HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING LORELEI'S WRITING JOURNAL IN 2011. HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL IN 2012!!!

Chapter Three

Well, I've been excited about my newest project ~ the mystery. I knew I wanted to do this book, a far cry from my normal very wild Sabrina Strong series. Way back in the fall I had taken out a very old manuscript (about 10 years old), and was looking through it. My main character's name was JanVladislav in this. I liked the name but better yet I came up with a totally new name: Jansen Crosse - thus this is called my Jansen Crosse Murder Mysteries. If there actually will be more than one.

Anyway, I had some characters figured out, borrowed, if you will, from the former novel (which, BTW was a vampire novel--eh-hem).

I, of course needed a MURDER to solve. I also had to figure out the basics. You know the...
WHY?
WHO?
WHAT?
HOW?
WHEN?
...questions. I needed the murder victim(s), and the basic mystery plot. I had to know the who/why/how/when stuff; in otherwords who did it and why.

I also had to totally leave behind whatever ideas were in the vampire novel and just allow myself time to relax. After being off the job for about a week, the ideas began to naturally slam into me at the normal time they always do--when I've lain down to go to bed!

Of course! That's it!

I grab my recorder and begin rattling off my ideas.

At this point of writing (two days) I'm into chapter 3, but I see I need to lead my two detectives--Jansen has a partner, Detective Evans, off on some wild goose chase (a false lead). I've aready planted a clue and interrupted it with introduction of another character who will be a main player in the whole sceme of things.

I'll need a red herring--have not yet decided on them as yet, but I'm working on this. I may have it by tonight.

But the one thing that I did hold on to was the mansion, and an old tunnel that leads from the old mansion to this very old church--or, if I decide later that there is no tunnel (another false lead), but a hidden room inside a hidden room where slaves were given a place to stay during the Civil War erra... all of this I will consider and decide as I go along.

The mystery is harder to plot, of course. I need to know when and where to plant certain clues, how to minimalize them by certain tricks of the traid. I'm still learning how to write a mystery, actually. I know I like to read them.

Have you read any really good mysteries lately? Want to share which ones? I happen to like Janet Evanovich, But I could use something with a male main character.

The Numbers & Winner of Contest!

I had a fun month, getting the word out about Vampire's Trill, and had a lot of help in that department from many of you.

On December 9th, at one point Vampire's Trill was ranked at #101,420! On December 10th it had gone down only a little at # 141,501 on Amazon--up 176,579 ranks from Thursday (the 8th). These were the ebooks, as the paperback wasn't yet out. My book held on for three straight days and then it finally went back down, but I'm not disappointed at all!

The eBook had just come out around the first of December and on the 3rd, it was at #178,945.

The interesting news for me was that on the 9th, all three of my books had some sort of activity--yes, even Spell of the Black Unicorn, which was my self-published book.

So, these numbers were really good for a new book's release, and I have to thank all who took part to get the word out, including the blogs which I had been hosted at.

It isn't easy to hold to those numbers, not when there are millions of books at Amazon. And this book is on Smashwords too, so I have no idea how it's doing there.

WINNER:
I want to thank Dora Dee for working her fingers to the bone on her blackberry, and having done the very first review on my second book. She has won a signed paperback for all her work and her enthusiastic support of all my works, as well. Congratulations, Dora!

Merry Christmas To All

Just wanted to say Merry Christmas to you all, and thanks for joining this new blog this year and following it. I couldn't have better friends out there, you guys rock! 

My husband and I watched the very first Harry Potter movie last night--because we went to it during the Christmas season and that was a very special time and the movie still gives me tweaks of emotion when ever I watch it--Daniel Radcliff is so sweet in this movie. Hard to believe he's all grown up now.

Tonight it will be the movie "It's a Wonderful Life", that is to remind us no matter how bad things get, we still have friends and family who love and care for us and life shouldn't be taken for granted by anyone.

I will be making an apple pie (from scratch), and for tomorrow's meal it will be ham and scalloped potatoes and a veggie. It's just the two of us.

There is only a dusting of snow this morning, and it will melt with today's sun, so no snow for us.

I hope all of you, if you travel, get to your destinations safely and have a wonderful time with family. And if you're staying home, I hope your guests make it safely to your house. Take care and many blessings to you and yours!

~Lorelei

Vampire’s Trill by Lorelei Bell – A First Review

Vampire’s Trill by Lorelei Bell – A First Review

Working on WIP & Short Story Out

I was actually able to write chapter two today and on into chapter 3.  I don't try to work toward a word goal. I think too many times a writer can get too trapped by a word count. If you progress in a natural way, I think you will find that you will see the blank pages fill up. I have found that trying to hit a word count, at least for me, actually frustrates me and I'm unable to write anything.

I found out that Dark Moon released the book in which my short story appears. And I'm sorry, but I've tried to enter the site where this is, and couldn't--it's very long and I just gave up. Suffice it to say you can find it on Amazon. And if you wish you can find the link on my facebook, should you really, really want to go and check it out.

Here is the cover.

This was the story I worked on through October and maybe into November. An all-call was given for vampire fiction--short stories. I knew I had a few older stories I could re-write. I chose something written about 10 years ago called "The Spy Who Bit Me". I was actually taking the title from a James Bond movie that may have been out around that time "The Spy Who Loved Me". So a play on words har-har.

