December 11, 2015 (Just after Midnight here actually)
Today's Soundtrack: Mariah Carey "Obsessed"
So what has this writer been up to so close to the start of the New Year?
I've been busy, is what's been going on. If you watch my Facebook or watch my Youtube, you know that I've been busy at work putting up Christmas decorations and the such. It's hard work putting them up since I haven't been feeling very good lately.
Seriously just run down and exhausted. So tired at the moment. All I want to do is curl up and ignore the world as it is. Just so damn tired.
But I have to push through this. I'm actually able to just stop and relax finally. I still have things to do but not as much as I did.
Okay, so let me break down the last 10 days for you guys.
Dec 1: I went with my friend to Wal-Mart. She does her banking there since it's local and it's right there in the store, so we pulled the needed money and broke up what we had to. She had people to pay back, bills to pay and stuff to buy. We spent the next hour picking up things that both her and I needed. I got the last of my mother's presents and bought my friend some things. Which was fun.
Dec 2: Went food shopping with my other friend. Her money comes in on the first, food stamps the 2nd. We hit Sam's Club first and seeing as it's snow bird season (and if you don't know what that is, you don't live in no-snow country), so it was busy and packed. Tweaked me enough to send me into a slight panic attack.
Dec 3: Decorating.
Dec 4: First day of Physical therapy for my shoulder. It wasn't all that fun okay? I was sore.
Dec 5: More decorating.
Dec 6: Food shopping for my household. Funs.
Dec 7: I would have had PT but they didn't have any openings so I went with a friend across the Cali border to do some shopping. Giant hams, nearly three hours on the road, and no tablet to read things on. I was exhausted.
Dec 8: And yet more decorating, cleaning and trying to just SIT for ten seconds. Didn't happen and I took pain killers.
Dec 9: Yep, that's right. PT. They added two more exercises onto what I was already doing. And I was still drugged from the night before. I came home and proceeded to have the worst panic attack that I've ever had in the last two years. I called my friend and someone who has become a touchstone long ago.
She helped me calm down. Along with the cup of Sleepy Time Vanilla. I was sore, shakey and on uneven ground after it. But I got past it.
I also got a hug from a wonderful friend who also shared her chocolate with me. The chocolate was gone in the hour after she left but the hug helped me focus.
Dec 10: FINALLY I got to just stop. I spent most of the day writing actually and plotting.
So what's on today's schedule?
Well, I'm going to PT today, later in the afternoon. But beyond that I'm pretty much just going to relax and enjoy myself. And talk with friends on Forward Motion chat because they give me such lovely ideas.
Now, what am I working on writing wise?
Well, outside of When My Eyes Close (Nano 2015), I'm working on Book 1 of The Honey Drops Series, which I'm tentatively calling Just a Little Taste. I have about 6 books planned out for this series, plus a 7th book to hold any side stories that don't fit into the books themselves. So far, I have one story that's set around book 3 or so.
When My Eyes Close is actually book 1 in a duology. Bellamy, one of my main characters, decided he wanted his own book so I'm going to follow that line and do so. Just need to plan that out.
It'll be fun. I hope.
I pray.
I've also been fuddling around with Follow Me Down, which is a fantasy something that I'm not sure as to what I want to do with it. But it'll be fun. I hope.
So that's what I've been up to. I'm going to go game some more and then crash out.
Merry Christmas.
Happy Yule.
Happy Holidays.
Whatever.
May the world shine bright this holiday season for you.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Nano Day 7 - November 7, 2015
Day 7
November 7, 2015
Today's theme song: Divergence by MEJIBRAY
Got this done finally. Just enjoy. I'm to tired to deal with a long blog post. *dies*
Nano Day 6 - November 6, 2015
Nano Day 8 to 10 - November 8, 2015 to November 10, 2015
November 7, 2015
Today's theme song: Divergence by MEJIBRAY
Got this done finally. Just enjoy. I'm to tired to deal with a long blog post. *dies*
Nano Day 6 - November 6, 2015
Nano Day 8 to 10 - November 8, 2015 to November 10, 2015
Friday, November 6, 2015
Nano Day 6 - November 6, 2015
November 6, 2015
Today's theme: "The Bund" by The Shanghai Restoration Project
Hello all! I am here to share what I have been up to today. Which was quite a lot but some of it is extremely personal so I'm not going to get into that today.
What I am going to get into is where my writing stands as of now. Quick widget:
This is pretty much telling me that in 6 days I have made 21 percent of my 50K word count goal. And that's really rather good for me. :D I'm proud of myself. :D
Especially since Wednesday was just such a flop. That's where getting in some sexual bits come in handy since I tend to write them rather long.
I went shopping and got home around 3:30. Put things away and sat down, staring at my computer for a good hour and a half after I got home. Again, part of those personal bits, but still.
I decided to work on a fanfiction since my mind is rather on the mean side. I now have plans on stringing a guy up by his bits and then having one of my characters preserving them. Yes, it's not a good day to day, thus the warning at the top.
But I did want to share that I am getting words done (hurrah!) and I'm getting things done. So hopefully I will have that lovely little video done and up for you guys. Since I have to rerecord it. But that'll happen tomorrow.
For now, I'm just going to tell you guys that I am getting my words down. And for all those writers out there, that I hope your words are coming to you to. Hugs all.
NaNo Day 5 - November 5, 2015
Nano Day 7 - November 7, 2015
Thursday, November 5, 2015
NaNo Day 5 - November 5, 2015
Day: 5
November 5, 2015
Today's Theme Song: Wings of a Butterfly by HIM
Today was just not a good start for me, again. I got up at a semi-decent hour, around 12:30PM this afternoon but I was still out of it. I hate healing from over doing it. On top of that, today was just not a happy day all around with my jaw.
I still have some jaw issues going on but I'm doing better which is nice.
Tomorrow though shall not be fun. I'm going to be shopping tomorrow when I'm not writing. Whenever my aunt gets over here really which will probably be around noon as usual. Fun times.
But today, I got the first part of a story for a friend done! Yay! I started it yesterday but yesterday was just not happening. No matter how much I wanted it to happen. But I did get in some good words which makes me insanely happy with myself.
It is currently 8:45 PM here and I'm about to turn back to writing chapter 4 of my NaNo WIP, hoping to either finish before I go to bed or before my aunt gets here. Which ever happens.
I'm still doing much better then anticipated. And tomorrow, sometime, I'm going to be doing a "Get to Know Me" video that I will share once I have it done and up.
For now, today's story bits come from Chapter 3!
Perched in bed, computer opened before him on his laptop stand, Markus nibbled at his bottom lip as he thought about what he was going to post while his other computer ran a facial search for him. Alexander had drawn out a picture of the sweet boy that Sara had been reborn as earlier while Markus has napped off their long night. Currently his lover was working on another picture, this one of who they thought might be Adrian, five other pictures in the rough sketch phase spread over his work desk as he worked in the study.
Markus on the other hand was writing on a blog that many thought was an ARG blog with the occasional vlog that was done between him and Alexander based on their own urban legend. It amused him to the extreme but it also allowed him to get out the words that he kept deep within his very soul.
Placing his hands on the keyboards, he started to write, nibbling at his bottom lip in thought.
Ahh, but what could our dear Markus be thinking about? We'll you'll just have to wait for the story to finish now won't you?
I can tell you this, this chapter was a pain to write. So is chapter 4 to be truthful. But I shall persevere!
And that's all you can do. Power through those difficult chapters. Read some stories. Watch a movie. Listen to music. Talk with friends. Stab a stuffed animal when you get frustrated. Keep the stabbing to stuffed, non-alive animals or things please. No need to take it out on the living creatures.
But keep going. Don't stop. Don't let anything stop you. You are the writing. You have the control. So keep it and keep writing.
Widgets
Nano Day 4 - November 4, 2015
Nano Day 6 - November 6, 2015
November 5, 2015
Today's Theme Song: Wings of a Butterfly by HIM
Today was just not a good start for me, again. I got up at a semi-decent hour, around 12:30PM this afternoon but I was still out of it. I hate healing from over doing it. On top of that, today was just not a happy day all around with my jaw.
I still have some jaw issues going on but I'm doing better which is nice.
Tomorrow though shall not be fun. I'm going to be shopping tomorrow when I'm not writing. Whenever my aunt gets over here really which will probably be around noon as usual. Fun times.
But today, I got the first part of a story for a friend done! Yay! I started it yesterday but yesterday was just not happening. No matter how much I wanted it to happen. But I did get in some good words which makes me insanely happy with myself.
It is currently 8:45 PM here and I'm about to turn back to writing chapter 4 of my NaNo WIP, hoping to either finish before I go to bed or before my aunt gets here. Which ever happens.
I'm still doing much better then anticipated. And tomorrow, sometime, I'm going to be doing a "Get to Know Me" video that I will share once I have it done and up.
For now, today's story bits come from Chapter 3!
Perched in bed, computer opened before him on his laptop stand, Markus nibbled at his bottom lip as he thought about what he was going to post while his other computer ran a facial search for him. Alexander had drawn out a picture of the sweet boy that Sara had been reborn as earlier while Markus has napped off their long night. Currently his lover was working on another picture, this one of who they thought might be Adrian, five other pictures in the rough sketch phase spread over his work desk as he worked in the study.
Markus on the other hand was writing on a blog that many thought was an ARG blog with the occasional vlog that was done between him and Alexander based on their own urban legend. It amused him to the extreme but it also allowed him to get out the words that he kept deep within his very soul.
Placing his hands on the keyboards, he started to write, nibbling at his bottom lip in thought.
Ahh, but what could our dear Markus be thinking about? We'll you'll just have to wait for the story to finish now won't you?
I can tell you this, this chapter was a pain to write. So is chapter 4 to be truthful. But I shall persevere!
And that's all you can do. Power through those difficult chapters. Read some stories. Watch a movie. Listen to music. Talk with friends. Stab a stuffed animal when you get frustrated. Keep the stabbing to stuffed, non-alive animals or things please. No need to take it out on the living creatures.
But keep going. Don't stop. Don't let anything stop you. You are the writing. You have the control. So keep it and keep writing.
Widgets
Nano Day 4 - November 4, 2015
Nano Day 6 - November 6, 2015
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
NaNo Day 4 - November 4, 2015
Day 4
November 4, 2015
Today's Theme Song: Naughty H by FaderHead
So let's get down to what has happened in my day.
1:30 PM: Opened outline and discovered 3 scenes got mixed into two scenes. That's fine. I can deal with it. Just means I'm having to reorganize my current scenes plotted out. Maybe figure out what I'm going to do with it.
2 PM: Put on Naughty H and started my writing while doing my usual tweets with #wordcountprodding as my hashtag. Here's hoping I get a couple chapters done today.
6:20 PM: Ended up reading because of sudden wall. Listening to Naughty H, I got a spark of a muse for a long oneshot. Time to write it baby.
9:30 PM: Finally took a pain killer for my jaw. It hurts because I ended up clenching my jaw.
