NaNoWriMo Day One

First, some Halloween pictures... Lambertville NJ might not do much on the 4th of July, but they go hog wild on Halloween. The entire neighborhood gets into the "spirit."

NaNoWriMo Day One Word Count

Goal: 1,667 words

Actual: 1,977 words

Highlight: Passing my goal with ease

Downside: Can you say S l O W . . . The NaNoWriMo site could not have been slower. I think I grew old waiting for pages to open. And I couldn't download my daily excerpt for verification. At first, I was not going to download my text for fear of stealing, etc. But then I figured out how to scramble my text so I thought, maybe I will download today's writing. However, I couldn't get my cursor to even click on that spot. Did anyone else have this problem.

Question for NaNo Writers: Are you going to download your excerpt each day for word count verification?

Things to Ponder While I'm Gone and the Eastern State Penitentiary

I will be going on brief hiatus while I focus on trying to write 50,000 words this month for NaNoWriMo. I may, or may not, get the chance to post or visit your blogs, so just in case... have a great November and I guess... a Happy Thanksgiving!

While I am gone, here are some things to ponder...

Why is it that when you transport something by car, it's called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship, it's called cargo?

and...

Why do we play in recitals and recite in plays?

Oh and...

Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?

And if you are in Philly between now and November 3rd, be sure to check out the Eastern State Penitentiary. My family and I (just the teens and grown-ups) go ever year to Terror Behind the Walls. We have a blast every year! So, if you can go, I highly recommend it!

Have a great Halloween and a great November and to all my fellow NaNo buddies, best of luck!

See you in December!

Oh and PS, while I'm gone, if you follow my blog, please sign up to be a "follower." I love those smiling tiles. Thanks!

NaNoWriMo

Cindy Pon cyber twisted my arm - no, not really - but she inspired me to sign up for NaNoWriMo.

Never heard of it?

I had heard bits and pieces of it here and there.... NaNo this... and NaNo that... but I wasn't sure what everyone was talking about...

The short of it is, NaNoWriMo is a contest of sorts held annually in November.

Why? Because November is Novel Writing Month. (Yay!!!)

It's challenge: to write 50,000 words from Nov 1 - Nov 30.
It's focus: quantity, not quality.

That's right, I said quantity. At first you might squint and say, What? Don't focus on quality, how absurd. But not really.

There is a time and a place to concern yourself with the beauty of your MS, the flow of your phraseology, the air-tightness of your plot, the motivation of your characters, the... well, you get the picture. It's just the first draft it not that time, nor place. All that should matter in a first draft - OK, the biggest factor of the first draft - is finishing the darn thing! Once you start editing and revising a first draft, you lose focus. You lose momentum. You lose your mind! And that threat of your baby becoming an Unfinished Novel under your bed becomes very real.

How do I know this? Because this is precisely what I have been doing for the past year! I have been working, revising, editing, re-writing my first draft. And where has that gotten me? Well, no where, really. It's made me stagnant. I keep re-reading my first draft saying, Oh wait, I forgot this. Or, Oh wait, that's all wrong. Or, Oh wait, that's way too weak a motivation, etc. And so... I keep going back to stage one instead of being able to push forward and move onto a second, third, fourth draft!

It's time to STOP THE MADNESS PEOPLE!

So, I challenge all of you first drafters out there: Join NaNoWriMo with me and Cindy and Leeza, and countless others. And let's once and for all, WRITE/FINISH THAT NOVEL!!!

Did I convince you? Tell me your buddy name and I'll tell you mine and we can cheer each other on.

Go Novelists!!!

PS You're allowed to use outlines and notes, but they are not part of your daily word count.

*Twilight Spoiler* and a Hero's Journey

As you all know I recently read Twilight. And as most of you Twilight readers probably know, the first book has the first three chapters of New Moon at the very end. So, that was able to hold me over until I could run to the book store to pick up the next book. Last night, I was finally able to buy New Moon and was very excited to begin reading when a thought occurred to me... (but please do NOT read on if you do not want the ending spoiled for you...)

I thought... Hey wait a minute! Bella didn't save herself in Twilight!!! True, she stood up to the antagonist of the book, but ultimately it was Edward and the others who save her and kill the Tracker.

This goes against EVERYTHING we are taught. We are told our MC must battle the antagonist him/herself. The MC must conquer the antagonist (or not -- a novela noir). No adults are supposed to help, and this is true from PB all the way up to YA.

JK Rowling broke a lot of rules but mostly about page count and she wasn't afraid to show a very evil antagonist in a MG novel or to show a child hero fighting. Obviously, by the end, Harry was a YA and was intended for a YA audience. But, her rule breaking, I feel, was for the betterment of children's literature.

However, to write that your MC does not win the battle scene from her own wit and cunning, I am not sure how I feel about this. Bella does, on her own, go with the intention of fighting, even if that means ultimately her death. She does fight as hard as she can, but in the end, fails and needs to, unknowingly, rely on the others to save her. Plus, SM doesn't even show us that battle scene.

Is this how she makes it OK? We see Bella's intention to battle the Tracker and even though she loses, as we are reading it, we still felt satiated for some reason. Maybe it is because we never see how the others fight and win. If we did, it would become their battle scene. Is this how she got away with breaking this rule and leaving us almost unaware that her MC didn't fight the ultimate battle scene... because it was never shown. Even Bella (written in first person...) doesn't know the battle scene, which is why we cannot know the true battle scene.

This reminds me of what my screenwriting teacher used to say... Know the rules, so you can break them. I guess this is exactly what SM did. We can all argue that eventually, if Edward and the others always save Bella, this will become a glorified fairy tale with a fair maiden waiting to be saved by her man, but as you know... I am way behind all of you and have not yet read past chapter 4 of New Moon - so please do not give too much away...


What do you think about this? Why were we still satisfied at the end? What do you think about breaking rules? Do you think you are doing that in your WIP? And what is the difference between us doing it and hearing at every SCBWI event that we can't break those rules and yet here are these two great writers who not only did, but are laughing all the way to the bank? Please share your thoughts about this, I really want to hear what you have to say...

Writer Retreat

So, this weekend was the weekend of my self-proclaimed writer's retreat. How'd it go? Well, first a smattering of eye candy...
My room

My writing space.


