General update

Okay finish with NaNoWriMo as I referenced a couple of posts ago. So I am catching up with business I let go as I was working on the NaNo novel.

I crited two chapters for one guy is who is writing a novel. The Dread Naughts. An interesting and I think somewhat different tale. Whenever it comes out, if you like intrigue and action plus the MC always in danger, a race against the bad guy that could result in various deaths, you will like this story. So keep it mind. I'll be back with the writer's name.

I have to choose a story for a onthepremises.com contest. A smaller contest but still interesting. This time the premise is home.

I need to work on my final version of a story for WotF this quarter ending the thirty -first. I should do that first.

Finally worked some on my New Mage novel that should have been finished at least six months ago. I keep sidetracking it for some reason. Of the three novels I worked last year, that is my best... I think. I am eager to do more on and finally finish it, then I have to rewrite second and third chapters. Noticed I said rewrite not revise.

Need to send out stories, to IGMS, Fantasy and Science Fiction, if he is still taking stories to Lupine at Fantastic Stories. I know which one to send to him.

Him and F&SF and one other are the only paper stories I send out now. Everyone else takes it through the internet. Well, there might be one more I would snail mail out.

And the number five follower seems to have settled down. It has been on Five for the last three times I came here, even when I go back to the blog after adding a post. That's good.

"Unsympathetic Magic" By Laura Resnick

Third in a lighthearted UF series.

Yet still a wild ride as one person quoted on the cover says. Very well done, great descriptions of events. With romance mixed in also. You can also learn something reading this book. I didn't know there were watchtowers in New York city. Built during a bygone era but evidently still somewhat kept up. Somewhat not totally.

And she discussed the religion of Vodou(Rats can't recall the exact spelling and the book isn't handy). For personal spiritual reasons I'm not sure if I really wanted that much in-depth teaching on it but still interesting and well done. The teaching fit into they story rather well.

Her first sentence is one of the longest I've seen in quite a while. Almost throws my theory that First sentences should be short, out the window... almost. Personally I think she pulled it off but one writer who can do it well doesn't destroy my idea. I don't think any do-s and don'ts of writing are ever one hundred percent. And of course the type of book may have something to do with it too.

And Laura has a way with titles in this series. I don't have time right now to list them all but I think they're great.

So buy the book and read it. Don't forget books make great Christmas presents OH speaking of that Don't Forget My Story in Strange New Worlds Ten. Another great present anytime. A link is one the side of my blog. :)

I used a link to B&N because I use them more, they give me discounts-some as much as thirty percent off.
The Book

Finished NaNoWriMo

50,900 and some words.

The last chapter needs a whole lot of fixing, the writing is a mess and the ending was rushed but I can fix it later. Actually, probably the whole thing needs a lot of fixing but my "burst writing" as one NaNo writer of the weekly encouragement E-mail called it, got a good work out. :) 


That final battle scene may look a bit like a couple of earlier ones too--I kinda cheated a little bit.   And that last couple of paragraphs are full of Tell.  But I can add a some show later.


Just not sure of when I will get to it. I want to redo it now but I still have that other novel to finish. And last year's NaNo Novel to get cleaned up so I can send it out or e-publish it.   Still going back and forth on that. I think I will E-publish (with POD) this year's especially if it stays under 70,000 words which it might. Maybe under 65,000. I have two chapters to add and to revise some- maybe rewrite the last half of the last chapter- but that won't as a huge amount of words. 


I want to add one or both of those chapters before my MC receives a hint and when he figures out where the bad guys are. 

Merry Christmas to everyone

Okay, it's after Thanksgiving. I can start wishing people a Merry Christmas.  And It's Alright To Say Merry Christmas. Most people celebrate some form of Christmas in the US and many other countries so there's a very good chance I will say it to some one that celebrates Christmas. If they don't... may they have a good day on the 25th anyway. It's Christmas Day whether they celebrate it or not.


And time to start breaking out my Christmas music. Most are Mannheim Steamroller, but I have Third Day, and Chris Tomlin and Casting Crowns.  Need to get Mercy Me. Actually, I thought I had it but its not with the rest of me Christmas music if I do.


