Inspiration Overload

Like many writers, I find inspiration for stories in everything. An image, a place, a name, a word, a person... any or all of these can strike a fire in me and lead to hours of note taking so that I don't forget the story idea, and can come back to it when I have time.

For example, those of you who've been following me lately have seen how I love to participate and even host "flash fiction" type contests. Give me a word or a photo and a word count limit, and I'll try to write you something.

However, a muse can go into hyperdrive.

Yesterday, I spent some time hanging out with some friends of my family that I haven't seen in a long time (at least not in person). One of them was Gunnar -- the real Gunnar, who is the inspiration for the Gunnar of my in-progress fantasy trilogy.

I swear, I had so much fun. (He'll hate me if he reads this.) Because even though I wasn't consciously thinking about my character the entire time, I literally caught so many little quirks and tendencies of his that I really want to apply to my fictional character to make him more real.

BUT, after thinking about it, I know I can't actually put ALL of them into my story. If I were to do that, it would be too much for a reader to take... it would really be ridiculous. What's making me crazy is trying -- in my mind -- to decide which quirks to use, and which ones to take note of, but keep to myself.

RUE = Resist the Urge to Explain.

To my knowledge, this usually applies to background information -- history, religion, backstory, etc. -- but the more I think about it, the more I think it can apply to this too. We know so much about our characters, and it's important to relay much of that to the reader through their actions and habits...

...but how much is too much?

What do you think? Can you give a character too much detail?  Have you ever written or read something where this was the case? How did it feel? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

-DC

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P.S. 


Baby update!
Little Peter is now about eleven inches, and weighs nearly a full pound -- the size of a spaghetti squash! WooHoo!

Flash Factory #1

I really am starting to like these prompt-and-write challenges. So when one of my new writer buddies decided to host one, I HAD to jump in!

Jessa Russo is doing a contest up until 1pm today (go enter!). The rules are: use the three word prompts, stay between 50-350 words, post in the comments, within 24 hours of her post.
Blogger is being dumb and won't let me leave my entry in her comments. So, I'll put it here.

The three prompts this week are: bruise, spectrum, wind.

This is a sneak peek for those of you who have read SIGHT. I present to you, a clip from the beginning of book three: MIGHT. Hope you enjoy ;-)

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The wind warmed my face. It was not a comfort. I looked to my necklace. The silver charm floated in front of me.  The direction to him.

“Kolina?” Lukon called.

“Hmm?”

“We need to go there,” he pointed left, to the Robaean Mountains. I stared, confused.

“But, what about…”

“We can’t walk right into the palace, Kolina,” Dusan interrupted. “Even the passages Bo is familiar with will be guarded. We need to go to the Mountain Chapel and seek the God’s guidance.”

“Bo?”

“’Fraid so, lady,” he answered, rubbing a bruised eye. “I ‘aven’ spen’ as much time here as other places, so I don’ know much more than your average servan’.”

No. “But… I thought…?”

“If we could, dear. That was the plan,” Ahni said, soothing me. It did not.

“Koli, I think they’re right,” Dax said. “I grew up with him too, remember? But the safety of the Three Kingdoms is at stake. We’ve got to –”

He stopped. He heard it too. A voice.

A voice I’d longed to hear for months. A voice I prayed was safe. A voice… calling my name.

“Kolina? Kolina! Koli!”

I looked at my necklace. It pointed northwest along the mountainside. I searched there, wishing for the voice to be real.

It was.

“Gunnar…”

My feet were moving. I couldn’t run fast enough. Tears clouded my vision.  A spectrum of emotions soared through my heart. He ran too. Behind him, Markku and an unknown girl smiled at our reunion.  They weren’t important now.

I threw myself at him. He spun us around. I wanted to stay here forever. We fell to the ground, still entwined. His hand slid from my waist to my back, to my neck, never breaking contact. He raised my face to his. He swept tears from my cheeks.

“I was afraid…” I started.

His lips were on mine. Relief flooded my body. More tears, of happiness, joy, ecstasy – all inadequate.

We parted. His green eyes shone brighter than ever I’d seen. I touched his long blond curls, grateful.

“We’re together now,” he whispered. “That’s all that matters.”

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350 words EXACTLY.

Took some work, but I got it in. And I like it.

