It's NaNoWriMo Season Again...

Since I don't live near family (or extended family or friends), holidays don't mean as much to me now as they did when I was a kid. It's a bummer, because I loved holidays (or the food, get-togethers and presents that came with them).

Trying to pretend that a couple with no children can enjoy, say, Christmas without having anyone to share things with, is kind of a lot of bull (at least in my own experience). The cat would destroy any decorations I put up, and those decorations (if they're not destroyed) would be a pain to clean up in February.

Now, I'm not one of those no-fun people who begrudges YOU of having a nice time with your family, but I realize I need to focus my energy on something different instead of thinking this year might be the same as when I was ten, knowing full well it won't be.

My new holiday: NaNoWriMo.

In one month, it'll be here. The website has already wiped last year clean and gone live with it's 2010 version. The forums are ready for my obscure questions that usually start out, "I promise, I'm just doing research for a novel..."

My only problem is that I'm just not very excited this year. Maybe once I get started or get my outline ironed out, it'll be different. For now, I've been working as much as I can on Awake, trying to get it edited and ready to show to someone - but for whatever reason, it is taking me forever to get through it! I also need to finish editing The Silent Treatment so I can get that thing sent out. I guess the real problem is that I've got so much to work on right now, adding another novel to the mix might not be what I need.

On the other hand, distancing myself from my current projects might bring me back more refreshed when the month is over. I guess I'll see how I feel on Halloween night when I'm sitting in my apartment with a bucket of candy, knowing no kids are coming to my door. I'll probably want a project then.

Love pt. 2

As far as making contact with published authors is concerned, it's been a very good week or so.

The latest installment involved Kyra Davis' contest for a $100 gift card to Starbucks -- which I won!

I think my first order is going to have to be a Caramel Brownie Frappuccino in honor of Sophie Katz (a drink she mentions a few times in Sex, Murder and a Double Latte).


When I'm not on Twitter ...


I'm getting critiques on The Silent Treatment. So far, the new version of the first chapter is getting really good response, so I'm working on getting the rest of the novel finished and off to some more agents. I should get to work.

Love

You guys, I think I've found my fictional match.
In 2008, I wrote a novel called The Silent Treatment; the next year, Exchange, both starring the same main character, Kat Shergill. She's spunky and sarcastic--sure she still needs a little work (and representation), but the start is there.

This afternoon, I finished reading a novel called Sex, Murder and a Double Latte by Kyra Davis. For the past 3 days, I've been thrilled that I finally found something similar to what I want to write. Sophie Katz, our heroine, is spunky and sarcastic (like my creation), but she's also sexy and has quite a mouth on her. She's bi-racial (like Kat, but not the same two races), and has the word "Kat" in her name (which I hope I won't have to change now!).
Instead of being jealous that I hadn't thought of the story first, I was happy I found another author I could identify with. (And lest Ms Davis stumble upon this blog and get creeped out by my fandom ... it's just regular, nice fandom.)

One thing this book has definitely done is given me renewed interest in editing The Silent Treatment, and possibly starting a third adventure in the series.

Another book I finished was I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley. Like David Sedaris, it's best to have her read the stories to you. I'm sure she's got a busy schedule, so I got the audiobook instead.
Besides the amusing stories and laugh-out-loud moments when she said she experienced something I thought only I went through (like finding it annoying when a movie character shares my name), I was impressed by her writing ability. It was smooth, easy, and very smart. Looking forward to her next book!

So basically this week, I've been shown up by two different people: two people who write in very different styles, very different topics. Much love to them both - maybe one day I'll be able to buy them a coffee and pick their brains. Kyra, Sloane, if you're reading this, I'm serious. I have $5 with your name on it.

