Squeezed in another session:

And the word meter now looks like this:

Very happy with the progress. Will need to take notes because a whole bunch of things are rolling around inside my head for this tale. It's coming together. :)

And away we go...

Vampire Oracle -


I'll check in again tonight or when I get back from my doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. I can do it!

I've also started a new story

And here's the word count progress so far:

I'm hoping to get another session of writing in a little later. With my daughter home, I just can't promise myself anything. :/ Still, it would be nice to get another chapter added. Things are moving very nicely so far.

Last week I also got through the first edits of GUARDED BY STONE. And I read the redemption story one more time, which means it's still not subbed. Not to worry, I'm aiming for later this week. I can do it! I've also been doing a whole lot of reading, so that's cool.

Anyway:

Two Projects at Once

Yet another "duh" moment....

I have the second draft of an exciting novella that I MUST get finished soon (both adding scenes and subtracting meandering fluff)...and I also have a new project I also MUST get done soon.

So....I'm going to adopt a writing schedule (unheard of for me).

I'm going to work alternating days on both Unleashed and Crisscross

Unleashed


Crisscross

Slow but Steady

Well, not near the word count I was hoping for, but still, it's something.

According to Matthew


No hard and fast goal today. My only goal is to write.

Everyone's so quiet. It must be the holidays!

New Project

Ah, the excitement! I wrote the opening of the next story in the Gospel series longhand while I was at the Science Center with the kids yesterday. Got it typed up this morning and I really like it so far.

I have to admit, I'm still kind of feeling my way through the plot, so it's hard to guess at the final word count. For now, I'm thinking 25K, but that could shift a few thousand words in either direction before I write THE END.

According to Matthew


Today, I'd like to write at least 1,000 words, although with the kids home and the weather looking icky, it's not looking all that likely.

I Did It!

I submitted According to Luke to Cobblestone. Gulp! Somehow, I'm way more nervous about this one than I was about my first.

Haven't written a word the past two days other than edits. I'm getting antsy. Time to start writing again soon, I guess!

I got something done!

Yay! You know, this month is turning out to be totally slow... as far as my productivity goes.

I've been struck by a brand new and very shiny (okay, it's actually quite dark) idea that has a choke-hold on me. I've been researching and daydreaming about it for days now. Still, I put aside yesterday to finish off a different story.

My redemption story - yeah, that's its name at the moment - is now done and has a word count of 18,023. I'm hoping to sub it sometime this week. Wish me luck.

Happy writing guys!

The...

END!

It took me an extra day, but that's because it also took me about 3,000 more words than I expected. Here's the final meter for the first draft:

According to Luke


Now, it's off for a round of crits, and I'm taking a break.

So Close...

According to Luke


Obviously, I had to stretch the word meter because there ain't no way I'm going to wrap up in another 150 words. But man, I can taste "The End."

Today, today!

Good Day at the "Office"

Got more than 2,000 words. Three and a half scenes to go.

According to Luke

Tomorrow, another 2,000. I doubt I'll wrap up in 17,500 now, but if I get 2,000 tomorrow and 2,000 Friday, I should be done.

Rock on!

Need a Kick in the Pants

From myself, mainly. I really must do everything in my power to wrap up this story up by the end of the week. Because after that, the kids will be on winter break, and the house will be a zoo. (Whoever said that Christmas is the season of peace on Earth didn't have children!)

According to Luke


I mapped it out and I have four (possibly five) more scenes to write--one sex scene (which I started yesterday), one plot/internal conflict building scene, the black moment, and the HEA/love scene. I might include a scene between the hero and his mother between the black moment and the HEA, depending on whether I decide I need it to show him resolving his internal conflict or not.

If I put that in, my word count will probably end up closer to 20,000. Even without, I think I'll end up closer to 18,000 than 17,500, but I'm keeping the word meter the same to avoid depressing myself (it's always a bummer to add words but see the percentage completed move little or, worse, go backwards).

Done, at last

I have a word meter to share:

Yeah, I finally finished this story today. It took longer than I thought it would. Well, a hell of a lot longer than I wanted it to. But it doesn't matter. It's done! Yay. The first draft is done and I can now put it aside for a bit. Forget about it and then look at it with newfound love. ;)

I honestly thought I was never going to get through it. I had such a shitty week last week, that on Monday I decided to go back and read it from the beginning. This is something I never do, but as I read it, the spark returned.

And that's all I have to say for today. :D

THE END!

Yippeee....yahooooo!

At approximately midnight, I typed THE END at the bottom of Mojave Moon. It came in slightly over it's 20K goal (final word count was 21407!)

Now...what do I do??? Oh, that's right, crowbar a couple of sex scenes into my Valentine's tale by 15 December.

