CampNaNoWriMo: Last Week Jitters

It's been a rough three weeks. My lil girl had spring break from school, my hubby had oral surgery and I've completely abandoned the house work. Somehow I've managed to stay more or less on track with my camp goal of 50k. Only 10k left to go as of this post, but it's had its ups and downs.

Last week it was all I could do to get just a few hundred words typed for this story. Shadow's Fall has proven to have characters that have a mind of their own and the plot went completely twisty turby. It kind of looks like a pretzel when I look at it. In the last stretch now I know there are parts I'm going to have to go back to and work on. I've left a couple of half chapters with vague dialog and actions. Defiantly going to have to fill those in.

But I always get a case of the jitters at this point of any NaNoWriMo challenge. (When I've made it to this point anyway). I also get these jitters when I'm getting to the last few chapters of any story. I know I'm going to have a lot of work ahead of me even after I type in "The End" and that's okay.

For those writers struggling to meet their word counts here's a shout out: You Got This! 

You do. Even if we don't meet the challenge we've got a lot accomplished. Whether it's 2,000 words or 40k words, there has been something added to the stories that keep us awake at night. So keep going. Keep telling those stories and don't quit.

Peace and Love everyone and keep the stories flowing.

CampNaNoWriMo : Break Time

I love camp. I love writing, but sometimes I go into writing overload. I just write and write and write and the life going on around me goes a bit ignored. My husband keeps me balanced as best he can and my daughter knows how to grab my attention. So my family is still there, but my brain doesn't always know when to take a break.

To fix this I cut time out of  my writing schedule for me time. This past week my me time has been all about an anime. Fairy Tail is a great way to let the mind rest and recharge. The characters are rich and the stories are enjoyable. While watching one of the later story arches I realized it was the characters I loved more than anything. They are proof that fictional characters can make you cry, laugh, fall in love and want to kill them. (Any reader already knows fictional characters can do this.)

I'm pulling one of my favorite characters out for a bit of character study. This is a great way to look at how an already complete character is setup and can help an author give some depth to their own characters.


Cana

She is a drunk with daddy issues. And I mean a drunk. In the anime she can turn up a barrel and drain it. Thankfully she's a functioning drunk. This means that even while three sheets to the wind she can walk out into the middle of an arena and pull off one of the most powerful spells of the Fairy Tail Guild.

Cana is loyal to her guild members. She is strong enough to fight off enemy guilds and still deal with her own emotional stuff. Cana's mother died when Cana was very young and the small child wondered around until she found the guild her father was apart of. She had never met her father, only heard about him. Then she sees him and realizes he doesn't recognize her as his child. So Cana decides she's not going to tell her father about anything until she's become a super strong wizard. She joins Fairy Tail and suffers watching her father paying attention to all the children.

I think this is what led to the drinking. Is it a healthy way to deal with emotional issues? No, not at all, but it's her crutch. As you'd expect from a person basically raised by a group of adults in a guild, Cana is very lively. She believes in living life to its fullest and that's just how it is. No ifs ands or buts about it.

Her daddy issues come to a head and she fails to get the title she wanted before she told him. Her father still loves her and wants to be with his 'little girl' as much as he can to make up for lost time. It's kind of smothering, but Cana keeps getting stronger. She keeps reaching for that goal, I believe in part to make her father proud.

In the current story arch that I'm watching Cana proves that a drunk with real daddy issues can save the day. When everyone in the guild is knocked out of the fight, Cana takes charge, issues orders and in a way leads an attack to save everyone. This is her true bad-ass moment and it was a journey that would make any father proud.

This is a complete developed character with a personal story line that made her real. Looking at Cana's development helps me work on my own characters.

Why does Kree have that weird tick? What's behind Jade's irrational fear of returning to the Dream Realm? Developing these details and others fills in a character and gives them personality that may otherwise read very flat.

That's all for today. Take time for yourself and happy reading/writing!

Peace and love!

CampNaNoWriMo Writer Fuel

Who doesn't love a good book? What's better than having a cup of coffee or glass of wine with the good book? Maybe a snack. Writers are the same. For me, the best idea for fueling any inspiration is always going to be Coffee and Wine.

But you, like me, need a couple of other things too. Real food matters. To get started, I love quick fix meals. The best and easiest meals to fix are ramen noodles. There are hundreds of ways to make ramen and everyone likes it a little different.

Here's my go to recipe:

1) Bring one and a half cups of water to boil

2) Add ramen noodle pasta block

3) Give it half a minute to soften up and then unfold the pasta block

4) Add your flavoring packet and a splash of soy sauce

5) Stir and let boil for 5 minutes

You just made Jessie's Camp Special. Enjoy!

Peace and Love!

CampNaNoWriMo 2017: It Begins

So it's that time of year again and I'm ready! Camp NaNoWriMo is one of my favorite Spring/Summer activities, and it has helped me complete books and really fill out others. NaNoWri month is always in November and I almost completed my first novel, Witch Hunt, the first year I participated. I fleshed out Fox Hunt between a Camp and a November challenge the next year. In a 2015 Camp I completed Lost Relic. So I love challenging myself and the challenges really do help. Even if I don't complete the challenge, I've always added a great deal to a WIP.

This year I'm working on Shadow's Fall. I'm working with a handicap though. Several months ago this story had a sudden spark of inspiration and I was able to type up part of the first and second chapter. At the time I was revising another story and let the spark flare to life and flicker out after I'd done all the typing. So I'm starting this challenge with a little over 3k words already written, but I'm going to withhold those and only report the words I write this month.

