Birth of a Novel Summer 2015

I haven't pulled this out in quite a while. 

Anyone want to join me?

• Every Friday you post a quick update on how you're doing on your writing projects. 
• It can be combined with Camp Nano or whatever personal goals you've set. 
• All you need is a line or two added to the beginning or end of whatever post you already had planned for the day.
• Then visit the others in the list to encourage them to keep moving forward. 

I'll start with a quick note today.

This summer I'll work on two WIPS: the third book in Talia's series (Demon Rising) and a YA space opera currently nicknamed Eleena's Tale. I've added word counters at the top of my sidebar. Hopefully the need to see the bar fill up will keep me moving forward.

Today's stats:
Demon Rising--5475 words
Eleena's Tale--2119 words

DR will be my writing time novel. ET will be my pool novel. I'd like to get around 500 words a day on each, but since my kids are home I won't beat myself up over it. Truth is I'll probably take turns writing on them on different days. Listen to whoever's speaking the loudest.

What are you working on? How are you going to accomplish your goal?

Sign up if you'd like to join us! Feel free to post the list on your blog on post day. Simply add < to the beginning of the below code and > to the end. 

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Tagged--The Next Big Thing Meme

If you're looking for my DINYB entry, click the link.

Marcy tagged me in the Next Big Thing meme that's going around. A couple of us at Unicorn Bell are tackling the Next Big Thing meme today. Check out their entries too: Marcy, Charity, Alicia, and Huntress.This sounds/looks a lot like one I did in July, but hey if you ask me to talk about my book I could do it all day long. ;)

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

Feel free to grab the questions and do the same. I know I'd love to hear more about your novel or current wip.

1. What is the name of your book?
The Magic Wakes

Previously, and still between friends, Sendek. Although the new title lends itself to nifty marketing catch phrases much easier. The Magic Wakes on February 19th, 2013 is so much cooler than Sendek ??? on Feb...see what I mean?

Can I just say one more time how much I LOVE my cover! I never learned the designer's name, but they did a great job.

Draguman

2. Where did the idea for your book come from?
The original seed came from a freaky dream I had when I was 19, combined with another one I had when I was 28. These creatures were chasing me through underground tunnels with one purpose--kill me. I still don't know why, but that dream stuck with me all these years.

3. In what genre would you classify your book?
Speculative fiction would be the easy answer because it's complicated. :) See question 10 for more details.


4. If you had to pick actors to play your characters in a movie rendition, who would you choose?

5. Give us a one-sentence synopsis of your book.
As her nightmares of invasion and death become reality, a scientist embraces her hidden magic to save her world from an ancient mistake.


6. Is your book already published/represented?
It will be released February 19, 2013 by WiDo Publishing. You can already pre-order the book on Amazon, but the Kindle version isn't up yet. It's still early, but so fun to see!

7. How long did it take you to write your book?
I got serious about writing in 2008. That's when I knocked out the completed first draft for Nanowrimo.

8. What other books within your genre would you compare it to? Or, readers of which books would enjoy yours?
I hate this question because I'm never sure how to answer. I read more YA (I'm fixing that) and so I compare myself to those authors, but this is not YA because of the age of my characters. But I think people who like Elana Johnson, Beth Revis, Janice Hardy, and Stephanie Meyer will enjoy my writing style.

This is what I would consider an easy read--high adventure, fast paced, but not so technical that you get bogged down in details. Those who enjoyed Alex Cavanaugh's CassaStar might enjoy this as well.

I would hope that people who enjoyed Michael Offutt's Slipstream would enjoy this even though I'm no where near as scientifically detailed as he is.

9. Which authors inspired you to write this book?
I've devoured books since the 5th grade and there are way too many authors to list. I love to read authors who make the book about the story rather than the science or the particular brand of magic. Those elements should flow through seamlessly.

10. Tell us anything that might pique our interest in your book.
This book was written as an escape for me, and for you. There's a little science, a little fantasy, lots of adventure and chases, aliens, a dragon, and a romance. The dragon has only a small part in this book, but will play a greater role in upcoming sequels.

You can learn more on my Goodreads Page or my Author Website.

Here are some links to a few other people participating in this meme today:

All About My Current WIP/FW--A Meme

I grabbed this meme from Chantele Sedgwick a few weeks ago and filled it out for my debut novel The Magic Wakes. Today I want to do it for the YA novel that wants to be written, but can't make up its mind about when and how. ;)

1. What is the name of your book?
Faerie Wings although I'm leaning toward changing it to Fade Into Me. Which do you like better?

