That's right! I'm in week 4 of Couch to 5 K which means I actually jogged an entire 5 minutes without stopping...TWICE! (I also had 2 3-minute intervals as well!) So far so good, and we're looking at running the Race for Life 5K in August. (Gulp! It's gonna be hot!) My goal is to finish a 5 K in 30-35 minutes. I think that's obtainable.

Now that the running is over for the day (I get up at 7 to run before it's too hot and sunny.), it's time for writing. The dilemma is not solved for J.T. I still haven't decided which version to send off, but I do know a version WILL be sent off this week.

That's why I'm working on the Trolls. Or, I will work on the trolls when I get off this blog! There's also an opening chapter of my YA/Sci-Fi/Fantasy that I need to get written down after having heard it in my mind the last few nights.

Happy writing, and stay cool!!!!

...Or, to be more precise, on the keyboard again while the Trolls progress through the woods and on to Drocnoc.

Today was a busy day for writing. Now comes a dilemma only I can solve: answering the question, when is enough, enough? When do I stop minor little alterations (the BIG alteration is already done) and print out J.T. and send it to the editors who are willing to read it? Do I trust my instincts that are saying, "Do it now!" Or do I listen to my analytical side that says, "Read it again. And then again. Don't be too hasty."

Once I solve that dilemma, I have a second problem. Should I send version 16 (current version) by itself, or do I send the first two chapters from version 14 (last version before the BIG changes I made after the Carolinas Retreat)? Would the editors want to see those? I have mixed reviews on the newest version compared to the older version. First, everyone loves the new stuff. BUT...those who read the old stuff said they missed one of the big scenes in it! That scene was removed at the advice of the critique at the retreat.

Problems, problems, problems.

Oh, wait! I only have TWO problems, not three! Whee! Of course, that's nothing compared the problems that pair of trolls is facing right about now...

Those are my choices of early morning activities. Both are worthwhile. Both are healthy (albeit one mental health and one physical health). Both are important to me (although I will confess exercise is not quite as high in the rankings).

On the one hand, I need more time to write when I'm not mentally exhausted from dealing with 1000+ students all day, helping my own children with homework, dealing with dinner, and playing referee when WWIII breaks out in my own home. Between editing J.T.'s story for a summer deadline, finishing Troll Quest, and wishing I had the time and energy to concentrate on Enalia, writing could be a full time activity. (Notice I did not say job...there's no paycheck so currently it cannot be my job...it'd be great if that would change in the future.)

Then there is the semi-dire warning of my doctor to lose a little weight. (Hey, in comparison to many, many people, 20 lbs is little...to me, well, not so little.) I'm forty now (and not over the hill...I plan to live way past 80) and need to take better care of myself. I definitely won't exercise in the afternoons since I get home around dinner time, fix dinner (or sit down to eat if my husband's cooked it), help with homework, get the kids in bed...unless it's Scout night or Relay for Life night...at least soccer and track seasons are over now!

So there's my dilemma...mental health or physical health? It'd be nice to get these voices, urrr, I mean, characters, out of my head and onto paper. (or embedded in a digital code on my flash drive as the case might be.) It'd also be fabulous to fit back into this gorgeous turquoise, purple, and lime dress in my closet.

Ah, decisions, decisions, decisions.

Based on the feedback I received at the SCBWI-Carolinas conference, I am now revising and rewriting J.T.'s story. Such great advice, it makes me wonder "why didn't I think of that?" Of course, that's why Bruce Hale is a successful author and Stacy Cantor and Jennifer Rees are editors...they know what they're talking about/doing! Anyway, the beginning of the novel has been revamped (15th version!), and I've gone through the rest of the novel with a wide-toothed comb to make some changes. Once I've typed in all of those corrections, it'll be time to...use the fine-toothed comb and get the rest of my tangled word choices taken care of.

If you are aspiring to write, remember: authentic and believable voice, every word needs to be necessary, and build your suspense with every scene/chapter/page...great advice from some great people!