Shadow's Fall is the second story in a trilogy. So the characters and world have already been created and some details filled in. I've also already got an outline and lots of notes. I'm going into this challenge ready and I hope to meet my 50k word goal.

And if I don't I know I'll learn something and have a nice chunk of this novel completed. I'll be adding a tracker to my sideline. (It helps kick me into motion if I know others are tracking me too.)

That's all for now. Look out for a few CampNaNoWriMo tips and updates this month.

Peace and Love!

Netherwood by Michele Lang (Sci-fi Reading Challenge)

It's my first sci-fi of the year and it was an interesting one. Netherwood by Michele Lang isn't a new book and it's the first book of a series. Before I get into the meat of it I'll share the book blurb.

 

 There's a new sheriff in town...

 

And her name is Talia Fortune. Her mission: capture the cyber-outlaw, Kovner, a man who knows she is more than just a sheriff -- Talia is also a woman, with a woman's desires. Scion of the Fortune family and primary shareholder of the mega-conglomerate FortuneCorp, she is the Hand of Fate... or at least of the Home Office. With the power to punish, she's been sent to Fresh Havens -- a corporate off-world colony run by her uncle. but the colony is full of hidden danger. Sabotage, deception, destruction ... it will take every ounce of Talia's strength and courage, fighting skills honed in the Amphitheater and knowledge learned at the Academy, just to survive. Her ability to love and trust will be sorely tested, especially in the clutches of her quarry, the Outlaw of Fresh havens, her cyber-lover and now her enemy. He and the answers lie in the Gray Forest, in a reality beyond the bubbledome, the Grind, and everything she's ever known. Her future lies in Netherwood. 

 

What I Thought..

 

That's a lot to take in if you're not used to reading sci-fi and I've got to admit for those readers looking to get into sci-fi romance this might not be the best book to start with. The author dives into a really well developed world with terms and sci-fi principles that someone who doesn't read a lot of sci-fi might not grasp on first reading. However if you love a well developed universe then this could be a good fit for you.

 

Netherwood is told in a first person point of view. Readers get to view the story through the eyes of the leading lady, Talia Fortune. This character was hard for me to identify with at first, but once I got into the meat of the book I was able to enjoy her personality changes. She goes from cocky and full of grit to out of her depth and questioning reality really easily. At least, that how she read to me. 

 

Our hero, Kovner, reads like a bit of a know it all. And I say that because the man is overflowing with zen at oneness with the Gray Forest. I won't lie, he got on my nerves a few times, but he had complete faith in Talia even when she questioned herself. 

 

The story line held my attention. I loved the technology blend with humanity ideas. The idea of reducing down your mind into a cyber world is an idea I enjoy and the way the author painted this picture was intriguing.  

 

At the end of the story it is clear that the door is open for other stories, but I felt a firm close to Talia's story. I may pick up the next book in the set to give it a try. 

 

 

Netherwood is the first sci-fi I'm adding to my list of books for the Out of This World Reading Challenge.  

Sexy Saving the Day

It's a Sex Saturday post! Today is Sexy Saves the Day and I've pull a bit from Lost Relic. Lillian has just arranged to have Daniel freed from captivity and Alex isn't liking this.



Lost Relic snippet:

Reclining back on the low wooden bench, Alex stretched his feet out and crossed them at the ankles. “Another great use could be using your intoxication as an excuse to take you back to that longhouse and have my way with you.”

Turning sharply, Lillian nearly bumped into him, but was caught off guard by a quick forceful kiss. Once he pulled away, Alex smirked and winked at her. “That would be a great excuse should anyone ask,” Lillian answered.

Setting his own drink to the side, Alex stood up and reached his hand out to her. “Come on then,” he said. Lillian put her hand in his and let him lead her away from the crowd of villagers. A giddy feeling blossomed in her chest as they made their way into the shadows of the longhouse where they’d stored their gear. Alex led her through the tangle of hanging hammocks that littered the room. Fire light filtered through the loose boards of the walls, giving them just enough light not to bump into each other.

When Alex stopped next to a hammock at the edge of the longhouse he pulled her in front of him and turned her to face away from him. His hands drifted over her hips as he bent and started dropping kisses along her neck. His breath sent shivers down her back when he whispered, “They’re going to let him go tomorrow.”

It didn’t seem the most appropriate time to be talking about another man, but Lillian still felt a bit of relief knowing Mr. Thurston would be let go. She felt for Alex, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave the other man behind as a prisoner. Mr. Thurston wasn’t completely unknown to her and he needed help. Lillian understood that Alex didn’t want to take the risk, but he was and the least she could do was show her appreciation.

“Thank you, Alex,” she said, reaching her hand back to run her fingers through his hair. Her other hand ran over his forearm to find his fingers working on the fastening of her pants. 

As he pushed her breeches down over her hips, Alex spun her around and grabbed her waist. “You’re welcome, Lil,” he said, dropping his lips down to the crook of her neck.

If you enjoyed this snippet head over to my Facebook page where I'm hosting a giveaway. Three winners will get a print copy of List Relic!

And don't forget to hop to the other great blogs for more sexy day saving!

Peace and love

St. Patrick's Day Lost Relic Giveaway

GIVEAWAY!

There will be a giveaway on my Facebook page this Friday. Three lucky winners will get a print copy of Lost Relic. Make sure to stop by the page, like and follow to stay up to date!