Just Jen

Today started a donation drive for NaNoWriMo (for those of you new around here, that’s National Novel Writing Month.) Camp NaNoWriMo will debut this summer. Even as an ML (Municipal Liaison), I don’t know much about it, only that it will allow for noveling in months other than November. I don’t know if that means just summer months, since it’s “Camp,” or if it will be year round. Either way, I’m very excited to learn more, and can’t wait to get my donor goodies – a NaNoWriMo bumper sticker for my car!!

The donation drive has set off some early planning between the other Jen and me. We’re already asking for donations – either money to help us reserve a location for the kickoff party, since our region has grown so huge, or items for a raffle. We’re thinking about opening a CafePress of Zazzle store to sell St. Louis NaNo themed items (all proceeds will go towards planning St. Louis area events, with any extra going directly to NaNo.) We’ve already gotten some feedback from participants. It’s getting me super excited about November!

I even have an idea of what I might write for NaNo this year. I have 2 ideas, actually. One is Deceived, the third book in my urban fantasy series. The other is something totally different, totally out of my comfort zone. It’s a sci-fi story. I read a little bit of sci fi, but have never even thought about writing it. But a friend of mine had a fascinating idea and I asked her if I could steal it for a novel. She agreed, so I just might give it a shot.

Oh! I just had another idea related to that sci-fi novel. Rather, of how to tie it into an idea that’s been floating around in my head for many years now. I love exciting moments of inspiration like that! And you were here to see this one in action!

But back to NaNoWriMo. If you can, please donate. It will help them to fortify their servers so there are fewer crashes, less downtime. Last year, the site was down almost the entire first week of November because of heavy traffic. It was quite frustrating for all involved. They’ll also use the money to start building Camp NaNoWriMo for kids (for the Young Writer’s Program.) See the website for all the exciting details. NaNoWriMo has been such an integral part of my life the past 3 years, I donated…maybe a little more than I should have, as now I’ll be living off pasta for the next week rather than going grocery shopping for fruits and veggies and Boca burgers, but it’s worth it to me.

And darn it, I wanted that bumper sticker!

No, it’s not writing, but it sounds like it.  There was some rain in the forecast today, but supposedly it was just going to be a few showers in the middle of the day.  So, I decided to ride to work.  It’s been a particularly rough week for various reasons, and riding calms me.  I got ready, walked outside, locked the door, and as soon as I turned to walk to my bike I felt some sprinkles.  I paused for a moment, considered driving, and said, screw it.  A little rain never hurt anyone.  It sprinkled all the way to work, but I didn’t get very wet at all.  I hoped it would dry up by quitting time.

It didn’t. It rained softly all day, so I got to ride home in the rain. I haven’t ridden in the rain since I started riding again last year, so I was a little nervous. I’m not that worried about myself, it’s all the other nutjobs out there. My coworkers gave me no end of grief on what a great day I chose to ride into work. I told them, “Better getting wet on the way home, where I have dry clothes, than on the way in.”

I suited up and headed home, expecting a nervewracking ride through the peak of rush hour. Then I realized something surprising – the rain didn’t bother me at all. Sure, I was even more observant of my surroundings than usual, but I wasn’t at all stressed out. By the time I got home, I was more relaxed than when I left work. A rainy rush hour is infinitely better on my bike than in my car. I’ll just be sure to dig out my rainsuit, then I’ll be ready to ride to work a lot more often.

(I haven’t done any more editing since my last post. My online critique group has decided to take a bit of a break, since we all seem to be at a bit of a standstill. We’re going to regroup at the end of June, and most likely start up again in July. That gives me time to catch up on the 4 critiques I still haven’t reviewed.)

Last Thursday I took on the role of Responsible Adult, skipped the Beats Antique concert I’d been looking forward to for months, and stayed home to edit.  Why?  I had a sudden spark of motivation and desire to edit.  It’s been months since I’ve done any work on Divided, so I knew I had to seize that strange motivation.  I have 3 months worth of critiques from my online critique group waiting for me to look at them.  That’s 6 critiques (there are 2 other people in the group besides myself.)  I got through 2 of them, and skimmed another 2.  That section needs a LOT of work, and I wasn’t up to it just then.  Ever since Thursday, I’ve felt as if I’m back on the editing wagon, though I haven’t had the time or energy to do so.

