Merry Christmas

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful year ahead.

Be safe over the festive season and give your family lots of hugs. I will be mine.

For me, Christmas is most special in the eyes of my kids, the best example being Princess 5 and Master 3's faces two years ago when they woke up to find their new baby sister under the tree.

For us to be home after her afternoon Chrissy Eve birth... Now THAT was magic!

=)

December Challenge

From Rach's blog:

The fabulous Marcy has issued a feel-good Christmas Challenge! I'm IN!

See the details below and pledge your committment on Marcy's blog.

So this holiday season I'm committing to doing one good deed, no matter how big or small, every day until Christmas. But that's not all. I'd like to spread the word, to see how many people I can get to join me in this challenge.

This doesn't have to be time consuming or expensive. Your deeds could be as simple of letting someone else take the coveted choice parking spot at the mall, returning a lost glove to an owner, or maybe baking cookies for a neighbour you know could use some cheering up. No matter what it is, it's sure to put a smile on someone's face. And chances are they'll be a little bit nicer to the next person they meet, and so on and so on...

So what do you say?

Are you up for the challenge?

Let's make this season the merriest it can be!

Pass it on...

Great news!!

After um, shall we say quite a few, years of trying one of my fab CPs sold today.

Yep, she got THE CALL!

To Special Edition. And I am so, so pleased for her. It's been a long road but she's nailed the line she was aiming for and it has paid off big time.

Congratulations Helen Lacey!

=)

It is possible. It can happen!!

Starting Something New

So I have some revisions I should be playing with but the lure of something fresh is hard to resist. I want a new project to get stuck into.

But what?

I am no good at decisions. It's the Libran in me, the whole scales thing. I can see advantages to every idea I'm toying with. Deciding which is best is a whole different proposition.

How do you decide?
=)

Rejection and the school run

So I heard on a sub I've had out for nearly a year.... and it wasn't good news. I think i had all of 2 mins to process before I had to take Princess 5 to school. Today is her morning talk, so all the way we were deep in discussion on exactly how she could best present her fave beanie kid to the class and show them the book I made her on all her cuddlies.

Life goes on.

I've written nearly 4 full manuscripts since the one that was rejected. I'll take the great feedback on board and hope I've improved.

And maybe eat some chocolate.

=)

How do you stop rejection getting you too down? Or is that an impossible dream?

requests and re-writes

It's been a while again but I've been busy. Not only reading all the fab New Voices chapters (big congrats to the top 10) but working on my own stuff - oh and Princess 5 needed more ear/throat stuff... sigh...

Happy days when i found out i won the TARA and the final judge requested a partial. Cue much excitement then some nerves. Nerves because she had suggestions/feedback from the first chapter she read. It means a real re-write but I'm hoping will add to the tension of the story. It was about creating questions and possibilities so the reader keeps reading rather than setting the story on an obvious path too early.

Fingers crossed i can manage all that.

And it helps that after a few days crying on my lap cos her throat hurt, Princess 5 is just about back to her usual attitude filled, sparkly self.

Anyone got any motivational re-writing your story (even when you know it will be better for it) isn't as HARD as it seems stories?

=)

the rain falls on me... not so much Spain

Well, I'm not certain about that but with 33 ml here today we're kinda swimming to and from the car. kids loved the puddles though. I don't need to worry about Spain weather cos hubby got out of his trip. yay. For me more so than him I suspect.

I LOVED the conference. Such a brilliant buzz and met so many great people and caught up with good friends too. What a weekend. i came home with 2nd in the Emerald award too and was thrilled.

Have been editing madly to send away chapters from my pitch and now that's resting I have a new idea calling. i just need to work out how it starts...

Do you know your opening line before you open the file??

Sydney and Spain

Am just about bursting with excitement. This time in two days I'll be in Sydney for the RWAus conference. It's my first and i can't wait. i feel like I know so many already thanks to the wonder of the internet. I'm looking forward to catching up with/meeting some great writing buddies. And I can't lie, I think there'll be some family missing too.... when I have time.

Less exciting, for me, is that hubby is out doing me on the trip front and might be off to Spain in a few weeks for work. I reckon Sydney is just as good!

Who's coming to Sydney? Who would rather head off for Spain?

=)

Making Time

Nope. Alas I don't have a secret to share about adding hours to the day. Sorry if I got you here under false pretences.

I have a hectic few days coming up with 6 couples and their 10 kids (all under 5) coming here for dinner tonight, party tomorrow and in-laws visit all day Sunday. usually I'd just give up on writing since it's impossible when the kids are awake and we're busy through their sleep times, but today I'm determined. Somehow over the next few days I'm going to make time.

For writing.
Really, for me.

Not sure how yet but I'm determined to write at least 1500 words.

How do you make time?

TARA and June Challenge

Ok, so my excuse for the terrible lack of posting is that i have been busy trying to keep up with the June Challenge we down under types like to keep our winter warm with. So i signed up for 40k in June.... so not going to happen. But you know, some days I do reach target and it's great and it's 1334 words i wouldn't otherwise have.

I had a story planned and then the day before went for a different one. So I'm all about Kate at the moment. Perfect Kate who used to think she was, well that her life was perfect but turns out it really isn't. Could be a good thing too.

On a different note I found out I finalled in the TARA contest so am very happy with that news. Certainly brightened a glum week where hubby was snowed under with work and the kids were playing up cos they didn't get to see him. I find it hard to switch from being frustrated and trying to keep the kids from bickering to developing a love story...

How does real life affect your word count?
Oh, and do you like my new template thingamy?

=)

SENT!!

