30 August 2006
New title
Reluctant's title was annoying me. So the new one is Past Lies. Which isn't as in your face as some of my other titles, LOL
7% and Rising has an epilogue now. Which is cool.
7% and Rising has an epilogue now. Which is cool.
29 August 2006
7% and Rising... is finished. YAY
I've sent it off to the discerning claws of Ms Kruger. I can expect the tattered remains to be returned shortly...
It may, or may not, need an epilogue. I'm undecided as yet.
Olivia. I'm starting to forget where your comments are, so I'll reply here, LOL
Oh let us know how you get on with that first draft in 30 days thingy. I was looking at that the other day, but I read somewhere else that it only really works for non-fiction (surely that's rubbish, going by the amount one can write during NaNoWriMo...).
I'm dithering about NaNo this year. It worked very well for me last year but it was rather tiring LOL! I will if you will...
I agree with you - it can't just be for non-fiction, as it has extensive character sheets. I'm going to work on the outline for Alchemy, probably starting this week, so I'll let you in on the screams of frustation as I try to work something out, LOL Alchemy is going to be my Nano attempt. Like it was last year *sigh*
I'm writing Reluctant at the same time as I'm sorting Alchemy. I need that story done with!
And Mark, the the post I think was flagged was the prosthetic leg one. I have no idea why... ;-)
It may, or may not, need an epilogue. I'm undecided as yet.
Olivia. I'm starting to forget where your comments are, so I'll reply here, LOL
Oh let us know how you get on with that first draft in 30 days thingy. I was looking at that the other day, but I read somewhere else that it only really works for non-fiction (surely that's rubbish, going by the amount one can write during NaNoWriMo...).
I'm dithering about NaNo this year. It worked very well for me last year but it was rather tiring LOL! I will if you will...
I agree with you - it can't just be for non-fiction, as it has extensive character sheets. I'm going to work on the outline for Alchemy, probably starting this week, so I'll let you in on the screams of frustation as I try to work something out, LOL Alchemy is going to be my Nano attempt. Like it was last year *sigh*
I'm writing Reluctant at the same time as I'm sorting Alchemy. I need that story done with!
And Mark, the the post I think was flagged was the prosthetic leg one. I have no idea why... ;-)
28 August 2006
The joy of being a writer...
...I've just done something unspeakable to Alexander Roen, hehe
27 August 2006
Stargate is finished
Tootling about the web, as you do, and I just found out that Stargate SG-1 has had the chop.
I'm not really surprised. For me it ended after series 8. It morphed in to Far-gate after that. And while I did like the Arthurian stuff and the bizarre similarity between Daniel Jackson and Cam Mitchell, it just wasn't doing it for me anymore.
Currently, I'm writing the end for 7% and Rising. Time stories mess with my head. I have about three... four... converging universes in on laboratory high up on Cairn Gorm in the twenty fifth century.
As you do ;-)
I'm not really surprised. For me it ended after series 8. It morphed in to Far-gate after that. And while I did like the Arthurian stuff and the bizarre similarity between Daniel Jackson and Cam Mitchell, it just wasn't doing it for me anymore.
Currently, I'm writing the end for 7% and Rising. Time stories mess with my head. I have about three... four... converging universes in on laboratory high up on Cairn Gorm in the twenty fifth century.
As you do ;-)
25 August 2006
Oops
Looking at people who've visited my blog... I think one of my posts might have been flagged objectionable.
Oops again.
Oops again.
24 August 2006
Frodo's Big Day
Frodo was a big 5 today.
The Ent made us all get up at 6am so that he could trundle the remote control dalek into Frodo's darkened bedroom. Mayhem followed, until...oh... 6pm... when the two small Hobbits, muttering rebellion about a bath, but more than happy to go to bed, tramped up the stairs.
The Ent will have a more detailed blog post about the day. I think he started it some time around 10.30...
And because the Hobbitses went to bed so early, I got my Final Line Edits done for Buying Mackenzie's Baby. Which is very cool.
