Charging up the Ol' Gumption

I stopped writing on December 16th.  You know, to give myself a sort of Christmas vacation.  I worked hard all year, so I deserved a little break, right?  Well, I may have deserved one, but it didn't do me a damn bit of good.  Sure, I got a bunch of reading done.  I even crocheted some.  But while I was off doing not-writerly things, my battery was slowly losing its charge.

When the holiday was over, and I had loads of free time to write, I just couldn't get my gumption running again.  I turned the key and all it did was click.  (Been there enough times with stupid cars.  Never thought I'd get that with my writing.)  I thought I could sit down on December 27th and just pick up where I left off eleven days before.  Since I couldn't, I figured I must still need time off.  (Hey, it sounded good at the time.)

"I'll write after the new year!" I said to myself.  Surely the new year would recharge my gumption.  New year, new energy.  Right?  Umm, no.

New Year's Eve arrived that morning...  don't, I'm on a roll... and I was all set to spend the day typing away.  My goal of finishing this NaNo novel by the end of the year was shot, but that didn't mean I couldn't make a valiant effort on the last day.  Needless to say, that was shot in the ass, too.

How does one recharge the gumption hump?

Well, what worked for me was sitting down and re-reading what I'd already written on this book.  Now, generally, I don't like to read pages of a book I haven't finished yet.  It screws up my mojo because I always find things I could've done better or things I want to change.  And then there's always the danger that I'll read the beginning of an unfinished book and think it's so crappy I won't be able to make myself finish it.

This time, though, it was exactly what I needed.  I read the first five chapters of UEQ and felt recharged.  I still like the book.  In fact, it's better than I remember it being back when I started it in November.  Those five chapters made me remember why I was writing this book, it rejuvenated my voice, and it got my fingers back to typing.  Sure, I only wrote 500 some words, but it was a start.  I would've written more but my fingers were out of shape, damn it all.  (All of which, I deleted and rewrote the next night.)

Now I just need to keep this ball rolling and my gumption fully charged.  I don't know if re-reading will work in the future, but it was exactly what I needed.  I just wish I'd thought of it last week.  ;o)

What recharges you when you're feeling like your batteries are dead?  How do you feel about re-reading a manuscript you haven't finished yet, or is that something other writers do on a regular basis?

Wrestling with Myself

As seems to happen every once in a while, I get into a wrestling match with myself.  Usually it's about this crazy business called writing.  You know, whether I'm actually accomplishing anything or whether I'll ever write something someone wants to publish.  And whether this is just an exercise in mental masturbation.  (Fun?  Yeah, but not exactly productive.)

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not thinking about quitting - at least not the writing part.  I love writing too much to stop.  Over the past few weeks, though, I've been playing around with the idea of quitting the whole 'trying to get published' part.  I mean, after almost seven years of writing and a little over six of submitting, what good am I doing?

Each book I write, I am absolutely sure is marketable.  They're all premises I'd want to slap down good money to read about.  They've all been well received by various readers over the years (and those readers are not just family members, tyvm).  I've had published authors read my stuff and like it.  So, wtf?

And still, the rejection letters keep coming in.

Maybe it isn't them, it's me.  I mean, I am what I am.  (Go Popeye.)  I'm a little intolerant and a little hermit-like, and a lot opinionated.  But I am, like I said about my daughter on her college application - 'stubborn but open to change in the face of rational argument'.  (Yeah, she gets that from me.  Big surprise.)

I also write how I read.  As a reader, I like to skip over long descriptiony parts, so as a writer, I tend to not write those.  For instance: I don't care what color a character's eyes are when I'm reading.  It's superficial and unnecessary to who they are, so I might not remember to give that information about the characters I'm writing.

 *Images deleted due to possible copyright infringement*

Having brown hair and green eyes (or red hair/blue eyes, or white hair/brown eyes)...  doesn't make a damn bit of difference to the story.  (Unless a character's hair is dye-job blue and her eyes are red due to color contacts.  That says something about who she is because it's a choice she made.)