I’m sorry to have missed the concert, but Beats Antique seems to make somewhat frequent stops in St. Louis.  I just saw them less than a year ago, so I’m hopeful they’ll be back in the next year.  But I’m glad I stayed home to edit.  I hesitate to say so for fear of jinxing it, but I may have gotten the spark back.  Maybe not quite for writing yet, but at least editing.  There were some very good suggestions, and I love when I’m able to incorporate someone’s comments into my writing to make it better.  It’s a great feeling.

Saturday was my birthday, so the weekend was filled with a lot of celebration.  Yesterday was more laid back, but seeing the small amount of sleep I’d gotten, I spent much of the day lounging in bed with my puppies, and another chunk of it riding my motorcycle.  After riding, I decided I needed a nap before going to my parents’ house to celebrate Mother’s Day and watch Game of Thrones.  So, no editing was done.

I may do a bit of editing when I finish typing up this post.  Or not…I’m still feeling a bit sleep deprived.  Mondays tend to do that to me.  I might have taken a nap after work, but I went to yoga instead, and am very happy I did.  Linda, my (now sometimes) teacher, was in town.  She moved to Texas last month, but will come back once every month or 2 to teach some classes.  I had really missed her yoga routine.  I love the new teachers, but Linda’s routine is a great workout without being too strenuous.  I’m going to try to write it all down so I can do it on my own at home sometimes.

But I digress.  Yoga, no nap, Monday, busy weekend.  And the start of the St. Louis humidity, which always wipes me out. So, I may just curl up in bed with a good book, and call it a night early.  Wednesday is Creative Meetup, the monthly gathering of some Wrimos who want to write year round, so I’ll have plenty of time to edit then.

NOTE: This is a guest post by Beth Barany.

Thanks Jen for hosting me on your blog for my first stop for my Summer Tour for my fantasy novel, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, coming out in print June 1. The electronic edition is already available. I’ll be offering two giveaways to my readers during the tour. Read on for how to participate and be eligible to win prizes!

I gotta say love kick ass heroines, but not the cartoonish ones that just seem like doubles for boys. I like the ones that are molded by their environment, like Bones of the TV show of the same name, or like Senneth in Mystic & Rider by Sharon Shinn.

But I haven’t always had such wonderful role models. (I share some of my favorites on my blog here: http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog/2011/03/16/kick-ass-heroines-part-3/)

Growing up I read tons of fairytales when I wasn’t running around playing Capture the Flag or Ollie Ollie Oxen Free or roaming the open fields in Sonoma, California. I loved those fairytales. But by the time I was a teenager I was so tired of all those tales where the boy — never a girl — goes after the dragon or the giant or some other monster.

That’s why I created Henrietta The Dragon Slayer. I created my own hero — a girl who kicks butt and has a reason to! I love hero stories and wanted to create my own where the characters strive to transform and make their world a better place.

About Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, a fantasy novel for ages 12 and up:

Henrietta, the legendary Dragon Slayer of the Kingdom of Bleuve, can’t stomach the thought of one more kill. Yet, in order to save her dying mentor, she must go on one last quest. But will the quest for the healing.

You can read an excerpt here: http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog/beth-barany-novelist/excerpt-of-henrietta-the-dragon-slayer/

This novel is fantasy and my work-in-progress is a paranormal YA novel set in my home town. I’m bored by writing about reality. I don’t see the world like most people do; I know and feel in my gut that there are multiple layers of reality, so it’s my job as a writer to capture that through my fiction. That’s why I write fantasy and paranormal. Even the few short stories I’ve written are fantastical.

People ask me where my ideas come from, and perhaps like lots of writers I tell them that my ideas just pop into my mind, like little bubbles, some more clear in shape and form than others. I’m also deeply inspired by music of all kinds, movies, books, conversation, dance — my own!, and by visual art. But really anything can set my imagination running: a skyline, a new town, the way a rose smells, the taste of nutmeg, my husband’s smile, the tinkle of piano keys, the rumble of the train in the distance.

