Renee Collins

My Scariest Moment, and the Happy Ending

2011-12-14T11:15:00.008-07:00

If there's one thing I think we writers can all agree on, it's that this business we're in is no picnic. For the few, fleeting high moments, we face low lows, huge emotional costs, endless hours of drudgery, and even terrifying moments where we come face to face with our fears.

A few months ago, I faced one such moment. I didn't draw any attention to it on Twitter or my blog, but some of you might have notice that I erased my agent's name from my profile. To put it briefly, I faced one of those terrifying scenarios that no fresh-faced, dreamy-eyed writer embarking into the Query Trenches ever wants to imagine:

What if I finally land an agent, but then things don't work out?

I won't go into the details here, but suffice it to say that my former agent is a lovely, smart, capable person. Anyone would be lucky to have her. And yet, for she and I, things simply didn't go in the direction I hoped.

The realization that things weren't working crept up on me slowly. At first, I avoided looking at it. Then, as it grew louder in my mind, I tried the equivalent of plugging my ears and humming Jingle Bells. The people-pleaser in me even tried to insist that my former agent was a perfectly nice person and I would be a total jerk to leave her.

But the truth wouldn't go away. And that moment, that realization that truly my best option was to part ways with my agent and go back to Square One, was the scariest moment I've had so far in my writing career.

I felt sick to my stomach for days. The only thing that kept me going was my belief and love for the new book I'd been writing. That, and the absolutely invaluable support of my wonderful, amazing friends and twin sister. Still, it was a dark, terrifying feeling to be alone again. To be back where I'd started.

And then, I asked myself "So what?" Yes, it sucked to be agentless again. But so what? What was I going to do? Give up? After all the work, over all those years? After the tears and sweat and fighting?

Giving up simply wasn't an option.

So I finished my novel. I edited my heart out. I crafted yet another query letter. I researched agents. I took a deep breath and started querying again.

And you already know this story has a happy ending. Indeed, it does.

I am beyond thrilled to announce that I have signed with Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media!

I'm grateful that I didn't ignore that terrifying truth screaming in my head. It would have been easier. It would have been less work. But as I said at the beginning of this post, our business is no picnic. And fighting through the darkness is what we writers do best.

To the Revisions Cave!

2011-09-23T09:59:00.007-06:00

You read that right, and you all know what that means. I'm going to be knee deep in revisions for a few weeks, and therefore, not much blogging. (You may be thinking, "But Renee, you NEVER blog." Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep your smart aleck comments to yourself.)

If you are wondering about the contest, your entries still count! There will STILL be a winner from my blog. The lovely Kristen has agreed to announce my blog's winner over at her place at the end of the contest.

Repeat: I will not be announcing the winner from my blog here. See HERE during the first week of October to see if you've won.

Good luck to all the entrants! I'm rooting for you. (Yes, YOU, not the others. ;) ) I wish I could be there, but like I said, I shall be deep in the Revisions Cave.
On a related note: remember when Batman ROCKED? When he wasn't out to impress people with cheesy, ripped muscles. Or speed. Or . . . being hot. PLEASE. He was Bat-freaking-man. And if you had a problem with that, he'd KABLAMMY your face.

Also, was I the only one to have a childhood crush on The Robin?

Catch you all later!

The BWB Blog Contest!

2011-09-14T08:45:00.005-06:00

It's here!! The day you finally get to see what my clumsily laid hint in the last blog post was all about! Trust me, your sleepless nights of anticipation were all WORTH IT!

The BWB Blog Contest!

We all know how hard it is in this biz. To keep writing when you’re discouraged, dejected, demoralized, and all those other d-words that seem inevitable as you make your way along the dusty trail toward publication.

But when you’re down or, worse, when you feel like giving up, here's your saving grace: your BWB. That’s right, your best writer-buddy. They are there to cry when you cry, to celebrate when you celebrate, and occasionally, to talk you away from the edge of the cliff. Without my BWBs, I honestly don't know if I'd still be pursing this crazy dream of mine.

So, to celebrate BWB’s everywhere, a couple of my comrades—the lovely Kristen Lippert-Martin and Angelina Hansen—and I have put together this awesome blog contest for writers of YA and MG fiction.

How to Enter: In the comment section, tell us briefly (in 100 words or less) about your best writer-buddy and how she/he inspires and encourages you. If applicable, include a link to your blog as well as your BWB’s blog. Again, this is for YA/MG fiction writers only, but you can write in any genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Not-paranormal, Somewhat Paranormal – anything.

To Qualify to Win: Be a blog follower of mine, Angelina’s or Kristen's, simple as that. You probably already are a follower anyway. ‘Cause you’re cool like that.

Winners: Each of us will choose a winner at random from the entries at our blogs. And, yes, that means that you have not one but three chances to win. Because you can go over to Kristen’s blog and follow her (if you don’t already) and then to Angelina’s blog (and follow her as well) and leave comments/entries there.

Prizes: The winners at mine and Kristen’s blog will receive a query critique from our fabulous agent, Molly Jaffa of Folio Literary Management (Did I not say you all would benefit from my bragging?!). The winner at Angelina’s blog will win a query critique from her agent, Kate Grimm with Don Congdon & Associates. And here’s the good part, not only will winners receive a query critique, your writer-buddy will receive a copy of Cheryl Klein’s new book Second Sight AND both the winner and her writer-buddy will get one of these super cheesy, BFF half-a-heart pendants. Awwww!

TOLD you I had good things in store.

Deadline: Entries must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 30 at midnight. Then we will announce the three winners the following week: one on Monday, 10/3; one on Wednesday, 10/5 and the final winner on Friday, 10/7.

Let the fun begin!

Are you a Beta Waita?

2011-08-30T13:47:00.010-06:00

So, I recently finished the rough draft of my WiP. (YAYYYYYYY!) I spent a few days on that delicious, unmatched high that comes with completing a novel. The joy! The relief! The sense of accomplishment! The promise of possibility!

Ah, if only it lasted. Alas, that rush doesn't hold on long. Why, you may ask? Because after a short edit, I sent my baby off to beta readers.

Don't get me wrong, my beta readers are FABULOUS. I love each and every one of them. But still, I find myself struggling as I become the dreaded Beta Waita. (Or Beta Waiter, as in one who is waiting on betas. I know, I know, my cheesy slang is confusing.)

It's kind of terrifying. I mean, they're actually reading my book!! And they're gonna think things about it! And they're gonna read that one scene that isn't so tight! And they might think it's LAME! Or they might say they like it, but SECRETLY think it's lame!

Is your book with beta readers right now? If so, here's a helpful list of things you can do to pass the time!

1. Rock back and forth, alone with your thoughts.

2. Consume calories.

3. Crying always helps.

I'm so helpful, right?? No need to thank me. Giving back is just my nature.

A Jenn Party!

2011-08-06T12:38:00.003-06:00

****UPDATE*****

Jenn's book just sold in ITALY as well!!! Molto bene! If I were in Utah, I would take her to Olive Garden to celebrate. Hmmm . . . maybe I will just go to Olive Garden here, and think of Jenn. Yes, that's a good plan. :)

***************

Guys, by now you should know that I am a Slacker Blogger in the extreme. But today, I am going to out do myself in slackerly ways.

So, I have this fantabulous friend named Jenn (or J.R Johannson as she's known online,) and she wrote this AMAZING and SCARY book called INSOMNIA. I got to read it before it was unleashed onto the hungry publishing world, and man, did I SO call it that she was going to sell.

Well, sure enough: SHE DID!!! AT AUCTION!!

Here's the problem. This happened a couple weeks ago, and I've been totally planning to write a YAY JENN post on my blog. But as I pointed out at the start of this post, I am clearly a slacker.

So, here's my post, but I'm not just going to be a slacker by putting it up late. Oh no. I can go much worse. I'm going to surpass own slackerishness by actually just sending you to my friend Candice's blog. She wrote a hilarious YAY JENN post, and I thought, "You know, that's much better than I can do, so why try?"

Therefore, GO HERE! And celebrate Jenn's triumph (and Candice's sense of humor.)

YAY for slacking! And YAY FOR JENN!!!

Recharged

2011-07-26T20:39:00.005-06:00

As you may have noticed (and may or may not have cared,) I've been absent for a while from ye old blog. I can't account for most of those days, but this last weekend, I've been AWOL. With these gals. We were all hanging out at a writer's retreat in the desert. These ladies pretty much rock. The desert rocks as well. (Who knew, right?)

Here we are.From left to right: Michelle, me, Candice, Jenn, Kasie, Sara, and Natalie.

Though this picture is more accurate, I think.

Anyway, now I'm all recharged and brimming with writerly thoughts. Thanks to them, I have ideas for more blog posts, which will come soon. Until then, the only possible useful purpose I can give for this post (other than trying to prevent this from turning into a once-a-month type of blog,) is to say that having writer friends has been the NUMBER ONE smartest thing I've done for my writing career. No question. If you don't have friends who are writers in your genre, get some! Be brave. Be friendly. Be outgoing online. You'll be glad that you did.

A Natalie Party!

2011-07-07T08:47:00.003-06:00

As you may be able to tell by now, I love throwing virtual parties on my blog. They're the best. There's no clean up, the refreshments are free, and you don't have to worry about awkward conversations with that weird guy who corners you by the punch bowl!

Well today, I'm throwing a very special party here on Midnight Meditations. A party for my fabulous friend Natalie Whipple! Because today, she is announcing her new TWO BOOK DEAL with HARPERTEEN!!!

*passes out Dr Peppers* *throws confetti* *blasts dance jams over the speakers*

Here is the picture I told her she HAD to take. I mean, come on! Everybody loves the "Signing my book contract" pic!

I imagine Natalie needs no introduction. She has an amazingly popular blog. In fact, you most likely already know her. You probably came over to my measly blog because you follow her blog. :) At any rate, Natalie is amazing. She's one of my earliest friends and critique partners. We've seen each other through high high's and low low's. She's talked me off the edge of the "I'm gonna give up on this stupid book" cliff many times. And I love her for that. Also, she's smart, a fabulous dresser, and a fantastic writer. NATALIE RULZ.

So party hard here and my blog, and then head over to crash the party at her blog! But today, there will be partying. Oh yes, there will be partying.

No More Fear

2011-07-05T10:19:00.009-06:00

When I first started writing seriously, I allowed myself big dreams. Dreams that glowed inside me as I drifted off to sleep at night. Dreams that tingled over my skin as I brushed the spines of books in the YA section. They made my heart beat fast when I read of other people's success online. These were the thoughts that made me get into this whole business in the start. The reason I write, if you will.

Unfortunately, with time (and rejections,) those dreams started to no longer feel safe. Little by little, almost without realizing what I was doing, I built up a wall around them, closing them off inside me. I'd tell myself it was good. It meant I'd grown. I was smarter now. More realistic. In stronger moments, I'd sneer at my earlier self for being so "clueless." In weaker moments, I'd mourn the loss of those dreams.

I've thought a lot about it in the past few weeks, and I've realized a very important thing. I haven't outgrown those dreams, or become to wise to have them. I've just been afraid of them. Plain and simple. I've been afraid to even look at or acknowledge them anymore.

So today, I'm going to force myself to break through that wall. I'm not only going to accept that my dreams are still there, I'm going to share them with you. Believe me, I'm terrified. I've edited and deleted and rewritten this entire post. I've waffled over whether or not to even do it, because I'm honestly really scared to share these things. I'm afraid of looking stupid or vain or naive. I'm afraid of people reading this post a year from now and thinking, "haha, I guess her dreams didn't come true."

But I need a breakthrough, guys. I need to do this. I'm not going to run away from my dreams anymore. They are still inside me, and they deserve to be acknowledged. So here goes.

1. I dream of holding my own book in my hands. Printed books are special to me, always have been. To me, they are beautiful, powerful things, both figuratively and literally. I dream of the day when I can feel my story beneath my fingertips, smell the new pages, and gaze at the cover.

2. I want to write an epic love story, one that makes people FEEL something when they read it. Longing or sadness or joy. I want to create characters that seem alive. I want to give those characters scenes that are beautiful.

And last, the hardest one to actually write out. (Trust me, I've deleted it about ten times.)

3. I dream of readers. I dream of a fan base. People that love my books and think about my books, and can't wait for the next one. To know that someone out there who doesn't know me personally is moved by my stories would be the most amazing feeling in the world.

What are your dreams? What is the reason you keep going? If you are like me, if you feel afraid of those dreams that once burned inside you, please, PLEASE share them now. I'd love to hear them.

Blogs. (Blogs!) What are they good for?

2011-06-19T21:01:00.005-06:00

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that writer trying to get published must be in want of a blog." -Jane Austen (Seriously. It's from one of her lesser-known works . . .)

Ah, blogs. We all have them. We all struggle from time to time with how to fill them. We love them. We hate them. We feel like we have to keep them up, (it's called a platform, people!) but some days we kind of want to set a match to the thing. Indeed, blog angst is one of the time-honored rites of passage for a writer.

Eventually, however, one of two things happens: the blog either dies a slow death, or the writer finds her groove.

I've noticed a few common types in blogs, (though most have aspects of all.) Which one are you?

1. The Advice Blog-These are usually pretty popular, because who doesn't want/need advice?

2. The Entertainer-Sometimes witty, sometimes silly. Occasionally, adorned with cute animal photos.

3. The Forum-This blog brings up interesting or hot topics of the writing world in the hopes of stirring up some stimulating debate in the comment's section.

4. The Random Pontificator/Online Journal-Random would be the operative word here.

And even the dreaded:
5. Blag (or Brog)-Where the author makes sure to keep us up to date on his or her latest, gleaming triumph. And . . . that's pretty much the only reason they ever post.

As for me, I've noticed my blog has fallen snugly into the category of Random Online Journal. I hardly ever try to think of post topics, I just blog when I have thoughts or news or the rare rant. Whatever's on my mind. I rarely feel that intense pressure to post anymore. (The fact that my last post was almost three weeks ago is strong evidence of this.) The truth is, I've come to realize that if I'm scraping to think of a post, it probably won't be that good. And if that means I only post once a week, I'm thinking that's just fine.

What about you? What's your bloggy groove?

Tapping into Fears

2011-06-06T22:01:00.004-06:00

I grew up in Hawaii. It really is paradise, guys. White, sandy beaches, swaying palms, et cetera. BUT it also has more than its share of "creepy crawlies." Roaches, spiders, geckos, and my nemisis: the centipede. Here are some pictures:
**HEEBIE-JEEBIE ALTERT***

YES, they really are that big! And YES, they bite! And YES, they are PERVASIVE. Imagine those suckers crawling around in your house. Actually, don't imagine it, because it's just too disgusting/creepy.

Personal story time: I was ten years old. Sleeping peacefully in my bed. I felt a weird pain on my foot, and began to dream that someone was pounding a nail into my toes. But that didn't wake me up. What woke me was the prickly, tickly feeling of sharp, little legs creeping up my arm.

I shot up in bed, swiping the feeling away. Weird, I thought. That felt like a bug crawling on me. Then I thought: Huh, why does my foot hurt so bad?

As the waves of sleep receded, I put two and two together.

As you can imagine, this event rather traumatized me. I still am. Even though it's been over a decade since I left Hawaii, I still shake my blankets out every night before going to sleep. Just to make sure a centipede isn't curled up somewhere in there.

So, how am I going to relate this to writing? Well, guess what kind of creatures show up in Searcher? Yep, centipedes. (BIG centipedes.) I'm not saying those are my best scenes in the book or anything, but they certainly were fun to write. It's one of the joys of what we do. We take these poor characters and force them to face our fears for us. They may defeat them (Jetta cuts a centipede's head off) or fall to them, it doesn't matter. You can always tell when those obstacles come right from the author's past.

How about you? Which of your fears have showed up in your stories?

The Outline-Pantser Hybrid Method

2011-05-30T11:37:00.007-06:00

Outliner or Pantser? It's one of the most commonly asked questions/timeless debates in the writing community. Each side has its strengths. Each side has weaknesses. I've tried both. Here's what happened to me (and me alone. Not trying to make any sweeping statements here, guys.)

When I was pure panster, I usually ran into a moment like this:To be 150 pages in, only to crash land into the side of an enormous plot mountain kind of stinks. A lot. Oh sure, you crawl your way out, but it soaks up a lot of time, and drains vital confidence.

HOWEVER, the two times I faithfully outlined my entire book before writing, it ended up like this:I'd be all excited while developing the outline, but when time came to actually write . . .it was gone. I'd squandered that heat on the planning phase.

This has led (over the years) to the development of:

The Outline-Pantser Hybrid Method

Step 1: When Shiny New Idea strikes, take time to ponder before writing.
Even for Pantsers, I think it's a good idea to do this. Daydream about your world, your characters, and possible plot twists. I'm not recommending any single period of time, because some ideas come in more fleshed out than others. Just make sure you have a good grasp on the kind of story you see this becoming. And make sure you have one thing, vital to the OPH Method. . .

Step 2: Wait for that opening scene.
We all know how important the beginning is. Over my years of writing, that has only become more clear. So in this method, you need to have that awesome opener in mind. That scene is going to kick start your enthusiasm.

