Reading, Writing, and Exciting News

(Apologies for the absent Library Haul this week - I had a Wordsmythes meeting!)

It has been a crazy few weeks. Between work & ailments & sick dogs, finding time to respond to emails and blog has been extremely difficult. Do forgive!

Writing

Project V is coming along, slowly but surely. I have finally reached the point in my brainstorming where I can begin writing again - namely, re-writing what I already have. As of today, Chapter 1 is done! *throws confetti*

The brainstorming went extremely well, and included a short backstory piece explaining how the actual novel story begins. I look forward to posting it someday after the first book comes out - it's quite good, if I do say so myself. ;) The brainstorming itself brought in two new characters to ground the main character more, as well as a greater understanding of said main character, the antagonist, and the fascinating organizations involved. Overall the fact that I have not become bored and instead maintain a steady interest in the story despite many, many attempts to be distracted by other stories tells me I am in for the long-haul on this one - which excites me to no end! XD

Wordsmythes

My writing club, Wordsmythes, had their first "official" meeting Saturday afternoon, which mainly consisted of us chatting and getting to know each other better. We've got some great ideas for the blog, and hope to have something up next month. Don't forget to Follow!

Reading

I am re-reading the Parasol Protectorate Series by Gail Carriger, working my way up to the latest and last in the series, Timeless. I have finished the first book, Soulless, and even though I'm always singing the series' praises I was surprised at just how good it really was (and, ahem, how racy and descriptive it can get at times). I also purchased Soulless the Manga, and it is quite good as well.

I have taken a break from the series, however, to read Partials by Dan Wells. He is a magnificent writer (even if I can't get through his second Serial Killer book because it freaks me out), but with the first chapter of Partials behind me, I must say that I am not impressed. I will, however, give it several more chapters to redeem itself - Dan deserves that much.

Exciting News

I end with exciting news: I got a ticket to (most of) the San Diego Comic-Con! XD It was a pure and utter nightmare to acquire (the stress about laid me out for the day - thank goodness for my club meeting), but I eventually learned that I was a very lucky girl to even get one ticket, let alone three days' worth. So for now I shall be in attendance Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, and although the fact that I shall be absent Saturday (the most important day) fills me with despair, I am making plans to do something even more spectacular and fun and be like, "Take that, Comic-Con! I can have fun without you!" *shakes fist* I'm extremely excited to attend because the lovely and amazing Gail Carriger will be in attendance, and I shall finally get to meet her! XD

Now to get the hotel... *gulp*

Super Special Secret Surprise

After much toil and way too many revisions, Project SS12 is in the mail and on it's way to the contest! *throws confetti* It feels so good to finally be done with it. I have been dying to get back to writing Project V, but wasn't allowed to until SS12 was out of the way. Now it's back to the WIPstone for me!

As for this week's Library Haul, I was engaged elsewhere and unable to make the trek to peruse the stacks, therefore limiting my haul to just holds. The only thing to note is I got my hands on Pandemonium by Chris Wooding and Cassandra Diaz - a youth graphic novel that looked pretty good when I spotted it at B&N last month. I will let you know how it turns out.

Well, I think that's about it...hmm? Super Special Secret Surprise, you say? Oh, that. You'd like to know what it is? Really? I mean, sure it's super special, and a secret, and who doesn't like surprises, but you aren't reading this post just to find out what it is, are you?

Of course you are. (I would be.) So without further ado, the Super Special Secret Surprise I've been hinting about for several months... *drum roll*

I have started a local writing group! It's called Wordsmythes (like "wordsmiths," but British ;), and it's "an exclusive writing club for young ladies of a noveling persuasion." We had our first meeting Saturday afternoon, and I think we'll get along rather well. Together we are four young ladies working in similar genres, at similar stages in our writing, who met through the East Valley Nanowrimo group. Well, actually, I met each of them through the group - before our meeting Saturday they didn't know each other from Eve. But we had a good time getting to know each other, and I foresee some fun and productive meetings ahead of us!

Curious about the group? I already made us a blog! (I do stuff like that. ;) Check it out here: Wordsmythes. Although it won't be up and running officially for a few months, we have some great ideas for it and can't wait to start posting. I definitely recommend giving it a Follow. *nods*

Life in Bullets

The first of the two holiday weekends is over, and all I can show for it is a rotten five days of being sick, bare bedroom walls, and a really cool kitty necklace. Mother tried to be supportive of my writing and gave me a digital voice recorder, but the sound of my own voice makes me giggle. ;)

I've had a few inquiries about what I've been up to, so here are my answers in bullet points (because I like everything organized and separated by subject - don't you?):

