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

The Dark Side of White by Inkaholics VI

The latest book from the Inkaholics Collaborative Writers Groups is now available! We tried something totally new with this story, which ended up making this our longest book yet. Another first is that the cover art was commissioned by my dear friend Rachael Selk. She did a fantastic job capturing our characters! (Check out the preview below to see the wraparound art on the back.)

Kevin, Parker, and Mŭshi Rū are all running—from the past, the present, the future. Curiously odd circumstances thrust them together when Kevin’s adversaries come to kidnap him. The adverse allies are compelled to unite, but differing opinions and peculiar secrets keep them from fully becoming one.

Meanwhile, the beginning of a terrible penguin reign is about to befall the earth. Kevin, Parker, and Mŭshi are forced into battle. Will they learn to trust and lean upon one another as they face a common enemy? Or will their own fears tear apart the fragile friendships?

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.

Undead Sparkles by Inkaholics V

I am thrilled to announce that Undead Sparkles, the book composed by the Inkaholics V Writers Group last August, is now published! This was an extra special group where my dear friend MightiMidget assisted in writing and leading while on an extended visit to Colorado. Having her in one of my writers live groups was wonderful. She had a great time with us, and with my awesome local young writers, who wouldn't?

Paclo’s simple life as a Flor-Mart greeter is interrupted when a co-worker slips him the zombie virus as a joke. Rejected by the public and his parents, Paclo takes refuge at a mortuary. His only friends are his brother Smith, a vainless alien blob named Phyl, and a duct tape-obsessed robot called Mac.


Before Paclo can even accept his new undead fate, the Earth is attacked by a scintillating foe riding upon clouds of delectable depravity. Against all sensibility, the misfit friends garner up the courage to squelch the sparkly adversaries. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

First: a serial audio novella

I've got an idea to serialize the novel I am currently writing in audio format. If this is interesting to you, please let me know, and I'll begin posting the chapters when the story gets off the ramp.

Watch for Magic by Inkaholics IV Writers Group

The long-awaited Inkaholics IV Writers Group book just completed production. With five fun and creative young writers, we put together a fantastic steampunk adventure called Watch for Magic last July. Here's the back cover copy for you:

He can’t hide forever.

Javian is an orphaned boy living as a hunter in a magical forest outside of Ducal, with a flying llama as his only companion. Rumors abound in the city about how magic is disappearing, but Javian is unconcerned until he accidentally traps a mythical dragon named Airimyth.

The giant cogs of his life are set in motion when a run-in with Eylec the gryphon gets them captured by migrating dwarves. Escape is paramount, but Javian’s convoluted past tick-tocks to the present, putting all their lives at risk.

Will the new friends discover the power of three and restore magic to the world? Or will the dwarves and the Duke pilfer everything they have ever loved?


This novella was written as a part of a 6-session Collaborative Writers Group.