Today's word count is pretty much non-existent. Which isn't surprising actually. During this year, I have had many physical, emotional and mental earthquakes, so to speak. It has been a long year and I am not all that stable at the best of times.
Actually I'll eventually sit down and talk about what goes on in my mind. But that's a vlog and blog entry for a later time.
For now, I just want to say that I am writing but I am quite drugged from my doctor approved and given pain killer. Remember guys: Drugs aren't always the answer but with a lot of things, they come in handy with the proper care and doing of things. Such as Physical therapy if it's part of your body, and talking with a therapist for mental problems.
For now though, I'm going to go try and gather more questions for my vlog and to get a few more words written out. Hopefully I'll be in bed by midnight. Here's hoping yes?
Today's story bits aren't happening though. I'll have a story bits for you tomorrow, promise.
Widgets Post
Nano Day 3 - November 3, 2015
November 4, 2015
Today's Theme Song: Naughty H by FaderHead
So let's get down to what has happened in my day.
1:30 PM: Opened outline and discovered 3 scenes got mixed into two scenes. That's fine. I can deal with it. Just means I'm having to reorganize my current scenes plotted out. Maybe figure out what I'm going to do with it.
2 PM: Put on Naughty H and started my writing while doing my usual tweets with #wordcountprodding as my hashtag. Here's hoping I get a couple chapters done today.
6:20 PM: Ended up reading because of sudden wall. Listening to Naughty H, I got a spark of a muse for a long oneshot. Time to write it baby.
9:30 PM: Finally took a pain killer for my jaw. It hurts because I ended up clenching my jaw.
Today's word count is pretty much non-existent. Which isn't surprising actually. During this year, I have had many physical, emotional and mental earthquakes, so to speak. It has been a long year and I am not all that stable at the best of times.
Actually I'll eventually sit down and talk about what goes on in my mind. But that's a vlog and blog entry for a later time.
For now, I just want to say that I am writing but I am quite drugged from my doctor approved and given pain killer. Remember guys: Drugs aren't always the answer but with a lot of things, they come in handy with the proper care and doing of things. Such as Physical therapy if it's part of your body, and talking with a therapist for mental problems.
For now though, I'm going to go try and gather more questions for my vlog and to get a few more words written out. Hopefully I'll be in bed by midnight. Here's hoping yes?
Today's story bits aren't happening though. I'll have a story bits for you tomorrow, promise.
Widgets Post
Nano Day 3 - November 3, 2015
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Nano Day 3 - November 3, 2015
Day 3
November 3, 2015
Today's Theme Song: Cannon in D by Music That Will Make You Cry
So today was a rather late, late start. I didn't get to bed until nearly 3 in the morning so I wasn't really up and out of bed until about 2 in the afternoon. I then spent a few hours, until about 4 or so, trying to wake up due to the sudden shift in the weather. It got rather cool for lower Arizona, down into the 70's for most of the day. It's right now hovering around 61 Fahrenheit, about 16 degrees Celsius.
Or so my Google converter is telling me. I don't know.
Anyways, I gathered some questions for a video that I'm planning on doing or my Youtube channel. That'll be a lot of fun since it's about me getting to be better known by those who follow me and who want to get to know me.
I'll be recording that later on in the week, so if you have some time and want to know anything, feel free to ask. :D
But I did finally get words out and down with a stop for an adult beverage and some dinner (after 5, closer to 6 mind you). I have finally introduced the main plot line of the story and the rest of the main characters. Such as they are.
I don't have much to say beyond I am going slowly insane right now and hope that all of you are doing good!
Okay, so now, time for the peek.
Last time I shared a peek from chapter 1. Chapter 2 is today's.
Alexander had always known how to kiss, how to make him gasp and cling to him, press up against his body and moan softly in pleasured delight. Even when they had met so long ago, when their parents had joined together as husband and wife, he had known. Slow and deep, tongue tasting and stroking over his tongue, teeth and roof of his mouth. Teasing out sounds of bliss as they tasted and teased.
And once more I do have to tell you guys this:
November 3, 2015
Today's Theme Song: Cannon in D by Music That Will Make You Cry
So today was a rather late, late start. I didn't get to bed until nearly 3 in the morning so I wasn't really up and out of bed until about 2 in the afternoon. I then spent a few hours, until about 4 or so, trying to wake up due to the sudden shift in the weather. It got rather cool for lower Arizona, down into the 70's for most of the day. It's right now hovering around 61 Fahrenheit, about 16 degrees Celsius.
Or so my Google converter is telling me. I don't know.
Anyways, I gathered some questions for a video that I'm planning on doing or my Youtube channel. That'll be a lot of fun since it's about me getting to be better known by those who follow me and who want to get to know me.
I'll be recording that later on in the week, so if you have some time and want to know anything, feel free to ask. :D
But I did finally get words out and down with a stop for an adult beverage and some dinner (after 5, closer to 6 mind you). I have finally introduced the main plot line of the story and the rest of the main characters. Such as they are.
I don't have much to say beyond I am going slowly insane right now and hope that all of you are doing good!
Okay, so now, time for the peek.
Last time I shared a peek from chapter 1. Chapter 2 is today's.
Alexander had always known how to kiss, how to make him gasp and cling to him, press up against his body and moan softly in pleasured delight. Even when they had met so long ago, when their parents had joined together as husband and wife, he had known. Slow and deep, tongue tasting and stroking over his tongue, teeth and roof of his mouth. Teasing out sounds of bliss as they tasted and teased.
And once more I do have to tell you guys this:
A reminder: Any and all peeks into the story are unedited and are not rewritten at the time of this posting. The final product may be vastly different than what you see here. This is the first draft of this novel after all. Please be patient in regards to typos, grammar mistakes, and the over usage of some words.
Thank you.
National Novel Writing Month 2015 Novel: When Mine Eyes Close
Thank you.
National Novel Writing Month 2015 Novel: When Mine Eyes Close
Monday, November 2, 2015
Nano Day 2 - November 2, 2015
Day 2
November 2, 2015
Today's theme song: Erquan Yingyue by Jia Peng Fang
So far today this is what I have done.
8:20 AM: Woke up and turned on computer before shifting pile of clothes over to bed. I really need to go through those and I shall when I have a little more energy and I'm not about to fall over dead.
8:30 AM: Ate food (cinnamon raisin toast made with Sara Lee Cinnamon Raisin bread) while I loaded up my GDoc for When Mine Eyes Open. Started to reread over yesterday's writing.
8:40 AM: Sent message to friend to make sure she was up and ready for day. She was waiting for clothes to be delivered. Wrote a few words.
9 AM: Discovered ride was taking another friend home to teach her how to use her new-used washer machine.
9:30 AM: Ride decided to do some more clothes for friend. She desperately needs them and she's getting them done but she had nothing so I decided to nom on a pancake covered sausage cause I was actually hungry and had to take a minor pain killer with it.
9:45 AM: Contemplated my blog post for the day and made some notes on it.
10:20 AM: Ride finally comes, picks up friend and then me. We head to Aarons so ride could pay bill on way to Sam's club. Picked up a USB wall charger (neon/lime green) and pens at the dollar store right next to it. Left for Sam's.
10:30 AM: Arrived at Sam's. Spent the next 10 minutes getting various things. Butter, Sugar, Powdered sugar, ect for upcoming holidays. I go through a LOT of sugar, butter and flour. 25 lb's (about 11 kg) of sugar, 4 lb's (about 1 kg) of butter and powdered sugar each, and I still have to go back for MORE butter next month. Along with chocolate chips (72 ozs or 4 kg per bag), shortening, and maybe some specialty butters that they have.
11 AM: Leave Sam's and head to Albertson's with a quick pit stop to drop off cold stuff at friend's place. My butter and a few other things are with her. Will get them sometime next week.
11:30 AM: Arrive at Albertsons with ice cream cones from Burger King in hand. Enjoy for 10 minutes, waiting for a scooter to get back from whereever it is being used/left. Decide to say "screw it" around 11:45.
12:50 PM: Finally get out of the store and head home with meat, ice creams, crusts, easy to make dinners, eggnog (I need it to cut some adult eggnog. They put blended whiskey along with rum and brandy into it, and not enough dairy, cinnamon or nutmeg, so I need to cut it to drink it. Remember! Don't drink or drive, and when drinking, drink safe.), creamer (peppermint mocha and pumpkin spice), and a few other odds and ends.
12:55 PM: Yes, my apartments are right across from Albertson's. I can walk over there if I need to. Unloaded, put things away, sat down and died.
1:20 PM: Got food to take a pain killer (something that you should always do so that the pain killer doesn't hit quite so hard but still does its job properly), took the pain killer, and continued to read what I had written.
2 PM: With pain gone, mostly, I started to work on this blog post and my next chapter of my story.
4 PM: Cousin and uncle swing by for recycling and the such before leaving.
5:29 PM: Started to tweet my Word Count progress with the hashtag #wordcountprodding. My twitter can be found here.
5:30 PM to 10:30 PM: Worked on writing the chapter, talked to some people on Forward Motions chat room. Read a few tweets. Watched some Youtube. Cursed the youtube when it futzed out on me. Got it working after a few while helping friend with her own stuff. Talked with another friend. Wrote some more.
FINALLY got my chapter done while thinking of what the second chapter was going to have to say in the long run. That's going to be fun since I have to tweak my outline. This is why I don't outline past 10 chapters. I never quite stick to the original.
Whoops.
Anyways!
I have to say as I wrote Chapter 2 of When Mine Eyes Close, I found myself writing in an experimental way for when it comes to scenes with sex or anything sexual. I'm usually very detailed with my sex/sexual scenes, sometimes boarding on Explicit. But that's with the fanfiction that I use to practice my trade with.
But this is one of few times that I have written original characters in such a sexual scene that isn't a part of my Butterfly series. A Butterfly's Life series is just chock full of sex though, even though it originally started out as a YA series.
I'll talk about that in another post at another date.
I'm here to talk about the here and now with When Mine Eyes Close. I'm trying to be a bit more...elegant I suppose would be the word. I suppose the music of Jia Peng Fang is to be blamed for this with the elegance of the music filling my head as I write. Just such a beautiful sound that even violin's have a hard time reaching.
I sit here though and wonder. What makes a sexual scene 'erotic'? Or 'beautiful'? Or even just 'arousing'? What does it really mean?
Then I remind myself that it's all up to the person who reads it to find the scene what they want it to be. For some my sexual scenes are arousing, hot. For others, they're sweet and loving. And for yet others, they're unwanted bits that they tend to skip over for whatever reason.
It is up to me though to write the story that is coming from my mind the best way that I can. And that as writers, we can not truly control what a reader takes away from our stories or scenes. All we can do is write it.
Put it out there.
And watch it take flight on wings of imagination before we move onto the next tale that spins in our heads.
Now for the part that you are probably waiting for. A peek into the story.
The first one was from the first paragraph of the Prologue (link to that peek down below).
This second one is from Chapter 1.
“Markus?”