So it's back to 7% and Rising. YAY
The Ent made us all get up at 6am so that he could trundle the remote control dalek into Frodo's darkened bedroom. Mayhem followed, until...oh... 6pm... when the two small Hobbits, muttering rebellion about a bath, but more than happy to go to bed, tramped up the stairs.
The Ent will have a more detailed blog post about the day. I think he started it some time around 10.30...
And because the Hobbitses went to bed so early, I got my Final Line Edits done for Buying Mackenzie's Baby. Which is very cool.
So it's back to 7% and Rising. YAY
23 August 2006
Roll up, roll up...
FABULOUS SALE & CONTEST AT MBAM!
Lots of prizes this week - all you do is make a purchase to be entered! Winners will be chosen to win a variety of print books!
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PLUS, you can enter the drawing without making a purchase by sending a postcard with your name, address, phone number, email address, and how you heard about MBaM to this address:
My Bookstore and More
2932 Ross Clark Circle #384
Dothan AL 36301
All postcards must be received by October 31st, winner will be announced on November 1st, 2006
Come see our SALE PRICES on ebooks!
http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/
All Trade PRINT books are ON SALE too! 10% off cover price plus FREE Shipping!
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21 August 2006
Sub, sub, subbing
While I was writing 7% and Rising yesterday, I had this sudden urge to sub. As you do.
So a 7k story winged it's way to Whiskey Creek Press.
The response times are about a month at the minute. And the wait is definitely worse for an epub. When I sent out a tree I know I'll get a paper response, usually with 'What the hell were you thinking???' on headed paper, LOL.
With an epub, it has to be an electronic reply. Which has me checking my email every three and a half seconds.
Oddly, this nervousness is only for Whiskey Creek. I emailed The Bone Magician's Daughter to Macmillan, and I'm not that anxious about the reply. Maybe it's because epublishers are often quick. Big publishing houses usually aren't.
However, Macmillan did say 6-10 weeks on their website.
Damn. Now I have two things to eep about... *sigh*
So a 7k story winged it's way to Whiskey Creek Press.
The response times are about a month at the minute. And the wait is definitely worse for an epub. When I sent out a tree I know I'll get a paper response, usually with 'What the hell were you thinking???' on headed paper, LOL.
With an epub, it has to be an electronic reply. Which has me checking my email every three and a half seconds.
Oddly, this nervousness is only for Whiskey Creek. I emailed The Bone Magician's Daughter to Macmillan, and I'm not that anxious about the reply. Maybe it's because epublishers are often quick. Big publishing houses usually aren't.
However, Macmillan did say 6-10 weeks on their website.
Damn. Now I have two things to eep about... *sigh*
19 August 2006
Roen and his leg...
...are getting to the point of no return. YAY
Not so much DIY done. I helped to move fat fish and put them on a new cupboard. Mostly, I pointed out that Angraboda didn't look too happy in the holding tank while The Ent emptied the big tank ready for the move. Little Angraboda was floating upside down. Eep. But he's fine now *phew*
I spent most of the night on the Delurk Day at Romance Junkies. It's the only Yahoo Group where I remember to post. Mostly because they sent me a nice, big fat reminder LOL
Off to bed to read Reggie Perrin. Something Wicked is done with. YAY
Not so much DIY done. I helped to move fat fish and put them on a new cupboard. Mostly, I pointed out that Angraboda didn't look too happy in the holding tank while The Ent emptied the big tank ready for the move. Little Angraboda was floating upside down. Eep. But he's fine now *phew*
I spent most of the night on the Delurk Day at Romance Junkies. It's the only Yahoo Group where I remember to post. Mostly because they sent me a nice, big fat reminder LOL
Off to bed to read Reggie Perrin. Something Wicked is done with. YAY
Back to the grind...
I looked at Alchemy last night. Prologue - still love it. First chapter... okay... Then it all goes down hill from there, LOL I need to Snowflake my plot. Joy. And then I'll know what's missing.
Reading/read two books. Ploughing into The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin omnibus which is so much like the TV series, only somehow darker and more bitter.
And I've just finished Something Wicked.