Another short story I had worked on did not make the cut, but I was not expecting it too. It wasn't quite what they wanted. But, I've made contact with this publisher, and I know that I might be able to approach them again, perhaps with my mystery novel--which I hope to work on after I get this novella done. I've got some projects lined up next year and hope to find these published eventually.

I've thought about doing the Indi thing, but I'm not convinced I have the time, patients or even the know-how to do it at this time. Possibly in some future time, I might try and get Spell of the Black Unicorn into an ebook format and do that one myself.

Time Flies... It's nearly Christmas

We have not gotten snow, and so it feels less like it's nearly Christmas, and more like... I don't know... Thanksgiving. No snow on the ground at all. We've had a big rain the other day (all night and day), and in another week from today we are looking at Christmas Eve.

As it is usually a time for family to get togethers, we have no place to go, and so will stay home. We don't mind, really. We used to go to 4 gatherings and it was simply too much. Now, it might seem odd that my husband and I would rather stay home and go no where, but after our long two weeks of driving transit--and especially driving at night, having to deal with people's questions, rudeness, or the terrible traffic--we do not mind it one bit.

I've begun a new novel... actually it is a novella, and it is more in the horror genre. And I don't expect it to be a series, just a one book thing. I've new characters to invent, and new places to build. I'm trying to get into my MC, as she is different from my Sabrina Strong character. She has to be. I hate when authors (especially well known/established) come out with a new series and the MC sounds a lot like the MC in her regular series. So, it's been a slow start. But that's okay. Once I am off for 17 long days, I will find her voice and probably go like the wind on this new story.

Probably I'll also get a little cleaning done that has been neglected around the house... those nasty little corners, and dust bunnies that look like they might take over the world.

What are your plans for the holidays?

Rejections - WHAT? - And Things Accomplished

I was pretty busy through the months of October and November, I did one blog-hop, and wrote two short stories and sent them off, and also I entered a lot of writing contests.

One thing I have to admit is I hate waiting on anything that I've sent out. I don't like wondering if it will be taken or rejected. Any more I'm not exactly biting my fingers. I've stopped doing that a while ago. But even when you have writing credits which include published books, you can still be rejected.

I wrote a short story for Penumbra, it was to be steampunk. Unfortunately I just couldn't fit into a short story what I felt it needed. I used a few scenes from my third book to try and write this, but it was rejected. But the rejection was nice. They said they wouldn't mind seeing something else from me. Believe me, when they say this, you want to get something to them in the near future, so that they don't forget you. I intend to, but I don't think it will be a short story. I'd like to try my mystery novel--when I get that finished I don't know.

I also entered a few writing contests. There was one that took your first chapter and it would be considered by a publisher, if you won, they would give your whole mss a read through--and after that who knows?

I wasn't exactly sure about this one. Several people had entered, they were all different. I was actually surprised at those that were chosen... but I won't go there. I find myself rather dismayed at what catches the eyes of those who are the gate keepers.

But out of the three things I sent out over the past few months I did get one thing published. This was my "The Spy Who Bit Me" short story which I sent to Dark Moon Press. I actually was on a blog hop at the time and caught the request from the editor on facebook, and she asked if anyone could write a vampire story and send it to her quickly, I knew that I had something in my rejected files.

"The Spy Who Bit Me" was written at least 10 years ago and sent off to everyplace that took vampire fiction. It was rejected each time. When I began working on it for Dark Moon, I could see why. My beginning was too slow. I needed to get to the meat of the action right away. I cut the length of the original to about half. There were a lot of scenes I had to get to the very kernel of the action and jack things up. I believe my editor's eye had been sharpened in the last decade. It's a good thing to know, I guess.

I was sent the proofs earlier this week, and I went through them and sent my approval of them and this is going to be out in time for Christmas. In fact I think they are going to print beginning of this next week--if I read correctly. I will give a link to Amazon when it comes out on this blog's side bar... if anyone is interested. The cover looks like this.

Right now I'm working on a novelette, and I want to send it off to Dark Moon Press which only takes horror. I'd begun writing as a horror fiction writer--because back then vampire fiction was under that heading. Now we have to get all fancy and give it some other names like Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy. I write under Urban Fantasy, when it isn't horror. I enjoy writing fantasy.

I have a story in me that feels longer than a short story could be, yet not quite novel length. So I'll see where this takes me. I've just begun it, I have some scenes already fleshed out. The climax is also done. All I have to do is get new characters into place, and that's what I will busy myself with this winter. I'm hoping to get it written by mid-January.

So, what have you been up to? Let us know. Any news? Any writing working out for you?

Help Me Promote My Book ~ You Can Win Too!

I've had some great comments on the cover. One person from Coffin Hop on facebook said, "Sweet cover".

So, follks, here it is! Vampire's Trill is finally out. Am I excited? Yes. I had fun last night at facebook watching everyone try to fight each other to be the first to get a copy of the ebook.

But now comes the really hard work.

Work? Yes. Work. PROMOTIONS!

That's where you can help me. I've got several of you who stop by this blog from time to time, some of you leave comments too. Those of you who don't I call my lurkers, and you know who you are!

Those of you who want to help me promote this second book, let me know. I am trying to come up with some ideas to promote it all month long--until December 25th anyway. If you have any ideas that are different, make a suggestion. I'd like to begin it on Monday (5th), since I am to be on VampChix to begin my tour. If any of you would like to host me, let me know. I'd love to be on your blog! I can do give aways at your blog. This helps your blog, too, brings people to your blog, you can tell people who want to participate that they must be a follower, that sort of thing.

