Change Is A Good Thing

In just a matter of a few days, a few struggles, and a few tears, I am happy to announce Little Man is FINALLY potty trained. Yes, I expect a few accidents here and there, but he is now taking the initiative to do what he is supposed to do. Now to work on dressing himself. Soon, very soon, he will be mostly independent and will need me less and less. Yes, I am happy about this because I want him to be able and independent. I want him to grow up and be self-reliant and confident. I want a little me time back. Yes, this makes me sad because my baby is too fast becoming a little boy who will be a big boy and before too long be a young man. I miss my little snuggly guy. Already he pushes away when he's had too much. And dropping him off at school where he used to hug and cling to me, he now just waves me off and says, "Bye Mama."

Photo from Amazon.com

And just as quickly as they grow, they develop their own likes and dislikes. When he was a baby, one of his first words was 'tree.' He LOVED trees. We'd go to the park and he spent more time running from tree to tree, touching them, giggling, and saying "tree!" than he did playing on the slides. It was charming. So, what could a mother do? I put a tree in his room. Well, I ordered the tree and my husband put it up. I LOVED that tree. Recently, Little Man told me he didn't like the tree any more and he began pulling it off his wall. So today, with great sadness, I removed the rest of the tree. It was one of my favorite things about his room. And when I get around to fixer-uppering the bonus room into my craft/work room, I may order another one and put it in there. If you like it you can order it here. He took down all his Mickey Mouse stickers too. Now he's into pirates and fireworks. That will change someday too and he'll be into who knows what.

Meanwhile, my husband and I are celebrating our 7th anniversary on Sunday. Wow! Time flies when you are having fun! Where we started out celebrating our anniversaries with weekend trips, or visiting wineries for wine tasting, or a ride in the convertible or on the motorcycle. Now, we are going to a movie and then to dinner. We did that last year too. And I think we just went to dinner the year before that. Dinner and a movie used to be a common occurrence - now it's a treat. We don't get out much with our busy schedules and the Little Man and it's hard to sit in a dark movie theater without falling asleep since we've been sleep deprived for a number of years now. Don't laugh, but we are going to a matinee and then an early dinner so we can get home and get to bed at a reasonable hour. What can I say? We are both over 35. *ahem*

I'm constantly amazed how things change and never in the way I expect them too, and always for the best. Now that our literary journal has been launched and we're beginning to plan for March's issue, and I've finished the editing job I took on, and I'm finishing up the remaining projects I had, it's time to get back to my revisions on my novel (finally). While I've been toiling at other things, I've been marinating on ideas and scenes that need to be improved/discarded/rewritten. It's turning into quite a different story than I began. And that's for the better.

Too Much Or Too Little And How Do You Know?

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So, I like to cook. It is a creative outlet for me although I admit to falling down on this a bit recently. Toddlers don't really like to experiment with food and I don't like cooking separate meals all the time so we've been eating like children lately. Or ordering out so someone else can cook separate meals. But, when I do cook, I enjoy it because I can combine and layer flavors and textures making something pleasing to the palette. Or, as my husband says, "Mmmmm! This is good! You can make this again."

I like knitting too because I can combine knits with purls to add texture and patterns. Throw in different color yarns and make stripes. Make cables too and Celtic knots. My goal is to learn Nordic patterns (yikes!). I know what you're thinking. You live in the south, you don't need sweaters and mittens. No, but I have family up there. Besides, an Irish sweater or Nordic sweater just plain looks cool.

Needlepoint and embroidery is fun for me too. Same reasons - different color yarns, different materials (wool or floss), different stitches. All yield different textures and patterns.

As you all know, I have also been editing and revising my novel. There was a horrible error that was caught by one of my beta readers. Terrible, but no big deal really (now that the twitching has stopped). I'll just move some chapters around and alter a few things. The important thing is that it was caught and can be corrected! Yay!

But the one thing that has me scratching my head is more about editing than revising. I have had some readers say they like certain things, and others say they don't like it. I've read blogs and editing resources that say don't do this, but then in just about every book I've read or am currently reading, it's there.

I'm not talking about too many or redundant adverbs. He shouted loudly. Duh, how else do you shout? I'm not talking about asides - he thought to himself. Well, who else do you think to? I'm not talking about weird physical things (although I've seen this in many professionally published books) - her eyes followed him down the street. No, her gaze, stare, glance can follow, but not her eyes.