Maybe it's me being European, but the info dumps were annoying. The heroine was an American with strong family ties to both Greece and Italy, but she knew absolutely nothing about Europe in any way, shape or form. That's how the info dumps worked, highlighting the h's ignorance. Made me want to smack her at times, LOL
It's DIY day today, I have an appointment with a steamer and a whole lot of woodchip... *sigh*
Reading/read two books. Ploughing into The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin omnibus which is so much like the TV series, only somehow darker and more bitter.
And I've just finished Something Wicked.
Maybe it's me being European, but the info dumps were annoying. The heroine was an American with strong family ties to both Greece and Italy, but she knew absolutely nothing about Europe in any way, shape or form. That's how the info dumps worked, highlighting the h's ignorance. Made me want to smack her at times, LOL
It's DIY day today, I have an appointment with a steamer and a whole lot of woodchip... *sigh*
18 August 2006
Creating Fictional Worlds is a pile of pants...
...just incase anyone is Googling the course and thinking about doing it at Liverpool University Continuing Education department.
Out of a group of fifteen about four finished the course.
There was no syllabus. We work-shopped every week. And there was very little structure on how to create a fictional world, ie. world building, creating a believable culture and economy. I'll amend that and say no ideas on how to do that. Another favourite is dialogue is bad and fantasy has to be visual. Other senses need not apply... ;-)
The course ended with a just a few of us consistantly bringing work and finding little from the crits of said work.
Anyway, that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it *grin*
Out of a group of fifteen about four finished the course.
There was no syllabus. We work-shopped every week. And there was very little structure on how to create a fictional world, ie. world building, creating a believable culture and economy. I'll amend that and say no ideas on how to do that. Another favourite is dialogue is bad and fantasy has to be visual. Other senses need not apply... ;-)
The course ended with a just a few of us consistantly bringing work and finding little from the crits of said work.
Anyway, that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it *grin*
17 August 2006
And two more books bite the dust
After Medalon was over... Hurray... I ploughed into some Pratchett.
Jingo, after Medalon, made me realise how sharp and tight Mr P writes.
Medalon sprawled and scenes often ended with two characters talking about the main characters doing something. The following scene would then be those two main characters acting out the scene the others had just discussed. That happened a few times and I 'Arghed' a lot, LOL.
I liked Jingo. It's been a while since I read any TP books. It was fast paced, witty and ended in that one book. Double hurrah. I have an aversion to trilogies.
The second book read today is The Wee-Free Men. The pontificating in this one seemed more ham fisted then the anti-war message of Jingo *shrug* You sort of got used to the dialect thing - but it was still annoying, LOL
I also think Samwise is Wentworth *sigh*
Tomorrow I may write.
Eep
Jingo, after Medalon, made me realise how sharp and tight Mr P writes.
Medalon sprawled and scenes often ended with two characters talking about the main characters doing something. The following scene would then be those two main characters acting out the scene the others had just discussed. That happened a few times and I 'Arghed' a lot, LOL.
I liked Jingo. It's been a while since I read any TP books. It was fast paced, witty and ended in that one book. Double hurrah. I have an aversion to trilogies.
The second book read today is The Wee-Free Men. The pontificating in this one seemed more ham fisted then the anti-war message of Jingo *shrug* You sort of got used to the dialect thing - but it was still annoying, LOL
I also think Samwise is Wentworth *sigh*
Tomorrow I may write.
Eep
15 August 2006
Taking my blog literally
I've done no writing for a week. Very bad me.
I was struggling with 7% last weekend and I realised that after Bone Magician and inbetween the next set of edits for Buying Mackenzie's Baby, I need to rest and recharge. Mainly because I have no ideas in my head. None. Nada.
So I've been reading a book on Dark Age Magic and the mindset of the people. Strange Histories - or why people hung a pig and thought an apple was possessed. And Medalon. The last is giving me a headache.
I'm 500 pages into book one and nothing much has happened - besides the two main characters being severely beaten. A lot. I like doing harm to my characters as much as any psychopathic author... *grin*... but now I'm skipping ahead to find a point where they aren'e captured and tortured. I want the plot to move on! Waaah
I still have no ideas in my head, btw.