I may be putting up my yearly anti-PC Christmas story. It's a SF setting but it's what I would say.

Kinda of update

Okay, got a rejection finally from Fantastic Stories. An anthology by Warren Lapine. I forget if I have mentioned sending in the story to him but I got the rejection today.

He- or more likely his secretary- spelled my first name wrong. And even though he has a check list like  Dean Wesley Smith with the SNW contest the only thing marked was "not for us" It has seventeen boxes, the very last item on the list would have been a good thing to know if you're going to get a rejection. "Close, very close"  but the second to the last would not be good to see check; "What were you thinking?"


I've have been working on only one short story this month and today since I have it off, I thought I might type out a couple of the stories that I hand wrote out but even though I gathered all my pieces of paper, I don't have time to do any. I'm too far behind on NaNo novel. Some of the stories are only a few hundred words long but still too far behind even for that.

But I need to print out three stories and mail them Saturday.

NaNo update

Haven't been here a while because of Nano but thought I would give an update.


Over thirty thousand words now and I get tomorrow off and may have more time on Saturday to write then usual. Or we may put up more Christmas decorations. 

It's flowing pretty good. I just finished chapter three, and almost done with Four. 

I know what to do after four but not sure where to take it after three. Probably five would be back at the palace.

Yeah, I seem to be in the same trap as last year. Not sure if it really is a trap but I have Looong chapters even though one is only 5,700 words. And so far none over 10 thousand. 

Another follower maybe

I say it that way because the number keeps changing. It goes from four to five and back to four, I even checked his name but now it's back to four.  I wonder if that is because he just become a follower a few minutes ago and  therefore it will straighten out in a day.

If it's true Thanks I appreciate it.


Even though I've been here three times since this post and it's been a month or so since he joined that number is still jumping from four to five.  Maybe Indeed two more followers.  :)

Better yet five more.

NaNo update and...

Okay, I've broken the 10,000 word level. Still behind.


Almost done with my story I was writing when Nov began.  One problem I'm not sure how to end it. I might go with the MC starting a new business with what he was able to do, just leave him as is, keep going and have him learn another lesson, let people know what he did but not really start a business. There could be more.


Still need to spend time to send out stories, ralan.com has a new market, and there is a deadline next week at another. It's hard to remember when I have a moment.

Been playing too much lately... not good.

WotF update

Nothing.

As in total rejection. They changed the E-mail and I think its colder sounding. Joni said that they are trying to speed things up so that we will feel like entering the next quarter sooner.  Not working and most probably won't.


This one hit me a bit harder, probably partly because I was just starting to feel like they were taking longer and I might get another HM but of course not. It's my writing even with the help I received.

I know better than to feel that way but I can't help it when a market takes a while and especially when it looks like they are taking longer.  Like Fantastic Stories Anthology by Warren Lapine. He is taking his time but it's probably because he is busy or waiting for enough manuscripts to come in to have a reading party.


I haven't said it for a while but I've forgotten how to write. One short surge a few years ago and nothing since. And obviously I'm not relearning whatever I forgot.

NaNo update already

I started my novel. I don't know the exact word count but I believe it's over a thousand. 500 + to 800+ at work, some earlier tonight and later 180 some.  Thought I could do more but my wife needed some help and ended up using the kitchen table to do her crafts at the same time I wanted to use my laptop. So I started Chapter two on my desk top.  




So I started my first palace adventure in chapt two.




Wanted to put the number up on the Nano site but don't have time. 

PS One More time

Oh yes. One other reason I have done more work lately is that I haven't played around for almost two weeks. Niice. Thanks be to God. That almost always takes up my writing time and gets me no where.



Gotten in some good writing on New Mage today. Now I'm moving toward the end.... finally. I'm going to have to rewrite chapters two and three though. I have said the first three chapters but I have already redone One.  Revisions on it all of course but that's not the same.

I finished two of my small short westerns including that one I want to send to those three-four markets but I still have to revise them. Right now I won't do that sequel to the western I wrote a couple of years ago so I can do that one I mentioned last note. The one that is different for me.