Two months?!?!?!

You will not believe this! I have been diligently writing blog posts every day for these last two months and then I guess blogger decided to delete them all. That or my cat ate them. Definitely one of the two.

I've been a bad blogger. I still have all this fun content (including a quiz to help you figure out what kind of a bee you are). I need to get back into it. But between my surgery in November, and then the holidays, and now Wildman (my foster cat's) surgery too, I have had some focus issues. I am right now watching Wildman thrash about wildly (how fitting!) in his cat carrier. He's been in it all day, but he's still loopy from the anesthesia and I am not going to be suckered into letting him out. He needs at least another hour of quiet time. Then it's off to the small bedroom which I will fill with pillows and blankets. I have to say, it's pretty funny watching the carrier rock. It looks like something from a haunted house or Gremlins or something. He's all black so I can't really see him in there, but I can see the cage shimmy-shaking constantly. He had his ear cleaned and a tooth pulled and the rest of them scrubbed. Everybody cross your fingers that this time he'll end up feeling better for a long time. He's a 14yo cat with chronic ear issues and stomatitis and he's probably never going to get rid of all of his problems, but I will make sure he is as comfy as possibly for as long as possible.

Work has also been crazy, but fun lately. There is a strong chance I will go to Omaha for a conference this summer, which is coincidentally where I set my first book. I am beyond excited to see the city I've spent the last three years researching and writing about. Not sure if I'll get much sightseeing done, but I'm going to try.

Story updates! I've continued to edit Power Trio. Like a gerbil digging a hole in a glass terrarium. Or a gerbil running on a wheel and never getting anywhere. I didn't own gerbils (or any small mammal for that matter) growing up, but I think I can really relate. Along those same lines, if anyone is in the Atlanta area and is interested in forming a critique group, please email me: bookbossblog@gmail.com.

Anyway, I'm off to get Wildman settled. I promise I'll try to be here more regularly... I mean, I'll make sure blogger doesn't keep erasing my amazing, Pulitzer-prize winning posts.

Developmental milestones

I made it through NaNo, no better than last year. Actually, a little worse- I only wrote about 10,000 words. But they really aren't bad, and I'm happy to have at least those. I think it was hard to do NaNo because I've been on such a roll with editing the first book of Power Trio that I was still in that frame of mind. But now I have two options (writing or editing) when I sit down at the computer, so I can pick whichever I'm in the mood for.

Sitting down at the computer, however, has been difficult all on its own. I had to have a minor surgical procedure (lancing a cyst the base of my spine), which has prevented me from doing anything for the last week. I was home from work and I didn't volunteer at the Santa pet photos over the weekend like I do every year (http://iwroteabook.blogspot.com/2010/12/gridlockd.html, but don't worry, I'm still going to next week!). But because I couldn't sit upright, I was barely able to do anything. I even had a hard time reading. It's tricky to read on your side without your arm going numb... But I'm back at 90% and able to sit upright for a little while at a time. I think that makes me the equivalent of a 7 month old baby. Progress!

In other news, my old, deaf cat recently found his voice and has taken to caterwauling (or the male, non-heat version of it). He made a bunch of noise when I brought him home in May, but he's been relatively quiet for the last few months. My mom came to town to help me out over the weekend, and she took to spoiling my cats (as any good cat grandmother would do). They got treats whenever they wanted, and extra wet food because she was worried the old, deaf cat was "too skinny." I think he's making a ton of noise, hoping that she's still here and will come feed him, but sadly, it's just me and he doesn't get wet food from me all the time. Only when I decide it's time, mwah ha ha (mini power trip). But if he keeps making all this racket, I'm going to have to put some food in that pie hole to shut him up...

Hope you all had a happy and productive November and are gearing up for a great December!

Staying alive, staying alive

I have a brief shining moment in my internet in my currently sad internet-less life and I've decided to spend it with you. Awwww. I wanted to give a few good updates and my thoughts:

• I'm hovering at about 5,000 words in Power Trio 2 but...
• My move is done. The boxes are not unpacked, but I have located all of the essentials (work clothes), but...
• The other life essential, internet, is not connected. Which should actually help me focus on bullet one, but thus far has only made life more complicated. Trying to coordinate all the move stuff with the old landlord, get the mail forwarded (what do you mean I should have done that weeks ago?!), and all that mess is much harder without access to email. Annnnnnd my work just changed their filter so I can no longer access personal email at work (good for them, bad for me).
• And in cat news, which I know you can't get enough of, I've found a sort of new therapy for ear infections that I think I'm going to try for my semi-feral foster cat. Laser therapy that's supposed to help with inflammation. I haven't really looked into it yet, and I'm sure it's terribly expensive (I might be starting a Wildman fund), but after the two months of antibiotics and two flushings didn't do a thing (other than make the bacteria resistant) I'm ready to try something else.