November 2, 2015
Today's theme song: Erquan Yingyue by Jia Peng Fang
8:20 AM: Woke up and turned on computer before shifting pile of clothes over to bed. I really need to go through those and I shall when I have a little more energy and I'm not about to fall over dead.
8:30 AM: Ate food (cinnamon raisin toast made with Sara Lee Cinnamon Raisin bread) while I loaded up my GDoc for When Mine Eyes Open. Started to reread over yesterday's writing.
8:40 AM: Sent message to friend to make sure she was up and ready for day. She was waiting for clothes to be delivered. Wrote a few words.
9 AM: Discovered ride was taking another friend home to teach her how to use her new-used washer machine.
9:30 AM: Ride decided to do some more clothes for friend. She desperately needs them and she's getting them done but she had nothing so I decided to nom on a pancake covered sausage cause I was actually hungry and had to take a minor pain killer with it.
9:45 AM: Contemplated my blog post for the day and made some notes on it.
10:20 AM: Ride finally comes, picks up friend and then me. We head to Aarons so ride could pay bill on way to Sam's club. Picked up a USB wall charger (neon/lime green) and pens at the dollar store right next to it. Left for Sam's.
10:30 AM: Arrived at Sam's. Spent the next 10 minutes getting various things. Butter, Sugar, Powdered sugar, ect for upcoming holidays. I go through a LOT of sugar, butter and flour. 25 lb's (about 11 kg) of sugar, 4 lb's (about 1 kg) of butter and powdered sugar each, and I still have to go back for MORE butter next month. Along with chocolate chips (72 ozs or 4 kg per bag), shortening, and maybe some specialty butters that they have.
11 AM: Leave Sam's and head to Albertson's with a quick pit stop to drop off cold stuff at friend's place. My butter and a few other things are with her. Will get them sometime next week.
11:30 AM: Arrive at Albertsons with ice cream cones from Burger King in hand. Enjoy for 10 minutes, waiting for a scooter to get back from whereever it is being used/left. Decide to say "screw it" around 11:45.
12:50 PM: Finally get out of the store and head home with meat, ice creams, crusts, easy to make dinners, eggnog (I need it to cut some adult eggnog. They put blended whiskey along with rum and brandy into it, and not enough dairy, cinnamon or nutmeg, so I need to cut it to drink it. Remember! Don't drink or drive, and when drinking, drink safe.), creamer (peppermint mocha and pumpkin spice), and a few other odds and ends.
12:55 PM: Yes, my apartments are right across from Albertson's. I can walk over there if I need to. Unloaded, put things away, sat down and died.
1:20 PM: Got food to take a pain killer (something that you should always do so that the pain killer doesn't hit quite so hard but still does its job properly), took the pain killer, and continued to read what I had written.
2 PM: With pain gone, mostly, I started to work on this blog post and my next chapter of my story.
4 PM: Cousin and uncle swing by for recycling and the such before leaving.
5:29 PM: Started to tweet my Word Count progress with the hashtag #wordcountprodding. My twitter can be found here.
5:30 PM to 10:30 PM: Worked on writing the chapter, talked to some people on Forward Motions chat room. Read a few tweets. Watched some Youtube. Cursed the youtube when it futzed out on me. Got it working after a few while helping friend with her own stuff. Talked with another friend. Wrote some more.
FINALLY got my chapter done while thinking of what the second chapter was going to have to say in the long run. That's going to be fun since I have to tweak my outline. This is why I don't outline past 10 chapters. I never quite stick to the original.
Whoops.
Anyways!
I have to say as I wrote Chapter 2 of When Mine Eyes Close, I found myself writing in an experimental way for when it comes to scenes with sex or anything sexual. I'm usually very detailed with my sex/sexual scenes, sometimes boarding on Explicit. But that's with the fanfiction that I use to practice my trade with.
But this is one of few times that I have written original characters in such a sexual scene that isn't a part of my Butterfly series. A Butterfly's Life series is just chock full of sex though, even though it originally started out as a YA series.
I'll talk about that in another post at another date.
I'm here to talk about the here and now with When Mine Eyes Close. I'm trying to be a bit more...elegant I suppose would be the word. I suppose the music of Jia Peng Fang is to be blamed for this with the elegance of the music filling my head as I write. Just such a beautiful sound that even violin's have a hard time reaching.
I sit here though and wonder. What makes a sexual scene 'erotic'? Or 'beautiful'? Or even just 'arousing'? What does it really mean?
Then I remind myself that it's all up to the person who reads it to find the scene what they want it to be. For some my sexual scenes are arousing, hot. For others, they're sweet and loving. And for yet others, they're unwanted bits that they tend to skip over for whatever reason.
It is up to me though to write the story that is coming from my mind the best way that I can. And that as writers, we can not truly control what a reader takes away from our stories or scenes. All we can do is write it.
Put it out there.
And watch it take flight on wings of imagination before we move onto the next tale that spins in our heads.
Now for the part that you are probably waiting for. A peek into the story.
The first one was from the first paragraph of the Prologue (link to that peek down below).
This second one is from Chapter 1.
“Markus?”
Jerking out of his memories, one hand rubbing at the scar of his curse on his hip, Markus turned around and stared at his lover and mate. “Sorry, did you say something?” he asked, his voice sounding small, making Alexander frown.
Walking over, the slightly taller man ran a hand through soft black hair that spilled down Markus’ back, green eyes staring up at him, unfocused.
“Oh, love, were you thinking of that night?” Alexander asked softly, pulling his lover close, hand tugging his night shirt up to get at soft skin. Spreading his hand over the other’s back, he took in the scent of blackberries and toffee, smiling as Markus pressed against his body.
Walking over, the slightly taller man ran a hand through soft black hair that spilled down Markus’ back, green eyes staring up at him, unfocused.
“Oh, love, were you thinking of that night?” Alexander asked softly, pulling his lover close, hand tugging his night shirt up to get at soft skin. Spreading his hand over the other’s back, he took in the scent of blackberries and toffee, smiling as Markus pressed against his body.
“Yes,” Markus admitted after a few minutes, resting his head on Alexander’s shoulder, sighing happily as he relaxed. “I thought I had left you nude in our bed,” he said, fingers stroking gently over his lover’s back.
This time, obviously, it's a little bit of a longer peek due to the very nature of the dialogue and the set up.
This time, obviously, it's a little bit of a longer peek due to the very nature of the dialogue and the set up.
They are old. The full story will come out in later chapters, but the story itself is kind of sad. And you'll get more peeks as I go along this month.
A reminder: Any and all peeks into the story are unedited and are not rewritten at the time of this posting. The final product may be vastly different than what you see here. This is the first draft of this novel after all. Please be patient in regards to typos, grammar mistakes, and the over usage of some words.
Thank you.
S.L. Lewis
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Nano Day 1 - November 1, 2015, 6:47 PM - Arizona Time
Hello one and all! I'm so glad to see you here this lovely day. It is the first day of Nano and as you can see by my nice little ticking clock to the side there, I have 29 days to get to 50K.
I have written the prologue of "When Mine Eyes Close" and I'm working on chapter one. Hurrah!
Okay, so I'm just here to update you guys and post the widgets here now.
It started when they were canning goods for the winter, meat in the smoker along with some that was drying for later months. Markus was humming softly as he used the canning hook to draw out the jars that had just finished, putting them onto a towel to dry for the moment. Alexander was sealing, slowly and painstakingly, away the flour that they would use over the long months.
National Novel Writing Month 2015 Novel: When Mine Eyes Close
I have written the prologue of "When Mine Eyes Close" and I'm working on chapter one. Hurrah!
Okay, so I'm just here to update you guys and post the widgets here now.
First the current percentage of my Nano done:
And the Word Count:
And finally my Calendar:
Now that I have that all done, I have a bit of the story as I did promise to share just a bit of every chapter. :D Just a tiny bit though.
It started when they were canning goods for the winter, meat in the smoker along with some that was drying for later months. Markus was humming softly as he used the canning hook to draw out the jars that had just finished, putting them onto a towel to dry for the moment. Alexander was sealing, slowly and painstakingly, away the flour that they would use over the long months.
Please do remember that this is UNEDITED. It will change when I start the rewriting/editing/rewriting/editing process. But this is just a little something.
I hope that you all enjoy. :D
Monday, October 19, 2015
National Novel Writing Month 2015 Novel: When Mine Eyes Close
Working Title: When Mine Eyes Close
Genre: Supernatural Horror
By: S.L. Lewis
Started: November 1, 2015
Finished: Unknown at this time
Summary: When they had been cursed, the users of Magic were just learning to balance life next to those who followed Religion and Faith. When they had been cursed, the Salem Witch Trials had just barely happened, leaving innocent victims dead and families torn apart. When they had been cursed, they had just become step-brothers.
They hadn't expected to cursed by their Priest.
So they had waited.
They had waited for so long to finally get them.
Centuries really.
Waiting for those who had cursed them to be reborn, for their souls to come back to the Living and to gather once more in their little town of Redbrom. But they didn't have to wait any more. The one's who had come together to curse them had been reborn and they were all there. All teenagers.
All ready to be show that Karma got those who deserved it. Ready to show that sometimes though, Karma needed some help.
And they were that help.
They couldn't wait for it.
This is just the start of my new story When Mine Eyes Close. The title above is a working title, so it might change as I write and rewrite this story. I'm rather looking forward to this whole thing, I really am.
This story shall take twists and turns that I'm hoping will be new and amazing.
The supposed "good guys" shall not be so good, and the supposed "bad guys" shall not be so bad themselves, but rather forced into such a place due to circumstances. I'll be exploring death, destruction, the mind, history, sexuality, and the dark depths of the human soul in this book.
I can't wait for it.
It's one of those books that have been sitting in the back of my mind, teasing me. Growing and planning without me noticing it doing so. It started out with an idea for a murderous couple who were trapped long ago because one of them dared to say "No" to someone with power.
From there, it grew and changed. It went from just a single night stretched out with deaths galore, to at minimum a week's worth of deaths in the book.
Thank you to Ester, who was kind enough to help me figure out a few of those creative deaths. You have helped quite a bit.
I hope and pray as I write this that it will let me actually finish it. I have a feeling that it shall.
So join me as I take a leap into the depths of despair and pain and death in this woven tale of horror.
Nano Day 1 - November 1, 2015, 6:47 PM - Arizona Time
Genre: Supernatural Horror
By: S.L. Lewis
Started: November 1, 2015
Finished: Unknown at this time
Summary: When they had been cursed, the users of Magic were just learning to balance life next to those who followed Religion and Faith. When they had been cursed, the Salem Witch Trials had just barely happened, leaving innocent victims dead and families torn apart. When they had been cursed, they had just become step-brothers.
They hadn't expected to cursed by their Priest.
So they had waited.
They had waited for so long to finally get them.
Centuries really.
Waiting for those who had cursed them to be reborn, for their souls to come back to the Living and to gather once more in their little town of Redbrom. But they didn't have to wait any more. The one's who had come together to curse them had been reborn and they were all there. All teenagers.