:shrug:  I dunno.  I'm just rambling.  For those of you who haven't been around, it's how I work through problems.  I ramble on the blog.  In real life, I also talk to myself out loud - occasionally in public.

Anyway, I'm still forging ahead.  And I'm still working toward publication - because, as I may have mentioned, I'm stubborn.  I will get a book published - and get paid for it - sooner or later... if it kills me.

Let's just hope it doesn't come to that.  ;o)

Need a Good Whoopin'?

Read Roxanne St. Claire's post over at Murder She Writes: What's Your Excuse?

I'm wrestling with myself - something I'll try and talk more about later - and I know that post felt like the ass-kicking I needed.  Now, I just need to pay attention to the whoopin' I took - for longer than a couple minutes, that is - quit making excuses, and get back on track.

How about you? 

Book-tacular Day

Okay, so here are the books I got yesterday - all of which were purchased with the exception of Lynn Viehl's (I won that and it was waiting on my porch when I got home.)

The old favorite authors...

Frostfire by Lynn Viehl (Paranormal Romance - book three of the Kyndred series) - READ

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (MG - book one of The Heroes of Olympus - his follow-up series to Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher (Epic Fantasy - book four of the Codex Alera series)

My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent (YA / Paranormal - book four of her Soul Screamers series)

Roadkill by Rob Thurman (Urban Fantasy - book five of her Cal Leandros series)

Double Cross by Carolyn Crane (Urban Fantasy - The Disillusionist Trilogy - Book Two)

The Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire (Romantic Suspense - The first book in her Guardian Angelino series) - READ

Enemy Lover by Karin Harlow (Romantic Suspense - I didn't know whether to put Harlow in old favs.  This is her first book - as Harlow, but she's been writing as Karin Tabke for years) - READ

Virals by Kathy Reichs (YA / Suspense - based off the Temperance Brennan novels, this one is about Bones' niece Tory Brennan) - READ

New to me authors...

Ariel by Stephen Boyett (??? - a post-apocalyptic with magic realism thrown in - the cover snagged me and the premise seemed interesting)

Outrageous Fortune by Tim Scott (??? - dark humor/fantasy/SF - supposedly in the vein of Douglas Adams and/or Monty Python... I just saw the reviews and I'm wondering if I wasted my money.  We'll see.)

Red Hot Fury by Kasey McKenzie (urban fantasy - the cover got me on this one, too, and I love the idea of using Furies as the main species)

Night Child by Jes Battis (also urban fantasy - I'm not exactly sure why I picked this one up, other than I was looking for some new urban fantasy so I could see what Djinnocide is up against out there. One reviewer called this CSI meets Buffy, so it should be interesting at least.) - READ

Plus, I got a couple new desk calendars:

Dilbert - I love love love Dilbert, so this was a necessary. I found this at Borders and snapped it up. Too bad they didn't have one at Barnes & Noble (where I stopped first) which is why I bought...

Non Sequitur - I don't know anything about this, but the cartoons looked cute.

New Books! Yay!

I went out of town today on a post-Christmas book buying spree.  Now I'm too tired to do anything... well, except read.  ;o)

I'll post about my stash tomorrow.  I picked up some new-to-me authors - along with a few favs - that should be fun reads.  (I hope.)

What are you reading lately?  Find any new authors to chat about?  Feel free to dish.  The only activity I love as much as writing is reading.

2011 - Books Read

Well, every 'Books Read' post has to start with a single book and this is where 2011 begins for me...

I'm hoping to hit 100 books this year.  We'll see how that goes.

New for this year - genre!