Okay, off to up that word count! Hope you're all doing well in Nano and otherwise.

Of note, "no internet" is a label that I've used before. Probably last November when I moved. I'll have to do some exploring and find it... the NEXT TIME I have INTERNET.

November Check-In #1

Power Trio, book 2- 1700 words

Move- 30% complete, family reinforcements coming Monday, movers coming on Wednesday (for the big stuff)

Dinner- thinking of making vegetarian white chili

I've already made two trips over to the new place. I moved a lot of the kitchen items, and now I'm craving white chili. I don't have measuring spoons or mixing bowls, but at least I had the forethought to leave the can opener.

After I get that started (which will probably require a grocery store run), I plan on sitting down in front of the computer and duct taping my hands to keyboard until I get a decent word count. I have to make up for the last few days of slacking.

I'm struggling with the little things in Power Trio 2. I know the main conflict/antagonist. I have a smaller antagonist. I have the love interest(s). I know where my characters are going to start and where they're going to go (mostly talking physically, but I do have some sense of character growth/change that I want to cover).

I'm having a hard time coming up with the actual scenes. Which is why it's kind of perfect that I'm doing NaNo, because the whole point is to stop thinking and start writing. I'm sure if I just open the word document, something will happen.

But, first, the chili!!!

If anyone is up for a Word War later, I'll be on twitter. : )

NaNoWriMo and the Year of Winning

I'm revving up to try my hand at NaNo agian this year. I didn't "win" last year (http://iwroteabook.blogspot.com/2010/10/nanowrimo-and-bliss-of-delusional.html), but I had a great time, met my current writing group, and wrote many more words than I would have if I'd just spent November the way I spent September and October.

I had hoped to be completely done editing Power Trio (Book 1) before starting into Book 2, but the plot is pretty set, so I don't think there will be any major problems. I've also heard that you shouldn't start "Book 2" until you've sold Book 1. I can see the logic- obviously you don't want to spend a ton of time on a series that will never be published, but I'm so attached to the story and the characters I don't think I could not finish it.
How's that for great English? Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Scott Pilgrim: "Double negative... it's tricky."

Anyway, I'm feeling good this year. I might take a little time tomorrow and do a quick outline, so if I get stuck, I'll know where to head. Wish me long, and forgive me if I'm around even less frequently. I have to save all of my amazing wit for those ~1,600 words a day! Ha!

My Life

My life in five bullets:

·         Just got back from an Infectious Diseases conference in Boston and I loved it (the city and the conference)

·         My foster cat is having major ear infection issues (I hate staph...)

·         Power Trio edits are going well, but I’m thinking about pausing for November to start on Book 2!

·         I am addicted to the new Korean shows (previously on Netflix but now on Hulu). Mostly the ones based on Japanese mangas (like Boys over Flowers), but especially Lie to Me. Looooves it!

·         I’m a Tweeter: http://twitter.com/#!/MakeARumble

Reinvigorated

A month since my last update! Bad blogger. Bad. Bad.

I've had some exciting adventures in the meantime, so can you forgive me? I've meet a lot of new little ones- there is definitely a baby boom among my friends right now (If you live in Atlanta, do not drink the water! I'm convinced that's where all of these babies are coming from). I've helped TribeOne prepare for a month long tour. And am burning his CDs as we speak. I've also been looking for a new place to live, since my lease is up soon.

And, in actual writing news, I also attended the GA Romance Writer's annual convention. After I had to miss the Emory writing course when the schedule changed, I was pretty bummed about missing an opportunity to learn some new tips and meet some other writers. Luckily, a coworker told me about this conference (on the day registration closed- talk about a snap decision). I was really nervous about it, because I don't really consider myself a romance writer. But my paranormal YA contains a good bit of it, so I figured I'd learn something. I spent last Friday and Saturday attending sessions on crafting a villain and the importance of premise. I met other writers of all varieties. I survived my first pitch. I even had a request from an agent for the first fifty pages. Nifty! But I hear not uncommon for conferences and I'm not sure if I'm ready to send them yet- especially after the feedback I got from....

One of my favorite activities was the first five pages critique. We sat at a table with 3 others and gave honest feedback on the opening chapters of our books. I'm excited to make some changes (ahem, correct the rookie mistakes). I am also convinced more than ever I need to find a critique group. I'm torn between finding a local group that meets in-person or reaching out to the network of wonderful writers I've met through this blog. I think I might take criticism better over email (or at least the critique giver won't see my eyes well with tears and watch me run for a glass of wine), but I also sometimes need to have things explained to me a few times before I understand, which I could see getting very annoying over email. What do you think? Do you have a preference for in-person or e-critique groups?