NaNoWriMo Planning! Shout Outs #3

No podcast to recommend today =)

This year is the first year I am going to be answering a whole bunch of character questions so I know what makes my main character tick before I get to a sticky situation in my story-line. So I was googling like mad looking for character charts or check lists.

Here are a few of the ones that I found.

Character Interview Sheet
Character Creation Form
Character Sheet

Those are just a few of the ones I found but if you google 'creating a character' or 'character sheets' you'll see that there are a whole bunch ore out there.

I don't think I will be using them as a fixed exercise but I'll definitely be using them as a basis for building my character this year =)

NaNoWriMo Planning! Shout Outs #2

I have another podcast for you today!

This time it is Grammar Girl.

This is a podcast I could probably do with listening to religiously but I dip in and out of it when the moods strikes me.

The episodes are pretty short and well tagged so if there is just 1 thing you aren't sure about you can scan through the titles and find it. It deals with things from spelling to sentence structure.

www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl

NaNoWriMo Panning! Shout Outs #1

Its OCTOBER!!!!!!!! (you know, just in case that is news to anyone)

So, as it is NaNoWriMo next month *happy dance happy dance* I know loads of participants are planning out their stories and getting their ideas together.

So am I!

Instead of having reviews this month I thought I would shout-out some links that I have come across/been using in planning my story for this year and just some useful bits and pieces.

~~~~~~~~~~

Does anyone like listening to podcasts?

I love them.

A couple of years ago I stumbled across the podcast 'Writing Excuses' which is hosted by Mary Robinette Kowal, Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler and Dan Wells. This is a great podcast. Each episode is 15 minutes long and is packed to the gills with information on writing. They also include a reading/listening recommendation and a writing prompt. 

They are onto the 8th season right now (you can still download the previous seasons too) and you can find them on Itunes or their website writingexcuses.com

This is one of my favourite podcasts next to Books on the Nightstand and The Readers :)

And So It Begins - NaNoWriMo Chapter 1

Hi everyone, 

So NaNoWriMo has started! 

How is everyone's word count going?

I thought I would share my first chapter with you all. Well...semi-prologue(ish) and first chapter :)

---


PROLOGUE(ish)


Easy - 10 mins 45 secs

Easy - 11 mins 58 secs

Easy - 10 mins 6 secs

Medium - 13 mins 16 secs

Easy - 9 mins 22 secs



So dad plopped this book down on my hospital bed last week...

I will admit it is a pretty cute little thing, all floral and girly. It stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb against the stark white of my hospital bedding - I think I might wake up one morning and go blind from all of the white glaring at my eyeballs if I don't get out of here soon. 

As cliche as this sounds, my dad is not a brilliant communicator. He gives amazing hugs - the great big bear kind that make you feel like you are being surrounded on all sides - and is a great listener and advice giver when you give him the time to think over an issue. But when it comes to general communication, not so much. The words just don't seem to happen the way that I am sure they were laid out in his head. 

Bearing this in mind, how the heck was I supposed to get "Treat this book like your new BFF and tell it all of your deepest and darkest secrets," out of "Sweetie this is for you, I'll see you at visiting time tomorrow,"? 

Really! How? Just...how?

 I just thought it was a random gift and that maybe my little brother had picked it out for me from the gift shop or something - he's a cute kid and has been filling up my side-table with all kinds of little presents he has been talking my dad into buying for him to give to me. Besides, you don't give someone a present and tell them what to do with it. You just don't do that kind of thing. My dad does. 

After finding out that I have been using the notebooks - sorry Journal - to keep track of my Sudoku solving times - don't judge me! - he was quick to inform me on how I am supposed to be using it. 

This book is now to be my bestest friend EVA!

Kill me now. 

Maybe I'll go for a paddle and let the shark finish me off. 