What did you think?

-DC

Little Hands

Imagine this:

Your child falls asleep in your arms.

Out cold.

You move slowly and carefully to lay him down in his bed. As his head hits the pillow, he unconsciously reaches out and grabs on to your shirt, forcing you to stay near.

This happens numerous times.

You don't mind.

Because even though you could be writing, or editing, or getting to sleep yourself, you understand that things like this won't last forever. All too soon those little hands will be big hands, and for all you know, they might be pushing you away instead of holding you close.

This happened to me last night.
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Lately, Monkey has been pretty clingy toward me. I feel bad for Daddy because whenever Daddy's holding him he almost always reaches for me. Last night we laid him down in bed and his cries were different than normal - he sounded scared instead of just annoyed.

So, even though I was in the middle of editing a manuscript, I went in and held him. I stayed for nearly half an hour. I don't do this often, because he's a very good sleeper and will usually go down on his own. But, on occasion, letting him fall asleep in my arms is reassuring. Even though he's growing up, he's still my little boy. He still needs me. Because I'm still his Mommy.

It's the little things that make up the biggest things.

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'til tomorrow
For babies grow up, we've learned, to our sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust, go to sleep;
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
-Unknown

-DC

More Awards!

The last few weeks have been insane...

I'm not exaggerating.

So Monday I finally got around to catching up on reading all my blogs and commenting on them, and I found out I was given an award! 

Gloria (my husband's cousin... does that make her my cousin-in-law?) at A Different Drum Beat has awarded me the Versatile Blogger award! I am so very flattered :-)

This means I get to award it to other awesome people!

I feel like I give out awards like this a lot, so I thought long and hard about it. Of all the bloggers I follow, which are the most versatile?

Here they are:

FIRST PLACE:
Meg from Big Red Clifford
Meg is awesome. She posts about her little boy, her hubby, her craft projects, her business, her photography, and TONS more. I always learn something when I visit her blog.

SECOND PLACE:
Jenna from Mom, the Intern
Again, Jenna posts about everything under the sun. Including, but not limited to, movies, books, family, news, music, and more. Plus she's a journalist, so she's a great writer to learn from.

THIRD PLACE:
Cassie Mae from, what else, Cassie Mae!
One of my new writer buddies, she's the one who posts about the most RANDOM things ever, and it's always educational and/or entertaining. (Especially this month - go check it out!)

Congrats ladies! Now pass it on :-)

Now I'm supposed to give some random facts about myself... you're welcome to leave now.

1. I loooooooove fantasy novels. Magic, kings and queens, and unexpected twists - my favorite.
2. I want to have my baby - and all future babies - totally natural. Personal choice.
3. I am terrible at keeping the kitchen sink empty. Not that I hate doing dishes, I just don't do them.
4. My favorite sound in the world is my son laughing from something funny his daddy did. <3
5. I love stars - the shape, or the real thing. Both are awesome.

Fun fun! Oh, and I've only received two of the first chapter entries from the contest runner's-up. If you want me to take a look-see, send it on over!

Have a great day :-)

-DC

Jumping Genres

As most of you know, I've been working on my novel, SIGHT, off and on for about a year now. It's getting close to where I want it to be, but I still have a ways to go.

I love young adult lit, of almost any genre. That's why I chose to write it. That's why I have (literally) eight other YA book ideas floating around in my head. It's where my heart is. Where I feel I belong.

However... a while back, Turner and I had an idea for a really cute children's book. A picture book, similar to the vein of Dr. Seuss and the Berenstain's. After it mulled around in my mind for a while, I wrote the idea out into a little poem. I shared it with out family, and they thought it was great.

I submitted it - playfully really, not thinking anything would actually come of it - to an agency. No response means no, right? Plus, I really feel like I want to write YA - not children's. And I worry that if I get into the latter first, it'll be harder to switch.

The other option is to just submit both to separate agencies, and see which one I get first. Then I can self publish the other one on my own, or (depending on the contract) have a different agent for each genre. Or, if I get no bites, I can just self-publish both!

These are mostly my own musings and thoughts, but I'd love to know what you think.

Do you write in one genre only? Have you explored any others? Have you had experience switching genre's after getting an agent?

-DC

Contest Results!

