December, 2008
December 1, 2008
Welcome to December!
I'm already behind.
I've had a busy, odd day trying to get things done now that I'm past the insanity of NaNo. I hope to do better tomorrow. But right now... it's cold here! I'm going to be heading into bed soon, just to get warmed up. My fingers are freezing!
I've started a rewrite of Such Gifts as These. It's going to be a fun story to work on. I though I had a newer copy already, but It seems to have disappeared. Oh well -- I always believe I can do better than the last time.
So, off I go to do a little writing and then a lot of curling up under blankets!
December 2, 2008
Yes, I'm VERY early with this today. I need to start posting before I decide to go to bed!
So far, the weather today is much better than yesterday. We're over 50f! It will cool off when that sun goes down -- soon now -- but the weather certainly put me in a better mood for the day. I've gotten my DAZ work done and some things for FM. Now I'm moving on to writing and pictures. Sounds good to me!
I do have a few projects that I need to finish off this month, of course. And the rewrites of at least two major novels. I'm preparing for 2009 and submissions again. I finally feel like I have some structure back in my life, I can see what I need to do for various work things, and I can focus again on what I want for my writing. Sounds good to me!
Right now, though, time to get some work done!
December 3, 2008
So, yesterday was early and today I'm late. Figures.
I had a very good writing day and then I went and took a long, restful bath. Now I'm back to work for a little bit. Not long. I would like to get some sleep tonight so I can get back to work on the novel tomorrow. It's going very well, and I want to keep up this going for as long as I can.
Edmond is in a mood tonight. He's trying to drive me crazy, I think. Silly cat. I need to get things done!
I'm having my usual hard time with the concept that this is very nearly the end of the year. So much that I haven't gotten done! I need to be better organized next year.
I should work on that....
December 4, 2008
Such Gifts as These is going so well that I hate to stop working on it. That hasn't happened in a while! It's an excellent YA fantasy novel. I love when I can enjoy a story like this, even when I'm the one who wrote it.
It's cold here tonight. I'm going to go crawl into bed and pull the blankets up over me. I'd consider not coming back out until spring, but I have this story I love, so it'll call me back out again.
I have most of the newsletter done. I'll finish it tomorrow. I'm almost 20k into the book already, and it's only about 72k long, so it's not going to take me long at all. That's almost too bad.
Nothing else, really, to report. I'm pretty much done for the night, I think!
December 5, 2008
Late night. I worked on this cute little picture far too long, but while it did various renders, I started reading Terry Pratchett's Hogfather. I'm enjoying it, as I have all of Pratchett's work. Fun stuff.
The novel is going well, though Word glitched for some reason. It so rarely does that to me that it took me by surprise. It looks like I only lost about four pages of work, so it's not too bad. But I was doing very well tonight before that.
Time for me to go get some sleep. It's an odd night. It's much warmer now at 3:30 am than it was at sunset. There are time when you just don't know what's going to happen with the weather around here!
December 6, 2008
I'm working away on the novel tonight. I'm doing very well still. The story is moving along and I really like it. That's a good sign.
I think this book is taking over my brain though. I can't really find anything else to talk about. I did a picture tonight. I am still Reading Hogfather. I had a distressing moment this afternoon when I decided I needed a break from work and went to do the dishes -- only to find there were none dirty. I washed some of the floors instead. That's just way too odd.
And that's what passes for excitement in my life right now. Pretty sad, isn't it?
December 7, 2008
It snowed a little again last night. Not much. They're calling for freezing rain tomorrow, though, which just is not good. Ice. Yuck. If I don't post for a few days, it's because we don't have power -- always something wonderful to look forward to. Actually, my town is quite lucky because almost all the power lines are buried. We tend to keep power when other places lose it, but if the ice storm is bad enough, it will take out power before it gets to us.
The book is going VERY well. I have a really good feeling for this one. Next step is going to look for on-line YA Fantasy publishers or agents. This could be quite an adventure for me!
But I need to get it done. That doesn't look like much of a problem at this point, but you never know when something is going to slow you down. I have about 150 pages to go still.
And now I have a special request. If you can, go here and donate a few dollars.
http://community.livejournal.com/helpvera/
I've known Vera for years, and she's absolutely wonderful. She's helped me out in the past, and I'll be donating some money back to her as well. I don't want to see her lose her home. If enough people give just a few dollars, we can make a difference, just as she has made a difference for many of us.
