ready to go as I was.

So love and light friends. I will figure out how to publish this year. I can't wait to see this journey take off.

Hugs

Rejection Letters

Is it strange that I'm excited that I'm getting rejection letters? The agents have been very polite in their emails, and to me the struggle is strangely fun. It's weird, probably. But I want my book published, and this is part of the process. Struggle to continue to get out there when normally I'd be sad is making my blood pulse. I read Andrew Carnegie to my economics class where he said, "put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket." And now I'm really understanding that quote. The time will come, and it's exciting in the mean time to really remain positive and get out there.

Motivation and New Things

So I sent the letter to one agent as it was asked for. Everyone else I'm going to hold back until I hear back from some contests. I want good critiques and to send out the best possible manuscript.

My second manuscript is almost done. First draft needs about 10K and I have the ending playing out in my head. My only issue is my sequel to my first novel is playing loud in my head, and I wrote the beginning of that. The emotional intensity of my first round of characters just took so much. I decided to write a sweeter romance as a second as a means of calming my own nerves and remembering that for every flawed individual there are good souls too. Now my next single title will also feature very flawed individuals, and this just takes more from me.

And in other news, I decided to join Florida Romance Writers. The first meeting is Saturday. It's a goal to get my second novel onto paper around the meeting time. And I'm hoping there is a critique group. So fingers crossed.

I will report on my RWA Orlando experience very soon. There was just alot to digest and so much good stuff. I am planning on New York next year.

Just as my new goal is for people to read my novels in print and start to see my work as a must read. Nora Roberts shall take on Georgette Heyer's role as classic. I will be replacing Nora at the top... lol... arrogant slightly, yes... but it's my new goal and motivation!

Writing and Personal

Well I sent my first query letter and sample 3 chapters today as it was asked for. I was very excited to have this accomplishment done. And I'm still floating from an overwhelming experience in Orlando last week. WOW. Such good people and good information. I'm looking forward to joining the writers group in Fort Lauderdale next week.

Now personal stuff for a minute. I suffered from foot and mouth disease this week. I said something so out of character and so frustrating that I beat myself up this week for even saying anything of the sort. It's impossible to apologize. A left a bad impression. I was stupid! I'm letting it go finally as I'm now able to talk about it. But wow, it's hard realizing just how wrong something I said came out. Whew... I'm glad I've owned up to it. I just wish that I wouldn't say something stupid in the future, but I always seem to suffer from the dreaded foot in mouth disease. I cannot be alone in this, but it sure feels like being an idiot.

Kindle, Nook, IPad versus Paper books

I was asked alot today if I wanted a book or if I preferred ebooks. I'm not exactly an old fashioned girl, but once in a while the old ways get to me. If I loved a book so much, I wanted my friends and family to read it. Or they forced it upon me.... I'm shouting out to my brother who tried to force me to read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy... I read book One and half of the Twin Towers, but I refused to continue reading description of trees that talked half way through. I literally threw the books back at him.

I will miss exactly this. I cannot share a secret treasure and my friends and family can no longer share their secret find with me. We lose this ability to trade without breaking copyright or pirating. I can no longer lend a friend a book to share the wonder, and they can no longer do so with me. It's different than a movie. A movie is often an experience. A book can be discussed for a long time. Heck I was just discussing a classic on this page.

Either way this is a mourn for my paper bound books, both hard and soft covered. I cherished my books very much, and for friends and family thanks for opening up my reading to new worlds and adventures.

The Spark that set my first book to write

I read somewhere that Margaret Mitchell once said that Scarlett O'Hara represents everything wrong with American women, and that originally she wanted Melanie to be the heroine. Now Scarlett ends up unhappy and without her true love in the end. I kept asking myself, dang are all American women really like Scarlett? Yes many women have ambitions these days, but it's not all to end in heartache.

So this was my spark of an idea for my first novel. I wanted to create a strong man and a strong women who conveyed that yes American women might not always be the Melanie type, but that doesn't make her evil either.

So this thinking was truly the spark of my entire story. Now my story is not historical (though I love reading them!!!) It's modern times and set in small town America. But my girl Phoebe is still a strong woman with a mind of her own which causes her issues, but she's not the type to sit at home wishing on a star. And of course Nicolas is most definitely all male with his own set of macho.

Maybe this should be how I pitch the book? (I still want to revise the ending.)

Getting Ready for the Conference

Editors, Agents and other writers, they are causing me such excitement and such fear. I've never published anything, but I'm more than halfway done with my second manuscript now. I've never sent anything out. I am going to the conference to learn about letters, talk about my work, and go to my goal of publishing books.

Now I'm confident in my abilities. I am sometimes over confident in appearance; it's the lawyer training. But inside, I've never sought to entertain people with my writing for money before. It's scary. I ventured into a whole new world. My online fan fics were for online fans of genres and a way to disconnect. Creating my own universe, characters, has been so much fun.