• Writing: My writing took a few weeks off (I didn't - it did), but I returned to Project V over the long weekend and got in about 1K before succumbing to my sickness again. It's still kind of boring to write, but I have an idea of the next few scenes now so I'm going to try and get them down since they're there. As for SS12, I haven't touched it since I declared it my next project - which is bad because that deadline will pounce on me very soon!
• Life: I am in the process of re-doing my room, which basically means removing all the posters and putting up new ones. I really want to get a new bed and shift the furniture, but I said that last year and it still hasn't happened. To hopefully further my writing resolve I have declared my closet door "writing space," and have begun filling it with encouraging notes and points to remember and inspirational pics, all topped with a map of the world. I must say it's coming along nicely.
• Movies: Finally saw Harry Potter Part 2, which concludes the HP movies. *sniffle* I was surprised at how close they stuck to the book, which I only found out after declaring several scenes were not in fact in the book and then upon revisiting the book discovered they in fact were. (My memory is horrible!) I also saw The Help, which everyone raved about but it depressed me to no end. Still, it gave me a story idea about zombies...
• Reading: I lost Legend back to the library, but another copy is on its way so I can finish it. Mother & I have been into Charlie & the Chocolate Factory lately, so I re-read the book (she's already well into The Glass Elevator and doesn't like it ;). I'm also still trying to get through Fairy Tail - only a few volumes left. I learned one can only take so much FT at once, and my tolerance level was about 12 volumes (I have 15 right now). I'm also holding onto a copy of Shatter Me, although once I found out it's in journal form I was a little put off (used to love them, now not so much). Will still give it a try though.

So that's what I've been up to. How about you?

PMTs, IVs, LV, and Project V - i.e. Updates

It looks like I'm back! Yay! XD Thank you for all of your well wishes for my recovery. I'm not out of the woods yet (I'm still miles from the road, lost in the forest without a paddle to stand on), but I'm much better than a few weeks ago.

My recovery was brought about by a trip to the local Emergency Room where I received an IV, a Tylenol, and a brain scan that revealed nothing (which explains a lot, really). This trip began with six (count them, SIX) PMTs showing up on my doorstep at 3:30 in the morning with an ambulance AND a fire truck. Talk about overkill! They filled my living room and cost me about $1,000 to simply drive me to the ER. I expected oxygen and an IV for the ride over (which is why I called them), but alas it was simply an expensive drive full of questions I was too out of breath to answer. Ah well - at least I now know how it works for any future writing. ;)

Seriously though, the PMTs and hospital staff saved my withering life. I am marking them down in permanent ink in my Big Book of Awesome People.

After recovering some I got to go to Vegas last weekend! XD Although I thought the drive was going to kill me (I swear it almost did), I ended up having a pretty good time - even if I never got to The Gun Store. :( I set a chunk of an old story in Vegas (let's call it Project U), so I visited a few of the spots they haunt for the ambience and such, as well as the local library (I'm such a library nerd ;). Didn't gamble one penny (not that you could). I had three quarters on me at the beginning, but ended up spending them on postcards for Mother (she always insists on postcards). Oh, and my brother got married (the whole reason for the trip).

As for my writing, I haven't really done any in a month. I was so exhausted all the time that it was hard to think straight let alone write, and then recovering was all about testing and resting and getting back on my feet and catching up on NanoML duties. And then I discovered that I am incapable of doing anything but stare out the window on long car rides now, so writing was out for the drive to Vegas and back. And who doesn't waste their down time watching Cable at the hotel when they don't have it at home? ;)

So I've officially given up on Project V until December (when I shall finish it or perish), as Nano November is less than a week away! I had originally planned to write a story called Plant Life, based on Owl City's song, but I wrote a similar story last year and feel I want to do an adult story this year - less random adventure and more...Transformers? I don't know why, but when November rolls around I feel Transformer-ish. And this was not helped by last night's viewing of Dark of the Moon. But Transformers aside I'm going to go through my old story ideas and see if anything jumps out at me. Or perhaps I shall simply wing it - I've never done that before, and it may be fun (maybe). Decisions, decisions...

Updates: Discipline, Uncharted Territory, & Oblivious Is Dead

I know it's been a while, but there isn't much to report. I'm plugging away at Project V when I get the chance - which isn't as often as I'd like, but it's better than nothing. Still working on the whole discipline thing - it will always be my worst vice.

I have reached uncharted territory in my story. I've finished the beginning that I had all planned out in my head and moved into the stuff where my only thought was "and then he learns stuff." Not the best way to dive in, but it's what I do.

I'm not going in blind, though. I'm actually buckling down and creating schedules and charts and whatnot. Unfortunately when I've done this before I choke and the story dies, so I'm being very careful not to chart out too much. As long as I don't make a daily calendar, I should be fine. That's what happened to Oblivious...*sniffle*

I'd still really like to finish Oblivious one day.

I wonder where I put that calendar...

Project Updates

It's been a while since I last posted! I've been busy reading a ton and writing a little. (I know - it really should be the other way around. Bad Jane!)

I have started two new projects: Project BW and Project V.

Project BW I have "mentioned" before - I consider it my Ultimate Story, and it is a doozy! I have a ton of research ahead of me, so I've decided to take my time and create it properly. It'll happen one day, but it will be several years from now. All I can say so far is that it's set on an alternate timeline and deals with books.

Project V I consider my "Ultimate YA Series." My Harry Potter, if you will - or probably more like my Hunger Games, but only because it's a trilogy and geared towards older teens (that's about all they have in common). I have been researching and mapping common denominators in popular young adult series for about a year now, and it has finally paid off. It's still in the very early planning stages, but the concept is coming along nicely. It's sort of about a secret society and ghost-like beings, but really isn't - I not quite sure how to describe it yet.

Project ID is coming along slow but relatively sure. The plots are a bit of a rat's nest right now, but I'm discovering ways to keep them straight. The writing part is going pretty smooth, thankfully - when I actually sit down and do it (again, bad Jane!). The actual "putting your butt in the chair and writing" part has always been my hardest obstacle.

So my one project has turned into three. But so is the life of a writer.