December 8, 2008
Oh, late, late, late.
I wore 10,000 words today and did this picture. So at least there is a reason for being so late this time!
The book is drawing closer to done already. It was plainly a good choice for this month. I don't know quite what I'm going to do next, except maybe finish off one of the lesser things I need to do before the end of the month.
We had snow tonight. I'll have to go scrape it off the walk tomorrow -- not my favorite job right now.
But sleep first -- I am ready for it!
December 9, 2008
It's late. I did a lot of writing. We had snow and ice (not as bad as it looks in the picture, really) but I'm too tired to even write about about it tonight. Or sort out some more pictures to share. Maybe tomorrow.
The book is going very well. I love it. It will be done too soon, though!
And now, off to upload this and get to bed!
December 10, 2008
I finished the book!
And I am so tired, I'm falling over here.
I'm happy.
I'm going to bed.
December 11, 2008
I think I'm going to work on a far longer novel, but one that I feel drawn to. The Servant Girl isn't very old, but it needs some work. It especially needs to have some magic worked into the plot. It will be hard work to get it -- and a few other things -- done by the end of the month, but on the other hand, it will keep me very busy. That will be helpful, I think.
Mostly, I'm lining up everything I need to get done by the end of the year and looking at what I want to do for 2009.
I just got word that Russ will not be home for Christmas again this year.
This is just so unfair. Not that I really expected him to be, but you kind of hold out a little hope for something nice.
December 12, 2008
I was heading for bed -- long day -- and realized that I needed to get this done! Not that I have anything to say, of course. I've been working on a few things today, but the most difficult thing was the DAZ newsletter that took me forever to do. No good reason, just couldn't get it to work. I'm not certain it did even in the end, but I finally turned it in.
Tomorrow, I need to get the contracts for Vision done and out. Get some writing done. Maybe do a little art work, too.
So, I guess I better go get some sleep now. Lots to do tomorrow.
December 13, 2008
It's supposed to get VERY cold tomorrow.
I'm not looking forward to it. We're talking wind chills of -15 to -25
tomorrow night. We don't usually get this kind of weather so early in
the season. It just makes me think this is going to be a long, miserable
winter.
Doesn't that sound like fun?
I think I should just go hide out somewhere for the next few days and
avoid the weather completely. Staying in bed sounds like a very nice
idea about now.
This month is going too quickly. I suppose that's just as well. Let's
get through the holidays and be done with it for another year. Should I
look forward to 2009? I can't believe it will really get any better,
will it? Gah. I hate being in this mood. Time to go get some work done.
December 14, 2008
Cold. Cold cold cold.
I'm sitting here dressed in several layers of clothing, with stuff stuck
up by the window to keep the wind from blowing through -- and it's still
cold. I hate this kind of weather. You know what's really sad? When you
look at the forcast and when you see 20's on Thursday you're happy to
see it will be warming up on that day.
We don't often get this cold this early in winter. (Yeah,not really
winter yet -- but I kind of count it from either the official first day
of winter, or the first snowfall, whichever comes first!)
Can't say I have much else to talk about. I think I need my brain to
unthaw before I can think of anything.
December 15, 2008
I hate cold. Just in case I haven't made that clear before now. I have spent today bundled up like I was going outside -- hat and all, just not actually a jacket. A couple layers of clothing, though. And gloves. I've gotten better at typing with them on, too.
It's not really that horribly cold. I just don't do cold well. I'll likely get better at it as the winter continues, but for the moment, I look like I live in the Arctic, and that's when I'm inside. I've only been out once -- had to scoop some snow -- and I think I'll stay in until spring now.
It's supposed to snow more tomorrow. I wouldn't mind if it would warm up to do it, but not this time. Thursday it's supposed to get up to 20f, though, so that will be good. I think it's going to cool down again after that, though.
I'll just bundle up in my blankets and write.
December 16, 2008
Snow, snow, snow.
But not quite as cold, so that counts for something. Ugh. I have a cracked window in my office from the cold. And it's starting to drop down tonight, so I'll probably head to bed early. I don't like being cold. I really should have been in the other house, but I do seem to be surviving here. And I can hope it will get warmer soon.
I really don't have anything else to talk about. I finished the rewrite of Small Town Blues and I'm working on the first Cougar story now. I'm going to keep doing little rewrite for the rest of the year. I don't know that I'll get Silky 3 done, which is odd. I always finish up by the end of the year -- but I just can't seem to connect with the story. That's not good.
