NaNoWriMo 2011: Day 30 - WON

NaNoWriMo 2011 is in the books! I finished this afternoon with a validated word count of 50,830. And guess what? I STILL love the story. (That's something that has never happened in my NaNo history; I usually despise everything about my novel by the last day.)

I am totally smitten by Beckon, and I can hardly wait to start editing it. This is most definitely something special, and I have a publisher in mind already.

I leave you with a final excerpt from this novel that I love:

My eyes scanned the landscape. The village was in a shambles. The buildings, even though they were on fire, were very unlike the buildings in my world. I wondered what had started the fires, and automatically looked to the skies for dragons.

Soaring high above, through white rain clouds and black soot columns, giant stiff birds with strange wings and noses flew in a V-formation.

I touched Beck's shoulder, where he crouched on the dirt. "What are those birds? Did they start the fire?"

He looked up and squinted at the shapes. "Those aren't birds." His eyes widened.

I turned back and saw that the birds were dropping what looked like little dots from where we stood.

"Chan, we have to go." He grabbed my hand.

"Where are we going?"

"Away from here!" He pulled on my arm, urging me to run.

I lifted one side of my dress and ran after him.

Oh yes. This is something special indeed.

NaNoWriMo 2011: Day 9

Writing days have been up and down lately, squeezing in just a few hundred words here and there. It's been a weird week, and I've found myself behind. Tonight, I've got to get some serious noveling done!

'Round about chapter 7, I decided that it was time to change POVs (point of view) to the secondary main character, Beck. He's from a contemporary world (ours) and, as I discovered surprisingly, a total geek. He even wears glasses. I love, love, love his voice. Some great lines have come out from Beck's third person POV.

He had no idea the the old doorframe from the antique shop would take him to a distant realm of fantasy where there was no indoor plumbing and certainly no wi-fi to speak of. If he had known, he wasn’t sure if he would have walked though that shimmering portal at all. But standing here, even freezing to death in the stables, talking to Chan, he wondered if maybe she was the reason he was here.

Back in his world, a techie geek was sexy in theory, but in practice? Perhaps not so much. Not many cute girls liked to hang out in the computer data server room at corporate offices. It was dusty. And hot. And there was always the possibility of breaking something just by turning around. Or getting electrocuted.

And here's an awesome, comical scene from today's writing:

Beck stared at the ground from atop the enormous horse. He really didn’t want to meet the dirt any faster than necessary, but Chan was already too far off the road to call. No, he didn’t need help to get off of a horse. How hard could it be?

Fingers gripping the saddle horn, Beck leaned forward and brought one leg up. He rested it atop the horse. While adjusting his other shoe for balance, he lost track of his higher leg, and his body twisted. He reached out for something--anything--to grab. Finding nothing but air, he peeled backward off the side of the stallion and fell on his face.

The horse whinnied and sidestepped away.

Beck spat gravel from his mouth and tried to stand. His every sinew ached. “Thanks for nothing, Lester,” he muttered to the animal, who whinnied at him once more. Funny, he sounded like he was laughing at him. Or was that his pride turning into a cherry slushie?

I'm having a ton of fun writing both of these characters. So far, I still love the story. Here's hoping it lasts at least another 21 days.

In other news, the next episode of Month of the Novel was released today. Check it out!

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YOU TUBE CHANNEL: MonthOfTheNovel
WEB: monthofthenovel.com

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Day 9 Word Count: 12,580 (pre-noveling tonight)
Words Remaining: 37,420

NaNoWriMo 2011: Day 3

Didn't get a whole lot of writing done today--about 1,000 words. But I'm still a bit ahead, so there's no cause for alarm just yet. This excerpt is actually from yesterday's writing, but I still like it, and it shows the main character's personality very well.

"Stay alert, Princess.”

“Yes, indeed I will, Sir Joshue.”

It was the burly man’s turn to blush. “Please, Princess. You embarrass me.”

“Precisely what I intended then.”