So the requested full is on it's way to New York with lots of good wishes to help it on its way.

Now what to do?

I think some reading to refill the well and there's always some critting for my lovely CPs. On a different note my YA experiment finalled in the TOM contest so i should get stuck into that. And there's a new catagory idea i've mapped out.

Maybe i'll read while i'm deciding!

Last weekend i attended Romancing The Novel - a one day Romance workshop/conference here in Adelaide. it was wonderful (and exhausting) to talk writing all day. There was even dinner afterwards!

The workshops from the fab Anna Campbell and Yvonne Lindsay were lightbulbing and i learnt heaps just chatting to all the wonderful local SARA authors we have (Trish Morey, Anne Oliver, Elizabeth Rolls, Amy Matthews and Claire Baxter - who i sat next to at dinner and have already devoured one of her wonderful books that she signed for me.).

Bring on August and the conference!!!

Lovecats

My dogs, Lion and Mat, are starring at Lovecats Downunder today. Please have a look, it's a part of Lion's plan to take over the universe!

The pic is from a few years ago. before we had kids we'd travel Australia and stay at places that were pet-friendly so the lads could come. It's a bit harder now but they're still adored family members.

Busy on the writing front polishing SIG after the Special Edition pitch. Gail was lovely and the other pitchers helped me keep the nerves under control, mostly. Still a bit stunned by the request cos it was about 2am my time and i'm scared the whole thing was a dream!

=)

5-5-5 Thingy and Emmy

This is: 5 questions, 5 answers, 5 blogs to tag.

So here goes:

Question 1: Where were you five years ago?
1. Pregnant with Princess 4.
2. Living at our little yellow cottage that was almost falling down
3. Two dogs and no kids (well a half). Now kids outnumber dogs
4. Doing my teaching prac for the degree i hope never to use
5. Feeling sick (see point 1 - 9 months of it!).

Question 2: What is (was) on your to do list today?
1. Host my mother's group (4 years and we meet every friday!) - check
2. Survive 11 kids trapped inside cos of the rain - fail... I'm stuffed
3. Collect MIL new purple laptop (keep away Rach) - check (but since when is 11am between 2-5 pm?)
4. Crit some chapters - fail.... but there's still time
5. Write something - fail.... throat sore and head is pounding

Question 3: What five snacks do you enjoy?
1. nacho cheese rice thins (low fat!!)
2. Grapes - like them in a cup next to me while i write
3. Coke zero... my 'yay kids are napping treat'
4. Far too much of the Easter chocolate!
5. Custard (but maybe I only want that cos my throat is sore)

Question 4: What five (4) places have you lived in?
1. Seaview Downs, Adelaide
2. Somerton Park, Adelaide
3. Glenelg, Adelaide
4. Nth Plympton, Adelaide... That's it... all within 15km....

Question 5: What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
1. Hire my MIL to nanny my kids
2. Travel
3. Look after my family - make sure they were all sorted
4. Donate to charity. There are sooo many good causes
5. Shop

Not sure there are 5 people who read this who haven't been tagged. If you are one, please consider yourself tagged.

On a different note, I was thrilled to final in the Emerald award. it means a lot. I know there were some excellent stories who didn't get through so I appreciate the luck involved and am thankful.

=)

The chop

I had some feedback from a comp that after the first chapter SIG read a little slow. It came up twice so I decided they might have a point and set about seeing what I could cut...

1250 words gone over two chapters. Oh, it hurt, but I hope it reads faster. And better. And i hope it still makes sense.

What about you? Taken the scissors to anything recently?

=)

Success of a kind

I think it's only fair when challenging myself I'm allowed to modify the rules.
=)
I discovered day 7 of my 7k in 7 days challenge would be a write off. We had to go to the in-law's farm for a family function. As today is a public holiday here i decided to have my day 7 today. Incidentally I didn't write at all on Thursday but that was more a choice thing, i did have time available.

Anyway, i made it. 7k in what turned out to be 8 days.

It helped with the NTA life stuff and plus I'm much further into the WIP.

Do you like to modify the rules?

Distraction

Life has been a bit of a distraction for me for the last few weeks. Things have happened that made creating nearly impossible.

And then this week it's all changed. I knew having a funeral and some other things on I could find myself wallowing but i decided in the best NTAI tradition that keeping busy would help. So I started a 7k in 7 days goal.

Do you know what?

It's working.
I'm too busy to think much and I'm having that virtuous 'i wrote some words (who cares if they're rubbish) today' feeling. I love that feeling.

Have you been too distracted to write?
Have you found writing to be a distraction from other things?

=)

Sizzling New Year and Goals

Here in South Oz it's been hot. Really, really hot. With kids home and trapped inside life has been a little crazy. Not to mention Joy baby turned 1 and learned to walk - uh, oh!

Our short holiday on a little island off the coast had lighthouse-keeper ideas springing to mind and lots of time on the beach to think about the WIP. Now I'm keen to get stuck in and get the re-write done and sent
.
Had some good contest news with an Emily final a few days ago so am thrilled and excited about that. Came 4th in each of the other contest so I'm hoping there's some improvement left in me. Will read through the feedback and try to apply it.

Cool change is due tonight...

Have been thinking about my goals for the year ahead. Most of them are writing related (other than enrol Princess 4 in school and get Master 2 out of nappies). I want to have my re-writes sent by the end of January. I'd like to polish HDP and SIG more and write two new stories. Sub something else before the end of June and enter 3 contests.

I can do all that!?!

I hope.

How's your year looking? Is it 42 deg celcius where you are?

=)