And to make this fun for you guys (hopefully I will get more than one person who wants to host me, and help me promote this book), I will choose a winner of an ebook or a paperback (your choice). Sound good?

Let me know as soon as you can!

Thanks ~ Lorelei

What Edits Look Like (And what the heck do I do with them?)

You remember in school when you'd get a corrected paper from your teacher and there were all these lines and corrections on it? Mine had a lot of red on it. I think it's why I hate the color red so much today. My spelling and grammar was awful--and still I have trouble with both.

But my post today is about edits from your editor, and is for those of you who have never seen such things, or have never had such things sent to you. So anyone here who has had this experience you may step out of the class room. The rest of you stay.

I'll do my best to try and re-create a few sections of my edits. It might be difficult, but bare with me.

First of all the question is what do you do with the edits of your manuscript once you get them?

Anyone?

Well, what you want to do is open up a blank document and copy and paste the edits onto this new document. You'll find something magical happens. All the lines and cross outs are gone. What you have are the edits/changes already made and it looks like a clean, ready to go mss. We'll call this your new edited page.

But wait! It is not quite ready by any means. There may be mistakes in it you aren't aware of and you need to do a read-through to catch them. And what you'll want is to have the edits open along side your new document (remember to save it in a format that both you can use and your editor can open).

I had the experience the first time around realizing I had not caught a few spots where I should have paid more attention. Lines that might be missing have to be rejoined. They may have moved a line from a paragraph below to join the paragraph above it, and now there's  a space where there shouldn't be one.

Let me try and re-create a paragraph for you here. My edits are in blue, but can be in red.

I cracked my eyes open. My Breath came out in wintry frosty clouds as I strove to pull cold air into my lungs. Above, in the crisp, midnight-blue sky, stars glittered coldly, indifferently..Indifferently. Suddenly, I remembered why I was here, naked. I got quite, but became frustrated whenthat I couldn't remember what my activities had been for the last several hours. I didn't see the moon above me, full and bright, as I knew it had been when the transformation began had come over me.

Now, this might be a little difficult to read. If it is, you'll want to magnify it--I remembered to do so only when I was half-way through and my eyes were going bleary. This paragraph is from the first page. The word choices I made and changed are crossed out. Theirs is underlined. Also you'll see where they've added commas (in blue and underlined), these should come through on the new edited page you have up. However, go back and you'll see the word midnight blue was hyphenated. On the new edited page it came out looking like this:
midnightblue--with the red spell check underlining it. Watch for these as it will indicate to you that the hyphen was added, but may not have come through onto your new edited page. You'll have to manually add that hyphen. You may also have to add the en dash (--). Mine comes out in one solid line when I place it into a document. Where they've indicated one should go it sometimes came in and then other times it became a big thick hyphen, like this: - between words. So I had to go in and manually make it an en dash.

Just for arguments sake, let's say that you don't like that they've changed a word here or there. I remember a few I just had to change back because the word didn't really mean what I had meant. I should have probably been a bit more aggressive with some of these, but I let a few of them slide. But not all. When you do read the edits be mindful of the word usage. If it didn't alter your meaning at all, then it should be fine. However, if you find that the word they've placed in there instead wasn't really what you wanted, change it back on your new edited page.

One example (this is taken from a later scene):
Quist opened his hands to getreceive it, looking up gratefully at the barkeeper...

I changed get back to receive because I felt this was a better word. The barkeeper was serving Quist a drink he really needed badly.

I had two more places on the same page where I felt my word choice was better, and I replaced my words back into the mss. I stress that if it's a good word choice and it means what you want it to mean, you have every right to change it back, as long as it doesn't change the meaning, or for some reason the change may have a better flow, or grammar is the issue. In these cases, the words were merely word choices, and you can see why I didn't go with the word "get" here in the line--"receive" is a much better word for what is happening.

Then I came across something quite odd looking:

They brought cheese~*~

Cheese, grapes and some sort of heavy, whole-granined flat bread was brought to me along with a carafe of wine and something that tasted like a combination of bean curd and lobster in a small bowl.

As you can see I had made a little separtion mark: ~*~ and it was centered. The line They brought cheese had been what was to be in the next paragraph, but had wound up there in the center above. This is why you need to read through the mss. You may miss little items that mess up the page, and the thing will look as though no one checked it through. This is your job, as it is your book. Yours are the final eyes that look through this.

I thought I'd share this with you today, in case (and I hope it happes for those of you still struggling to get that first book published), you have this happen some day. I hope this helps you when you need it.

A New Writing Project ~ "Like going out with a new guy"

And so I wake up early this morning--I mean EARLY! 3 a.m! Because I have ideas for this different novel I'd like to write. It's going to be a mystery. I've probably mentioned it.

I turned on my light in my office, shoved on my glasses and grabbed a pen and a notebook--a very nice one I bought especially for this novel, in fact. I bought it at Barns & Nobels (on sale HAH! with a gift card HAH!)

I think the note-taking process is just as enjoyable as once you begin writing the book. It's comparable to going out with a new guy. You're trying to get to know him, learn where he's from, what he likes, and any little mysteries you can pull out of him. Yeah. I think I like that analogy.

Penning down those beginning thoughts is stage one of the pre-writing stage. You might have the character's names down (I do--some of the main ones), you might have an idea of where you'd like to go with it (I do, sort of), and you may even have a few scenes written out somewhere--on paper or in a document in your computer (both).