I wasn’t always able to capture my thoughts on the page, though. I used to only be able to write snippets of stories and feel angst at the blank page. Now, as a book coach, I totally understand what it’s like to have writer’s a block and not get past the desire to write. Oh — the frustration! I experienced that for years until a big whammy happened: getting rejected from graduate school. You guys don’t know, but I’ve been pretty lucky my whole life, going after and getting what I wanted, especially academically. But this?! I spent three month in a fog, not knowing what I was going to do with the rest of my life.

After I got over the disorienting sting of rejection I had to have that serious talk with myself about what I really wanted. Without hesitation I knew what it was, what I could finally admit to myself: I wanted to be a novelist. I was 30. It was about time I admitted that.

The journalism school had read that statement of desire in my application. I just hadn’t seen it: where it said the real reason I want to go to journalism school was because I wanted to get close to people and write novels. Oh. So it was “sh*t or get off the pot” time. Did I want to be a novelist or not? I said yes, joined a critique group and the rest is history.

Well, not exactly. It did take me five years to write my first book, then I had to go meandering into romance, then finally I found my way found my way back to my first love: fantasy.

Jen asked me to mention pets, so I’ll just end with this: My cats, Kitty and Leo, talk. And I talk back.

Now if my cats could talk to you, they’d say: Answer this question to enter in the giveaway: What inspires you the most and why?

Everybody who posts an answer will enter to win May’s drawing for a free copy — print or electronic of Henrietta The Dragon Slayer. Please be sure you enter your email. Also, everyone who posts an answer is also eligible to win the grand prize giveaway in August of the Dracontias necklace around Henrietta’s neck.

Just wanted to put out a quick update. Be sure to stop by Friday when I’ll have a guest post from Beth Barany. Her new book, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, will be out June 1. I love dragons, so am looking forward to what Beth has to share with us!

Here’s a link to Beth’s website:

http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog/beth-barany-novelist/

This week has included just about everything except writing of any sort, it seems.  Overtime at work, wedding planning (the cake and rings are now ordered), taking my dog to the vet (for which we’re still awaiting results of blood work – should get that Monday) and not enough sleep.  Last night I went to sleep at 8PM and didn’t wake up until 7:50AM this morning.  I needed that long sleep so badly, and felt so much better today.  But it meant I got absolutely nothing done.  And now that I have a night to myself, and energy, I’m not sure what to work on.  I feel a bit scattered as I type this.  I could work on How to Think Sideways.  I could try to catch up on my critiques (I have 3 submission rounds for which I haven’t even looked at my critiques yet…that’s 3 months worth, 6 total.)  I could work on the final phase of my Secret Project.  I’m not sure if I feel like working on any of that.  I think I’m going to try to get through 2 of my critiques…that might be good since I’m up to submit again next week.  And I’ll read through some of the HTTS lessons (though I may not do the exercises that go along with them.)  Or maybe I’ll do something else entirely.

As a side note (and I’m not being paid to say this) if you want to take How to Think Sideways, you should sign up now.  Holly Lisle added a ton of new material to the course, and at midnight tomorrow (April 30) the price is going up $150.  Even though I’ve been procrastinating a lot and am ridiculously behind, it’s a wonderful class.  My procrastination is all my own reasons, and has nothing to do with the quality of the lessons.  It’s not a cheap course, but if you can afford $25 a month for 12 months, I highly recommend it.

And now, off to do…….something.  But first, I have to feed the dogs.  Doggies always come first. 

One of my favorite movies as a child was The Last Unicorn. I’ve only watched it once as an adult, and I was struck with how sad the story really is. It’s not just a pretty movie about unicorns. I watched it again tonight, and I was struck by the deeper meaning in the story, if you look. One thing I took away form it is that greed destroys beauty, innocence, and magic. Another is a quote from Schmendrick the Magician – “There are no happy endings because nothing ends.” The second part of that is hopeful, in a way, but the first, bleak.

