Category: Writers Cafes

Wednesday Writer’s Update 9/28

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 2 Comments

I made it cafe tonight. I was later than all get out, but I got here. I managed to break away from gravitational force that is my kiddo. Want to know how? I spent 2.5 hours sorting through legos so kiddo could rebuild a set that had been dismantled. So when daddy got home and I announced I was going to cafe, kiddo gave me a hug and let me out the door. Woohoo! If only I had 2.5 hours every Wednesday….

So Monday after my second geography class, I was checking with a mom to see if she got the notes I emailed out and she told me her daughter couldn’t stop talking about my class last week. Huh? Who knew teenagers actually listen….

I find I am spending about 3 hours of prep time per 50 minutes of class. On the plus side if I teach this again in a few years, I’ll be good to go. LOL.

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Um…did that short one earlier this month, about writing, so I am good for 3 more days. LOL

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ So this year has gone, not quite according to plan. I think only 2 people are publishing this year and I am not one of them. However, we are going to do the class again next year with a more relaxed time frame.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ So my beta edits are waiting for me. I’ve looked at them a bit. I’ve at least decided which ones I’m throwing out. I know where my book is going, I know what I want it to be.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Teaching. First Nano class is this Friday. I feel like it’s so short til Nano, I really wanted more time to talk plot and characters with them, to go through some exercises, but we have only 4 classes before the writing begins in earnest.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ I have done something horrid to my right shoulder. I think it’s some sort of hang over from all the painting I’ve been doing around the house. And I’m still not done. Oh well, we used good paint, with a little luck my shoulder will recover before I have to do it again.

– yoga daily.

√ eh, more like every other day. Whatever, I’m showering every day, mostly. LOL. Priorities right?

Wednesday Writer’s Update

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I’m off to spend the day in Portland with the kiddo, a friend, and her kiddo. The friend and I are both foodies and Portland is a mecca of amazing food. To quote Hercule Poirot, the great sadness of my life (on days like these) is that you can eat but three times a day. LOL

We’re also going to Washington Park. maybe the zoo, maybe the children’s museum, maybe the arboretum. Maybe the forestry center. That’s the cool thing about Washington Park.

We’ll definitely hit Powells. Some day they’ll carry my books. LOL

So a quick update on my world:

My first 6 week session curriculum is 70% done. Haven’t started any other sessions yet.

I just realized I owe my script for Bard and Starlett by tomorrow.

I am struggling to find programming teachers for classes we have students for because our previous teacher, cough cough Microsoft, backed out over the summer.

I’ve mulling over my  beta feedback on my spy novel. There is a lot of dichotomy that needs to be resolved. People seem to want different kinds of novels. I need to sort out what kind of novel I want and look at the changes people who are shaping in that direction want to see, if that makes sense. My brain is working on it.

I owe Beta to my nephew. By the weekend. sigh.

I have to send nasty grams on behalf of the pool board to the members who still haven’t paid their second half dues, which were due July 1. Seriously people?

But a lot of that work, actually makes me happy. It’s what matters to me. I care about the coop, I want to be writing again, and god knows I wanted someone to encourage and help me when I was my nephew’s age.

Just that last item can go away. LOL

Wednesday Writer’s Update 8/31

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 8 Comments

Good evening my friends. It’s been a bit of a rough day. I had a fat migraine. Probably due to too much painting, house painting that is. I clearly rearranged parts of my spine and they are registering their disapproval. Loudly.

Speaking of registering disapproval. The President of the coop my son goes to went off to Italy a week ago. Turns out she didn’t do anything she said she would handle before she left. And worse she didn’t tell anyone she didn’t handle it. Hot potato in my lap in the last 24 hours. Did I neglect to mention I’m the VP of Education? LOL

The lesson to be learned here. Do not volunteer for things. LOL. Ever.

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Finally a writing challenge. Dan posted this one last Friday to kick off the challenge season on his blog. Finish the following sentence. The most important thing about writing a book is…

…. finishing it.

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ We covered using create space last weekend and a bit about cover design.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ I am no longer dreading digging into my beta changes. But I am wondering why I bother. Seems like everyone has an opinion and they all conflict. LOL. What I really need to do is find my base, my solid, my home. Then the changes will be obvious.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Preparing, preparing, I swear. LOL

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ Er, totally broke this. Painted the house to much I could barely raise my right arm this week. oops.

– yoga daily.

√ five out of seven. Good enough for government work.