This beginning stage will turn a little more exciting as time goes by. You begin thinking more about the book (him), a niggle of a thought wakes you up and you have to write it down. Is it (love) a novel I really think I can work on from start to finish? When you wake up in the middle of the night, you know it's (love/a serious relationship) something you can commit to. When all you can do is think, eat and dream about the book (him), you know it has to be love. You are smitten. This is a good thing. This one won't let you down, either. You're sure of it because it's all fresh and new.

Yep. I'm in pre-love stages. I want this to happen, but I'm going to be careful (hah! famous last words!!) and do more notes and work up some ideas. Since this is a mystery, I have to figure out the mystery first. I've read somewhere you need to figure that out and work backwards. Well, I work backwards anyway, so it might just be good.

As I write this I'm waiting on word for the second novel Vampire's Trill eBook to be released. I'm told this coming week. I hope so. And with New Dawn having come out, I'm glad. Why? Because I can say to you--promise you there are no glittery vampires that walk around in the daytime, no whiny teenagers, and the werewolves are normal size. And as men they're usually scary, ride Harley's, or are very handsome and smell great. There are elves, and I introduce a leprechaun--and he is unusual even as a human. Sabrina's got a mission--to save her boss, Mr. Tremayne, from going into hibernation in order to make his hearing in Dark World (a bad-ass demon realm). And that isn't even all of the story! That's just part of it!

I will post more about the book's release in the days to come. I plan on having my own NaNoMo coming up. December is when I have some time off and hope to begin doing some writing on the new mystery.

Cover Letter Jitters

Hi, everyone! How's your weekend going? Have you accomplished your goals for the time being--whatever they may be?

I'm about to send off a short story to Penumbra Publishing, which is an ezine. I've checked out their "open call" submissions page a few times to make sure what I'm sending them is what they want--they only take their themed pieces--when it closes, length, and so forth. I'm entering a steampunk short story. It's somewhat based on a chapter in my third novel (which is not even finished yet), and since it has everything to do with steampunk, I decided to re-work it into a short story. I haven't written any short stories in a while, as I was concentrating on getting my book(s) published. Well, this sort of falls after having participated in the "Campaigner Challenge",

So, having gotten the story ready, you might think I'm done. No. Not hardly. Now comes the cover letter. If any of you have never written one, I'm about to tell you how. It's not difficult. However you need to pay attention to the rules.

Consider any cover letter/query like a job interview. Sometimes the less said the better. In fact you want a cover letter to be short, to the point and very professional. The editors merely want to know WHO, WHAT, WHY, and your writing credits if any. Nothing more. You want your beginning to sound professional. You never start out with "Hi". This is not your friend you are talking to. You do not want to be cute, silly or funny. You don't know these people and they don't know you. Keep in mind, if you are a serious writer, your query should show it. Many times they will look at the piece you've sent first, read a first sentence, and if they like that, they'll read further. Your query letter might be the last thing they look at closely to see whether you have any publishing credits, awards--writing wise--and that's it. Or it may be the very first thing they do look at. Either way, a bad query can kill the piece you're trying to send them.

Your beginning should look like this:

Dear Madam, or Sir: {if you do not who you are addressing, but see below}

If you know who you are addressing, always use  Mr. Ms. (last name). Usually it's a good idea to see what your publisher's name is, or, if there is an editor, direct it to them.

The first paragraph should be short and to the point:

I have a steampunk story, "Dreadfuls", I have placed in documents sent in attachments and would like you to consider it for your March issue for Steampunk.

At this point you might want to say how you came to find them, and why you want them to consider your work.At this point you might tell them how long you've been writing, if you wish. Sometimes the best way to put it is: I felt that this piece may fit well with your publication. If you have read their publication, or subscribe to it, this would be good to place here too. But don't go on and on about who/what you like to read, except to make it clear that you've read at least one publication.

At this point you've reached the middle of the letter. If you have any publishing credits mention them in a third paragraph. Even if you had a letter published in any publication (newspaper, magazine, etc.) it counts. You don't have to say what exactly you've had published. But if you have had poems, articles, short stories, a book published, this is where you want to place it. The most impressive first.

This is how mine will probably look:
My publishing credits are as follows: With Copperhill Media: book/eBook Vampire Ascending, and soon to be published: Vampire's Trill; Short story anthology eBook: "Campaigner Challenges 2011". Short stories, poems and articles: ByLine Magazine, Writer's Digest Magazine, Black Oak Media ezine, Weed's Corner, Mid-America Poetry Review, Liquid Ohio, Rock River Times, The Mid-Week, and others.

Your ending should be just as clean and crisp as the rest of the letter. You bow out gracefully, and get out of the way so that they can get to your piece.

End of letter and salutation:

Thank you for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours truly,


Lorelei Bell

There you have it. I'm about to get this written up and send off some time today. I'll let you know if I make it through the first selection. It may be a while before I hear back from them--they said 2-3 weeks. Sending this via email isn't exactly a frist for me, but things are sure done differently when I remember you typed things out, or even printed them out and sent them via snail mail.

Dance on Fire: Trying to Read Again

Dance on Fire: Trying to Read Again: Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I have come before you this week to discuss books. Yes, I know. We're always discussing books. In fact, it's why we...

Just In Case You Handn't Heard

This is the second book. My publisher sent me the cover. Like?

'Twas the Day Before Halloween....

Hey, I just realized it's Sunday and that's when I usually post here. I was just checking things out at the blogs, and I've been entering all sorts of contests left and right. Seems I've won a clutch bag from Vintage Halloween!