Yeah, that is why I am in hospital right now. Shark attack. And that is also the reason for this journal. Dad has been talking to shrink and apparently I need to get my feelings out. I have never been one to talk about things and I have a feeling that dad told the good Dr that and this was he next best thing they could think of. Of course it isn't stopping the shrink from coming to pay me a visit in a few days. 

I don't need to talk about anything! I mean, what am I going to say? It's not like I can complain about the shark bullying me and then taking it too far one day...

Besides, if I told him what really happened, I would be out of this hospital bed quicker than I can spit and in a padded cell. 

CHAPTER ONE

There is nothing special about me you know. I have always been normal. Happily so. I have never wanted to stick out from the crowd. I have never wanted to be different. I have never wanted to be special. 

I have skimmed through life always staying under the radar. Never  being paid more than extra attention at school, never drawing attention to myself…of course I cannot say the same for my best friend…

In the play of my life I am the third tree from the back. Actually I am probably not even the tree… I am the shrub, next to the third tree from the back. You know, the one you never notice because you are too busy watching the trees pelt apples at Dorothy – see I bet YOU have never noticed the shrub have you?

Until everything changed when we went to the beach. 

---

I was in the back of our family car and I was moody. I admit it. I hate the beach. I always have, but just like always my mum always decides on the beach for the ‘family time’ when the weather is nice. Personally I do not see what it so wrong with a nice walk in the local park, or throwing water balloons around the garden – that sounds nice doesn't it? But no. We were on the way to the beach instead. 

It’s not that I have a fear of open water of the salty variety or a ‘Jaws’ complex or anything. Well…I have nightmares about drowning but that is a different story altogether. The thing is it doesn't matter how hard you try, skin always gets shown at the beach. What is it about the beach that it is always hotter than the main street one and a half minutes away? What is with that? It must be psychological. 

I hate showing my skin. To me going to the beach is a waste of time anyway. Fair skin, red hair and sun usually ends in painful sunburn and sheading my skin like a snake for the next month. And add to that the fact that I'm not exactly the skinniest chick on the block either... It's not that I mind this. I am happy with the way that I am. Well…as happy as I can be I suppose. I have curves – all in the right places I will add - it's just not my fault if some of the curves go in the wrong direction. I’m not huge, don't get me wrong. I am…medium (if there is such a thing). You know what I mean? Size 18 is too big but size 16 has the layer of fat trying to squeeze out of the top. So I go around in trousers a size too big that make me look like I am three sizes larger than I am and make me look like my thighs are huge. 

Welcome to my world. 

But back to the car for the time being I suppose.

We had been driving for a good two hours. My mum was in the front with dad nodding her head to whatever talk show she was listening to on the radio and ignoring everything Brian (my step-dad) was saying to her – what is it about radio presenters? Do they love the sound of their own voices? Or do they just not know when to stop? Mum had been doing that a lot lately, ignoring Brian. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor guy. They had been married for early five years and Brian was as much in love with my mum as ever, but I couldn't help but wonder about my mum's feelings. She had always been flighty when it came to guys, no one had been more shocked than me when she told me she was getting married. 

I was in the back seat plugged into my saving grace AKA my iPod – playing the rebellious moody teen to a tee with my little brother dozing off against my arm. 

Travel always made him sleepy for some reason. I wish it did the same to me. Then I wouldn't have all the time left to think about the torture that would be awaiting me at the beach. 

My brother is a little cutesy.  He can be annoying like any other younger sibling and I have considered sneaking him out of the house and dropping him at an orphanage somewhere on more than one occasion but at heart he is a darling who is just acting his age and I can't really hold that against him…well, for long anyway.  

He was the reason I was in the car heading to my near death experiance. He had turned on the flippy-lip syndrom when I had told mum that I was't coming. She would have let me get away with it too - staying behind - but Ben threw a mighty fit and since it seemed to mean so much to him I went along. 

