Something-Something

Here it is, the long awaited end to Act One, the final scene. Dum da da Dum. And right on target with 20K. Yee Ha!

Please note this is a first draft and is missing a small piece in the middle which I noted.


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Blog Love

I just wanted to say Thank You for all the blog love yesterday on my post. Those of you who are my core, "get me" as Christi says. You understand. And for those of you who are new here, you will "get it" as the weeks go on and you get more followers.

Speaking of which, I'd like to give a big fat Piedmont Writer Welcome to Roland, Sweetsue, Terry, Gina, Samuel, EP and Ggray. The pool is open, breakfast/coffee is in the dining room. Feel free to browse around, comment, discuss. We're all friends. (And you know, I've been doing this welcome thing for so long now you might think I would link to these new writers so you guys could meet them too. Argh!)

Anyhoo -- I added another grand to REMEMBERING YOUyesterday. I think I'm ready to close the first act. Genna's having an attitude problem though so I don't know what she's going to do. I thought she was going to fall right into Tony's arms after the big reveal last week but...well, I won't spoil it for you. You can read it right here tomorrow. Don't forget, it'll only be up for 2 days.

Speaking of which, for those of you who read last week's installment, I thought I was going to end the act right there and then. (If I put chapters in, I will definately end the chapter there.) But now with Genna on her little tantrum, I'm not sure where this is going. I picked up my outline (haha) and read it again, and I'm still on track but I need a hook. The whole pregnancy bomb came from out of nowhere and made a fantastic hook but now that I've got more to write, I'm not sure what the hook will be now. I think I've got a clue, but that isn't supposed to happen until Act 2. Hmmmm....

I'm still thinking in the "romance formula" whereas this is supposed to be more "women's fiction" so I'm just writing, hoping it will turn itself into what I want it to be. Do you ever do that? Think it one way, but write it another? I know there are "rules" for certain genre's, mystery, romance, sci-fi/fantasy... certain elements need to be set forth right from the get-go. And as I started writing this in "romance" mode, it's sort of hard for me to get out of it. Sort of.
I know I know, just shut up and write. Okay, I will.

Have a lovely day. Stay tuned tomorrow for more of Genna & Tony.

How Do I Say This?

I'm having a hard time lately with the blog. Don't get me wrong, I love my blog. I love my "friends". I love reading other people's blogs. I love thinking about writing my blog, I love writing my blog. But...

It's not the same as it used to be. I know change is inevitable, and I'm sort of not complaining, I'm sort of kind of...sad. For the way it used to be.

I remember the first time someone commented on one of my very first blogs and I thought I was going to pee my pants I was so happy, someone thought what I said was worthy of a response. And those first comments turned into conversations and I had friends. Not 'follower friends' but real friends I could discuss my writing with. And somewhere along the way we got know each other better and shared some of our personal life. Not the bad stuff or the junk that we all go through but just enough to make us more 'real' to each other instead of "internet" friends.

And I know this blog is supposed to be "my platform" so I can get readers and fans and all kinds of followers to be famous enough so that when I sell my first book everyone will say, "Oh I know her from the blog, she's fabulous, go buy her book."

Now, as I'm nearing 100 followers/friends, I'm finding it increasingly harder to comment. Not only on my own blog but yours as well, because for each of those little tiny faces, I read each and every thing you post. I try and comment, I really do, but sometimes there's so many other responses to your blog I don't feel like you'll miss me if I don't respond. And now that I'm getting so many comments to my own posts, I feel so badly if I just say, "Thanks so much for reading this today. I appreciate it."

I want it to go back to the way it used to be. When we could share conversation over coffee. I want to be able to discuss the finer points of writing instead of a hastily scribbled, "I so hear you on that." I want to have the TIME to read and respond instead of just tearing through each blog without focus.

I know we all have real lives, and real goals, and kids, dogs, husbands, wives, dirt that needs to be shoveled. Maybe I'm just saying, don't think because I don't comment, I don't read you or hear you, the highs and lows, the excitement the disappointment. I do. And if I write a hastily scribbled, "hey thanks," it doesn't mean that I didn't read each and every comment you wrote and appreciate and love each and every one of you for caring enough to say something to me that day.

I don't want to be one of the bloggers that writes a post and doesn't respond. I could, but I don't want to. I need that connection between us. I like that connection. It's what puts us all in this same writing boat together.

And so I'll end this post with a plea to all those people who didn't check Sunday's blog from me, there are many many awards that haven't been picked up yet. I know, I've been around. I also know it was Easter Sunday and yesterday Monday, so scroll down now and see if your name is there. It might be, I gave out almost 30 awards.

So have a happy week.

The Dirt Has Arrived

Now I know most of you will wonder what the title of this blog post means so I shall tell you. I have been working on my yard because of the weather. I have dug post holes and put the poles in for the fence but I had to stop because I have a spot in my yard that needs dirt and I couldn't finish the fence until the BIG truck came. Well the dirt came Saturday. Yay! So I have been shoveling dirt for the last two days. Let me tell you how much the Monster Baby has loved this. I have never seen a child so filthy. I've also had to stock up on my Tylenols because this old body has never worked so hard. I shoveled 124 wheelbarrows between both days. My arms feel like jello.

I will also have to tell you that I compare working on my yard to working on my book. Because of the hole, (yes, a giant big gaping hole in my yard) that needed dirt, I had to fill it in first with leaves and twigs and other things that will compost. Then I had to move the free-standing deck in the middle of the yard because it was in the way of the truck. Then I had to move the little garden because it doesn't get any sun after April, also in the way of the truck. Next, on to the fence, which I had to stop production on because of the truck.

