#ROW80 Final Check-in 9/23/15

Here we are at the end of Round 3. I think I did pretty well, considering that I had some things get a bit wonky toward the end. I had to shift and re-prioritize stuff and as such, not everything got done, but most did. 🙂

Here is the final rundown:

~3 freelance jobs completed

Writing Goals

~Finish Fireborn – Eh…not exactly. I had to trash about 5k and restart that section, so it’s technically not done. I’m probably within 5-10k of being done, though. I also edited the first half while on vacation, and outlined it for revision.
~Continue Survivor Sundays/5k in rewritten draft DONE for about a month, then abandoned once things got crazy. I did a very comprehensive re-outline, though. My grand plan, barring more craziness, is to make Survivor my NanoWriMo project for 30k (I can’t do 50k anymore due to bad wrists). That would give me a really nice start.
~10k on Covenant DONE – 11k currently
~Participate in Camp Nano (Fireborn/Covenant) DONE – made my goal of 10k combined
~Write and edit Changeling part 3 for submission (due 9/1) DONE!

Non-writing

~Get 35mm automatic camera fixed NOT DONE, because it wasn’t possible. The gentleman at the shop searched high and low for that part or a camera with that part, but no dice. 😦 I ended up buying a very cheap camera body to replace the messed up one, and it’s in even better condition. Win.
~Shoot test roll and develop NOT DONE. It’s on my list of things to finish before the end of the year.
~Do something with darkroom, big or small NOT DONE. Too busy to dig in and spend any time in there. 😦
~Set up Etsy shop DONE. It has a name. Now I need to add the bracelets. That will be tough b/c some of them are still in my sister’s shop, and I don’t want to duplicate anything. I will need a good long stretch of time to do this.

So that is it!

Chocolate consumption report: I have no final numbers on this, but you guys know me. 😉 I…ate a lot. I don’t think that’s ever going to change.;)

#ROW80 Check-in 9/20/15

We are almost done! I can’t believe how fast this round has gone by!

I am still copyediting. I am over halfway done, which is great. The book is amazing! Burning Bright by KD Sarge, due out from Turtleduck Press in November. /shameless plug

Today I wrote 580 words of Fireborn, and I’m almost at 17k. (I needed to slip in writing somewhere, just to stay in the mode and not go insane!)

Hubby and I are going camping this coming weekend, our last trip of the season. It should be fun. It’s a place new to both of us, and that’s always interesting. I plan on taking more pictures and more digital infrared pictures. I still need to post process the ones from our last trip! Time flies!

Still getting lots of ideas for Before the Stars Fall, but I am resisting starting it for the time being. I don’t think I have enough room in my head! Or the schedule! I’m supposed to be done with Fireborn by early next year, and that’s still the plan if all goes well.

Chocolate consumption: Chocolate fudge cake yesterday and today from my sister’s birthday party. Sooooooo good! WW Sundaes and WW caramel thingies too for snacks.

#ROW80 Check-in 9/16/15

I’m still here, and I’ve been copyediting. I finished freelance project #2 on Monday and turned it in and have started back up on Burning Bright, KD Sarge’s awesome fantasy novel.

I did write about 600 words on Covenant recently.

And that is really it. I’ve been thinking about future projects, and I’m considering starting Survivor for NanoWriMo (unless I have an editing job or two, then it’s a no) because while I’ve done enough prep work and thinking, I realize that I’ll need to just jump in and do it. I haven’t really had an opportunity on a Sunday lately. But a solid 30k would be fantastic (I can no longer do 50k due to my wrists, but 30k is doable).

Rewrites are a bit tricky for me and my muse. We’re afraid to screw it up, so the beginning feels momentous. With an older project, Pirouette, which I rewrote a total of 4 times, each rewrite had accumulated more weight — this one was going to be The One. No, this one. Or this one. I can’t screw this up… I remember the fourth time  — I wasn’t even ready yet, but it was weighing on me so one day I wrote 200 words. And then I felt a bit better, because I’d started the damn thing. And then I added a few hundred more. The more I wrote, the better I felt. I still feel #4 is my strongest yet. I am planning another rewrite, but I wonder if maybe all it needs is an intense revision. It’s been 5 years since I set it aside. I was too close to it and I was losing the love. I’m considering making it a 2016 project, depending on how Survivor goes.

Sooooo this beginning to Survivor is huge, but I have to remember: sometimes it’s not the words, because they can be changed, but the physical act of beginning again that counts. We shall see.