Mum and dad fawn over him constantly. And in all honesty I don't mind this. Mostly. It gives me more space without someone constantly peering over my shoulder and checking up on me, but I wish sometimes that they would show a little more interest in me. It all comes down to the fact that Ben was not expected. My parents - biological and non - are not the type to freak out about the arrival of a new child – well, if mum falling pregnant with Ben was anything to go by anyway. The pregnancy had been normal until the last month or so and then there had been ‘complications’ To this day I don't know what they were but I do know that if they hadn't been uncomplicated Brian would have been raising me as a single parent. 

I stroked my little brother’s dark hair and he snuggled closer, chewing on his thumb. 

See what I mean?  A little cutesy. 

He was the family’s miracle child. 

I skipped my iPod to the next track and closed my eyes against the sun coming through the window as we came out of the line of trees that yelled ‘3 miles to the beach’ at me.

I really hate the beach. 

---

Sand in my sandals, sand in my hair, sand in eyes, sand stuck to the sunscreen that was stuck to my skin.

Sand everywhere!!!!

I hate the beach. 

I glared at my dad who had proceeded to fall asleep as soon as the blanket had been put over the sand, I could hear his familiar snoring coming from behind the sport pages as his chest moved up and down rhythmically. 

I love my dad; he has got to be one of the most laid back people on the planet. And thinking about it you would have to be to live with my mum for any extended period of time. She is a very highly strung, easily excited kind of woman my mum. Which goes against everything that she surrounds herself with. She is a florist and believe me, if you saw her 'hippie' and 'peace' would be two of the biggest words flashing through your mind in neon lights. She wears some of the brightest clothes I have ever seen. One of these days her earrings are going to be touching the floor I am sure of it. But she is so serious - one of the ‘jump to worst conclusion possible and work your way down’ kind of people. 

“Myra can’t you at least pretend to be enjoying yourself. Honestly. Anyone one think you are waiting for the electric chair,” mum grumbled at me as she finished inflating the plastic armbands for Ben and sent him away with a pat to his behind to go paddling. He skipped away towards the foaming waves an empty plastic bucket swinging from his hand. 

That's my mum all over for you. ‘I will make you do something that I know you hate but do not you dare let me know you do not like it’.

“I might as well be” I mumbled, turning my iPod up higher and reaching into my bag for my book and sun glasses. That is another thing about being at the beach…or just being out side in general when it is sunny. On the adverts they always show you the sexy, slim, bikini clad woman by the pool, or on the beach lounger reading a book or magazine. Fake! They do not show you her squinting at the pages because of the glare or trying to get the right angle so she is not blinded by the sun bouncing of the pages and scorching her retinae. Which is what I was doing right now.  Even with sun glasses in my eyes were nearly closed in an attempt to minimise the retinae frying. 

After a few minutes I gave up. Mother Nature hated me today and there was no point in fighting it. I yanked my ear buds from my ears and began flapping my shirt in an attempt to cool down. 

I pulled the material away from my stomach and let it go with a pop, the movement producing a miniscule draft before immediately re-sealing itself to my skin. 

I could feel my mother’s blue eyes on me and I knew that she was itching to tell me to just strip off the t-shirt and make do with the bikini top I had on underneath it. She would not say anything though. After years of having the same argument she had finally realised this was one argument I was never going to let her win. It did not stop her from making me put the swim suit on under my clothes though. I think she was trying to sweat me out of my baggy clothes. But I would be victorious. 

The beach was buzzing. Not quite as noisy or as busy as it could get at the height of summer where you could hardly raise an arm without elbowing someone but it was almost uncomfortably crowded. 

Umbrellas and loungers were dotted all over the beach along with small children armed with buckets and spades. Further away from us there was a bunch of college students doing what college students do. Playing volley ball. What is it about volleyball and college students anyway. 