But that's been true since 1993 *sigh*
I was struggling with 7% last weekend and I realised that after Bone Magician and inbetween the next set of edits for Buying Mackenzie's Baby, I need to rest and recharge. Mainly because I have no ideas in my head. None. Nada.
So I've been reading a book on Dark Age Magic and the mindset of the people. Strange Histories - or why people hung a pig and thought an apple was possessed. And Medalon. The last is giving me a headache.
I'm 500 pages into book one and nothing much has happened - besides the two main characters being severely beaten. A lot. I like doing harm to my characters as much as any psychopathic author... *grin*... but now I'm skipping ahead to find a point where they aren'e captured and tortured. I want the plot to move on! Waaah
I still have no ideas in my head, btw.
But that's been true since 1993 *sigh*
07 August 2006
Buying Mackenzie's Baby - Release date
I completely forgot to post the release date for Buying Mackenzie's Baby here. Doh!
It's...
19 September 2006
(Is that big enough...? I think so *grin*)
The link is here. There's also an excerpt on my website here.
Oh and for anyone who's around at 9 EST (that's 3am for most of the people I know, including me *grin*, I have an Author Chat going on at Romance Junkies.
I'll be the one running on coffee fumes... Yes, my caffeine-free lifestyle evaporated, LOL
It's...
19 September 2006
(Is that big enough...? I think so *grin*)
The link is here. There's also an excerpt on my website here.
Oh and for anyone who's around at 9 EST (that's 3am for most of the people I know, including me *grin*, I have an Author Chat going on at Romance Junkies.
I'll be the one running on coffee fumes... Yes, my caffeine-free lifestyle evaporated, LOL
06 August 2006
How to work a prosthetic leg into a sex scene...
Yup, that's my problem of the day.
It's 7% and Rising and my hero, Roen, really needs to have the false leg. It's a twenty ninth century replacement, but it still whirrs and makes the odd clunking sound, LOL
Should be... erm... interesting...
It's 7% and Rising and my hero, Roen, really needs to have the false leg. It's a twenty ninth century replacement, but it still whirrs and makes the odd clunking sound, LOL
Should be... erm... interesting...
04 August 2006
Why I hate my printer
It's almost one o'clock. I started at 10 and I'm still not done.
First all the paper came through in a bunch. Then I lost my first three pages on my desk. Then the ink ran out and the printer couldn't align because it needs a colour cartridge as well... (why?) Then because it wasn't aligned - about 40 pages were wonky...
I hate my printer.
I'm on page 334 with 16 pages left to print. Then I have to lump it down to the Post Office...
Should be done before I have to pick Frodo up at 3.30, LOL
First all the paper came through in a bunch. Then I lost my first three pages on my desk. Then the ink ran out and the printer couldn't align because it needs a colour cartridge as well... (why?) Then because it wasn't aligned - about 40 pages were wonky...
I hate my printer.
I'm on page 334 with 16 pages left to print. Then I have to lump it down to the Post Office...
Should be done before I have to pick Frodo up at 3.30, LOL
And it's gone....
The Bone Magician's Daughter - one whole meg of it is winging it's way to Macmillan. Don't you just love email? Mainly because tomorrow I'm going to kill a small tree and post it to the US, LOL
02 August 2006
The Bone Magician's Daughter
... is finished. YAYAYYAY
Just over 93k. I'm going through the final read through before it gets printed off and I take it to the post office and faint at the cost of sending it to New York.
Fingers crossed they like it and want to buy it. Then the advance could pay off the loan for posting it... *grin*
Just over 93k. I'm going through the final read through before it gets printed off and I take it to the post office and faint at the cost of sending it to New York.
Fingers crossed they like it and want to buy it. Then the advance could pay off the loan for posting it... *grin*
01 August 2006
Nearing the end
I have two chapters and a prologue to go on Bone Magician.
I can taste the end and can imagine putting this monster in the post. I will definitely need a small mortgage. Possibly two... *sigh*
I can taste the end and can imagine putting this monster in the post. I will definitely need a small mortgage. Possibly two... *sigh*