And, honestly, can I make that 1 January deadline for the EC submission? I'll have to think hard on that one (pun intended, snicker)

Friday update

I managed to add more to the story yesterday and today. Though I was a little distracted by the TV tonight. :/

Anyway, here's the word meter:

At least I know how it's going to end. I also started the next chapter so I've got a place to go from when I pick this up again on Monday. Maybe during the weekend I can make a small list of the things that need to happen from here until the end. That would be very helpful.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mucho Progress

The breakthrough seems to have battered down the doors. Plus, I now have a looming deadline to make some changes to my V-day story by 20 December. So, I HAVE to get the first draft of Mojave Moon done THIS WEEK!

So...here's my morning meter and I'll update after my afternoon session!



If only my boys would have slept longer, I think I could have finished this novella in one sitting. Things have heated up, gotten exciting, and we're rushing toward the denouement.

16,861 / 20,001 (84.3%)

And my final word count for the day (thanks to a writing challenge last night. (Thanks Jackie!) Three more scenes and I can type THE END on the first draft!

Slowed Down a Little, but Progress is Progress

As the title says, my production slowed a little over the past couple of days. I only got 1,200 words on Tuesday and 900 yesterday. I blame my heroine for this turn of events. She went and did something I didn't expect, leading to a mini black moment/turning point I didn't really anticipate and the need to write a few additional scenes I hadn't originally conceived. I'm pretty sure she made it a better story by doing it, though, so I don't have complaints.

Of course, because her actions added a few scenes and I was already pretty sure I wouldn't be able to wrap this baby up in 12.5K, so I've had to extend the word count projection significantly. Which makes my progress look much less impressive, sadly.

According to Luke


In other news of the ironic sort, Unbridled (the manuscript I have finally and forever decided to consign to the Magical Mulch Pile) finaled in the Launching a STAR contest. No, I won't be tempted to pick it up again, even if it wins.

Much...

This week has been a little meh...

As far as the writing goes.

On Monday, I got the second draft done of that redemption story I wrote at the end of October. So that was pretty exciting. I'm very happy with how it turned out. I've now put it aside and hope to get the final draft done next Monday.

I started a new tale also. This is how the progress meter looks for it:



It's been coming a little slower than I hoped, but the concept just needs a lot of extra thought so that it all makes sense. Anyway, last night I actually got to the first sexy scene between the hero and heroine. So, it looks like things are taking off. ;) Of course, some bad stuff's gonna happen to them now. Can't expect to have everything going their way. Oh, hold on, this was really the first good thing that went their way.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Gotta go write now.

Here's to Long Showers

I've often told people that my muse is most active while I'm in the shower. My friend and fellow author, Tessa Dare, always asks what type of shower gel I use and where she can get it! Well, inspiration struck again today...in the shower, as always.

I've been plodding along with Mojave Moon, the writing has been "there"...it's just not been "THERE!"...Then, halfway through my shower this morning, I had a most wonderous idea. It was a simple switch the bad guy to "X" instead of "Y" ! Yowza! I plotted out the rest of the book this morning and it works. What's even greater is that all the clues I planted about "X" will now serve as a red herring...and the villian has been there all along.

So, I'm feeling a bit brilliant today.

Back to work....

Wow. My last check in was the 16th of November. And I haven't written a word since then. I could panic and berate myself for letting such a long length of time past but I don't my muse will appreciate that. I have 26 days until the year is up. If I write 1500 words a day it will total 39k.

My stories...



With these numbers and diligence I CAN get the last three stories done. Le sigh. It was a nice vacation but it's time to get back to work.

Updating My Progress

Well, I've written a little in the past week...STILL have not gotten my couple into a compromising situation as I had to go back and rewrite/add a scene to "up" my heros conflict (nothing a little arsenic in the beer couldn't fix -- tee hee)

Anway...here's hoping for a little 'afternoon delight' while my boys nap this afternoon!

The Muse Keeps Going Strong!

According to Luke


This is the easiest story to write, ever! I'm sort of in awe of how it just flows out of me.

On the other hand, I'm a little afraid of it. As easy as it's been to write, I'm a little afraid that the hero (who is also the narrator) is hard and unsympathetic. I just wrote a scene between him and his ex-girlfriend and even though I thought I set it up pretty clearly that she's a manipulative bitch, I'm still not sure he comes off well.

Of course, real people aren't perfect, so characters in stories probably shouldn't be, either. Still, if his attitude and actions alienate readers (most of whom, I expect, will be women), that can't be good.

I need a read. Anyone?

I Suck More Than a 2.00 Crack Ho

I haven't written in like TWO WEEKS! And my book was due two days ago! Ok so I wrote a page here and a page there. But it's just sucked ass!

