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Post by Admin on Oct 26, 2020 21:11:28 GMT
Time to start a new thread.
I wrote 1427 words today. The first chapter is polished and clean and ready to be looked at. I feel really good about it.
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Post by Pete on Oct 27, 2020 4:38:44 GMT
Good for you. Which story is this? Are you getting this nasty weather. We have snow and sleet.
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Post by Pete on Oct 27, 2020 4:40:13 GMT
This is the only name I can get to post on.
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Post by bill on Nov 2, 2020 4:23:35 GMT
Hello. Who are you Pete?
I decided to start Nano a few days early and to shoot for 60,000 words. I'm working on two projects - my Murder Mystery 3 and a middle grade horror story. I'll jump back and forth as I stall out and hopefully can keep the overall momentum going. Sydney and I had lunch on Friday and brainstormed some ideas for the murder mystery. I like what I have so far. Earlier in the week I plotted out the horror story. I don't think I've ever started a novel with as much of an idea of where I was going as I am with this one. That part excites me.
In four days I'm at 7,708 words. A good start, which I was hoping for. We move Sydney to Louisville this week so my word count could fluctuate. The rest of the month should be smooth sailing. We leave Wednesday, arrive Thursday, and I'll fly back on Sunday. Going to be an emotional journey for sure!
Also, my story was read on the Alone in a Room with invisible people podcast this week. Mark read it and did a great job. That was fun to hear!
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Post by Admin on Nov 3, 2020 4:18:02 GMT
I tried to listen to it but I couldn't figure out how to get to it.
I'm working on Lucky's story. I have a lot already figured out with her. I don't know if I can do her justice but I like what I've got so far.
I don't know who Pete is. I was going to ask Sharon because her nickname is Pete. I hope its her. I don't want to have to figure out how to block somebody.
Rhonda is going to be here on the weekend. Sorry you'll miss her. I was going to make turkey on Sunday but I knew the weekend was bad for you. Enjoy your time with Sydney. Does she have a place to live? I think her job is interesting. All that travel.
I really enjoyed your book signing. The energy felt good. I hope you carry on with the momentum.
I'm still waiting for life to slow down. Josh is done with speech until spring. I have two more physical therapy appointments, then I'm done. That frees up my schedule a lot.
If the poster wasn't Sharon, I'll check our settings and see if we need to change the password. I hate new passwords but we'll do what we have to do. I should see if I can move you into an administrator spot. Then you could do things too. I'm such a computer illiterate.
I think I might hire Cat to give me a couple of hours to work out the format and story line for Bite Me. Mostly, I want to make sure the format works. But I'd also like to discuss aspects of her story. I need to make a list of questions. I know you've worked with her before. Are you happy with her work?
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Post by bill on Nov 9, 2020 2:31:41 GMT
I had a great time with Sydney this week! We drove out on Wednesday/Thursday. I drove the U-haul while her and Tammy drove her car. We had her unpacked and mostly settled by the end of Thursday. She had a nice-sized studio that's recently been redone, it looks. Seems like a decent neighborhood and she's walking distance from a large mall. We did some shopping to make sure she had everything, hung out, and visited the Louisville Slugger museum and factory. That was really cool!
It was super hard to leave, but now she's on her own. I know she'll do great and now i have a greater appreciation for what Mom dealt with when I moved to California.
I've been very pleased with Cat's work. She doesn't hold her opinion back, but will do what I decide. She's been very reasonable too, financially. Well worth the money.
I'm sorry I missed Rhonda. Hopefully next time she's in Kansas I can see her. It's been a while now.
Nano - I didn't get a lot of writing done this last week, obviously, but hope to make it up this week. I'm now over 6,000 words on both my third mystery and middle grade horror story. I'm jumping back and forth. So far so good, but I haven't gotten far nor tried to write a lot consistently. We'll see how it goes from here.
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Post by Admin on Nov 10, 2020 3:31:04 GMT
Good news about Sydney and I know its super hard. I felt that when Richard and family moved to Texas.
You didn't miss Rhonda. They got to Colby, then called me saying they were turning around and going home. Jacob got a text that one of his friends had been diagnosed with Covid which invalidated his negative report. He had to get another one. She might try to come back this weekend or she might come at Thanksgiving. I'll make sure you know when, and where, she'll be.
It was a weekend full of drama. Bill was here and I got to see a lot of him and Marilyn. Sharon got to spend two nights with me so we had a wonderful sibling get-together. But Sunday morning, Marilyn was here and she got very shaky and began vomiting. She had to sit down and we ended up calling an ambulance to take her to the ER in Emporia. It turned out to be a UTI so they put her on antibiotics and she needs to remember to drink her water. She gets dehydrated really easy.
Sharon and Angie edited my first two chapters. I'll get the changed put in and tomorrow I'll write chapter 3. I'm really happy to be working again. I got good feedback from Sharon, Jody, and Angie. I need a few more readers in different age groups so I can get a feel for how the format works.
I'm still concerned about the different genre between the origin story vs. the contemporary mystery. The first half reads almost like a horror genre. The last half is more of a traditional mystery with moments of humor. I think its necessary to present both stories simultaneously because her origins explain how she became her current situation. And the mystery allows the reader breathing space from the darker origins.