This is only one of the many porches, shot through a door.

A sad, lonely Gargoyle, waiting for someone...

The Penthouse for birds


If we wear fur coats, trees wear ivy coats. Oh, yes, darling, you look smashing!

I always thought these trees look like a paint-by-number.
In case you're wondering... It is a Sycamore or also known as a London Plane Trees. (But they're quite fancy... hahaha)

Where to begin... Well, first of all going away, being out of my element, opened my eyes to things I hadn't considered. When I am home, I am distracted, as previously posted, and I don't think I saw things in my own writing, quite as clearly.

The Retreat...

My First Revelation...
The first day I got to my B&B, I read the pages previously written and it was as if someone had handed me a special pair of writer's glasses where mistakes were now glaringly obvious. At first, what struck me was how much I told in my story instead of showed. Now, I thought I was aware of this before, but for some reason, it was so obvious when I was away -- all the mistakes I had made and hadn't even seen them before.

Maybe it was so obvious because I had put my novel aside for a number of months and read it fresh. Maybe it was because I was away and out of my element and so I was able to see it through fresh eyes. Maybe it was a little of both. But, whatever the reason, I was so taken back when I read my pages and saw these mistakes. At first I was discouraged. But don't worry - that didn't last too long.

My Second Revelation...
I hated the pacing! Hated it! I was told once, very early on, that I had to quicken the pacing. And perhaps I did, but I misunderstood I think exactly what that meant. I thought, then, that it meant, I needed to bring the fantasy element right upfront. But now I realize that is not necessarily so. I realize now, that it means to hint about the fantasy element right away, to show it little by little, to tease the reader with foreshadowing so they can guess what the fantasy element is and lead them to the REVEAL where they will then feel like, Yes! I knew that's what it was!

My story is considered low fantasy - like ghost stories - it takes place here in our world, with our strengths and weaknesses and our beings... But, there is that fantasy element in my story.

So, I slowed the pacing but added hints about the fantasy and made the hints grow, and grow, and grow, until the reveal -- which makes it actually feel quicker paced, even though, in reality it slowed the reveal down. I learned that quickening the pace doesn't mean a sudden thrust into the REVEAL. Of course in a high fantasy novel, the fantasy element should be right up front, but again, you should still take time getting to the reveal. And if the reveal IS your fantasy element, then I like the slow hints along the way, slowly building and building. So, I turned up the sound a notch or two on my subtle references and painted with a few brighter shades...

My Third Revelation...
I realized in order to slow down the pacing, but make it still engaging, I would need new chapters in the beginning of the book, so, I would need to change my intention for the weekend....

My original intention was to turn out new pages, but seeing these two glaring mistakes (telling vs showing and pacing...), made me re-think these intentions.

Instead, I went back to outlining. UGH! But this time, it was a real, bon-a-fide outline. I outlined and wrote very detailed summaries for three new chapter, re-organized two subsequent chapters, and completely, and I mean completely, changed the reveal. And you know what? I love it!

At first, yes, it was very hard to see that my work was not on paper as it was in my head. But then I got over that fast and got straight to work. I have to say, the brainstorming and outlining process, for me, is exhausting! I took a three hour nap on Saturday and woke saying, Oh No! I completely forgot to put this in the outline for chapter four... so, even when I slept, I was writing, and outlining, and organizing...

The Outcome...
I was definitely ready to come home, and I am a little disappointed that I can't say I typed the words, THE END, but I am happy. I know I am on the right path now and in a much better place, especially that my new prescription for writer's lenses has been upgraded - and I owe that to the 20 books I read this year and the writer's groups and conferences I attended (and still attend...).

In the end, I didn't write new pages, and I am still sticking to outlining, but I'm OK with that. I am not going to rush this process. It takes time to write a novel, especially your first one - so I hear - so back to the drawing board and that's OK.

The Outline
Here is the outlining format I used for each chapter, old and new...

Chapter Number; Chapter Title
Characters We Meet: Here, obviously, I listed all the characters who appear in each chapter. But I did not forget to mention the ones that also came in dreams or visions. That's still an appearance, after all...

Tristan’s Goal: This is my MC. I write here what her goal of this chapter is. Sometimes a goal can also be trying to avoid doing something.

My Goal: This is where I listed what my goals, as the writer, were. For example, show a relationship growing together, show a relationship growing apart, introduce a new character, etc...

Conflict/Obstacles: What is the MC's conflict or obstacle in this chapter? What is getting in the way of her reaching her goal?

Arc: What is the MC's mini arc for this chapter? There should be a larger arc that is resolved at the end of your story, but I believe each chapter should strive to have a mini arc within. So, I try to have my MC start a chapter one way but end another way, which leads to...

Disaster: The disaster of the chapter, I usually have towards the end of the chapter so it can leads to...

Cliff Hanger of Chapter: ... the unanswered question of this chapter actually takes me to the next chapter where it might be answered and then another disaster leads to another mini cliff hanger, leads to the next chapter, and so on...

Anything foreshadowed: I love foreshadowing. I think foreshadowing is what engages a reader. I think it is important to answer some foreshadowing a long the way to make the reader feel successful, like they're so smart, and leave the bigger foreshadowing to be resolved in the end. So, I need to keep track of everything that either is, or can be, considered foreshadowing.

Fantasy in the Chapter: I need to keep track of the fantasy element - Was it hinted upon? Was it the reveal? Was it used in one way or another? Was something new learned about it??

Any props in chapter:Props are a huge part of foreshadowing, in my opinion. Some items mentioned early on, can be used later as an AHA! object... So, I keep a list of all of these.

!Misc Notes:This was a very important part for the chapters I had already written. It was where I would write things like... UGH! This chapter told and didn't show nearly enough. Or... be sure in the second draft to add such and such to this chapter. Or... be sure in the second draft to delete, or change, or... You get the idea.

Chapter Summary: Obviously, this speaks for itself. But for the new chapters, that I hadn't written yet, this section was quite long and detailed. I would write the whole chapter summary from beginning, middle, end, include dialogue, and props, mini arcs, foreshadowing, the conflict, the disaster, and the cliff hanger ending. For chapters that were already written, I simply told a brief synopsis, since I can just read the chapter or the above info for more details.