I rolled my eyes. The whole beached looked just how you would expect a beach to look and at any minute I knew someone was going to jump out with a camera yelling ‘You’ve been punked’

Everything was too perfect. 

Then the wind change direction carrying the small of seaweed and fish. Finally something to throw off the wonderful picturesque scene. That made me feel better in a perverted kind of way as I watched my mum’s nose wrinkle up and her hand cover her mouth. 

I scanned the shore line. Over all of the years of being ceremoniously dragged to the beach I could not remember there being fishermen around this particular one. After all, the wonderful aromatic smell of dead fish is not exactly a crowd pleaser.  I had only been to this beach a couple of times since we had moved to the Sates 6 months ago but I knew that fisherman tended to stay away during the tourist season, taking their hauls to the harbour several miles away instead. 

But there they were. A group of them at the small peer, gutting and boning and doing what fishermen do with speed and efficiency. And then throwing the remainders into the sea.

Yuck.

In the end, the smell was not all that difficult to get used to – despite its ability to get rid of some of those with a sensitive disposition. I smugly waved goodbye to the backs of the college kids. I have found though that after living with the smell of baby sick around the house and on my clothes and other unmentionables for the last 4 years I can stomach just about anything.  Except for warm milk. That is the one thing I just cannot stand. Gross.

I flopped back onto the blanket and kicked off my sandals. It looked like the smell was not even going to drive my mother from the beach. That woman had an iron stomach when she put her mind to it. 

I closed my eyes. If I wasn't going to be going anywhere I decided to catch up on my sleep. I was just beginning to doze. About to fall of the side of that skyscraper and float into blissful oblivion as the sun soaked into my skin - it felt almost pleasant in my sleepy state. 

“Shark!”

---------------------------

DUN DUN DUN!

So, what do you think? :)

I hope you are all having fun with your stories if you are taking part in NaNoWriMo this year.

:)

Preparing for NaNoWriMo. And maybe I'm an Alien.

Hi everyone!

I'm alive! I bet you were all starting to wonder weren't you?

*Crickets*

Moving on.

I am so sorry for the unplanned break from the blog. I have just lost the va-va-voom, when it comes to reviewing. I am still reading (and listening) but I just can't get my butt into gear to write up some thoughts on what I read. But look at it this way. When I do get back into the swing of thing. There is going to be an epic back log of stuff coming your way. :)

Anyhoo, it's nanowrimo time! Eeek. Who's taking part this year?

I did it - and won - last year and because I am a sucker for punishment I am throwing myself into the stress machine that is November and doing it again.

PLANNING IS THE DEVIL!!!!

Piccy time!

See ALL that? That is all the random note taking and idea jotting I have been doing. And want to know something else, that ain't even all of it. Oh yes, there is more where that came from.

I've been keeping a tally. Want to know what the damage is?

Yeah, course you do. 

*clears throat*

So, not counting the actual designated notebook I have for the idea keeping, my notes are on the following,

3 x pages of A5

4 x envelopes

4 x shopping list pages (you know the thin notebooks)

6 x square sticky notes

4 x pages of A4

10-15 x slim diary pages (some have been chucked already so I am guessing this one, but no less than 12 I would say)

AND NOW WE ENTER THE REALM OF WEIRD (YOU MAY WANT TO TURN BACK NOW)

3 x sheets of kitchen roll

and

*cringe*

4 x squares of toilet roll paper

*ducks in embarrassment* 

I told you to turn back. 

Look, there are moments when there is no PAPER paper around and I just need something that will make do so I don't forget the idea...

Don't look at me like that.

Although a quick word of advice. Cheap toilet roll falls apart really easily when you are scribbling on it, so don't scrunch it up, put it somewhere safe and then get it copied onto proper paper ASAP.

Yes, I am insane. If you are new here you will be running for the hills around about now.

:( I was going to make cookies and put up a welcome banner and everything.

*sulk*

ANYWAY! So, yes guys, I am alive and slightly crazy right now... Hmmm...maybe it was something I ate? OR there is a pod next to my bed? Yeah, that idea is way more interesting.