2. Where did the idea for your book come from?
To be honest, I don't remember. It came to me in the form of a book blurb one day and then the idea grew around it (see below). I think it was because I was thinking about different views people take on faeries and what they are like--good, evil, simply mischievous, etc. My thought was, what if they are none of the things the legends say.

3. In what genre would you classify your book?
YA Contemporary Fantasy? I'm so bad at classifying my genre because they are never cut and dried. This one has some science/aliens but is set on modern day earth and a land through a veil separating a different version of earth that shares the same space but a different time on the space time continuum--giving it a fairy tale feel as well. <--What an awful sentence!

4. If you had to pick actors to play your characters in a movie rendition, who would you choose?

I just started browsing actors and picked a few. These may change, but I really like Jessie Cave for Ryanne Killian. I'd want this hair and everything! It screams every day girl but hints at Ryanne's Celtic heritage. She looks calm but you know if you push her buttons some fire is going to spark behind those eyes.

And maybe Austin Nichols for Carter Frey.  You can imagine him being a bit pretentious and good all at the same time, can't you?

5. Give us a one-sentence synopsis of your book.
For thousands of years, the Abhithians have served their sentence to tend and nurture their biggest mistake (humans),but the time has come for one human to set them free.

6. Is your book already published/represented?
Nope, must finish it first, get it to Beta readers and do some clean up work.

7. How long did it take you to write your book?
The idea has been floating around for almost two years and I have 45K finished, but still haven't connected the two parts. I WILL finish it this year so I can query it after Christmas.

8. What other books within your genre would you compare it to? Or, readers of which books would enjoy yours?
Once again, I hate this question. I know that my idea can't be 100% original, but I don't know what is similar. Actually it is similar to the Immortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare in that my MC learns nothing is the way she thinks it is, and there are two realms of existence. But no demons or angels. :)

9. Which authors inspired you to write this book?
This particular book? I don't know. I just felt like trying to write a YA book and this really just happened. I love so many authors and I'm sure they've all inspired me in some way.

10. Tell us anything that might pique our interest in your book.
This is what came to me one day almost word for word. After reading it, tell me if you could just walk away from an idea like this?

Everything you’ve ever heard about faeries is a lie.

Lies they told to keep humans from learning the truth.

What is the truth?

They live among us, sentenced to watch over and nurture their greatest mistake.

Us.

Ryanne Killian doesn’t believe in faerie tales, and yet all the eyes of the Fae are watching her–hoping she will be the one to set them free.

About My Debut Novel--A Meme

I grabbed this meme from Chantele Sedgwick a few weeks ago. I think I'll do a couple of them--one for each of my completed novels. What a fun way to fill the summer!

Feel free to grab the questions and do the same. I know I'd love to hear more about your novel or current wip.


1. What is the name of your book?
The Magic Wakes

2. Where did the idea for your book come from?
The original seed came from a freaky dream I had when I was 19 combined with another one I had when I was 28. It's changed so much over the years that it's almost a new animal.


<---pretty close to the creatures I saw in my dream when I was 19. They were chasing me through underground tunnels filled a foot deep with water with one purpose-kill me. I still don't know why, but that dream stuck with me for all these years.

3. In what genre would you classify your book?
Speculative fiction would be the easy answer because it's complicated. :) See question 10 for more details.

4. If you had to pick actors to play your characters in a movie rendition, who would you choose?

I made this for a Now Showing Blogfest in April 2011. It mostly works now, although I'm thinking I need to find a younger Talia. Any suggestions?

5. Give us a one-sentence synopsis of your book.
As her nightmares of invasion and death become reality, a scientist embraces her hidden magic to save her world from an ancient mistake.

Or, if given more than one sentence--
Everyone has secrets. Talia Shannon’s will save her world and destroy it at the same time. Only she can decide if the price is worth it.

6. Is your book already published/represented?
It will be released Winter of 2013 by WiDo Publishing.

7. How long did it take you to write your book?
It's been ten years since I started playing around with it, but I only got serious about writing in 2008. That's when I knocked out the completed first draft for Nanowrimo. This is where the novel was really born because I threw away everything that had come before. I wrote two and a half other books since then, but kept coming back to this first story.

8. What other books within your genre would you compare it to? Or, readers of which books would enjoy yours?
I hate this question because I'm never sure how to answer. I read more YA (I'm fixing that) and so I compare myself to those authors, but this is not YA because of the age of my characters. But I think people who like Elana Johnson, Beth Revis, Janice Hardy, and Stephanie Meyer will enjoy my writing style.

This is what I would consider an easy read--high adventure, fast paced, but not so technical that you get bogged down in details. Those who enjoyed Alex Cavanaugh's CassaFire might enjoy this as well.

