Wednesday equals write in

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Greetings and Salutations my fine feathered friends in internetland. Yes, Yes I am feeling rather verbose tonight. and I have clearly been watching too much Phineas and Ferb with my son. There are worse things.

So tonight was our first weekly write in after holiday break. I was determined to get some work done despite the strong desire to chat my head off and catch up on weeks of accumulated tid bits from my writing family. I imported my word doc written novel into schrivner and prepared for serious revision. I soon got the idea that I should only break a section into a chapter after I had revised it, sort of a way to keep track of where I was from writing time to writing time. This worked brilliantly as I edited and added bits to my chapters. I caught little mistakes, made grammar corrections, and polished a bit where I though my characters were flat. I even caught a time line mistake. I also chatted and shared stories with my fam. LOL.

And then of course it happened. My brand spanking new laptop declared itself out of space. Seriously the only thing I have loaded is schrivner and my novel. That’s it. But 20g is full. WTF? As I pondered this insanity and started to go down the rabbit hole of space usage, my son started complaining he was tired and wanted to go home so I put the laptop in suspend and decided to deal with the space emergency later. But I am not happy. Not one stinkin bit.

Edited seven chapters tonight. Not bad. Not bad.

January, why did it have to be January?

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Did you survive the holidays? or did you thrive?

I love a little stress, I do. Hence my Nano participation with glee. But when I end up pulling an all nighter at my father in law’s house the day before my Mother in laws’s celebration of life so I can finish my niece’s afghan for our Christmas that next afternoon…that’s cutting it a little close for my own comfort. But the afghan was beautiful. And I got a latte before I catered the reception.

Half the reason I was so behind was that I went to visit my good friend Missy for New Year’s Eve. I love going to her house. She has kids a bit older than mine and the second we arrive my son disappears upstairs to play with her kids. They all appear for meals but other than that we don’t see them. It is so awesome. Plus she and her husband have similar sense of humor to mine and my husbands. We play games, laugh too much, and drink more than is probably healthy. But it was New Years right?

I know what you are thinking. What does all this have to do with Nanowrimo? Not much. LOL. But after a cold yet dry week in Cali, we arrived home to non stop rain. And I liked it. So as I was driving along today I was reminded of the story I heard this year about why a rubber duck is the Nano symbol here in the Seattle area. I heard the story from someone who heard the story from someone who heard the story from someone, you get the picture.

Some Seattle folk had gone down to the University of Oregon to watch a football game against U-dub. At half time they noticed the Oregon duck wasn’t on the field and so they asked the animal handler why the duck wasn’t running around frolicking. The handler replied that it was raining.

And the hydrophobic duck was born that year as a nose thumb to U of Oregon. So now every November we all drag out our rubber ducks to each and every write in. Just in case you were wondering why….

In Cali we had plot ninjas. I prefer my ducks. There’s more scope for entertainment with ducks.

I have not written a word since the first week in December. My new mostly self imposed deadline is the end of January for completion. I want to take advantage of one of the winner prizes to get some hard copies of my novel published for free to give beta readers and that prize expires at the end of January. Stay tuned for updates in January twice a week.

Twas three nights before Christmas and all through the house

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 1 Comment

projects of crafting were screaming finish me on time this year.

Laughing.

Every year I plan for who is going to get homemade Christmas presents and how long that will take. The planning is critical because of Nano sucking up all my spare time in November. This year I was doing great. I actually planned to crochet a little during Nano in the thought that using my mind in a different form of creativity when I was too tired to write would actually revitalize me for writing. It must have worked cause I won Nano for the first time ever. And as a bonus I was obscenely ahead in my project plan.

That of course is where my downfall occurred. I though I could add a few things since I was so far ahead. Yes, I did it. I committed the biggest mistake project managers make. I allowed scope creep. And now I am hosed.

I already texted one family to let them know they would be getting New Year’s gifts rather than Christmas ones. At the rate I am going though, it might be Valentine’s gifts. LOL. Luckily they live in Park City, where it snows until June practically so they can still get several months of use out of their mittens even if they arrived in February. LOL.

So in an effort to light my stress fire I detail my situation here:

60% of an afghan to finish by January 1.

One mitten still to crochet and two sets to finish off ASAP.

Another set of mittens to finish by Dec 30th.

Two purses for my son’s little girlfriends by December 29th.

And one paint by number to finish by Dec 24 so it can dry and be framed in time to make it under the tree for Christmas morning. Yes I do dabble in multiple “just follow the instructions” types of arts/crafts.

Not to mention my son wants a purse for his own use and a set of mittens for his own use. He can keep dreaming on that one.

Sadly all this insanity means I have not written a word in two weeks. Two weeks I tell you. It must be a crime against the literary world to leave a novel starving to death for two weeks. I promise to feed it as soon as I clear off these little (snort) nagging projects.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. And if you don’t celebrate Christmas, happy whatever you do celebrate. Just enjoy the time with those you love. And get ready for a grueling run through editing hell, otherwise known as January and February.