The SCBWI-Carolinas conference was fabulous. I loved every minute of it...Now to follow all the advice of an expert, rewrite J.T.'s beginning, and get the query redone!

Wow...it sounds like a lot when written like that, but a weekend of being surrounded by all things writing means my brain is working better!

Either that or I'm running on those lack of sleep vibes that give you energy until...you...(y--a--w--n) ...cr..a..shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I finished the story of Sir Jordan...this began as a short story and progressed until it was about four times longer than originally planned with 12 chapters! However, this story, written for a very special young man, is finished through two drafts and one editing session! Yeah!

My next focus will be on Troll Quest. It really is my favorite of all I've written which is the problem. I have so many ideas to include in it that I am getting bogged down in details. I've decided to get the main plot written. Then I will go back and flush out the sub-plots and minor characters in the next draft.

However, before I complete TQ, I am off to the SCBWI-Carolinas Retreat! I am VERY excited about this opportunity to have an entire weekend dedicated to all things about writing. It's also going to be great meeting someone I only know through emails and writing samples and critiques!

Remember, the only wrong words are the unwritten ones! Happy writing!

Another month gone and my writing goals have not been accomplished at this point! So much as I try and try to finish Troll Quest, it seems to be taking its own sweet time as the sub-plots become more involved. Do I merely try to get the main plot finished and then go back to flush out the rest, or should I develop it all at once? I don't seem to be getting through the book as quickly as I would like.

On the bright side, I will be working hard during April because I am going to the SCBWI Writer's Intensive plus I have an entire week with no worries from school to distract me!

I really am not sure what happened this month...it's almost over and it feels like it just began (although this was an incredibly LOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG week at work!). Writing has not gone as well as I would have liked due to overwhelming demands of two different fundraisers and Girl Scout Cookie Sale coinciding. There are also the forty-odd blankets that are knitted and need to be crocheted to be finished...they take up a large part of my living room and will be donated to Project Linus when finished. (Two knitters using up odds and ends of yarn = forty+ blankets!)

So, with March on the horizon, what will I do? First, and foremost, is to finish Troll Quest. After that, I'll be editing it and moving forward with my YA book. (And no, the characters do not all have names...yet...just strong personalities!)

There's nothing like a great contest to enter your novel in! The latest "Dear Lucky Agent" contest is for middle grades or young adult novels! Information on entering is at:
www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog

So the trolls are on their way to meet the queen of the sprites, and all is well in the land of Marf. The names for the characters and places were so easy to develop in that novel that I actually have a lot of great trolls who have not even been mentioned! That leads to the problem with my YA novel...names.

This is a futuristic sci-fi novel (not fantasy, for once!), and I want names that reflect the progress (as well as the lack of progress) of humanity. My MC's are twins, a boy and a girl. The girl's name came quite easily with the help of a good friend. Her brother, however, is simply a ? in the outline and manuscript beginning. So is his best friend. And their father. Nothing sounds "right" for any of these characters! I'm staying away from those stereotypical and slightly ghastly sci fi names you see WAY too often. There are no characters named Galaxia, Orion, Neptune, etc. Nothing that sounds as if it came from a bad sitcom or attempt at remaking Star Trek. If you have any ideas, I know I want the brother's name to start with a "N" sound and end in a strong consonant. Feel free to pass along your suggestions. Maybe one will work or, at least, go through a metamorphasis into the right name. For now, Enalia and ? are busy discovering who they really are and how to save themselves and all of the other "Imperfects"...

Today is "Get the Submissions Ready for all the February Deadlines" day.

(What? That's not on your calendar? Hmmmm. I wonder why it's printed in such large block letters on mine? Oh, well.)

What submissions? Well, there's the contest for SCBWI Carolinas that must be postmarked in February. Then there's the application for the spring retreat. Oh, and I cannot forget the WIP Grant application. On top of that, I've sent six queries to agents. One e-jection and no news from the rest yet. While waiting to hear from all of the rest, I've polished the synopsis (again!) and revised the query (again!). I've also edited chapter one (AGAIN!).

