Hey, Hi and Hello

It’s July. How did that happen? I honestly don’t know where the first half of the year went. Since we last spoke, I’ve moved into a new house, turned another year older and completed half of my new novel. In truth, the novel was a Nano project just to get me writing again. Then, as they often do, it took on a life of its own and here we are 52K words and three drafts later. Yes, I know I should only have one draft as it’s still the ‘first’ draft, but my path has never been very straight. I tried to outline with this one, that’s what brought all the chaos. I tried to be a planner and map this thing out and was ready and feeling good about it. Then I started writing and everyone was like, ‘Hahaha, silly author! We do what we want and you will just come along for the ride!’ And I was like, oh right – I forgot no one listens to me. Now I do what they tell me and things are going much better. Though, I’m not writing this one alone per se and am learning a lot during this process. I heard the best advice the other day. Someone said to forget about plot and storyline and all those things and focus on: what does your main character want more than anything, and how can you prevent them from getting it. Well, that, I can do.

I recently took a social media detox and found it to be quite liberating. While I have reinstated most of my accounts, I don’t think I’ll have the apps on my phone. My son said to me that people don’t have real friends anymore. This made me sad and wonder if all this connectedness is really pushing us further and further apart in the end. I can click on a box and see how my cousins and great-aunt are doing without every actually checking in on them. We don’t have family get-togethers like we used to. Our kids don’t even know each other. How sad is that? These people who shaped my life and loved me and taught me to take chances by cutting my hair off one summer for no reason are strangers to my son. It’s a shame. Maybe it’s time to find real connections again?

I don’t want seven months to go by before I post again, so here is my commitment to blogs I shall post soon.

  • Wonder Woman – A love story, but not the kind you thought.
  • My Favorite Books of all time. One of mine might even make this list.
  • Seasons of Love. After making it almost seventeen years of marriage, I have some advice to share.

I hope everyone reading this blog is either in a good place, or on a solid road to a good place. Choose to be happy with the life you have while you make consistent effort to achieve the life you want. It can be done.

See below for some pics of the new house, should you be interested.

New House

Office

Master Bedroom

Stairs to son’s room.

Kitchen/Living Room

Front Entry

NaNoWriMo is Coming!

Write the story you want to read. I’ve heard that so many times and I think it’s time to start listening. I have six books in various stages of completion and while I love them all, I can’t seem to finish any of them. I should just keep the ideas and start over from scratch – but that’s so many words to just toss. Over 100K words. So.Many.Words. And some of them are really good words. Kill Your Darlings is something I also hear a lot. I’m supposed to be listening now, right?

Here is what I know. I know that I stopped writing because I was immersed in an imaginary world for so long that I almost lost my real one. I know that I didn’t make time to write because I was scared to let my husband out of my sight for fear of what he may do. I know that I have now made peace with that and no longer believe I can keep anyone from doing what they want, no matter how much I hover. I pick up book after book and read some but just lose interest in most, because they aren’t what I need. I need a story that grips me and characters with layers and a romance for the ages. I want pure, I-never-even-saw-him-coming love. I want my stories. So it’s time to write. I’m ready.

NaNoWriMo is coming. I’m going to participate this year and write 50K words of something. I’m not sure what yet. I’m not sure if they will be something that I have worked on in the past or something new – some ‘big magic’ that might hit me on October 31st in true pantser fashion. I don’t know. I just know that it’s time. Life is short. Write the book.

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