Annd that’s really about it for me.

Chocolate consumption: Not as much as I’d like! I just had a WW sundae so that helps. 🙂

#ROW80 Check-in 9/9/15

Happy birthday to my younger (and only) sister!

I’ve been doing mostly editing, but I did finish up the big project (on Labor Day, ironically enough), and while I’ve been working on copyediting the lovely KD Sarge’s next Turtleduck Press novel, Burning Bright (which so far is awesome, btw!), I have had a bit more time than I have had lately. I wrote bout 500 words on Fireborn, and have been happily noodling — or, uh, brainstorming ideas for When the Stars Fall, which my muse has insisted is BEFORE the Stars Fall. She feels this is very important.

So far, I’ve got a guardian angel in human form who doesn’t know it, frightening visions she believes are the result of mental illness, a rock star who’s about to die, and one rule: the angel and the rock star can’t fall in love. Also, they may have done this before in a past/parallel life before. Maybe.

So, um, that’s what’s been keeping me from going insane these days. Because life.

Here’s a little excerpt of Fireborn that I just wrote, so it may be rough:

“You…were a witness? How come you didn’t come forward?” Rick asked.

Another eye roll. “I didn’t want to be implicated…but then I started feeling guilty – ”

“Because you might be next,” I muttered.

“Yeah, that, too,” she said, glaring at me. She had a mean glare. She looked at Rick. “She would communicate with Tarot cards. And I saw…I saw her.”

Did I believe this? Could I believe this? Maybe she was mentally ill, or just twisted enough to compel us to dance on her strings. I gave Rick a questioning look, and he shrugged. So, I figured I was on my own until we could talk privately.

“You saw her? How does one see a ghost?” Mercy started to say something, but I stopped her by holding up my hand. “Of course you can see ghosts.”

“She’s around.” Mercy averted her gaze. “She won’t rest until she kills us all.” She gave me an assessing look. “Which is why I came here in the first place. Assuming you still want my help.”

Okaaay. “Yeah, of course. Rick?”

“Yeah, I’d like to hear what you have to say. Do you want another water?”

“Yes, please,” Mercy replied, taking her empty glass and placing it into Rick’s hand.

“Be right back. Try not to kill each other while I’m gone,” Rick said with a pleading look at me.

“We won’t,” I shot back. I gave Mercy an assessing look of my own. “Is this really for real, or you just having a joke at our expense?”

Mercy stood and tried to pet Love, who’d sat herself in front of me as my feline guard. She grudgingly allowed it. Briefly. “If you survive this, you’ll grow in power, and your child will be even more powerful.”

Chocolate consumption report: Not a lot. We did have Sanders Bumpy Cake for dessert on Labor Day though!

So that’s it from me for now. How are you all doing?

ROW80 Check-in 9/2/15 – Editing Zen

I’ve been so busy editing that I haven’t been able to do a proper check-in for awhile. But I’ve gotten a slight breather so here I is again!

I’ve done very little writing, under 500 on both Fireborn and Covenant. I’ve been working on trying to squeeze them in during my breaks (I use the pomodoro method). So far, that’s been going fairly well. I was starting to feel anxious about not writing, and a bit grumpy.

This month is going to be very busy, as I just accepted another editing job (smaller in scope and length, though) and I have a copyedit hitting my inbox from one of the TDP members that I volunteered to do back in July or June. Annnd edits will be coming back on Changeling 3 as well.

Needless to say, I’ve been a bit sleep-deprived (although it’s from disrupted sleep) and feeling a bit zonked. Today I had to get bloodwork done and when they asked my name and phone number, I gave them the wrong numbers and couldn’t physically pronounce my middle name. And then at dinner I said the wrong word which was very obviously wrong and it was a bit embarrassing. Other than that, I’ve been okay.

(None of this stuff effects my editing. I sort of get tunnel vision when I’m doing it, and I can focus pretty well despite what else is going on. One of my talents…or curses, depending on how you look at it).

Although I needed music desperately, instrumental only. That felt better.

So that’s what I’ve been up to. What have you been doing?

Oh! Chocolate consumption report: A lot of these shortbread with chocolate stripes cookies. They are so good! WW Sundaes, too, as per usual.

#ROW80 Check-in 8/23/15

I’m doing some better. Still having vertigo, but I no longer want to curl up and hide somewhere, so that’s good, right?

I made some progress!!!

997 words on Fireborn and I think I’m unstuck. And, I have an idea for a spin-off series. Thanks, muse!

