The cat – Writing Wrongs

Quiet Sunday

I’m happy to report that, a week later, kitty is so much better. I’m relieved. I’m also relieved that it’s the last day of antibiotics as well. Because, yes, there’s nothing like giving a cat some medicine.

So, I’m hoping for a much quieter Sunday. Knock on wood.

Some fun things from the past week (or so)

This last bloom of the year:

This view on this morning’s walk:

This hockey game (my son, playing for the Frost Giants):

I also started, in earnest, work on The Marigold Miracle. Mainly notes and thinking on paper, but that’s all part of the process.

Today’s goal, I hope, is to finish Possession. I’m not behind in the reading, but I’d like to finally finish the book.

Belated check-in

So, I spent a big chunk of Sunday at the emergency vet with our sweet old kitty (well, she was kind of spicy at the vet). We got her some antibiotics and will follow up for another underlying health issue later. But all things considered? Things turned out so much better than I expected, considering she’s a cat of a certain age (17).

Today, we (all of us) are tired, resting, and relieved.

Of Halloween and cats

This morning’s observation: Cats do not care about the end of daylight-saving time. Cats want their breakfast. They want it NOW. So, get up, lazy human, and feed them.

This week was, of course, Halloween. And this year, I’m excited to report that we had many, many trick-or-treaters! I always put out a table by the Little Free Library since the dogs lose their minds over the doorbell and people coming up the walk. This setup makes it easier for everyone, even if I don’t get to see all the costumes.

It was raining, so the candy bowl had a lid.

When I went out later in the evening to check on the candy, this is what I found.

No one could bring themselves to take that last piece of candy.

Halloween achievement unlocked!

We also had the city’s book and pie sale this week, where they sell … books and pie (and sloppy joes). I donate books every year, but I’ve never actually been. The sale always ends before I was done with work, but not this year. So I headed on over and bought some books (not that I needed any) and a piece of pie. Not a bad way to round out October. (Well, minus the cat.)

Shenanigans and hibernation

We’ve been in hibernation mode this week. Kitty, of course, secured the coziest pet bed.

But it’s not like the dogs are suffering. We have more pet beds than pets and lots and lots of fleece blankets.

See? Plenty of blankets.

But it was definitely a week for hibernation.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been consistently writing every morning, and the story is in my head a lot more these days, but I had a book three brainstorming session this week as well. The sort that really does feel like a storm, where you’re typing notes as fast as you can because the ideas just keep coming.

Up until now, book three has been essentially a blank canvas. I know the (many) story threads I need to tie together, but the what and how and when could be summed up with one word:

Shenanigans

True, book three is all about shenanigans. But now I have an idea of what those shenanigans might be. This is a good thing since I’m getting close to the end of book two. I’m not only relieved, although I am that. But I’m excited as well. I’ve been trusting my intuition and subconscious to work things out while I’m busy elsewhere, and I’m pleased that’s happening.

This coming week is bringing us some warmer weather. However, I predict Kitty will still claim the best bed in the house.

Weekly writing check-in: solving an essential problem

I did some work on revision this week. I managed to write a “pitch” (although, I don’t pitch anymore, so it’s more of a description of the story), worked on some covers for the series (these just came out of the blue), and made some overall progress on the story structure.

I’m nearly done with moving all my paperbacks into KDP Print and into the Ingram system. Additionally, I also solved an essential problem I was having.

How to share my desk with the cat.

So, after the renovations, instead of moving my printer back to my desk, I decided on one of these:

It’s a Hepper Nest Cat Bed. It’s amazing. Oreo loves it. It keeps her off my keyboard (most of the time). And we couldn’t be happier.

Weekly writing check-in: more short stories, novella, and Photoshop

I am diligently trying to keep myself out of the Photoshop black hole. Fortunately (or, perhaps, unfortunately), I don’t have a title for the first book or the series it’s supposed to be in, so there’s only so much cover designing I can do.

Yeah. I need a title, especially since I’d like to publish this year.

In other news, not only did I complete the outline for the novella, but I started the draft. I finished up revising/editing two short stories that I plan to send off this week as well.

All in all, it was a good writing week.

Weekly writing check-in: Hello, July!

Kitty can’t believe the year is half over

A quick update from last week: I did successfully find some cupcakes. The girls demolished the strawberry ones so quickly it was almost frightening.

In writing news, I have somehow managed ~12,000 words of revised/new content while using the exercises in The Emotional Craft of Fiction. This surprised me since I feel as if I’m plodding along and not making a lot of progress. Additionally, I revamped the opening scenes as well.

Sometimes, you have to stop and take stock of where you’ve been.

This week, I’m looking forward to getting some more work done on the exercises in the book as well as some additional brainstorming for the rest of the series. I have several high-level story threads that I want to keep track of as I move through not only this revision but the rest of the series.

I also might follow kitty’s lead and schedule some time for a nap.

Weekly writing check-in: an outline in the bag!

I have an outline for the first story in the fairy tale series in the bag (along with a cat). Not only that, but I have an inkling of what might happen in the other books, and how I’ll go about accomplishing that.

Well. More or less.

I might start writing the draft this week. I want to do a little more brainstorming of the entire series, get something more concrete than “bad stuff happens here” and things like that.

That’s about it for this week. I think I got a rejection (checks submission tracker … yep, I did), which I’ll look to sending out in the next few days or so. Otherwise, I’ve been focusing on the new series and getting everything ready for the Coffee and Ghosts BookBub in May.

Weekly writing check-in: cat and mouse and keeping time

At the last minute, I decided to sign up for a flash fiction course. It’s very short–two weeks with assignments every other day. So far I’ve written three flash pieces. I thought today we might get a rest. But no! The instructor just posted today’s lesson.

Also? I need to write my last essay for the fairy tale class. I will need to get my writing on, once again.

A couple of rejections this week, but–hey!–I sold audio rights to Keeping Time.

And in a few weeks, I should have several more stories to submit.

Assuming I go get my assignments done.

Writing Work:

Planning/researching new series
Story planning and notes
Fairy Tale class/Folklore class
Flash Fiction class (!)

Submissions:

None

Rejections:

Fire and Ivy
The Way Home

Acceptances:

Keeping Time (audio)

Publications:

None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the Merry Catmas

Triple xmas cat Quiet holiday week here. I did a lot of baking and a little cleaning and even got some writing work in as well.

I finished up the revisions on the story I was working on–I added about 3,000 more words total. A few new scenes to round out what I was hoping to do with the story.

Next step is to proof it and maybe send it out for a beta read.

We didn’t have a white Christmas, but we did get some snow yesterday. Enough for sledding, which made my daughter very happy.

Also, I spent a fair amount of time tugging the creature pictured above out of the tree. We now have several cat-sized holes in the branches.