What matters most...

It's the holidays, a magical time of year. Anything is possible, and hope can be found in the strangest places. As much as I hate to admit that there's a world outside of writing, there is. A world full of people, some you like, some you're indifferent to, some you love. Some you meet and through all bounds of space and time, you make a connection. You form a bond that can never be broken. And sometimes those bonds go beyond words, even when there aren't any words to be found.

I've been lucky enough to meet people like that. Maybe not as many as I would've wished, but looking back, I see the people I needed came into my life exactly when I needed them most. I hope to be able to return the favor by being there for them too. I also hope they know just how much they mean to me and that I'd do anything for them.

Hug someone you love today. Savor the moment. And never forget what matters most.

Cari: Performance Anxiety and the Single Writer

Before you get confused about any possible upcoming revelations in this post,  I am a) a female and b) not hampered in any way that chocolate won't cure. But I am NaNoing, and if that sounds like a potentially painful condition, you'd be correct.

I like to write. Honestly. I wouldn't be one if it didn't hold SOME allure. But set a deadline in front of me, and I go as numb as a squirrel in the path of an SUV. I freeze up. Not to mention, I've been sick a couple times recently, and surprise, surprise, physical illness does not contribute to writing productivity! Also, my NaNo story, Heat Lightning, has been percolating for a year and a half, and much like my hero, Ethan, a lightning strike survivor, I've been feeling a bit of performance anxiety. I know the recommendations. Sit down and just do it! Feel the burn! BICHOK! And I'm sure there are more. Lately the only burn I've been feeling is that which comes from watching all my fellow NaNo'ers word counts climb by groups of Ks while mine climbs by single digits.

As of right now, I'm a bit over 10K. (Guess I should update the sidebar, huh?) But I refuse to concede defeat on November 10th! Do you have any suggestions for battling writer's performance anxiety? (I'll include my address if anyone wants to send Godiva...or possibly the niblet of man candy below.)

TARA: NaNoWriMo Madness

Here we go!  I've been VERY remiss in posting over here on Word Wenches.  Trying to get my focus back has been a struggle and a half--hell, a struggle beyond compare sometimes.  But there I am, doing the absolutely crazy NaNo again.

I succeeded last year, and I'm determined to do it again this year.  So, I've got my notebook, my word doc, I've closed my damn emails--evil, how they distract a person--and put my ears in with Rhapsody to smooth out the edges

The first song that pops up...EVEN NOW

Sounds like a little karma is heading my way.

Please God, I hope so.

I intended to have book 1 finished in my Conley Brownstone series, but it didn't happen.  So, I'm going out of order for my own writing and starting book 2 for NaNo.  It's going to drive me a little crazy at first, but it will help in the end I think.

Meet Nicholas Gamble.
He's a bit of a loner.  Oddly enough, he loves to work with authors and spin deals for book contracts and author contracts.  He's the G of the EFG Agency. 

He moseys his way around a deal. Herds people into doing things his way with an affable smile and his quiet ways.  When the job is done--so is Nick.  He escapes to his cabin in the woods, on the outskirts of town.   When the world closes in on him, he moves out even further into the mountains of Upstate NY.

So, what's Nick to do when he meets the overbearing, outspoken Alexis Giordanno?  Run of course.  The question is, will he man up and let her catch him?

Meet Alexis Giordanno
She's a bartender and sometimes waitress at Mystique in Conley, NY.  (My made up town in upstate NY. LOL)  Some people look at Lexi and think there's not much behind her sassy, take no shit woman that works at Mystique.  She can't have ambition if she just bartends, right?

Lexi's reaction to that is firm middle finger in the air.

She works damn hard, and you know what? She makes better money on tips than most office drones and works twice as hard.  All she wants is a good, solid life.  She's not asking much.  But in her line of work, she doesn't exactly see the best in men.  A guy is rarely worth more than a fling or one night stand.  She should probably get lost first before they do anyway.

But then she meets Nick.  He's different.  He doesn't take to her smart ass mouth.  He ignores her looks--when they've done nothing but cause her trouble since she was 16.  Hell, he doesn't even try to hit on her.  Surely, she'll lose interest when the chase is over.  Right?  He can't possibly be different than all the other men that have come and gone in her life....Right?


So...there they are.

And now, Day 1 of NaNoWriMo is about halfway over---GOD HELP ME! ;)

I'm cheating...

