OhNaNoMyNaNo November 17, 2010

It’s that time — the midway NaNo update. I had planned to tell you about my progress a little more often, but here we are on the downslope of November (don’t get me started on that…) and I haven’t told you how it’s going. I knew going into NaNo as a gainfully employed person that [...]

NaNoWeeeeeeeeeeeeeMo November 10, 2010

Last week I had the honor of meeting another online writing friend, Erica. We’ve been friends for a couple years and even though I’ve been in Michigan for over eight months, this was the first time we’ve gotten together. She drove an hour and a half (!!) to join me at a local NaNo write-in. [...]

Interview with S.G. Browne. Yes, There are Zombies. October 29, 2010

Tomorrow I will have the honor of meeting S.G. Browne, author of the upcoming Fated, “a dark, irreverent comedy about fate, destiny, and the consequences of getting involved with humans.” Kirkus Reviews calls Browne “one of America’s best satiric novelists.” I’ve only known him for a couple weeks, but from what I’ve seen, I’d have to [...]

Ahh, Plotting October 27, 2010

One of the rules of NaNo is you cannot start writing the actual story until November 1st. I wrote eight or so pages last spring, and while I plan to use them, I’m no longer going to start the story in the same place so it’ll just be filler. I figure I’m going to need [...]

Stop! NaNo Time* October 22, 2010

It’s that time of year! NaNoWriMo — National Novel Writing Month for those of you not in the know — starts November 1st and I’ve already signed up. NaNo challenges writers to write a novel in a month. Simple, right? Yeah, yeah. Stop laughing. It’s been done before. Even by me. After the Fall, which [...]

Shiny New Notebook October 18, 2010

Last week my coworkers and I went to a paper show in Grand Rapids. I have received TONS of HILARIOUS comments about how exciting a paper show sounds, but trust me, it’s exciting. Yes, the theme is paper, but it’s how the paper is presented that draws the crowd. Each company tries to outdo the [...]

#amquerying October 13, 2010

I just thought I should get that out there. I don’t plan to give updates here unless it’s something fabulous, but after all the build-up over the past few months I felt like I should let you know I’ve released my baby to the wild!

Ineffective Motivation September 27, 2010

I’m not sure when I started doing this, but for the past year or so I’ve treated reading books as a reward. If I have a project hanging over my head that I really need to finish I won’t allow myself to start a new book until I’ve finished it. I love reading so in [...]

Yet Another Sign That I Truly Am a Writer September 20, 2010

I suck. My book sucks. Why would anyone want to read this? I don’t even want to read this. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? I may as well quit now and save agents the hassle of ignoring my query. Ever had these thoughts? That’s been the constant monologue running through [...]

Stories are Everywhere September 8, 2010

As I left the plane behind me last night, I paused near the waiting area as an anxious family rushed forward. A caucasian couple a few years older than me, trailed by two teenagers and two little girls around six or seven years old, moved as one unit, then stopped a few feet away. What [...]