Step 3: Put your Panster Pants on.
The OPH Method blends the best of each, right? And one of the benefits of being a Pantser is that you really are free to create and fall in love with your story. Work is important, but if there's too much work at the get go, you may well lose steam.

So once you've fleshed out your story a bit in your head, and you have that great opening scene in mind, just go for it. WRITE. Let your imagination free. Go crazy with those first chapters. Fall in love. Be a pantser for all of Act 1. But then. . .

Step 4: SCREECHING halt.
Time to get down to dirty work. Things need to start really getting going now, and we all know how important each chapter is. So, it's time to outline the rest of the book.

This isn't an infallible document that must be obeyed slavishly. And it doesn't have to be incredibly detailed. But now is the time to really make sure you're on the right track. And to make sure it STAYS on the right track.

I know, I know, it's hard. But so worth it. And I actually find it a big relief to have a solid outline. I know that every scene I write from here on out will serve a definite purpose. (Often two or three purposes.) And the best part is, you've already fallen for this story during Step 3, so the chances of you fizzling out now are slim.

Step 5: Finish the book!!
With your outline in hand, dive back into that baby! Chances are, you'll be chomping at the bit. So run free, you majestic stallion. And be energized by the notion that all of this work is going pay off in a VERY sturdy rough draft.

So there it is. My humble method for drafting. It's led to my strongest rough draft to date, and my WiP is going so well, it's almost scary. Maybe it can work for you, maybe it can't. Like I said, different things work for different people. But it's always fun to figure out a way that works great.

How about you? Has your method changed? Have you found your perfect process?

Twin Talk Tuesday

2011-05-24T12:37:00.005-06:00

There's a great nutrition book out there called Eat This, Not That, where the author suggests healthier alternatives to classic items at fast food chains. For example: you have to have a burger? Get this one. Not the Double Whopper.

Well, what if there was a book like this for YA romances? We had to try it out. So today, we discuss some of the classic (and dramatically overdone) types of romance in YA books today, and suggest a more nutritious (and less cliche) variety.

Renee: Let's start by talking about Eternal-SoulMates-Love-at-First-Sight love. I'm sure we can all come up with a few examples of this?

Diana: Hmm . . . not really.

Renee and Diana: *laugh uproariously*

Renee: I mean, look, we all know why people do it. Cuz itz romantical.

Diana: Exactly. Plus, unless this is a straight romance, you have a separate plot to move along, and therefore a limited amount of time to establish a great love.

Renee: It's a fast and easy way to try and have the reader root for the main couple.

Diana: The problem is that this rarely happens in real life.

Renee: Except with me and my hubby

Diana: Oh, of course. :) So, you want the Soul Mate feel. What's a healthier, less cliche alternative?

Renee: What if the two characters are already friends? They know each other, understand each other. This gives the basis of "perfect match"ness.

Diana: Yes, and then there is that delicious moment when they realize they have something more.

Renee: Exactly! A moment that could even happen early on in the book, like InstaLove, but it's far more believable.

Diana: I think equally overused and tricky one to get right is the "I-hate-your-guts-until we-share-a-passionate-kiss-then-we-are-lovers" love

Renee: Yeah, equally tricky, and equally abnormal in the real world. I mean . . . nobody is really like that!

Diana: Except me and my hubby...;)

Renee: lol

Diana: This kind of romance often feels like another quick trick to manufacture tension.

Renee: What's our fresher take on the I hate you/ I love you romance?

Diana: Well, I think you could keep that tension of the people disliking each other, but then have something happen that shows a better side of the person. A moment that doesn't have anything to do with hotness or dreamy abs.

Renee: Yes. An "aha" moment that isn't "aha I'm attracted to you," but "aha, you're not as bad as I thought." And this leads to attraction. (And dreamy abs.)

Diana: Like Beatrice and Benedict!!!

Renee: Yes!

Diana: Preferably with Kenneth Brannaugh as Benedict :)

Renee: Mmmmmmmm-hm.

Diana: Okay, now the final overdone tension-maker: the Love Triangle.

Renee : dun dun DUN

Diana: Well, the love triangle actually has many different varieties, but all we see is the "MC chooses between Two Hotties" variety.

Renee: So true! Keep the triangle, but mix it up. How about "MC loves Hot Math Tutor, but he loves the redheaded Next Door Neighbor, and meanwhile Hot Lacrosse Player loves MC, but she's unsure how she feels about him?" It's a love triangle, and therefore it has the same kind of tension.

Diana: Even more, I think!

Renee: I do two. The options are endless.

So there it is. If you really love the basic idea of Soul Mates, Love Triangles, and the Love you/Hate you romance, don't despair! You can still have it! Just write this, not that. ;)

And now, we're going to throw one at you guys.

The milquetoast Bad Boy.

Who we are told over and over again is Teeeee-rouble, but around the MC he acts more like a smitten golden retriever/ Sir Walter Raleigh-putting-his-cloak-over-the-puddle-for-the-Queen-to-walk-over type of guy.

How do we make him fresher? Any ideas??

It's MAGIC!

2011-05-16T14:07:00.002-06:00

So as you may know, I spent all of last week running around Disneyland like a little kid. Was it amazing? YES. Was it outrageously fun? YES. Was it magical? YES!!!!

Seriously guys, I'm pretty sure I invoked the magic of Disneyland. Why? You may ask. Because while I was there, one of my most awesome friends, Kasie West SOLD HER BOOK TO HARPERTEEN!!! A TWO BOOK DEAL!!!

CLEARLY, I did this. I awoke the magic of Disneyland, and sent it on the tailwinds to New York City! Oh, and it also might be because Kasie is a brilliant writer, with MAD SKILLS at dialogue, who wrote an amazing and clever book. Yeah . . . that helped too. ;)

Go over and party at Kasie's blog!! Dr Peppers on me!

The Mysterious Disappearing Post

2011-05-13T13:33:00.007-06:00

So...does anyone know where my last post went? I signed in to respond to the great comments on my last post and, much to my surprise, the post is no where to be found!

This is very weird... I can only think of a few logical explanations:

The post was so bad that a group of readers rallied together and had Blogger remove it.

My alter ego Vanessa took over my body in the night and deleted in order to drive me crazy.

I am in my very own episode of The Twilight Zone and any minute now one of my daughter's baby dolls will peer around the corner holding a large knife.

OK, now I'm freaked out. Tell me I am not the only one to have posts inexplicably go missing...

Heroes vs. Villians

2011-05-11T15:19:00.000-06:00

I am supposed to be taking care of the blog while Ren is gone. Sorry... I am doing a pretty poor job. I'm like the baby-sitter that watches TV the whole time.... Anyway, today I have been thinking a lot of about villains and heroes. They are both fun to write, but have unique challenges.
For example, how do you write a villain that is not two-dimensional? Do you give you villain a "human side"? Or, harder still, how do you write a hero that has flaws and is likeable?

In my first attempt at writing- the epic Rosaline...*cough cough*- I gave her so many flaws that in the end, when she was shot (yes that's right, I shot her in the end of the book), I was glad to see her go.

Its a careful balance. How do you keep it in check? Who are some of your top villains or heroes?

A Historic Moment

2011-05-01T22:19:00.003-06:00

It's late here, but I couldn't resist writing a quick post expressing my feelings on this historic night.

I'm sure you've all heard by now that Osama Bin Laden has been confirmed dead. I've spent the last two hours on Twitter, just celebrating with my fellow writers. Not necessarily celebrating the death of a individual, but celebrating the symbolic victory for America and the entire world.

Do you remember the swell of patriotism and unity after 9-11? It's my deepest wish that everyone take this moment to recapture those feelings. I almost never talk politics on this blog, but I can't deny that the bickering and ugliness on BOTH sides has been making me crazy lately.

I hope, I wish, I pray that we will take this moment to come together.

To forget petty politics and policy quibbles, and celebrate the things that matter.

The country we love.

The freedom we enjoy.

The men and women that give their lives to make sure we have that freedom.

My heart is full tonight. God bless America.

Eerily Familiar

2011-04-28T16:51:00.001-06:00

I'm pretty sure we've all been here.

Twin Talk Tuesday

2011-04-26T14:15:00.004-06:00

Welcome, welcome to another triple T. Coming to you this week in solid black and white, for the viewing pleasure of our audience on Google Reader. (Ooo, ahhh)

Today, we're going to give you a piece of an actual conversation that took place between Diana and I. (Which we then shamelessly replicated for blogging purposes. We're busy girls. We use whatever material we can.)

After talking politics for about an hour (and MAN, don't you wish I'd post that?,) the topic turned to writing.

Renee: So, how are things coming with your novel?

Diana: Slowly. I am in the phase now where I daydream about the scenes I want to write, but am stuck because I need to set up the story.

Renee: Yeah, that's how I was when I was writing my first story. You remember . . .the one about twin princesses. (*deep shame*)

Diana: No shame, Ren! It was a good idea!

Renee: No . . . no, it wasn't.

Seriously though, I spent a solid year, probably closer to 15 months, writing out a detailed outline, and describing scenes I wanted to write. Trouble was, I wasn't excited about the beginning. So after starting it about five different times, and losing interest each time, I just gave up.

Diana: The beginning is so hard. How do you set up the story and tell the reader what they need to know without it being SO boring??

Renee: Honestly, that's my biggest struggle. With every book I've written, I've had to go back and rewrite the beginning. I think I had at least five different opening chapters with Searcher.

Sometimes I think that if you are going to have to rewrite the opening anyway, you might as well just skip to the good stuff, the stuff you are excited to write.

Diana: Like the passionate love scene where Roberto is wearing only bearskin loin cloth?

Renee: Oh, so you're working on your memoir now? ;)

Diana: Ha. Perhaps one day. When I feel the public is ready.

Renee: Wise.

Diana: Seriously though, it's hard, because I want to write, but I keep getting bogged down.

Renee: Every story has that moment where things really kick in. The hook, I guess. It's that point where the reader goes, "Ooo!" I don't think it necessarily has to be the opening chapter, but it needs to happen soon, for both the reader and the writer.

Diana: Exactly. I love my idea, but have not been able to gather the swirling images in my mind and make they come together into a story.

Renee: I'd say just write the scene that you are burning to write. You can add/perfect the exposition later.

Diana: You're right. I bet that as I write the scene things will come together.

Renee: I think they will. Or maybe you'll find you don't need those expository scenes at all. I remember reading somewhere that most new authors start their book in the wrong place. And if you think about it, the beginning is what will hook that agent. That publisher. Those impatient teen readers.

It's sooo important.

No pressure, though ;)

Diana: Piece of cake.

Seriously though, good advice, as always.
Ok, my checklist for today:
1. Write that scene I have acted out while doing the dishes
2. Throw out my current beginning
3. Eat an obscene amount of M&Ms :)

Renee: Perfect!! I'll expect an email later today. (*stern glance*)

So what do you think, illustrious reader? How do you get yourself kick-started into a book?

Believe

2011-04-18T12:45:00.005-06:00

I remember being new to writing.

I remember the excitement of delving into that first book. The new and interesting struggles of trying to learn my craft. The untainted, maybe even ridiculous optimism and joy that came with dreams of publication.

I miss those days. To anyone still in that time, cherish it. Cherish being at the start of the path, looking up at all you still have to do. Trust me when I say that being on the path isn't always as amazing as it seems.

This post makes me sound a little jaded, and I guess I am. Don't get me wrong. I'm happy to be where I am. And I'm grateful. But I do miss the days when the publishing world existed mostly in my very beautiful dreams.

Once you see it for real, you can't go back.

One of my best friends in the world is hurting right now. And part of me wishes we could both return to those giddy early days. But the other part knows that we haven't come this far for nothing.

I still believe.

So maybe I'm not as far from that new, bright-eyed writer as I thought I was. Maybe it's because hope is something we should never let go of, no matter how much we see. No matter what happens to us.

And in those times when hope seems too hard, we have our friends there to hold us up. So to that friend, to all of my friends who are struggling on this path, I say:

I still believe.

Patience

2011-04-14T17:26:00.004-06:00

*shabby metaphor alert!* (consider yourself warned . . .)

Some days, I feel a lot like this baby.

I can see that thing I crave. We all do. Stories of agent signings and book deals and landing on the NYT Bestseller list. We all know what we want, and it's tantalizingly close.

Believe me, if I could, I'd slide all the way down the proverbial publishing staircase. I think we all would.

Alas, in our world, it isn't that simple. There's no short cut, though it certainly seems like some people have found one. Trust me, they haven't. Everyone has a different staircase, of different lengths, with different kinds of steps. And the only way down in one step at a time. And the only way to not go absolutely insane on your descent is (wait for it . . .)

Patience.

Do I have a magical trick to getting more? Nope.

Tips? Advice? Tricks I've learned over the years? Nada (well . . . other than avoiding Twitter . . .)

Really, the only thing to do is put one foot in front of the other and keep your eyes on the prize.

Yoga-chant with me now: Paaaaaaatience. Paaaaaatience.

Photoshop Friday

2011-04-08T16:33:00.006-06:00

Hey all! Diana here taking a stab at my first Photoshop Friday! *gulp*

As you may (or may not) have noticed, it has been a while since we posted. Well, I am happy to report that there is a very good reason for this. In fact I have snapped a couple shots of what we have been up to lately.

What We Do When Not Blogging

It a well known fact that when I am not blogging or writing, I am cleaning my kitchen and making delicious goodies for my children and husband. Here is a totally candid shot of me in my kitchen:

What? Don't you guys dress like that when you cook?

After my daily cleaning of my home, I usually meet up with Renee and some of our old friends to discuss potential movie deals:

Steve is a big softie. He always wants a pic for his Facebook page.

The main reason why Renee is so busy is all those fan meetings. This is a recent shot of her with a group of lucky fans who got their hands on her latest manuscript:

So many fans, so little time...

Well, there you have it folks. As much as we love blogging, sometimes our mundane lives get it the way.

What do you do when you are not blogging or writing?

"Be Nice"

2011-03-29T09:45:00.004-06:00

"Be nice!" It's a phrase being passed around a lot these days. With the whole YA Mafia thing. When ever people list Do's and Don't for social media. We are frequently told of the importance of courtesy and kindness. But what about compassion?

I'm sure many of you have at least heard about the "Author attacks reviewer" debacle going on. If not, here's a link: http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html

Look, when I read the blog post, I was totally shocked at Ms. Howett's behavior. She was unprofessional, rude, childish, and frankly out of control. But there has been a reaction on Amazon that has me deeply troubled.

Starting yesterday, Ms. Howett's book has received 42 one star reviews. (And the number is climbing.) Many of them admit they heard about the book only because of all the buzz. Some reviews only comment on the author's behavior. But almost all of them freely call the book "trash," "crap," and various other hyperbolic insults.

Many claim they read the sample (which is free to download on a Kindle,) "to be fair." But I don't think that was quite the intent. I think they read or claimed to read the sample as a way of justifying their review. When the fact is the vast majority of them came to Amazon straight from the blog with the express intent to give Ms. Howett what's coming to her.

Here is one review, titled "Because you will learn" :

"Without consequences, mankind is doomed to repeat its mistakes for all of eternity.

Look at that, right off the top of my head. No forethought or planning!

But I digress, let's get back onto the meat. I lol'd at the reviews, but the support reviews really got to me. Many people claiming she should be spared the public flogging, simply because "she's human" and "everyone makes mistakes". That sounds like commie talk to me. Howett has to be publically punished and ridiculed for her actions.

It's the only way she'll learn. Bet she won't make that mistake again. "

Really? I mean, really?

Here's the thing, don't you think Ms. Howett probably feels about like a pile of crap right now? Her own actions (or rather, reactions) have done a perfectly adequate job of condemning her. Does she really need dozens of people to kick her while she's down? She has almost 50 one star reviews. Isn't that enough of a slap on the wrist? Do potential future customers really need more proof that the book is bad?

I'll be honest,there's an unsettling glee in those one star reviews. It smacks of bullying.

So back to my original question, what happened to "being nice?"

Ms. Howett had a hissy fit online. She reacted poorly. But guess what? She's a human being. And probably a perfectly normal, decent person. I say, lesson learned. Time to put away the pitchforks. Time to "be nice."

(You have now experienced a rare Renee Rant. Hope you enjoyed. ;) Please feel free to discuss in the comments section.)

Photoshop Friday

2011-03-25T17:19:00.004-06:00

As summer and summer blockbusters approach, so begins the season of intense movie merchandising. You can't get away from it. I once saw a Pirates of the Caribbean sack of potatoes in the produce section.

So we were wondering, wouldn't it be totally sweet if they merchandised books like they do the movies? Can someone get on that please? We present a few suggestions in our post:

Novel(T) Items

Our first product is here to improve the mornings of women everywhere. Just imagine. Instead of waking up the harsh screech of your alarm clock, the smooth, creamy voice of Rhett Butler coaxes you from your dreams.

Personalize real phrases from the novel with your own name instead of Scarlett O'Hara's!