Isn't it cool? Thanks goes to Jenn at Vintage Halloween!

Yesterday my husband and I went to the Pumpkin Fest and downed certain foods that may or may not be good for us (definitely didn't need to eat the elephant ear!) We stopped to see some nieces, one of which was running a booth and I had to have some great hot chocolate!

Then we decided to hop over to a cool place called Blumen Gardens. It's not just a place that sells plants and flowers, it is a whole experience. The family that owns it began in their garage and then added to it across the street where an old brick warehouse stands (1870's). Because of it's historical value the city said they could not demolish it. I think they did a wonderful job in utilizing the space. The front has been turned into a hall where weddings and parties are held.

They've used the distressed, and primitives to add to the place. I wish I could have taken pictures, but maybe some day I'll return and have a new camera to take them with.

My purchases weren't many however I found something I thought I couldn't find anywhere near here. Out of all the things I like to decorate with, I love pumpkins. If I find something that catches my eye. I happen to like the distressed ones, when I find them The one I bought sort of looked like this one but it had a black witch's hat and he was more squished and darker--like a patina was added to it.

I only know that this looked the same as the one I bought, so I'm assuming it came from Pumpkin Hallow, but I'm going to say that they did because there were others like this one and various sized ones as well. So, cool that I could find something I really had wanted.

Last night we watched a Christopher Lee movie "Dracula-Prince of Darkness" In this one Dracula doesn't have any lines. I've learned that he refused to say them because I guess they were stupid lines that he felt would not add anything to the part. And actually his hissing and looking morbidly calm at other moments was better. My only complaint was the ending. The endings of these Hammer films always disappointed me. This one went on the vampire legend that said vampires couldn't cross running water. Sorry if I ruin the movie for you--you can skip this portion if you want--but they had him on ice at the end and the friar had a shot gun and shot at the ice, breaking it up and made Dracula fall into it and--I don't know what happened, as he couldn't have drowned, but froze. I know that another movie made after this has him coming back from this icy pond. I just felt it made him look idiotic when he should be more powerful. I don't think that Hammer ever had Dracula fly, or turn into anything else. And this business with taking two pieces of steel and making the form of a cross in my book isn't the same thing as a real crucifix. So Hammer just sort of fudged the lines a little bit.

However having said all that, this was a more bloodier movie than the others that I recall, since they (again, don't read this because I'll spoil the movie for you here, if you have not seen it) have a man killed, strung up by Dracula's servant and slit his throat over his ashes, filling up the stone vault he rests in. Not only that they did a bang up job of special effects in showing Dracula's body forming from the ashes--and use of the dry ice was rather clever in making the fog rise as well. This was made in 1965, way before we got all techno.

So, tonight I'm not sure which film we will see. We have four out--one down. Tomorrow we both have the day off and want to just do nothing important other than enjoy the day off. I think we'll go to a coffee shop, maybe brows some places for a cabinet for our kitchen.

But before I go I want to wish you all

Lorelei's Muse: 99 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL . . .

Lorelei's Muse: 99 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL . . .: Wait... What I meant was 99 FOLLOWERS! Yes. I have 99 followers. Uh . . . I can't see who they are. No. Really. I can't. If you don't beli...

iDig Your Blog Award

Hi, everyone. Well, you know when I began this blog I never expected anyone to give it much notice, let alone awards. I had my main blog for two years before people even came to it and had only one wonderful follower for the longest time. But this one, you all have surprised me by suppporting it. And I do appreciate the jesture, and I love to get comments to know you all love me. *smiles*

Okay, on with business. Vivienne Moss has given me this iDig Your Blog Award. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VIVIENNE! *bunny waves*

I try to resist going through the whole deal, but I've found some fantastic blogs to send the award to and they all have something to do with Halloween, or things we associate with Halloween.

Here are the 5 things I must do to accept this award:

1. accept the award gracefully (which I've done)
2. Link to the person you recieved it from (which I've done)
3. Post three interesting things about yourself (interesting???)
4.Pass this award on to 5 blogs you dig
5. Notify these blogs that I've awarded them. (which I will do so today)


3 interesting things about me backwards:

#3. I live on a prairie/wetlands preserve where we see wildlife all the time and can have quiet piecefull walks right out our door.
#2. I've been married to a wonderful man for 24 years.
#1. I've been writing for over 30 years, and it was a year ago that Vampire Ascending was picked up by a small publisher.

The 5 Blogs I Dig:

Halloween Nights

The Halloween Tree

A Bad Witche's Blog

Wiccan Writes

Pumpkin Hollow


Now I'm off to bake some cookies in my new oven. Ta ta!

I'm Into Halloween

This was a beautiful fall day. My husband and I took a walk out in the park--we are managers of Afton Forest Preserve in DeKalb County. We watched the geese on the water, they were rolling, flapping their wings and preening on the pond. I could watch birds and wild life for hours. We also saw the "woolly bear" caterpillars--the orange section of their black and orange bodies was wider than the black. I can't recall what that means about winter's duration. Probably means long or cold, or snow amounts. Who knows? Also, I was very excited to have spotted a praying mantis. It was about 3" or 4" long. Not the largest one I've ever seen, but I must say it was a first here in our prairie preserve/wetland.