*sigh*

Ok so I think I finally unstuck with the help of a good friend (or three) and I've got to see if I can get four or five pages written tonight because tomorrow I have to hit it hard!

Necessary Evil

I think I'm the only one of the group here NOT writing. Grrrr....

Why? Well, I've been doing the necessary evil portion of an author's life...yep, PROMO. I've been out posting links to my free e-book on my website and announcing a wonderful Christmas contest I'm going to run in conjunction to my book's release on December 20th.

So, I've written lots of words...just not on my manuscript! Sigh...

Things never work out as planned...

You know how I had every intention of getting that story revised yesterday? Well, it didn't work out. It's still not done, but I have a good reason for it. You see, after I finished my galleys and emailed them off, I got a new copy back. And because I'm a freakish double checker, I went through it again!

Yeah, I'm weird. I know. Still, at least I'm now positive that I haven't missed any typos or dashes. Lol. Yeah, I'm pretty sure.

But anyway. After I got that out of the way, I had the third edits for OBSCURE waiting for me in my Inbox. I intended to get about halfway through last night, but the hubby worked so late that I just kept going and going. Until I got to the end. They're now done and emailed as well. Can't wait to see the cover for this one. Heck, I can't wait to see every cover. I love getting covers, it's so exciting.

So, I'm now free to work on something else. Let me just go and think about it. Have you checked out this insane challenge? ;) Might have to take part. I need the weekend to think it over.

Go Me

According to Luke


Only a little over 1,000 words today, but then, I did two blog posts and wrote a query letter. Plus, it was mostly sex and that always takes longer than anything else. So I guess I'm excused.

Since hubby will be out of town most of next week, I fully expect to be done with the first draft by Wednesday.

Isn't it funny?

Yeah, life is funny. But I'm not talking about the old ha-ha kinda funny, I'm talking about bizarre funny. You see, I woke up yesterday morning with nothing on my writing plate. Okay, that's not accurate because I've always got something in mind. But what I mean is that there were no edits to get out of the way, or any new NaNo words to be written.

Nope, I had my pick of things to do. So, I decided it would be wise to get the second draft of one of my stories done. You know, get a move on it so I can do the third draft next month and sub it in? So, I got to it. Got as far as 38/75 pages before I checked my emails and found some galleys waiting in my Inbox. LOL.

Anyway, I put aside the revision and got stuck into the galleys. Let's just say that I got them finished about twenty minutes ago. And it feels good. This is for my AA X-mas release. Yeah, I've got a few new releases next month. ;)

So, I think I'll tackle another chapter of the revision and then try to get it finished sometime tonight.

It's been a really strange and hectic kinda week. Anyone else looking forward to the weekend? Man... I really need to get a to-do list ready for December.

Well, Go-ooolly!

According to Luke


Two 2,000+ word days. In a ROW! I never would have dreamed.

And there'd be more where that came from if I didn't have to cook dinner, do homework with the kids, and watch a football game. (Is it weird that I can't decide whether I want Dallas or Green Bay to choke more?)

Well, I Didn't Expect THAT!

Today, I was overcome with a new story idea. One so powerful that I decided I'd better write it down before I "lost" it. A couple of hours later, I've written more than 2,000 words, which must be some kind of record for me.

So for today, the word meters look like this:

Carnally Yours--no change


Going Greek--400 words added yesterday


According to Luke--all written today and still going!


Er, wow!

Major "Duh" Moment

So...I'm backing up all of my documents, figuring out which ones to burn to CD and which ones to keep on the hard drive when I see...AH! A Christmas short story I finished and never submitted (well, I entered it in a contest and it didn't win). It has a "needs revision" note on it....

I reread it...it's short (4500 words) and very sweet. Not my typical genre, but the ending brought tears to my eyes and I felt a little like the writer in Romancing the Stone as she bawls over her own manuscript.

Anyway...what to do with the darn thing? Then, I got a wonderful idea, give it to my readers free for a Christmas gift! I e-mailed Deanna, who agreed AND added the simply terrific idea of putting excerpts and teases at the back!

Unfortunately, to do this...there's been a few "but firsts" to get done with it. I sent it out for critique and got those changes back but haven't input them yet.

Then I realized I'd have to do my own cover for it (thank you hubby and his spare copy of Adobe Photoshop from the old computer we just got rid of) -- but thanks to that, I've wasted sooooo much time surfing pictures and putting together covers, I can see how it gets addicting!

Next, get it all pretty and go see if I can round up a free PDF converter to make it into an e-book.

I want it all done by 1 Dec...and Mojave Moon is going to be longer than I expected (possibly 25-30K!), so it doesn't look like I'll finish it much before the new year. So I won't be submitting to EC this year unless a miracle occurs. Oh well....