Seriously Stoked

My prayers were answered. I finally, finally FINALLY got a critique partner. And not just any critique partner. She's Cynthia Rayne and she's like totally awesome! She's an Ellora's Cave author and writes erotic romance which is perfect since that's what I write. Yea! (Doing the Snoopy dance)

As they say in Cali, I'm seriously stoked!

Arg!

No, that's not my pirate imitation. It's the sound of a writer losing her mind.

And I was doing so well...

Then--BAM!

Epiphany.

Fourth book idea. "Look at me! Look at me! Aren't I great? Great idea. Switch Third book plot with new plot. You won't have to make that many changes--"

...just ten or twenty THOUSAND words!"

Damn you muse! (Wailing and gnashing of teeth)

Slow and Steady

I don't know if I'll win any race but I'm bound to finish this novel if I keep up this progress. I would love to write more but it just isn't possible right now. I'm just ecstatic that I can write anything decent on a regular basis.

I am working on the first chapter, getting a good first draft of it so I can move on. Beginnings are difficult for me. Before I started actually writing TSF I had two to three thousand words of notes, scraps of dialogue, ideas for settings, wardrobe or plot.

Then came the planning. Weeks of it. I put my dry-board to use and bought Post-Its digital note software to help me out. (Try it, it's awesome). All of it really fruitful.

Now the writing. I like my first sentence and paragraph pretty well. Well enough to go forward anyway. I'm using the lyrics for a David Bowie song in the first scene. It's on my playlist by the way.

I also added a cool wordcount progress meter.

Heat, Pug Pee and Hellboy 2

Man, it is hot! Today was one of the hottest days so far and it took a little out of me. Heat doesn't usually bother me too much seeing as how I don't spend much time outside as a rule. But I did today and now I'm beat.

Well, I also got up waaay earlier than I usually do because I had to take a urine sample to the vet before they closed at noon. I'm anxious for the pug pee issue to be resolved. I've almost slipped and broke my ass twice.

So while I was out, Husband and I caught an early matinee of "Hellboy 2." Overall, pretty good but a little disappointing. It got really good reviews which pleased me but now that I've seen it for myself I'm thinking maybe the reviews weren't critical enough. Not critical as in mean, critical as in analyzed. On the one hand I thought it was visually stunning but on the other I felt the visuals almost clouded the story. And the erratic pacing left me antsy. The script was good and there was some good humor but all in all, the whole thing needed cohesion. Still, I'd recommend it. Guillermo Del Toro is a visionary.

Work In Progress

When in doubt about which of two things to consider always choose neither. Scrapped the candy-themed story and shelved it for later development.

Been working nearly every day in June and this month on To Sy For, the first installment of an erotic urban fantasy trilogy set in a fictional city in Texas. I had actually written what will eventually be Book 2, Happily Ever Aster first. Then I wrote or rather started writing what I thought was Book 2, which as it stands will end up being Book 3, Tal Dark and Handsome. (No, that's not a typo). Only after those two started coming into focus did I start the third story which is Book 1, To Sy For.

So to make a long, convoluted story short, if I can get this novel written, the second and third novels are gravy at least compared to this one.

I hit 10,000 words today so I'm happy. I'm averaging about 1000 a day which isn't as much as I'd like of course but I'll take it over zilch k.

Currently reading "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Amazing style.

June Wrap Up

Lots going on in the world of Persephone Jones. Keeping busy with various projects. Got slightly derailed for a couple weeks but am now doing much better on the productivity front.

More to come...

Friday the 13th

Cha cha cha
Kill kill kill
Ha ha ha...