We are quite excited about the new oven we've finally gotten as part of the forest preserve's renovations on the kitchen. It's electric. Our gas stove was fumigating us and leaving black soot all over the house! So, tonight it is getting a little test. Originally we were going to bake a chicken. But my husband found a turkey breast and we decided "why not?" We bought cranberries (organic with no high fructose corn syrup), and baking an acorn squash with it. YUM! (^;

Tomorrow I'm baking cookies. I was excited that I could finally bake without this terrible smell. We have avoided using the gas one. But now, the electric oven is just wonderful. I'm baking sugar cookies and frosting them with orange frosting (made from scratch). I want to bake an apple pie, and cupcakes--chocolate, of course!

Normally I have designated Sunday as my post day for this blog, but I wanted to enter this today, just a general "my day" thing. Tomorrow I will address the blog award I've been given by Vivienne Moss. I think you guys are great thinking I deserve a blog award. This makes 3 blog awards here on this blog alone.

I will pay it forward. I'm to give it to 5 other people/bloggers and I'm making my choices tonight. Come back tomorrow to see who I give it to. I think you will see I've gone with a theme--of Halloween.

Now, the sun is making it's way into the shadow world. Light your pumpkins because you know you don't want the demons approaching you. Or . . . maybe you do?

Lorelei's Muse: COFFIN HOP ~ SCAVENGER HUNT! ! !

Lorelei's Muse: COFFIN HOP ~ SCAVENGER HUNT! ! !: So, you're in this strange neighborhood and want to see if you can scare up some damn darn good fun while trick-r-treating, and you stop at ...

Lorelei's Muse: COFFIN HOP!

Lorelei's Muse: COFFIN HOP!: I'm very excited about the Coffin Hop! It's the first blog hop I have ever been a part of. A bunch of horror fiction writers are particip...

The Great Pumpkin!

This Charlie Brown cartoon was my all-time favorite. I usually missed it because I think they put it on on Halloween night--when I was a kid. Later on, they began showing it during the week of. Now I'd like to watch it again, if I can catch it.

My husband and I are planning a weekend with certain events and video watching. I hope to bake cupcakes in my new electric oven, if we get it installed (the electrician is supposed to come out either tomorrow or Tuesday and get the wiring done for it.) We've had it with stinky propane, and this oven which was bad to begin with.

Back to the video-watching. We have a collection of old movies on video. We have a number of werewolf, mummy, Dracula, and Frankenstein. We choose one and watch one in the evenings, but we may put one on in the morning, and have our coffee and the decadent cupcakes I hope to make.

Then, we will go to the Pumpkin Fest, which has been on-going for (I think) more than 50 years now, in near-by Sycamore. People will pick up free pumpkins (children and adults can partake), carve and decorate and enter them in their age-range, or they have specific themes. They get things going on Wednesday and it runs through the weekend, with a parade and a race on Sunday. We go on Saturday, find some yummy food and hang out, walk in and out of shops. I usually buy my "pumpkin" cookies. That's a tradition as well.

I've also been out looking at other bloggers who are into Halloween all year long. I think it's a hoot to visit some of them. I never knew so many people are as demented as I am over a holiday--especially Halloween! But there are others out there like me. Which is cool.

So, what are your plans, if you haven't told me as yet? I'd love to hear about it.

Fall and Halloween My Favorite Time of Year

from http://www.halloweenclipart.com/

Just a quick post. We are enjoying some magnificent weather and tomorrow is the last day we can be free to enjoy it. Thus I'm going to post a little up date here.

I was contacted by my publisher the other day, showing me possible cover art for the next book. I was ecstatic over it. I think it will do it justice. (No, silly, it's not the cat with the black hat here, that's for Halloween!)

I've been working on read-through and re-writes of Crescendo. At the moment it's going fine.

Although I'm signed up for NaNo, I won't be able to do this. I don't even know why I signed up. Possibly a moment of insanity touched me. There is no way I can do 50K words in only 30 days--having only a few hours most days in which to write. No freaking way! And I respect anyone who can do it w/o cheating, and without making everyone around them nuts because they're in a frantic pace--I'd have to cheat. I'd also be all snarly, and snap at my husband and have no time for anything else.

I simply have no time, not enough energy and not only that, I hope to be promoting Vampire's Trill soon. What with having several blogs to maintain as well, I certainly can't expect to find time to work on a book at that pace unless I stay up way past my bedtime. That may put my health at risk, and my job in jeopardy. Two things I won't do to myself.

Getting the fourth novel done in 3 months I felt was my best, and it will stand as such. My murmurrings probably upset those of you who want to do NaNo. It shouldn't. I'm merely stating why I feel no need to do this. It's really up to the individual if they feel like whipping themselves into something so frantic, and I feel takes them away from other important things when they have a job, family, children and a house to maintain. I just can't do that to myself or my husband. He said he would understand if I did it. But I told him I'm recanting and not doing this.

But I hope to get through this first read through of Crescendo and begin thinking about the next book I want to write which is a new mystery series. If it grabs me I'll run with it. I've got a few ideas which overflowed from something I had written years ago. That was actually what I was planning on writing for NaNo. I'll begin writing it on November 1st and see how I would have done. Poorly, I'm sure.

Finished In 3 Months

The satisfaction of finishing a first draft is still exhilarating. Not like it used to be with me, so obviously I've become jaded in this way. But I've been writing for a very long time. I used to write non-stop works. That was in high school. I don't recall how long it might have been but I had one on-going "romance" that I wrote on Gregg tablets. I believe my stint in Newbie/Rookie status went for about 15-20 years after that. But I gradually learned how to plot a novel, but mostly how to end one. I once wrote a novel that was 800 pages. I think I might have mentioned this about a week ago. Yeah. It is housed in a large box in a bin. No one would touch it. Which only figures. I have other works in boxes too, and too busy to take them out to go through.