Ever get the munchies? Ever find yourself making the slow march of shame to the refrigerator for a snack, and therefore smashing your final hope to restart that diet you've been neglecting? Sure, ladies. We all have. But now, with our Big Brother refrigerator, you'll have a searing pair of eyes needling into you at all times. Don't even think about grabbing that leftover slice of cake! Because Big Brother is ALWAYS WATCHING.

You're guaranteed to lose five pounds within the first two weeks!

We all want the best for our children. We want them to be loving, smart, and cultured individuals. Well now, you can get a head start on that! With our new Moby Dick Mobile, your little tyke can gaze up at icons from one of our cherished works of literature. Imagine his or her delight as they watch the murderous white whale and insane, revenge-driven Ahab dangle over them at night. It's sure to be flying off the shelves, so act now!

Comes in Sea Green™ and Blood-of-the-Drown Blue™!

What about you? Are there any products you're dying to own?

Waiting for a tow....

2011-03-23T13:36:00.005-06:00

I am a bad driver. Don't believe me? Ask my husband, he seems to have a lot to say on the matter...

Yesterday was one of those days that confirmed it. As I was backing down a very steep drive way, I drove the back tire over a curb and off the edge. We were all safe, but the car was stuck. Like this- Ok, not that bad, but it was still scary.

I tried to put it in first and drive it back over the curb and up the hill, but when I did, the wheels only made a hideous screeching sound and the tires smoked. I did this a few times and my friend even tried pushing the car, but it was no use. I was stuck.

As I stood there in the rain waiting for the tow truck to arrive, feeling humiliated and angry, I had an "ah-ha" moment: I am the car..well, my writing is. Let me explain.

In my writing, I have backed myself over a curb and am hanging off a cliff, helplessly stuck. No matter how I try to move those wheels and make progress on my book, all I get is some hideous screeching and smoke.

Now, in my defense, this has been a busy time. We are managing the apartments we live in and my husband is planning to start law school in the fall , so we are in the middle of deciding where we want to live for the next three years, and I very little time to write, but that feels like a pretty poor excuse. And is it even the lack of time that is hindering me? Or is it just time to move on to a new idea?

I guess, for now, I am just waiting for that tow truck to come and pull me over the edge. That magical beautiful "muse tow truck"

Trust me, you'll know

2011-03-19T14:01:00.004-06:00

Housekeeping note: To prevent confusion, Diana and I will now post our individual posts in the colors from our Twin Talk Tuesdays. Renee=Red, Diana=Blue.

Anyway, as you may know, I've been searching for the right book idea for a long while. Since early last summer, to be exact. That's almost eight months! (Geez, where does the time go?) In that span of time, I've been working quite a bit on edits with my lovely, brilliant agent, so that has distracted me. But still. Eight months, I've been struggling with this.

It's not that I haven't had ideas. Oh sheesh. Ask Diana or my husband, I've had PLENTY. Some I cast away instantly. Some I scribbled a page or two of notes on, and then lost steam. And many of them are still in my notebook, simmering. But it seemed as if I just couldn't pick one and have it feel right.

Finally, I narrowed it down to two very different ideas. And for the past month, those two ideas have been bouncing around in my head. I found myself waffling back and forth, back and forth between them. I even picked one, and started to outline, but once again lost steam somehow. To tell the truth, part of me was starting to wonder if I'd run aground with my writing.

Then, three days ago, the floodgates opened.

For whatever reason, I started to think about one of my two ideas, and I couldn't stop. I started to dream about the main characters, write notes about them. Then, those character notes turned into overarching story notes. And those story notes turned into plot notes. And all of the sudden, I was writing an outline.

Three days later, I've finished a detailed, seven page outline, and HOLY CRAP I CAN'T WAIT TO START WRITING.*

All of this has reminded me of one very important truth with writing: when the idea is ready, you'll know. As I looked back on every story I've written, I've always had that BAM moment, when I could see the path ahead of me, and the writing engine suddenly roared.

It hasn't always taken me eight months (thank goodness!) For one of my novels, it took two days from idea to BAM. But the point is, I've never been able to stick with a story without first having that moment.

How about you? Do you have to have a BAM moment before writing? Or are you one of those people that joyously writes anything you want, the moment you sit down to write it? (If so, please accept this punch in the nose.)

*Note to my agent, should she be reading, I have not forgotten Searcher edits! I will be dutiful and work on them before I start writing this new book. Pinkie swear.

Photoshop Friday

2011-03-14T10:36:00.004-06:00

(On Monday! Wonders never cease here at Midnight Meditations.)

Today's post explores that elusive thing called creativity. Ah, creativity. The life blood of writing. The magic that brings out stories to life. The power that makes our words flow. The Muse!

Please.

I'm about to blow the lid off these rosy, romantic visions.

Your Muse is Actually a Big, Fat, Cat

You know it's true.

1. Your Muse must constantly be fed.Reading good books, watching movies, listening to music, or gaming, you name it, the big, fat Muse demands it. If you go too long without feeding your creativity, hello writer's block.

2. Your Muse needs lots of rest. (Read: is lazy)Writing is hard work. For the writer. Your Muse doesn't work hard. Sorry, that's your job.

3. Your Muse is fickle.There you are, sitting down to your computer, ready to make something beautiful happen. You reach out for your Muse. You call for her, the one you have fed and nurtured and cared for. Well, good luck. The Muse is not one to be summoned from her various perches and warm, sunny windows.

In the end, it's really up to you to get that story on the page. It's a little known secret that you and you alone will make it magical, beautiful, wonderful. Trust me, you don't need the Muse. Only don't tell her I said that . . .

Motives

2011-03-09T15:33:00.008-07:00

I studied Art History in college. It's an interesting major because, essentially, my entire education was learning how to break down this-

-into context, motive, design, color, theme, etc. While I absolutely loved every second of my education, I have found this to be an obstacle in my writing. I find myself dissecting -and when I say dissecting I mean picking to death- my word choices, my characters, even my idea:

Why am I writing this? What is her voice? Will this book make a positive difference in the world? Should I put a wood nymph here?? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE??? *sobs*

Then I have to snap myself out of my existential rut and remind myself I am supposed to be having fun.

Am I the only one who over thinks things? What are your motives for writing?

DIVERGENT Giveaway!

2011-03-06T20:03:00.005-07:00

So my friend Jill Hathaway, whose VERY cool sounding debut novel Slide is coming out next winter, is hosting a contest at her blog. The prize? An ARC of Divergent, by Veronica Roth.

Do you want to know how many times I have entered various blog/twitter contests to try and win this book, guys? TOO MANY.

And here I am now, blogging to give myself three more points. But by doing so I am introducing more people to the contest, which means more COMPETITION. Grrr.

So here's the deal. Go enter the contest! But if you win, you have to send it to me when you are done. Fair enough? Great! Hugs n' kisses.

-Ren

Twin Talk Tuesday

2011-03-01T12:06:00.004-07:00

We've all been there. You're going along, thinking you have the bestest WiP EVER. Then, you see it. Your idea. Sitting on the shelves in Barnes and Noble. Written by someone else. Or maybe it's a movie coming out this year. Or a T.V. show you just saw. The point is, we've all been there. We've all felt the despair that our brilliant, one-of-a-kind idea has been snatched up and sold by someone else.

Never fear, my friends. We could spend a whole post telling you that ideas, while important, are only as good as their execution. That even similar sounding stories will be completely different in the end. But you guys know this already. And besides, it's much funner to SHOW you.

Renee: Today we are going to illustrate how execution is everything. We're going to take the exact same idea and each write our own synopses for it.

Diana-Now realize that we are identical twins. We grew up in the exact same house. We read the same books. Saw the same movies.

Renee: Have a creepy, psychic connection. . .

Diana: Exactly. So if there were ever two people who could potentially write identical stories, it would be us.

Renee: I'm very interested to see how it turns out, actually.

Diana: I hope we don't disprove our whole point.

Renee: Only one way to find out. Okay, so we need an idea.

Diana: Hmm. *thinking*

Renee: *brainstorming*

Diana: I know! How about a girl who can turn herself into Jello?

Renee: Pure genius.

Diana: I try.

Renee: Perfect. That's our idea. A girl who can turn herself into Jello. Go forth and write your synopsis. Meet you back here in a bit. In the meantime, enjoy this visual inspiration.

*TIME PASSES*

Renee: Okay, I'm ready! VERY interested to see what we came up with. Here's mine:

Hello, Jello

In a family where everyone has special powers, Matilda Waters got the short end of the stick. Her brother can fly. Her sister walks through walls. Matilda? She can turn into strawberry jello.

When her family is captured by a secret government agency, Matilda is left behind. Apparently she’s not the only one who sees her power as useless. Distraught, Matilda seeks out the help of the Hinklesons, a fellow power-wielding family. But they’ve been captured as well. Only Andrew Hinkleson, their dark, dangerous foster child, is left. Matilda fears all is lost, until Andrew reveals that he also has a special power. He can turn himself into a corn dog.

Together, Matilda and Andrew form a mock catering company, and manage to land a job catering the secret government agency’s annual summer picnic. On the menu—corn dogs and jello, baby. Revenge never tasted so sweet.

Diana: Brilliant.

Renee: *bashful shrug* Aww, come on. Let's hear yours.

Diana: Cursed

For Alice Mint, having a mother who is a beautiful enchantress has many perks. She always has whatever she wants, lives in a beautiful home, and has lots of “help” with her schoolwork at the mortal high school she attends. Life seems perfect.

Then, one day, one of her mother’s jilted lovers puts a powerful curse on Alice so that she won't become like her mother. He curses Alice that if she makes a boy fall in love with her, she will turn into Jell-o. Literally. That poses an interesting problem for Alice, who is an enchantress-in-training.

Alice teams up with Jake, a handsome young Lifter (someone who steals powers from Warlocks), to find the Warlock who put the spell on her and break the curse. The only problem is Alice is falling fast for Jake and she can see in his eyes that his feelings are growing. Can she break the curse in time? Or will she spend the rest of her life as a tasty dessert?

Renee: HA! That's really good, actually. WRITE IT.

Diana: Maybe I should, maybe I should.

Renee: Well, we've proved our point! Look how different those two stories are. And they both came from the exact same, very specific story idea.

Diana: It really should put any fears to rest. The stories WILL be different. It's all about execution.

Renee: Amen, sister.

So there you have it. Nothing to worry about. Just ignore that book/movie/T.V. show, and keep working on your brilliant idea.

Meet Vanessa

2011-02-18T16:24:00.002-07:00

I think it is time I introduce you to someone...

She is the little voice in my head.

Her name is Vanessa. I named her that because growing up when Renee and I played Barbies the evil Barbie's name was usually Vanessa. (no offense to any Vanessas out there)
She came into my mind a long time ago and is still hanging around. Every time I write she shows up to share her two cents. She has been, at times, very cruel, but her most effective tool is distraction. Here is how our conversations typically go:

Me: OK...Time to write that love scene between Robert and Ariana...

Vanessa: *stifles a laugh*

Me: What?

Vanessa: Nothing..its just...a love scene? Do you really think someone at your writing level should attempt to write a love scene?

Me: How else would I show the romantic feelings developing between the two characters?

Vanessa: Suit yourself...

Me: ok......*stares at the blank screen*

Vanessa: Ooo! Did you hear the trailer came out for the new X-Men movie? Lets go check it out!

Me: Really?! -wait, I can't do that. I have to work-get lost! Now...where to begin?

Vanessa: Actually I think its been about fifteen minutes since you checked Facebook. Better head over there and see if any one has responded to your new profile pic.

Me: Arrrgh! Leave me alone! OK ...*flexes fingers* I just need to describe Robert...

Vanessa: Maybe we should Google every picture of Colin Farrel we can find and-

Me: VANESSA!!!

And so it goes with Vanessa. Do you have a voice inside your head? Any ideas on how to get rid of her? (humanely, of course)

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

2011-02-16T13:09:00.005-07:00

First off we want to thank you guys all for entering! It was SO fun to read your entries. I watched every single kissing scene on YouTube, even if you didn't put a link. I still searched it out. :) Not a bad way to pass time, I'll tell you that.

So thanks again for joining in the party! We wish we had tons of awesome prizes to hand out! But alas, just one.

Before we announce that winner, here are our Honorable Mentions, (though like I said, we really enjoyed ALL of your entries.)

Anonymous-For his/her suggestion to pair Bella Swan with the vampire Lestat. Um, yes please.

Janine-For her love pairing of Gilbert Blythe and . . . herself. Dream big, Janine. Dream big.

And finally, Melissa-For bringing up the famous "almost kiss" moment on the new Pride and Prejudice. *swoon*

And now, the runner up. First let me say that we had a very hard time picking between our runner up and our winner. Both are very funny! And BOTH included an amazing photoshopped pic! *LOVE* I honestly wish we had a prize for the runner up!

The Runner Up is Matt Sutter! Partake of his brilliance:

"Hold Still . . ."
“Robbing banks just isn’t lucrative anymore.” The joker sighs and looks at Stacey. Stacey smiles and licks her fingers to smooth out a curl on the joker’s head. I snap a picture.
It’s not every day that you walk into Red Lobster and see Hollywood’s hottest couple sitting at the table next to you. Stacey London’s hit show, “What Not to Wear,” has featured many normal looking people get a fashion make-over. It’s no wonder there’s buzz about this odd couple.
“We’re in love. What else matters?” Stacey smiles. The Joker quivers.
Whoever said “love is blind” sure was on to something.
-Matt Sutter

The Joker and Stacy London? Now that's an odd couple that cracks me up.

-------------------------------------------------------------

And now, without further ado, we announce our hilarious winner!

Red Boot Pearl!!! This entry is, in a word, genius. :) Hilarious and fun. The perfect spirit of our contest. Behold! :

Willy and Glenda (the good witch) Wonka

“Willy, are you a good husband or a bad husband?”

“Teee heee heee hee…” the munchkins’ giggling carried through the window.

“Gah,” Willy waved his hand in front of his face, sick of the incessant giggling.

“You don’t have time for me anymore. All you do is work, work, work, eat, eat, eat, and spend time with the oompaloompas. When will it end?”

“Should we get out the eggdicator and see if I’m a bad egg?”

“I’d rather see the wizard.” Glenda fluttered eyelashes.

“Is there something going on between you and Oz?”

“No,” Glenda turned wiping her eyes. “But where is the passion, the love? Where did it go?”

“Maybe it went down the yellow brick road…” he muttered.

“What?” she sobbed.

“Nothing, my scrumdiddlyumptious,” Willy said placing his hand on her shoulder. She turned, searching his eyes, looking for the love they’d found so long ago. Willy caressed her cheek, sending long forgotten shivers down her spine. She leaned in staring at his chocolate stained lips, wanting that kiss like nothing she’d wanted before—the reassurance that all was not lost, that their love would live on. He pulled her tightly in his arms, his lips just millimeters away…

Knock, knock, knock.

“Yes?” Willy called with Glenda still wrapped in his arms.

“Sir, it’s the Lollipop Guild, they’ve contaminated the taffy pull again.” An oompaloompa poked his head in the door.

“@#$% munchkins.”

-------------------------------------------------------------

Pure awesomeness. So congrats to you, Red Boot Pearl!! Email me and let me know which wonderful YA book you want! You've definitely earned it!

Thanks again to all who participated (even in spite of our groveling . . .) You all ROCK!

Contest! Ending Soon!

2011-02-15T12:30:00.005-07:00

So I'm going out of town this weekend. I was going to leave Thursday, but now weather might get in the way, and make me leave earlier.

I share this bit of minutia with you because it means we will be shortening the Kissing Contest a bit.

But don't worry! You still have all of today to enter! We will accept entries until tonight, February 15th, at midnight. So head on over to our main contest post, and do so! (If you haven't already.)

Happy Kissing!

Johnny sent me this one yesterday. He's just a big softie.

A Valentine's Day Gift

2011-02-14T10:26:00.003-07:00

*Don't forget to enter our Kissing Contest here! Win the YA book of choice!! You have until Wednesday, Feb. 16th!*

Today, for Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share one of my favorite romantic moments in all film. It's not a kissing scene, but it makes me melt Every. Time.

So watch! And you're welcome. ;)

Revised Rules!! EASIER CONTEST!

2011-02-12T09:24:00.005-07:00

So due to the overwhelming number of entries for our Kissing Contest . . . (*cough*) (Or maybe due to the fact that we feel like the kid who threw the party that no one came to . . . /sad clown)

We're changing the rules to our contest! And making it much easier to enter!!! So . . . enter! Don't you want that YA book you've been dreaming of to show up on your doorstep?! Well it's never been easier!

New Rules:

1. Write a 15 page kissing scene, with at least three metaphors per page, and at least fifty lines of clever, but poignant dialogue

wait a minute . . . Strike that. Reverse it. (*wipes a tear* Gotta love Gene Wilder.)

The *Real* NEW, IMPROVED, EASIER Rules (plus more gratuitous kissing pics!):
You can enter in three ways:

1. Suggest a Literary Love Mashup in the comments section! Who should be together this Valentine's Day, and why?

2. Or you can still write a Literary Love Mashup kissing scene for extra Bonus points. :) (Either post in the comments section or email to Renee: 1wrenbird AT gmail DOT com)

3. Share your favorite KISS from a book or movie in the comments section.Also:

1. You need to be a follower of the blog.
2. Bonus points if you tweet or blog about the contest!
3. Only U.S. residents eligible for book prize, but we're working on an alternate prize to those outside the U.S.

