Disappearing Into My Own World

As this month comes to an end, I look at all I have accomplished. Finishing NaNoWrimo was at the top of my list. That and fall cleaning my apartment. Now I'm feeling the loss of my mom. After 11 years you would think I'd function better than I am. Last year I did great, better than any other year. Now I'm struggling. I think it's because this year the dates are lined up as they were in 2003. Mom's birthday would have been the 14th and she died on the 28th, the day after Thanksgiving.

To make matters worse, I have people complaining that I'm refusing to go to any Turkey Day dinners (my kids are though). I don't like to socialize as it is, what makes them think I want to spend time with ones that remind me this time of year is my mom loved. I just want to drown in my writings. Writing helps me deal with all the stresses that come from being a single mother with little money.

I'm editing 'Dalara' and working on one without a title. No, it's not my NaNo one. The plot bunnies (something that keeps your mind running with ideas) are making it hard not to start another one. I have no idea where it's going but I'm liking it so far. I think it'll be the 3rd in the 'Tamesville' series.

As the weather here in Iowa grows cold snowy and windy, I am hurting. Many of my joints are inflamed, causing me pain. I wish I had the money to move south. My health gets worse as the temps drop and I can barely function. I hate not being able to do things with my kids. We usually sit watch Neflix or a movie, if we do anything at all together. They are gone over school breaks and weekends; Busy with friends and sports every other time.  At times I feel as if I'm failing them. Then I think other times I'm doing good. Neither of my teens lie, drink, smoke, do drugs, or anything teens experiment with. Curfews are always kept.

I signed up with Critique Circle. It's a web based site set up to help writers achieve their goals and better their writing. This will be a major step for me. I'm one who does not like other to read my work until my OCD thinks it perfect. My fear is as many new writers, the novel sucks. Hoping joining will push me past this.

I hope everyone has a happy holiday.

1st Week of December!

As I sit here and wait for the 5th I am thinking back over what I accomplished in November. Though it is the hardest month of  the year for me, I wrote 3/4 of a novel hitting over 50k words. I won NaNoWriMo! I never thought I could do it, but with the support of @TheSprintShack, @WriteChain, @FriNightWrites and many others within them, it would take forever to list all that helped and are still helping me. Always pushing me to sprint and get those words out of my head and on the computer screen. You guys *ROCK*.
As I have not completed my NaNo novel, I have begun finishing up the PREQUEL to it.  It is a shorter process after doing 50k+ in 30days. I am so glad I took the challenge and if I hadn't won, it still would have been awesome.

With winning I get to purchase Scrivener from Literature and Latte at 50% off on the 5th. Along with AEON Timeline. Both helped me so much I would never had made it without their NaNo Trials. With Scrivener I had everything from places, character bios, and relationships all in one place. I didn't have to open another program. Aeon Timeline allowed me to track the timing of each event and I never forgot what day it was in my novel.

There are tons of tools for writers and these are the only ones I have tried and I don't think I will try anything else. This is it for me. Each writer has their own way of doing things and Scrivener and Aeon Timeline is what I need.

With all that said I will definitely be participating next year in NaNoWriMo! I only wish I could make a financial donation this year. If you wish to help out the non-profit organization of NaNoWriMo please do so on their website (Link is above). Thanks!

NaNoWriMo Day 7

Today is day 7 of National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo for short. I am impressed by how well I am doing and the fact I am sticking to it. I hit 15k and am still going. Just look at the progress at the upper right side of this page. Many of my NaNoPals are pushing their little fingers to the keyboards as much as I am. Today I did  1k1hr, 1k words in 1 hour, with one and did over that. The sprints at #NaNoWordSprint is keeping me going... Here is a list of the sprints I partake in:
@TheSprintShack, @FriNightWrites, @NaNoWordSprints

What is a word sprint you ask?

Well, you get together on Twitter with buddies and challenge yourselves to improve your word count. There are many different places I do word sprints and it keeps us all on track. @FriNightWrites we sprint for 30 minutes and take a 10 minute break. There are writers from all over the world that join in.
Times:
UK: 7pm-7am
US EAST COAST: 2pm-2am
US WEST COAST: 11am-11pm
You can always jump in to any of them, whatever your schedule allows. I am there off and on during the day here in US Central and a lot at night. There we use the hashtag #writeclub and the #StatsGuy keeps track of how many words for each sprint. It is quite amazing to see the numbers pop up.
Want to learn more about FriNightWrites check it out, Write Club @FriNightWrites

Is there anything I couldn't live without during NaNoWriMo?