Obviously we grow with age, but sometimes it amazes me just how much. A child is too innocent to grasp the message about greed. The unicorn Amalthea is like that child. She can feel sorrow, but she cannot regret, or love. Children love their family, but do not truly understand the meaning of love until they are older. Children are pure, good, untouched by evil (though some might argue against the evil part!) Amalthea’s journey to seek the others like herself is akin to a child’s journey to adulthood. When we leave the safety of our forest we are subjected to the cruelties of the world – greed, ignorance, evil. But we also learn the wonders that are possible – love, friendship, bravery.

I never before cried at this movie. Tonight I cried six times; the first at the opening credits, as the unicorn began her journey from the safety of her forest. It made me think of my own journey in life so far, my own lessons about the existence of greed and ignorance, of the dangers of blind trust. In a way, it makes me long for the simpler time of childhood, when the world didn’t seem to harsh and complex. But of course no one can stay a child forever, and even if we could, we would miss so much beauty incomprehensible to the eyes of a child. I suppose what I really want back is just a little bit of that childish wonder, carefree attitude, and belief in good and magic. I can have that, if I let go of my pain and bitterness, forgive those who have wronged me, and let myself trust and believe.

I can be The Last Unicorn.

I’ve been wanting to get back to writing fiction. I’ve written blog posts, written in my journal, but haven’t written any fiction since November. I said I was just going to sit down and freewrite and see what came of it. Well, what came of it wasn’t fiction. Not yet anyway. Maybe eventually it will, but I’m a little impatient. I know some would say if there’s nothing I want to write, then maybe I should just keep waiting. But I don’t want to keep waiting, I want to write. I just don’t know what!

So I’m going to ask you, my loyal readers. What should I write about? I don’t guarantee I’ll use your suggestion, but I will consider each one carefully. If I do use it, I’ll dedicate the story to you. You can give me a word, a sentence, a whole plot idea, whatever you want to throw at me. I’m curious to see where my imagination will go with ideas from other people. I tried this once before, and I had a good idea for the story based on the guidelines given me, but never quite got it implemented. Maybe I’ll go back to that story, because the idea I came up with still intrigues me.

I also think I need to pull Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones” off the shelf and do some timed writings based on that. I usually came up with something decent from that…it’s one thing I miss about when my writing group met weekly.

So throw your weirdest, most bizarre (or most normal) ideas at me. I’m ready for the challenge!

NOTE: This is a guest post by Traci Bell.

Like most writers, I’ve always had characters in my head. Unlike a lot of writers, I was rather misguided as to how I channeled them. I grew up playing with blocks and drawing houses. I majored in architecture in college. About two years in, I switched majors. I wanted to make my design about the characters in my head, but the professors only cared about concepts, materials, etc. You’d think that would have clued me in to my true passion, but no. I have a rather hard head.

I got married right out of college. Five years later that marriage fell apart. I started writing, just to cope with the loss, the guilt, the hurt, and the sense of failure that came with the divorce. When I was finished with the story, I put it away and didn’t think about it anymore. Again… hard head.

I was blessed to find my husband and get remarried. For the next few years I did what any working mother of two small children does – I chased little people in a haze of exhaustion.

In 2007 I was inspired to write again. The manuscript I wrote during my divorce is buried in a forgotten drawer and bless its heart, it will stay hidden there. The characters are fleshed out, but the plot is missing. My second attempt at writing a novel was marginally better. My plot could hold its own, though the manuscript still had issues with pacing, point of view, and tension. By the time I started my third novel, I was addicted. I took writing classes. I read books on writing. I joined writing groups.

I know writers who love to plot and put each scene in their novels on note cards to map out their story. Once they have so many “scene” cards they start the first draft. I tried that and ran for the hills, screaming in panic.

When I start a novel, I know where it’s going and where it will end. I know my characters. Past that knowledge, it’s through my characters that I find my story. They surprise me with where they lead me, and I think some of my best scenes never would have happened had I planned them out.

I have a real passion for the theme in my third novel, which is that your beliefs can hinder you or empower you. As I improved my craft, I told myself that I must believe I could get my third novel published. That belief was there, in the back of my mind, pushing me to learn, to write, to grow. As my heroine, Cassie, learned to believe in herself, so I learned to believe in myself.