So there it is! Enter! You have until Wednesday, February 16th! And before you go, here's one more kiss picture.

(har har har)

Our First Contest!

2011-02-10T14:00:00.008-07:00

Yes! That day has finally come. A contest on Midnight Meditations. Just in time for Valentine's Day! And here's the best part, it's a . . .

KISSING CONTEST!

That's right, we are having a contest to celebrate the favored pastime of February 14th: Kissing. Smooching. Snogging. Macking. Frenching. Sucking Face. Making out. Hot n' Heavy. Tonsil Hockey. Gettin' it on. Going at it. (Have I left anything out?)
Now before you get all excited, no, we are not hiring a squad of Latin Lovers to visit the homes of our blog readers. My apologies. We tried, but there was a snafu with paperwork from the Latin Lovers League, and long story short, no can do.

So we thought instead we'd do what writers do best: make up fun kissing scenes! Yep, we want you to write us an awesome kissing scene. It can be funny. Romantic. Tragic. Or even the ever-taunting "almost kiss."

And what would a contest be without a PRIZE?

The winner of this contest will get to select any currently on the shelves YA romance novel they want!! Because I think YA does romance right. And have the BEST kisses! :) (Note: By romance novel, I mean the story has to be YA, and it should have at least SOME romance. Because why would you want to read a book with no romance? /judging)

The Contest:
Write a short kissing scene (Min. 50 words, Max. 300 words)

You must use existing characters in literature or film. And they CANNOT be from the same book or movie. We're going for a Literary Love Mashup Vibe. See HERE for inspiration. You are welcome to use the couples we created, but feel free to make your own! The more creative the better. (Bonus points if a picture is included!)

Post the scene in the comment section of this post, or email to Renee. 1wrenbird AT gmail DOT com.

Contest ends Wednesday, February 16th. Diana and I will pick our favorite as the winner. (And then email you to see which AMAZING YA love story you want!)

The Rules:

1. Bonus points if you are a follower of the blog.
2. Extra bonus points if you tweet about the contest!
3. PG-13 ratings por favor. (But a tasteful boob grab might be overlooked. . . )
4. U.S residents only (Sorry!! Truly. :( It's a shipping thing, yo.)

Timing

2011-02-08T10:38:00.005-07:00

The very first thing I did when we found out I was pregnant with our second child was to call Renee, then my parents, then all my friends. I couldn't help it. I know some people wait for months to tell others, and we did wait with our first, but this time I was just too darn excited.

I am the same way with my writing. The minute I get a new idea, I feel the urge to tell someone. And as soon as I begin writing the first magical pages, I am dying to have someone read them. Lately, however, I have been feeling that, at least with writing, that may not be the best move.

With my last two stories, I started out with so much excitement and was writing up a storm, only to have the momentum mysteriously die soon after someone had read the first pages. So I am beginning to wonder, am I letting my fledgling idea out into the world too soon?

What do you think?

Photoshop Friday

2011-02-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

(As you've probably already deduced, we rarely actually get to Photoshop Friday on Friday . . . But better whenever than never, right?)

As a new writer, just starting to explore the advice and camaraderie available in the online writing community, it's easy to fall victim to information overload. We hear certain ideas again and again, and something starts to happen . . .

The new writer reads between the lines of this usually well-intentioned advice and determines new, INDISPUTABLE TRUTHS. Truths that fill us with both fear and the hearty determination of the proletariat. But the new writer isn't the only one to feel the fear. Who among us has not pondered these "facts" at one point or another?

The Party is Always Right

The first "truth" that haunts every writer is the that of Publishing's TICKING CLOCK. Time is running out. If you don't finish this book, edit it, get an agent, and go on submission soon, you'll miss your chance! Publishing will be over! No one reads books now! And no one will print paper books anyway! You'll spend the rest of your miserable life mourning the DREAM THAT DIED BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO SLOW!!!

Work! Work! FASTER!

So you finish your book on time? It's not going to help unless you're doing everything you should. No publisher will touch you unless you've built up your platform! Do you have a blog? You'd better. Does it have a good following? (You call that good?) What about Twitter? If your follow-to-following ratio isn't impressive, no publisher will touch you. Are you networking? Kissing all the right butts? If not, you'll never get that awesome blurb, and (you guessed it) NO PUBLISHER WILL TOUCH YOU.

The Party says: Social Media is the only way . . .

Look, in the end, there's no point doing any of this if your book isn't amazing. Right? The Party demands perfect characters, snappy voice, and a flawlessly flowing plot. Don't have that? No? What do you think your chances are? Why bother trying? I mean, for realz.

Fact: if editors don't weep with happiness while reading your book, it's over.

Don't you want foreign rights? They'd better feel this way about your book.

I'll repeat the question I asked at the beginning: who among us hasn't had the words of The Party ring in our ears from time to time? I know I have. In fact, I'd say I'm visited by the Party two to three times a week.

But we all know what the real truth is, right? Let's all hold hands and repeat after me: The Party is always WRONG.

How about you? Any other slogans echoing in your mind?

Photoshop Friday

2011-01-28T11:51:00.003-07:00

Or will it be just a link? *evil laugh*

But before you boo me off the stage, let me tell you that this link leads to my good friend Natalie Whipple's blog. Now you're all cheering. Because Natalie rocks. And given the HUGE amount of followers she has to her blog, you probably already know and love her.

Anyway, Natalie has this awesome weekly feature called Happy Writer's Society, and she asked me to guest post. So I did, with a Photoshop Friday. Yes, I do love hitting two birds with one stone.

Actually . . . I'd never hit a bird with a stone. That's just mean.

Twin Talk Tuesday

2011-01-25T11:54:00.008-07:00

Today we thought about discussing some important topics in writing. Something powerful. Meaningful. Something that people would always remember.

And then we decided that was too much pressure, so instead we're going to talk about something fun.

So without further ado, I present to you our topic of the week. Character Pet Peeves. Or rather, characters that encapsulate our pet peeves.

Diana: So, the other day I watched this movie ( Which will remain unnamed lest it is your fave flix) Anyways, one of the characters totally bugged me. She was a super hot, Butt Kicking™ computer genius . . .working for the Pentagon of course!

Renee: She's Super Woman.

Diana: I was like, Really? Can't she just be smart and work for the Pentagon? Isn't that cool enough?

Renee: That bugs me too. Where are the slacker chicks?

Diana: And its not enough that she is smart and awesome. She also has to be HOT— perfect hair, perfect bod, sassy stilettos.

Renee: And BTW, she's not just "smart," she has a genius IQ.

Diana: Natch.

Renee: But she's also quick with the hilarious and sassy one liners! She's no nerd!

Diana: Sidenote: If my husband reads this he'll think I'm being catty :)

Renee: HA. Men. But you see, it's not necessarily the character we're mad at. It's the writer!

Diana: True.

Renee: Speaking of sassy one liners, my pet peeve is the precocious, but adorable, and Infinitely Wise kid brother/sister. The kind of character that makes me wonder if the writer has ever met actual children.

Diana: Seriously.

Renee: There's also the opposite, which bothers me as well. The child as an obnoxious terror—there to read the MC's diary, embarrass them in front of the Love Interest, or run away in the last act of the book, and cause everyone to evaluate their motivations

Diana: I don't know . . . I can relate to the whole "pesky sibling" problem.

Renee: *glares*

Diana: I kid because I love!

To be fair, those characters can be good and interesting as long as they are believable—

Renee: No-no-no. This post isn't about being fair. I just want to talk trash.

Diana: Oh I can talk trash.

Renee: Bring it.

Diana: Okay. Here's pet peeve number two: The meathead jock. Recognizable in the letterman's jacket, the Meathead can be found: throwing scrawny kids against lockers, strutting down the halls surrounded by several other nameless jocks, and pulling crazy pranks

Renee: Yep. And he's always getting drunk at parties. And sleeping with the drunk cheerleaders.

Diana: Yes, yes How could I forget?

Renee: This one is similar to my other pet peeve: The Lovable Lothario.

I know I'm going to annoy a lot of people, but I didn't like Iron Man. Why? Tony Stark. He's the "endearingly" cocky bad boy, who beds women left and right, but never remembers their names. He recklessly spends his gobs of cash, and drives a motorcycle or flashy car. He's full of himself, but ya can't hate him, cuz he's witty and OH-SO-COOL. He's got "swagger" as Ke$ha would say.

Diana: Never doubt the wisdom of Ke$sha.

Renee: *nods obediently*

Diana: Remember Ren, "Boys will be boys!" ;)

Renee: Ha! That's exactly why men like the Lovable Lothario. Because they wish they WERE him. And women, well they fantasize about being The One to Tame Him.

Diana: *envisions herself taming Robert Downey Jr....*

Renee: You see?!! You're as bad as the rest. I'm disappointed in you, sis.

Diana: *hangs head in shame*

Renee: haha. Ah, this has been fun.

Diana: Nothing like starting the day with some good old fashioned trash talk...

Renee: MM-hm

Diana: Though, I think we need a picture of Care Bears hugging or something. In case we offended anyone..:)

Renee: Done. And remember, one person's pet peeve is another persons favorite, yadda yadda yadda.

What about you? What kind of character gets under your skin?

Settings....

2011-01-24T10:24:00.007-07:00

Hello all! Diana here. As you may know I am just in the very very early stages of writing a novel, (well, if you don't count Rosaline *clears throat uncomfortably*)

It has all been very fun, but you know, to me, one of the most exciting parts about beginning a new story is thinking of the setting. I have to have an image in my mind of where this story will take place, or at least begin, before I write a word. There is something almost magical about describing a new place in my writing.

Is it that way with you? What are some of your favorite settings that you have either written or read about?

Sappy Romance

2011-01-20T12:21:00.004-07:00

Okay, I SWEAR this is not turning into the romance blog. Pinkie promise.

. . . but I do have another post today on love (or lurve, which ever you prefer.)

First, watch this very short commercial. COME ON, just watch it.

*wipes tears* *blows nose in hankie* . . . What? You didn't get choked up? Be honest! (Minor side note: Kate Winslet is a FABULOUS actress. I basically have a lady crush on her.)

Anyway, back to love. Here's the funny thing about love, it's like egg omelets. Everyone likes theirs differently. When you talk about love, especially the love we read about, the opinions vary on the best way to portray it.

Some people like sweet, funny love.

Some people want slow building, realistic love.

Others want tempestuous, we-fight-and-then-make-up-in-a-hubba-hubba-big-way love.

And some, (gonna include myself here,) enjoy big, sweeping, swoony, running-to-meet-each-other-on-a-bridge-in-Paris love.

I'm not going to lie. I have a soft spot for sappy romance. You may not think it's realistic. (Well, you clearly haven't met my husband and I . . .) But the fact is, it's FUN. It makes you feel good. It makes you cry. It makes you cheer. I love when the romance in a book or movie can do that. THAT'S what I want to make people do. That commercial. I want to capture that feeling in a novel.

How about you? What's your favorite type of love (or lurve?)

Photoshop Friday

2011-01-16T21:47:00.005-07:00

For Photoshop Friday (or Monday, but whatever . . .) we're going to keep with the romance theme we had going in Triple T. With all the talk about predicable love triangles, and useless love interests, Diana and I decided to have a little fun and try to mix things up. So without further ado, I present:

Literary Love Mashups

Our first couple is a dangerous one, because it encroaches on one of the most beloved romances of literature. The one in Pride and Prejudice. But we simply want to put Elizabeth Bennett's talents to best use. Come on now, was Mr. Darcy really all that bad? Sure, sure, he was kind of stand offish, and he didn't want to dance at the party. *YAWN* Give Lizzy a challenge! And who better than Sherlock Holmes? Can you imagine these two going at it? Now THAT's entertainment.

Girl, please. You KNOW she could take him.

Next we delve into the inner workings of heroine from another famous love story. Bella Swan. She was called Danger Magnet by Stephenie Meyer herself. She likes the bad boys. And all she gets is an emo, sparkly guy who clings to his Victorian morality?! PLEASE. She wants danger. We'll give her danger.

Team Darth all the way, baby.

Finally, we present a couple that—frankly—were made for each other. They're both ambitious. Natural leaders. Charismatic. They both have pesky kids getting in their way. And they both have a disturbingly pale skin hue. But you know, isn't it time these two get their chance at love?

Because even bad guys deserve a little happiness.

And there you have it. Love is always more fun when it's unpredictable.

How about you? Have any Literary Love Mashups you'd love to see? (I'm thinking we'll do some more next week.) Share in the comments section!

Twin Talk Tuesday

2011-01-11T13:00:00.006-07:00

Today I am excited to announce the first installment of Midnight Meditation's new weekly feature: Twin Talk Tuesday.

For Twin Talk Tuesday, (or Triple T,) Diana and I will debate and discuss topics that are on our minds. Or should I say MIND, because, ya know, we're telepathic and all. (Be afraid. Be very afraid.)

Today's topic is the ever present LOVE triangle. Love it? Or leave it?

Renee:Personally, I'm a fan, and I'll tell you why.

1. Love triangles add TENSION
2. Love triangles are FUN
3. I kind of have a thing for tragic love, and with a LT, there can only be one winner. Therefore one person is all tragic and sad.
And I like that.

Diana: Ok * cracks knuckles* Why do I take issue with LTs?

1. Love triangles are cliche
2. Love triangles .....Ok I'm not going to try the three point approach. I guess my biggest problem with them is that they is rarely a surprise in them. We always know who she is going to choose. Think about it, name me one LT where you were surprised by the girl or boy's choice.

Renee:***MOCKINGJAY SPOILERS***
Um . . . Well, I was going to say Peeta, because he went all tracker jacker crazy, which I bet NO ONE saw coming. But I guess we all kinda knew she'd end up with him in the very end.
***End spoiler***

Diana: How about Pride and Prejudice? Elizabeth-Darcy-Wickham. Who should poor Elizabeth choose? Rich handsome Darcy? or soldier boy Wickham? Obviously, she'll pick Darcy.

Renee: Ah, but you see, Elizabeth doesn't like Darcy at first. And Wickham doesn't really like Elizabeth. I'd argue that P&P is not a true love triangle.

Diana: Ok, what about Arthur-Guenivere-Lancelot?

Renee: A love triangle, indeed. And we all love it. (Boo-ya)

Diana: Ok.... we all do love it....

Renee: I rest my case.

Diana: Maybe I am changing my point. There ARE classic LT's that work. Maybe they work so well that everyone tried to copy them . . . and most failed.

Renee: I can agree with that.

Diana: For example..The Notebook.

Renee: Don't diss Old People Love!

Diana: Oh I am not dissing old people love! (You are talking to the girl with the movie Lovely, Still on my queue)

Renee: HA. Actually, I know YOU wouldn't diss old people love. (Little Known Fact: Diana has a crush on Peter Coyote.)

Diana: No comment. :) Seriously though, I'm dissing the fact that the Allie-Lon-Noah triangle is poorly constructed. The Allie-Noah love gets tons of attention [(at least in the movie) I have not read the book have you??] and they devote ten seconds to her love with Lon and when the moment of choice comes we are supposed to believe that she would actually choose Lon over her EPIC love with Noah?? please...

Diana: Or the Ross-Rachel-Joey triangle from TV. I mean . . . JOEY?? Don't get me wrong, he was a semi lovable character, but that was a bit of a stretch

Renee: True, true. Oh, I have one! OMGDawson's Creek?! Though in that one Joey and Dawson did NOT end up together. Unexpected, at least. Made up for a bit of the melodrama

Diana: Didn't see it.

Renee: Now THAT's tragic

Diana: hmmm, I'll have to look it up.

Renee: No really. Don't.

Anyway, you do have a point. I get annoyed when the other guy feels arbitrarily added on for Tension™. But you have to admit that when they get things right, it's AWESOME.

Diana: Well . . . yes.

Renee: Like Arthur-Guenivere-Lancelot.

Diana. True. OR Scarlett-Rhett-Ashley (yowsa!)

Renee: YES!!

Diana: Anna-Vronsky-Kitty (SIGH)

Renee: Oh H-yes :)

Diana: I guess my point is, love triangles can be a guilty pleasure, but it is a bit like making bbq ribs. It takes a lot of time (you can't rush good ribs), it takes just the right seasonings, and then it has to be grilled just enough, otherwise forget it.

Renee: Now I'm all hungry . . . (For ribs, or a good love triangle? Or BOTH at the same time? *ponders the awesomeness*)

Renee: Well, it looks like this first ever twin debate may just have a warm, fuzzy ending.

Diana: Aww

Renee: PRECIOUS!

So what do YOU think? Love Triangles, love or loathe? Name your favorite love triangle in the comment's section! Unless of course you only loathe. In which case, share why you do!

Meet Diana!

2011-01-07T12:11:00.003-07:00

Hello All, Diana here. Since this is my first post, I figured I would give you a little background.

I was born on a drizzly spring morning in April...well, maybe not that much background...I'll start by telling you about when I started writing.