Tatty bye for now.

*goes to get a metal sieve to wear as a hat to stop the aliens*

NaNoWriMo Post #8

I did it guys and with a day to spare!

Yeah, I actually finished last night but in all honesty I do not want to see my keyboard for another week - or I will not be held responsible for my actions. ;)

So want to know what my last word count was?


Woohooo.

I have not finished the story - I am no where near done - but I feel like I have achieved something.

Waaaaah, so happy.

Anyway, yes, because I will be avoiding the laptop and the keyboard like the plague for a little while - in case I do something drastic and take an ax to it (don't really want to do that - can't afford a replacement laptop) - the blog will not be back to 'normal' until next week and then the book reviews and everything else will be back to normal.

Hope you are all having a fabby dabby week and had a good and safe weekend. And for everyone else who was participating in NaNoWriMo this year I hope you all had fun and met your goals. :)

See you all next week. :)
x

NaNoWriMo - Insentive

Halfway through November, halfway through NaNo.

And I am kinda failing. OK, not failing that is awfully negative sounding, I am experiencing some hiccups, yeah that is better - sounds more fixable. Right now I am sitting at just under 20,000 words. So yeah, it is redeemable yet. :)

How are you guys all doing?

Do any of you have an incentive to get you to finish? Not that the happy glow of having completed 50,000 words isn't reward enough, but anything else.

Have you sworn of chocolate until you reach 50,000? - I flirted with that idea but I figured that things would be stressful enough. Promised yourself a new game, dvd, cd... The list is endless.

Well I have decided on my personal reward to me - since no one else is going to get me anything lol.

As you may know I am a die hard, geeky, nerdy Phantom of the Opera fan so my reward is going to be a Requiem Mask travel mug - Requiem Mask is an online comic based on Phantom. And it as the funniest picture EVER on it.

I will reach  50,000 words!!! I will!!!

Do you have a reward/incentive?

NaNoWriMo Post #6 :)

Oooooo 2 posts in one day guys. How spoiled are you feeling? ;) Only kidding.

I thought I would share a few extracts from my NaNoWriMo attempt. If you follow my twitter account you may have already seen these. So, yip everything that is about to come has come out of my brain - scary place *shiver*. But here goes.

 ""I'll look after Maia! I'm a boy." he said, like that explained everything. My feminist side began to splutter and start to life at this proclamation of manhood from a toddler, but it was just too cute so I let it pass. I would give him at least another year before I grilled equality into his masculine little skull."

My mom didn't approve of my one and only friend. She had this pre-conceived notion that all football players are, well, players. And all cheerleaders are what said footballer players, um, play. Talk about stereotyping huh.… 

There is honestly no winning with her when she decides on something. She is like a bull dog, or a Rottweiler... Actually a rabbit trap would be the best description. You know the kind - the metal ones with the sharp teeth that go 'clang' when they are sprung and they either chop your foot off then and there or have you bleeding to death on the forest floor before you can get it off. Yip that is my best friend all over. 

Night everyone :)

NaNoWriMo - DAY 1!

Good morning everyone.

Wait...Is 12.00am morning or really really late? Huh? *shrug* Doesn't matter.

I am making a conscious effort to avoid the word 'so' - just thought I would mention that. I have noticed I tend to put that at the beginning of every paragraph.

So (SEEEE)

Do you know what day it is today. We are now 60 seconds into November 1st and do you know what that means? It is day one of NaNoWriMo! And do you know what I am doing right now? I have began typing my story. But how can you be typing your story when you are typing this. Well, the techy savvy genius that I am, this has been SCHEDULED.

And that peeps is the answer to how to do 2 things at once! Smart or what?

Happy writing everyone who is taking part this year! May your caffeine supply never run dry ;).

NaNoWriMo Post 5

How is everyone's NaNoWriMo prep going as we all have less than 3 days to go?