I have to say, some of these outlining elements I learned from reading your blogs. So, I have to thank you, to all of you for sharing your methods, ideas, and thoughts. It is what lead me to my version of an outline.

How does your outlining method differ? How is it the same?

Twilight and A New Year

I finished reading Twilight today. I am fasting for Yom Kippur and really shouldn't be reading or typing on my computer. I should, instead, be in Temple, thanking G-d for writing my name in his Book of Life for another year. But why I am not in Temple, is a discussion for another time….

For now, let’s discuss a simpler topic, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I was very harsh on this book and its writer when I was on about page 85. So, have I changed my opinion?

Yes and No.

First the No.
I still maintain that she laid on Bella being such a responsible 17-year old a bit thick. I still maintain that it was strange that she didn’t own a cell phone and that there were no former friends from Phoenix - her hometown, texting or emailing her when she moved to Forks. I wish I could ask SM why she made these choices for the lack of true teenager-isms in today’s world of technology. Maybe she just wanted to keep it simple and friends from Phoenix could have complicated the plot… I guess I’ll never know.

Then the Yes
I had to make a decision; Read as a writer, or read as a reader. I decided upon the later and once I did, it made a huge difference in the enjoyment factor. SM really did do a good job capturing first love obsession. I was able to remember those distant butterflies in my stomach and my heart skipping beats at the sight or feel of my first love. It was fun to go on that ride down memory lane. And then to add the element of fantasy – a lion loving a lamb. It was… well… fun… for lack of a better term.

*SPOILER ALERT*
I also enjoyed the spin on a modern day Romeo and Juliet of sorts - A Capulet in love with a Montague - forbidden love between a human and a vampire.

I do wonder, had I read the book unaware that Edward was a vampire, what the reveal would have felt like. I felt a little gypped that I allowed myself to not be as guarded as with Harry Potter.

The hunt of the tracker was exciting and her bravery and yet fear, palpable. I did see the reason behind her clumsiness from a writer’s point a view and her queasiness of blood. Here is a girl unable to walk a straight line without hurting herself and buckles under the sight of blood, but able to stand up to a literal blood-thirsty killer. I always knew she would have such reasons in the end, but I guess for an adult, it still felt a little trite. I can see for a teen, that this would be a wonderful twist of character flaws vs. strengths within Bella. She needed to be clumsy so "falling through the window" would be plausible.

I did really love the twist that SM created about Vampires; Vampires are “people” to, with feelings, and emotions, and needs, and wants, and desires. And that they want to experience life and don’t necessarily have to be evil, blood-thirsty killers. That there are all kinds. I thought that was her strength in this series – her unique vision on vampires – a vampire who can love and choose not to kill.

So overall, I give it a thumbs up. If you get passed the 40/17-year old Bella thing, the story is exciting and entertaining. I will go on to read the next one.

Side Note: My sister and step-mom have both read the series and I stated my case to them one sunny day at the beach. They both looked at each other and laughed and my step-mother said, “Lori (my sister) WAS Bella!” My sister was known for vacuuming and cleaning the house because my mother, although wonderful at many things, was not a good housekeeper.

I also learned how to cook rather young because our mother went back to work.

And this made me also realize, that there are those who will see themselves in Bella. Those of us who will relate to growing up too soon, for whatever reason. And most likely, we believe we were more then what we were… more responsible, a more capable cook, smarter about boys… etc.

It is our reflecting back, seeing ourselves this way, that makes Bella more believable I suppose. And for teens, I am sure they all see themselves as these things in their mind… responsible, reliable, capable. And they should! So, they can see these parts of themselves in Bella. And maybe that is the allure this character has on some readers.

My sister identified with her, believed that was her life. I am sure there are many other readers out there with the same relationship to Bella.

Or maybe I'm just delirius with hunger right now. What time is it? How many more hours of fasting??
___________________________________________________________

Speaking of fasting... Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. According to the Jewish Calendar, it is the year 5769. The week after Rosh Hashanah, leading to the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, is a time to reflect on the last year and your actions. It is a time to be honest with yourself and your involvement with G-d. It is a time to see where you went wrong, where you might have wronged others, and to ask for forgiveness and atone for those sins.

It is also a time to think how you will improve yourself this new year. How will you better your relationships, your character, the way you live, and treat others as well as yourself. So what better time then now to refelct upon Devon Ellington’s questions on goals on her new blog.

The 25 questions will definitely take up some time to answer, but if you want to give it a try, here they are…

1. Looking back on the previous year, without consulting your notes or the GDRS for it, what stands out in your memory as a met goal that makes you feel positive about the future?
2. What did you find you needed to release, because, as the year progressed, it no longer worked to struggle towards it as a goal?
3. How has writing become more important in your life this past year?
4. How do you plan to move it up on the priority list this year? List three specific steps to make your writing more of a priority.
5. In terms of a living wage, what do you need to adjust in your writing output in order to achieve your wage-earning goals?
6. Do you still hang on to the fallacy that if you love to write, you don’t “deserve” to be paid a decent wage for it? List three steps to move past this block.
7. What large projects do you want to start this year?
8. What projects from the previous year do you need to complete? (Either first drafts, revisions, query letters)
9. What mix of smaller projects do you want to get into the pipeline this year?
10. How do you prioritize your projects? How do you shuffle them as your needs change?
11. What is your querying goal for the year? (IE, how many queries per week/month would you like to send out)?
12. What new area/genre are you willing to expand into/experiment in this year?
13. What is the greatest gift to your writing self you can give?
14. What do you need to renegotiate with other factions in your life to give yourself more writing time?
15. Decide on one writing risk for this year – be it a submission in a new genre, attending a conference, or trying something completely out of your comfort zone. Write about it, and set yourself a loose timeline to accomplish it.
16. What new and unique marketing arenas will you enter this year to promote both yourself and your work?
17. What do you need to do to enhance your self-esteem so you refer to yourself as “writer” FIRST when someone asks you to define yourself?
18. What kind of time commitment are you willing to make on a daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis to support your writing?
19. What other elements needs to balance with your writing? What happens when you feel unbalanced?
20. What contract are you willing to make with yourself to prevent writing from falling farther down on your priority list when “life gets in the way”?
21. How do your writing goals for the year fit into your dreams for the future?
22. What resolutions do you make to integrate your writing and the rest of your life?
23. How do these goals fit into your three year plan? Your five year plan? Your ten year plan?
24. Name one new non-writing element you plan to introduce into your life (and that might give you something new about which to write).
25. Name one non-writing element in your life that gets in the way of your writing that you commit to giving up or limiting and, instead, devote that time to writing.

