Paty must be off in the sticks and most everyone else seems to be getting ready for Nationals.. I'm taking the liberty of posting a challenge check-in.
Where are you in your work? I have until tomorrow night to finish the synopsis for the proposal. The deadline isn't until the 31st of this month, but when I agreed to have it to ye old editor even earlier, I was signed up for Nationals. The plan was I take it to S.F. and give it to her there. Now that I'm not going, I have to email it in time for to read it before she goes. So, ack!
Meanwhile 63 pages of book is almost ready to go with it and then all I have to do is get their approval (or not) and write the rest of the book in six weeks. Piece of cake. Excuse me while I hyperventilate in a corner.
Catch us up with what's going on in your writing life...
18 comments:
Hi, Alice!
Glad your hyperventilating -- I mean, writing -- is progressing!
I'm still in nonwriting mode and focusing on other projects.
I recently joined the Greater Seattle RWA chapter and helped judge their Emerald City opener contest. Judging contests may be my blog topic this coming Thursday. As always, I learned things that will help me in my own writing. It is also humbling that writers have the courage to entrust their dreams to strangers to "judge." As we do in our Mid-Willamette Valley chapter, the GSRWA wants their contest to be a kind, constructive experience. I was honored to help judge.
Edits on my February 2009 release are yet to be cone this next week after I draft two graphics projects.
And I will be sending a reminder of my August 5 contest promoting SONGS OF THE HEART. The hero's rock band is on a comeback tour, so contest prizes will be related to rock bands and music, as well as a Symphony chocolate bar. Yum!
Alice, hope you hear back soon from your editor so you can finish writing your book! Do you have release dates for these books yet?
"...yet to be done..." NOT "...yet to be cone..."
Sorry!
Genene, the release date for the current book is March 2009 (it's due Sept. 15th) -- you can probably see why there is NO TIME for delays, etc... It'll be a turn around book!
Your contest sounds yummy -- er, fun.
How nice of you to judge the Seattle contest. I haven't done much judging the past few years -- I used to do it quite a bit but now it seems I hardly have time. I think I'm getting slower and slower.
Carry on!
Wow, everyone's so busy! Alice, use a paper bag when you hyperventilate. It helps. You'll do great! Your editor will love the book.
Genene, judging contests is fun, isn't it? I'm judging 3rd reads for the Colorado Gold, those entries that received two sets of scores with a wide range between them. No pressure. I, too, am deeply embroiled in a graphics project: 52 graphs, 30 charts and tables, and about 100 pages of text to lay out. Which is why I didn't blog last Thursday (and still feel guilty about it). Your contest sounds like fun! I will make it a point to enter.
I heard from my agent and she's drafting the pitch letter to go out with submissions NEXT WEEK! Squeeee! Butterflies abound.
I'm preparing my workshop on writing description that I'll post on my blog next week for those who aren't going to nationals. Well, for anyone, actually. It's free and casual. I've never done a workshop via blog before so I'm eager to see how it works out.
Today I've been a slug as I recoup from a busy week. I have a distraction for you all that's too fun to resist. Alice? I know I can tempt you. 8^) Heh heh. http://www.theyfightcrime.org/ You'll love it!
Karen, LOL, you know me well. When I am working I can get distracted by almost anything, but this is my favorite on that site:
He's a Nobel prize-winning chivalrous hairdresser on the edge. She's a plucky gold-digging opera singer from Mars. They fight crime!
Those are Toooooooo funny. I know I am going to be writing them in my head while I should be writing a synopsis. THANKS A LOT!
Tell me how to access your blog next week so I can see what you're up to.
LOL, Alice!!! 8^) I knew you'd get into it.
This is what I got:
He's an uncontrollable coffee-fuelled filmmaker fleeing from a secret government programme. She's a wealthy belly-dancing hooker descended from a line of powerful witches. They fight crime!
