When Lightning Strikes

Good morning.

I got my crits back for THE DUKE'S DIVORCE and they weren't that bad. Like I said the other day, I've been working on my writing and self-editing skills over the course of the last few years, so everything is more or less really tight when I hand it off. I'm really proud of that about me. It also gives the critters less to have to correct.

However, during the course of the week I waited (yeah, only a week, how fab are my critters -- LOVE THEM!) I was restless. I was so used to writing every day, now I didn't have anything to write. I wrote up some blog posts, I took another look at THE LADY'S MASQUERADE but decided that needed too much work to get into before diving back into DIVORCE, so I put it away again.

I was itchy. I wanted to write something NEW. But I had nothing. No new characters, no new plot lines. Nothing "spoke" to me. So I figured, well I may as well enjoy the silence and clean my house.

No sooner had I switched off my brain, I was driving to the grocery store and BLAM, out of the blue, I had an idea. Not just any idea mind you, but a BRILLIANT idea! And not just an "idea" but the whole concept of the story, start to finish. And not just the beginning, middle, and end, but everything in between.

And so I began writing. And I couldn't stop. In a couple of hours I had about 3,000 words. It's just a short story, so I hope to have it finished by the end of the week, which means THE DUKE'S DIVORCE is going to have to wait.

Tell me -- Do you ever get caught up in a Shiny New Idea to the exclusion of everything else? Or do you jot notes down and put it away for later?

Oh, and on Friday I have the fabulous Alex J. Cavanaugh here at the Grille for an interview about his writing process for his new release CassaFire. Hope you'll stop by!

To Borrow From Hannah

I know I said I was going to pass along all the awards I've been given over the last so-many-months, and I had every intention of it, but guess what. My molly has been flogged. (I don't pretend to know what that actually means, but it sounds right. Thanks Hannah.)

I apologize to all of you who came here for the awards I promised. My life does not belong to me since my mother has decided to re-do her kitchen. I spent the entire weekend at her house going over checklists, perusing floor samples, counter top samples, taking a ride to the big-box-hardware-stores for light fixtures, draw pulls, and whatever else she wanted to look at.

My father built all of our houses and always put in whatever he wanted. My father can't do it this time, however he did build several cabinets so they will be incorporated into the new kitchen. It is an entire gut, floor to ceiling, electric and plumbing. And moving appliances from one side of the room to the other.

My mother is clueless and so I am helping her decide what she wants. I am giving her the benefit of my experience in the house make over department. My mother cannot even paint her own fingernails. Oy.

The two lovely ladies who offered to read my Ellis and Violet book gave me thumbs up on the project so I will not be tearing any walls down there. But because my mother needs me, I haven't been able to work on it as much as I'd like to. An hour here or there which disrupts my flow and ability to think it all through.

I also have several other things going on this week so I don't even think I will be posting on Wednesday. Oy.

My apologies again. I think this disruption in my writing schedule has something to do with the crazy moon. I have to blame it on something, right? I can't blame it on my mother can I? Can I?

Swing and a Miss

Good Monday morning everyone. I hope you were fruitful and multiplied your word counts this weekend.

I hit a snag Friday lunchtime when I opened the mailbox and found to my horror the last partial requested, returned. I went to the kitchen with shaking hands, hoping, praying and I only found a form rejection. I was pissed, I was hurt, but I had to shake it off because Monster Baby was having a play date and I was looking forward to the 'Mommy Talk' time. It was a great afternoon because they stayed until six pm and I didn't have to THINK about the rejection. I discussed it with her but as she's not a writer, she only said she was sorry and we moved on to other conversation.

Later that night when I checked the comments from my blog post I found a friend whom I've neglected these last few weeks. Not intentional, but she's writing and doing some great stuff so I haven't wanted to bother her, but with the rejection I knew she was the person who I needed to tell. So I wrote her a long letter and she responded with the most wonderful letter back and put it all into perspective for me. Agents don't usually give feedback on partials. I kinda' sorta' knew that, but not, you know. I mean, I'm sure some of them do, but not any that I've been sending to. And that's what's been eating at my craw. How do I know what I'm doing wrong with my book? And my lovely dear sweet friend said, "There's nothing wrong with your book. You're a strong writer, you know the rules for grammar and composition, your plot and dialogue are fully developed. It's just the market right now." She then told me about a friend of hers who's been writing for ten years and finally got picked up this last spring.

That's really scary to me that I might have to keep doing this for the next decade without a bite but I know I can't give up. As you saw in Friday's post, there's nothing like writing in the whole world. So, onward.

Over the weekend I received an award, I've also been hoarding two or three more from week's past. I'm getting bad with these things. They are so appreciated and I am so honored to get them. I promise this weekend, I'll post them all.

I also got a letter in my in-box on Saturday morning that completely took me by HUGE surprise. It was completely unexpected and really kind of funny -- you know how you just put stuff out there and forget about it and then when you least expect it, it reappears. Kind of like a query but not. Anyway, in a few days/weeks I'll be able to share it with you. I'm still kind of overwhelmed by it, because quite honestly I keep thinking, "Little old me? You want my little old piece of writing?" So that's something good to take the sting out of the rejection. And maybe, just maybe, one of these agents will take me seriously after they see it. (I know, I bet you're just dying to know what it is. I honestly can't tell you yet. But when I can, you'll be the first to hear.)

I also got down and dirty with my funky old manuscript. I started writing and ended up with another 2500 words. It's not as much as I'd like, and it's really really bad writing but I don't care. I wrote three new scenes but not. I just kind of fleshed out the dialogue, wrote out a love scene, and another scene with the dog. (Yes, there is a dog, and no he doesn't die.) I don't even know what to call that kind of writing. It's not a first draft, there's so much missing, but it's more than an outline. Notes? But more than that.

Also, I finally got to go to B&N. I received two gift cards at Christmas and finally had enough free time to get there (half hour drive) so Monster Baby and I left first thing Friday morning before it got too hot. I haven't been in B&N in so long. It's just like church. (Haven't been there in a long time either.) All those book cases, the smell of brand new books, 50% off stickers. I was in heaven. I bought Stephen King's ON WRITING, a horse book for MB and Writer's Digest magazine. I forgot how expensive new books are. I wanted to get Donald Maass' book too but didn't have enough.

We then traversed across more of the city to the used book store (don't hate me) and I found -- you'll never believe because I really can't believe it either -- the book I have been wanting to buy for 10 years, which I did buy before we moved but then I lost it in the move. Well, as I was brushing my teeth that morning, I said to myself, "If by any half a shot, they have that book for $5- I'm going to buy it." (Because they never have that book. Nobody ever has that book.) I went to the section and almost peed in my pants when I saw it. I squeed in the store and MB came running over. She thought I hurt myself. It was $5.10. I checked my pocket and found $17-. Movies for her, more books for me, and McD's for lunch. Yay!

So that was my exciting weekend. I'm thinking my Wednesday posts will be excerpts --WiP Wednesday's -- or something like that. And Friday's will be the Grille as usual. (Thanks Davin, that made my day!) I hope your weekend was productive and your week will be even more. Write on everyone!