I had a slight story melt down a few days ago but I am starting to glue everything back together again - sorta. The problem seems to be that I can't get everything laid out in a way that I am comfortable and happy with following - yes something like that is enough to throw me (I've been the same since school).  I had started to put everything on cards and I was happy with that for about 2 days and then my head did a total 180. So yeah, I am trying to avoid writing anything down right now and keeping stuff in my head until I can look at a sheet of empty paper without getting agitated - weird and wonderful I know.

Anyway, onto the more practical stuff I have been doing.

I tidied the car - but I have already told you that. Proud of THAT achievement.

I hated doing this one but I returned a bunch of books to the library so I don't end up freaking out about getting them finished and returned for the right date.

Bunged a load of books, a few DVDs and CDs onto Ebay in hopes of
a. making some room on my shelves and
b. getting some extra pennies so that I can get 2 books I have had my eye on for AGES and that I will be hopefully getting come December 1st as an end of NaNoWriMo celebration.
I love ebay :)

And coffee! I am a bit of a coffee fiend at the best of time but I figured that this called for something special. The mother of all jars of coffee. Look at it. It is the size of my kettle!

Yeah, the bottom of the picture got cut off.

Yum, yum, yum. Normally I get cheaper coffee so I can't wait to dig into this stuff. Mmmmmmm...

Right I shall love you and leave you.

Oh, one more thing. Writing buddies is now up and running on the NaNoWriMo site, so if you are interested in being buddies you can find me here

Talk to you all soon :)

NaNoWriMo Post 4 - Talking to My Inner Self (Also Known as Going Mad)

Hit a block in my planning, started typing to myself. Here are the crazy wacky results. 

Yesterdays Ramblings

So how are you today?

Oh I am fine, how are you?

I’m  good, been a bit stressed though, you know how it is? This and that and the next thing, they all add up don’t they, makes you glad to get home and climb into bed with a Horlicks and a good book.

So how is your planning for nanowrimo going?

Och ok. It could be better I suppose, but that is just being picky isn’t it. I wish I could think of a better idea though it is getting a bit depressing hitting all of these dead ends constantly.

How come?

Well I can’t think of a way to get the 'hero' of the story actually into the story you know. He is there I know he is there but i don’t know why he would need to be there to begin with you know. It is driving me mental!

Well, why do you need him to begin with?

Because this is my story and I want an older dude love interest involved.

Why does he have to be older though?

Because young guys bug me stupid that is why!

Why do they bug you?

What are you? A shrink? 

No I am not a shrink. I am asking you these questions for your own good. So why do young guys bug you?

Because of the way that they are portrayed in fiction! Well, the fiction I have been reading lately anyway. It is like they are being constantly ruled by their emotions. I mean, don’t get me wrong I am sure that some of them are able to control themselves but is it just a guy thing that all they can think about is sex? I am hoping that by having an older male in the lead male role I will be able to paint the relationship on more of an emotional level.

Why emotional?

Because not everything is physical! Everything is shown to be too physical. I want the little things to be why my characters care about each other. I want them to love each other because of that funny snort one of them does when laughing. Or that way that they try to stay in the background all the time, or bark louder than they normally do when they are worried. I don’t want it all to be hormones and biology.

I can see where you are coming from…

Thank you

But you are going to have to put some kind of physical stuff into this story you do realise that don’t you.

Well, yeah, I’ll have them kissing.

Kissing?

Don’t look at me like that.

Is that all?

YES!

And you expect to be able to sell this book do you.

This book is for me thank you.

Who are you kidding? Everyone who writes a book has the hope that one day they will be discovered even if they don’t admit it to themselves.

You are a shrink aren’t you?

This is about you not me.

Yeah whatever, avoiding the subject much?

So you expect to be able to sell this with ONLY kissing.

Ummm why not? Jane Eyre is considered a classic and you don’t get the bedroom/couch or whatever scenes in THAT do you? It is all emotional.

Sorry honey but you ain’t no Charlotte Bronte. And you’ve read all the study guides to that book. You know that there was sexual tension bubbling hotter than Vesuvius under the surface.