I’ve been thinking about revision, and decided to go back to Holly Lisle’s How to Revise Your Novel class, which I took waaay back in 2008. It has been invaluable for figuring out where I messed up and where I didn’t, which is really cool. So I printed off the first lesson worksheets and will be working on them once Fireborn is done.

I also have been inspired (by Holly Lisle) to shift my focus a bit to shorter works. And I’ve thought about it before, but never really considered it for reasons I don’t know (too many novel ideas?). She says that the more you have out there for purchase, the more traction you get with sales. I would love to go full time with this, but I need a certain amount of money to make the leap, and sadly, it hasn’t happened yet. I’ve got two books out and two poetry chapbooks and a free anthology. I’d like to get a few more shorter works (novellas primarily) out there. Part of why I decided to write Fireborn was because of that, actually. But I’d like to put out a few more novellas, like novella #3 in the Reaper Girl universe, Flamebound (which was a novella, then I planned an expansion to novel length, and am now planning it as a novella. Crazy!) which has been languishing far too long and is on my priority list of projects. I have a few novel ideas that could be serialized (as long as there’s a complete story per installment — I’m not a fan of having incomplete stories and forcing people to buy three installments vs one novel, but that’s my opinion) and a few longish short story ideas that are lower on the list but are intriguing. Might be some possibilities there. So that’s my main focus at the moment.

As for actual writing since the last check-in, very little. I’ve had a few Real Life things happen and I’ve been feeling a bit stuck. Now that I’ve worked on Fireobrn again, I feel pretty confident I can start again.

I will try to work a bit on Survivor after I finish this post.

And the fanfic-turned-original idea When the Stars Fall is still hounding me.

Noodling on Covenant, but no words.

Chocolate consumption: WW Sundaes (1 per day), chocolate sugar-free pudding (today), chocolate caramel thingies, Kit Kat minis, and some form of chocolate donut tonight.

#ROW80 Check-in 8/19/15

ROW80, here we are again!

I have to admit, I’ve made almost no progress on any writing so far this week. Real Life is conspiring against me!

Today I managed 526 words of Changeling 3, which I am proud of! It’s finally moving again! I’m hoping to get the rough draft done before freelance editing job #2 lands in my inbox. I started it in the middle, then moved to the beginning. Next it’ll be finishing the middle and adding the ending. I usually don’t work that way, but for some reason I had a mental block about where to start, and I did know the middle, so I went with it. I wonder if that would work for novels, When the Stars Fall in particular (it’s still trying to become fanfic. I don’t know).

I’m still having vertigo which is not good, and a bit scary. I had one last night in the shower. My mom had one of those railings put in when she had the bathroom renovated and thank God for that! I hate being unsteady, but having the rail there is helpful and I feel safer. (Hard to imagine not feeling safe in the shower…)

As for everything else…not much happening. I just hasn’t gotten back into the groove, and I hope to soon!

Maybe working on several projects isn’t working. I’m not sure. For now, I’ll keep with it, make a decision later.

Chocolate consumption: Some. Last night I had a few mini Kit Kats (I LOVE those!) and today I had a WW Sundae.One goal for next round will be an actual plan for dieting. I really, really need to lose get some weight off and I’ve been tap-dancing around actually dieting and well…it’s overdue. Why can’t the good stuff have NO calories? It’s crazy.

Some eye pain due to a storm front. I did take a loopy pill this time. But I haven’t taken one since vacation, so I call it good. Hopefully tomorrow the front will be gone and I’ll feel better.

I feel like this is a bit of a downer post, so I apologize. Usually I’m bursting with things to say! Today I’m a bit quiet, and I think it’s okay. Sometimes we need quiet, you know?

How did you do?

#ROW80 Check-in 8/16/15

I’m home! Well, I’ve been home since Thursday, but have been busy getting unpacked and into the swing again.

It’s been tough. Vacations are absolutely awesome, but it’s so rough for me getting into the normal routine again. Tomorrow is my first day back to work and that’s bound to be a killer, and I’ve been feeling meh about my WIPs.

Also, I have been having vertigo attacks all week. At first I thought it was my body going wonky over not being home (it’s totally weird but true) but I continued having them when I got home, and more frequently. It’s scary because I never know when I’ll get one, and I worry about falling, so I’ve been living in a state of limbo and it’s exhausting. I’m not sure if it’s the new medication or not. It’s not listed as a side effect, but my research has turned up a few people who have experienced it as a side effect. Also, I’ve been on the new med for over a month, so the crazy beginning period is basically over so…I don’t know. I’ll be seeing the neuro again in September, and I will be bringing it up for discussion.