Every summer when I was growing up, my family would take a vacation in our motor home. Renee and I spent countless hours on our bunk beds writing, reading, and drawing. Now let's have this understood from the beginning; Renee was always a few steps ahead. For example, the summer I read The Baby-sitters Club Super Special #7 She polished off the entire works of Shakespeare. And although Renee threatened that if I gushed about her she would just go in and delete it, I must say that she truly is a naturally exceptional writer and always has been. But we both loved to create.

My first attempt at a novel was Rosaline a fairly shameless copy of Gone with the Wind, only set in England. After that dismal failure, I turned my focus to painting and theatre. After finishing college, getting married, and having two absolutely adorable kids, I cautiously returned to writing. Right now I am working on a fantasy novel, but I am also very interested in writing screenplays and plays for the stage. I have a million ideas and characters in my head, but I just need to commit to sticking with one idea. Every time I start to write, I either get a new "better" idea or I begin to loathe the idea I am working on. Any tips on getting past this stage?

Well now that I have bored you all to tears, I will throw in a cute picture of my kids and hope to win you all over with that.

Cute, eh? Well, I look forward to sharing my writing journey with you!

New Year, New Blog

2011-01-05T12:03:00.003-07:00

Blogging and I have had a real on again, off again relationship. In many ways, I love it. I love the sense of community. I love meeting other writers. I love celebrating and commiserating with a huge group of people just like me.

What I don't love? Actually, you know, writing blog posts.

I'm kind of kidding, but the truth is this:

1. I'm BUSY, and as I'm sure many of you noticed, blogging takes time.

2. I don't feel like it's my place to dole out writing advice yet.

3. Sometimes I think that everything to say about writing has already been said.

Believe me, I've stared at that "Delete Blog" button many times. (MANY times.)

However, instead of deleting this blog, I've decided to takes the reigns and make it FUN. (For myself, at the very least.) So it is with great pleasure that I announce a total makeover to Midnight Meditations!

This blog will now chronicle the writing journeys of not one, but TWO writers. And we're twins! (Aww, precious!) You guys get TWO writer blogs for the price of one! It is, in fact, your lucky day.

I am thrilled to welcome my twin sister, Diana to my blog!!!

She's cool, guys. Cooler than me, in fact. And fun. And funny. My best friend in the world. She's a new writer just starting out. Diana and I love to talk, and laugh, and debate relevant issues (like ABC's choice of Brad Womack as the new Bachelor.) Or the Eternal Question: Edward v. Jacob.

Look for a new weekly feature in which we will discuss and debate a certain topic (which we will try to keep somewhat writing related.) Coming soon! Also, Diana will be posting on her individual journey as well as me blogging about mine. (And we WILL start up Photoshop Friday's again. I haven't forgotten my promise.)

In the end, I'm doing this for me, because I just want another way to have fun with my sis. (She lives very far away from me. #sad) But I'm willing to share her with you. So come on into the comments section and welcome my awesome twin sis! I promise, you're going to love her. :)

Blog under construction

2011-01-04T15:37:00.003-07:00

Ch-ch-ch-changes coming!! That's right, guys. I'm in the midst of overhauling this entire blog. I'm SOOOO excited about it! :)

More details coming soon.

Hint: Notice the new picture?

Christmas Coolness

2010-12-21T09:58:00.004-07:00

Seeing as how we are coming up to Christmas and all, I probably won't be posting much (or at all) until after New Year. (I know, I know, what else is new?)

However, I thought I'd decorate my blog a little for the season before I go. Something festive and purty to look at.

Voila! This is Jetta, the main character from my novel Searcher. (Note: At no point in the story does she actually wear a Santa hat.) This sketch was drawn by my lovely and talented friend, Natalie. (Note: I drew the Santa hat.)

Now, I am also going to leave you with presents! Because it's Christmas!! Starting in 2011, you will have three things to look forward to:

1. More posting from me!!! (*pauses while the intense cheering dies down*)

2. A new weekly blog feature that is going to be very fun!

3. The return of Photoshop Fridays!

So go now. Eat lots of candy. Hang out with family. And open presents that you're actually excited about (as opposed to, you know, mine.) Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Another first!

2010-12-16T08:48:00.002-07:00

Well, I've written my first guest post. This feels like a rite of passage or something.

My amazing friend Michelle Davidson Argyle asked me to write a little more about the mental/emotional aspects of my writing journey. So I did. Happily. I discuss my new philosophy: Optimistic Realism. (Hey, something had to come out of all those philosophical journeys.)

But the truth is, Michelle's a very cool, very talented, very published author, so you should check her out anyway. :)

The Journey: How I got my Agent

2010-12-08T19:09:00.010-07:00

To start, let me say that I'm a huge fan of these particular kinds of blog posts. The journey posts. I loved (still love) reading them because they rarely follow the theme of "OMG, I just wrote this book last month, got my agent last week, and I just signed a three book deal!!!"

No, usually theses post chronicle the long, often difficult journey of the writer involved, and that always gives me hope. Well if you are looking for one of those, you've got one! Remember, the primary emotion I feel when writing this post is optimism.

Okay, so here is the WHOLE rundown, complete with stats. Because I know I love reading other people's stats. Note: I will try to be as pithy as possible, but this post might be a tad long.

Summer 2004
I've always loved writing, but this is when I decide to get serious. I have an idea for a YA fantasy novel about twins who are princesses. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. But hey, we all have a twin princess story in us.) I fill an entire spiral notebook with notes.

Summer 2005
Force myself to stop daydreaming about writing and start doing it. I write 30 pages of my YA fantasy novel and decide that I absolutely loathe my main character. Abandon ship!

The Year of 2006
I start and stop several YA novels, never getting past 45 pages. I do, however, complete a young MG novel, and a picture book that has WAY too many words.

Early 2007
I begin a YA epic fantasy that never got a title. I've always referred to it as Tristan.

February 2008
I start my lowly blog.

April 2008
I finish Tristan on my birthday! Feel overcome with the sense of accomplishment. I've actually FINISHED a whole novel. Also, right around this point I become friends with Kiersten White and Natalie Whipple. We form a crit group, and call ourselves the MoMo's.

Summer 2008
Slogging through edits for Tristan. I'm feeling like it just might be a quagmire. Besides, I have this other idea pulling at me. After much thought, I set Tristan lovingly in the trunk.

Miss Midas bursts onto the scene. I write it in just over a month, and dive into edits. I'm pretty sure it's the most brilliant thing EVER.

(In July, I get this idea for a post apocalyptic novel. Seems pretty cool. I make sporadic notes, but don't pay much attention yet.)

October 2008
I send out my very first query letters ever! I'm SO SO SO excited. Wonder how I'm going to pick between the twelve agents that are going to fight over me.

Queries sent: 44
Partials Requested: 2
Fulls Requested: 4

Offers of Rep: zilch

The agony of querying hits me VERY early on. To distract myself, I start working on my post apocalyptic idea. I give it the awful working title: PAMR. (short for post apocalyptic, magic realism) (even though it's not technically magic realism. Details, details.)

December 2008-July 2009
Real life takes over. Due to my husband's work, and various other crazy reasons, our family moves FIVE TIMES, to FOUR different states. Needless to say, writing often falls to the back burner.

But in the space of this time, I:

1. Give up on querying Miss Midas
2. Finish the first draft of PAMR.
3. Give it a better name: Searcher
4. ( 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. ) Edit my brains out.

Searcher takes a lot out of me, but I believe in it. So much. And as hard as it is with the craziness of my life, I'm willing to put the work into it.

September 2009
My first, big Philosophical Journey. (Or so I call it.) Everything screeches to a halt while I ponder many deep and weighty things related to my writing. I wonder if Searcher has what it takes. Think to myself, I was so sure about Miss Midas, and it got canned. What makes me think Searcher will be any different? Contemplate giving up. Thank goodness for good friends who bring me back. (my writer friend Candice, and my twin sister Diana were key here.)

November 2009
I start querying Searcher. The responses feel more enthusiastic this time, but the Querying Despair creeps up anyway. After 3 months, I hit a wall. Clearly, the agents have spoken. This isn't what they want. Case closed.

I give up.

Queries sent: 39
Partials Requested: 4
Fulls Requested: 5

Offers of Rep: One close call, but nothing sticks.

Winter 2009
Embark on a second Philosophical Journey. It lasts several months. I don't do much writing.

Spring/Summer 2010
I embrace my childhood love of mermaids, and start writing Deep. It's fun and diverting, and goes pretty quickly. Within a few months, I've finished, and gone through a several rounds of edits.

July 2010
I start querying Deep. This time, instead of feeling excited and giddy, I'm kind of sick to my stomach.

Within a month, I give up. (I know. I know! Believe me, I know. Well . . . I will come to know. (Keep reading.)

Queries sent: 17
Partials Requested: 2
Fulls Requested: 1

September 2010
Thus begins the 3rd Philosophical Journey.

I do A LOT of thinking. (Are you sensing a theme here?) I reread my novels. I talk with my very good friends. And I come to a very, VERY important realization. Two, really. I discuss my thinking in greater detail in this post, but in a nutshell:

1. I have been WAY too hard on my own writing.
2. I gave up on querying WAY too soon Every. Single. Time.

I realize I owe it to myself to keep trying. So . . . I start querying Searcher and Deep again. (Disclaimer: I did look into it, and never found anything that said "DO NOT query two books at once," however it gets tricky. As you will see in a minute.)

Quick stats:

Deep
Queries sent: 14
Partials Requested: 2
Fulls Requested: 3

Searcher
Queries sent: 8
Partials Requested: 1
Fulls Requested: 4

And then . . .

November 16th, while I'm on vacation, Molly Jaffa requests the partial of Searcher. Two days later, she requests the full.

Monday morning, November 22, I'm sorting laundry (glamorously) when I hear my cell phone ring. When I see the area code, my heart freezes for a split second, but I tell myself that it's most likely a telemarketer.

It's Molly Jaffa. Offering representation. *cue celebration* I spend Thanksgiving weekend feeling VERY thankful.

And THEN, on the last day the other agents had to get back to me by, another agent emails me wanting to set up a phone call. (And while I try not to play that game, she's a pretty big time agent from a pretty big time agency.) *stunned* She loves my book, and while she does want to see a round of revisions first, she is essentially offering. BTW, did I mention the book she read was Deep!

So then come a few days filled with a mixture of panic, nerves, happiness, and disbelief. I find myself with a big choice to make. In spite of my daydreaming about picking between agents during my Miss Midas days, having to actually face the situation is very nerve wracking. I have a stomach ache for three days straight.

But, as you all know, this story has a happy ending (, or a happy new beginning!) I picked Molly Jaffa, and I couldn't be happier.

So there it is, folks. If you read this whole post, I commend you! It sure was fun to write. It makes me really grateful. I'm grateful that while I had periods where I didn't want to think about writing AT. ALL., and giving up seemed like the most sane thing to do, I'm truly glad that I never did. And I know things don't always work out, storybook style, but I do believe that things only started to really happen when I was truly ready inside. When I truly believed I could succeed. And THAT is your dose of optimism for the day. Hope you enjoyed it. :)

AGENTED!!

2010-12-06T22:36:00.012-07:00

Yes, you read that right! And this isn't a joke! Or a trick! Or a clever play on words!

I HAVE AN AGENT, GUYS.

I'm beyond thrilled to announce that I am now officially represented by the fantastic Molly Jaffa of Folio Literary Management!

*screaming* *jumping around* *dancing*

A literary agent! Of my very own! I seriously have no idea how to write this post. I'm filled with so many different emotions. This post could be brimming with:

a. Euphoria

b. Optimism

c. Gratitude

So by way of a warning, I plan to use a few different posts to cover this monumental event in my writing career. In fact, I think I'll use one post to cover each of the emotions I mentioned above. In the next few days, you guys get to hear the WHOLE SORDID TALE. (I know! I'm so generous.)

Today, is the euphoria.

This post will include some GUSHING about Molly. Because she really is awesome! And I know everyone says that about their agents, but I absolutely mean it. Molly is sharp and funny, and super nice. I'm SO excited to work with her!

This post will also include more *screaming* *jumping around* and *dancing*!!

This post will include far too many exclamation points!

In the end, on a day like this there's really only one thing to say:

PARTY IN THE COMMENTS SECTION!! Dr. Peppers for everyone!! Today they shall flow without end!

Check in again Thursday for my Optimism post. I'm going to tell you guys the story of my journey to this moment. (Spoiler Alert: It was long.) Until then, ROCK ON. :)

Why, oh WHY is this so Brilliant?

2010-11-21T21:46:00.002-07:00

I can't stop watching this scene, guys. I seriously can't. It's the final scene in the season finale of the AMAZING show, Sherlock.

What do I love about it?

1. BRILLIANT writing

2. BRILLIANT acting

3. And . . . okay, I admit it, I'm strangely attracted to Moriarty.

Anyway, watch it. Seriously. It's genius. If you saw this episode, watch this scene one more time. (You know you want to) And if you haven't seen this episode, and you don't mind spoilers, watch it.

Just . . . bask in the general awesomeness.

The Big Lie

2010-11-10T11:18:00.004-07:00

I've had something of a revolution going on inside the past couple of weeks. I'm cleaning out the old regime that has been ruling my writing mind with a cruel hand. Basically, I've come to an important realization. One I want to share, on the chance that someone else might be going through the same thing.

Ever since I started querying, I took great pride in my "realistic" approach to it all. I wasn't over emotional. I wasn't blinded by my love for my own stories.

Me: Sure rejections sting a bit, but they don't rule me. I make all of my choices based on a calm, rational approach. If I stop querying a book after 20 queries, that's because I have gauged the market, and can see it simply isn't right. No problem. On to the next. I'm barely even sad about it.

Man, was I full of it.

What I've realized in the past few months is that I stopped querying books because rejections, in fact, HURT LIKE HELL. They did rule me. Especially the rejections on requested materials. They hurt, but I wouldn't even admit how much. Deep, DEEP down, I told myself that these requests must mean my story stinks so why don't stop making an idiot of myself and TRUNK it. But at the surface level, I applauded myself on how "realistic" and "rational" I was being.

And that was the big lie, guys.

Well, no longer. Things are going to change. I'm putting a halt on my WiP for a while. Instead, I've got some apologizing to do. I'm turning to the three novels I poured my heart, sweat, and tears into . . . only to trunk after a very half-hearted querying round. I'm turning to them because they are NOT crap. They are actually really good! And they deserve a real chance. I need to give them a chance.

And so I will. I'm going to be honest with myself from now on. Both on how much the rejections hurt me, but also, most importantly, on how GOOD my writing can be.

So to end on a high note, watch this, and repeat after me:

A fangirl moment

2010-11-06T14:23:00.002-06:00

Suddenly, I can't wait for the actual movie. :)

eta: I didn't make this video. I only wish I had film editing skills like this.

It's a YA Halloween

2010-10-30T09:52:00.003-06:00

I had a hard time trying to decide what to be for Halloween this year. If you follow me on Twitter, you might have caught the Drama of the Red and Black Wig. In the end, I realized the answer was there all along.

What better costume for a YA writer than an angsty, emo teen?!

(Come on. You know you dig my Edward shirt.)

And as for hubby? He makes a ROCKIN' Spock.

Hope you all have a great Halloween!

Sexy it up

2010-10-25T09:23:00.006-06:00

Last night I watched the new PBS show Sherlock. *fans self, while trying to breath.* So. Much. Awesomeness. Having. Trouble. Expressing.

Basically, it's the classic characters of Sherlock and Watson, modernized, and set in contemporary London. Was it awesome to see Sherlock texting Watson to hurry up and get to Baker Street? Uh-YEAH. It was.

I've noticed this trend a lot lately, and I have to say, I'm a big fan. Basically, you take a classic or well known story and modernize it. Make the main characters younger. SEXY it up a little! (Yeah, baby.) Some other examples:

The new Star Trek. (*chants* Team Spock! Team Spock!)

Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet

I'm sure there's a specific word for these kind of stories. If anyone knows, give a shout. At any rate, it's actually a dream of mine to write one. It'd be so fun! How about you? Any ideas of a modern twist classic? Share in the comments section! I'll give kudos to the best idea. :)

Here are some prompts:

A sexy, younger _____________________ (classic character)

Modern day version of ___________________________ (classic story location)

________________ (character), only hotter.

Weird Science

2010-10-13T21:53:00.004-06:00

For the past few months now, I've been toying with three different ideas. Notebooks have been filled. Outlines have been formed. I've even started writing two of them. But something kept tripping me up. I couldn't put my finger on it.

And then, a few days ago, it hit me. The answer to my problem. It was staring me in the face all along. I simply broke off the major pieces of each story that I liked and smashed them into one. And like that, I had my story. The moment went something like this.

(*sigh* Gene Wilder. Gotta love him.)

So anyway, from now on, you'll know what I'm talking about when I refer to my FrankenWiP. But I can't talk more about it now. I have work to do. Much work.

*sinister lightning flashes*

Yes . . . much work. . .