Since I know you're all dying to just scroll down and see who won, I'll start with that.

The winner of the free Edit of your entire Manuscript is:

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Jessa Russo at {My Writing Blog}!

Click here to read her entry.

Congratulations Jessa! Email me at DarciCole [at] gmail [.] com and we'll talk :-)

Now that you're all off the pins and needles, I have to say it was extremely hard to pick just one! All the entries were creative, unique, and had their own strengths and weaknesses. All in all, I have some very talented writer friends. And that makes me happy.

As a consolation prize (and because your entries were really just that amazing), I'm offering a first Chapter critique to the rest of you. That way you can decide if you like my style, and you know what to expect if you have me edit for you.
And just for playing, I'll give you half-off price if you do decide to use my services.
You can email me too :-)

Thank you all for participating! I'm sad it's over because this was so much fun!
I'll have to do it again soon... >>wink wink<<<

-DC

(For links to the rest of the entries, go here.)

Contest Entries

Alright folks! The contest is now CLOSED! I'd like to ask a favor of everyone (specifically those who entered). Take some time over the weekend to visit all of the entries and leave your thoughts/constructive comments. We writers gotta stick together, right?

Here are the links to the awesome amazing entrants' entries!

Katie Teller

Feaky Snucker

Jessa Russo

Jazz Runkel

Heather Douglass

Gloria Sigountos

Thanks EVERYONE for entering! You're all wonderful!

Winner will be announced on Monday, have a great weekend!

-DC

Storyteller Writing Challenge

If you haven't entered, GO HERE for a Writing Contest and a chance to win a free edit of your entire WiP! Get your entry in before tonight at midnight PDT!


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Today I'm participating in the Storyteller Writing Challenge for the first time... yaaaayyyy! This challenge is hosted weekly by Shah Wharton over at WordsinSync. (Go check her out, she's awesome!)

Every week she gives two prompts, a picture or some words, and you can choose either.

Today, I'm choosing both.

Oh yeah - I'm a rebel.

The picture is the one you see here (beautiful, right? Done by Titusboy25), and the word prompts are: Birthday, Compassion, Embrace. I'm not following the three-minute rule though, because I can't stand not editing.

Without further ado, my entry:

I shivered.  

The cold stone of the bench penetrated my thin dress. The clouded sky above my parasol didn’t help. 

I gazed into the trees beyond our cobblestone walk, waiting. I knew I was alone, but I also knew it wouldn’t last long.  

It was my birthday. My family had forgotten. I didn’t mind. They had other matters to fret about. The state of my clothing said it all. I ran a hand over the worn-out folds of my best dress. I looked up the staircase that led to the back entrance. The house was still ours, but for how long?  

I heard a snap. I turned to see him approaching.  

I knew he’d come.  

Always mysterious, always on time, never speaking a word – I did not know who he was, nor where he came from, but I did know one thing. He understood me. He understood why I didn’t fight my parent’s distance. He understood that I was alone – alone in a family trying to hide their misfortunes from the world.  

I didn’t want to hide.  

I only wanted him.  

He came to me and I stood, lowering my parasol to the ground. His dark eyes and shy smile wished me well. He took my hands in his.  

“Why will you not speak?” I asked.  

His face fell.  

“Please,” I begged. “It’s my eighteenth birthday. All I ask is for your name.”  

He hung his head and sighed. It was sounds like this that let me know he could speak, and chose not to. I felt such compassion for this man. His clothing was worse off than mine. I’d thought many times he had to be a lower class worker. I didn’t mind. If he loved me, he would care for me any way he could – I trusted that.  

I put a hand to his face and lifted his gaze to mine. The passion and pain mixed in the lines of his face so much that I felt I might cry.  

Suddenly his arms were around me. I gasped. For a moment my arms didn’t know what to do. I wound them around his neck and held on for my life. His heart beat fast and strong against my corset.  

His embrace was like the dawn of a new day. I let myself feel every bridled emotion I’d ever had. Love, desire, ecstasy; the ache in my heart melted as his breath released on my neck. I wound my hands through his dark hair. I told myself I would never let go. His arms were cuffed around me, making me his willing prisoner.  

Then I heard it. 

“Solomon. My name is Evan Solomon.”  

My eyes widened.  

This was Evan Solomon? 