So here is the (pathetic) rundown of projects:

Fireborn – Revised first half while on vacation and re-outlined the second. Haven’t started any type-in or rewriting as of yet.
Covenant – Nothing done since last check-in. 😦
Changeling 3 – Rough draft partially written before vacation. My goal this weekend (today, actually, since the weekend’s almost over) is to finish up the rough draft.
Survivor – Nothing, but have been thinking about it.

I also was hit with a new idea for a paranormal romance while camping, and let’s just say I am fending it off as I type this.

Also, I have another round of editing happening on my freelance project soon. So that is happening.

I am hoping to get back moving with everything once I feel a bit better.

Chocolate consumption report: A fair amount while on vacation, including s’mores made with fudge stripe cookies instead of graham crackers. They were SO GOOD!

#ROW80 Check-in 7/26/15

The past few days have been a bit rough. I’ve been extremely tired from the new medication and I have experienced some breakthrough pain. Even so, I am still happy with how it’s working because it is taking the pain away most of the time. I’m hoping to adjust to the sleepiness at some point (she says hopefully…).

That said, my progress has been a bit up-and-down.

Survivor – Today I continued to work on the outline. I rearranged a few things and considered some ways to torture my characters. 😉 It is growing in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I think this will be a tremendous improvement over the first draft. I am still thinking about a potential sequel to include the last quarter of the original first draft and then write the actual sequel I planned years ago as the third book in a trilogy. Still noodling, though.

Fireborn – 1,376 new words, broke 21k in draft. However, I may need to rework the last few scenes. I’m getting the feeling that I may not be on the right track. Typically, I write drafts straight through with the exception of this type of situation. It is giving me the heebie jeebies.

Covenant – 916 new words written, up to 9k in draft. I have an interesting situation going on there and I’m eager to continue working on it.

Camp Nano – up to almost 9k, goal is 10k. 🙂

Etsy shop – just began the process to set up a shop. I couldn’t have any of the names I thought up, so I went with one that’s kind of unoriginal but supposedly you can change it later. So. Getting there.

Camera repair – Hoping to go next Saturday and get it done so I can run my first test roll! Also hoping to do more digital infrared pics.

Chocolate consumption report: A bit more than last week. Yesterday was my mother-in-law’s birthday party and my hubby bought a chocolate cake with chocolate fudge-like frosting. And we bought M&M ice cream and oreo ice cream so uh, chocolate overload! In just one day! For the rest, minimal as per my one-per-day plan.

That’s it from me. How’d you do?

#ROW80 Check-in 7/26/15

The past few days have been a bit rough. I’ve been extremely tired from the new medication and I have experienced some breakthrough pain. Even so, I am still happy with how it’s working because it is taking the pain away most of the time. I’m hoping to adjust to the sleepiness at some point (she says hopefully…).

That said, my progress has been a bit up-and-down.

Survivor – Today I continued to work on the outline. I rearranged a few things and considered some ways to torture my characters. 😉 It is growing in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I think this will be a tremendous improvement over the first draft. I am still thinking about a potential sequel to include the last quarter of the original first draft and then write the actual sequel I planned years ago as the third book in a trilogy. Still noodling, though.

Fireborn – 1,376 new words, broke 21k in draft. However, I may need to rework the last few scenes. I’m getting the feeling that I may not be on the right track. Typically, I write drafts straight through with the exception of this type of situation. It is giving me the heebie jeebies.

Covenant – 916 new words written, up to 9k in draft. I have an interesting situation going on there and I’m eager to continue working on it.

Camp Nano – up to almost 9k, goal is 10k. 🙂

Etsy shop – just began the process to set up a shop. I couldn’t have any of the names I thought up, so I went with one that’s kind of unoriginal but supposedly you can change it later. So. Getting there.

Camera repair – Hoping to go next Saturday and get it done so I can run my first test roll! Also hoping to do more digital infrared pics.

Chocolate consumption report: A bit more than last week. Yesterday was my mother-in-law’s birthday party and my hubby bought a chocolate cake with chocolate fudge-like frosting. And we bought M&M ice cream and oreo ice cream so uh, chocolate overload! In just one day! For the rest, minimal as per my one-per-day plan.

That’s it from me. How’d you do?