A long, long time ago when I was not so old you know

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Well that week went by in a blink. Yowzers. Where did the days go? Ok I actually know where the days went.

Monday night my Father in Law arrived for a week long stay. The week leading up to our annual Christmas Party. Now I am constitutionally incapable of throwing a simply party. If I have a party, it is a PARTY.

So while I spent Tuesday with my Father in Law helping him with the myriad of technological issues he builds up between visits and Wednesday on the couch reading an entire book while my FIL took my son out for the day (oh heaven).

I spent Thursday culling recipes, assembling lists, and shopping. I spent Friday prep cooking and baking. Then Saturday morning cleaning and finish cooking for the afternoon event. I made ten mini ginger bread houses so each child in attendance could make their own. I will never make ginger bread again. It is evil.

I made 6 dozen sugar cookies for people to frost. Three dozen melted snowman cookies for people to decorate.

Then there was the real food. Don’t get me started on that.

Sunday we rode the Christmas train from North Bend to Snoqualmie.

IMG_20141207_134637

It was our first time, given we haven’t lived here all that long. What a good time. Although my cookies were definitely better. LOL.

Amusing notes from the week:

Thursday morning was the first Parent Teacher Conference for the kiddo. He’s in kinder this year. His report card was completely what we expected and so was the conference with one notable exception. Apparently when they have choice Henry always goes to “write a story.” At this age they draw a picture and then make squiggles or some letters below the picture to tell the story. When I brought them home and asked my son to tell me the story with each one he did for the most part but then on one booklet he flipped through it, looked at his squiggles, and then said “I know I wrote this story, but I have no idea what’s going on in it.”

All I could think was, “you get that from me kiddo” and then “Future Nanowrimo winner, right here.” It makes me want to cry just a smidge. He’s always been a technological genius, just like his daddy. It’s nice to see him with a bit of me.

Sad and Lonely, sad and lonely

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 1 Comment

won’t some sweet nano come back to me…..

I miss it. I do. I don’t know what to do with myself this morning without my Tuesday morning write in.

I had all these plans for this week. I was going to take this week off writing and get everything ready for our Christmas party on Saturday. I was going to run all of the accumulated goods to the various charities I donate to. I was going to finish all the small gifts I am crocheting for all my son’s girlfriends this week.

Instead what happened? Sunday night after I posted my blog, said I was done and was ready to put it aside for a bit, I laid in bed thinking of scenes I wanted to add, of research I still needed to do, and I almost got right back up again.

So yesterday I wrote. Just a little because I simply could not get through the day without opening my document.

And I have to wonder, does this mean I am on to something good with this novel or that I’m an addict?

We are the champions, my friends, and we’ll keep on writing to the end.

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And beyond.

win

It is late, so I will be brief.

I did make 50K this evening and validated my win. I also finished my novel today but it is not quite where I want it. I anticipate adding another 5-7K. Ideally I saw this novel as a nice 60K bathtub romance. I’d still like to see it near there.

Time spent writing: 2 hours.

Words today: 2701

Cumulative total: 50001 or 100%

( yes, I know my word count is slightly off from what Nano counted. Live with the inconsistency.)

It’s alright, It’s ok, welcome to this life

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stressing time, I have 29 hours to go. (Forgive me Leah Andreone for bastardizing your song)

Today was a stupendous writing day given the amount of time I had to accomplish a lot of words.

I am feeling the squeeze for a couple of reasons.

A) Thanksgiving weekend is when my family decorates for Christmas.

B) My father in law arrives Monday morning and my house hasn’t been cleaned in longer than I care to admit.

C) Nano is almost over. Meaning I am almost out of time.

Too many things to do all at once. I think I’ll go to bed.

Time spent writing: 90-100 minutes give or take at the write in.

Words Today: 2782

Cumulative total: 47300 or 94.6% (2700n to win)

Here we go again

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I have a confession to make. I did not write a single stinkin’ word on Thanksgiving. In fact I didn’t even open my document.

Oh no. Call the Nano police.

So this morning I woke up with 6600 words to write by Sunday at 1158PM in all reasonableness as I need a minute or two to upload my work for verification to Nano.

In honor of those 6600 words I will give you the 6 1/2 things I am grateful for this nano season.

1. My husband: He is amazing. How many people can say that their partner not only shares their dream, supports their dreams (emotionally, physically, financially) but that when they lose site of their dream and fall, their partner picks them back up and puts them back on the path. Enough said.

2. My son: He is so well behaved when I make him go to write ins with me. True at some write ins there are other kids who he adores. And at all the other write ins he gets fussed over for being cute and well behaved. And I lift his TV and electronic game limits for those days. And he gets to order whatever he wants while at the write in…wait why am I grateful for him? Sounds like I’m doing all the work. Then again that is my job and he does make me look good.