And in between that, I took advantage of the snow and went sledding with my children.

Last night, as it snowed (and then sleeted), a first page came to me. This is usually what happens to me with new ideas. I "see" the first page and hear the dialogue, see the setting and characters. Now I have a YA novel beginning in my mind to write down. (If the page is "still there" in the morning, I write it down. If I forgot it or hate it in the light of day, I write down the premise and leave the rest alone.)

The thing is, the first page is the inspiration, the tone. I get the voice started for the entire novel even when the words and events of the beginning change. For Josiah's Orchard, the first chapter became the second chapter with a LOT of differences. In J.T.'s story, that first page was broken up into small pieces of backstory scattered throughout the first two chapters (although the first sentence remained). Fortune's first page ended up deleted in favor of something new. Despite all that, the original first page of every story is the most important because without it I'd have nothing to write.

This work isn't titled yet. I'm not even sure of the MC's name. But I do know I'm intrigued enough to work on this and see where it leads. If it goes well, it will be a sci-fi YA set in 2140. No flying cars, no "Jetsons". Instead, a lot of things rooted in today's culture that have altered humanity and life on earth. We'll see...

Hopefully, anyway. It's either snow then sleet, snow then sleet then freezing rain, or just sleet and freezing rain. I'd rather have the first and none of the ice!

On the bright side, the laptop is completely charged and ready for some writing time even if we lose power!

Between accompanying my daughter as she took orders for Girl Scout cookies, sending my query out to agents, and working on my SCBWI grant application form, it's been a busy Saturday! I wish the SCBWI form was one where I could type my info into it on the computer. Since my arthritis is acting up with having been out in the cold all day, it will not be a neatly handwritten form. Yes, indeed, it is time for the writer's faithful standby: the twenty year-old typewriter! (electric, thank goodness!) I just hope there is some correcting ribbon in it or else I'll be henpecking to make sure there are no mistakes in the application!

I sent the query to 2 agents last night. Within one hour, I had a rejection! I can't help but wonder: was it an automated response because the agent has too many manuscripts under consideration/in her slush pile, or did she actually read the query? On a Saturday night?

Maybe she enjoys curling up and reading submissions during her off time. I don't know. It was rather disheartening to get a rejection THAT quickly. A day later would have made me feel better.

I just sent out the first query of the year...one more step towards keeping my resolutions! (For the record, I am in week 3 of the exercise routine, two more chapters have been written on Troll Quest, and Sir Jordan is almost finished with his adventure in Libraria!)

While I know the agent does not expect exclusive submissions (automated response email said so), do I send out a bunch of the same query, or do I send it, wait a few days, send it, wait a few days, etc. I feel strange with the whole "mass email" method of queries, but I also don't want to twiddle my thumbs in between possible requests for more or rejections. Decisions, decisions, decisions. I think I'll work with the trolls while trying to decide!

When a child loves a book and wants to read it to the exclusion of everything else, why do bullies have to make them thing there is something "wrong" with them liking that book? So what if the book has unicorns. These are not ordinary, sweet, loving, flowery creatures. They are tough, sometimes murderous, sneaky and hunted beings in a battle of good versus evil with some strange creatures, magic, and a few ordinary humans thrown in! So why shouldn't a sixth grade boy enjoy the adventure and the battles? Why didn't the teacher stop the bullying IMMEDIATELY as it began in front of her?

With that being said, I would like to remind myself that I want to be like Bruce Coville should I ever be lucky enough to have fans who read my books. I want to personally respond to them on my website's guest book and make them feel ten-feet tall when I do. I want to make sure all of my fans know to be true to themselves and to ignore the ignorant and clueless who try to make them feel bad. He is my role model for what he wrote to my son today. Thank you, Mr. Coville.