THE Evan Solomon, who was supposed to be so sick he was never seen in public?  

I pulled away, but did not let go. Our eyes met. He smiled guiltily.  

“How can this be?” I asked.  

He shook his head, placing a finger to my mouth. “No more today. Speak of this to no one. I promise I will explain everything tomorrow, here, same time. Now I must get back.”  

He leaned down and softly kissed my sworn-to-silence lips. Chills ran down my back.  

Before he left, he placed something in my hand. Then he bowed, turned, and disappeared.  

My mouth hung in disbelief. Then I looked to his gift.  

A note of pardon. Signed by Lord Heber Solomon himself. 

My family could be pardoned of all debts. We could keep our home. Get our life back. 

But would it be enough? Even if I was restored to being a well-off upper-class lady, could I ever see Evan in public?  

I sat on the cold stone bench again, stuffing the note down the front of my corset. I would wait for his explanation. A smile crept to my lips. In the meantime, I had plenty to think about.

What do you think?

-DC

Review & Revisions

I've taken on a lot this week, and I needed a break. This little chapter book was just the thing.

One of my best friends recommended it to me. When she gave me an idea of the story I couldn't believe that I hadn't read it! I love quick reads like this to break up bigger projects, so I immediately rented it from the library  (because we can't afford to buy actual books at the moment... sad day).

It's just a sweet little story of a girl with a dream. And her dream draws her to an adventure that teaches her how to be brave, and wise, and good.

It's a children's chapter book, one that I think would be classified as "middle grade." I'm always amazed at these types of stories for a couple of reasons.

1. Short stories like this tell so much in so little space.

2. Because they have very little space (and are working with slightly shorter attention spans), they can leave out certain details.

Honestly, I think the first depends on the second. If it's not needed, it doesn't need to be there, and you can use the space to do other things.


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In writing my fantasy novel, I've chosen to leave certain things out. Even though I know they're there, I don't feel like burdening the story with them.

Because of this, I've received some mixed messages in my beta readers and critique partner's comments. I've literally had people (average readers, not writers) read my story and continue to think about it for days, wanting more and wondering what happens next... this is encouraging!

Then my awesome-critical-analytic-writer-friends read it and point out where they see flaws in my logic or holes in the plot or where things drag. Stuff that I don't always understand, and that I'm not sure an average reader would question.

I'm working through these comments and revisions right now. It's been really hard to wrap my head around the responses I'm getting.

But hey, just keep swimming and all that, right?

How are your WiP's coming along? Have you read any good books lately?

-DC

My New Distraction

If you missed it, go check out the writing contest and enter before Friday for a chance to win a full edit of your ENTIRE manuscript! Go here now!
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One word:

Pottermore.

If you weren't around for the Harry Potter Movie Madness Party and all the Colevander's Wandmaking posts, let me happily inform you: we at the Cole household are complete and ridiculous Potter-heads.

If you want to be my friend on Pottermore then Tweet or FB me your username and I'll tell you mine so we can connect.

So far I'm in Gryffindor, and my wand is Sycamore, Unicorn hair, ten inches, slightly springy. I'm pretty good at potions, though they take a while, and I'm still practicing my spellwork - that's hard for me! Turner is way better at it because he's used to playing online games. I've gone through the entire first book and I can't wait for the second to open!

May the magic be with you ;-)

-DC

Writing Contest!!!

Happy Monday friends!

I am in the midst of reading through a few books, as well as trying to edit my own... SO! Instead of coming up with something witty and clever to write to you today, I hereby offer you a writing contest!

RULES:

-I give you a topic and a photo, you write something incorporating both.
-Keep the word count under 500, k?
-Genre is your choice - poetry included.
-Post your entry on your blog, then link to it here in the comments below.
-Deadline for entry is Friday April 20th at midnight (Arizona time - we're the same as Pacific Daylight).
-Winner will be chosen based on level of creativity and how well written it is.
-Winner will be announced Monday April 23rd.
-THE PRIZE: a full Freelance Edit of your ENTIRE manuscript by me!
(Note: go to my Edit page for details about what I cover, if you're curious.)

Ready for it?

Topic: Relationships in general, or a specific relationship
(i.e. boy/girl, family, friends, etc.)

Photo:

There you have it!