Coming up with titles is hard

It's Sunday. Statistically speaking, this is the most boring day of the week for me -- and why? I slave the entire week and end up staring at the walls when I could be hanging with my famous troupe of friends? (I say "famous" but I guess I really mean "imaginary")

Getting some critiques on Awake and The Silent Treatment. Having one's work critiqued is extremely good; however, after getting the notes, it's not so good to sulk and contemplate giving up writing altogether. It's a hard process -- it's all subjective, which makes it even more difficult to give or receive critiques.
But a word to any other budding authors out there: always say "thank you". No one wants to say anything harsh; every time I have to tell someone, "I didn't connect with the main character," I feel bad - and the person who says it to me feels bad too. We're all trying to better each other, not be mean.

That being said, my manuscript is now RIDDLED with revision suggestions (which could actually make the revision easy), so I'll be busy with that for a while before I submit it anywhere else.

Still reading, too

Finished listening to Carrie by Stephen King. Boy oh boy, the man can tell a story! I love the suspense technique he used through the whole novel - I've never seen the movie or read the book before, but basically from the first chapter you know what's going to happen at the end. That's what makes it scary, though, because you're left guessing exactly how it's going to happen, or when. I'm also really impressed with the way Mr. King portrays his characters: in this story (haven't read all his stuff, so I don't want to make a blanket statement), everyone is very human. Carrie is picked on and humiliated -- oh yeah, and has telekinesis. The story ends at the place the characters logically take it, without anyone suddenly turning into a freaky monster, void of any emotion.



Music is also very good

As I may have mentioned before, music is a big help to me either while writing or just walking around the city. My favorite artist just released a new album, so I'm all over it right now. If any of you are interested in music without English lyrics, check out Tarkan's Adımı Kalbine Yaz.

craziness!

Though my brain is pretty numb at the moment, I've been inching my way through The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage)by Stieg Larsson. So far, it's very entertaining - a nice way to relax. Only about 80 pages through, though, so that's not really enough to give a review.

My writer's group probably hates me because I've been falling woefully behind on critiquing (hi Lisas!). (Of course, I say "hate" in the exaggerated sense; they're very nice people.) And while I'm not doing any corrections on the novel of mine they're currently reading (The Silent Treatment), I have been making meager progress on Awake. Trying very hard to get it polished (well, second draft, at least) for my Nanowrimo CreateSpace prize, but editing 400 pages in a month looks daunting, especially since it's taken me 5 months to edit 80. (Let's just say there are portions of the story that have to be rewritten since I banged out 120,000 words in a month. Yeah. Some of it is insane babbling because I was crazed by the contest. Happens to us all, I guess.)

Speaking of Nanowrimo, it's June now, and I'm starting to get bummed that I don't have an idea for something to write this November. Usually, I'd be sketching out my outline right about now. Maybe I'll pants it this year.



P.S. This is Smitten, who likes to sit on the back of my chair while I'm writing.

I didn't realize I was going to get this, but here it is!  Feedback on my Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award excerpt:

p.s. if you'd like to read the excerpt that these people read, please download this short TXT file.

Feedback

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Reviews

ABNA Expert Reviewer

What is the strongest aspect of this excerpt?

The excerpt is well-written overall but what I really liked about it was Kat's interaction with Bridget, which seemed realistic and lively and fresh. I like their easy banter.

What aspect needs the most work?

I think overall this is a really strong entry. There were just a couple of things that gave me pause. (1) Kat's interaction with the policeman in the first chapter was odd. Specifically, these two passages:

A. "What's the matter? Why are you hugging
yourself?" the cop asked, rather coarsely. His
name tag read Brown. "You cold?"

-- If she's standing there barely dressed and soaking wet, the answer to this is obvious. Anyway, it doesn't seem like a question the policeman would be likely to ask.

B. "We could just," she
started, giving Officer Brown a tiny smile and
tilting her head back toward the apartment.

-- I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean. The context would suggest that she just wants to talk in her apartment. But this certainly sounds like she's coming on to him, which makes no sense within the story and is just very weird.