In the beginning of Genna & Tony's adventure, I had a big gaping hole in the middle of the plot. Which I have since filled in. Now, we had to move some things around, scenes, paragraphs, characters, waiting for the climatic scene at the end of Act One. Nothing could be done until I wrote that scene. Now I can go back in and finish all the scenes I couldn't finish. (Hence all the moving around and waiting to finish the fence because of the big gaping hole.)

So there, I am working on my book (sort of) but I really need to get the yard done before it either a)gets cold again-please God no, b) rains-please God no. Once the yard is finished (or until I break my body completely) I will be able to go back to Genna & Tony. Don't worry I'll still be posting on Thursday for the little Something-Something but I don't know what.

As to my friends who are anxiously awaiting an email from me about certain somethings...I have not forgotten you. I am ruminating, formulating and will be getting back to you hopefully by Wednesday. (Monster Baby will be back in school so I will have "quiet" time in which to respond.)

Happy Week everyone, I hope your Easter was full of bunnies and chicks and anything else made of chocolate.

And please scroll down to yesterday's blog where I posted awards for a whole mess o' people. I want you to have these, so please go see if you are listed anywhere.
And if I haven't given you one, I will.

Happy Easter Awards!

Happy Easter Everyone! As you know, two weeks ago I promised I wouldn't blog about all the awards I recieved. Well, I got some more. And I have to pass these on because, well, it's not right to keep them so without further ado...

I recieved the Super Comments Award from Nicole Ducleroir. Isn't he cute? I'd like to pass this one on to:



B. Miller,
Cynthia Reese,
Portia,
Kelly,
Lola,
Amanda,
Christine H.

Next up is Blogger Buddies Award I recieved from Christine. I pass this on to:


Tara
KLo
Amy
Susan
Steena
Erin

On to the Supportive Comments Award I recieved from Shelley Sly. I'd like to pass this award on to:


Julie Dao
Michele Embrath
VR Barkowski
Talli Roland
Christine Danek
Roxy Haynie
Chrystal Cook

Next is the Awesomesauce Award given to me by Tahereh.

DL Hammond
Nicole Ducleroir
Shelley Sly
Christi Goddard
Sarah A.
Sarah Jayne


And last but not least the Super Scribbler Award I received from DL.

This award goes to:
Summer
Sonshine Music
Isobael
Kristin
Elaine Smith
Julie Cross
E.Elle
Terry Towery


Now I'd like to say congratulations to all the winners. I'm sorry if you didn't recieve an award today, there will be more chances in the next few weeks. If you recieved an award that you already have, please feel free to switch them out.

I did not receive any special rules with any of these awards nor was limited to whom I could pass them on. I also apologize if I messed up your link.

Please please please, if you don't know any of these awesone writers, go to their blog and introduce yourself, tell them I sent you. You won't be disappointed.

Happy Happy Easter to one and all!

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

Well friends, thank you so much for your enthusiastic response on the 'twist' at the end of yesterday's post. Like I said, it shocked me almost as much as it shocked you. In all the months of planning and writing this story, that had never entered my mind. I love it though because it will add so much more to the original angst.
Tony will definitely be a mess now, can you imagine, he finds out not only did his dead wife drive Genna away, she LIED about the reason...and to find out Genna was pregnant when she came back from Italy. I think I have some heavy duty writing to do.

Okay enough of that.

I'd like to give a nice Piedmont Writer welcome to some new friends -- Matthew, KLO, Jamie, AJ, Joanne, Stephanie and KM. The pool's open now, suits required, alcohol optional.

As you can see from my sidebar I received a few new awards as well. I've got to re-arrange my blog, reformat, it's too busy now and slowly driving me crazy so I can imagine what it's doing to you. I'm not into the 'modern' movement at all, my house is full of antiques (junk no one else wanted) but I think I'd like my blog to be sleek, kind of chrome and monochromatic. I don't know why, it's a phase I think. It's spring, I have to re-do my nest.

Hey, I've got a birthday coming up. Earth Day is my birthday. My Dad's too. He's going to be 70. I'm not telling how old I am. But if you'd like to guess, please do. (The picture up on the blog is from 2008 Christmas so it's fairly recent.) I'll be celebrating all month. (I guess now I know where my daughter gets it.)

Back to the awards for a second...I will be passing these along over the weekend so check back in to see if you get one. I like to hand them out, personal-like, instead of the sometimes free-for-all done on other blogs. I don't take those (although I'd really like to) I like to have mine given to me.

Roxy over at A Woman's Write is having a contest. Go now and see what it's all about.

And I'm sure there are a lot of other contests running but I'm not a big contest-information-giver. I figure everyone else does and why be redundant. (That's a really big pet peeve of mine, redundancy, although funny, when I write, I'm soooo redundant...as shown yesterday on Roni's blog when she critted REMEMBERING YOU. I'm eating those words I wrote even as I type this.)

And so gentle readers, today was just a random thought post. I guess it could be filler. I don't know. Does anyone know what the filler days for blogs are? I thought it was Tues & Thurs but I'm not sure, some times it feels like Friday too with most of the BIG posts on Monday and Wednesday. Anyone have a clue?

Have a happy weekend and check back for the awards.

Something-Something

Okay, here goes. Now remember this is a FIRST draft. I've also cut out a few things from the original to try and make this shorter but I wanted you to get the gist.

Set-up: This is still Saturday night at the party at the bar after the girls come back from the ladies room.

****** Disclaimer -- Rated R for mature themes.


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