Yes, Scrivener. I love the software from Literature & Latte, it has made writing and keeping track of facts, characters, ages even. It's all in one place and easy to access. I downloaded the free trial version and loved it. Then when I signed up for NaNoWriMo I found they offer a special free trial to NaNoWriMo participants. It got even better, if I complete my 50k words I can buy Scrivener for 50% off.

I have just found out how helpful their split-screen is. I now can look at a character sheet and type at the same time without leaving either. There are tons of features I have not worked with and can't wait to buy it after NaNoWriMo and find all the wonderful things I can do with it. It has definitely made NaNoWriMo experience easier and less stressful. I think once November is over and less frantic I will use Scrivener for my blogs and all my books.

I also couldn't live without my kids running up and down the stairs when I am in the middle of a sprint and need a fresh soda or some snack. They are the best in helping me out and not fighting with each other. Being 16 and almost 12 it amazes me as I wait for a fight and I hear them talking with each other rather than at each other.

Now it's time to get back to my story but before I do here is another excerpt:

Tasmina started crying once Azri left. She didn't understand what she was doing. He had caused the challenge and could die. That would probably get her sent back to Johnathan’s pack and to her father. The Warrior had told her that Azri was a strong fighter and would do well, at least that’s what she got from the conversation they had. Why was Azri risking his life to protect her? Why does he care so much when no one else had. Her mother watched the abuse and did nothing while the other did as they pleased. If only she had someone she trusted to answer her questions about Azri, but there was no one.  Someone that knew about males in a way she didn't.

NaNoWriMo Day 3

NaNoWriMo is going great. Especially with the help from my friends on Twitter, @TheSprintShack, @FriNightWrites, @NaNoWordSprints. They are doing an awesome job keeping us Wrimos going. 

Here is my synopsis...

Tasmina, a young one of 18, is shy and a bit introverted. Her life is going great, she started college and has a good job. Then the Council plans a gathering to allow mates to find on another and that's when her life falls apart. Her past is back and haunting her. Unknown to her she will have a knight in shining armor come to her rescue. After that she will experience the unknown.

Azri is a warrior and protector but doesn't have ant females looking to mate because he is always looking mean and scary. Like someone you'd warn your kids would come and punish them for misbehaving (the boogie man). Not looking to mate but the thought to mate after his first one died has crossed his mind a few times. He faces though choices and decisions when it comes to protecting.

And an Excerpt: 

The water burned as Azri had settled Tasmina into the tub. She had forgotten the pain and feelings after each bout with James or any of them. She had lived in fear all her life until she came to Sage’s pack. Now it began again. It would be worse if James got a hold of her. Escaping always made it worse. Tears fell as she wished Azri wouldn’t have found her. Tasmina jumped when she heard a knock on the bathroom door.

“Tasmina the doctor is on his way.” She heard Azri say through the door. 

Great, another male, just want she was afraid of. Martin was going to look over her entire body and would know what had happened. No way was there any way to hide now; Azri made sure of it. Slowly she climbed out of the tub and dries off; not bothering to put clothes on, just her robe. Martin would have he remove clothes and it was too painful to do. She avoided the mirror cause the pain was always worse when she looked in it and saw the wounds. The signs of it all would be gone in a few days. She healed as all wolves do, quick. Not wanting to go out into her room she sat down against the door and pulled her knees to her chest. Even that hurt.

“Tasmina, Martin is here. You need to come out.” She heard Azri. It amazed her that he hadn't tried to get her to come out before.

Opening the door she saw not only Martin and Azri but Sage, Takoda and Dalara. She turned and slammed the bathroom door shut. There was no way she could face all of them. It was bad enough Azri had seen her and Martin had to see her. As she sat against the door shaking and trying not to break down and cry again. Tasmina could here the others talking in her room but wasn’t paying much attention; though it was about her. The sound of her bedroom door closing got her attention.

“Tasmina sweets, they left, it’s just Martin and I here. Please come out. If you are healing too fast he may have to re-break something.” Azri told her through the door.

Again she opened the door and saw he was right; it was just the two males. She hobbled over to her queen size bed and sat at the edge wincing in pain. 

There were no gasps or comments about how she looked, which made her a bit more at ease.


So, what do you think?????