Today's Ramblings

So, how is it going?

YOU again! What do you want?

I'm just here to see how the planning is coming along? You know keep up the prep and all that.

I am sticking my tongue out at you right now – just so you know.

Hey that isn’t very nice I am only here to help.

Well maybe you can go somewhere else to help, have you ever thought of that?

Nope can’t say I have. I am your little annoying voice. Not anyone else’s.

Give me strength.

Oh man up already!  Tell me how you are doing and let’s get this over with.

Wow you seriously need to take some customer care courses.

I am ignoring you right now just so you know –

Are you trying to be funny?

- now where did we leave of yesterday? Ah yes, the hero of the peace.

Hero! I think I am going to chuck him out of the story and have her hook up with the freakin’ squid if he doesn’t start cooperating. Why can't more YA books have older dude to younger chick ratios and then I would have some kind of idea how to do this.

Want to know what your problem is?

Not really but you are going to tell me anyway aren’t you?

Now you really need to work on your attitude, it’s not my fault your make believe characters aren’t playing nice with you.

Fine, I’m sorry. Now what’s my problem oh mighty one?

You are too concerned about what other people are going to be thinking of this story.

What! Only yesterday you were getting at me because I wasn’t going to put any sex in the story and now you are telling me that-

Yeah well that was yesterday. Today I am telling you that you are worrying too much about what other people will think. About what their views would be. You need to write this how you would want it to go and not like you mother is hanging over your shoulder while you are writing.

I am still not putting any sex in the book. Kissing yes, sex NO!

Fine, whatever. But you really do need to start having this the way you want it to go. Make is Mary-Sue-ey if you want, have bits that have fan-fiction-yeah-right-like-that-would-ever-happen written all over it, if you want you can go back and fix it all afterwards. Have the dude proclaim his undying love to MC - have you named her yet by the way?

No

Ok. Well have dude – have you named him yet?

Um, if I say no will you hurt me?

Have you named any of them?

Well I’m thinking of naming someone who dies –

Someone dies in this story?

No but if I name one of them Neville he will!

Do I want to know why?

I was bullied at school by a kid called that. I think it is time for some pay back don’t you?

Swiftly moving on. Have XY proclaim undying love to XX on the first page if you want.

I am not doing that.

I am trying to make a point here. No one is going to be judging you while you write this.

You are a shrink aren’t you?

Let it go already and listen will ya!

Fine. Write like my mother isn’t hanging over my shoulder. Got it.

You’re hopeless...

So the idea was to give myself 10 minutes to try and talk it out with myself - I do this all the time. I usually write this out long hand but as the typing is going to need to be up to scratch I decided to WP it instead. 

My head is a scary place isn't it. Mwaahaahaaahaaaaa! *choke, splutter,cough*

Yeah probably plenty more to come in the next few days.  :-)

NaNoWriMo Post 3 - I Made a Cover!!

I know, I know. By the time December 1st comes around you are going to be ready to kill me - probably rightly so too, but I am on a complete NaNoWriMo high right now. I can't help it!

I finally have my story planned out in my head to  make some sort of sense - oh to be in my brain (scary stuff believe me). I have a title - step in the right direction I would say. And a cover!!!!

Waahhhhh SO proud!

I was bemoaning the fact that I have like 0 digital ability and thought SCREW IT I'm going to give it a try and make my own book cover. So that is exactly what I did!

Here is attempt number 1

Sink or Swim - Book cover by ~EriksLadyOperaGhost on deviantART

Not too bad for a first try at photo manipulation huh? Note to self - do not start messing around with new stuff at 11pm, leads to lots of mistakes and very little sleep.

(e.g. me: *click click click* Why *stab mouse* Isn't *stab mouse* This *shake mouse to make sure it is working* DELETING
inner me: You didn't select what you wanted to delete GENIUS!
me: *CTRL + A ... DELETE*
inner me: told ya so
me: Shut Up! *sulk*)

 It is meant to be an eye (hopefully you can tell that) and then inside on the right is a coral reef, and then bubbly water. This was okay but seems a little too vague too me, the picture could apply to anything really couldn't it.