I See the Light

(Phosphorescent minerals from the Franklin Mineral Museum...)

Yesterday, my computer crashed. In a little more detail, it all began with a paper jam.

I was reading manuscripts, critiquing, getting ready for my Tuesday night writer's group. I was printing out Jeanne's latest MS when my printer jammed. I cleared the paper and then my computer said an unknown USB port had attached itself to my computer.

My imagination swam with sci-fi images of alien life with suction cup tentacles clinging to the back of my computer.

I checked around, couldn't see any unknown aliens or USBs, so I did what I always do when my computer acts up, I re-boot.

BUT!!! When I rebooted, the computer froze on the opening Dell page and would not move from there. I pressed F2 and F12 to try to access the set-up or re-booting, but nothing. No reaction. Nada.

At first I was only mildly irritated and decided to re-boot again. But, again, my machine froze at that opening page. Again, I felt irritated, but not freaked out. I left it alone and decided to go to the kitchen to do a couple things. As the minutes ticked on, I began to panic. I went into a full blown, "I must fix this now" panic. Called friends for numbers of tech guys. Called some tech guys. I even cried a little, just a bit of high pitched panic fighting tears when I called my very own tech guy - my husband. I asked a friend, what is the Universe trying to say?

And then I wondered, what is the Universe trying to say? Here I was, with zip drive in hand, about to back up when my computer crashed. Here I am, days from a big writer's event where I needed my story, and my computer crashed. Does the Universe not want me to be a writer? Is it a sign about my writer's event? Maybe I shouldn't go??

Maybe we give the Universe too much credit.

But despite it all, somewhere, deep inside, I felt a sense of calm. It was small at first. But I felt it somewhere from within. I decided to let go of the fear and panic and go with the calm instead. My husband has fixed my computer before, I reasoned. He has recovered all my data before. I am going to relax, put my faith in him and know it will all be OK.

The thing is, I moved from panic to calm relatively quickly.... in maybe the span of two hours. For me, that's quick. Normally, I would have stayed stuck in panic until my computer was fixed. But this time, I really did trust. Inside, I was aware there was a piece of me shaking in fear, wanting to cry, rip my hair out. But I wouldn't succumb to that part of me.

My DH came home and within minutes, it was up and running again.

"How'd you do that?" I asked in amazement, spying two double A batteries on my desk.
"Well," he blushed, "I changed the batteries in your keyboard and plugged the printer back in. It was loose from the back."

I had visions in my head of this moment when my computer flashed with life again. I would wrap my arms around my DH's neck and exclaim, my hero. But batteries and a plug???

Well, he's still my hero, but I'm a bit embarrassed.

What did I learn from all of this. Like those phosphorescent minerals glowing in the dark, so was my calm. At first it was just a glow in the dark and my panic was at the surface. I decided to trade places. Put the calm upfront and the panic in the back. And, I saw the light.

I mean, I understand now. It's easy to panic when you wonder if you are about to lose your life's work. It's easy to panic when facing any potentially dangerous situation. But if you trust, if you believe somewhere within you, that everything will be alight, make the switch. Put your fear behind you and your faith in front. Things may or may not turn out the best in the end, but you will have moved through the situation better. With more grace.

I thought about my kids and the role I wanted to portray... a crying, panicked, crazy woman, or a calm, intelligent woman who believed it would be alright. When they asked me, I admitted I was scared, but I knew Daddy would come to the rescue, batteries and all.

So how often do you back up?

Life's Many Distractions

Come on and play with me...

I'll be your best friend.

Come on.

It won't take long.

Just throw the ball.

And I will bring it back again.

There's time for the laundry later.

And you can make that dinner then too.

But for now, just come on.

Play with me.

It will be lots of fun.

I'll wag my tail and make my happy face

And try not to shed too much.

If you just put down that pen,

and turn off your computer,

and come and play with me.

___________________________________________________________

Some of life's many distractions (even if in a good way)...

1. My dog Kenzie, begging me to throw her ball.
2. My kids and their HW
3. Laundry
4. Vacuuming
5. Dishes
6. Cooking

Or, I guess you can just say - LIFE is a distraction when you're trying to write a book!

Don't get me wrong.

I love my kids.

Love my dogs.

Don't love housework, but am mature enough to know it's not going to do itself.

*Sigh* too bad JK Rowling's house elves aren't real...

So what are your top five distractions? Oh I just thought of a few more...

1. emails
2. blogging

So, I love my kids, I love my husband, and I love my dogs. And I am so grateful to be alive and we're all healthy.... yada, yada, yada. I do not take any of that for granted. HOWEVER, I am TRYING TO WRITE HERE while I hold down the fort and work 4 part-time jobs.

So..... I am going on a little retreat.

In a few weeks I am driving a little bit away - not too far - and shutting myself up in a room and writing, writing, writing. It's just for two nights, but still! It is solid, uninterrupted, quality, no children's bickering, no dishes, no laundry, no cooking, only writing time. And I'm psyched!

My vision: In a beautiful setting, a C. 1800's house stands with wide, welcoming porch, creamy yellow clapboards, wavy antique glass windows, and up there, there, in that window, see? The one with the light on... that's where I'll be, writing feverishly into the night. Only stopping for sustenance and the potty.

I'll feel like Emily Dickinson, or Jane Eyre, or.... like me! Writing and working, dreaming and planning, thinking, and figuring things out, missing my family terribly, and making the most of my time away.

I once read this article by a writer - naturally - who spoke of his writer-friends who needed to go away, into the woods, in order to write - very Thoreau - and he felt it was silly. If you can write, you can write anywhere. It doesn't have to be in the woods, in a cabin, in a cottage, or a B&B.