Spread the word! Good luck!

-DC

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P.S.
If you're in need of a blog re-design, seriously go check out Tiana Smith's site! She's just opened up a blog design shop and is having a giveaway! I'm totally entering, and if I don't win I'm gonna save up my pennies and have her do it anyway! So awesome!

An Announcement that Has Nothing to do with Writing

Like the title?

Guess what?

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

We kind of felt like it was, and we got it right this time! Baby Dos is a baby boy, looking perfectly healthy at 20 weeks gestation. The name we've picked out for him (which we're pretty sure we'll use, just gotta meet him to make sure it's a good fit) is:

Peter Michael Cole.

As for his animal nickname, we're fighting over Squirrel or Frog... not sure which one it's gonna be yet.

What's your vote?

Have a great weekend friends!

-DC

Revisions: Where's the line?

Obviously this question depends on the story, the initial skill of the writer, and many other variables. However, I'd like to see what others are doing...

...clickety-click-click-click...

I'm literally on revision... eight or ten. Somewhere in there. And I'm starting to feel pulled in many directions. I've received critiques from some serious writers who loved it, and from serious writers who saw major problems. Then I've gotten feedback from some beta readers who loved it and others who were like, "meh."

So I'm feeling a little lost lately. Obviously I want my story to be the best it can be, and I've handled feedback/constructive criticism very well. I know it's given to help me. My problem comes when the reviews are so very different; I'm not sure who to believe.

The other issue I've had with revisions is that some of my CP's (critique partners) (not just one. It's happened many times now, so please don't think I'm singling anybody out...) are so involved in their own writing and lives that it takes weeks or months for them to get through my manuscript. Obviously I don't want to throw off their groove or get in the way of their writing; I feel very lucky to have had such talented people literally offer their expertise to help me move forward. I guess I'm just impatient. I consider myself a fast writer, and when I have to depend on someone else's schedule to move forward I feel held back.

So..... how do you handle revisions? Do you give your CP's a time frame? A deadline? How do you choose what to change and what to ignore? And while you're waiting for feedback, what do you write in the meantime?

Lots of questions, I know - but I'm very curious, and kind of in need of a little guidance as well. I'd appreciate any and all you can give me!

Thanks friends :-)

-DC-

Writer's Roadtrip

As I was driving down the road today, which was full of construction, I saw a few signs that I felt really applied to a writers journey. At least, they've applied to mine so far.

I'd like to share with you today ten Traffic Signs/Signals that I feel epitomize the process that is writing a book.

#1 - Green Light

Congratulations! You've got an idea and are geared up to go! You find a map (your plan to write, be it so many words or pages a day, or a deadline to finish, etc), plan your route (goals), and get started, because NOTHING can stop you now!

#2 - Road Closed

Writers block... it happens to the best of us. Go here for an in depth look at different forms of writers block and how to overcome them. Just be careful. When finding your way back to your route don't run into...

#3 - Detour

"Wait? How did I just spend two hours on my laptop and not write anything?!" You know them: Facebook. Twitter. Email. Pinterest. Instagram. Goodreads. Amazon. Whatever your weakness, there's one for you! Find a way to take care of these as quickly as possible! Go there if you have to, do what you gotta do, and get out!

#4 - Red Light

After all your hard work, your first draft is finished. You have permission to breathe a *short* sigh of relief. Not everyone can even get this far. So take a while and celebrate.

#5 - Road Work Ahead

If you're new to this, you may think you're done - oh, far from it my friend. Now's the time to take a critical look at your Work in Progress, and theoretically rip it to shreds. Dig deep, and begin to EDIT.

#6 - WRONG WAY

We've all been there. In the process of reading through the first draft, you find a plot hole that you can't BELIEVE you missed! (Or an inconsistency, or redundancy, or typo, or misspelled words....) Don't worry - that's what this time is for. Back up; fix it.

#7 - Lane Merging

Once you've gone through your beloved WIP a couple times, it's safe to ask some experienced writers (I'd recommend one at a time) to read your work and critique it for you. Make sure you take time between Critique Partners to revise things. And I'd suggest trying to get a good mix of people - writers who write in AND out of your genre, as well as readers who read in AND out of your genre. That way you can get a feel for how your audience will react, as well as how the "others" might think.