All ready to be show that Karma got those who deserved it. Ready to show that sometimes though, Karma needed some help.
And they were that help.
They couldn't wait for it.
This is just the start of my new story When Mine Eyes Close. The title above is a working title, so it might change as I write and rewrite this story. I'm rather looking forward to this whole thing, I really am.
This story shall take twists and turns that I'm hoping will be new and amazing.
The supposed "good guys" shall not be so good, and the supposed "bad guys" shall not be so bad themselves, but rather forced into such a place due to circumstances. I'll be exploring death, destruction, the mind, history, sexuality, and the dark depths of the human soul in this book.
I can't wait for it.
It's one of those books that have been sitting in the back of my mind, teasing me. Growing and planning without me noticing it doing so. It started out with an idea for a murderous couple who were trapped long ago because one of them dared to say "No" to someone with power.
From there, it grew and changed. It went from just a single night stretched out with deaths galore, to at minimum a week's worth of deaths in the book.
Thank you to Ester, who was kind enough to help me figure out a few of those creative deaths. You have helped quite a bit.
I hope and pray as I write this that it will let me actually finish it. I have a feeling that it shall.
So join me as I take a leap into the depths of despair and pain and death in this woven tale of horror.
Nano Day 1 - November 1, 2015, 6:47 PM - Arizona Time
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Nano Prep 3 - Cleaning Up My Space 1
So as a part of my preparations for Nano, I take pictures of my space and then...I clean. I clean it all. Every single inch of the room. This takes me a few days since I am on some limited mobility, but not to bad.
Still, it's kind of hard to do a lot of what I need to do in just a single day.
So for now, this is the Before Cleaning.
Still, it's kind of hard to do a lot of what I need to do in just a single day.
So for now, this is the Before Cleaning.
My messy, messy bed and fan. The fan is on.
The camera just makes it look as if it's not.
Yes, that's a pill bottle. That's prescription Ibu that I need to refill.
This is the view from my chair and includes my mouse and wire shelving there.
I need to reorganize my shelf once more.
Yes, that's my leather notebook that I love so very dearly.
In this Picture, it's opened up to my new plot for Nano.
The view from my door way.
The bag that is hanging on the door is full of wires and such.
I need to go through that.
This is what's next to my chair!
The box with the plate holds my snacks for Nano.
The Blue bag next to said box holds candy.
The basket with the nice headphones and next to the modem is just catch all.
Yes, that's nail polish remove in it.
And yes, that's a ruler sitting on a book.
Just so you can REALLY see it upclose and personal.
Yeah, I really need to clean up that clutter. *sighs*
And finally we have a full on pic of my baby.
This laptop has gotten me through two Nano's so far! Let's see if it'll help me get through a third.
Attached to it on the left is the blue lap fan that I use with this laptop.
Otherwise, cooked hands.
I am hardwired into my net. It costs way to much to have wifi okay?
On the right side, I have my keyboard, which you can see in the background, and my mouse.
I also have my blistex lip blam (berry), a green pen and a purple mechanical pencil.
I must buy more pens. I'm running low.
Bad things happen when I run low. *nods*
The next set of pictures will be on October 31st and will have (hopefully) an organized room!
Until then, byes!
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Preparing for NaNo 20-15 Part 2: Build Up
We are in the last count down up to National Novel Writing Month! Goodness, only 23 days until the end?
Wow. I'm shaking my head and bouncing in anticipation for the start of this.
I have no doubt that things will be stressful and exciting and lovely.
And will leave me a gibbering mess at the end of it. I have no doubt of it.
But what am I doing to prepare it?
Well, let's get things set up and plotted out right. I shall break down things for what I'm doing. On the Nano Prep forum boards, there are a few that ask "What's in your NaNo survival kit?" and asks about what you are doing to prepare for Nano.
I think I'll go over my survival kit first.
Wow. I'm shaking my head and bouncing in anticipation for the start of this.
I have no doubt that things will be stressful and exciting and lovely.
And will leave me a gibbering mess at the end of it. I have no doubt of it.
But what am I doing to prepare it?
Well, let's get things set up and plotted out right. I shall break down things for what I'm doing. On the Nano Prep forum boards, there are a few that ask "What's in your NaNo survival kit?" and asks about what you are doing to prepare for Nano.
I think I'll go over my survival kit first.
- My trusty (somewhat) laptop, Lil' Bastard. Why do I call it that? Because this Probook 4430s is a heavy pain in the ass okay? It's a heavy pain in the ass but it has gotten me through 2 Nano's so far and is going to get me through a 3ed.
- Mini IPod: It's a little 2 GB one that has a 15 hour battery. I have most of my music collection on it along with it on my ITunes. Must make sure that it's ready.
- Pandora music lists: I have several actually. KPop/JPop, KRock/JRock, heavy metal, 70's Music, ect. Good mix of music to enjoy while writing. Especially the hard rock stations for when I'm cackling like an insane killer and killing off the characters.
- Youtube lists: Preferably with a mix of J/KPop, J /KRock, some BabyMetal (preferably Doki Doki Morning just to really screw with the idiots outside of my window's head), and good horror movies.
- Netflix: My friend is happily sharing it with me for the moment so I'm marathoning shows as I work hard to get ready for this and building My List up for my viewing pleasure.
- Hulu: I have animes (simlicast in some cases) and shows running around that I'm currently watching. I'm really loving the fact that I just have to wait 24 to 48 hours after the show is on TV and can see them on my computer.
- FMWriters chat room: I find this actually really helpful! I can chat with my friends, exchange word counts and talk plot as I write. :D Even with friends who are states away from me. If not countries. I'm loving it.
- Lip balm: My lips chap so I kind of need this something fierce. I have several sticks though so I'm good. :D
- Snacks: I have granola bars, poptarts, and nutrigrain bars. I'm going to be getting more though.
- Drinks: I have flavored sparkling waters (which I have gotten about 6 bottles of them), Crystal Ice drinks (it's flavored water with juice okay?), some iced tea and Gatorade. I also have Gatorade powder and Nestle Iced Tea Lemon flavor powdered to make. I also have several packets of Koolaid and I'm happy with it.
- Candy: I want to hit the post Halloween sales and I shall do so on the Second. For now though I'm nibbling on Candy Corn.
- Notebooks: I have so many of the damn things running around that it's not funny. I'm quite happy with the happy with them. I also has several sets of filler for my leather journal. *pets it*
- Pens: I actually have to go and stock up on new pens here soon. *sighs* That's going to be oh so much fun. Really.
- Games to play while thinking of plot points or ways to kill off characters: This is actually kind of needed for my mental state. I can just relax with the game and let my mind run rampant.
- Tissues: I need these because I do have allergic reactions to the crop pollen and flowering bushes outside of my apartments. I tend to sit there and go through four or five tissues a day.
- Instant Messagers: Yahoo, Hangouts, Skype, I have them. I use them. I need them to keep in touch with my friends.
- Google Doc: I have this all set up. Black background with neon green text in Handlee or Alice. :D I am a happy girl. All of it is set to make it easier on my eyes while I write. I like this feature.
Now, what am I going to do to get ready for Nano now that it's getting closer?
- Get More Pens: I need to run to Walmart and do that. I need to get that done and out of the way.
- Get the rest of my snacks: Yep, going for more.
- Finish outlining the first 10 chapters: I know what I need to do and the first 10 chapters is my first part of my scenic, if not bloody, hike.
- Do the rest of my laundry
- Unfuck my space: This one is going to be interesting since I can't do it until two days before Nano starts. The laundry will be a month long thing though. Fun times.
I think that I'm done with everything and ready to start getting things ready! *goes to do so*
Saturday, September 26, 2015
How I create my Plot Mountain.
Okay, so I've been asked "What is my Plot Mountain and how the hell do you do it?"
Yeah, I sat there and stared at my IM for a good five minutes after a friend asked me that. It was highly amusing really since she herself is a beginner writer.
Now let me state this here and now: What works for one does not always work for another. Or some parts may work for one writer but not for another. It's all about the writer and what training they have had. It's also about experimenting what works best for you.
I do agree that a writer should do something in regards to their writing at least once a day. Even if it is just to jot down a name. Or a quick thought. Never know when one of those little thoughts will help in a future writing project as I've learned over the years.
Now mind you, I've been writing since I was about 12 and was writing horrible poems. I really got into it around 17, and then it became my escape when my mother got seriously sick when I was around 20.
I'm now up in my 30's okay? I'm still a baby in the writing world really. I know people who have a list of written works three miles long.
My list is about half a mile long and most of it right now is fanfiction. I found that it was a really good way for me to learn how to write. And what worked to grab an audiences attention and what didn't. I had to learn how to title a story and how to summarize it. I had to learn how to create a first chapter that captured the attention, and then build from there to make sure that it continued to keep the attention.
I'm actually glad that I started in fanfiction. It gave me a lot of contacts that still write fanfiction themselves but are published authors. A lot of their readers? Are now readers of their published stuff.
But I'm not really here to talk about that. I'm here to help break down what I do to create my Plot Mountain.
So what is a Plot Mountain?
Well, it's not really like what you're told to do when it comes to writing.
Who here was told that a good story has a Beginning, Middle/Climax, Ending? And told that it's the proper way of writing?
Pretty much anyone who has taken an English class has right? Yeah, I remember sitting in my class the first time that I had heard that and wondering just how much BS it was.
As it turned out, a lot of BS. At least for me.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, this picture will help you understand this.
Let me break down my thoughts on this graph. The Exposition is a flat plain. Boring. Nothing going on. Nothing to set you on the Rising Action path. Which looks pretty much like a straight shot the Climax. After the Climax is a slide into Falling Action with another boring plain of Resolution.
That doesn't fit right with me. Not in any way.
Let me break down how I do things.
We have The Base, The Peek, The Scenic Stops, The Scenic Hike, and The Stroll (With a Stop or Two for a Quick Snack). Let's get started.
I first figure out the plot that I want to do. Usually, this includes writing out a detailed summary.
For Example: They had been pulled apart by circumstances, frozen for thousands of years while the world around them changed. Aliens that were thought of as Myths and Imagination were real. Because of one man, Humans were in the minority and seen as nothing more as slaves.
But the three brothers were woken up to stop this. They were there to help the worlds and systems out there peace, a balance. They didn't know their own Truths though. (1)
So I have a summary or idea for my story. Good. I'll also start work on characters right about now, but we're building a Plot Mountain first.
Yeah, I sat there and stared at my IM for a good five minutes after a friend asked me that. It was highly amusing really since she herself is a beginner writer.
Now let me state this here and now: What works for one does not always work for another. Or some parts may work for one writer but not for another. It's all about the writer and what training they have had. It's also about experimenting what works best for you.
I do agree that a writer should do something in regards to their writing at least once a day. Even if it is just to jot down a name. Or a quick thought. Never know when one of those little thoughts will help in a future writing project as I've learned over the years.
Now mind you, I've been writing since I was about 12 and was writing horrible poems. I really got into it around 17, and then it became my escape when my mother got seriously sick when I was around 20.
