Monthly Archives: August 2014

August 31, 2014 · 9:23 am

Weekly writing check-in: the one with a finished novel

dorm5So apparently you can send your son off to college and finish a novel all in the same week. Because that’s what I did this week. Those 11,000 words? Yeah, I have no idea when I wrote them. I just grabbed pockets of time here and there, and the next thing I knew, I was closing in on the last few scenes.

Once you get there, it’s hard to stop writing. So while that looks like a lot of words, it didn’t feel that way. As far as the total goes, the novel came in at ~ 80,000 words, which is a nice size for a novel.

And also, in other big news, my son went off to college this week! It’s not every day these two things happen, right? As you can see, he’s busy doing schoolwork already. Actually, he’s filling out the check-in form so he isn’t charged for damage to his dorm room later on.

So … that was my week. How was yours?

Writing Work:

  • Pansy 2.0 ~ 11,650 words

Submissions:

  • March Madness

Rejections:

  • Five to Freedom

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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August 24, 2014 · 11:31 am

Weekly writing check-in: the one with not much to say

goldySo, our new pup, Mattie, is adjusting well. The cat is getting sneaky and finding ways to be in the same room as said pup without Mattie noticing. Of course, when she does, the cat zips back downstairs.

Summer is ending, we’re getting my son ready to head off to college (the image is your clue as to where he’s going) and my daughter to Jr. High (milestones, we have them). Not quite as much writing this week as last, but I’m heading into the home stretch of Pansy 2.0 and can see the whole way in front of me. While it’s a re-draft, many pieces are significantly different: new scenes, new characters, new twists. It’s been a lot of fun to write.

Nice rejection this week for a story that’s long enough that I might put it in Kindle Unlimited and call it done. But I still have a few more I can submit when I hit a little downtime.

Writing Work:

  • Pansy 2.0 ~ 6,011 words
  • World Building class

Submissions:

  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies

Rejections:

  • A Knight in the Royal Arms

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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August 17, 2014 · 10:24 am

Weekly writing check-in: the one with a new pup

Mattie3 Mattie2So yes, this happened over the weekend.

Meet Mattie (short for Matilda). She looks like a puppy, but she’s actually four years old. According to the Animal Humane Society she’s a mix of Dachshund and a smooth-haired terrier. She is small and cute and very, very sweet.

Now let’s hope the cat will like her (I’m not too worried about our other dog).

Naturally, since I mentioned a dearth of rejections last week, I received two this week, although they were both personal and fairly positive, so there’s that. Writing work, some world building (although I’m a bit behind–blame the new dog). I would love to finish Pansy by the end of August, but I’m not 100% certain that will happen.

Writing Work:

  • Pansy 2.0 ~ 7,885 words
  • World Building class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • The Madness in King’s End
  • Keeping Time

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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Write 1/Sub 1: Alex Shvartsman Talks Crowdfunding!

Click through to read the article.

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August 14, 2014 · 11:26 am
August 10, 2014 · 9:09 am

Weekly writing check-in: the one with some world building

JoNearly 12,000 words this week. Yes, I am in what Jo March (of Little Women) might call a writing vortex. All I need is the special cap. No, really. I need the special cap. Do you think they have them at Target?

I’m also taking a world building class since these new, crazy speculative worlds keep popping up in my writing. It’s time to put a little structure around them and dig a little deeper.

Otherwise, a quiet week. Everything that can go out pretty much is out, so no submissions. No rejections (yet), and since I haven’t heard back, no acceptances either (funny how that works).

I did follow up on some stories, since there’s a great deal of orange in my submission tracker.

Writing Work:

  • Pansy 2.0 ~ 11,529 words
  • World Building class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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August 3, 2014 · 11:05 am

Weekly writing check-in: the one with some print

More writing this week. It’s amazing how much more time one has to do this when one isn’t to-ing and fro-ing the smaller members of the household to/from horse camp. I’m at ~ 44,000 words with Pansy 2.0, which isn’t too bad.

The proof came for The Maze. I adore making these little books. It’s so much fun and good practice as well. I always think I’ll remember everything I need to do for an interior layout, but of course, I don’t.

My son Andrew read the premise for The Maze and declared it “really interesting.” My daughter said the stories sounded like Doctor Who episodes (and she means this in a good way). At long last, my kids endorse my writing!

Writing Work:

  • Pansy 2.0 ~ 8,848 words
  • Received and approved proof for The Maze
  • Listened to and selected a narrator for The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet and The Maze (can’t wait to talk more about this)

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

The MazeAvailable at Amazon. If you have a Prime or Kindle Unlimited account, you can borrow it for free.

Now in Print as well, and available as a Kindle Match Book. This means if you buy a print copy (you must do this first), you can get the Kindle version for 99 cents.

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