Welcome to this week's edition of To-Do Tuesday. It seems to be either feast or famine in my in-box, and this week it's a feast of Elizabethan proportions. Also, thanks to people heeding the call to send news directly to To-Do Tuesday (just email me), I've got a bunch of news that hasn't been shared on the loop. As always, be sure to check out the question of day at the bottom, and keep that good news coming!
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Chris York Sells Story
The prolific Chris York has sold another short story. Her YA story, "Perfect Ten," was sold to DAW for their anthology, Witch High. Publication date TBA. The title alone has me intrigued, so I can't wait for that date to be announced! Congrats Chris!
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Paty Jager Inks Second Outlaw Contract
Another Chapter member having a banner year, MWVRWA president, Paty Jager has signed the contract with Wild Rose Press for Outlaw in Petticoats. This is the second book in Paty's Outlaw series, and we hope Paty can continue to build on the awesome success of Marshall in Petticoats. This week on the loop, Paty shared that readers are finding her books on shelves in stores as far away as New York! Paty also reports that she is nearing the end on the MS. Congrats Paty!
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Danita Cahill Suprised by Request
Danita started last week by reporting that she sent out 8 new email queries on her recently finished MS. She lamented the slow turn around times, but resolved to keep putting stuff out there. Well, she didn't have to wait very long at all! A top agency has requested the first 100 pages of Danita's MS! We've got everything crossed for you, Danita!
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Karen Duvall Gets Great Review
If you haven't had a chance to check out the latest glowing review of Karen's book Desert Guardian, do so now! It got a rare 5 crown review! Way to go Karen!
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Self-Promotion for the Tightwad
With all these sales and great reviews pouring in, Jamie Denton's Online Class: The Tightwad Gazette Guide to Self-Promotion should be on our To-Do lists! As a long time fan of the Tightwad Gazette & Jamie's writing, I'm intrigued by this well-organized offering. And it's CHEAP! At $20, it's a bargain even a tightwad can love! More information here.
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Bargain Contest
For those of us still in the trenches, another bargain arrived in my inbox. Romance Writers Ink is sponsoring an online contest--no printing and postage costs, and a cheap entry fee of $25. But, what really sets this contest apart from other online offerings is the top flight list of editors and agents. The deadline is in August, so you still have time to add this to your calendar! More information here.
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Question of the day: How to Get Back in the Game
On the heels of Alice's amazing post yesterday, I invite you to share your favorite ways of getting back in a writing frame of mind after a long hiatus. What works for you? What doesn't? Can you force your brain back or does that only backfire? Share your tips!
I hope you enjoyed today's banquet of good fortune! Remember to keep emailing me your news--big, small, and in-between! Keeping setting goals for yourself and keep us apprised of your progress!
15 comments:
Wavy-- Loved this post!
It means that I can comment however I like, about anything I like! LOL
Does this mean we have no news for Tuesday? Oh well, sometimes no news is the best news.
Happy Day anyway!
BTW...
I really had fun with you're challenge last Tuesday. It took me forever to get heroine packed and ready, but I did comment on it. Thanks for the great exercises you come up with for us. ;)
Good I'm not the only one getting only a comment section! LOL I thought maybe I'd been banned or something!
I'll have to go see what your heroine packed, Piper.
Umm I have no idea WHY there was a blank entry up while I was still editing today's post. I did have my post up for editing for over two hours (interruptions galore today!, I wonder if it published the post when it saved the drafts??? Weird. Weird. Weird. Check out the REAL post now!!!! And no exercise this week, but a fun question. I'll do an exercise next week--Thanks for the compliment!
Wow! Lots of good stuff going on in the chapter!
To get back into a story, I start reading it from the beginning and usually read through my notebook of reference information. And put on whatever music I happen to associate with the book. I might not get back into the story the first day, but by the second, I'm back in the groove.
It will be interesting to see what others have to say.
Great Post as usual, Wavy!
Paty's suggestion is a good one for getting back in a story you've been away from. As for getting back into writing after an enforced or accidental hiatus--that can be trickier. I'm not so good at fooling myself so I usually have to wait until my fickle muse settles down and allows me access to my own ambitions. And let me tell, that little scamp can really play head games with the best of them.
As usual, Wavy, excellent job with the Tuesday blog. Maybe we could add an exercise to the end of it every week as people seem to enjoy those. Maybe we could take turns or just privately email you subjects if you need help in that department.
Just an idea.
Alice
Oh, and Danita, yea! Way to go. Keep us posted.
Alice
A big WOO HOO for Chris York and the selling of her YA short story!One for Paty on her new contract for another Outlaw story, and for Danita on her 100 page request, and for Karen on her awesome review! You girls are rockin'!
Good questions Wavy-
My favorite way to get back to writing is having the house to myself. Total peace and quiet. This is a rare thing to happen around here though.
My dh works from home, in fact, his desk is about 4 feet from mine and he's always on the phone, yakking to his advertisers or his cronies that are in the same business. There's absolutely no way to concentrate when he's yakking. (likewise, I can't concentrate when there's a movie on or the radio, etc.)
It's always SOOO noisy in my house. With five kids running around, and each one with a friend over for most of the day, it's crazy around here.
But there is the other side of having everyone over here playing and hanging out. I can sometimes go to my room, shut the door, and let them take care of each other while I hide out and write or read. This doesn't happen very often, but it's nice when it does.
Like Paty, putting on certain music helps. No lyrics! I can't concentrate when there's lyrics. And you asked about forcing ones self to write, and the answer is, yes, I can. When I sit my butt in the chair, and it's quiet, I can write. I just go back a little in the WIP to see where I left off, and then I can usually pick back up.
Thanks for the great Tuesday information! Congratulations everyone!
Piper, MOVE YOUR DESK! Seriously, sharing office space with my DH was leading to all manner of headaches. Now, we each have space. Even if you have to carve a nook out of the bedroom or convert a closet, it's worth it not to have to be in the same room! If you have a laptop, you could keep your "office" under the bed with sliding bins.
LOL, Ah Wavy, you crack me up. The only way to explain to you about why this won't work is to have you come see my "house".
It's lucky I even have a desk. I seriously have zero room to move it anywhere. Maybe someday, when we actually build a real house I'll have a perfect office; but until then, I have chaos. :) It was a happy suggestion though, and I thank you for it. Still LOL!
Okay. Here's my latest answer on how to get back into the write space: Go to Borders. Sit in front of the genre of your deepest, wildest dreams. Don't avoid this section just because you haven't written in a while. No. Sit there. Really sit. Picture yourself THERE. But, really just marvel at all the pretty books. Eventually, the urge to write one may strike.
Book stores do to me what they do to Karen--they intimidate me.
I have been on those shelves in a modest way, but I'm not there now--what's wrong with me?
Writers are odd. Me and all present company included.
Alice
Thanks a lot, Alice, for calling us odd. Ha!
Although, I'm afraid you're right. We do dance to our own tune, don't we? And jolly well good and fine that we do. The world would be a sad place without us oddball writers -- no books, no plays, no TV programs, no movies.
Go us!!!
And as for your question, Wavy, I do the same: Go back through the work of the day before, edit a little, then take off writing.
PS Thanks for the well wishes, Piper and Alice. I'm pumped.
And hopeful. Pumped and hopeful.
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