I'm now up in my 30's okay? I'm still a baby in the writing world really. I know people who have a list of written works three miles long.
My list is about half a mile long and most of it right now is fanfiction. I found that it was a really good way for me to learn how to write. And what worked to grab an audiences attention and what didn't. I had to learn how to title a story and how to summarize it. I had to learn how to create a first chapter that captured the attention, and then build from there to make sure that it continued to keep the attention.
I'm actually glad that I started in fanfiction. It gave me a lot of contacts that still write fanfiction themselves but are published authors. A lot of their readers? Are now readers of their published stuff.
But I'm not really here to talk about that. I'm here to help break down what I do to create my Plot Mountain.
So what is a Plot Mountain?
Well, it's not really like what you're told to do when it comes to writing.
Who here was told that a good story has a Beginning, Middle/Climax, Ending? And told that it's the proper way of writing?
Pretty much anyone who has taken an English class has right? Yeah, I remember sitting in my class the first time that I had heard that and wondering just how much BS it was.
As it turned out, a lot of BS. At least for me.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, this picture will help you understand this.
Let me break down my thoughts on this graph. The Exposition is a flat plain. Boring. Nothing going on. Nothing to set you on the Rising Action path. Which looks pretty much like a straight shot the Climax. After the Climax is a slide into Falling Action with another boring plain of Resolution.
That doesn't fit right with me. Not in any way.
Let me break down how I do things.
We have The Base, The Peek, The Scenic Stops, The Scenic Hike, and The Stroll (With a Stop or Two for a Quick Snack). Let's get started.
Plot/Summary
(The Base)
For Example: They had been pulled apart by circumstances, frozen for thousands of years while the world around them changed. Aliens that were thought of as Myths and Imagination were real. Because of one man, Humans were in the minority and seen as nothing more as slaves.
But the three brothers were woken up to stop this. They were there to help the worlds and systems out there peace, a balance. They didn't know their own Truths though. (1)
So I have a summary or idea for my story. Good. I'll also start work on characters right about now, but we're building a Plot Mountain first.
Main Plot Point and Mini Plot Points
(The Peek and The Scenic Stops)
What is the main Plot Point and Mini Plot Points? Well, let's do Main Plot Point first yes? It's actually your climax, the place that you want to get to in your story.
I now have to figure out what the Main Plot Point is.
Ex: MPP: Brother 1 starting the unraveling of the corrupt's hold on the worlds. Going against slave traders and helping to restructure/rebuild a government. Fights (physical, mental, or cyber?) against book villain. (1)
So I have my main plot point figured out now.
But what are Mini Plot Points? We'll they're the supporting actions that would get us to the Main Plot Point.
EX: 1) Finding allies (rebel/original rulers/ect).
2) Finding out a link to his own past.
3) Hunting for the man who started it all via use of his "master" and other contacts.
4) Learning about the world around him.
Now that I have some mini plot points, I can start to build up the smaller details.
The Outline
(The Scenic Hike)
What I mean by The Scenic Hike is all the little details and information that help to build up to the Scenic Stops, or mini plot points.
Think of it like this: As you hike up a mountain, you see the trees, the flowers and shrubs. The animals and the path before you. When you stop though and over look that, you see the bigger picture of what all that builds up to.
That's what the outline is for. It's to plot out those little details to get you to each stop and the climax.
I know what order, by this time at least, that I need to hit the Mini Plot Points for the story to work correctly, so now I fill in the details. I build up to the Scenic Stop.
My outline tends to go something like this:
- Character 1
- detail
- detail
- supporting detail
- supporting detail
- detail
- Character 1, 2
- detail
- detail
- supporting detail
- supporting detail
- Character 3
- detail
- mini plot point
- supporting detail
See how that works. I've discovered that programs like The Outliner of Giants(2) works well for me so that I can build my outlines and shift things around. It works well for me and I like it that way. :D Mind you, there are other programs out there that can be used. Even just doing it by hand can work. I sometimes use index cards on a ring to create some of my outlines.
It depends on the story.
The Wrap Up
(The Stroll Down the Mountain/The Stroll Down with an Occasional Stop)
Now depending on if the story is going to be continued in another book or not will depend on how things wrap up. I usually only take three to six chapters after the climax in the book to finish things up, but sometimes I can go up to 10 chapters. Depends on the book once more.
To go back to my metaphors: this is the leisurely stroll downwards. You've seen the sights so there's really no major need to stop and really look. But sometimes you'll take a smaller side path that leads to a new mountain.
That new mountain is the next book and the sights you see on the stroll down the first mountain is what leads you to the second one.
Pretty much, the little bits of information in those last chapters that you see are what leads you to the next book.
But if the book is a stand alone, it tends to wrap up. Not always neatly because life is rarely has a neat little bow on things, but the main plot is usually wrapped up.
Now that I've gone over this, remember, experiment, learn what works for you, and write what draws you.
And that is how I create a Plot Mountain. :D
Information on the numbers:
1: This is the original plot idea for Honey Drops books 1, 3, and 4 before I expanded into a 6 part series.
2) The Outliner of Giants is free, but only up to 5 outlines at a time.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Preparing for NaNo 20-15 Part 1
As I sit here listening to The GazettE's Inside Beast, I stare at my plot outline on Outliner of Giants and wonder just what the hell is going on in my own head.
I have something like 8 chapters plotted for this mean little plot, and I so want to do nothing more than to just open up a new file and start it. But I know that while it's in the running to be written during National Novel Writing Month, I can't do it.
I got through this every year. And I do mean every year.
It's no surprise that I'm going through this right now since it's only a few more weeks until the start of the insanity. Then again, while most people are dealing with Daylights Savings Time, I'm still on the same clock as I was last year and the year before.
The joy of living in Arizona my friends. No Daylight Savings Time.
To move on. I am sitting here going "Am I going to end up freaking out over every little detail this round?" I'm really hoping not actually.
I've decided that this year, despite the fact that I still get stuff done and ready for Nano, I'm not going to really worry about it all. I am going to sit here and plot. Plot a lot.
And work out some outlines for all of my stories.
Drink tea. All that good stuff. Because it means that my mind doesn't try to elope with my muse the moment it strikes midnight again.
What are you doing for Nano prep?
I have something like 8 chapters plotted for this mean little plot, and I so want to do nothing more than to just open up a new file and start it. But I know that while it's in the running to be written during National Novel Writing Month, I can't do it.
I got through this every year. And I do mean every year.
It's no surprise that I'm going through this right now since it's only a few more weeks until the start of the insanity. Then again, while most people are dealing with Daylights Savings Time, I'm still on the same clock as I was last year and the year before.
The joy of living in Arizona my friends. No Daylight Savings Time.
To move on. I am sitting here going "Am I going to end up freaking out over every little detail this round?" I'm really hoping not actually.
I've decided that this year, despite the fact that I still get stuff done and ready for Nano, I'm not going to really worry about it all. I am going to sit here and plot. Plot a lot.
And work out some outlines for all of my stories.
Drink tea. All that good stuff. Because it means that my mind doesn't try to elope with my muse the moment it strikes midnight again.
What are you doing for Nano prep?
Monday, September 14, 2015
Plots and Being Torn for NaNo 2015
So I'm a little torn as to what I'm going to write this year.
I think I'll just lay this here and ask my (few) readers what you guys think.
1) Magical World
-- Magick was everywhere. They grew up in it. And most times it was used for good. Medium and Forensic Pathologist works hard to solve the deaths that cross her path. When bodies that look as if they had had magick that had come from an evil heart used on them, she is forced to work with a Magically Null cop to find the one doing the killing.
2) Mean Bunny
-- They had been cursed for their love. They looked for the souls that had cursed them. They knew that by only trapping one of those souls in their place would they finally be free. Until they...they had to feed their house. *Note: not so happy ending for the "heroine"
3) "Ancient Disease Screws the World Over"
-- It started with a mass grave sight, a disease that got real close to the flu virus, and ended with most of the world hiding behind walls.
4) Werewolf Series bk 1
-- They were just normal, every day werewolves living their lives. PTA meetings, Soccer matches, and trying to get a loan for that last little bit of land turned out to be the least of their problems when they adopt a kid with her past coming for her.
5) "Magical Girl" set, bk 1
-- Their kingdoms were peaceful and worked well for them. But when one kingdom wanted the princess and future ruler of another, they weren't prepared for the evil that was waiting to take advantage of it. *Note: another book with a not so happy ending but still kind of happy ending.
Any of them look interesting?
I think I'll just lay this here and ask my (few) readers what you guys think.
1) Magical World
-- Magick was everywhere. They grew up in it. And most times it was used for good. Medium and Forensic Pathologist works hard to solve the deaths that cross her path. When bodies that look as if they had had magick that had come from an evil heart used on them, she is forced to work with a Magically Null cop to find the one doing the killing.
2) Mean Bunny
-- They had been cursed for their love. They looked for the souls that had cursed them. They knew that by only trapping one of those souls in their place would they finally be free. Until they...they had to feed their house. *Note: not so happy ending for the "heroine"
3) "Ancient Disease Screws the World Over"
-- It started with a mass grave sight, a disease that got real close to the flu virus, and ended with most of the world hiding behind walls.
4) Werewolf Series bk 1
-- They were just normal, every day werewolves living their lives. PTA meetings, Soccer matches, and trying to get a loan for that last little bit of land turned out to be the least of their problems when they adopt a kid with her past coming for her.
5) "Magical Girl" set, bk 1
-- Their kingdoms were peaceful and worked well for them. But when one kingdom wanted the princess and future ruler of another, they weren't prepared for the evil that was waiting to take advantage of it. *Note: another book with a not so happy ending but still kind of happy ending.
Any of them look interesting?
Setting up National Novel Writing Month
Wow! Hello all those who are coming around here to read what I have to say. Really.
Now that I have said that, it's getting to be that time. As you see by my counter, there are 47 days until the start of National Novel Writing Month, which lasts from Midnight November 1st to Midnight December 1st.
During this time I will work so hard to reach the goal of 50,000 words in a single month, if not more.
But before I can do that, I have to prepare for it!
What does that mean? Well, it means that I get to do a lot of things.
1) I get to figure out which plot I'm using this time.
I'm actually torn between 5 different plots that I discuss on the Nano forum thread Torn Between Ideas. The ideas that I'm torn about will be in their own blog post (and yes, I will link below that post when I get it up).
2) Pardon my language, but, un-f*ck my space.
This pretty much means I'll clean up my area. Organize, get rid of, move things around, and all around get things clear for when I start my month. This'll happen closer to November and I'll actually post pictures of my space of the before, during and after process. That'll be fun.
Yeah...
3) Prepare my muscial and movie choices.
I listen to a mix of music and movies when I write. Or TV shows. My favorites list on hulu is forever growing with shows that I want to listen to or watch while I'm writing. The same can go for my youtube lists.