Maybe I'm just not trying hard enough. I think I can, at the very least, work out an outline for the rest of the story. I've got it partially worked out. Maybe if I can get the rest of it done, I'll feel more inclined to leap in and write the rest of the first draft.
This sounds like a good plan to me. I think, in fact, that I'll go take a look at what I have right now and see where it takes me.
I know how I want it to end. I just have to get the story to that point.
December 17, 2008
Almost went off to bed without remembering to do this! I think that means I'm tired tonight!
We are expecting snow/sleet/ freezing rain tomorrow. I am so not looking forward to that part. I am looking forward to the warmer weather, though. I just hope that my food delivery makes it tomorrow. I would like to have some soup and stuff on hand.
Writing is going fine. I need to work on the DAZ Newsletter first thing tomorrow and get it finished. I don't think that will be too hard. Of course, I've thought that before, and it has surprised me.
I started some notes for Silky 3, so I'll be back to it soon. Good! It's the last of the big things still out there, and I'm obviously running out of time for it!
Still working on cleaning my office up and clearing things out. But the cold has really slowed me down. A shame the warm up to 20's is only going to last one day.
December 18, 2008
Snowing, snowing -- haven't I said this before? Well, it's worse tonight. We're supposed to get about eight inches. It is the proverbial 'snowing like a kitten' (a lot of fluff up to no good). That walk way in the picture -- it's mostly gone now. Ack.
I'm going to get this posted and go to bed. I'm tired tonight!
I did finish reading Volume 1 of Grolier's Encyclopedia of Knowledge. And it gave me a few great story ideas, too. Not a particularly difficult book to read -- not like a Britannica. The pieces are usually just a paragraph or two, and even the long ones are not more than four or five pages, and with pictures. This is an excellent way to pick up some ideas.
Time to sleep on a few of those ideas, in fact.
December 19, 2008
We are supposed to have a major blizzard tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to it, since that means really cold again. Wind chills of -25 to -35, in fact. It's 15f right now, and feels all right. I know that's not going to last.
We have far too much snow already. And more coming.
Ack.
I started writing on Silky 3 finally tonight. It's going well, even. I want a good, short first draft by the end of the year, and I think I can do it. The trick is going to be to keep the outline sufficiently ahead of where I'm writing, so I don't really have to think too much.
Running out of days here, though. Still, I'm feeling pretty good about the work. I can do it.
Just wish it wasn't going to snow so much!
December 20, 2008
You can tell the height of the snow by looking at the birdbath. Ack.
I'm at about 22k out of 30k for the Cougar story I'm rewriting. I'll have it done in no time. I've added some to Silky, and I'll be adding more to it. I have a couple ideas there -- need to get them down on the outline.
Mostly, though, I'm just trying to stay warm tonight. It's VERY cold again. And there is a hellish amount of snow out there. I'm glad I did the scooping yesterday (though my back disagrees). It was too cold to go out and do any of that kind of stuff today. At least I had something of a path up to my door. Good for the food delivery.
And thank you to Nancy for the wonderful bag of goodies that arrived today! This is wonderful! I had to put it away or else I would have eaten most of it tonight. (grin)
It's cold. That's not a surprise. However, we didn't get the bad blizzard, I'm glad to say. We had some wind and it never warmed up, but it didn't get too bad. The HIGH tomorrow is supposed to be -5, and we're still supposed to get more snow besides. Ugh. My back is trying to kill me from scooping snow already. It's cold in my office. I don't want to do anything.
It think it's going to be a long time before the spring melt!
December 21, 2008
Another miserable cold day. But it will be up in the 20's on Tuesday, so that's good. I want warmth. Okay. I want warmer.
Silky 3 is going VERY well right now. Not very fast, but well. I have ideas for it. I can't wait to get to some of the next scenes. And I have some ideas for side stories for this one. They might be interesting to write. I might even write them and include them in the original book.
I can't say there's much else to talk about, though. I need to get to bed soon I'm really starting to get tired!
So I'm heading off to bed!
December 22, 2008
Getting a lot done today! Ignoring the snow outside. Ignoring the cat's tale in my screen.
It's warm up to 15 degrees. Yeah, it's snowing again, but it's 15 degrees! Not -15, not wind chill factors from hell -- unless you consider a wind chill of 1 degree bad, of course. I am munching on the lovely little candy and snacks from Nancy (waves!) and trying to make sure I don't eat them all right away. (Takes cute bag of goodies back to another room where I can't reach them.)