At first, I laughed and agreed with him, scoffing at these writers alongside him. But not anymore. No. Ut-uh, Mr. I'm not laughing anymore. Now, I totally get how you might need to leave the distractions of life behind - your world behind - in order to truly submerge yourself into the world you are trying to create in your book. Even if these distractions are things... people.... pets... you cherish.

Sometimes, we need to leave our world to enter a new one...

Is it Just Me?

Is it just me, or does Bella speak like a 40-year old woman? Now, I know I am going to anger a few of you Bella fans out there. So, please forgive me ahead of time. I am only on page 91, but I have strong feelings about what I've read so far and I just don't see what all the hullabaloo is about. I certainly cannot think of comparing Stephenie Meyer to JK Rowling like so many have - calling her the USA's version of JK Rowling. She does not have JK's business sense and she is not equal to JK as a writer either. Maybe she has a tangled web she weaves that will all be tied up in the end - whether you like the end of not. I'll have to wait until I get there. IF I get there...

If you're wondering what I'm talking about, it's Stephenie Meyer's first book, Twilight. As most of you know, I just finished reading all seven Harry Potter books, one after the other, and I just loved it. My friend Suzie (hi Suzie), just reminded me how in Harry's early days, I refused to read them, basing my opinion solely on the movies, saying it was predictable. I never realized how much the movie versions left out from the books. I am glad to admit, I was wrong. I am converted and a true JK and HP fan. So, while I am reading Twilight, I am trying to put JK and Harry out of my mind. I am trying to be open-minded, but it has been hard.

First, Bella, has moved in with her Dad so her Mom can be happy following her minor-league-baseball-playing husband around from city to city. Bella, at 17 and in HS, goes grocery shopping without being told, or without having a list made prior by an adult. She cooks meals for her and her Dad for dinner and has them hot and ready when he walks in the door. (I don't even do that most days!) AND she has a repertoire of meals she knows how to make. And I'm not talking about Kraft Mac and Cheese, folks. I mean difficult ones like steak and enchiladas - and no, not the kind that comes in a box. She is nice to boys who annoy her by asking her to the spring dance. She considers their feelings, uses words like... he grimaced... you're utterly absurd... and a host of other phrases that sound more like a 40-year old woman than a 17-year old girl. I have a 17-year old brother and sister. They've never said grimaced or absurd in all their years alive! They might write it in an essay or as a creative writing assignment - but in speaking to another teen?! No way!

Oh! And what about this typo on page 9 at the top of the page... "...it had been belonged to me since I was born." It had been belonged to me??? Ah... I don't think so. It belonged to me, yes. Even, It had belonged to me. But not, it had been belonged... OK, I know that complaint is nit-picky, but this isn't a draft, people! It's a published novel!

So far, I am just not getting it. Edward is mean. He's nice. He's mean. He's nice. I know, I know. You can become obsessed with someone who is mysterious, I get that. But she is already, at such a young age, attracted to a bad relationship. Yeah, they're all pretty bad at 17 - vampire or not. Other than he's beautiful and his changing eye color... I guess that's all it takes to want somebody. I was young once. I kind of remember... Bad boys = hot. Good boys = not.

And so far the only thing that is not perfect about Bella is she's klutzy. Really? Is that all you got? She's way too nice to these people who are her so-called friends. I don't even like them! She's hanging out with them because she has no one better at the moment? I can see how that can happen, but her narrative... it's in first person, so they're Bella's thoughts. At least she can be honest with us there. AND.... what about all the friends she left behind in Phoenix? Where are they? Why are they not emailing her, texting her... come to think of it, does she even have a cell phone? Most 17-year olds have a bff. Being separated from one another an hour away, let alone half-way around the country, would be HUGE in a 17-year old's world! Would it not? Wouldn't Bella being emailing her bff back home? Wouldn't the bff being emailing Bella? That could be where we, the reader, get to hear her normal, true inner thought, about her new looser, but nice, friends, about this mysterious, beautiful boy with changing eyes who drives her crazy. But that's not there? Why?????

WHO GOES GROCERY SHOPPING AT 17 AND KNOWS HOW TO COOK, NOT ONE, NOT TWO MEALS, BUT BUNCHES OF DELICIOUS MEALS? Sorry - just had to let that out. At 17, I considered myself responsible. I knew how to make eggs, and cheeseburgers, hot dogs, spaghetti, baked ziti... even lasagna! But I feel like Stephenie made Bella ULTRA responsible. Adult-like responsible. She could have made her teenage-responsible and it would have been more believable. And I don't know why she chose to do this, or not do this... Yeah, Bella said her mom was absent-minded, but did she suffer a lobotomy? Her dad's been living on his own for-ever, so he must know how to cook a few meals and keep the refrigerator stocked...

Sorry, I am know I am being very critical and I hope this all doesn't come back to haunt me... Stephenie Meyer, I am sure you are a very nice and talented person - the whole world seems to think so - and I only wish you the best... It's just that reading this book has made me think about being a writer and what editors say they want in conferences and workshops and the contradictions between that and what is published. Which bring me back to my biggest problem with the book...

Bella's voice. In case I haven't already made that abundantly clear. I feel like almost every page doesn't ring true for a 17-year old's voice. All I keep hearing in my head are the many times I have heard editors say - about my pages or other fellow writers' pages - This voice just doesn't ring true for a 14-year old, 12-year old... I don't think a 10-year old would say that, do this, feel that... Twilight has examples of this on every page, every narrative, and in dialogue - a 17-year old just not behaving, speaking, reacting like a 17-year old. I just don't get it...

Voice is important. It is the way your story is served. It sets the tone, time, and place of your story. JK might not be the most poetic writer with beautiful, flowing narratives, like Sharon Creech or Pearl S. Buck. But she is a master of voices. She captured every character's voice authentically. I never thought... Harry wouldn't say that. Hermoine wouldn't think that... That doesn't sound like Ron.... Hagrid... Dumbledore... She had each character's voice pegged to the T!

I am just not buying Bella's character so far or the whole Meyer = Rowling thing. Not yet, anyway...

So, be honest. Don't make me cry, but please feel free to disagree with me and try to convince me. I can admit when I've made a mistake. I'd like to hear from you. Does this voice thing get better? Do you begin to ignore it??? Go ahead, tell me how you feel...