ON A RELATED NOTE: A handful of my young writer friends from the east side of the country and their cohorts have started a series about a writer who is attempting to write a NaNo novel, but she's...running into some creativity issues. This is hilarious and done completely by teens and young adults.



YOU TUBE CHANNEL: MonthOfTheNovel
WEB: monthofthenovel.com

I just discovered that they were working on this project and had to share. Enjoy!



Day 3 Word Count: 6,211
Words Remaining: 43,789

NaNoWriMo 2011: Day 2

I didn't get any noveling done during the day today, but my friend MightiMidget and I squeezed in three 10-minute Word Wars in the wee hours of the night. Here's an excerpt from tonight's writing.

Now that I looked closer, I could see that he wore some kind of decoration on his face. Two circles of metal with glass windows in them, perched on his nose and affixed to his head by two metal bars that wrapped around his ears. “This is curious,” I said, reaching for the adornment.

I didn't realize Beck wore glasses until this moment. Love surprises like that!

Day 2 Word Count: 5,212
Words Remaining: 44,788

As a side note, I entered a short story into a contest at Lulu.com. It required putting that short story in eBook format to submit it, so here it is if you're interested in taking a look: The Question: A Short Story

NaNoWriMo 2011: Day 1

Today, NaNoWriMo 2011 began. Having taken the day off of work, I went to the all-day write in in the morning. It was quite a productive handful of hours. The novel got off the ground, and my final word count after leaving the write-in was around 2,700. Each day, we need to write at least 1,667 words in order to make the 50K goal by November 30. I've still got some writing I want to do tonight, but I've got a great head start.

Here's an excerpt from today that I particularly enjoyed writing. It's a description of the view outside Princess Chan's window.

I gulped down the lukewarm tea, staring out the stained glass window into the fields around the castle. The forest spread out to the west, nestled up against the slate rock of the mountains. Snowy peaks whispered misty secrets to one another high in the light blue sky. Royal dragon riders circled the formations as they scouted the borders for signs of invasion by Westonia’s sworn enemy across the sea.

Day 1 Word Count: 3,764
Words Remaining: 46,236

Young Wrimos: The Plan for Write-Ins

NaNoWriMo is just around the corner, and it's time to start making plans about how we're going to reach that word count by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. To make 50,000 words, that's 1,667 words per day. Now, if 50K is a bit too high, check out NaNo's Young Writers Program, where you can set your own goal at a grade-appropriate level.

Colorado Springs Young Wrimos are invited to join me for several FUN, FREE write-ins throughout the month of November. Let's cheer each other on and most importantly--WIN CANDY. Check it out:

• Tuesday, November 1
  Official NaNoWriMo All-Day Write In: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
  Official NaNoWriMo Kick-Off Party: 7:00-8:30 p.m.
  Panera Bread (Powers & S. Carefree)
  Day 1 events are open to all ages, adults & young writers alike.
• Saturday, November 5
  The Lost Hour YW Write-In: 5:00-7:00 p.m.
  Panera Bread (Powers & S. Carefree)
  Mourn the loss of the hour we'll lose to Daylight Savings Time on 11/6 by writing 2K in one day. Everyone who comes to the first YW write-in will receive an Epic Pen for scribbling down those novel-related thoughts on napkins, toilet paper, or whatever's convenient.
• Friday, November 11
  Costume Party YW Write-In! 7:00-9:00 p.m.
  Starbucks (Powers & Stetson Hills)
  Get the most out of your Halloween costume, and wear it to the write-in! In celebration of 11-11-11, we'll try to reach 11,111 words as a group.
• Wednesday, November 16
  Pens & Pancakes YW Write-In: 7:00-9:00 p.m.
  Village Inn (Powers & S. Carefree)
  They have outlets and wi-fi! Bring your laptops, some cash for pancakes or drinks, and join us at the booths for a mid-month catch up session.
• Monday, November 21
  Drive In YW Write-In: 4:00-6:00 p.m.
  Kangaroo Coffee (434 W. Fillmore)
  Bring your laptop fully-charged or a good, old-fashioned spiral and your Epic Pen. Grab a coffee or hot chocolate and park with us for some outside/in-car Word Wars. (You might want to bring a blanket or a jacket if it's a little chilly that day!)
  