Where was I? (nibble)
The rewrite of Cougar: First Run is finished. Don't know that I got what I wanted out of it, but I got it done. It's definitely a cleaner version than the previous one. It has a better feel. But... still not quite there.
And that's about it today. (nibble) It's a windy, cold night and I'm just going to throw myself into the story where my character is out in a desert land. Should be a nice 'getaway' don't you think?
December 23, 2008
It was much warmer today -- up in the 20's -- so I feel much better tonight. It's still 13f. It did not snow -- well, at least not that I saw. I have gotten a lot of nice writing done on Silky, plus some notes on the book as well. I have the outline just a little ahead of the story, which worries me. But so far it is going well.
Just barely a week left in the year. Can't say I thought much of this year overall, but it could have been far worse. And there is always the hope that next year will be better. I'm going to start getting serious about publication again. No, really, I mean it. Time to stop letting everything else take my time. It is a choice, quite often, and I know it. I want my brain back where it belongs: focused on writing and getting stuff off to publishers.
But right now, I need to focus on getting Silky 3 done!
December 24, 2008
I hope everyone has a nice holiday. I'm not going to be doing anything, of course. But I do have a few little snacks and sweets, and a couple toys for the cats. I hope to get enough work done that I can play with some graphic stuff tomorrow.
And that's about it!
Have fun everyone!
December 25, 2008
I didn't get nearly enough done today. Not that I should really worry so much about work on Christmas, but at least it kept me busy. The problem was that my brain just was no fully engaged in what I was supposed to be doing.
But still, I got a good part of the DAZ work done. I might do more tomorrow.
And it's now 33f out -- warmer than it has been all day. Warmer than it has been for days, in fact.
The notes on Silky 3 are going very well and so is the writing of the book. I still have hope that I can get it done in time, even with all the other things that need to be done. That's it, really.
December 26, 2008
I wrote quite a bit on Silky 3 today. I have hope that I'll get it done by the end of the year. There is just so much else that needs to be done, too, that I'm starting to get worried. And I'm making lists. Lists and more lists.
We had 40+ degree weather today. Much of the snow melted, in fact. We're supposed to get a little bit tonight and tomorrow -- yeah, back to cold already, though not as cold as it has been. I think I'll survive if it doesn't get as cold as it has been.
That's it. I need to get back to the list of things that need to be done. And then maybe actually to the things that need to be done, rather than just the list of them.
December 27, 2008
This was the kind of day where nothing much could go right. I finally got something to work right after midnight. It's 1 AM and I am only barely starting my writing. This is bad so close to the end of the year. I need to get a lot of writing done and it's just not happening. Ack.
So I'm going back to work now. Wish me luck.
December 28, 2008
I am really getting worried about how close it is to the end of the year, and how much I haven't gotten done yet. It worries me more that I can't seem to focus enough to get anything completed. This can't be good.
I have worldbuilding projects, Silky 3, Vision, FM, DAZ... probably other things to do, too. None of it is completed. Some of it isn't anywhere near completed. Some isn't even started, for that matter.
Ack.
December 29, 2008
I wrote 7,000 words today. So, obviously, I did very little else. Wrote. Wrote some more. Enjoyed it. Finished off the newsletter. Wrote some more. Sat in chat at FM, talked a bit, and wrote some more.
I am getting closer to the end. I still hope to finish before the end of the year. The book is over 50k, so I have a good chance... if I can keep finding the time to write. Other things need done as well.
But now, I'm going to go write some more!
December 30, 2008
Last day of the year. Ack.
Too much to get done. But I finished off one major bit of work tonight, and I'm almost done with Silky 3. It's going to need a lot of reworking, but then most things do. I have the basic story down, though, and I like what I've gotten. I just need to weave in more of the other threads, bring up the worry and angst level a bit... all that kind of stuff.
Just two more chapters to write for it, though.
And next year I start Draw the Line. In fact, I'll likely be working on it at this time tomorrow night. That seems odd.
Have other things to get done tonight, though. Work, work, work.
I'll try to write before midnight tomorrow night, at least.
December 31, 2008
Just a quick note to say happy New Years Eve to everyone! I'm still behind and hoping to get the last bit of work done before midnight, so this is going to be very short. It would have been anyway, since I really don't have anything interesting to say tonight.
Hope you all have a safe and fun holiday.