Anyway the fourth book of my Sabrina Strong Series is at a finished state which I can now work on with editing, adding details, etc.

But I'd like to go back to the third one and tweak it some more.

And I'm working on notes for a mystery series, wondering if it would be possible to present it to a different publisher.

At the moment I'm looking into Smashwords and going Indie. But I have slow dial up. Until I get a faster Internet, there would be no way. I'd like to either get a lap-top or find the money to get satellite. Our funds are rather tight. We're about to pay off one loan, but have another one to get out of our hair and that will take another few years to pay off. Meanwhile there are other things we need, and would like to have, but money is tight.

My writing had always been hinged on a simple need to write. To create. I'm a creative person, always have been. Writing seems to fulfill some deep, inner need in me that is inexplicable, yet I have no other outlet for it. And what writer doesn't want to see his or her work in print? And make money doing it?

I will never see the light of a large publishing house. I've gone through 30 years of trying to appease the Powers That Be. Now that the Industry is in flux, and we who write are beginning to get better control over publishing (which can be fraught with frustrations as well as success), I think the idea has become more appealing to me. I did self-publish a first light fantasy (Spell of the Black Unicorn), and it was good. Our mistake was buying more copies than we could sell. I might, someday, put it in ebook format and self-publish it (without paying for it, going with Smashwords, probably), but again, this isn't possible right now.

Thus I'm between a rock and an hard place, wanting to do something that is so readily available to everyone, and yet I can't. Frustrations kindle the fire of need and want and that only adds more frustration to the pyre. Seems I've always been at the disadvantage, at least in getting my work published.

At any rate, having finished a book gives me lots of time for other things...like washing floors, dusting, etc. Sounds so melodramatic, but not meant that way. I need a little break. I can prowl sites and learn some necessary things. I've joined Smashwords site so that I can get a handle on it. I'm following some mystery writing blogs. This one is really good and if you are into mysteries, you'll want to check out Mystery Writing is Murder. Today she had some excellent offers from Twitter that any writer can take advantage from, not just mystery writers.
Another one I might suggest for all writers is The Kill Zone, with several authors of suspense and mystery novels giving their weekly tips or write on other topics of interest. I highly recommend it for expert advice. My favorite author among them is James Scott Bell, who has written many books, and wrote/writes for Writer's Digest (a magazine I no longer get, mainly because it aggravated me by how they always made it sound like you could get published by following their advice, but it never worked for me. And because their articles had become repetitive, plus, I found I was already doing some of the things they suggested, and thought the rest of it was a bunch of horse hockey pucks.)

Okay, my husband and I will be putting a roast in the crock pot and while he is out lopping the grass for possibly the last time, I will wash my (new) kitchen floor.

Have a great Sunday, and rest of the week, everyone.

Visit my main blog Lorelei's Muse for some fun posts I'll be doing all October.

Lorelei signing autographs at Borders 2009
for Spell of the Black Unicorn, a light fantasy.

At the Climax Portion of the Book

pinical in Garden of the Gods, Colorado

I've worked up to this point in the book--the climax! The pinical! Finally, I'm there. But then as I wrote out the scene, something wasn't working. I had to let it rest. And I sort of mulled around through the weekend, waiting for the answer to come. Why wasn't this exciting me suddenly?

Then, I was reading one of my favorite authors, Kim Harrison, her Black Magic Sanction (and it's as good as I'd expect from her). I had inspriation from something inside the pages (for an earlier scene that takes place), but something about the way in which she creates problems for her Rachel character, made me realize I had not done this in this scene. I needed there to be a real challenge for my characters to find the little girl before the man does. (If I say more, I'll spoil this). They are in Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs, Co. I have three buses drop off children at the cave. The man is after the little girl, and Sabrina knows what the little girl looks like and why the man wants to find her.

But I have another problem lurking for her: The Albino, who is a true Undead, and he desires to take souls to feed on and that's one of the reasons he is there, but he would like nothing better than to feast on Sabrina's soul because she is a sibyl. (Yummy!)

What I had failed to do was make her search a little more complicated, put up obstacles, problems. I had Sabrina, Chris, and Bill get there just as the children get there. WRONG! I had to have them be delayed by traffic, plus a long drive down a mountain road. Also, I needed to have them realize the man who holds danger for the little girl in Sabrina's vision is already there. He drives a very destictive car--a '59 Caddilac with the big fins, and I thought I'd better have them find it there in the parking lot. At first I didn't.

So, I fixed all this. They find the man's car first. They get inside and there are more than one tour and so Sabrina makes up a little white lie about being late for the school tour, and once they get inside the cave, they are not with the group which has the little girl.

And while they discuss things off to the side, Dante showes up (because he is an Undead too, but is very VERY devoted to Sabrina), tells her that The Albino is there with them. She now has Bill, who is a Nephilm, a werewolf (Chris), and now Dante (Undead). I'm setting the thing up. I'm moving slowly, as though I'm walking through this cave too.

This is where I am:

"The Albino is very near," Dante said. "He is here, in fact. Waiting."

I looked from him to Bill and then to Chris.

Bill stepped in front of me. "Then we must all guard her." The two other men fell in beside me and behind me and we all moved along the cave's uneven floor.

"This is crazy," I complained mildly. "The only one of you who would have any chance against another astral vampire is Dante."