• Sunday, November 27
  Last Minute Dash YW Write-In: 3:00-6:00 p.m.
  Panera Bread (Powers & S. Carefree)
  Try to reach your word count before the weekend ends, then you can gloat to your fellow Wrimos. Or catch up on all that homework you neglected...
• Wednesday, November 30
  Midnight Cram YW Write-In: 8:00 p.m. - Midnight
  Old Chicago (Powers & S. Carefree)
  It's the last day to get your last words in! Join us and cram those final words into your novel before 11:59 p.m.

It's going to be a crazy month, young Wrimos. Brace yourselves. But you CAN do it! Make 2011 your year to win NaNoWriMo! See you at the write-ins!

NaNoWriMo 2011: Dude. It's ON.

National Novel Writing Month. A.K.A. NaNoWriMo. A challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. Been there, done that. Five times. Even got the t-shirt. Thrice.

But this year, I've kind of got it in my head that I want to lead out the local young writers who are attempting to do NaNoWriMo--whether through the Young Writers Program or on their own, with a mission to reach 50K.

This idea has been stirring in my head over the last couple months, and it has finally reared its sparkly head. Hopefully there are some young writers out there who are interested in doing some write-ins. I will most definitely be hosting some writing events for all writers 18 and under! (And anyone who is brave enough to come support some borderline-insane, creative teenagers.)

Young Writers Write-Ins:
THERE WILL BE CANDY.

Bribery is not above me. No, not at all...

If you're 18 or under and you're participating in NaNoWriMo this year, please sign up either on the NaNo YWP site or the main NaNoWriMo site. If you do the latter (that means you use the main site), then GO HERE to visit the forum and introduce yourself. Include your personal word count goal (if you're in the YWP) and/or share what crazy lengths you plan to go to in order to hit that 50K mark.

As for me--yes, I do plan on writing a novel. There has been an entire series simmering in the back corner of my brain, tucked under the silk slippers and wrapped with a tangle of copper wiring. Perhaps NaNo is just the thing to get the dust blown off and breathe some life into those tiny, trembling ideas.

A New Book to Flaunt

One of the perks of winning NaNoWriMo this year is that winning wrimos may receive a free proof copy of their book through CreateSpace.com, a self-publishing company. While I'm adamantly opposed to self-publishing my own novels, I don't see any harm in printing a single copy of one of my novels for the...well, novelty of it.

There's no way in the Devil's household that I would EVER allow this self-published book on the market. NO WAY. (If I do, someone really needs to slap me silly.) But this will be fun to hold in my hands.

Because my NaNo novels are utterly unpublishable, I decided to submit the first novel I'd ever written. It was previously titled The Visitors, but I have subsequently decided that the title was too boring. New title and the book cover I designed:

NaNoWriMo: Day 25

I'm just shy of 30K as I type this--words I should be typing in my novel. :oP

My husband asked me when I would be willing to throw in the towel for NaNoWriMo 2009. I told him: "11:59 p.m., November 30." XD

Hope springs eternal.

NaNoWriMo: Day 21- Plot Dare from Blue Monkey

My young friend Blue Monkey gave me a plot dare via Facebook that really couldn't have fit in better with my previous inclusion of SiriusThoughts' plot dare. How perfect is this?

Blue Monkey: "Include a King who thinks he's batman."
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King Bruce jumped to his feet and clapped his hands once, then pointed at Cross. "I knew it! There has been an impostor fighting crime in my stead!"

Cross' brow furrowed deeply. He glanced at me as though I had an answer, then back at the king. "What?"

The great King Bruce straightened up where he stood, pulling his royal red velvet robes taut across his shoulders with a yank on the fluffy, gold-speckled white trim. "I am Batman." He leaned forward. "The REAL Batman."

Cross jabbed a finger in the air. "It's YOU who are the impostor, sir!" I could see that he would tip the cradle over if he continued getting upset in this manner. "I've been looking for you for the last five months!"