#8 - Blasting Zone Ahead

I know what you're thinking: "Shouldn't that read, 'Road Closed?'" But I tell you, this is the hardest part. Taking the comments from people you trust and trying to decide what to change and what NOT to change. At some point, you might actually want to drive through a real blasting zone (don't do this, keep writing).

#9 - End Road Work, Thank You

If you've made it this far, you have my sincerest congratulations. I'm still in the prior two. If you come to a point where your CP's and you feel that your manuscript is polished and primed, you may again breathe a sigh of relief. Even fewer writers arrive here - you are the greatest of the great.

#10 - The Intersection

Now that your baby is complete, you have some choices to make. (And it ain't just a four-way street, okay?) Do you want your work to be published? If so, do you want to self publish, or go traditional? Query? Synopsis? Pitch? Do you know what all these are? If you haven't yet, now is the time to do your research. Decide what you want, and GO FOR IT. You'll get another green light again soon, which will start you on a whole new journey. Just make sure you know your destination, and you'll get there.


I hope this opened some eyes of those who aren't writers, and maybe gave a little hope to those who are. Becoming a "writer" isn't a destination - it's a journey. Enjoy the work you do, and have passion for it. If you do that, you'll always find satisfaction and *hopefully* success as well. I love writing, and I'm enjoying my journey so far. Good luck on yours!

Can you think of any other signs that we see as we travel through our manuscripts?

-DC


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P.S.
Baby Update! Baby Dos is now the size of an Heirloom tomato!
About 6 inches head to bum, and weighs about 8.5 ounces.
hopefully we'll find out the gender this Thursday! So excited!

Reviews: Striped Pajamas, & Dearly, Departed

Lately I've been focusing more on reading than writing. Warning, this post may contain Spoilers... Click on the captions for links to the Goodreads pages for these books.

via goodreads

As I mentioned in my last post, I read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, this week. A story set in the holocaust background of World War II, as told from the perspective of a nine/ten-year-old boy.

The boy, Bruno, is very smart. And though he asks a lot of questions, he never gets straight answers from the adults around him. When he and his family are transferred to a place Bruno calls "OutWith," his only concern is why there are so many children on that side of the fence that he's not allowed to play with.

Then one day he goes exploring, walking along the fence for a couple of hours. Until he finds another boy his age who had done the same thing -- on the other side of the fence.

They become friends.

It's a very moving story. It is technically a children's book, but I think I'd want my kids to be at least eleven or twelve before reading it (middle grade age). I remember first learning about the holocaust as a sixth grader and wanting to watch movies on it because it sounded intriguing. I think this is a book that young people that age will relate easily to, and learn from.

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Wednesday, I began reading a book called, Dearly, Departed by Lia Hable. I heard about it from Vickie Motter, a literary agent with Andrea Hurst Literary Management.

via goodreads

I'm a little more than halfway through this book at the moment, but I HAVE to tell you about it NOW. I was completely hooked from page one. Literally. I am amazed at Habel's way with words. I don't know how long she's been writing, but her ability to voice a character is astounding to me. Each one, whether main or supporting, has very distinct speech, quirks, and tendencies.

Also, how she even came up with the idea for this novel -- I would LOVE to ask her. The setting is 2195, in a country called New Victoria -- a digitally advanced society modeled on the mannerisms and courtesies of an old age. Though it's a very eclectic combination, Habel makes it work beautifully.

Nora Dearly is sixteen, living in New Victoria. Then they come after her -- people with empty eye sockets, skin stretched tightly, rotting over dry bones. Zombies. But not all zombies are blood-thirsty. Some are on her side.

This is literally one of the best recently-released books I've read. It only came out last October, so I can understand if people haven't heard about it yet, but I can tell this book will go far. If fans of Twilight thought they liked Edward, they've no chance against Captain Abraham Griswold. *siiiiiigh* *fans face*

Even though there are zombies (which I was a little nervous of), I tell you it is done tastefully; just like the killing in Hunger Games and the vampires in Twilight -- in fact, I think this is FAR better than EITHER of those books.

And I'm not kidding in the slightest.