 

Wednesday Writer’s Update

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 6 Comments

Holy crap it’s Wednesday, huh? Yeah that’s what I thought about five minutes ago. I’m not at cafe. But this was a planned pass. I went out Monday with the ladies from write in to send off one of our own in style (extended sabbatical not death). And since I had plans Tuesday as well (Cinebarre=alcohol and a movie with a different group of ladies), there was no way I could pull off three nights in a row. My husband would lose it. LOL

So what am I doing with my planned evenings of relaxation? ROFL. Wild guess and the first two don’t count. Yes, I am indeed doing crap for the club. Let me fill you in on the drama. Last Saturday two fine, upstanding, mature members of the club decided to get into a fist fight at the pool. Yes, you read that right. The police were called. Civil allegations are flying. We as a board are trying to stay out of it, other than to send a nice letter reminding them that swearing, pushing, and name calling are against pool rules-don’t do it again.

But the police want the video. The problem with this is multifaceted.

A) no one on the board even knew if the camera system still worked

B) no one knew where the recording device physically lived until yesterday

C) the remote control is broken which means you can’t use the search function

D) this means you have to rewind to where you want to view. In this case five days ago now. At it’s fab rewind rate of 5 minutes per hour of video, I’ll be going back to the club house, climbing the world’s ricketiest ladder into the attic, at about 1030 tonight, to see if the cameras even caught the incident.

Don’t you want to be me? I live the most exciting life.

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Bwahahahahhaha

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Yeah. Class is this Saturday due to some library reschedule fun. At least I’m not sick this time.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ I still haven’t dove into my beta but I can see it as a possibility, soon.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Actually doing some work on this. Highlighting Guns, Germs, and Steel like I have stock in Sharpie.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ Actually my back is tore. I’ve been painting the house lately. And my lower back objects.

– yoga daily.

√ er, every other day this last week.

Wednesday Writers Update

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

Ha- I’m actually at cafe. No, really. I am. I’m waiting on my chicken pesto three cheese gluten free pizza. ooh it’s here. Hold please, must consume food.

Ok, I’m back. So my friend V is very excited about this publishing convention cruise she heard about. But dang it’s pricey. 200 for the convention. 600 for the cruise. plus flight from PacNW to Florida. If only. sigh. Part of me thinks it could be a great investment but then I think for 2K I could do a lot of online marketing. ALOT.

I think it’s probably a no brainer. I’ll saving cruising for the fam and spend my novel dollars where it might do some good.

I’ve forgotten how many interesting and random conversations I end up having at write in.

-Whether a character should be made to be more obviously evil.

-Car accident someone had

-the cruise

-time difference to Germany

-the process of creating a name for a new species

-pokemon go and traveling to catch unique pokemons

 

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Totally did not happen in July and is very unlikely to happen in August. It will become obvious as you read on.

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Working on it.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ Beta is back and now I need to fix it. Get out the sledge hammer.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ I got one of the books I was planning to use for research. That’s forward motion.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ Been doing well since I have no time to do anything fun. pout.

– yoga daily.

√ Actually I have been doing this.

–  New Goals: Survive the pool board

I think it’s down below ten hours a week which is good because I’m ramping up responsibility at the coop my son attends and where I’m on the board. Yes, I’m on two boards. Yes, I’m crazy. I get that. But I really thought the pool would be low key. And I love the coop. Ok that might be a stretch, but my son loves the coop and I am willing to put in the hours to make it a good place for him to thrive.

I’ve done 3 of the 72 things on my August to do list. Think I’ll make it? ROFL

Wednesday (No) Writing Update

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

ha.

I’m not at cafe.

I’m not writing.

I’m not processing my beta edits.

I’m not painting my house.

I’m not writing curriculum for the school year which starts in 6 weeks.

I’m not yoga every day.

I’m barely even showering regularly.

Although perhaps taken together some of these things aren’t so bad. LOL

It appears I have found my sense of humor again, maybe. I can’t be depressed if I’m still laughing at myself right?

Tell me a joke, make me laugh.

 

Wednesday Writer’s Update

~ tahenryauthoress ~ Leave a comment

Guess where I am?

Sigh, yes, I am at home. Sometimes being a parent sucks. I started the day telling kiddo we would be going to cafe tonight and he was soooo excited. Pizza! Friends! Pizza! Yeah! I reminded him he had to do his chores first. Sure, mom.

We got home from camp before one. I agreed to lunch and a token’s worth of TV (30  minutes). Yep. It’s 6 PM and he still hasn’t finished. Still whining that it’s too hard. There’s too much mess. Um, and who’s legos made this mess?

sigh. I miss you all…

 

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Oh god, another month down the drain. Can I use the excuse that it just doesn’t seem like there are as many challenges right now? Every one seems to be on hiatus for summer. No?  Fine. I failed. Again. >raspberry<

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Rolling along. I’m not so sure about everyone publishing this year. But I think they will publish quality. A lot of participants are busy with rewrites and poking at the title, first page, and back cover copy.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ First draft done. Out for Beta. So far feedback has been hated it. I’ve had two others finish it recently and tell me they liked it a lot but they have notes. I’m waiting to see those notes. LOL. And two others haven’t gotten back to me. But I had someone ask me today if I wanted to really hear what she thought my novel needed. To which my response was: If I didn’t think it needed work, I would have just published already. It’s a good place to be in.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ groan. I am so screwed. I haven’t even started on my geography class. And I just got another class added to my schedule, but it’s comp. I can teach comp in my sleep.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ The only thing I am doing compulsively these days, is working on straightening out the financials for the pool board. And sadly, that is all I am doing full stop.