I have a playlist that is ever growing that contains nearly every song that I have added to one list or another. A lot of pop, rocks, JPop, JRock, KPop, Krock, anime theme songs, and some older songs from America's 60's and 70's.
4) Make sure that I'm stocked with snackages for the coming month.
I don't like getting up for snack foods unless I need to okay? So I tend to buy easy to eat snack foods the two months before November. This year it'll just be the one month since the last couple of months I let that fall to the wayside.
Next month (October) I'm planning on hitting Sam's so I should be good.
5) Make sure I have plenty of tea and coffee.
Got a good amount of both but I think I'll get some more coffee just in case. It's starting to get cooler at night. Means coffee and tea are going to become my friends.
6) Make sure that I have plenty of water.
Easily done. Water machines, filtered, are on property.
7) Have at least 10 chapters of story plotted out, have a list of characters, character names, and generalized descriptions of other characters written out, and have major plot points noted down.
Okay, let's break this down.
A) 10 chapters plotted. I need to have at minimum ten chapters plotted out otherwise I will never get anything done while I hem and haw over what to write. So having ten chapters plotted out helps me in the long run. I will plot more as I write and the smaller details start to fill in.
B) List of characters, character names, and generalized descriptions. This means that I will have my main characters plotted out, have names for future characters, and have characters with no names but general descriptions waiting. This is so that should I need a new character, I can go over the descriptions and I can figure out who I want to use for whatever reason.
C) Major plot points noted down. This is pretty much what it says. In a story there are plot points that you want to hit. Mini climaxes that build up to the main climax.
I'm sure that you've all heard the "Beginning, Middle, and End" thing right? Or "Beginning, Climax, End". Well, to get to the Climax, or rather middle, you have to build up to it.
Think of it as a peak that you're climbing. There are stopping points for rest and there are points where you climb. That's how I see stories building. The mini-climax's, as I call them, are my plot points. I need to get to the first one, then the second one, and so on until I come to the final Climax.
I'll most likely go further into this on one of my later posts. But that's the general idea.
And I need to know what they would be. I pretty much write out a really long summary before I break it down into two different points: Mini-climax's and Building-points.
It's needed for me
8) Make sure my sanity is firmly taped down, the muse has much delightful things to keep her going, and tell my friends on facebook that I'll emerge on December 1st.
What? I need to explain this? Facebook is just as bad as tumblr when it comes to time sucking okay.
So, it's time to start prepping! First things first: figuring out my plot.
Fun times. Le sigh.
Blog Post: Plots and Being Torn for NaNo 2015
Now that I have said that, it's getting to be that time. As you see by my counter, there are 47 days until the start of National Novel Writing Month, which lasts from Midnight November 1st to Midnight December 1st.
During this time I will work so hard to reach the goal of 50,000 words in a single month, if not more.
But before I can do that, I have to prepare for it!
What does that mean? Well, it means that I get to do a lot of things.
1) I get to figure out which plot I'm using this time.
I'm actually torn between 5 different plots that I discuss on the Nano forum thread Torn Between Ideas. The ideas that I'm torn about will be in their own blog post (and yes, I will link below that post when I get it up).
2) Pardon my language, but, un-f*ck my space.
This pretty much means I'll clean up my area. Organize, get rid of, move things around, and all around get things clear for when I start my month. This'll happen closer to November and I'll actually post pictures of my space of the before, during and after process. That'll be fun.
Yeah...
3) Prepare my muscial and movie choices.
I listen to a mix of music and movies when I write. Or TV shows. My favorites list on hulu is forever growing with shows that I want to listen to or watch while I'm writing. The same can go for my youtube lists.
I have a playlist that is ever growing that contains nearly every song that I have added to one list or another. A lot of pop, rocks, JPop, JRock, KPop, Krock, anime theme songs, and some older songs from America's 60's and 70's.
4) Make sure that I'm stocked with snackages for the coming month.
I don't like getting up for snack foods unless I need to okay? So I tend to buy easy to eat snack foods the two months before November. This year it'll just be the one month since the last couple of months I let that fall to the wayside.
Next month (October) I'm planning on hitting Sam's so I should be good.
5) Make sure I have plenty of tea and coffee.
Got a good amount of both but I think I'll get some more coffee just in case. It's starting to get cooler at night. Means coffee and tea are going to become my friends.
6) Make sure that I have plenty of water.
Easily done. Water machines, filtered, are on property.
7) Have at least 10 chapters of story plotted out, have a list of characters, character names, and generalized descriptions of other characters written out, and have major plot points noted down.
Okay, let's break this down.
A) 10 chapters plotted. I need to have at minimum ten chapters plotted out otherwise I will never get anything done while I hem and haw over what to write. So having ten chapters plotted out helps me in the long run. I will plot more as I write and the smaller details start to fill in.
B) List of characters, character names, and generalized descriptions. This means that I will have my main characters plotted out, have names for future characters, and have characters with no names but general descriptions waiting. This is so that should I need a new character, I can go over the descriptions and I can figure out who I want to use for whatever reason.
C) Major plot points noted down. This is pretty much what it says. In a story there are plot points that you want to hit. Mini climaxes that build up to the main climax.
I'm sure that you've all heard the "Beginning, Middle, and End" thing right? Or "Beginning, Climax, End". Well, to get to the Climax, or rather middle, you have to build up to it.
Think of it as a peak that you're climbing. There are stopping points for rest and there are points where you climb. That's how I see stories building. The mini-climax's, as I call them, are my plot points. I need to get to the first one, then the second one, and so on until I come to the final Climax.
I'll most likely go further into this on one of my later posts. But that's the general idea.
And I need to know what they would be. I pretty much write out a really long summary before I break it down into two different points: Mini-climax's and Building-points.
It's needed for me
8) Make sure my sanity is firmly taped down, the muse has much delightful things to keep her going, and tell my friends on facebook that I'll emerge on December 1st.
What? I need to explain this? Facebook is just as bad as tumblr when it comes to time sucking okay.
So, it's time to start prepping! First things first: figuring out my plot.
Fun times. Le sigh.
Blog Post: Plots and Being Torn for NaNo 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Current Status on Books
The following statistics are as of August 22, 2015.
They are broken down into Series followed by books. Some books only have working titles or characters names.
They are broken down into Series followed by books. Some books only have working titles or characters names.
Honey Drops
1) Nix's Book
Status: Prologue to Chapter 2 Written
Total Words Written: 4,311
Total Words Rewritten (Prologue): 1,308
2) Mirin's Book
Status: Prologue to Chapter 1 Written
Total Words Written: 3252
Total Words Rewritten: 0
3) Kain's Book
Status: World/Story/Character Building
4) Cho's Book
Status: World/Story/Character Building
5) Untitled Book
Status: World/Story/Character Building
"Magical Girl" World
1) Working Title "The Magic of the Moonlight"
Status: World/Character/Story building.
Might be NaNo book
2) Working Title "The Magic of Truth"
"Zombie With a Brain" World
1) 'Zombie with a Brain' Untitled
Status: Prologue Written
Total Words: 737
Plotting
2) 'Boyfriend of Zombie' Untitled
Status: Plotting
Don't Look
1) A Delicate Thread - Eric's Story
Status: 4 Chapters rewitten
Total Rewritten Words: 8752
Total Words in Original File: 6954
2) Spin Me a Yarn - Kev's Story
Status: Plotting
3) Mile's Story
Status: World/Story/Character Building
4) Marian's Story
Status: World/Story/Character Building
'Magical World' Series
1) Working Title "With This Spell"
Status: World/Story/Character building
2) Working Title "Pulling From Within"
Status: World/Story/Character Building
4) Untitled Story
Status: World/Story/Character Building
"A Not So Normal Werewolf Story" Series
1) Working Title "Building a Family"
Status: World/Story/Character Building
2) Working Title: "Protecting a Family"
Status: World/Story/Character Building
3) Working Title: "Living For a Family"
Status: World/Story/Character Building
4) Untitled Story
Status: World/Story/Character Building
5) Untitled Story
Status: World/Story/Character Building
"The Truth of Hero's" Series
1) Untitled Female Assassin story
Status: World/Story/Character Building
2) Untitled Hero story 2
Status: World/Story/Character Building
3) Untitled Hero Story 3
Status: World/Story/Character Building
4) Untitled Hero Story 4
Status: World/Story/Character Building
5) Untitled Hero Story 5
Status: World/Story/Character Building
6) Untitled Hero Story 6
Status: World/Story/Character Building
7) Final Hero Fight
Status: World/Story/Character Building
A Butterfly's Life Series
Series Under Construction currently
1) A Butterfly's Dance
Status: Unknown word count - hand written
2) A Butterfly's Dream
Status:
3) A Butterfly's Flight
Status: Prologue to Chapter 19 written
The Crimson World Series
1) A Crimson Shadow
Status: Chapter 1 to Chapter 4
Total Word Counts: 5,555
2) Crimson Drips
Status: World/Story/Character Building
I will update in new posts as I go. This is going to be fun. Really.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Preparing for Nano 1
Wow is it already August?
You bet your ass it is! And that usually means for me it's high time I start preparing for the coming National Novel Writing Month, which is in November.
If you notice, I have my count down going already and doing it's thing right now.
Well, I decided that I would blog my way through this process this year. See how that helps (or doesn't) with planning and getting ready for everything.
So let's start out by making a list, shall we?
You bet your ass it is! And that usually means for me it's high time I start preparing for the coming National Novel Writing Month, which is in November.
If you notice, I have my count down going already and doing it's thing right now.
Well, I decided that I would blog my way through this process this year. See how that helps (or doesn't) with planning and getting ready for everything.
So let's start out by making a list, shall we?
- Prepare the youtube and Pandora playlists for much playing.
- Make sure that my Hulu queue is set up and ready for me to have many good things to watch while writing.
- Make sure my Youtube playlist of movies and documentaries are ready for me.
- Work out plot details for story.
- Work out the first 10 scenes of the story
- Figure out characters and who they are
- Figure out ideas for what is to go into the story
- Figure out pairing ideas
- Figure out if there will be sex in this book
- Figure out second book plot since it will tie into first book
- Write down ending because I know what will happen. (Not a happy gooey ending okay)
- Figure out antagonists for my story.
- Figure out how long chapters should average to reach minimum of 60K length
Okay, so, I have my list set up. I can do at least three of those things now.
- Prepare the youtube and Pandora playlists for much playing.
- I have a lot of songs that I like to listen to when I'm writing. Most of them are songs that I don't need to pay attention to, are in another language or set the mood for a scene. I have a master list with all of the songs (mostly) with several smaller lists that break up the songs for certain worlds or ideas. So this is done but I am always looking for more.
- Make sure that my Hulu queue is set up and ready for me to have many good things to watch while writing.
- I do this because I do watch a lot of Hulu while writing. I would do Netflix but due to unforseen circumstances, the account that I was attached to has been closed for the time being. Which I know the reasons and I understand why. I can make due with Hulu and Youtube. It's just a matter of being creative with how I set things up.
- Make sure my Youtube playlist of movies and documentaries are ready for me.
