Wanderings of Wednesday 1/6/16

How is it possible that it is already Wednesday again?!!!! Yikes!
So this will be short and sweet as normal chaos has been amped up a bit with the new year... 

WRITERLY Things:

• I'm still working edits for STATIC... discovering that the substantial rewrite I did helped with the beginning, but now the ending needs help - I'll keep plugging away at it. Something will stick eventually.
• And yes, I want to play with ETCHED and others, but I'm trying to watch my focus now - I don't have time to be flaky and play with too many ideas as once - so STATIC is getting all my attention - the others will have to wait their turn regardless of how much they kick and scream.

PUBLISHINGLY Things:

• Etched in Lies is officially out there and I still can't quite believe it... does this ever feel real? (Yes, I already shared this.... some things don't change) - A few reviews have come in - I'm honored that some have taken the time to tell everyone what they thought. 
• Now, I'm working on setting up some book signings and maybe a reading in a few places.
• I'll also be setting up to answer questions via GoodReads! At least once a month - more often when I have the time, I will answer one question posted... want to ask me something... now's your chance!

READERLY Things:

• I'm sad to say that I'm still working on the book I started before Christmas. I love it, but haven't had one of those days where I can just sit and read ad nauseaum (like THAT will ever happen) - I hope to finish it soon. I already filled my kindle with lots of books I can't wait to read.

OTHERLY Things:

• Winter is finally here - my ankle is killing me in this cold, but I am happy to report that I have stuck with my workout routine that I started before the New Year. I'm into week two of PiYO - it is kicking my butt and I love it!
• Lots of things happening at work - busy with yearbook and student government... but it's all worth it.

And so this week is wrapped up!

Chat again soon!

What's Up Week in Review...

We're back to Wednesday so I think it's a little time for an update... 

WRITERLY Things:

• I've gotten back into edits for STATIC - altering from feedback with one critique partner and swapping pages with another. I'm liking where this one is heading, and hope to clean it up by the spring for queries.
• I'm playing around with the idea of a companion to ETCHED... there's more that needs to be told - I may have to break my November only rule (well - it's been the only time in the last few years that I have drafted) and set some of those ideas down soon....

PUBLISHINGLY Things:

• Etched in Lies is officially out there and I still can't quite believe it... does this ever feel real? Part of me hopes it does... part of me hopes it doesn't.
• It's still not to late to get your copy in time for the holidays.... (hint hint) Check out the Etched tab at the top for links to retailers from around the world

READERLY Things:

• Knocking out a few books before the end of the year - though my to read list keeps going... I'm almost afraid to finish reading my current books because I'm not sure which ones I should read next...

OTHERLY Things:

• You can feel the buzz in the air as the holidays approach - it doesn't matter that it's warm and raining...well, maybe for the atmosphere - but around school you know everyone is counting down to a longer break from everything...on both sides of the desk.
• Hoping to make some cookies soon - that might help build a little of Christmas cheer since Mother Nature is having a hissy fit.

Chat again soon!

Weekend Review & Mashup

Obviously Wednesday's wrap up didn't happen... my procrastinator spirit was in full drive as I raced from work to liquor store and grocery story (no one can say I don't have my priorities straight...) home to finish cleaning before in invasion on Thanksgiving.

I'm also getting ready for a little release/count down fun - so be sure to check back starting on December 1 to see what's happening!

So a lot in a little space:

I'm doing one more crock pot meal for the month. Last week's turned out really well - and left overs were still good.. but there was something about the way it smelled that made me less then happy with the cool ranch chicken (sometimes it is the little things) - But this one is different. It's my twist on a lasagna soup. It took me about 45 minute to get everything ready and into a crock pot to simmer all day was the lasagna sauce (my own recipe: tomato sauce; paste; seasonings/spices; garlic; onion, ground beef) + Italian sausage (first time I tried that)
Then it will be buffet style later with gluten and gluten free noodles for the guests... hopefully this will work well?


And onto other things:

WRITERLY

I am almost done!! I have a few bits to add while I'm thinking about them - and then not thinking about them because ideas will always pop into my head when I'm NOT actively writing *grumbles* So as of Monday - I'll be done with NaNo and taking a few days off to reset the mind before jumping back into edits for STATIC

PUBLISHINGLY

We are at t-minus 12 days.... EEEEP!! I'm so excited and so nervous... and I'm working on a bit of fun for the beginning of December.

READERLY

Taking a little of that down time to get some reading started. i have a huge wish list stored for Christmas, which means I need to knock out some more now (twist my arm!)

OTHERLY

Getting ready for a crazy three weeks at work before the nice Christmas break - lots to finish in a short period of time... but if you haven't noticed, I tend to thrive a bit on chaos - so I say bring it! (remind me I said that then I'm losing it later)

So short and sweet - as I have rooms to vacuum, food to prepare and workouts to starts... and obviously words to pound

Chat soon!

The power of words

An unusual sentence caught my attention this weekend and urged me to write this post.

Here's the sentence: I'll be with you as soon as I put the muffins in the microwave so the cat won't eat them.

Have you ever had to say or write that before? I know I hadn't because I actually paused after saying it, cocked my head to the side, and wondered if anyone has ever said it before.

So...according to several Internet sites, some of which looked less than reputable, there are over one million words? That seems a bit low. I do like the answer that there really isn't an answer to that question - but this entire little rant is not the purpose of this post.

With all the words, there are only so many ways in which we can arrange them together in ways that haven't already been done yet.

AND

makes those arrangements of letters and words interesting, intriguing and original.

Because that is what we, as writers, are trying to do - right? We are trying to arrange words in an order that hasn't been done about a subject that very likely has already been covered.

If that wasn't the case, there would only  be one book about vampires. One about zombies. One about Dragons. One about love. One about war...you get the idea.

It is easy to arrange words in an order that is original.

The bright pink elephant didn't want to sit next to the silly little butterfly.

What is not easy is making those arranged words make sense and want to be read. What is not easy is making them tell a story that someone would want to read.

And there's the bottom line. The words need meaning. They need power. Who cares about the pink elephant or for that matter my muffin starved cat?

As a writer, the first answer must be me.
The second answer must be the story.
And hopefully the third and equally important answer will be the reader.

As I writer, I must use the power of words to make the reader care about the words I have chosen, but hopefully have written in such a way that the words use each other and don't compete for attention.

We've seen those great lines. The killer first sentences. The heard breaking last lines. And we have all heard how important that opening thought of a story is.

So now I leave you with words. And go to create some power of my own.