I would hope that people who enjoyed Michael Offutt's Slipstream would enjoy this even though I'm no where near as scientifically detailed as he is.

In general, I wrote this with the purpose of showing my Non-science fiction friends that they could read the genre and enjoy it. So everything is basic when it comes to the tech stuff. 

9. Which authors inspired you to write this book?
I've devoured books since the 5th grade and there are way too many authors to list. I love to read authors who make the book about the story rather than the science or the particular brand of magic. Those elements should flow through seemlessly.

10. Tell us anything that might pique our interest in your book.
I guess the fact that I REALLY love it myself isn't what will get you to buy it, huh? :)

This book was written as an escape for me, and for you. There's a little science, a little fantasy, lots of adventure and chases, aliens, a dragon, and a little romance. The dragon has only a small part in this book, but will play a greater role in upcoming sequels.

Lucky 7 Meme

Lucky 7 Meme Rules:
1. Go to page 77 of your current manuscript.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy the next 7 lines (sentences or paragraphs) and post them as they're written. No cheating!
4. Tag 7 other writers to pass this meme on to.--You know how bad I am at this, so if you want to share, please do and let me know so I can come read.

My manuscript Excerpt:

"He's coming back?" My heart sped up and that restless feeling returned.

My eyes darted around the room. Seventies wall-paper peeled in spots along the upper half of the wall, wood paneling lined the bottom. The carpet had worn thin and no longer resembled the plush shag of its heyday. Luckily, there was very little clutter in the room. One picture of our family at Carowinds and a photo box of postcards from our parents. Still, it wasn't the ideal place to host the wealthy.

"Yeah, he said he thought he could get the dress cleaned for us." Heather got off the couch and went to the window. "Don't worry about it, Ry."

"Right, cleaning won't--" Whatever else I wanted to say evaporated as Heather's mouth dropped open.

"You've got to see this." She waved me over.

The view from our front window had completely changed. I ran to the door and onto the porch to confirm what couldn't be true. Twenty minutes ago the front yard was nothing but clover, dirt patches, and two twigs we called bushes under the front windows. Now I didn't recognize any of it. The small army of gardeners had landscaped the entire yard and disappeared without a sound. 

 A path meandered through bushes and flowers to a willow tree in the center. One of the columns from the wedding and an urn overflowing with purple violets kept the tree company. Something about the pattern of the path looked familiar.


What do you think? And if you post your 7 lines please let me know in the comments so I can come read them.

Birth of a Novel and Lucky 7's Meme

Oy! I almost caught up with my sleep and then daylight savings hit me. Why? Why can't we leave things alone. Meddling humans.

Anyway, there still hasn't been as much writing as I wish, but there has been writing. I had a couple of days where I got 1000 or more words. So wish it had been more.

Faerie Wings--Bulk of the writing went here. I'm still working on filling in Carter's half of the story and blending scenes to move me forward again. This week will see a lot of cutting I think. Current word count: 40,065

Eleena of the Stars--no new writing.

Sendek: the Magic Wakes--Is finished. Has been, but I went through another line edit to catch some flagrant typos that survived the last edit. 

Last week Chandara and Sharon Bayliss tagged me with this Lucky 7's Meme. The rules are simple,
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines - sentences or paragraphs - and post them as they're written. No cheating.

Since I don't have 77 pages of Eleena, and Faerie Wings is in flux with all the moving around I'm doing, I pulled from Sendek. This is actually part of one of my favorite scenes. 

As she visualized the video clip of the crash, Talia fought back tears and focused on the whisperings coming from Sutton’s mind. She wanted to know what he was really looking for. Closing her eyes again, she focused all her energy outward, up through his arms and into his skull. In her mind’s eye, she ran through hallways full of closed doors searching Major Sutton. As she closed in on his mental image, he turned away from her.
A momentary fear washed over her and she didn’t know if it was hers or his. He stopped running. She had turned the tables on him.

Word count: 85,125

Orek: The Search for Knowledge--no new writing. The new Scrivener file has been created and the new opening scene written. Here's the Lucky 7 using my 1st draft Nano 2010 version of Orek. It'll go into flux(my word for the day, can you tell?) as soon as I finish this first draft of FW. This one is sort of an info dump in dialogue, but some version of it will exist in the final draft because this is where a new quest really begins. They just don't know it yet.

"Orek’s history contained dragons of high intelligence. These beings communicated with one or two of the early wizards to plant scientific ideas, but when men warred over whether science or magic would govern the people, the dragons left the planet."
“That sounds like Sendek’s history.” Talia stared at the drawings of the dragons.
“Jaron thought the dragons from Orek’s history came from somewhere else. Look, this is a list of planets he believed the dragons had visited over the eons.” Landry held up the last page and pointed to one name in particular.