My first novel I drew alot from the classic Mythology of Zeus and Hera. Of course in a romance novel, no one loves a cheater. But I kept her irrational jealousy as something that my heroine must overcome. But my larger than life characters took quite a toll in creating, and I'm still not completely happy with my ending. It might be because I had to let these two finally go. I wanted a major spark and to create a more mythic story. Neither character can outdo the other, and that makes for what I consider a fun read.

So my second novel, my characters are of a much more sweeter variety. (Sweet is just not something to say about either Zeus or Hera types!) I'm calling this my classic Harlequin story. It's two people with issues, but unlike my last book the characters are much more human and sweeter. They definitely still have issues as I cannot stand books where one of the characters is perfect. I don't know perfect people, and it's annoying when the character seem to wonderful. Even my sister tells me that this novel is much more in line with all she's read, though that's kind of bugging me a little as well. Maybe I should re-write with more issues. But then that takes away from my these characters are much more lovable mindset.

Anyhow that's my musing for the day. I'll post two links to two very different fan fics from years past... I've grown up as an author I hope. (My truly early stuff is completely gone.)
Star Trek Enterprise

Days of Our Lives Rex and Mimi

Darn it

My manuscript that's done needs me to edit the ending. I just feel it. I might work on this when I get energy today.

Then of course my new manuscript is beckoning me. My hero might need a few more flaws. He's rather remarkable right now. But I'm not figuring out flaws that would work. Now Charlotte, my heroine, in many ways seems to be a made up sister of mine at this point. I get her insecurities, weaknesses, etc. Does this have the same flow as my other manuscript? No, it's actually alot lighter. Lighter is good though romantic tension is still flowing. (My other novel my characters were fighting and growing alot more.) This novel has a sweeter feel to it, though it might just be because I haven't reached the planned blazing parts to it. Then of course there is the editing once it's done. I keep wanting to write and write and haven't reviewed with new eyes yet.

Lastly for me today is the conference! It's soon!!! I'm excited today again. I hope to meet other writers and really learn how to publish. Do I send my finished manuscript to editors with query letters? I'm feeling that it's better to get a feel at the conference for successful ways people go, and find my route that way. Or do I wait until September about that contest? And if I wait till September, that means finish my new manuscript.

Writing novels is actually alot more work but alot more rewarding than any fan fiction that I ever tried my hand at. And while I'm sticking with romance/women's literature as its what I read, perhaps one day I'll venture into sci fi.

Rushing around

OK I'm feeling pressure this morning. I want to be near complete with my new novel, but I'm getting that it's not something that I can rush either. And while I am enjoying my new characters, they are still new to me. We're in the getting to know you phase. However I'm still bff's with my first ever novel that I wrote. I'm not in love with how I ended the book, but I put it down for now. I'm going to rework the ending tomorrow.

I wish that I decided to write true novels a really long time ago. My creative outlet for stress in my life was always writing various fan fiction for various shows. It was just fun, but it's how I learned to write. I didn't have to worry about knowing the characters. I knew them. I didn't have to detail the setting as I knew that too. But writing my own work with my own settings and my own characters is actually so much more enjoyable. And on a personal note, I'm much more relaxed and at peace with myself now.

And this conference is in two weeks. I hope to learn alot. My goal is to truly publish my novels and continue growing as a real author. I see my book being sold at Barnes and Nobles, and continuing this as a career path that I enjoy. My very first novel has secondary characters in a setting, so I can revisit and tell those stories. My current novel main male character is one of five brothers, so I can tell all of the stories later. I guess I love family or neighbors, and see love in a larger setting of people.

Today though is my sister's birthday party. I must get to my parents and help my sister all day. My computer stays at home, but as I said at the beginning the pressure of writing is truly pushing me right now. But as always there must be a balance.

If you are reading this, then you are connected to me already. So I wish you unconditional love in your own life!

Contest on Brava closed

I submitted my first full length novel to the Brava contest (http://www.bravaauthors.com/contest/brava-contest/). I did this two weeks ago and I'm feeling nervous today because it finally closed. No one hears anything until September, but it sounds like a fantastic way to really grow as an author. I am determined to write a publishable book this year and start a career that can keep my creative side. And I truly enjoyed writing that manuscript.

Now I'm in the midst of writing my second manuscript. I'm making this one shorter, but in no way less heartfelt. It's hard writing this one. I am writing Charlotte with alot of insecurities. So how she deals with all of this is truly struggling for me. I dealt with my own insecurites a long while back, so in part Charlotte is making me look back onto my own mistakes. Are characters supposed to help the author or does that make it to personal?!? I intend to write a publishable book where everyone understands and likes the characters. This book will go to Harlequin probably. Which line directly is still a mystery. It might fit quite a few. But I'm quite sure Charlotte will ultimately decide her own story.

Writing

So this is my first blog entry. I'm finding my muse and learning to write a novel. It's very exciting. My first novel is finally finished though I need to work on my ending. I'm not happy. But in the meantime I started on a much shorter and much more fun to read novel. I can think and type fast, so I'm hoping to get this one done much faster.