- Remember when I said it's just a matter of being creative? I wasn't joking. Youtube has a lot of things out there. It's just a matter of shuffling through things. I'm not looking for good video quality. I'm looking for sound quality mostly since I'm using things as background. I have started this process and am raiding various playlists and searches for things.
Well, that's three things off of my list. Which is good for me. :D
I'm rather happy with how things are going so far either way but for now I'm going to go back to rewriting a fanfiction into an original story. :D
Stay tuned for Preparing for Nano 2!
Monday, July 27, 2015
A Writer and Disabilities
As I sit here, watching Monster Quest on Netflix (final episode of season 1), and try to gather up enough energy to work on rewriting chapter 2 of Don't Look, while at the same time thinking of the second book in what is now becoming a series, I find my mind turning to my body.
Or rather, the pain that I am experiencing and how it affects me and my day to day life.
What kind of pain though? It's chronic joint pain. A lot of it centers around my joints but can expand into the rest of my body depending on day and what I'm doing. Most days I can just ignore it just fine, but some days, it's like every piece of me is being attacked by razor sharp, heated needles aimed straight for the muscles and nerves.
When it's like that, it makes it hard to stand or walk. Hell, it makes it hard to just sit in a recliner with comfortable pillows to sink back into. And that's saying something. I could be laying on an air mattress (which are really comfortable, much more so than say, water beds or gel beds) and still be hurting.
It's debilitating. It really is.
But it also affects my writing along with what I can do in that day. I can only hold my writing positions for a short time which means that I get few words in a short period of time before I'm forced to find a more comfortable position. Which usually includes me leaning back in my chair with a heating pad turned on against the body part that is currently in pain.
A lot of writers that I've met have physical problems that restrict them in some way. Some are internal, while others are external. But when they get bad, writing tends to slow down or stop while the writer who is dealing with it allows it to stop or works to get it to stop.
I can attest that writing while in pain is not fun, and I can get really grumpy when people sit there and try to make me write when I'm dealing with it. Usually before I take something to help kill the pain and relax my muscles, but that usually leave me either high (because, hey! No pain! Yay!) or just foggy.
I don't enjoy having to rewrite what I wrote in those states because they tend to not make very much sense at all.
There is a reason why most of the writers who have physical problems tend to have a back-log of stories to be published, cause there is every chance that a disability will stop a writer in their tracks while writing a new story. It is never good and those who are indies can lose their readers if they don't have a certain amount of stories coming out yearly.
Which cuts into what little money they get from something that they can enjoy.
I just hope that whoever reads a story and is waiting patiently for a writer with a disability or physical limitation to understand that these things are not excuses for us. We are very unhappy when we can't do what we want to do when something happens. And we always hope that our readers are willing to understand that this happens sometimes and that we will have more coming to them soon enough.
Or rather, the pain that I am experiencing and how it affects me and my day to day life.
What kind of pain though? It's chronic joint pain. A lot of it centers around my joints but can expand into the rest of my body depending on day and what I'm doing. Most days I can just ignore it just fine, but some days, it's like every piece of me is being attacked by razor sharp, heated needles aimed straight for the muscles and nerves.
When it's like that, it makes it hard to stand or walk. Hell, it makes it hard to just sit in a recliner with comfortable pillows to sink back into. And that's saying something. I could be laying on an air mattress (which are really comfortable, much more so than say, water beds or gel beds) and still be hurting.
It's debilitating. It really is.
But it also affects my writing along with what I can do in that day. I can only hold my writing positions for a short time which means that I get few words in a short period of time before I'm forced to find a more comfortable position. Which usually includes me leaning back in my chair with a heating pad turned on against the body part that is currently in pain.
A lot of writers that I've met have physical problems that restrict them in some way. Some are internal, while others are external. But when they get bad, writing tends to slow down or stop while the writer who is dealing with it allows it to stop or works to get it to stop.
I can attest that writing while in pain is not fun, and I can get really grumpy when people sit there and try to make me write when I'm dealing with it. Usually before I take something to help kill the pain and relax my muscles, but that usually leave me either high (because, hey! No pain! Yay!) or just foggy.
I don't enjoy having to rewrite what I wrote in those states because they tend to not make very much sense at all.
There is a reason why most of the writers who have physical problems tend to have a back-log of stories to be published, cause there is every chance that a disability will stop a writer in their tracks while writing a new story. It is never good and those who are indies can lose their readers if they don't have a certain amount of stories coming out yearly.
Which cuts into what little money they get from something that they can enjoy.
I just hope that whoever reads a story and is waiting patiently for a writer with a disability or physical limitation to understand that these things are not excuses for us. We are very unhappy when we can't do what we want to do when something happens. And we always hope that our readers are willing to understand that this happens sometimes and that we will have more coming to them soon enough.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Preparing for July's Camp NaNoWriMo
Month: July
Lasts from July 1, 2015 to Midnight August 1, 2015
Word Count Goal: 30,000 (30K)
Novel: Various
Okay so who out there knows what National Novel Writing Month is?
Most of you right?
Well for those who don't, and I know there are those out there who don't, I'll explain it to you.
National Novel Writing Month happens during the month of November 1st until Midnight of December 1st. It starts and ends that midnight of your timezone mind you, so those who live as far as California tend to end up starting last but we also end last.
Yes, I'm way over here in the USA. Arizona to be precise so my clocks don't change any. No day light savings time.
Anyways, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) started back in 1999 where in 21 twenty-somethings got together with the intent of becoming writers just to do something.
What they hadn't expected was just how much fun they had during that November month all those years ago. As it is said on their History Page:
– Chris Baty
Let's move on then shall we?
I've been participating in camp for about 3 years now, 2015 being my third year. I plan on working on various stories, hopefully getting further into them then where I'm sitting on them. I can hope right?
It's about what I do during camp every year, but this is kind of the first year that I set my own goal to be between 25K and 30K total word count. Usually I just leave it at 50K, but I can tell you right now that this year has been insane.
Between friends breaking down (long story that a lot of my online friends know about since I turned to them for advice), vacations, reenactments in cemeteries for charity, and colds that would just not die, it has been a ridiculous 5 and half months okay? And yet, here I am, doing camp once more.
But it's fun.
Now, the title says preparing for it, and thus I am. What exactly am I doing? Well, for the most part, I'm rewriting what I've already written. A good chunk of these stories were started but had to be put to the side since my muses kind of...rolled over and died on me with them for a short time.
But I am now in the right headspace to hopefully finish them before November rolls around.
So what do I do to prepare beyond the rewriting?
1: I create Youtube playlists of songs that I know will help my thoughts.
2: I check my Pandora Playlists and make sure that they're still good for my writing. This means that I listen to one or two that I'm wavering on for a few hours each day.
3: I make a list of Netflix and Hulu movies that I can play in the background. Mostly horror since most modern horror movies (outside of a few select ones) don't really need much attention.
4: I make a list of Netflix and Hulu Animes that I like and if they are only available in the original Japanese or not. I tend to save these for last resort kind of things since it means that I need to have my windows a certain way so I can keep an eye on subtitles. I do not know how to speak much less understand Japanese outside of a select few words okay?
I watch a lot of anime. Doesn't mean that I picked it up since most of the anime that I watch while writing tends to be amazingly fluffy. Like Ouran High School Host Club.
5: I plot my stories. At least six (6) chapters.
6: I stock up on items. Such items include:
Lasts from July 1, 2015 to Midnight August 1, 2015
Word Count Goal: 30,000 (30K)
Novel: Various
Okay so who out there knows what National Novel Writing Month is?
Most of you right?
Well for those who don't, and I know there are those out there who don't, I'll explain it to you.
National Novel Writing Month happens during the month of November 1st until Midnight of December 1st. It starts and ends that midnight of your timezone mind you, so those who live as far as California tend to end up starting last but we also end last.
Yes, I'm way over here in the USA. Arizona to be precise so my clocks don't change any. No day light savings time.
Anyways, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) started back in 1999 where in 21 twenty-somethings got together with the intent of becoming writers just to do something.
What they hadn't expected was just how much fun they had during that November month all those years ago. As it is said on their History Page:
I think the scene—full of smack-talk and muffin crumbs on our keyboards—would have rightly horrified professional writers. We had taken the cloistered, agonized novel-writing process and transformed it into something that was half literary marathon and half block party.
We called it noveling. And after the noveling ended on August 1, my sense of what was possible for myself, and those around me, was forever changed. If my friends and I could write passable novels in a month, I knew, anyone could do it.
Which is how the whole thing really got rolling.
– Chris Baty
The next year, a friend offered to create a site for them. They were not expecting it to go from just the 21 of them to 150 participants on the site and the Yahoo! Group, much less the explosion of people in the coming years. Year Two was the Year of the Rules, Year Three was the Year of Participants.
They grew and grew and continue to grow to this day.
Now that you have a basic run down of how they started, what is it now right?
It's a chance to write a Novel in a month's time. When you join, you put aside the perfectionist. You put aside the Inner Editor. You become a Writer and nothing but a Writer. It's a time to just get the story down. You can't expect anything polished and you'll probably rip your novel into bite sized pieces once you're done with it and put it back together into something resembling a full novel.
The word goal for that month is 50,000 words.
Well, if NaNo is all about writing a new novel, what is Camp Nano all about?
It actually started as a chance for those who had school or couldn't do the regular Nano to participate in something fun. There was once a site called JulyNaNo but it has since closed due to the fact that Camp NaNo has finally settled into the months of April and July.
As they say on their About Page:
Camp NaNoWriMo is a more open-ended version of our original November event.We have Camp sessions in both April and July, and we welcome word-count goals between 10,000 and 1,000,000. In addition, writers may attempt non-novel projects. Camp is a creative retreat for whatever you’re working on!Okay, so we've gone over that right? Yes?
Let's move on then shall we?
I've been participating in camp for about 3 years now, 2015 being my third year. I plan on working on various stories, hopefully getting further into them then where I'm sitting on them. I can hope right?
It's about what I do during camp every year, but this is kind of the first year that I set my own goal to be between 25K and 30K total word count. Usually I just leave it at 50K, but I can tell you right now that this year has been insane.
Between friends breaking down (long story that a lot of my online friends know about since I turned to them for advice), vacations, reenactments in cemeteries for charity, and colds that would just not die, it has been a ridiculous 5 and half months okay? And yet, here I am, doing camp once more.
But it's fun.
Now, the title says preparing for it, and thus I am. What exactly am I doing? Well, for the most part, I'm rewriting what I've already written. A good chunk of these stories were started but had to be put to the side since my muses kind of...rolled over and died on me with them for a short time.
But I am now in the right headspace to hopefully finish them before November rolls around.
So what do I do to prepare beyond the rewriting?
1: I create Youtube playlists of songs that I know will help my thoughts.
2: I check my Pandora Playlists and make sure that they're still good for my writing. This means that I listen to one or two that I'm wavering on for a few hours each day.
3: I make a list of Netflix and Hulu movies that I can play in the background. Mostly horror since most modern horror movies (outside of a few select ones) don't really need much attention.