3. I live here in Washington.

4. Sno Valley Writes: They are a great group that welcomes new writers and makes a serious effort to help them feel included. There is not a single member of that group that wouldn’t help any fellow artist. They are amazing people as well as talented at their craft.

5. My friends: who watch my kid, listen to be grumble about plot issues, and generally accept my complete MIA status for the month of November but welcome me back in December with love.

6. Nanowrimo : For forcing me to stop talking about being a writer and start actually writing.

6 1/2: my dogs, for behaving half as well as I would like.

Time spent writing today: er, um, yeah. So I went to the Friday morning write in, PJ edition in honor of post thanksgiving. Alex and Jessica were there. We have way too much together. They share my sense of humor. This all translates into me writing bugger all at the write in. (650 words in 3 hours. snort. laugh. choke)

Words Today: 1086

Cumulative Total: 44518 or 89% (5482 to win)

Scene of the day:

I arrived in Lila’s room laden with a flowering plant, chocolates, and three new magazines.

“Darling, how nice to see you.” Lila reached for the box of chocolates. “You shouldn’t have, I’m getting monstrously fat.”

“I think that’s the baby.” I laughed.

Lila shrugged. “It’s a lovely excuse anyway to eat all the chocolates I want.”

“I didn’t know you needed an excuse. Nicholas doesn’t seem the type to keep you on a short leash.”

“He doesn’t but a girl has to maintain her figure to maintain her self-respect.” Lila said blandly while scraping the chocolate off the bottom of a crème center to figure out which flavor the cream was.

I laughed and wondered if that was my problem. I had lost a few pounds since my multiple heart break fiasco. My figure was suffering and my self-respect was nonexistent. I glanced down at the way my dress was bagging, my figure might soon be nonexistent if I didn’t do something about the situation. “You better give me one of those chocolates.”

Lila gave me a long look, “I think you need more than one sweetheart.”

If it’s Wednesday it must write in time again

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And if it’s the last Wednesday before the end of Nano, it’s multiple writing opportunities through out the day, so this will be a multiple edit post.

Wrote for 45 minutes this morning, while listening to my dogs fight with each rather than the cat. Progress? I guess so.

1194 Words.

Off to Yoga so my back and shoulders can handle the several more hours of writing I have scheduled today. Talk to you soon.

Just got back from an Hour and a half at Kids Bounce. I normally hate this place. It’s a popular play date destination due to the constant rain here most of the fall, winter, and spring. But it’s so loud you practically have to scream to talk to anyone. Today we had no play date scheduled. So I wrote. woohoo. Despite balancing my laptop, screaming kids, and kiddie music popping over the whole mess.

Check off another 1700 words. Bam.

Finished up the Wednesday of multiple writing sessions with our standard Wednesday night write in at Jay Berrys. They are so nice to us here. They put up with the hours we hog tables and even smile politely when one of the kids knock a glass off the table and it breaks in the middle of the dinner rush. And yes that was my kid.

Total writing time: I think around four hours. I had two hours before I came to the official write in tonight but then I think I chatted more than I wrote.

Words for today: 3744

Total Words: 43432 or 86.9% (Not behind)

Scene for the day:

When I filled Lila in on the previous night’s happenings, she was prosaic. “Only the dead have seen the end of war.”

“I don’t see what in bloody hell Plato has to do with it.” I was irritated beyond belief with her this morning. Although if I was being honest I was just irritated beyond bloody hell full stop this morning.

“Unless you plan to roll over and die, the battle is only over if you want it that way.”

“If you have any more brilliant ideas, I am all ears. Short of taking out a column in the newspaper name advertising I am not engaged to Patrick Dumount and never will be, I really have nothing left.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Lila sounded amused.

“Yes, it is.” I ate a chocolate and waited for her next stroke of genius.

Lila helped herself to a chocolate and made thinking noises. This was not a good sign. She had never produced a single stroke of genius while thinking.

Just another Manic Monday….

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Wait, that was yesterday.

Just Another Troublesome Tuesday, ohhhhhh ohhhhh

I have a migraine.

I have a loud five year old who can’t wait for his first four day weekend.

My son has a cat who used to creep downstairs and attack my puppy while he was sleeping. So now said puppy is a big, bad hunter and i just broke up my third cat versus dog fight of the day. Did I mention I have a migraine?

Time Spent Writing: hour and fifteen, give or take.

Words Today: 1247 all at the write in

Cumulative Total: 39688 or 79.4% (1987 behind)

Scene for the day:

My father said nothing for a moment. “You haven’t explained the circumstances but no matter what they were, your friend Frankie put herself in harms way when she enlisted as a QA. She died in service to her country. Not for you. Not for Patrick.”

I began to cry. My father slipped his handkerchief into my hand.

“You know I don’t think much of Americans but Patton said ‘It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.’ Or women in this case.”

With this pronouncement he left the room, leaving me alone with my ghosts as I mourned all that I had lost, real and imagined.