Draft word count: 50,050
Rewrite word count: 2,000


Anyone who wants to do the Lucky 7 meme, feel free to do it. I'm not going to tag anyone. Instead I'm going to go be a writer, not a blogger. :)

A Friday Meme

Liz over at Laws of Gravity tagged me in the following meme. Since I haven't done one in a while I thought I'd pass it along.

If you could go back in time and relive one moment, what would it be?
There are so many that would be nice to relive. The one I would relive over and over and never get tired of is the first kiss with my hubby. That deep connection. The story book electricity. That's the real world magic that I hope never fades.

If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be? 
This one was harder than I thought. Originally, I thought it would be the day my first son was born. I would have said something different. I don't know what, but something that would have changed the next three months of my life.

But as I thought more about it, I realized that I'd be a different person if I didn't go through that experience. My writing would be different.

I think that would hold true for anything I tried to pick in history.

What movie/TV character do you most resemble in personality?

I couldn't think of anyone. I'm pretty boring, or maybe I don't watch enough TV? Anyway, I asked my facebook friends to supply an answer. Here's what I got:

Stana Katic--Kate Beckett "good looking problem solver"
Lilly Evangeline (Kate from LOST) and Jennifer Garner--"I think of the characters with the big hearts and souls and brains when I think of you."

Awe, isn't that nice! I don't think I'm particularly brainy, just too stubborn to quit until I figure something out.

My hubby said, and I quote, "Simon Cowell...ooops, I meant another host, Cat Deeley, the host of So You Think You Can Dance, she is super friendly and likes to talk, very personable with the contestants and you can tell she likes the people she is around and what she is doing.
 

I also got a vote for Chuck from Pushing Daisies--"loving and baker"

I get the feeling my name should have been Kate, or Catherine or something. At least they are all beautiful women. Now, if only I could lose that thirty pounds... 

If you could push one person off a cliff and get away with it, who would you choose?

No way I'm answering this question online where everyone can see.

Name one habit you want to change in yourself.

I wish I could focus on the things that are the most important. Too many things distract me from what is the most important.

Why do you blog? (Answer in one sentence)

To remind myself I'm not alone on this quest.

Seriously Cute and Memes...

Brooke gave me an award this week! Look I'm actually posting it the same week I get it. Isn't he adorable? Unfortunately, my hubby is allergic. *sigh* That means I'm going to pick a few people I think could give him a wonderful home at the end of this post.

I'm combining the award with the Meme Huntress tagged me with.

Motto? "Nothing, what's the motto with you?" No, seriously, I don't know if I have a set motto. Not a catchy one anyway.

My Life Philosophy is "Just smile and nod, just smile and nod." Why you might ask? Because people in my life tend to tell me all kinds of crazy things, do crazy things, complain about all kinds of crazy things, or just act plain stupid. The only way to survive when you have a personality that shines like a marquee flashing "Talk to me I'll listen to everything!" is to just smile and nod and continue plotting in your head.

Disclaimer: I actually do enjoy talking to all my friends even when they need to vent. So sometimes my smile and nod is really genuine. But when I've spent 4 hours straight and you are the fifth person to call/visit and complain--the smile and nod is automatic pilot and most likely I've checked out.

Some Treats or Questions:

What is your choice for a mid-life crisis dream car?
The Pontiac Solstice Roadster. There used to be a cool webpage where you could design color, interior and features. I played there for hours, but it looks like they are discontinuing the car. Such a shame cause I'd look amazing in one.

What do you get complimented about the most?
My infectious smile. I guess I smile almost all the time because people are always picking me in those "get to know you games" and saying things like, "I'm going to pick this lady over here because she's been smiling the whole time and it just makes me happy."

Oooo! I just had an epiphany. Wonder if I was checked out and just doing the smile and nod thing??? LOL, hey, I guess it really works.

How do you release your anger?
I slam doors and pout. I also bang pots around while cooking and sometimes I write scathing little scenes where my characters rip each other apart verbally or physically. I usually delete them when I calm down because I don't want to be locked away somewhere.

What are your favorite songs at the moment?
I listen to the following at least once a day right now.  
Comatose and Yours to Hold--Skillet
Evil Angel, Anthem of the Angels, Dear Agony, So Cold--Breaking Benjamin.
I just love Breaking Benjamin all around.

What are some of the new bands you are getting to know right now?
We are the Fallen and Red. So far I'm hooked.