Twilight, for me, was a great story, but poorly written. Hunger Games, while written better, still took me a while to really like because it's in first person present tense, and the sentences were structured oddly all over the place. THIS book is better written, better characters, better story, better setting. All over, an AWESOME read -- and I'm not even done with it yet. I would say it's "just getting good" but it's been good all along. What I mean is, I'm getting close to the climax, and things are picking up and getting REALLY intense.

(Read Agent Vickie's post about the book HERE if you're interested.)

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to finish this book today.

Have a great weekend ;-)

-DC

Learn To Write By Reading?

I've heard a lot recently from fellow authors that if I want to learn how to be a better writer, I should read more. I completely understand why this is true: if you're reading as a writer, you notice things the author does, and ideas come to your mind as to how you can execute the same strategies in your own work.

Since I first heard this, I'd been focused on finishing The Return of the King (no, I did not read the appendices). Tolkien is brilliant, but his work is still a little too advanced for me to get much out of as a writer. Therefore,  though I enjoyed reading it, I didn't discover much that I felt I could use myself.

Then yesterday, I started listening to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas on audio book. It wasn't a conscious decision really, I was doing some housework and wanted to listen to a book... that was the only one on my iPod that I hadn't read yet, so I started it.

I'm so glad I did.

I'm only in chapter eight, but already I've learned a couple little things I can use in my own writing. This book is probably middle grade (MC is nine-years-old), though I'm not sure I'd want to let my children read it until they're at least 13 or 14. It hasn't yet, but from what I've heard from my family who have read it, it deals with some pretty serious topics/themes.

I won't give any more away, but it made me wonder: what are some books you've read that have helped you progress as a writer? Do you prefer to read more recent publications, or works that have been around the block and seen success? Both, perhaps? What are the benefits?

I'd love to get your thoughts on this. And if you wouldn't mind, tell your other writer friends, and ask them to chime in. More comments means a better idea on how writers learn from reading :-)

Thanks!

-DC

Time-Out

I am addicted.

There. I said it.

I am online (Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Gmail, Pinterest) FAR too much. It's really ridiculous. I should be much farther along in my revisions than I am, and have read many more books than I have so far this year. Yet, when I'm bored, what do I do?

Dink around on the internet.

...For shame...

I hereby pledge to spend only TWO hours a day online. Rather than the fifty-some-odd I have been doing. (Wait, not that many hours in a day... see? My brain is fried...). When I am bored, I will read a book, do my chores, or EDIT my manuscript. Those are my options. Because if anything is EVER gonna happen with my writing career, it will involve me being diligent and meeting goals.

Speaking of which, I should set a date for when I'll try to have all these edits done. Deadlines help me a lot. Lets say April 30th. (Betas and CP's, that means I need your notes ASAP please!) By the end of April I will have revised from all beta and CP critiques, and gone through on my own to polish and cut. That way, by May 2nd (my Mommy's birthday) I can send it to my Mom and let her read it. Which, in the entire year I've been working on it, she hasn't gotten to do yet.

I digress.

What helps you be productive? I know we need to build a platform and such, but the writing has got to take precedence, right? Is it just me, or is everyone some level of social networking junkie?

Scale of 1-10 (10 being completely addicted), I'm seriously at like an 8.5...

Any tips?

-DC

Sad Day

It's been a bad day... and it's only 6:30 am...

I was looking forward to a nice relaxing Sunday spent with my husband. It even started to rain during the night, which I love.

Then, I woke this morning to the sound of tires screeching in front of our apartment. Then a gun shot. I freaked out. I shook Turner awake telling him to go look out the window and see what was going on. Then we heard shouting and decided we'd better stay away from the windows. 

One guy was swearing up a storm, and there was a woman screaming and crying. I was curious, but too afraid to even peek.

Then the swearing guy told the woman to shut up. 

Another gun shot. 

The screaming cut off. 

I heard a dog start to bark, then an engine start up and drive away.

Slowly, Turner went to the window. 

The glass was foggy from the rain. He wiped it off.

...................

Then a dozen people in clown masks jumped up and said "APRIL FOOLS!"

None of these events are true... except the wish to have a relaxing day.
I hope I didn't scare you... hehehe... Have a happy Sunday!

-DC

*Disclaimer: I realize that shootings like this do happen. I apologize if anyone has been personally affected by something like this. I meant it only in jest, and not to offend. I hope you'll take it in the spirit it was meant.