I put my brain into cardiac arrest (is that possible...? huh...it is now) through the strain and finally had a light bulb moment that blew the circuits on the rest of the cells in my head (expect NO sense for the rest of the year guys).

And here is my baby!

Attempt numero 2!

Sink or Swim - Book cover - 2 by ~EriksLadyOperaGhost on deviantART

Isn't it beautiful? (Nod your head everyone. That's it)

Nah, only kidding. I know it isn't as snazzy and amazing as some covers out there with all the bells and whistles but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that jazz.

This represents my main character! So proud *beam*. I was going to go with a mermaid but had second thoughts. Think of this as a tribute to Ursula :) - my character isn't a power-mad villain thought.

Ok I am off before you start threatening bodily harm.

This is so exciting! Roll on November.

Nighty Night guys.

NaNoWriMo Post 2 - Freakin' Out!

Right now in the world there are countless people freaking out about their story lines, characters and how the fiddle sticks they are going to achieve the word count for NaNoWriMo.

Despite the fact that there is still over 20 days to go.

Yip, and I admit that I am now turning into one of those people.

Why though? Like I said there is still all of that time to go. Nearly 3 weeks!

Well speaking personally it is because I can't seem to settle on one particular idea. That has always been an issue with me though so there is nothing surprising about that to be honest.

And then there are all of the different factors.

Science-fiction?

Pat?

Present?

Future?

1^st person?

3^rd person?

How many characters?

Fan-fiction?

Original piece?

You guys get the gist. This is enough to make your head explode – very messy, and gooey.

My main problem seems to be centred round my writing experience to date. Namely – fan-fiction. I like messing around with other peoples characters. That is basically it. I like working situations so that Wolverine and Rogue get together (believe me you do not want to get me started on the X-MEN films. *grumble, grumble*). I enjoy juggling situations so that Erik and Christine get their happily ever after despite his deformity and inclination to throttle people and chuck them into his torture chamber.  It is fun.

And because of this is has been a while – well, more than a while – since I have actually had to write anything that has come from my own brain and didn’t involve a pre-made story *gulp* that is kinda, sorta SCARY.

Cue tweet!

Anyway, because of that reason I’ll be halfway through planning a story in my head and it’ll be all nice and shiny and pretty looking and then I’ll be hit by ‘NO! Can’t do that, if you squint at it that would pass as a Star Trek fan-fiction! Damn it!’ (Not that fan-fiction is bad it is just I am wanting something that is all ME for this story. If I can) And so the mental slate gets wiped clean I binge on a cup of coffee and fall deeper into the ink well of despair *splash-gurgle-gurgle*

NaNoWriMo

Hi everybody!

It’s October 6th, and you know what that means don't you!

Yes it means that we are approximately 25 days away from November 1st and by extension 25 days away from the beginning of NaNoWriMo.

So this is a reminder for those of you who - like me - have a brain like a sieve and forgot all about it.

But what is NaNoWriMo, says those who haven't heard of it - and in all fairness I didn't even know this existed until 2 years ago.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month which is November. And the aim of the game is to complete a 50,000 word novel in 30 days! Impossible you say! Nah, it's not really. Just set yourself a daily goal, stuck to it. And before you can say National Novel Writing Month you'll have the beginnings of a novel.

Ok, I know that's a lie. It is hard and you have to fight a whole bunch of stuff from writers block to running out of coffee. But it is a very cool idea though huh.

Now, this is the first year that I will actually be participating. I wanted to join in last year but my Grandmother took a heart attack and wasn't expected to recover so last year ended up being uber stressful - FYI she recovered and although she isn't as spry and energetic as she was before the attack at least she isn't hallucinating and a gazillion other things anymore.

But moving on. I will be joining in the NaNoWriMo stress party this year. Yay, can't wait.

And if any of you guys are participating you should be able to find me here!

Come on guys be BRAVE! :)

*skips away*

WWW.NANOWRIMO.ORG

**My scheduling is WAY out it isn’t even funny. So no it isn’t the 6th. Sorry :)**