*runs off to secret lab*

Scary/Exciting/Big things

2010-09-21T11:19:00.004-06:00

I've been doing a great deal of pondering lately. This should come as no surprise, of course. Every six months or so I go on a Quest of Pondering, Angst, and Re-Evaluation. (I'm telling you, if there was a contest for introspection I. WOULD. WIN.)

If I could have, I would have spent many an hour walking on picturesque lookouts, thinking deeply, my hair blowing in the wind. Like that scene on Pride and Prejudice, when Elizabeth is staring out over the cliff edge. Pondering.

Yeah . . .

I probably looked more like this, though.

At any rate, as I said, I've been through this before. What can I say, I'm a little slow. This time, however, I've come to some fairly scary and big thoughts. Thoughts about who I am as a writer. What I want. What I am and am not willing to do.

Probably the biggest thought is about what I will write. It's also the scariest. In a nutshell, I think I've found my voice.

And I think it will be a tough sell.

But I'm going to write the book anyway.

The thing is, I've had this feeling in my gut for a long time. I avoided it, because, to be totally honest, I want to be published. I really, really want to be published. So, I've pushed this inkling away to pursue ideas that seemed more marketable. (Don't get me wrong, I loved these ideas, but I can be honest as to why I picked them over others.)

But it's time to take a risk, folks. For me, anyway. So I plan to. There are going to be some changes around here. Because like I said, my pondering involved all aspects of my writing career, not just what idea to pick. So be ready, gentle blog readers. Be ready. More details coming soon.

Photoshop Friday

2010-09-07T09:16:00.004-06:00

(Even though it's Tuesday.)

THE EVOLUTION OF AN IDEA, or An Argument for taking Internet Breaks.

So, there you are, brainstorming ideas for your Work-in-Progress. Or maybe you're just fixing yourself a turkey and avocado sandwich. At any rate, out of the blue, an idea strikes.

For a small, glorious window of time, this idea is the most Brilliant. Thing. Ever.

So you head to the internet to do some research. After spending a while on Wikipedia, Google Earth, and the like, you decide to peek over at Amazon to see of there are similar books.

Well you find them.

This leads you to the blogs of the authors of those books, doubtless with posts expressing their relief that they got their novel published before the trend DIED last week.

This leads you to scouring agent blogs and interviews, positive that SOMEONE still wants your idea. And this leads you to various writer forums, where they discuss various topics of decreasing relevance to the topic at hand. And before you know it, you've frittered away a depressing amount of time. Time that you could have been (but obviously weren't) WRITING. And you end up like this.

The lesson, gentle reader? I love me some internet, but it can be COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. Alas, it's a lesson I have to re-learn every few months. :)

With this outline, I thee wed

2010-08-30T11:29:00.002-06:00

As I stated in my previous post, I'm in between projects right now. I'm also having a hard time committing to any one idea. I've outlined a few here and there, but something keeps stopping me. So I was discussing this with my husband, and he asked me a very interesting question. "If publishing as we know it ended, and you could only write ONE LAST story, what kind of story would that be?"

Needless to say, it got me pondering. It reminded me of the thoughts I had while I was single. "If I have to spend the rest of my life with one guy, what kind of guy do I want him to be?" So, I did what any dreamy eyed fourteen-year-old girl would do. I made a list. The following is a direct quote from my Moleskine:

1.Unique, high concept world

2. Epic in scope
-factions, cultures

3. Strong, intelligent MC

4. Good love story
-semi-tragic?
-at least a star-crossed kinda thing

5. Mountains, oceans/seaside

6. People gotta die

Here's the thing. I know I can't sit around and wait for the ULTIMATE, BEST-EVER, ENCOMPASSING-EVERYTHING-INSIDE-MY-SOUL idea. And I probably shouldn't demand that every novel I pursue have every single element I love. But I think I've reached a point where I'm willing to wait for The One.

"The One doesn't exist!" you say. "Ideas are a dime a dozen!" you say.

Perhaps. But I'm waiting anyway. Because let's face it, writing/editing a novel takes a long time. Six months, a year, a couple years. That's a huge commitment, peeps. And it's HARD! Writing a novel is hard! So I don't want to put all that time and toil into something unless I truly love it. And I don't just mean love. I've loved all my stories. (We writers tend to love pretty much anything our brilliant, precious brains dream up.)

No, I mean LOVE love. I want to write a book that I'd be okay with accepting as the last book I ever write. (Though in truth, that notion makes me really sad.) I want to write a book that I would be willing to walk down the aisle with. And so I'm not going to write another outline, until I've found it. I'm saving myself for book-writing-marriage. I'll know him/it when I see him/it. ;)

How about you? What would be on your list of The One?

The Agony and the Ecstacy

2010-08-23T10:38:00.002-06:00

Right now I'm in that fuzzy, foggy land that all writers pass through. It is the land of in between. I'm not working on edits (for the moment,) nor am I drafting a novel. I'm not outlining any ideas. In fact, I've put the two I had onto the far back burner. So right now, basically, I'm floating in the void.

There are two ways to look at this place:

1. I've got nothin'.

No ideas that I like. Nothing to work on. My fingers itch, my head swirls with detached scenes and random voices. But I've yet to grasp anything and say, "Yes! This is what I'll work on." I sit down, open my laptop . . . and log onto Twitter.

However, like I said, this sis a place of conflicting emotions. Another part of me says:

2. The world is my oyster!

Do you ever watch a great movie, or read an amazing book, and say, "I'd love to write a story like that."? I do. All the time. Well right now, I could write any of those. I could write a sweeping dystopian love story, or a heart-wrenching magic realism story, a quirky and funny contemporary novel, or a dark and epic fantasy. Anything I want! I can let my imagination soar! OMG, I'm going to write the BEST. NOVEL. EVER!!!

I just need the plot.

Oh yeah . . . I don't have one.

(Go back to 1.)

So you ever feel this way? That you have a million ideas, but not really anything at all? A million stories you'd love to write, but no basic plot or concept to grab onto?

It really is frustratingly wonderful and wonderfully frustrating.

Refresh

2010-08-18T09:13:00.005-06:00

Well folks, I'm back from vacation. *cheers* *sighs* I had a blast at my family reunion. My sisters are officially the Funnest People Ever. :) It's good to be back, though, even if life is waiting right where I left it. The house is void of edible food. I have piles of laundry to do. And school starts in less than a week. So I have a busy few days ahead.

Still, this trip did my body good. Imagine my battery recharger light glowing a happy green right now. It's really amazing what a ten days will do. In fact, I've come to the conclusion that vacations should be REQUIRED for writers. In the space of ten little days, I had two important thoughts.

The first was a reminder:

I'm good at things OTHER THAN writing.
Also, I like things OTHER THAN writing.

I swear, I forget that sometimes. We writers tend to get tunnel vision, so caught up in the quest/race for publication that we lose sight of all else. It's wonderful to break away from that for a while.

The second thought was a revelation:

I know what to do with my quirky character!

Thanks to the relaxed, happy mind vacation gave me, I had the clarity I needed to finally give her a plot. It's equally quirky, possibly too quirky, but I'm going to write it. In fact, I can't wait to get started.

So as you can see, I had an eventful ten days. I almost wish I had another vacation coming up. Almost.

Someone make this movie!

2010-08-05T21:59:00.003-06:00

In other news, I'm heading out of town for a while so I won't be blogging or tweeting much. (Right now you're thinking, "Uh, yeah? What else is new?) We'll return to our regularly scheduled lack of blogging when I get back. ;)

Brain Invasion!!

2010-07-26T14:57:00.005-06:00

Last week a character walked into my brain. She's quirky, impractical, and kind of loud. She's informed me she's not going anywhere until I write her book. The trouble with this? NO PLOT.

You need to understand, I'm a plot gal. The story ideas I get are usually in the form of plots. I focus very much on plot when I'm drafting and outlining (and I outline pretty heavily.) And moments when I'm feeling down about my writing, I console myself with the idea that I can create a decent plot.

So where's this character coming from? And what's with the lack of plot? To tell the truth, I'm kind of nervous about this.

That said, I'm in an adventurous mood.

I remember going to a poetry reading in college, where the brilliant Leslie Norris said we need to create the character first, and then let that character tell us the story. So I'm going to put Mr. Norris' words to the test. I'm going to get to know this girl in my head, and then I'm going to set her loose in a Word document.

Wish me luck.

The Secret One: Revealed!

2010-07-01T13:44:00.005-06:00

So last night I finished a major edit round/rewrite on my WiP. You remember. The one I finished in mid-April. "The Secret One." The one I promised to tell you more about.

Yeah . . . I guess I forgot about that part. What can I say, I was busy.

Well, now that it's all fresh and shiny, and 14k longer, not to mention sitting in my beta's inboxes, I suppose I can share a little more.

You may be wondering what's with the secrecy anyway. Well, it wasn't an elaborate plot to build suspense and blog readership. (If that had been the reason, I'd call it a massive fail.) It wasn't because I was afraid someone would steal my idea. No, the real reason I didn't share more about this story is because I'm kinda shy about it.

Here's why: it's a mermaid story.

Yep. Mermaids.

Don't get me wrong. I think, and have always thought, that mermaids are officially The Bomb. What's not to like?! Trouble is, I say mermaids and most people think . . .

Truth is, awesome as they are, there is something inherently Middle Grade about mermaids (to put it in book world terms.) So I get a little sheepish telling people that I'm writing a mermaid book, because I assume they're suddenly envisioning talking fish and cute purple clamshell bras.

Not my mermaids.

This mermaid story is dark and pensive, with a semi-tragic romance. People die and stuff. I wouldn't call this book fun. Exciting (hopefully,) but not "fun." And definitely not cute. Think more along these lines . . .

So there. I finally talked about it. *exhales* I feel much better. And now I'll go back to biting my nails in the corner while I wait to hear back from my betas. ;)

And the baby makes . . . like, twelve or something

2010-06-14T16:10:00.004-06:00

*wipes the cobwebs away from blog*

Sheesh, it's been a while hasn't it? I've been pretty busy lately. Just a small thing called having a baby.

It's funny how adding one tiny creature into the mix makes everything about life more complicated. And more crazy. But I'm not complaining. I'll happily take the chaos. My new little girl is healthy and sweet, and life is good. :)

That being said, if I continue in my diminished blog/internet presence, you'll all know why. I'm aiming to have things under control and back to reasonable normalcy by July. Now this might be a huge pipe dream, but we'll see. Gotta set goals for yourself, right?

Anyway, here's some pics. I'll show you this one first, because it's so sweet.

But then I'll post this one, to help plead my case. Is this the face of a kid who'll back down for Mom to do some blogging? Yeah . . . not likely.

The Big Reveal

2010-05-24T08:49:00.002-06:00

*and no, I'm not writing a review of the Lost finale. I actually didn't even watch it.

Today I'm writing about a type of scene that we come across a lot in YA fiction, particularly YA Fantasy and Paranormal. It's a scene that I have just finished rewriting for the tenth or maybe fifteenth time in my own WiP. I'm talking about . . .

The Big Reveal Scene

You know the type. The scene where Main Character is told that she has Fill In the Blank Power. Or that she's actually a Fill In the Blank Paranormal/Fantasy Creature.

Or when Main Character's gloriously Hot New Crush reveals that he is actually Fill In the Blank Paranormal/Fantasy Creature. Or that he has Fill In the Blank Power.

These scenes are inevitable in any story where the fantastical and paranormal are thrown into a real world setting. And a lot can ride on them. Haven't we all read a book where we thought, sheesh, she accepted that pretty easily. Or, hello when is she going to just freaking accept that this isn't a dream?!

In my slaving over my own Big Reveal Scene in my WiP, I've tried to pinpoint exactly what makes these scenes work. Here's my rough list:

1.Balance
This is the vital ingredient, and the most vague concept. When faced with a startling truth, characters have to struggle with accepting it. Especially if this fact challenges their concept of reality.
However no reader wants to slog through twelve chapters of the Main Characters refusing to believe what is right in front of their eyes. It just gets old. Frankly, I think readers want to move along as quickly as realistically possible. Realistic being the operative word.

2.Strong Characters
This seems like a no-brainer. You need this in any story. True. However I do think that strong characters are vital in pulling off the Big Reveal Scene (BRS.) If you don't have well defined characters, the risk is that you will fall into the dreaded Cliche Reactions. Readers are smart. If they feel like your character "would never act that way" than you risk losing them.

Ideally, your BRS will breeze by without a wince because your characters are reacting exactly how they "really would." Know what I mean?

3.Mix it up a Little
So many times, the BRS are two talking heads in a room. All necessary info is shared. Reactions are made. Then a form of acceptance. End Scene.

If you think about it, this moment has the potential to be very exciting. This is a chance to show us exactly what Fill in the Blank Power/Fill in the Blank Paranormal creature can do. Dazzle and distract us. We might be more forgiving of any lack in the actual dialogue. (Maybe. I'm a pretty easy going reader. Others demand perfection. Just something to keep in mind. No pressure . . .)

So there's my rough list. I know there are many more points you could add to it. What do you think? Have you ever written a BRS? How did you pull it off? Any tips? (Because, frankly, I feel like my WiP's BRS is still not just right.) Please do share.

Maybe I ain't the blogging kind

2010-05-13T10:52:00.002-06:00

This is Just to Say

I have switched
to Twitter
instead of
blogging.

which is
probably not
a huge loss to you,
but anyway

Forgive me.
Twitter's just so short
and fun
and manageable.

(*no, this is not my blogging swan song. :) But I am much more active on Twitter, so if for some odd reason you have been missing me, feel free to follow me there.)

Dreams come true!!

2010-05-04T08:28:00.003-06:00

Today, I head out of town to buy a minivan!!! Every mom's dream!

(Did I getcha? Did you see my post title and think I had amazing, writing related news? *grin* Sorry, I'm feeling a little cheeky this morning.)

In truth, my feelings on the purchase of a minivan are fairly neutral. I can't say I've dreamed of owning one, but I'm not one of those people loathe the idea. Truth is, it may not be the coolest car out there, but it will fill our needs in the most price and fuel efficient way. So there you go.

As far as writing related news, nothing dramatic to report. I'm busying away on edits. This is the first time I've ever had to add words in the revision process. It's surprisingly hard. After taking a few weeks to ponder, and getting some great feedback from a beta, I'm pretty sure I have some solid areas to expand. However, for me, editing has always been all about cutting. So it just feels weird.

*lovingly strokes Delete key* Next editing round, baby. Next round.

Anyway, here's hoping I can still get some work done on my little minivan-purchasing pleasure cruise. I'll see you all when I come back next week!

Apparently I was a violent child

2010-04-23T10:33:00.003-06:00

Alternate post title: Authentic Teenage Voice

So my older sister Rebecca sent me this little gem from her 8th grade diary, and I wanted to share it with you. Becca was 13 when she wrote this, and my twin sister and I were 10.

"I'm so angry. I can't believe how violent the twins are. Instead of saying be quiet or stop it, they lunge out in viciousness. In the past 12 hours I have received 4 bloody scars and several welts. All from the Twins!! My parents just say its too bad. They never listen. I dread each day. What new problems will remain unattended? On a happier note, I realized how much I am falling in love with Michael. I can't wait for school. I get to see him."

I'm not sure which amuses me more: the supremely dramatic prose, or the abrupt shift at the end to talk of romance. :)

Well I'll be hornswaggled!

2010-04-20T01:08:00.004-06:00

Dude, guys, I just finished the first draft of my WiP!!

You're thinking: ?!??!?!?

But seriously. I'm done. Maybe it's because the book was outlined, or maybe I just hit that exciting second half and couldn't slow down, but I've been pounding out this baby. And now I'm DONE!!

(btw, in regards to my post title, haven you noticed how weird I get when it's one a.m. and I'm kind of giddy?)

At any rate gang, this novel was complete MUCH sooner than I expected. It's kind of insane. Details about this super secret book will soon follow. (Maybe . . .) What's up next for me? A nice break. But only from writing! That means I might actually blog more!

You: No. Way.

Me: WAY!

You: I just wet my pants out of sheer delight.

*ahem* Loopy. Anyway. I'd better hit the sack for now, but I really will be around online more now. This party's just getting started. See you then. :)

WiP-lash

2010-03-22T14:33:00.004-06:00

(get it? get it?)

Before I begin this post, I just want to give a shout out to my friend and fellow MoMo Kiersten. She revealed the cover for her upcoming book, and it is SHINY!!! Congrats, Kierst. You are living one of those moments many writers daydream about. :)

Anyway, I figured I'd better post, seeing as how my blog has been gathering dust for quite a while now. Truth is, you have all probably forgotten about me, and even now as you read this, are straining to remember why you're following this blog in the first place.

Regardless, I've decided to give you a brief update.

As you probably noted (in the extremely clever post title,) I am currently working on a new novel. You will also note that I didn't call this post WiP-Love or WiP WiP Hurray! or something like that.

No, I'm talking about Wip-lash here. Because my friends, gone are the days for me of dancing happily through a rough draft. Gone are the days of pounding out that novel and thinking MAN, this is the best thing ever. Unfortunately, I've reached a place where working through that first draft feels more similar to a cat-o-nine tails coming hard across my back.