"It is I who have been looking for you!" King Bruce shouted back. He turned to the men on either side of the levitating basket. "Guards! Take him to the dungeon. I'll deal with this treachery later."

"No! I'm Batman!" Cross threw his fists wide and struck one of the guards. The kinetic energy tipped the cradle, and I rushed to his rescue, grabbing the side and pushing it back up.

Unfortunately, I over-corrected in my fervor to help and dumped his crippled body out the other side. Cross fell to the marble floor with a dull thud. He moaned in pain and cursed me.

If I were human, I am sure my cheeks would have been burning in the red blush that is indicative of embarrassment. Instead, my emotion receptors sent a pang of shame through my body, making my hands shake. This was neither a pleasant sensation nor one that made me feel at all useful. I turned it off at once.

NaNoWriMo: Day 21- Plot Dare from JHudsonrox

Here's another plot dare I received via my YouTube channel:
JHudsonrox: It stars raining oranges...
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Hover vehicles soaring overhead came racing away in droves. I sensed a vibration ripping through the air--a sonic boom--and suddenly the hover cars and trucks came crashing down towards the ground below.

A delivery truck overturned, correcting the steering and trying to stay afloat on the shuddering cushion of air, but its payload dumped out, sending a shower of hundreds of brightly colored, under ripe oranges through the air like citrus hailstones. This did not look good.

An orange hit my shoulder, denting it I was sure. I took to swift running and headed straight down the middle of the road, dodging broken buildings and out of control cars and crashing hover trucks.

NaNoWriMo: Day 15 - Plot Dares from YouTubers

I got some wonderfully silly plot dares on my YouTube vlog page, which I managed to integrate all into one crazy moment in my novel. Thanks to the following friends who posted the following dares which are featured in the following excerpt:

SiriusThoughts, "Dare 2: Use the exclamation "Holy Ninja Turtles, Batman!"
Jhudsonrox, "Harry Potter is seen flying on a broom."
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A sound shoofed overhead, and my eyes rose to the sky. A boy in a black cloak was riding a rather scruffy looking broom and soared a dozen feet above our heads. I shielded my eyes and watched as the boy circled slowly. He made his way down in a spiral and landed on the vibrating ground.

The boy was mostly likely of sixteen years based on his height and bone growth structure. He wore visual aids in the form of wire-rimmed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. His hair fluttered in the rising wind, a messy mop of brunette. I could see a dark pink, jagged scar on his forehead when the breeze pushed his hair away. He looked at Cross, breathless, and exclaimed, “Holy Ninja Turtles, Batman!”

Cross' gaze darted in all directions as though he were looking for something or someone, then grabbed the boy's arm. “I told you not to call me that when I'm not in costume!”

“The turtles,” the boy yelled back, “they're taking over the frozen section of the grocery store down the block. It's mass chaos out there, man! Mass chaos!”

Cross rubbed his chin. “Frozen section, eh? If I know them, they're after the pizzas. A global catastrophe is no time for pizza!” He ran off down the street.

I've used several more dares, but I think I might save some of those for reading on my next vlog.

NaNoWriMo: Day 14 - Plot Dare from Beth

Thanks for all the plot dares in response to my last vlog! I have been using them all throughout today and plan on reading some of them on my next recording. For now, here's one from Beth, who posted the following dare on Facebook: "I dare you to add a very unusual princess."

So SR7 just got kidnapped right off the street.
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Sure enough, a door opened, and a woman entered. She was dressed in form-fitting body armor of red and white. Her bright red hair was pulled back into two fluffy ponytails that stuck out the bottom of a white leather skull cap. On the front of her cap, a red human skull glared out at anyone who dared face her.

NaNoWriMo Vlog #2: Help! - 11.10.09

This is vlog #2 of my intermittent vlogging during National Novel Writing Month. In this one, I beseech you for help in writing my novel.

Leave a comment with a plot dare. If I use it, I'll post it.