Vicious Circle by Linda Robertson (12/31/11) - Urban Fantasy
A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang (12/31/11) - Urban Fantasy
Left Hand Magic by Nancy A. Collins (12/23/11) - Urban Fantasy
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (12/20/11) - YA Dystopian
Slayers by C.J. Hill (12/16/11) - YA Urban Fantasy
If I Die by Rachel Vincent (12/12/11) - YA Paranormal
Inhuman Resources by Jes Battis (12/10/11) - Urban Fantasy
Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield (12/10/11) - Post Apocalyptic
Nightshine by Lynn Viehl (12/5/11) - Paranormal Romance
If I Should Die by Allison Brennan (12/3/11) - Romantic Suspense
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (12/1/11) - MG Adventure/Fantasy
Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams (11/27/11) - Mystery
The Runelords (Book One) by David Farland (11/26/11) - Epic Fantasy
Flesh and Blood by Kristen Painter (11/13/11) - Urban Fantasy
The Viper by Monica McCarty (11/3/11) - Historical Romance
Blood Rights by Kristen Painter (10/23/11) - Urban Fantasy
The Dragon Who Loved Me by G.A. Aiken (10/13/11) - Fantasy
Snapped by Laura Griffin (10/3/11) - Romantic Suspense
Hammered by Kevin Hearne (9/24/11) - Urban Fantasy
Basilisk by Rob Thurman (9/16/11) - Urban Fantasy
One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire (9/12/11) - Urban Fantasy
American Assassin by Vince Flynn (9/10/11) - Political Thriller
One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost (9/2/11) - Urban Fantasy
Green-Eyed Envy by Kasey MacKenzie (8/31/11) - Urban Fantasy
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter (8/21/11) - YA/Paranormal
Hexed by Kevin Hearne (8/20/11) - Urban Fantasy
The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark (8/18/11) - Western/Literature
A Flash of Hex by Jes Battis (8/11/11) - Urban Fantasy
After Midnight by Lynn Viehl (7/30/11) - YA/Paranormal Romance
Divergent by Veronica Roth (7/29/11) - YA/Dystopian
Hounded by Kevin Hearne (7/24/11) - Urban Fantasy
Shadow Walkers by Brent Hartinger (7/23/11) - YA/Paranormal
Finger Lickin' Dead by Riley Adams (7/21/11) - Mystery
Creep by Jennifer Hillier (7/18/11) - Psychological Thriller
The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan (7/17/11) - MG/Adventure
Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (7/12/11) - Paranormal Romance
Enemy Games by Marcella Burnard (7/9/11) - SF
Rogue Oracle by Alayna Williams (7/3/11) - Urban Fantasy
Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby (7/2/11) - YA/Paranormal
Face of Danger by Roxanne St. Claire (6/30/11) - Romantic Suspense
The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe by Annette Blair (6/28/11) - Paranormal Romance
Princeps' Fury by Jim Butcher (6/27/11) - Epic Fantasy
Delicious and Suspicious by Riley Adams (6/22/11) - Mystery
Master and Apprentice by Sonya Bateman (6/19/11) - Urban Fantasy
Possession by Elana Johnson (6/18/11) - YA/Dystopian
Sinful Magic by Jennifer Lyon (6/15/11) - Paranormal Romance
Deadline by Mira Grant (6/12/11) - Post Apocalyptic
Shiver of Fear by Roxanne St. Claire (6/10/11) - Romantic Suspense
The First Victim by JB Lynn (6/5/11) - Romantic Suspense
Alien in the Family by Gini Koch (6/4/11) - SF/Romance
Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard (5/26/11) - SF
Hunger Untamed by Pamela Palmer (5/17/11) - Paranormal Romance
Blood Law by Karin Tabke (5/15/11) - Paranormal Romance
Into the Storm by Reed Timmer (5/14/11) - Nonfiction
Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher (5/9/11) - Paranormal Romance
Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen (5/9/11) - Suspense
Must Love Hellhounds by Harris, et al (5/7/11) - Paranormal Romance
This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (5/4/11) - Urban Fantasy
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs (5/2/11) - Literature
Uprising by Sean McCabe (5/1/11) - Paranormal Suspense
Dark Oracle by Alayna Williams (4/27/11) - Paranormal Suspense
Wintermind by Kaye & Godwin (4/25/11) - Speculative
Right Hand Magic by Nancy A. Collins (4/20/11) - Urban Fantasy
Wither by Lauren DeStefano (4/18/11) - YA/Dystopian
Double Cross by Carolyn Crane (4/17/11) - Urban Fantasy
Night Magic by Jennifer Lyon (4/14/11) - Paranormal Romance
The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker (4/11/11) - YA
Red Hot Fury by Kasey MacKenzie (4/9/11) - Paranormal Romance
Blackout by Rob Thurman (4/3/11) Urban Fantasy
Pride and Pleasure by Sylvia Day (3/31/11) Historical Romance
Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher (3/28/11) Epic Fantasy
Discord's Apple by Carrie Vaughn (3/21/11) Dystopian Fantasy
Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire (3/17/11) Urban Fantasy
Master of None by Sonya Bateman (3/15/11) - Urban Fantasy
Dead Waters by Anton Strout (3/9/11) - Urban Fantasy
XVI by Julia Karr (3/7/11) - YA/Speculative
Ariel by Steven R. Boyett (3/5/11) - Speculative/Fantasy
My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent (2/25/11) - YA/Paranormal
Kiss Me, Kill Me by Allison Brennan (2/24/11) Romantic Suspense
Alien Tango by Gini Koch (2/23/11) SF/Romance
Roadkill by Rob Thurman (2/20/11) Urban Fantasy
Across the Universe by Beth Revis (2/12/11) - YA/SF
Unforgivable by Laura Griffin (2/9/11) - Romantic Suspense
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (1/30/11) - MG - Adventure/Fantasy
The Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire (1/15/11) - Romantic Suspense
Night Child by Jes Battis (1/13/11) - Urban Fantasy
Virals by Kathy Reichs (1/10/11) - YA - Paranormal Suspense
Enemy Lover by Karin Harlow (1/7/11) - Paranormal Suspense
Frostfire by Lynn Viehl (1/5/11) - Paranormal Romance
The Grimrose Path by Rob Thurman (1/2/11) - Urban Fantasy