It's the week before NaNo, and I'm, umm, really busy. Who isn't, right? Between the day job, the freelance editing, the 4 WIPs, the Blaze I'm trying to plot for NaNo, my newly arrived galley and edits on a requested full...oh, and life...I'm a wee bit behind. So I'm doing a cross-post here from my own blog of my new cover of Full Disclosure. My first ever cover!

Sexy, huh? I love it! Huge thanks to artist Angela Anderson and my awesome editor, Karen Welwyn at The Wilder Roses.

But so this isn't a complete repeat...I'm toying with contest ideas for Full Disclosure's release week, and I have two questions for our loyal blog readers. Do you like contests where you have to participate beyond posting a comment? What if you had to write a brief (1 paragraph or less) anecdote to win? And what sorts of prizes do you like? Would you rather a gift certificate to an ebook store or do you prefer book PDFs? Maybe another type of prize altogether? I'm eager for anyone's feedback, as I'm a little out of my depth here!

Oh, and before I go...a big shout out to my lovely CP, Tara, who does all the work to keep this blog looking fresh and pretty. Isn't she awesome?

Back to my writing cave...

Why Do You Write?

This is an easy one for me. I write for the joy of slipping into worlds of my own creation where I decide who lives or dies and who gets the guy. My perfectly imperfect heroines still get their Happily Ever After every time...eventually. ;) Half the fun is getting to that HEA, however. Writing romance gives me hope. As my characters work through their problems, sometimes I work through my own, too, even if I don't always realize it.

What about you? What brings you back to the page time after time? The sheer love of creation? Money? (Nothing wrong with that!) The feedback you get from readers?

Inquiring minds want to know. ;)

And to whet...your appetite on a Monday....

Positive thinking is the ticket...

So I write erotic romance...

I'm doing companion posts this week. This one relates to the post on my regular blog, where I asked if it's wrong to like erotic romance. Here I ask a different question. If you do write it, do you admit it? Sure, some people hide their clinch covers on the subway, but what if the clinch covers are yours? Then what? Do you make up excuses or do you tell the truth without embarrassment?

I'm working on being honest. I've admitted I write romance to certain work colleagues, but I haven't said exactly what. I write all over the map...the few genres I haven't written in yet, I want to try (much to my dear CP Tara's consternation, LOL) But right now, most of my WIPs would be considered erotic romance. Not all, but most. And I nicely tiptoe around that subject with many of the people in my life.

How about you? Do you wear your writing identity with pride? It doesn't have to be erotic romance. Maybe you write inspirationals. Or fan fiction. Or any number of other genres that I'm sure have some silly stigma attached. And if you don't write, is there another area of your life you keep under wraps? Inquiring minds want to know. ;)

Oh What a Feeling

So...I received word back from my very first contest. I entered the Indiana's Golden Opportunity contest. The entry deadline was July 1, 2009.

I really wasn't sure what to expect with the two professional judging replies that were reported. I knew I wanted some feedback from an outside source. I've always been very lucky with people supporting my work. Then, through kismet, I ended up with a rockin' CP that also has some editing background. But there's always a part of me that wondered what a stranger would think.

Part of me wondered how my work would sound to someone that had no former knowledge of my personality from the internet, or through friendship. It's a nervy thing, really. I wanted it, that was for sure, but when I actually got the response in my email, I was frozen solid. I couldn't open it.

On top of that, I was already online with Cari talking about another project, so she got to see me go crazy first hand. Lucky girl. LOL

Thank God for her, that's all I can say. She immediately wanted to see the results and let me babble about it. Then, after I read everything, she celebrated with me. I wasn't a finalist, but I did end up at the top of the pile.

There were 25 entries and I came in 6th. Pretty exciting for me, considering the level of help the story needed. I've changed so much, even since this summer. The feedback was phenomenal. Both judges were forthcoming with praise and constructive criticism. One judge was more thorough than the other with feedback.

I got what I wanted from the contest. I knew the story itself needed work and didn't deserve to final, but the judges did score high on characterization, dialogue and professional look. Conflict and plot needed work, but those things were already on my list to change.

All in all, I think it was very good experience.




POSITIVE:

Does the presentation of the setting add depth and/or conflict to the story? Yes! Wild crowds, clamoring fans, flashing lights, a hard-drinking, itinerant lifestyle make a terrific backdrop for a paranormal!

CONSTRUCTIVE:

Does the romantic conflict challenge the hero and heroine to grow into love? I’m not sure what the impediment to Sophie and Jake getting together is. They seem to have much more in common than in conflict. He thinks his vision tells him she wants to kill him, but it almost seems he doesn’t believe that himself.