I Feel Like I Lost a Best Friend

I think I began reading JK Rowling's Harry Potter about 9 months ago. Admittedly, I was late on the scene. I have seen all the movies and was waiting to read the books when my girls were of the right age. But with the lurking last movie to come out in 2009, I felt I needed to get on with out them.

My goal was to read all 7 books before the Half Blood Prince comes out in theaters. I have more than reached my goal.

Last night, sadly, I finished book seven. *sigh* and it is strange, but I feel depressed. Harry has been a constant beside companion, traveling companion, appointment waiting companion, beach-reading companion since approximately last December. I have read Harry every single night before bed with few exceptions. And now... *sniff* it's done. It's gone. It's over. I really don't know how I am going to go to bed without Harry.

If you've read the books as they've hit the shelves, you've had a very different experience then me. I literally read one after the other. I might have briefly put the book down to read another book in-between that I knew I could polish off in a few days, but basically it has been me and Harry.

It really does feel like an excellent friend of mine is leaving me...

Spoiler below... highlight in order to read...
Well, now that the sniveling is kind of done for now, I'll get on with it. Book Seven was my favorite! It was perfect! True, it was very dark and a little like a Shakespearean novel with all the blood that was shed. True, there were more deaths of major and not major characters than I can keep track of. But even still, it was the most well written, well thought-out, well delivered of all her novels.

There were no pages I thought she could have cut. In books 2 - 5 I felt there were pages and pages, scads of pages, that could have been cut. But in book seven, every page counted and it ended as it should have.

AND... you know how I last said she is unpredictable. I did predict this. I totally predicted way back after reading book 1 that Harry was Voldemort and he was Harry. Of course I didn't know a thing about Horcruxes and that what bound them was a piece of Voldemort's soul, but I thought they shared souls somehow. I knew that it would have to end the way it did; that with destroying one, he might destroy the other. And I knew since book 1 that Harry would marry Ginny and Ron Hermoine, I wondered about Neville and Luna... I also always knew Snape was ultimately protecting Harry. Even when it seemed he had turned truly dark, I maintained that it was an act. And when it seemed he had killed Voldemort, I thought, no.... this was planned between them. It had to be.

I mean I guess everyone probably guessed all of that - that Harry was absolutely connected to Voldemort in some mysterious way, but at least in book seven she made me feel like a successful reader. And this is what we want our readers to feel - rewarded for having read our book(s). Successful in predictions. We want them to feel smart. And finally through all the rigamarole, I did! I finally felt smart.

When Harry marched through the forest to his own demise, knowing he would have to die in order to save the world - the greater good - I was like, WHAT? NO! HARRY, DON'T DO IT! I was angry, thinking, NO JK, You don't have to do it this way. But then I saw all the pages that were still left and I thought, well either there will be life after death or he doesn't die. I did always think that at the end, she had to have the parents come back and Sirius. And that at some point he would be reunited, but still, I did NOT want him to die.

It was fantastic; Harry in the wispy world with Dumbledor and to "be with" Dumbledor again. All that he said, all that Harry said... The squirmy Voldemort-thing in the corner... It was all exactly as it should be. And THEN for him to feign dead, for Malfoy's mother to lie! It was perfect! For sniveling Hagrid with lake-sized tears to carry Harry, believing he was dead. The centaurs in the woods... All of it! McGonagall shrieking in agony at the sight of Harry's limp body... I can't WAIT for the movie(s)! All of it; it was just as it should be!

JK Rowling; You're an amazing woman, an amazing writer, and an amazing business woman. If I should only experience a tenth of her success I will die happy and fulfilled.

But now what to do without Harry.... This is the question.

I bought Twilight today. And I will read it tonight. But it won't be the same. I know it won't be the same...

Is there a club I can join to help me get over Harry withdrawals... HPA... Harry Potter Anonymous??? Like a bereavement group...

The Mayans Loved Trees!

My WIP has a lot to do with trees, so I whenever I can, I read a lot about tree mythology, tree folklore, tree care, interesting tree facts... anything tree I can get my eyes on. If I meet a horticulturist who specializes in trees... oh you can' t imagine the conversations! I had one expert ask me, "Why aren't your eyes glazing over like my wife's do when I talk about trees." And he kept saying, "You're sure this isn't boring for you?" Couldn't he see, I was rapt with fascination! I took notes, for crying out loud! Later that night, I watched as my husband's eyes glazed over with every tree detail. Fascinating! Truly fascinating!

To me, trees are truly captivating. I love learning about them. (Thanks Lainey for your quote, btw... "You can always tell an old soul by how they treat trees.") Trees are important to me. They always have been. I can't really explain why or how this came to be, but it's true. As a young child, I used to play in the trees, creating secret worlds only my sister and I knew about. Under it's canopy I felt at peace and as I got older, I felt (and still do) that I am with G-d when I am amongst the trees.

I began today with something new. Meditation. A few people keep telling me I need to meditate. I'm not good at meditating. My brain is too active and I can't just sit there, thinking about nothing. But, I am also open-minded, so "why not," I thought. "Why not start today?" I began by meditating on the things I am going to give to the Universe so they will no longer fill me with worry or doubt. That actually felt pretty good. There, POOF! Gone. Then, I went on to meditate about what I wanted to accomplish today - which was to answer more questions before outlining.

When I was done, I must admit, I felt focused and attuned. So, I began my research for the day - interesting facts about trees. I typed in "trees associated with evil" and came upon, of course, The Tree of Life - Adam and Eve's Tree of Good and Evil, genesis 2.3. When I think of it in terms of my story.... fascinating!

Then I was lead to the Mayans. I have no idea why. I don't know much about that culture other than what I had to learn about the in the seventh grade. I am not particularly interested or uninterested in the Mayans. To show how little I know... I thought they were a bloody civilization who believe in spilling blood at alters to please their G-ds. But I might be very mistaken. As I said, I never had much inclination toward learning more about their unique civilization.