– yoga daily.

√ Does every other day count? LOL

Wednesday Writer’s Update

~ tahenryauthoress ~ Leave a comment

I Sick.

bleh.

But this weekend, don’t miss Capital Indie Book Con in Olympia. It’s free admission and well worth the drive! Tons of NW authors to meet and great books to find. Check out the Facebook Page for more information.

https://www.facebook.com/events/209543229398937/?active_tab=posts

I’ll be there with bells on.

Yes, with other clothes on as well.

Naughty minded people. LOL

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Negatory, but July is still young right?

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Yep, this weekend is our next session and I’ll be addressing how to actually format your book in Create Space and on Kindle. Plus there will be more first page/summary/letter idol. Then I’ll be off to Indie Book Con in Olympia.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ First draft in the can and out to writers for beta. So far one beta is back and my books stinks. LOL. Can’t wait to hear what other people think.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Vaguely preparing? I’m sick, leave me alone.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ Sure.

– yoga daily.

√ Yes until today when I woke up with my hubs cold. Bah. Marriage.

Wednesday Writer’s Update 7/6

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 2 Comments

Hello darlings. Want to guess what my next sentence will be?

I am not at writers cafe. LOL. How many of you got that right?

A good friend of mine called this morning, a family member was dying, could I take her two youngest? Of course I said yes and told her not to worry, just to collect them when she could, even if that was not today.

So I have three kids right now. And while I think that’s pretty easy peasy (at least with this set of kids), dumping three kids on the hubs…um yeah, not happening.

So I’m home, trying to get some work done. Things for the club. Things for that book I’m editing for a friend. Doing a little reading. Stunned I managed to walk the dog, yoga, and shower this morning. LOL

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ New month, I haven’t failed July yet. LOL

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ yep. posted last weekend about the June meeting, posting this weekend about writing summaries. Check it out.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ First draft done and out to writer beta.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Working on that actually. Reading a book I might use for my geography class.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ This has been good, partly because the club is sucking up so much time I don’t have any to spare to paint, crochet, or …

-Yoga daily

√ Much, much better.

Wednesday Writer’s Update 6/29

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

I decided to stop calling this Writer’s Cafe since my chances of making it regularly this summer are slim. The work around for the no Wednesday sitter issue will be to go after my husband gets home from work I think. But since some weeks he’s home by 640, which would make me an hour late-not too bad, and some weeks he’s home at 815-LOL. Yeah. It’s hard for me to have things be so up in the air. I am a planner. That’s how I handle all that I do, by having a plan.

Which now that I write that, makes me laugh as I am a huge panster when it comes to my writing. LOL. Maybe that’s all the spontaneity my life can accept. hrm…file that under things to mull over when I have the spare time. cough. right….moving on…

I usually tell a funny story that happened at Cafe but since I don’t have any of those right now….Monday morning my hubs shaved his goatee off. My son told him it was weird. Then later in the car I was explaining an idea to my son and he says, “That’s weird mom. Not like dad without his goatee weird, but weird.” bwahahahahha

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Negatory. And June is almost over. Sigh. Well, no one is perfect. And Friday is another month. LOL

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Yup. I’m super proud of this little group that’s ripped the band-aid off and are moving forward. It takes guts to put your work out there to be critiqued, then beta’d, then to publish or seek a publisher, but they’re doing it.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ So first draft is done and out to Beta. I have four readers this first go round and a couple of people already asking to be in the second one. I’m breaking it down, first go round is for other writers who want to give me writerly feedback instead of reader feedback. Second go round is for the reader experience. If you want in, let me know.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Actually working on this, reading a non fiction book which may or may not be applicable. Have to wait til I’m done. LOL

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ Sadly I have had almost no time to compulsively do anything this week. The Club. Oh, the Club. LOL

– yoga daily.

√ No way, not even close. Right now I’m at some sort of three times a week 2 1/2 hour work out situation, which is so not ideal but what I can get on the schedule right now. I keep thinking another couple of weeks and the club will be all reasonable and manageable again. Another couple of weeks and I can spend 30 minutes a day on club business instead of what I’m averaging now which is four hours. Yes, FOUR A DAY. Bleh.