I'm talking about what's called "stage direction." You know, telling what the character is doing. I get that we don't need to know that the character opened the refrigerator door, reached in, pulled out a beer and opened it. He lifted it to his mouth and drank deep gulps, downing the beverage in a matter of seconds. Simply saying he downed a beer may be enough. I agree, that that much detail is too much. But, I've had some readers say they like to know what the character is doing (downing the beer) and others say, cut it all out. Which is right?

I can't "taste" it to see if there is too much salt or "feel" it for too loose or tight stitches. When do you know what to cut and what to keep? If I cut too much, will the story now be a little stiff? If I don't cut enough, will it be trite? I guess I'll just have to make that decision on my own.

When Stars Die

So, I promised you something special today, and here it is!

This is the cover reveal for a fellow author, friend, and member of our critique group, Amber Skye Forbes! Her book is going to be published! Due to be released October 2013 by AEC Stellar Publishing The title is When Stars Die. It is a Young Adult Paranormal Romance. Viola Estrella of Estrella Cover Art is responsible for the beautiful cover. Way to go Amber!

 

Synopsis: Amelia Gareth's brother is a witch and the only way to save her family from the taint in his blood is to become a professed nun at Cathedral Reims in the snowy city of Malva. However, in order to become professed, she must endure trials that all nuns must face.
          
Surviving these trials is not easy, especially for Amelia, who is being stalked by shadowy beings only she can see. They're searching for people they can physically touch, because only those they can touch can see them. Amelia soon learns why she is being stalked when she accidentally harms her best friend with fire during the third trial. Fire is a witch's signature. The shadows are after witches.
          
Now Amelia must decide what to do: should she continue on her path to profession knowing there is no redemption, or should she give up on her dream and turn away from Cathedral Reims in order to stop the shadows who plan to destroy everything she loves?

Where Amber Can be Found:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmberSkyeForbes?ref=br_tf

Website: http://amberskyeforbes.com
Wordpress Blog: http://amberskyeforbes.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmberSkyeF
Tumblr: http://thedancingwriter.tumblr.com/

Revision *twitch*

Well, after the second edit of my novel (I'm still calling it Murder at the Primrose Inn), I sent it out to a number of betas. One came back with preliminary thoughts, two had partial thoughts, my Dad says he has "nits to pick with me" once he's finished reading it. One beta received it just the other day so I don't expect to hear back from him for a few days at least. Anyway, my friend Allison used to work in forensics and she told me that I had a serious problem with the discovery of my victim's cause of death. *gasp* So, now what?

Revision. Or re-envision. Rearrange. Re-research. Yes, it's time to correct the GLARING error by rearranging some of the events in the story. No big deal really. *twitch* That and I need to play up the sub-plot a little more and build tighter tension. Okay. *twitch* All of which can be done with the story I have simply by revising. (yeah, right, simple)

Courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

Building blocks. Right now I have a big pile of blocks that are good colors, sizes and shapes. I've managed to stack them into what is some sort of structure, but it teeters. My goal is to rearrange the stack into a towering castle. It's like the movie Premonition, all out of order. Put it in the correct order and it will make more sense. *twitch*

I'm okay, *twitch* really. It's my first novel and I didn't expect to get it perfect right off the bat. I didn't expect to get it right the second round of edits or even the third without having to do revisions. The important thing is that it will eventually be right and good! And I am grateful for all of these people who are helping me to get it that way. *twitch*

It's a New Year



schoolhouse by aware.org.sg

Little Man started school yesterday. It's his second year in "school." Last year he was in nursery school only a couple of mornings each week. This year he's 3 so his school is called early pre-school. It's only 3 mornings per week but they have more structure and actual lessons.

He was so excited taking off in the morning with his backpack and his lunchbox. I was so nervous wondering if he'd have an accident and if he'd actually eat his lunch. See, this year he has to be potty trained and even though we've been working on it since his birthday in July, he still doesn't quite get it on his own. When I picked him up, he had eaten his entire lunch and had had 3 accidents. He was wearing clothes that didn't belong to him. Sigh, oh well. He had a great time and was so excited to have been there.

I am taking the opportunity of his absence to go through his toys and organize them, getting them off the floor and into containers that can be put away into his cabinet. Today, I will tackle the toys in his room and rearrange his closet. Some of his beloved toys will be donated for the church yard sale. Some, will go into his "memory box" I have started for him and be kept for his children.

It's difficult to decide exactly what to eliminate and what to keep. In many ways, Little Man is fast changing from a baby to a little boy. He is so much more independent and capable than he was even just a couple of months ago. Yet, in almost surprising ways, the baby will show up and something I think he should be able to do on his own will completely flummox him. And a toy that has been idle for months will suddenly become interesting again.