NaNoWriMo: http://www.nanowrimo.org

NaNoWriMo: Day 8

I didn't have a lot of time to write today, but I did manage to make carrot cake muffins and peanut butter bars. Does that count for anything? My dear friend MightiMidget helped me out by suggesting that I incorporate a vase filled with sand in my novel since she was in the process of bubblewrapping it for a move. Excellent...
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A woman huddled in a corner between two broken concrete slabs. In her arms, she clutched a glass vase to her chest. The roses inside had been crushed by sand and debris that had fallen into the mouth. She had a wild but confused expression on her face.

She looked around at the street, at the chaos incited by the still-shivering earthquake, all the people running for their lives and resorting to their primal instincts for survival. Tears streamed down her dusty face, and I wondered how long it would be before she dropped the vase and joined the others in running for her life.

If you would like to suggest a dare for my novel, leave a comment, and I'll write it in, then post the excerpt. Only one dare per person, please. Thanks!

NaNoWriMo Vlog #1 - 11.7.09

This is vlog #1 of my intermittent vlogging during National Novel Writing Month. In this one, I'm at Panera Bread and talk about how some people showed up to write alongside me.

NaNoWriMo: www.nanowrimo.org

5th Year Wrimo

NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, is a challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. I've done it (and won it) for the last four years.

Yes, I'm doing it again.

In all honestly, it wasn't until earlier this week that I had determined to do NaNo this year. Last year was by far, one of the worst for me. Though I reached 50,000 words, I loathed my novel by the second week and found little joy in writing it.

However, this year is going to be different. I can feel it. There's something about writing from the first person perspective of an android that is vastly intriguing and absolutely enticing.

Looking forward to getting together with other regional wrimos during November at the crazy write-ins that our fabulous MLs organize. Should be a fun November.

Day 29: The End!

I went to the library this afternoon to write with the most awesome Legolas, my young writer friend. We were writing from 1:15 to about 5:45 p.m. I composed over 8600 words of prose and FINISHED my 2008 NaNoWriMo Novel.



Some Stats:
Total Words Written--50,172
Avg Words Written Per Day--1730
Avg Words Per Hour--3436
Word #50,000 was "changeling."

So this cat is officially a four time winner of National Novel Writing Month, AND I have now completed a total of seven full-length novels in my adult life.

Yay, I'm a winner! And life can resume it's regularly scheduled madness.



Now I'm going to go read a book...

End of Day 27

It's almost 2:00 a.m., technically on Day 28. I just reached 40,000 words. I'm going to bed now. *collapses*

Words to Date: 40,096
Words to Go: 9,904

Day 26: Still pushing forward

I've been steadily pushing forward and writing as much as I can. Tonight, I've been doing some timed writings and challenges with some of my young wrimo friends. 

Legossi gave me a challenge: "I say Mangy has to put a monkey in her story. And the monkey's name is Alowishes the fifty-fifth. And he likes brownies." Here's what I came up with...

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The bartender walked up to Mighty and rubbed a towel over a chrome flagon. He was a moniker, completely covered in a dark brown fur that looked almost black in the dim lighting. “Alowishes the 55th at your service, sir.” His round snout and wide mouth contorted as he spoke, but the light brown eyes set above his muzzle were filled with wisdom.

“Alowishes the 55th?” Mighty asked. “You come from a long line of Alowishes…es.”

The moniker nodded his head solemnly, then set the flagon before Mighty. “What shall it be?”

Mighty thought for a moment. “What is the house special tonight?”

Alowishes leaned forward and raised an eyebrow, turning his forehead into a cascade of wide wrinkles. “The brownies, sir.”

Mighty blinked. “Brownies? Is that a drink?”

“Oh no, sir.” Alowishes straightened up and walked down the length of the bar. He retrieved a pedestal with a transparent shield bubble over it. When he came back, he set the tray in front of Mighty. “Brownies,” he said with absolute reverence.

Mighty peered at the offerings. They were indeed simple chocolate brownies with a dusting of some sort of nut on the top. He shrugged. “A brownie it is. And perhaps a flagon of milk to go with it.”

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More to come!

Words to Date: 33,157
Words to Go: 16,843 (I tell you--that actually looks doable!)