That third novel, titled Entangled, was accepted for publication by Crescent Moon Press. I’ve gotten good reviews on Entangled, reviews that make me feel ready to take on the world!

About a month ago, I started drafting a new novel. I went from riding the clouds to hiding under my bed, wondering if I had a fourth story in me. The mind can be a sneaky organ, filling itself with doubt if you let it.

So I had to dust off what I learned writing Entangled and remember that it takes daily recommitment, positive affirmations, and just plain hard work to follow one’s passion – be it writing, playing a sport or an instrument, or learning a new skill. Despite the doubts that plague us, the obstacles that rise up in our paths, the negativity of those we encounter on whatever path we’ve chosen – we must believe.

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” ~ Gail Devers

Thanks for letting me share my journey. I invite you to read about Cassie’s journey of belief in Entangled. It’s available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance ebooks. You can find out more at http://TraciBell.net/.

Blurb:
When divorced teacher Cassie Miller dreamt about meeting her soul mate, her happily-ever-after didn’t include threats of abduction to a parallel world to help him save his people from imminent destruction.

Alexos de Werner, exiled prince of a land now under Republican rule, is searching for the woman that can help stop the disasters devastating his home province of Ennis, in his world of Caedmon. Alex will do anything to save his people, even if they don’t want his help.

Unnerved by the connection she feels with Alex and the new abilities awakening inside her, Cassie refuses Alex’s request for help as ludicrous. A demonstration of his otherworldly abilities convinces Cassie her only choice is to help him.

Once on Caedmon, Cassie must learn to trust Alex and accept her gift before Ennis is lost. Can she open her heart and mind and become the student instead of the teacher?

I crossed out a couple of my Writing Year 2011 Goals. The first part of the year has been rough on my for personal reasons, so I’m going to be a little easier on myself with my writing projects. The list is still ambitious, but I still feel it’s doable.

One thing I realized today is, I simply haven’t felt like working on my urban fantasy series. I still love it, but I’m at a tough point. I need to edit Divided, and I hate editing. I need to finish Ravaged, but both times I’ve tried to work on it I’ve crashed and burned, so I’m a little gun shy. I want to complete these both this year, because I want to write the 3rd book, Deceived, for NaNoWriMo, and I think that will be easiest if the other 2 are complete. At the very least, I would like to finish writing Ravaged.

For the moment, however, I’ve decided I need to get back on the writing bandwagon. It doesn’t matter what I write, I just need to write. I have an idea for a short story that grew out of How to Think Sideways (on which I’m stalled at Lesson 9…I’ll get back to it eventually. I pushed my goal completion date back.) I think I’m going to work on this short story. Or I’m just going to sit down and freewrite and see what comes out of it. Anything to get me writing again, because while I’ve written blog posts, I haven’t written any fiction since mid-November.

And I’m going to admit something a little scary out here in public. The thought has crossed my mind that maybe – just maybe – my urban fantasy series isn’t meant to be. I really don’t think that’s true, because I still LOVE the stories (even Divided, which I’ve read through many times for many rounds of editing already.) I absolutely ADORE my characters. And I really do want to see what happens in these yet-unwritten or unfinished stories. So deep down I know this series will work for me. I still believe this will be the one that gets me published. I feel it deep down. So I’m just going to go easy on it right now. Maybe it isn’t right RIGHT NOW. Maybe it just needs a little more time. Maybe I just need a little more time. But that little doubt – it’s just my fear of failure creeping in. I won’t listen to it.

So now I’m off to feed the dogs, then sit outside on this beautiful night (because while you’ll be reading this Tuesday morning, I’m writing it Monday night) and do some freewriting, old fashioned pen-and-paper style. (Random thought…sitting outside might not be the best idea for my allergies – which are already acting up – but add a cup of hot tea and fresh air is the perfect idea for my soul.)

And don’t forget about my guest post from Traci Bell on Friday. She sent it to me on Monday, and you won’t want to miss what she has to share with you.