But, it's a new year and he has new clothes, new hair cut, new backpack, new shoes, new classroom, and new friends. He can have new toys and a new organization of them too.

I guess I'm in editing mode since I just finished editing (for the third time) my novel. I need to hone my query letter blurb and start in the dreaded synopsis so I can begin soliciting to publishers and agents. The blurb has almost gotten as good as it's going to get. And I don't know why I feel intimidated by writing the synopsis. Maybe I'm worried I'll find another GAPING hole in my plot, or that when it's boiled down, my story won't be as good as I hope it is. Well, it can only be as good as it's going to be. In the mean time, I have to get Little Man ready for school and hope he doesn't have an accident today.

What's in a Name?

Before our Little Man was born, we (okay I) made endless lists of names. I had girl's names and boy's names. When we found out he was definitely going to be a boy, I tossed out the girl's list and concentrated on the boy's list. I had lots of ideas. I liked Seth, Matthew, Charles, Daniel, and James. My husband had two names in mind - his and his father's. Neither was on my list. We did finally settle on a name that combined a name he wanted and one I wanted. Interestingly, Little Man's personality actually fits his name.

The new royal baby is awaiting his name as is the rest of the world. The Vegas odds-makers have George in the lead. Whatever Kate and Will decide to name him, I'm sure it will be a title befitting his place in history. Eventually they will toss him a nickname that will be a better fit. I really can't see the royal couple referring to the infant as His Royal Highness Prince George Albert William Spencer Mountbatten-Windsor. No. They'll call him Bucky or Spence or something cute and easy. USA Today has a fun thing to do finding your royal name. I tried it. I am Her Highness Godiva Del Fuego. It conjures up uncomfortable images of eating chocolate while naked perched upon the rim of a volcano. Regardless, just call me Highness. I like that.

I think a lot about names. I've named, aside from my Little Man, a number of dogs and cats and guinea pigs and birds and bunny rabbits. I always have handy a "Name Your Baby" book to name my characters that didn't come with one (writers will know what that means). And because it freaks my husband out when I'm flipping through it making notes. That's fun too.

Names are important. Names have meaning and tone. The Pope chooses a name he hopes to convey his philosophies and how he wants to over-see his reign. The name of a character can instantly give the reader information about the character's character or the message the author is trying to deliver (think Hester Primm). Angry mothers will use all three names of their children letting their off-spring know just how much trouble they're in (Michael Steven Jones! Get in this house!).

So this is the trouble I'm having. My novel Murder at the Primrose Inn is soon going through a second round of edits. I'm getting close to having it ready for submission and to think about cover art. Yay! Right? Not so much. My working title has to go and I'm not good at titles. I find it easier to write the novel than to title it. Currently the titles suggestions that are in the lead are: Circumstantial Evidence, Circumstantial Innocence, Shades of Doubt, Deception, Appearances of Truth. Would love to hear what you prefer!!

Exciting Times

I know it is the middle of summer with the solstice and Independence Day behind us. We are looking at days becoming shorter, cooler and the next holiday is Labor Day which marks the end of summer. Yet, there is a lot of spring going on in my life right now. By spring I mean new beginnings and fresh starts.

First, Little Man has begun potty training. This is a new beginning for us. Soon I won't have diapers to change and he'll experience more independence. It's the end of babyhood, the end of intimacy between us. Soon, he'll be bathing himself and the personal barrio will be put up. We'll no longer be one the way only a mother and child can be. It is the spring of his boyhood and really the beginning of his life.

Second, the first round of self-edits are done on my novel Murder at the Primrose Inn and it is in the hands of my first readers. This is an unofficial edit. I'm using beta readers for many of the edits and a professional editor when it is as clean and interesting as it can get. I know that the manuscript is raw and just one step above a rough draft but the prospect of someone reading my work with a criticizing eye (which is different from a critical eye) makes me nauseous. This is the spring of my first novel. It is the beginning of it becoming the best it can be. Very soon it will not be just a hope or a dream, it will be real.

Finally, the really BEST news of all! My writer's group will be launching an e-magazine (an e-zine) in November of this year. It will be a literary magazine (duh, what else would it be) focusing on Georgia and South Carolina writers; published or unpublished. We have named our periodical Red Clay in honor of the southern soil and because words, like clay, must be molded into form. That's not my line, that's from one of our members, Tim. I liked it so I used it. It is the beginning of something new for us, a spring, well, a spring off anyway.