Just the fact that she's a hooker with big bucks blows my mind. I must get to know my caffeinated movie maker and witchy prostitute! I see an adventure unfold where Fast Freddy the cinematic wonder tracks down the notorious Starbucks thief who has singlehandedly depleted every SB store in the world of its product. Witchy Wanda belly dances her way into the thief's heart with a love potion. But has she fallen under the spell herself? Stay tuned for Freddy's revenge as a coffee jones forces him to make a rash decision that threatens Wanda's life...
Snort.
Oh, yeah. Here's my blog:
www.karenduvall.blogspot.com
Karen. I've been sitting here for five minutes trying to come up with something clever while all the while my brain is shouting, "What, are you nuts? Go back to work!" So, defeated, I am going back to work. Love yours, though.
His framed nobel prize hanging on his shop wall like a trophy, Raphael investigates a murder committed with one of his salon's scissors. Martian nightengale Penelope Moonrock uses her extraterrestrial powers to seek out the fiend who fights back with powers of his own! The edgy hairdresser uses his secret super hairspray to fend off the attack, but the murderer's weapons are more than a match for the crime fighting duo. Will Penelope phone home in time to martial Martian re-enforcements? Or will the notorious Scissor Slicer claim her as his next victim...
Karen -- you're on a roll, girl.
Hi Alice!
I'm so glad you are making progress. I'm glad DH is on the slow mend!
You WILL meet your deadline, even if you end up (temporarily) bald headed :) We'll be waiting with wine (pun intended) and chocolate!
I'm slowly revising. Some days it's a whole scene, some days it's a paragraph. But it IS going forward.
I finished Suzanne Brockmann's new release, Into the Fire, and all your nationals ladies! You MUST stop by her table and get her extras for writers booklet and get the book. Of course, she basically writes Grey's Anatomy with SEALs, so you'll want to read the whole darn series, but I digress . . . . . By far the best day of my week was spent with my virtual tour, signed copy.
AAACK. It's Bethany again who made the mistake of checking email before blogging.
Wow, Alice, March 2009 IS really soon. No wonder you're under the gun, so to speak!
Karen, you've been looking at charts too long! Here's what I got at the Web site you suggested:He's a genetically engineered voodoo cowboy from the Mississippi delta. She's a cynical gold-digging schoolgirl descended from a line of powerful witches. They fight crime! I might be able to come up with a story about the cowboy...
Be sure to tell us what results your agent has with your manuscript. What fun!
Progress is progress, Miss Mid-Willamette Valley! And yes, this time I figured out it was you. Thanks for the words of encouragement! This is sink or swim day, I just wish I knew in what order to put the synopsis factoids. Something i missing --
Which book are you revising?
Alice--I'll be around this evening, and can hand baby to DH if you want me to look at synopsis and see if there are "Factoids" that are missing. I'm sure you will do GREAT. You are the reigning queen of synopsis writing, and your editor is well-used to your style which is a HUGE plus. It's not sink or swim day--it's SWIM. SWIM fast :)
I am revising the WIP that I've read from/talked about on here ad nausem--Heroine trying to save family business AND find husband/baby to boot, hereo is Beta Artist type.
Bethany
Ah, Wavy, that's a mighty generous offer. You may regret it!
I think I know the book you are talking about. It's the one starting at the funeral, right?
You were right, Alice, I was in the sticks!
Last week I didn't get any pages added but I went over some chapters after some insights from my CP. And over the weekend I received my edits on Miner, but I'm not opening those until I get back from Nationals.
I have my presentation all packed up and my clothes set out to pack. I'm judging at the county fair tomorrow and hop on the plane Tuesday morning. My cousin and her oldest daughter are meeting me Tuesday night for dinner in San Fran so that should be an enjoyable evening before the bedlam starts!
I really should join the Portland chapter and the Seattle chapter. One of these days. And i enjoy judging contests, but I can only do so much.
Everyone who isn't going to Nationals have a fun week without us!
Gosh, Paty, sometimes I get a case of the "shoulds" when I look at how much you do! Then I have to remember my own advice, breathe deeply and let it go. Because you're totally right -- all of us can only do so much, no matter how many hours of sleep we cut out. :)
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