But before you think I'm complaining, you should know that I'm glad. It may seem odd to say, but I'm happy that writing is such hard work for me. Why? Because I think it means I know something now. You see, it's hard to pound out new scene after new scene when you are keenly aware how important each scene really needs to be. And likewise, throwing in a cool plot twist just isn't as fun if you know it needs to actually make sense for the rest of the story.

Now don't get me wrong. There are plenty of people who blitz through first drafts, and I am in no way saying that they don't know these things. Not at all. I'm only saying that, for me, the fact that I'm not happily frolicking through my rough draft means that I think I finally get it.

So that's where I am, folks. Slaving away in the first draft sweatshop. But don't worry, you can know for sure that I have a smile on my face.

Dream Dude

2010-03-06T17:26:00.003-07:00

I guess I'm on a non-writing related post spree, but I couldn't resist. This one makes me laugh.

In which I break my bloggy silence to be cliche

2010-03-04T08:31:00.005-07:00

So yeah, I haven't been around for a while. I won't bother you with my various reasons why, though I assure you they are really valid . . . promise.

Anyway, what could have prompted me to post now? I'll tell you, but I warn that I'm just going to be jumping on a bandwagon and not offering anything new or incredibly insightful.

No, I'm going to rave about Avatar.

I know, I know, I'm probably one of the last people on Earth to see this movie. Literally. I mean, Palestinian protesters, in remote desert regions where electricity is probably hard to get saw it before me.
But anyway, I finally saw it. And LOVED it. It's not every day that after watching a movie you feel more like you experienced it. With the INCREDIBLE special effects and fantastic world building, it's hard not too. In fact, I remember reading about people who suffered from depression after watching Avatar because Pandora doesn't actually exist, and they can never go there. That says something, my friends.

So, um, I don't really have any writerish tie ins or conclusions to make. In fact, I felt that the story itself wasn't the movie's strong point. But seriously, who cares? I was too busy staring at the screen with my eyes bugged.

So yeah. I guess in conclusion I'll just put up this pic. (I did warn you in the post title that I was going to be cliche.)

Writers Rock

2010-02-15T08:51:00.003-07:00

As you know, I spent this last weekend at the LTUE writers conference. To sum it up in a single sentence, it was an absolute blast.

Highlights of the trip

#1 Hanging out with my writer friends: Candice, Natalie, Jenn, and Kasie (the shy one.) These ladies are equal parts brilliant and hilarious.

#2 Meeting a bunch of you blogger friends. It was fun to see you walking and talking, all three dimensional. Meeting you all made me resolve to get more involved in the blogs, so that I can get to know you all even better.

#3 Being a giddy fangirl. Who knew it could be so much fun? Also, who knew that hot shot writers like Brandon Sanderson and James Dashner would be so down to earth and cool? Seriously, I'd hang out with those guys any time. (Brandon? James? Any takers? *whispers* Call me.)

And, #4 Just mingling with a ton of fellow writers. Yes, the classes were interesting. The topic useful and inspiring. I learned a lot. But overall, one of the coolest things about it was to see so many people just like me. It inspired me, actually. Fired me up to work harder and really go for my dreams.

Anyway, that's my wrap up. I had a such a great time. I'd recommend any of you out there to try and attend a writer's conference if you get the chance. It's a great way to charge that battery and have a few laughs in the meantime.

P.S. To those of you who were at the banquet. I gave my husband the spinning ballerina test, and it showed him as LEFT brain. And then I new the test was invalid. ;) Seriously though, I Googled it (yes, dorky, I know) and found an article stating that not only is the test no more than a fun optical illusion, but the whole notion of Right Brain people vs. Left Brain people is outdated, and no legitimate indication of one's skill set or way of thinking. So there! *hugs self, rocking back and forth on ground* I am creative, I am creative, I am creative . . .

Intuition . . . (I have none)

2010-02-09T08:56:00.004-07:00

So I've decided that my ears are deaf to the whisperings of the Universe. My career as a psychic is doomed.

I was pretty sure the Colts would win the Superbowl.

I had a dream that I would get The Call . . . yesterday.

And, lastly, I was 100%, absolutely and completely, beyond any doubt positive that I was pregnant with a boy. But ultrasound results came in and it's a girl. I made the doctor check three times.

( Have I not mentioned before on this blog that I'm pregnant? I meant to. And I should have. It could have better explained my long absences and general crankiness ;) )

So anyway, there it is. I apparently have no intuition. Ah well. I suppose there are worse flaws.

*worst segue ever coming up*

Speaking of flaws, I plan to learn how to improve some of my writing flaws at the conference I'm attending this weekend. (Told you it would be bad.) I'm super excited! I'm going to meet some very awesome writer friends of mine and generally have a good time. Because of that, I probably won't post again until next week. But I'll return, hopefully with great advice and/or amusing stories to share.

How to be Great 3

2010-02-05T08:52:00.005-07:00

I meant to post this two days ago, but then things got quite busy and, well, you know how it is.

At any rate, today I'm going to show you Jim Collins' method for finding that golden concept, the one that is both simple and consistent. The one that can make a company (or a book) Great. He actually has a nifty diagram.

Truth is, I could leave it there. My interpretations of this diagram, and how it relates to writing is just my opinion. You may see it differently. That said, however, I'll tell you what struck me about this.

Disclaimer: I'm using this diagram to find a concept for a novel that could bring success, as in commercial success. Let it be said, loud and clear, that commercial success is NOT the only purpose, or the best purpose, or even my own personal purpose for writing. But I don't think I'm far off from thinking that it is a goal for many of us. And with that in mind, it can help to think about our writing from a commercial viewpoint. We good? Good. Moving on . . .

What are you passionate about?

This one's easy. When choosing what to write, it has to be something that we love. We shouldn't just write the vampire book because vampire books are in. Right? Right. Without our passion involved in the process, it won't go far. Passion! It's the easiest thing to focus on, and for most of us, our favorite thing to focus on.

What drives your economic engine?

Does this one seem in conflict with the first? I think some people would sneer at the idea of having your "economic engine" in mind when it comes to writing. I feel that way from time to time myself. However, if we are looking at writing as a business, meaning we want to sell our work, we have to have it in mind.

So in order to determine what drives one's economic engine when it comes to writing, I think we need to study the market. And I DON'T mean writing to trends. I mean knowing what kind of ideas are more commercially viable than others. Because let's face it, we all have a few ideas that we love, but deep down, we know they'd be a tough sell. Like my idea about the reincarnated young man who comes back in the womb of his lover. Yeah . . . I'm thinking that one would be a challenge.

Similarly, if you know your market, you know when an idea has good commercial potential. You can just tell. And if you feel that you don't have that skill, I think you should try to hone it.

What can you be the best in the world at?

This one is the hardest of all. I don't think I could be the best in the world at anything. So I'm sunk? Well, not quite. The way I interpreted this is knowing yourself and being realistic with your personal talents. I have this killer idea for a literary novel, but I KNOW that I don't have the skill to write it yet. It's simple as that.

I think finding your niche can be tough because we writers tend to either think we ROCK at everything or that we SUCK at everything. Sometimes we jump back and forth between the two. So obviously, it can help to have some outside opinions. Get some beta readers. Post some of your work online maybe. Try short stories in the genres you're considering. Overall, if you stay brutally realistic with yourself (remember the Stockdale Paradox?) it should be clear to you where your talent is.

I'm posting this diagram again, because I want to emphasize the point of this entire Hedgehog Concept. That golden idea is one that has overlaps of all three circles. We need to include our passions with what we know we can write best with what we know has commercial potential. And remember, you may decide to stay solidly in the Passion circle, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm just giving those of you that want to sell their stories one perspective for finding potential commercial success.

Because, let's face it, like it or not, publication is a business. Writing doesn't have to be, but publication is.

So, seeing as how this post is already quite long, I'm going to post again soon with my wrap-up/closing thoughts on Good to Great .

How to be Great 2

2010-02-02T09:07:00.002-07:00

Another of the great, writing related themes in Good to Great is called The Hedgehog Concept. There's lots of meat here, so I'm going to break it up into two different posts. So today we have:

The Hedgehog Concept: Part 1

The Hedgehog Concept is all about finding the right concept. The concept that is a hedgehog to build your business on. Allow me to explain.

Imagine a fox chasing a hedgehog around in the forest. When the moment comes for the fox to strike, what does the hedgehog do? It rolls up into a spiny ball and blocks the attack. Nothing fancy. Nothing flashy. Nothing grand. And yet it works every time.

Collins makes the case that all of these Great companies share the common trait of simplicity and consistency. There are no bells and whistles to what they do. No secret tricks that only the Big Guys know. No magic. These companies find a simple concept that works for them and go about consistently delivering it. That's it.

How does this relate to writing?

Well, of course "simplicity and consistency" in regards to writing could be interpreted in many different ways. What I related it to in my mind however, was the types of stories we write. The concepts.

I know when I start to develop a story ideas, sometimes I can get a bit carried away. I just want to make it AWESOME, you know? I feel the impulse to include numerous exciting elements and characters and crazy situations, and the next thing I know, the story that started off as a simple idea has turned into a huge, monstrous undertaking that's just too fancy for it's own good.

If you look at the most successful books out there, most of them are based on a simple concept. And they stay consistent to that theme through the entire book, meaning the book doesn't start off as, say, a girl who loves a werewolf and then turn into a high stakes legal battle of Big Business vs. the Little Guy. Or something like that.

We often hear the term "high concept," and I think it's applicable here. According to my definition, "high" concept is really another way of saying simple concept. Simple and consistent. A hedgehog.

The best stories out there don't try and go for flash or try to fill as many of the current trends and tropes as they can. They just have a simple concept, which they deliver with consistency.

Now, the obvious question left hanging here is: how do find these hedgehogs? Believe me folks, I've wondered this very thing. Coming up with a "high concept" idea or a "simple and consistent" idea is MUCH easier said than done.

But have no fear! In Part 2 (coming tomorrow,) I will show you Collins' formula for finding just such a concept. It's a model he's created from his study and interviewing of those Great Companies, so it's pretty legit, and I found it quite helpful.

Stay tuned . . .

How to be Great

2010-02-01T08:48:00.003-07:00

*According to NY Times Bestselling author Jim Collins. (No relation.)

My husband is a big reader. Not of fiction, mind you. He told me once that he likes to read books that are "useful" and "actually teach me something about the world." As is, not fiction. You can imagine, I had a hotly worded response.

But I digress. I wanted to tell you about a book he's been reading which I have actually found surprisingly "useful" as well. The book is the huge bestseller Good to Great by. Jim Collins. (Again, no relation. I only wish.)

Basically, the book chronicles Mr. Collins' study of the top, or Great, companies in America. He carefully analyzes and breaks down why these companies make it and others don't. What they have that others do not.

Now, you may be wondering if I am planning to make a venture into business. To that, I would say, aren't we all? The business of writing. In fact, as my husband and I have discussed much of the book, I keep likening it all back to writing. And it fits quite well. It's rather fascinating. Therefore, for the rest of the week, I plan on sharing some of the things I've learned from Good to Great and analyzing how that applies to us, the writers.

Just to start the week off, I'll leave you with one tidbit that really struck me in my current situation. One of the attributes that Mr. Collins noticed every single Great company having is what he calls the Stockdale Paradox. (And just try to tell me this doesn't relate to writing):

THE STOCKDALE PARADOX

Retain absolute faith that you can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties AND, at the same time, confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.

Facinating, isn't it? And oh, so relevant to us writers. What I think is so interesting about it is that it's advice we've all heard before, and yet it's clearly more than just quaint sentiment. According to hard research, it's the mentality of winners.

More from Mr. Collins tomorrow.

Just face it

2010-01-26T08:52:00.008-07:00

As many of you know, I put a lot of work into my novel Searcher. Fifteen months, to be exact. Fifteen months of hard, hard work. I gotta say, it left me pretty burned out.

So during my writing break/philosophical journey, I made some big plans. I told myself that when I started my next book I was going to do things differently. No more lashing myself with the work whip. No more hair shirt. I was just going to grab the kernel of an idea (any idea will do,) jump on the free writing roller coaster, and enjoy the ride. I was going to pound out a book in a month just like everyone else (*cough*kiersten*cough*natalie*cough*) seems to and that was that.

Well, I tried.

And failed.

And I've had to face a truth. You are what you are. As much as I really, really (really, really) wanted to, I just can't write that way. I am, like it or not, a planner. A note taker. An outliner (*shudder*) I have to know where I'm going when I sit down to the computer. When I try to do it any other way, I either end up staring at a blank screen or writing a few pages that I will absolutely hate the minute I'm done.

So there is it. Face it. I'm in for another fifteen months of work. And I guess that's the way it should be. We have to accept who we are as a writers, and who we aren't.

But don't worry, this time, I really will leave my whip and hair shirt in the closet.

A Promise, Broken . . .

2010-01-22T13:02:00.003-07:00

Here's the thing, gang. I had every intention to give you a Photoshop Friday today. I truly did. But then my old Dell finally snapped. He's currently living it up in Computer Rehab.

Now, I have Beloved (my Mac,) but I am ashamed to admit that I have yet to figure out how to get the Photoshop working. Lame, I know. My apologies.

I won't leave you empty-handed, though. Here's a Youtube video for all you folks out there in queryland. Just play it over and over again as you send out those query letters. I do. I'm convinced it will brainwash me into success.

Back with an answer, an announcement, and a promise

2010-01-18T08:54:00.003-07:00

Well, it was a loooooooong blog break, folks, but I'm finally back. I must admit that I enjoyed drifting away for a while. However, I am ready to jump back into the old blogging world. So, without further ado, I give you today an answer, an announcement, and a promise.

An Answer
You may be wondering how I fared on my Great Philosophical Journey of '09. Well, the answer is that I'm still on it to some extent, but I see no reason not to share a little of what I pondered.

In a nutshell, I took the end of the year as a time to analyze exactly where I was as a writer. What I've learned. What I still need to learn. What I really want from this all.

It's been very good to stop and examine these things. I think sometimes the writing world can feel like one big, crazy race. It's so nice, vital even, to step back for a while and take stock of it all. I'd highly recommend it.

An Announcement
The holidays were not without some excitement for me in the writing side of things. Remember my novelette "Confessions of the Watcher?" You know, the really dark dystopian story about a depressed, obsessive-compulsive, sexually frustrated guy? Yep, that one.

Well, forever ago I entered it into the highly competitive Writers of the Future contest. The results finally came in. I got myself an Honorable Mention. So yay! Nice little boost to my writerly confidence.

A Promise
I close my post today with a promise, well two actually. The first is that I am going to try to be around much more now. I know, you guys are all probably dancing with joy.

The second promise is that we WILL have a Photoshop Friday this week! One that will thrill and delight. I just have to think of it . . .

Kissingfest Day (or whatever it's called)

2009-12-21T12:08:00.003-07:00

So, I guess today is a some kind of blogosphere kissing holiday or something. I've been very much enjoying reading all of posts. Will I come out of my blog darkness for kissing? Uh-yeah I will. :)

Here's a scene from my novel Searcher It' actually just an almost kiss, but those are the best kind, am I right?:

Stifling laughter, we duck back along the outer rim of the camp. After sneaking the long way around, we draw closer to my tent. I feel a pang of regret. I don’t want this moment to end.

“That’s yours over there?” Owen asks.

“Yeah. Guess I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I’d better walk you all the way to your door,” he says, making a serious expression. “You never know what might happen to a kid like you.”

I elbow him in the side, but laugh. When we reach the door to my tent, I turn to face him.

“Thanks for protecting me.”

“My pleasure.”

It’s quiet for a moment—only the sound of crickets and Hector’s sleepy guitar. I cast my eyes around, wanting to prolong the conversation, but unsure of what say. Owen lingers, at a lack for words as well. A gust of wind sweeps past us, and I pull my jacket closer.

“You should go in,” he says. “It’s starting to get cold out here.” He reaches out and brushes his hands down the length of my arms. “Are you cold?”

I’m shivering, but not from the wind. I look up to him, trembling inwardly. He keeps his hands wrapped around my arms. This close, I can see every detail of his face, the line of his dark brow, the strong angles of his cheek bones. His large, amber eyes gaze down at me with an intense, but unreadable expression.

“Jetta . . .” He pulls me closer. It’s like a surge of hot sparks have burst in my chest and spread over my skin. Breath catches in my throat. Owen’s hands move up my arms again, and then he grips my shoulders. His face moves closer. I can feel his warm breath on my cheek. The world around us has frozen.

And suddenly he pulls back. He squeezes his eyes shut for a moment.

“I—I’m sorry.” He lets out a frustrated breath. “I had a few drinks tonight, I didn’t . . . I didn’t mean to . . .”

I shake my head. “But—”

“Goodnight Jetta.” He turns abruptly on his heel and is gone in a few strides.

I stay at the door to the tent for a moment, my insides reeling with a thousand emotions. I can still feel the warmth of Owen’s hands on my skin, a burning imprint.

This is just to say . . .