Has anyone else entered a contest? What are your thoughts on them?

A Journey Of A Thousand Steps...

For my first WW post, I'd like to share a brief list of my own.

1) How many years I've been writing: 18...seriously, about 4
2) How many contests I've entered:  4
3) How many I've won: 1
4) How many books I've written (completed an entire draft): 4
5) How many books I've contracted: 1
6) How many books I've had rejected: 1, though it wasn't a traditional submission
7) How many times I've contemplated quitting writing and taking up igloo building? 489895

But most importantly...

8) How many times I've actually quit? Never.

I've contemplated it, of course. What writer hasn't? It's no fun being rejected and reviewed and dissected. Or worse, ignored. But it's part and parcel of a writer's life, and if you are one, you eventually realize that the downs are so worth the ups. And if they're not? Well, igloo building is always a viable choice, especially if you're a New Yorker like Tara and me, LOL

I should also list another number.

9) How many critique partners I've had: 3

All 3 are very different, with unique skills and personalities and writing styles. I know some people tell horror stories, but I've gotten so lucky with mine. And really, having people who "get it" to ride the wave with you - or drown in the surf, depending on the day - is what makes all the difference.

Tara was my first CP. When I wrote to her that first time, I almost talked myself out of it. I didn't really need anyone to read over my work. I was fine. Then I got back her first crit where she commented, "Well, I have to say it's not perfect yet..." and we were off.  ;)

I'm still not a perfect writer yet, and that burns my ass. Every time I think I've learned what I need to, I see that I'm not even close to getting where I want to go. Big ambitions mean a big learning curve. And as Tara always says, I'm harder on myself than anyone else could ever be.

But I haven't fallen off the mountain yet, so I guess that's a victory in itself. And I hope to update that list with some good news soon...

Taryn's Twisted Ramblings #1

RHAPSODY SONG: Never Coming Home - Crossfade

Hmm...so, this is one of those One Hit Wonder bands that let out a really cool song. It came out a few years ago---Cold. But their Sophomore album really blew me away. They changed their style a little and found their writing niche.

I can so relate.

See...these posts do have a rhyme and a reason. VERY important first blog post, right? LOL But it's something Cari and I have been talking about a lot. So much has changed in both of our writing styles in the last year that we figure either:
a.) we totally rock as CP's and have revolutionized each other's writing
b.) we've actually been working so hard that we HAD to get better eventually.
c.) all of the above.

I'm actually going for C, to be honest. Because...well, when in doubt go with C. LOL And seriously, we've come so far in such a short time. That first email was a year ago in June. Now I can't imagine my life without her. (We often have these mutual admiration society moments, btw. Hurl quietly, please.)

So, because of my illustrious CP, I've managed to nail down a few key points. ('tis list night obviously)

• I'm inherently lazy.
• I love writing.
• I hate writing.
• I love blogging.
• I hate blogging.
• I love building a story.
• I love building a story but love to make excuses about not working the story.

Sense a theme here? Ahh, the love/hate relationship. I know it and live it so well. After much lamenting...all summer, actually...stumbling through the dark a bit, and driving Cari (and my other friends) nuts, I think I've finally evened out a little.

And because I'm only happy when I'm crazy, I'm in the middle of a new project. LOL

I was hell bent for Para fiction there for a bit. I had this ridiculously huge story arc put together with world building that would do Tolkien proud for God's sake. I built it up until the story was so huge I couldn't wrap my head around anything, let alone things like--oh, stringing a usable sentence together.

So...I took a step back, pared down, and decided to go with a more simplified story. I still couldn't manage to keep it to a single title. LOL But a trilogy is much easier to deal with.

And all my peeps are without extra sensory powers. Well, unless a rockin' sex drive counts as extra sensory powers.

Emma's (current MFC) all right with that.


So Sebastian and Emma, Nick and Lexi, & Francesca (Frankie) and Jason have invaded my poor brain. And I've promised my CP that I will focus on one story and finish it--NO EXCUSES!

Emma and Bastian are my focus through October. I want to start querying agents. God, did I just actually type that? Yes, I want to think about working with an agent.

November...well. I haven't decided what's in store for my NaNoWriMo. *pants* just breathe, Taryn...Breathe, Cari.


*-*




So....here's my first blog post on Word Wenches. I spilled out all my little ugly bits. How about a few of yours? Had any aha moments lately?