So far, so good! I have exercised for the last seven mornings. This is not going to stop anytime soon! (Saturday will be a day off from the elliptical...I'm rollerskating with Girl Scouts) It's great to exercise with my son. He is planning out a story and running his plot and character ideas by me as he rides the bike and I'm on the elliptical. So far, there's an eccentric inventor who makes things already invented, accidentally opens a portal to the future with one invention, his nephew gets sucked into the future, and no one knows what happened/how to get him back. The future is very, very interesting!

I have really enjoyed the time off from the library...I have worked on my short chapter book (it's almost finished!), revised part of Fortune's Gift thanks to some very insightful comments from my critique groups (who are angels for reading such a rough draft of a novel!), and the house is clean (mostly...I don't count the kids' rooms). I've used the new elliptical every day since we got it, too!

Too bad I can't send the children back to school and stay home a few more days on my own! It's going to be very cold at school tomorrow: they turn the heat into the 50s for a long break, and when they turn it up tomorrow morning it's only going to be 18 degrees outside! It will take a long while to get the heat up to par. Brrrrrrr.

I meant to post this yesterday, but I was busy writing Sir Jordan and the Treasure of Libraria. I am almost finished with that short chapter book for a great young man. (And finishing it this weekend is part of my resolutions!)

This year, I resolve to:
1. Get very busy at finding representation for J.T. Middleton, Time Traveler.
2. Lose the 20 pounds the doctor has told me to lose.
3. Finish the unfinished projects: Sir Jordan and the Treasure of Libraria, Troll Quest, Fortune's Gift.
4. Decide what to do with my adult suspense novel, The Curse of Josiah's Orchard.

Kidlit Contest

As part of my New Year's Resolution, I am going to do whatever I can to get J.T. Middleton represented by an agent! This contest is one of the things I'll be entering the novel in.

Well, I took a much needed break from full-length novels this month. My current project is a short chapter book written for a special young boy who has been very sick. Sir Jordan and the Treasure of Libraria is over half completed and, hopefully, will be done before the new year! After that, it's back to revising Fortune's Gift, my NaNo story, and querying J.T. Middleton to agents and publishers.

Happy writing in the New Year!

I did it, I did it! I can not believe I have written that many words in two days. Fortunately, the children behaved, the computer did not crash, and I finished it!

Last night I suddenly found myself writing Chapter 19 in first person...and I began wishing I had written it all that way. I do not know why I chose third person. All of my J.T. stories are first person (although Troll Quest and my two adult novels are third person omniscient) and it seems to come more naturally which is rather weird. Until J.T., I had never written with all those "I's" and "me's" and "my's".

With the deadline for NaNoWriMo being tomorrow, I am not going to change the narrative until after it is over. Then I will read and make the call.

Well, I am at 86% after tonight's (this morning's?) marathon session. I managed about 3 thousand words on Thanksgiving Day, but that was all. It was hard because we were out of town and we were visiting with relatives. (Wonderful visit, fabulous relatives by the way.) There just wasn't a lot of time like I have at home.
So, we got home, we had some trees taken down (and one landed on the fence which was bad but since we worried about the dead tree falling on the house or our neighbor's house, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.). We went to church to celebrate the beginning of Advent, and then it was home. I have been writing since around 8:30 pm, only taking a break to tuck in the Rouskateers. Now it is 2:43 am and I am at 43,000 words. I did not think I would win at NaNoWriMo, but I just might be able to get it finished between tomorrow and Monday night. (No Girl Scouts on Monday so there is an extra two hours!)
I think this will be an interesting novel to edit. Although NaNo says to turn off your inner editor and do not worry about rewriting, etc. I have found that is very hard to do. I actually have added a prologue that shows what is about to happen at the end of the novel because it is a better hook than chapter one. (Chapter one is not a bad hook, this is just better.) I do have to stop that inner editor who wants to make it more concise, cut out superfluous words, etc. I need those words for my word count!
Good night! (Or, rather, good morning!)