Almost immediately, my search led to a site about the Mayans beliefs about trees. I was enthralled! The thought that trees could be good or evil was not even a thought until Roman Catholicism - I have no idea why?? The Mayans only saw the trees as sacred and good. Their word for tree was te (T) - which to me is also fascinating - think about the letter T's shape - very tree-like. Or the other word for tree was che. Humans and trees are shown as related in their word baalche meaning "thing of (the) trees."

The Mayans believe Trees first, then animals, then humans. They believed if trees ceased to exist, all life would cease to exist. They knew, even in those ancient times, that the wind from the trees had to do with creating the air we breathe.

The Mayans were convinced trees were a life form that felt reactions similar to humans. The term uahomche (see the word che or tree in there?) means "the tree awakens us” or “we awaken in the tree.” A uahomche was a cross made of our wood, or in the wood of a tree. It seems to suggest that our consciousness lives within the wisdom of the trees.

Another fascinating fact is that every major religion has a sacred tree.

Here's my challenge to you, and no, I haven't gone off the deep end... At some point today or tomorrow, really look at a tree. Spend time with a tree. I know it sounds crazy, but just try it. Read under a tree. Eat your lunch under a tree. Spend some time looking at its bark, it's leaves... I bet you'll feel lifted in spirit when you're done.

Some Things You MIght Know... Some Things You Might Not...

Susan Gray from Gottawrite Girl tagged me and another friend as well! So I have combined the questions and am posting a little from each here.

Instead of tagging people back, I am going to open it up that you can post your answers right here and/or on your own blog. If you want to play along, please answer your favorite three questions in the comment section. Or... feel free to answer them all, if you want!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:44 am
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
3. What do you usually have for breakfast? Fruit & a granola bar or pb & j on an English muffin
4. Favorite sandwich? I hate sandwiches. I would rather eat left overs from last night's dinner then a sandwich. But if I have to eat one, I prefer a roasted veggie sandwich with mozzarella cheese on like a pannini or some sort of flat, crispy bread.
5. What characteristic do you despise in others? Sarcasm, but when it is at the expense of others. I don't mind funny, humorous sarcasm, that is not meant to belittle someone. But I hate when someone is sarcastic to someone else in order to make them look stupid.
6. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? England, Scotland, Whales, and/or Ireland... preferably all in one trip.
7. Where would you retire to? Maybe in the woods like Thoreau
8. Are you a morning person or a night person? I used to be a night person, but having kids has forced me into a morning person... I’m a night person in morning person’s clothing.
9. How are you today? SLEEPY! I've been with three-year olds all morning, saw a house for my other job, have to vacuum and prepare for my third job of the day – tutoring, and then will do all the Mommy things with my own kids – help with HW, make dinner, lunches for tomorrow, etc… Is it time for bed yet?
10. What are you listening to right now? The sound of my dishwasher whirring and my computer humming, the wind chimes gently tinkling from my ceiling fan, and the clacking of my dog’s claws on the wood floors as she patrols.
11. Do you wish on stars? Every chance I get. I also wish whenever I drive through a covered bridge, or on a wishbone, or on an eyelash... I am an ever-lasting, never-ending wisher of wishes.

Thanks for tagging me and consider you're all tagged now! HA!

Not an Outliner, but Must Succcumb...

So, (I start a lot of sentences this way... must break the habit) I have mentioned many times before that I am not an outliner. I blame it on Mrs. Oken - my 9th grade English teacher...

I had a habit (yes, I have many) of letting my English teachers read my poetry and short stories as a way of getting on their good sides. Hey, I struggled for my grades. I needed to use anything I could to get an advantage. Anyway, Mrs Oken, after reading a compilation of poems and stories, asked me to stay after class one day. She wanted to know what my outlining process was and I said... "Oh, I don't outline." And she said, "What? You must! Real writers outline and if you want to be a real writer, you must outline too." Well, I grabbed my papers and puffed out my chest and said, "I just write," and left.

Obviously, this had some affect on me, if here I am still writing about it some er... harrumph... well, a few short years later... And so, I have carried on in my stubborn (but adorable) way of 'just writing.' I hang my head low and must admit defeat... Yes, Mrs. Oken, real writers outline... *sniff, wiping tears*

Truthfully, real writers do a myriad of things. And every writer's process is completely and utterly unique. I have written many times, about owning your process and being proud of it. And I still hold that I am. However, I must admit, the "just writing" process can only take you so far when you are writing a novel, especially if you wish your novel to be one of many in a series. You NEED to outline.

And not that you need to adhere to this outline like the gospel, or that your characters don't have the right to change your outline... but you need a plan, a road map, if you will, something to drive you forward, something so that when you are in the dark, murky depths of novel writing, you can say, AHA! Wait a moment, don't I have that nightlight somewhere! Ah, yes! Here it is, my outline! (I picture saying that in the superhero stance and for some reason I am wearing a cape - I don't know why...)

So, I have begun a pre-outlining process. I actually began it over the summer. Here's what I did...

1. I read from the beginning to my current latest page (pg 85 - which is as far as I got w/o an outline, trying to remember everything in my brain, instead of in an outline...). I took copious notes. I included every time a new character was introduced and on what page. I wrote down sentences that sounded like foreshadowing, or that I definitely wrote as foreshadowing on purpose. I wrote down any objects used by my MC that could have significance and be used later. I wrote down holes in my plot, questions that seemed unanswered, and things that led to questions in general. Finally, I wrote down things I must add/delete/change for subsequent drafts and things I must research.


2. Then I pretended I was each major character and jotted down all the questions I could think of off the top of my head for that character to answer.


3. This week I have been answering all these unanswered questions. Anytime I came to a plot hole, I began by asking more questions... what could T do to stop LB from succeeding? What would happen if T did this... what would happen if T did that... And I wrote it out until I felt it was a satisfying answer to this plot hole or question.

I am just about finished with this ever-growing brainstorming session. Next, I will begin to outline. I will be outlining chapter by chapter, summarizing the ones I've written already and truly outlining the ones I've yet to write. I will want to capture certain aspects, such as... what characters are in the scene, does the scene move the story forward, is there an emotion rise and fall to the scene, does it raise the stakes, does it present more obstacles for my MC or solutions to previous obstacles, has anything been foreshadowed, any objects used or hinted on, etc.