Watching Grass Grow

Sometimes things seem to take a loooong time to finish. I don't know it it's a matter of actual time passing or if it's the interest the task holds. Like doing laundry. It doesn't take any time at all really to sort or to load the machines. But folding and putting it away seems to take an eternity during which Little Man plays "ball" with the eggs in the refrigerator or manages to download apps on my cell phone. Really, folding and putting away laundry takes only 5 to 10 minutes per load. It's nothing. Still, it seems like it takes a long time. Like watching grass grow.

Aside from raising our Little Man, our biggest project is fixing up our fixer-upper house. We've been in the house a year already and it seems like we haven't gotten enough done. Truth is we've accomplished quite a bit. And the house is livable so it's not like we're camped in the garage waiting for it to be finished. This month has been "Dining Room" month. We've hung crown molding on the lower ceiling and in the upper tray. We repaired dry wall, sanded and primed the walls twice. We (my husband) caulked the crown molding. Next we'll (he'll) install the medallion and paint the ceiling. Then it will be my turn to to take over and paint the walls and trim. It's exciting to think about the finished project and having our first dinner in our new dining room! It just seems like it takes soooo looong to get each piece done. Like watching grass grow.

Side yard after all the work.

We're also working on the outside of the house now that it's spring. We desperately need to improve the curb appeal. The BIGGEST eye-sore on the house (visible from the street) was the side yard. I wish I had a "before" picture. Picture if you can vines of various and unknown kinds tangled together, a privacy fence falling down, over grown mint, bulb plants planted haphazardly with no intention or plan and apparently handfuls of wildflower seeds strewn across the area. It took 2 weeks to weed, dig out stumps and bulbs and roots, and take down the fence. It was a veritable archaeological dig in which we found reading glasses, broken solar lights, bricks, brick edging and rail road ties. Finally, we raked it out and put down grass seed. So we are actually watching grass grow.

The thing is, that it's okay to take time to do things if you are doing things right. It's okay to take time to fold the laundry and put it away. That way it's not getting wrinkled in a pile or left out out all over the place. It's okay if it take a couple of years or more to get our home finished. It will be our home with our touches on it and done the way we want it. And it's okay if it takes time to get the gardens and yard looking good. When it's all said and done, we'll just sit back and watch the grass grow.

Almost Isn't A Bad Thing

So, looking around at my home (inside and out), my writing calendar, my hobby bag, and my chore list, I'm pleased to announce I almost got things done. I seem to have difficulty meeting deadlines these days and I'm not sure why. After all I am hyper organized and I make my lists of things to do, checking the tasks off as they are done. Still, most items remain in the "in progress" stage - almost done but not quite finished.

I am almost done knitting my sister's sweater. I have the back completed, the right front completed and I am 4 inches into the total length of 38 inches of the left front. I just haven't had an opportunity recently to sit and knit without sticky fingers wanting to touch it or dog fur flying around or an active toddler wanting to "help" knit. I will get it done and it will be beautiful and I know that if nothing else, it will be a sweater my sister's cats will sleep on. But right now it remains almost done.

I almost made my word count on the novel I'm writing now. I picked up the novel I interrupted to write Murder at the Primrose Inn, reread it and started breaking it into chapters. I have 35,000 words to it already and my goal was to read it, do the chapter breaks, and crank out another 1000 - 2000 words on it. I will get to do it and it will be a good story when it's done (I like it better than the other one anyway). But for now, it remains almost done.

The gardening that we were doing this weekend is also almost done. There are a few vines that need to be cut out and a little more weeding that needs to be finished and then we will need to rake out the area and toss down grass seed. It would have been finished yesterday but we called it on account of the rain and a broken shovel handle. It remains almost done.

Our fixer-upper house is always in a state of almost done. The family room is almost done - the cable box and DVD player need to be put on a shelf and the cords tied up. I believe the hubby is holding out for a larger TV so he'll know where to put this shelf. We are working on the dining room. And we actually finished hanging the crown molding! And my husband actually finished mudding the walls. It is almost in a state where it will be ready to paint and have the furniture moved back in. It will remain almost done until we get a new chandelier. I'm holding out for a crystal one. We have big-ticket-item-itis.

As far as my chores go - I did manage to get the grocery shopping done. This will give me a few days of peace before the males start opening the refrigerator and pantry and telling me there's nothing to eat in the house. Or as Little Man says "I no like that." But the straightening didn't get finished and the laundry didn't get started. But it almost did.

In the past, I never had a problem meeting deadlines. Term papers were on time, deadlines at work were met, and tasks I set for myself were completed. Then again, I didn't have a husband I wanted to share a glass of wine with at the end of the week or a Little Man who'd crawl into my lap to cuddle.  The important thing is I will finish that sweater, even if it's with Little Man in my lap. I will finish my second novel and I'll start a third. The house is something we are building together and that's what makes it a home. So maybe, almost isn't a bad thing.