2009-12-07T09:54:00.004-07:00

1. Sorry I haven't been around much lately.

2. I don't expect it will get much better any time soon.

I could offer the list of usual suspects: holidays, planning for/about to go on vacations, general craziness of life. However, it's a little more than that. In the past few weeks, I've been undergoing a great philosophical journey (shown in picture below.)
I've still many miles of pondering to go, so I'm not quite ready to share my thoughts, but I will when they are clear in my mind. In the meantime, I have been and will be taking a small break from the blogging world. I'll still be around, but not as much. Not for a few weeks, anyway.

Oh, and as a closing note, I just want to assure you that I am quite content. Don't read any despondency in this post. On the contrary. After what feels like two years of rushing, it's very refreshing to stop and just think.

Getting Outside

2009-11-30T09:46:00.002-07:00

We writers are a focused bunch. Focused and determined. I've had many a conversation with fellow writer friends about how consumed we can become in this whole writing thing. With blogging and working on stories and writer forums and brainstorming about new story ideas, one can easily spend as much or more time in this "world" than we do in the real one.

With the completion of Searcher, I've been thinking a lot about what I want to work on next. I think it's safe to say that I was constantly thinking about it, batting around new ideas, tinkering with old ones. However, I kept running into a brick wall. It seemed the harder I tried to dig for a plan, the more muddled I became.

Then came this last week. I left the writing world for several days to focus instead on turkey and pie and big family game nights. I didn't think much, if at all, about writing.

And you know what? Last night, out of the clear blue sky, with the whole writing world frankly miles away from my mind, an Idea struck me.

It's been a good lesson for me. See, ideas should come from life. They should be inspired by our experiences and relationships. But the problem is, sometimes we writers are so focused in our world of writerly techniques and queries and researching the market and book deals and social networking with other writers that without realizing it, we've closed ourselves off to that life wherein the true ideas come.

So to any writer out there struggling with where to go and what to do, I would say: go live your life, and sooner than you might think that inspiration will find you.

It's those Crazy Holidays

2009-11-23T09:30:00.002-07:00

Like everyone else, I'm sure, this week is going to be a crazy busy one for me. It starts today with my Hubby and I's wedding anniversary! (7 years! Can you believe it?! And, so far, no itch in sight. ;) )

After today, it just keeps going. We've got a trip out of state. Thanksgiving. Family hoopla. Meeting awesome writer friends. Etc, etc, etc.

I suspect I won't be around this week as much as usual. But I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

And to close, in honor of my anniversary, a little Far Side for you.

Photoshop Friday

2009-11-20T09:22:00.002-07:00

I'm cheating this week and reusing an old Photoshop Friday. That said, I'm doing it for a good reason. Today I bring up my castle analogy to announce that, as of this week, I have officially approached The Wall. Don't understand what I mean? Well, just read on and you will :

THE CASTLE

Imagine a large castle with vast grounds, surrounded by a large stone wall. Here, let me give you a visual:
That shining castle of beauty and joy and laughter and magnificence is called is called PUBLICATION CASTLE. Ah yes, we all know it well. To enter those hallowed walls is to know success. But how does one get there?

As you can see from the picture, in order to even approach Publication Castle, one must first pass through THE WALL. (Imagine Gustov Holt's Mars playing right now. Open a tab and listen to it on YouTube if you aren't familiar with the tune. It really works so perfectly in this section.)

What is that wall, you ask? Oh, but don't we all know? When I mentioned that wall, didn't a part of you deep inside weep in horror? Yes. THE WALL. Otherwise known as Querying.

When I think of querying, I see people, thousands and thousands of people, throwing themselves against the outer wall, clamoring, stampeding over each other, desperate for that narrow chance to get inside.
Look at them. Can't you hear the sounds of their desperation? (P.S. If you think I sound condescending, just remember that this is where I am right now.)All they can do is gaze up at the top of the wall and hope that someone will throw down a rope. And who is that someone?*No offense intended to all you glorious agents out there. I really do love you. More than you know. (Call me.)

But, say one of those guards does throw you a rope and pull you out of the teeming masses outside the wall, the battle still isn't over. Publication Castle is still a shining, glorious structure in the distance. And you are still on the outside looking in. But, you are closer than ever. A glance around the COURTYARD OF THE AGENTED reveals nervous smiles, impatient fidgeting, and semi-smug mingling. Everyone is happy to be inside, but no one wants to stay there forever. All eyes are on the Castle.

And then one day, it happens. A servant from in the inner court strolls out and magnanimously points to you. You've been chosen. You will enter PUBLICATION CASTLE. Oh the joy! The rapture! You have no idea what sumptuous delights await you within those glittering walls, but you are more than ready to find out. After everything you've been through to get here, anything sounds good. And hey, who knows, you may just end up at the cool kid's table.

Modus Operandi

2009-11-18T08:16:00.002-07:00

So as you know, I've been in hard editing mode for the past seven, almost eight months. Editing mode requires a unique way of thinking and acting. It requires scrutiny, cynicism, "murdering your darlings!"

Well I've decided to start working on a new novel. You may remember, the "shiny" one I thought of lo these many months ago.

I'm finding that in order to succeed, I'll have to shift my entire method of approach. The method that I have been so careful to hone in recent months is no longer going to help me. It's time to put it away. For now. It's time to switch into first draft mode.

Happy, laughing, frolicking first draft mode.

Seriously though, I'm worried that if I don't switch gears I won't make it past the first paragraph. In fact, I've already tried to start and literally could not write a single word. Scares me, folks.

So how do you get back in the groove? How do you let yourself write freely again?

On Courage

2009-11-16T10:01:00.002-07:00

Writing is a tough business. It takes determination, skill, endurance, and, as I've learned these past few months, courage.

There are several types of courage that we need as writers. The courage to write what's in our hearts. The courage to submit our work. The courage to face criticism. Today, I want to focus on a kind of courage that I think is under-appreciated by us writers. It's the courage to get things right.

I think too often we approach edits and revisions with grim stoicism. This is something that has to be done. You are a lazy/amateurish if you don't get it done. You make this thing perfect, and don't you dare flinch about it.

As I've learned in these past months, however, that actually takes a lot of courage to say that. To say, I'm going to give this story one hundred percent. And it's not just about facing the amount of work. I'm talking about the courage to say, I'm going to give this my all no matter what.

Let's face it, when you look at the odds, rejection is inevitable. Even if you make that novel as perfect as you possibly can, it still may never see publication. And when you think of it that way, it's so easy to say, why would I put all this work into something that might fail?

That's the courage I'm talking about. The courage to be willing to put your blood, sweat, and tears into something knowing that you may not succeed in the way you hope. To push yourself to the very limit with no guarantee of reward.

It's that kind of courage that I have had to build in myself again and again over the past fourteen months. And I've seen it so many times in my writer friends. It's something we should celebrate! In my mind, writers are some of the bravest people around. And I'm truly proud to know you all.

Photoshop Friday

2009-11-13T09:42:00.004-07:00

Heard of the book, The Little Engine that Could? How about the spin off, The Little Book that Could? I've got a new one for you. This one is all about my novel/perma-WiP, Searcher. I call it:

The Little Book that Couldn't Shut Up

Nearly 15 months ago, when I first started working on this story, I was quite charmed with its determination to be the best it could be. All day, all night, I could hear its cheery chug:

Edits began in early spring, and I was pleased to hear the continual motto:

I started to get burned out in the end of summer. I even contemplated shelving the book forever. But always ringing in my ear was the call:

I recently decided that I was honestly done. That I'd reached my limit of what I was willing to do for this particular novel. I was desperate to move on. I've begged, pleaded, cried, but again and again it's been pounded into my brain, keeping me up at night, chained to the laptop all day. The cruel words:

*Author's Note: You may have noticed that this particular Photoshop Friday was annoyingly repetitive and lacking variety. Welcome to my life. :)

But . . . he's so HOT!

2009-11-10T10:03:00.002-07:00

I've been reading a certain YA novel (which shall remain unnamed,) and there's much I enjoy about it, but one thing is driving me crazy. Early on in the story, the main character falls madly in love with the requisite Bad Boy, and the only reason I can see is that he is so dangerously hot. It's really bugging me. I keep asking, "Wait, why do you like him?"

This is a somewhat disturbing trend you see in YA these days: main girl goes ga-ga for the kind of jerky, but oh so gorgeous hottie. I suppose they think it's "realistic" but I think it's actually selling teenagers short. Are there shallow girls out there who only like the hot guy? Of course. But is that how all teenage girls are? No way! In fact, I would venture that the kind of girls who are avid readers are the intelligent, well-rounded types that look for more in a guy than a six pack and big biceps.

Ladies, what attracted you to guys when you were a teenager?

I know for me, it was NOT only looks. Did a gorgeous pair of brown eyes make me melt and think I might be in love? Sure. I can admit that. But was that the sole reason why I liked a guy? Uh-NO!

I was attracted to talent. Intelligence. Humor. A guy who was genuine and not stuck up. Where are these qualities in our YA male love interests??? They are there, but falling sadly by the wayside. I want to see these kind of guys overpower the Gorgeous Bad Boy. I want to see our female protagonists develop feelings for the guy who will treat them with respect and like them for their personalities as well. Isn't that SO much more helpful to learning how to develop real, mature love?

I say, down with the hot Bad Boy! Who's with me?!

Photoshop Friday

2009-11-06T10:01:00.004-07:00

I love reality shows. I'm not ashamed to admit that. Especially the reality competition shows. I guess I relate to people fiercely striving to live their dreams. Anyway, today I was envisioning the next big hit. I call it:

America's Next Bestseller

It starts with eager writers all over the country gathering to New York City to try their luck.

The first round will test the young writer's abilities to think on their feet. They will each have to write a piece of flash fiction on a secret topic, which will be revealed, Iron Chef style by The Chairman. (Dramatic music and flashing lights included.)

After the first cuts, and many tears, the remaining contestants are given a larger assignment of editing their novels. This will test their endurance and stamina. They have 24 hours to make things perfect.

But don't worry, they'll have someone there to give them pointers and encouragement.

After the editing round, the selected finalists will face the big moment. The Readings. In front of a live audience, and the American public on TV, the writers will read excerpts from their manuscripts. These will be judged by a panel of editors and agents.

And in the end, after grueling week upon grueling week, a single writer is crowned the Next Bestseller!!

Nan-oh NO she didn't!

2009-11-04T08:19:00.002-07:00

I've been reading all these posts on NaNoWriMo lately and feeling very jealous. I find myself waxing nostalgic on the joys of writing that first draft. There's really nothing like it. It's raw creativity mode. Anything goes. Just go with your ideas and let them soar.

It occurred to me that it's been seven (almost eight?) months since I've been actually producing new material. That's seven months of all editing, only editing, all the time. I must admit, I grow weary of it. I think one of the things that makes it so tough is the lack of positive feedback. That first time through is all about "Go! go! go! This rocks! Keep going!" From yourself. From your Alpha readers.

Editing is the opposite. And it's hard to stay in that "this sucks, gotta fix it, now wait . . . now fix again, because this still sucks, now wait . . . now fix again" mode for so long.

So what are some ways you beat the editing fatigue? Or are you all happily frolicking in NaNo land and don't know what I'm talking about? *sighs* That's what I thought.

Photoshop Friday*

2009-10-31T10:51:00.003-06:00

*kind of.

Well gang, I had every intention of throwing you guys a Halloween Photoshop Friday to remember. But then I went over to Natalie's blog and well, her party is way cooler.

Granted, the fact that I won first place (WOOO!) makes me more inclined to send you over there, but it's a rockin' party either way! And if you are in the mood for my particular brand of humor, which a Photoshop Friday could have provided, just go there and read my flash fiction, Dust.

(Didn't I promise you a mummy love story? Well, you're getting it.)

In the meantime, I want to invite my fav Halloween character to express my appreciation at winning. Take it away, Teen Wolf.

Stalking in the shadows . . .

2009-10-30T09:49:00.004-06:00

It is I, Dracula. I am hanging out here on this blog, vaiting for vhat must be vunderful Photoshop Friday. But I am told that it vill come tommorrow, for a Halloveen special.

Alas! I must keep vaiting. . .

In the meantime, has anyvone ever told you that you have a lovely neck?

***Oh vait, I forgot vun thing. If you are desperately craving to see Renee's vurk, you can check out her qvery letter, vhich is now being drained of blood at Evil Editors. (He and I are pretty tight.)***

The Path to Wisdom

2009-10-28T12:15:00.003-06:00

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." -Confucius

I've been thinking a lot lately about my personal growth in regards to writing. So this quote struck me because I could see myself and my writing journey in it. In fact, I think it applies to many writers.

At one point, we try to learn by imitation, because, as Confucius says, it is the easiest. I remember myself in junior high, writing novels that were absolute rip offs of the book I had just finished reading. You should see the 1984 clone I wrote in seventh grade. Shameless. But, did I learn? Sure. Does imitation alone get you there? No.

Learning by experience, the bitterest. Oh, how well I understand this statement. Last summer, I was burning with the desire to make it. To get there. I had a book that I thought was great and I was raring to go. I plunged into querying with wild hopes and enthusiasm. Oh sure, I edited the thing, a few times even. I felt like I was putting the best product out there. But alas, I wasn't ready, not truly ready. And as a result, I faced bitter disappointment.

This year has been one of reflection for me. And I don't so much mean sitting and meditating about myself as a writer, my writing, and so forth (although as I've said before, I do spend a great deal of time pondering.) To me, reflection as related to writing simply means taking ones time. Whereas with Midas I was so fired up just to try and do it, with Searcher, I've spent over a year now working to make it the best I can. This has involved reading books on writing. Making long notes in my Moleskine just to analyze my progress. And of course, editing and editing and editing until my eyes bleed.

And you know, as tired and worn out as I have felt about it sometimes, I'm sure that I've grown. Am I there? Have I learned all I need to learn? Of course not. But I feel that at the very least, I have become, as Confucius would say, wise.

Cliches

2009-10-26T14:51:00.002-06:00

This video teaches us writers to be constantly aware of cliches. They can happen to the best of us. Please watch, if only to catch the su-WEET keyboard solo by J.J. Abrams. (Seriously.)

The Boring Blog Award goes to . . .

2009-10-19T13:23:00.002-06:00

Me.

Sorry guys, I've been VERY preoccupied lately, aka: boring. That said, I am nearly finished with the Great Tense and POV Change of 2009. (Wooooo!) But now that I'm done, I'm going out of town. So the blog will yet again go dark.

Somehow though, I don't imagine you are crying many tears. :)

See you in a week!

Busy, busy, busy, busy

2009-10-16T00:44:00.004-06:00

No Photoshop Friday today. Sorry if I disappoint. As the title to my blog states, I've been pretty, freaking busy lately. Edits and all. Oh yeah, and CHANGING THE ENTIRE TENSE AND POV OF MY BOOK.

*breathes heavily*

I'm just feeling a little tired. Look at the time I posted this! Yet another late night. In fact, I don't think I've gone to bed before one in the past seven days. Ah well. Must soldier forth.

To make up for my lack of amusement, I thought I'd borrow someone else's. Enjoy. (You can click on the picture to make it bigger.)

A Big Bottle of Crazy Sauce

2009-10-12T01:07:00.004-06:00

So remember how I was celebrating my triumph of finishing my "last big edit?" Remember? Yeah *sigh* me too.

Well apparently I have a love of self-torment, because folks, I'm doing another one! And not just any run-of-the-mill hard edit, I'm changing my entire story in first person, present tense.

(Like I said, CRAZY SAUCE!)

The reasons why are many. I think it adds to the immediacy of the story, and it better delves into the head of my main character, Jetta. My story has a lot of action, so I felt like it needed a pulse. FPP does that quite well. Only problem being that it's a HUGE amount of work.

It's more than changing over the "she said's" to "I say's." Much more. I've found myself rewriting entire scenes. In fact, I don't think a single page has gone by so far where I haven't reworked at least one whole paragraph in addition to the tense and POV changes.

But you may ask, do you think it will be worth it?

My answer: oh yeah, baby.

(Does that sound cocky to say? Sorry, it's one in the morning, and I have a strange habit of being unreasonably confident in the middle of the night.)

Photoshop Friday

2009-10-09T09:24:00.004-06:00

Lately, we've all heard a lot of talk about the Swine Flu. Seems like people are in a total hysteria over it. But most people don't know that there is a related, but even more deadly viral strain out there.

The Writer's Flu H1W1; Do you know the symptoms?

One of the first symptoms that manifests is what we call the glaze. Hypnotic staring at computer screens, printed manuscripts, and notebooks. Sufferers of the Writer Flu have been known to be lost in these trances for up to several hours at a time. Productivity during these trances is unreliable.

During what is known as the drafting stage of H1W1, many have complained of a highly complex form of schizophrenia, resulting in a constant presence of character voices in their head. The voices are said to not stop until they are "satisfied" with output of the sufferer.

In later stages of the Writer Flu, patients have been known to suffer severe manic/depressive episodes. There is a huge spike of these symptoms during the editing stage.

And on a final note, many have reported a symptom through every stage of the Writer's Flu involving torture by doubt demons, however the existence of said demons has never been medically confirmed. (All the same you might want to keep your eyes open.)

If you should feel any of these symptoms . . . join the club. :)