90

Beginning 2011 and Looking Back

(Image deleted, because sometimes even 'free' images aren't free.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It's only 7 minutes and 41 seconds into the new year, so I can't really say much about the year so far.  Let's just say I have great hopes for the coming year and low expectations.  (My philosophy is: Keep your expectations low and then everything is a surprise.)

Once again I'm not making any resolutions.  2011 will be what it will be.  Like I said last year in my Stalking the New Year post, I'm not going to say this will be my year.  I'm just going to do the best I can and see what happens by this time in 2012.

Looking back over 2010, it's probably a good thing I didn't say it was going to be my year.  It wasn't.  Most of the year was spent writing and re-writing and editing the same book.  I didn't get an agent, I sure as hell didn't get a book contract, and I'm pretty much in the same writerly place I was last year.  Not that I didn't improve my writing, but I'm still marching in place here.

Hut two three four.

Nope.  2010's highlights have little to do with writing.  Hell, they don't have all that much to do with my own accomplishments.  Except the cat.  Getting Max back to health was pretty much all me - and his own ability to bounce back.

Daughter nailed her ACT test in 2010.  She got accepted to Colorado State, too.  And secured a place in their highly sought-after business program.  My time as a homeschool mom is growing short.  Whew.  ;o)

My niece had a baby.  I've never met him, but from the pics and vids she sends, he's an awesome little dude.  He looks like he belongs in an e-Trade commercial - like any second he's going to start talking about his laptop and trading stocks.  LOL

All in all 2010 wasn't a bad year.  Everyone is healthy - even my husband, who spent the end of 2010 with the stomach flu.  We lost one close family friend, but in a way, that wasn't bad either because after battling Alzheimer's for years, she's finally at peace.  All of my family and my husband's made it through the year (knock on wood).  My siblings all seem happy.  Mom reached 70 without incident, and she's still going strong.

As for me?  I'm still motoring along.  I haven't quit yet.  (Not that I haven't thought about it, but that's a story for another day.)  I may have only spent the year editing, but I feel good about the book I ended up with.  And even if I didn't finish the first draft of my NaNo novel, I expect to have it done not too far into this month. 

So, here's to an awesome 2011.  May we all see good things happen in the next twelve months.

How was your 2010?  Did you make any resolutions or goals for the coming year?

(Ditto from above.)