Spring Break?

Courtesy of koratmember
www.freedigitalphotos.net

Here in Augusta, Spring Break coincides with The Master's Golf Tournament. Schools release and families flee the area to get away from the traffic. Some will rent out their houses for a little additional income. Having lived in the Orlando, FL area for close to twenty years, tourist traffic is of
no consequence to me. In fact, the "traffic" that these people refer to is NOTHING in comparison to Orlando near the theme parks.

What Spring Breaks means in our household is that Little Man is not in school and I have him for the whole week to entertain and keep busy and out of trouble. We have found a ton of things to do. Our week started with a play date with a new friend for both him and me. It was great fun to see him run and climb with a new
playmate! For me it was equally fun to talk with a mom who is closer to my own age, ahem, over
thirty-five. Even better, we share a similar background - being transplants to the area, growing up in the northeast, having been teachers, stay-home-moms now, later-in-life motherhood.


Courtesy of feelart
www.freedigitalphotos.net
 

It's Master's Week so the area does provide a number of fun activities for the residence who have stayed and, of course, the visitors. The park down the street from us is hosting concerts at the amphitheater all week. Yesterday during the day was Family Fun Day and we walked up to play on the rides and see the activities. Last night we chose to stay home and watch the fireworks through the trees from our driveway. Or, as Little Man calls them, boom stars.


Courtesy of nappasinw
www.freedigitalphotos.net
 

This is also attempt number 3 at potty training. This time I'm using the pants-free-zone method utilized by my sister-in-law. Yes, there have been a few accidents, but not many and not bad. He is at least making the connection between what he's doing and needing to be on the potty, even if it is an after thought. Little Man won't be 3 until July, and his school next year - which requires him to be potty trained - doesn't start until August so I still have 4 months to get it done.

The crown molding arrived so we can do more work on the redo of the dining room and on Saturday the dumpster comes so we can tear out the over growth in the yard. Yes, I will have to go outside. But I'm looking forward to the yard, at least the front yard, looking better.

It hasn't seemed like much of a "break" but then again, it has been fun. And by the end of the week, we will have accomplished more than I expected too.

What about my writing, you ask? Well, I'm still on break from Murder at the Primrose Inn before I start my editing. I am rereading the novel I have going with Emily and Bill and the psycho stalker (still untitled) so I can get back to writing it again, I have organized my writing notes and calendar and future ideas (even making notes on a novel that is germinating but still a ways away.) And editing for a couple of friends. I will finish those up before the dumpster comes. Enjoy your Spring Break!

I'm Done! No, Wait...

My novel!

So, on Tuesday, April 2nd at 6:34 PM I finished my novel Murder at the Primrose Inn (working title). So what does it mean to be finished? Does it mean my story is ready for print? I don't write anymore? My characters just disappear into the night? I go back to cooking and cleaning? Well, actually, no.

Now that the rough draft is done, it is time to begin revisions which means there will be additions where additions are needed and subtractions where subtractions are needed. There will be rewording, moving of sentences and paragraphs. Basically, rewriting the story in a cohesive, organized form that reads like a story rather than random thoughts. After the revisions comes the editing. Then Beta readers. Then revise and edit again. And then, maybe, it will be ready for print.

I am taking some time off before beginning to work anew on Murder at the Primrose Inn. I have to get away from my characters for a while. I miss them. Now that their story is told, their voices are quiet (okay, not so quiet. One of them keeps shouting "don't forget to add this!!"). It's bittersweet to just close the book on them, so to speak. During my break from this work, I will do some edits for a couple of friends, yes Amanda Harms and Allison Silver I promise to get to work on your stories! And, I will reopen my story of Emily and her BFF Bill and the psycho stalker that she doesn't know she has yet. I may put out a short story in there somewhere, I haven't written one in a while and I have a good one.

My characters, for the most part have gone on with their lives in the land of Make Believe. One or two of the minor characters may resurface in other stories. I have grown fond of them, after all. My main character, Walter Martin, will be a fixture in other stories and that's for sure. During the writing of Murder at the Primrose Inn I learned that Walter is indeed a complex character and he has at least four more stories to tell. I'm excited about those!

As for cooking and cleaning.... Well, I do like to cook, and eat. The cleaning part I never really did anyway so that will remain as it is. Why start something you have no intention of finishing? Why do anything that will just have to be redone again and again and again?

It's nice to say "I finished writing my novel." But I'm not really finished. As far as the other stories that need to be told.... I have just begun.