I might be overthinking everything but its the first time that I have actually thought about the book as more than a story. I'm curious to see if this is a solid step upward on becoming a professional author or if I'm just reaching for pipe dreams.
At least my brain is working again. And I feel like I'm regaining some balance.
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Post by bill on Nov 11, 2020 4:07:25 GMT
Goodness, I'm glad Marilyn's situation wasn't worse than it was! And super glad you got all that sibling time. That's too bad about Rhonda and Jacob not making it. I'm afraid that's our lives for a while. Blake had to start quarantine last Thursday because a student he was in close contact with tested positive. He's feeling fine, but it's just not healthy to spend so much time in quarantine (I'm including all of the time earlier this year as well).
Your story is progressing and it's exciting to see you making progress again. I think you have a good concept and should plow ahead. It may need work later, but that's what revision is for. It doesn't have to come out perfect the first time through. Goodness knows that mine don't come anywhere near finished my first time through!
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Post by Admin on Nov 13, 2020 18:02:20 GMT
Thank you for the thank you card. I was so excited for you I was happy to be able to help out and be there. Wish it had been warmer but you had a good turnout.
Still motivated. I'm getting impatient with the progress on the house. I want the basement usable and it crawls. I'm glad someone else is doing the work because I would have just painted it and called it done. She has made cement walls look like they have been sheet rocked.
Rhonda will try to come at Thanksgiving but its possible the shelter in place may happen. I'm so tired of being isolated. It makes everything so much harder. I'm still taking music classes and getting ready to pursue the digital art. I may try to do my comic strip on it. It should be fun.
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Post by Admin on Nov 15, 2020 4:45:47 GMT
Bite Me: chapter three completed word count at: 5143 Moving on to chapter 4
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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2020 0:13:15 GMT
I can't find the missing chapters for the contemporary mystery. Rather than waste time and momentum, I'm going to write new scene cards to keep me pointed in the right direction and write new chapters. I'd probably be better off going that route anyway. My recent couple of years has deepened my understanding for death and loss as well as compassion and being alone. I think new words will carry more weight than trying to make the old ones fit.
In addition, I'll feed the origin story into each chapter so the darkness of them won't overwhelm the reader. I have no idea if my concept will work but it feels like the right thing to do at the moment.
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Post by bill on Nov 16, 2020 5:29:15 GMT
You'll have to let me know what is going on the week(end) of Thanksgiving. I'm not sure yet what I'm doing. I don't have plans yet but could end up at Susan's. Sydney will be home part of it, but I think she flies back on Friday. Anyhow, if I can work it out I'd love to come visit during that time if it works out for everyone. Of course, like everything, covid could mess things up. Blake's talking about not going to KC with me at all, not every for Christmas. He's in the middle of a quarantine because one of his classmates tested positive. He's having to study all remote and missing two weeks of work. I understand why he doesn't want to go through it again. It's just sad that we're in a spot he has to make that kind of a decision, but that's what the virus has done.
Nano - I wrote 16,349 words this week. I'm still 2,495 words behind the pace for my goal. I would have gotten caught up this weekend but I spent yesterday evening helping a friend develop a book trailer then hung out with Blake this evening. Both unplanned. But I'm in good position to get caught up and meet my goal this month. I've written a lot more words to this point on the horror story than on my mystery. I expect to switch stories some time later in the week.
Marketing - I typed up a press release this evening for When the Time is Right. I had planned to send it off this weekend, but another thing I didn't get to. I'll get it out this next week(end).
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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2020 13:22:20 GMT
Rhonda and Jacob is supposed to arrive on Thanksgiving day which means we'll probably do Thanksgiving sometime that weekend. Covid always messes things up but if you could come over on Friday or Saturday, we could plan a Thanksgiving around whatever day you could be here.
Regardless, I would love to see you. I'd also like a day sometime when you could bring something you want feedback on and maybe we could bounce ideas back and forth. I posted on Holly's WABWM board that I'm having trouble showing my work. I've never been afraid to get it seen before. It bothers me that I'm starting to have issues with not wanting to leave the house, not wanting my work shared. This isn't like me to be fearful. I may have to schedule a therapy session or something. I'm wondering if it part of the grieving process that I don't recognize, or haven't faced, but it's beginning to hamper my ability to work.
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Post by bill on Nov 18, 2020 3:33:38 GMT
I'm checking with Susan to see if they might be interested in coming. I won't get Blake to go anywhere because he's sitting in quarantine and doesn't want to risk it happening again. He doesn't even want to go to KC to visit Susan and his cousins. Can't say I blame him because he missed out on a lot.
I have some vacation to use up before the end of the year and would love to come over and talk writing. And any time you want me to look at something I would be glad to. There is so much uncertainty in our world right now that it has most of us off, but with the move and the loss of Hank you've been through a lot more turmoil than many. I think it's understandable that you're not functioning at your normal level right now. Be gracious with yourself and give it time.
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Post by Admin on Nov 18, 2020 4:31:51 GMT
Nyla said she's not sure if Rhonda is going to come. I've stopped hoping and simply rolling with whatever happens. I still want to cook something and will go with whoever wants to get together. I know I've got enough room without us being too crowded. I really hope the virus gets under control soon. Its getting old.
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