4: I make a list of Netflix and Hulu Animes that I like and if they are only available in the original Japanese or not. I tend to save these for last resort kind of things since it means that I need to have my windows a certain way so I can keep an eye on subtitles. I do not know how to speak much less understand Japanese outside of a select few words okay?
I watch a lot of anime. Doesn't mean that I picked it up since most of the anime that I watch while writing tends to be amazingly fluffy. Like Ouran High School Host Club.
5: I plot my stories. At least six (6) chapters.
6: I stock up on items. Such items include:
- Pens
- paper
- White out
- coffee
- sugar
- non-dairy creamer
- instant flavored coffee
- snack foods that I can nibble upon while writing (I have this lovely little trail mix that I like making)
- Soda
- water
- pain meds
- headache medication
- wax tarts for my burner (scent therapy is a good thing)
7: I get back onto a normal sleep schedule. My sleep schedules tend to be late nights with late mornings. I shouldn't do that anyways but during April, July, and November, I tend to set it up so that I can get up before 2 in the afternoon.
I've gotten most of this done. I have a few more things to do but that's to come.
Here's hoping that I don't completely die while doing this yes?
Just wait until November. I'll probably be a zombie most journals I post that aren't scheduled.
Time to continue today's writing.
Happy Writing and Reading all!
Friday, June 19, 2015
Current Stories as of 6-19-2015
This is the stories that I am working on as of June 19, 2015.
All future lists shall be updated and linked together on each story.
All future lists shall be updated and linked together on each story.
Online offerings:
A Butterfly Series
A Butterfly's Dance
Summary:
Rye didn't know what would happen when he took his Goddess's request.
But now he was a Guardian and was alone...so very alone.
His world is thrown into a whirlwind and now he has to find his own balance once more.
He just wasn't expecting a demon and a dragonling seer to come into his life and turn it right side up.
Status: Three (3) to Five (5) chapters hand written
Word count: Unknown
Book: One (1)
A Butterfly's Dream
Summary:
All David had wanted to do was finish an art project.
And maybe figure out who the hell had hacked his computer, putting him on a trail of a woman he hadn't known about.
But now, he was learning about a world that was hidden in plain sight.
With Immortal Gypsy Princes, their demonic and dragonling husbands, a dead boyfriend, twins who know more then they know, and an insane Pastor after his ass, in all sorts of way, he has to wonder...
Why Him?
Status: Chapters One (1) to Twelve (12) rewritten
Chapter Thirteen (13) written, set to be edited
Chapters Fifteen (15) to Nineteen (19) set to be rewritten
Rest of chapters Plotted
Word Count So Far: Unknown
A Butterfly's Flight
Summary:
It was time to train his new powers.
Alex had been taken cared of two years ago.
Rye had settled a little more firmly in Yuma.
His father was being helped, hopefully.
Rye, Nico, and Son were all hunting down the one who kept eluding them.
David hoped that his life could hopefully calm the hell down.
For once.
Honey Drops Series
Honey Drops 1: Wake The Truth
Summary:
They hadn't expected to find the computers from a time long gone.
They weren't expecting to find a computerized version of someone from their very history.
They especially hadn't expected to hear the true history of their worlds.
When Hanami opened his mouth and the history came out, they were stunned.
Status: One (1) chapter written
Word count: ??
Honey Drops 2: Touch The Heart
Summary:
They had known that what they would learn would shock the worlds around them.
But still they continued to learn.
And decided to put the stories of these powerful men down.
But first they had to hear the stories that were being offered.
So they listened.
Status: One (1) Chapter written
Word count: ??
Honey Drops 3
The Crimson Series
Crimson Shadows
Summary:
When he lost his father, all he wanted to do was mourn his father and clean out the house.
He wasn't expecting an ancient horror from his families past to waken.
He sure as hell wasn't expecting that horror to be a foot tall and made of porcelain.
Status: Three (3) chapters written (I think)
Drips of Crimson
Summary:
The evil was free but they didn't know that.
Markus had thought that it had been destroyed.
But when he and his crew of ghost hunters go on a job, they find that he had been wrong.
The evil was free and he was working with something much more deadly.
They would walk away changed in ways they had never thought would be possible.
Single Shot Stories
(or stories that are just one book)
Don't Look/A Delicate Thread
Summary:
It starts in the woods and a warning that brushed through their minds.
Don't look.
They didn't look but still they lost one of their own that night.
Now, several years later, they are coming together once more.
The ones that are left that is.
And now the one with the key must keep himself safe while figuring out what the key was.
Because an ancient evil is hunting them down.
Status: Three (3) Chapters written
Black Veiled Saviour
Summary:
All Bo was doing was trying to do was find a girl who had gone missing.
But he found himself in the middle of a mystery that goes beyond just one missing girl.
And he finds that the help of one lone bartender can be just what he needs.
Status: ??
Follow Me Down
Summary:
He was insane.
He was smart.
He was fast.
He was the on who could fix everything.
He was the one the White Knight wanted to either pin to a wall or toss over a cliff.
He was...the White Hatter.
Status: Two (2) Chapters
Untitled Horror Story
Summary:
The house held its secrets close to the vest.
But one detective will put the pieces together through forensics and the left behind videos.
He just didn't know that he would uncover a darkness that has grown from a 100 year old murder.
Status: Three (3) to Four (4) Chapters
All David had wanted to do was finish an art project.
And maybe figure out who the hell had hacked his computer, putting him on a trail of a woman he hadn't known about.
But now, he was learning about a world that was hidden in plain sight.
With Immortal Gypsy Princes, their demonic and dragonling husbands, a dead boyfriend, twins who know more then they know, and an insane Pastor after his ass, in all sorts of way, he has to wonder...
Why Him?
Status: Chapters One (1) to Twelve (12) rewritten
Chapter Thirteen (13) written, set to be edited
Chapters Fifteen (15) to Nineteen (19) set to be rewritten
Rest of chapters Plotted
Word Count So Far: Unknown
A Butterfly's Flight
Summary:
It was time to train his new powers.
Alex had been taken cared of two years ago.
Rye had settled a little more firmly in Yuma.
His father was being helped, hopefully.
Rye, Nico, and Son were all hunting down the one who kept eluding them.
David hoped that his life could hopefully calm the hell down.
For once.
Honey Drops Series
Honey Drops 1: Wake The Truth
Summary:
They hadn't expected to find the computers from a time long gone.
They weren't expecting to find a computerized version of someone from their very history.
They especially hadn't expected to hear the true history of their worlds.
When Hanami opened his mouth and the history came out, they were stunned.
Status: One (1) chapter written
Word count: ??
Honey Drops 2: Touch The Heart
Summary:
They had known that what they would learn would shock the worlds around them.
But still they continued to learn.
And decided to put the stories of these powerful men down.
But first they had to hear the stories that were being offered.
So they listened.
Status: One (1) Chapter written
Word count: ??
Honey Drops 3
The Crimson Series
Crimson Shadows
Summary:
When he lost his father, all he wanted to do was mourn his father and clean out the house.
He wasn't expecting an ancient horror from his families past to waken.
He sure as hell wasn't expecting that horror to be a foot tall and made of porcelain.
Status: Three (3) chapters written (I think)
Drips of Crimson
Summary:
The evil was free but they didn't know that.
Markus had thought that it had been destroyed.
But when he and his crew of ghost hunters go on a job, they find that he had been wrong.
The evil was free and he was working with something much more deadly.
They would walk away changed in ways they had never thought would be possible.
Single Shot Stories
(or stories that are just one book)
Don't Look/A Delicate Thread
Summary:
It starts in the woods and a warning that brushed through their minds.
Don't look.
They didn't look but still they lost one of their own that night.
Now, several years later, they are coming together once more.
The ones that are left that is.
And now the one with the key must keep himself safe while figuring out what the key was.
Because an ancient evil is hunting them down.
Status: Three (3) Chapters written
Black Veiled Saviour
Summary:
All Bo was doing was trying to do was find a girl who had gone missing.
But he found himself in the middle of a mystery that goes beyond just one missing girl.
And he finds that the help of one lone bartender can be just what he needs.
Status: ??
Follow Me Down
Summary:
He was insane.
He was smart.
He was fast.
He was the on who could fix everything.
He was the one the White Knight wanted to either pin to a wall or toss over a cliff.
He was...the White Hatter.
Status: Two (2) Chapters
Untitled Horror Story
Summary:
The house held its secrets close to the vest.
But one detective will put the pieces together through forensics and the left behind videos.
He just didn't know that he would uncover a darkness that has grown from a 100 year old murder.
Status: Three (3) to Four (4) Chapters
Participating in during the 2015 year
This is the list of things that I will be participating in during the 2015 year.
I will update as needed until January 1st, 2016.
April 1, 2015 to April 30, 2015
Word Count Goal: 25,000
Word Count End: 38,342
July 1, 2015 to July 31, 2015
Word Count Goal: 30,000
Word Count End:
November 1, 2015 to November 30, 2015
Word Count Goal: 50,000
Word Count End:
Welcome
I wish to welcome all those who happen to stumble, follow or peek into my blog for whatever reason. This post is to welcome you to it. And to give you information about what you will find here.
- Writer Quotes
- What is Writer Quotes? They are, simply put, quotes from writers about various things, mostly about writing. But sometimes there's quotes about life or the world around us. I find them from a variety of places and I will try to add a link to the source. I'm not promising you anything though in that regards.
- Updates on stories
- What is Updates on Stories? Again, simply put, they are updates on the stories that I write. My stories are, for the most part, horror fantasy in some way. I am writing quite a few stories, and I'm trying to get them written up and edited. I would love to start selling them by 2018, but I have no idea if that will happen.
- I know, so far away, but not really. Not in the world of a writer.
- Character Information
- What is Character Information? These posts will talk about random characters or characters that others are asked about. I rather like putting the information out there, and ask that you don't try to steal them. I get really unhappy about that.
- Writer Advice
- Why would I be putting out writing advice? I do these things called "Conversations with my Muses" where I talk with a muse or character about what I've learned through the years. I will post these. I've been told that they're a fun way to learn something new. I have quite a few that I have on my list but I need to actually get around to writing them. Oops?
- Rants
- Rants? Yes, I said rants. I go on them sometimes about stupid advice that runs around. Cause if you follow every piece of advice out there, you would lose your own voice as a writer. We don't want that. We want your voice to shine through your words and your writing.
- Online stories offered
- Do you post your own stories online? Yes, a few. But this isn't just about those. This is about stories that I come across that I personally enjoyed that I would love to share with all of you. That's what this bit means.
- Reviews of what I read
- You review? Yes, I review. I review a lot of books when I have time. At the moment I don't have a lot of time to review or write so it will be sporadic.
Now, some information about myself.
I am known as S.L. Lewis and that's what you're going to know me as. You'll see some call me Sunny. That is a nickname, and only a nickname.
I hope that you enjoy the blog and what I come out with and hope that you take the time to comment. :D
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