(2) Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt that anyone named Katrina these days gets a conversation about New Orleans whenever they introduce themselves. And I find it hard to believe that someone would legall change their name because of it.

What is your overall opinion of this excerpt?

Apart from the small problems I had with the story, as mentioned above, I really enjoyed this one. I think the writing is good, starting with the description of Kat standing in the rain at the beginning. And I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Kat and Bridget. Hopefully there's more of that to come in the story. I'm not sure what will happen given the drama with which the story starts, but I would definitely keep reading this one if I had the book in hand.

ABNA Expert Reviewer

What is the strongest aspect of this excerpt?

The minutia of the day-to-day grind of the average American hits the reader head-on with an unrelenting encounter of the mundane, tedious toil that makes up life. Incredibly accurate portrayal of time consuming chit-chat, social obligation and random encounters that leave the reader reeling.

What aspect needs the most work?

The excerpt is a victim of its own success...it does such a good job portraying the "common man" (or woman in this situation) that the reader wants to escape the tedium and mindless chit-chat. Also, doesn't seem like it would appeal to a general audience but rather fall into the "chick lit" category or better yet, a movie transcript.

What is your overall opinion of this excerpt?

Soft diversion of modern day working woman. Chick lit that makes for easy reading and comforting commonality among working class young women. For some reason, this seems like it would make a better transcript than a book...high on visualization but low on plot.

How cool is that?  I'm very happy with those 2 reviews (mostly the 1st one).  Dangit -- so I didn't go to the next round!  With reviews like that, I can actually go back and re-edit with those few tips and make it awesome.  And heck, I'll even take the "Chick Lit" category.

Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award

Well, this is a first!  I made it to the second round!

Exchange

For those of you who read and loved The Silent Treatment (pictured to the right in printed book form), I wrote another "episode" back in February, featuring the same basic characters.  This is sort of my answer to Nancy Drew.

Since I finished up with my mammoth outline for Awake (which I'll be doing the first draft for in November ... but you already knew that), I needed something to occupy my time.  Exchange has been happily sitting in my "novels" folder for quite a few months now, and I figure it's about time to get it polished up and send it out to work.

A Physical Copy

Who would have thought I'd be so excited about a single, physical copy of my story ... looking like a real live book? It's a good thickness (as you can see from the previous post, where I have it between other, "officially" published books by authors I enjoy), and it's got my name on the cover. What could be better?

(I guess what could be better is if I found this same book at Barnes and Noble or on the NY bestseller list. ... maybe later.)

Even though I've read the darn thing about 50 times by now (because of the extensive editing I put it through in just a short time), opening the cover and sneaking out a few paragraphs is more enjoyable than I thought it would be.

Even though the above-mentioned project has come to an end, I still have two other stories (at least) in various stages of done-ness. One is a sequel (or second in a series) to The Silent Treatment, using the same main characters, but moving them to Germany (because who wouldn't want to go to Germany??), and kidnapping one of them. What is a mystery series without a good kidnap? This story is in its rough draft stage, and I haven't looked at it since February.

The second project is a rewrite of something I've been messing around with for the better part of a decade. Though I've "written" the story TWICE now, it's again in its outline stage. Each time it gets better ... I have high hopes for the third try. It follows five people who wake up in a locked museum. If I told you any more, I'd have to kill you. All I can say is that from the time the characters wake up to the time the mystery is finally resolved, I'm hoping to leave my dear readers with a "wow, that was ... wild" feeling. In a good way.

Every time I re-work the story (which I've titled Awake, since first the characters physically wake up, but then they become conscious of what they've actually experienced), I realize it goes a lot further than I thought. Either this novel is what's going to make me famous, or it's complete crap that won't ever see the light of day. I guess we'll find out!

Outline

About 8 days left until Novemeber, and I'm already off to a great start. My outline is over 10,000 words long, and I've got to say, I'm rather proud of it. I surprised myself with a few plot turns that I think will work really nicely in the end.