I have read about some choices for outlining on many of your blogs . Now I want to know, what forms work particularly well for you? I've heard of a friend who buys those large desk calendars, you know - the ones teachers use... and he uses each month as a sequence of scenes (this is based on screenplay writing though) There are 12 sequences of scenes in a movie. Each sequence is made up of a number of scenes. I think this could relate though, somewhat to novel writing too. I am a visual learner, so I like the idea of having the whole story laid out before me visually like this... So, let's share... what outlining techniques have worked for you time and time again. Or... what outlining techniques have not worked for you...

It's That Time Again...

My wheels are turning... ... ... ... ...

It's that time again... Goal setting time. Now that the kindelah are back in school, it is mama's time to write. This year though, I am stretching myself rather thin (if only that was a literal phrase...). Anyway, I began a very part-time job last week teaching 3-year olds at a preschool. I applied for the job because I thought the hours were perfect - Tuesday/Thursday mornings from 9 - 12:30. It will let me put my kiddies on the bus, then off to work for me, and I'll still come home with time for either my freelance writing, or my novel writing... grocery shopping, cleaning... what-have-you...

Well! Let me tell you... this was not as easy as I thought it would be. Not the being with three-year olds part. They're adorable and I have no problem handling a room of three-year olds. No. It was just wrapping my head around the fact that I was WITH three-year olds and not in upper elementary school teaching English. I was helping one wee-one in the bathroom, when it hit me... How did I get here??? How did I get from teaching foreshadowing and writing a five-paragraph essay to wiping tiny tushies!!!

I was in a dark place...

But then a very good friend of mine reminded me of all the reasons I took this job in the first place... Remember, she said, it let's you focus on what's most important. Oh yeah! That's right. I took this job so I can be home for my daughters and write my novel! Anyway, the dark clouds (slowly) blew away and I kept repeating my new mantra - this is not a career, it is a job that allows me to be home for my girls, put food on the table, and write my novel...

I think I'm starting to believe it...

But it's hard. Has your life ever wound up in an unexpected place and you wondered how the heck you got there???

Normally, once September starts, I begin my major writing days again. I used to write from about 8:30/9:00 am until about 3:30/3:45 pm. Basically from the time the school bus picks-up my girls to the time the school bus drops them home again, gigity-gig. I would take short breaks for lunch, email and blogging, but pretty much, that was my writing schedule. Now that I have this Tuesday/Thursday morning job... I am worried it will throw my whole glorious writing schedule off.

Plus, the fall is the last hurrah for the real estate market. And I have actually (thankfully!) been busy with my freelance writing. This takes time away from my novel too!!!

Oh and I decided to take on tutoring students too... Well, someone asked me if I would consider tutoring again and I said, sure... what the heck... Well, I didn't say that to their face, but I thought it!

Wait, let me see... there is...

1. taking care of my girls/family/house etc
2. writing my novel
3. freelance writing
4. teaching preschool Tues/Thur
5. tutoring
6. and substitute teaching

NO WONDER I FEEL SO BUSY AND OVERWHELMED!!!

I am going to have to try to sort out a new writing schedule into the above crazy schedule and I can't forget time to exercise also.. shish, are there enough hours in the day???

So this week's goals are...

1. Make a plan Stan! I am nowhere without a schedule. First things first. Monday's already busy with appointments. I have a meeting in the morning, then two MSs to read/critique for a writer's meeting, a student to tutor, and a real estate copy and room-by-room description to write.
2. Tuesday - work in the am, then grocery shop in the pm and finish Monday left overs, if any.
3. Wednesday - Yay, this day is wide open... so I will devote this day to my novel. I will keep the goal of how many pages kind of low because I am just easing back into it. I never write a lot when I am just getting back. So, if I wind up with five new pages that are worthy, I will be very happy.
4. Thursday - work in the am, write in the pm. If any houses come on my schedule this is when I will book seeing them...
5. Friday - Yay another whole day devoted to my novel! Pick up where I left off on Wednesday. Also, if I see any houses on Tues/Thurs after work, I will try to get those copies done in the afternoon so I can enjoy time with my family during the weekend.

So, those are my goals for this up-and-coming week. I have to admit, I am not loving the above itinerary. It feels very choppy and disconcerted. I like having 5 consistent days in a row to work on my writing. But I write best in the mornings. Writing Tues/Thurs afternoon is not plausible yet, as last week I came home from the preschool and my brain felt like it was MIA. Maybe as the school year progresses, I will become less mind-numb on Tues/Thurs, but we shall have to wait and see.

Like I said, I am not too excited by this schedule, but I'll have to make the most of it.

The Best of Summer '08

With a flick of the maestro’s wand,
Summer has come and summer is gone

And with it,
Came its sweetness:

A friends’ book upon a shelf,

Honey and nectar,

The baby doe grazing in our field,

The painted lady upon a purple bloom,

Busy bee, whistling whilst he works.

And the wind playfully stroking the grasses.
They bend. They harken.

They surely reach the sky,

And they whisper a lullaby – for summer soon will vanish,
Like the colors,
Like the flowers,

Like the sandcastles,
Taken back to the sea’s murky depths.

And you there,

beneath the cool water,
How did you learn to swim like a fish?

Red toes will soon become hidden
And crammed into
New and tight school shoes.

Yellow flowers will tarnish and fade.

And you all will be missed,

The blue sky,

the sand, the surf.

We will tuck a memory in an envelop,
And during the somber depths of winter,
We will visit you once again,
And dream,
And wait,
And wonder.
But for now,
The blazing summer sun is about to set

And flashes of your bright and green days
Will whip through our memories,
Like trees and brush,
From my speeding car window.

Good-bye Summer 2008.
It has been wonderful. It has been great!

Hello Autumn. I remember you...
Cool and fresh
Like a crisp red apple,
And the cinnamon scent
Of pumpkin pie.

Enjoy what's left of summer, my bloggy friends!

And join in one of summer's last activities with my daughters, husband and I.

Take a beloved summer memory...

It can be a photo, a drawing, a pressed flower, a seashell...

And tuck it in a sealed envelop.

Do not tell anyone what your summer treasure is.

And in February, during a bleak and dark winter's day,

take out your treasure and share it with your loved ones

and brighten your winter day...