"It is true," Bill said. "But there is one soul that the Albino would crave more than yours."

"Whose?" I asked, incredulous.

"Mine."

Vampire Writer's Retreat: Something In Me Snapped Today . . .

Vampire Writer's Retreat: Something In Me Snapped Today . . .: and I knew what it was I wanted to write next. You ever have those moments where you think about a possible next book. Yeah, I could do th...

I've Got it!

I had posted earlier today about a manuscript I had written many years ago and then rewrote it and it became too large for anyone to want, and so I down-sized it. Still no takers. I gave up. Shelved it for years. Moved on.

I took it out today--its in mini piles all over my other desk, two chairs another table and on the floor. It's basically in a shambles. Pages are reaarranged, missing, and so on. I couldn't put it together even if I had a month of days to string together to just do it. It rambles, has too many story threads, too many characters.

However, as I was reading some of the chapters, here and there, and realized what I had was enough story ideas for not one book, but many. In fact I may have (well, I sure do have) a new series with a male protag. And since it's so brand new I'm not saying too much about it.

So, new life for an old manuscript. Sometimes when you look at something ascew it becomes something new, fresh, original. Rehashing an old manuscript may be like rehasing an old idea that didn't work in the first place. Sure, you loved it when you wrote it and believe it should have been published, dog gone it. But it wasn't good enough. I don't think it ever could be, now. The story ideas are just old hat.

But as I have learned to believe, because the old Indian thought is, if it wasn't meant to be, it wasn't. Possibly something else is in the wings. By waiting it out and trying to look at this thing in some new way, I now know what I can do with it.

The old manuscript spoke to me today. I found chapters that could be turned into short stories, and in fact wrote a few out into new documents, which I may share with you at Lorelei's Muse or elsewhere this coming fall.

Have a good weekend!

The Forgotten Manuscript

Hello, all my pretties. Stay a while and we'll talk.

You know how it is when you write so many novels and you can't snag the interest of an agent--or whoever--to take it on? So, you shelve it.

I've got a lot of those. But one mss., which I had started way back when dirt was practically invented (and authors could approach publishers, even be invited to New York to have a meeting with them--those were the days!), and it wasn't good enough, I put it away. Then, I took it out after many years and rewrote it. Rewrote it some more. I did almost snag an agent, in the 90's, but she really didn't think that vampire novels sold that well (Anne Rice was doing really well at that time, and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was hot, and a slue of movies on vampires were out *sigh*). So, after being so horribly rejected I put it away. Um, in case you didn't know--I really hate rejection.

The book's title was "Vampire Legacy". It was very racy, and it is a police procedural written in 3rd person with several POV characters. It was too long, though, so that sort of put off the agent. I also had a lot of characters in it and could probably have pulled some and really tightened up the writing. But, I was still in the newby stages. Learning my craft. I'm a slow learner.

I took my beloved, ancient (paper) manuscript out this morning. I began reading the third chapter. By golly it sounded pretty good and so entered it into a doc. I've been reading through portions of it, this week, and I really believe if I worked on it I could do something with it. Re-name it, of course, because it's too close to my first vampire novel. Which is okay. I'm sure I can come up with something.

So, what does one do with an old mss., which is, by the way, all jumbled up because I think I was putting it on a disk, either that, or rewriting the hell out of it. I may post some of it on Lorelei's Archives. Maybe. But my main goal is to figure out what the hell I was doing with it. I always make notes on my projects. I'll just have to dig them out.

Any suggestions? I'd like to do something Indi, but I don't know if I can upload with such a slow modem. Hope you're all having a nice weekend. The weather here in Illinois could not be better, very fall-like!

Monday Musings . . . Vasyl and Sabrina

Hey, there. I've been sharing brief bits from my WIP. just thought I might share a brief one from a scene between Vasyl and Sabrina. Again, this is the 4th book. The second one is to come out eventually--I have to get the edits first and after I get them (and a book cover), I will announce its debut here and at my other blogs.

Set up: after Niki was sent away from Lonny Pennyweather's (vampire) house--this scene can be viewed HERE--Sabrina has been recovering from her night. Let's peek in and see what Vasyl and Sabrina are doing now . . .

His hand clutched mine once more and kissed it. “I am not angry, Sabrina. Not at you, at any rate. You were a victim. And what he got was what he deserved. You need not feel regret over anything that happened.” He moved closer and gently kissed me on the lips. I'd forgotten what his kisses did to me; they made me feel wonderful, and at the same time safe, and absolutely loved. “Are you feeling better?”

I nodded. “Yeah. My ribs don't hurt any more.”

“I am happy to hear this.” He shifted so that he was up against me, and kissed me again, one hand feather-light against my jaw. The kiss helped me forget whatever it was we'd been talking about. “Take off your gloves,” he whispered. “I want that you should be able to resist me, should you want to.”

I blinked at him, not exactly surprised by his request, but at the realization of what he meant to do. I felt my stomach tumble hard. This was it. I was unprepared for his attentions, knowing full well he had waited all this time. I pulled off my gloves and set them aside. I knew no matter what, I wouldn't resist him; I had looked forward to his love-making since he began overtures toward me.

He kissed my wrists, and then dropped my right hand and took my left arm in both hands and kissed eagerly—as though my arm were corn on the cob—up to the bend in my elbow and kissed his old bite. I was stunned as I instantly went into an orgasm so strong I gasped and arched my back. Shit, what's going to happen when we finally do it? Will I instantaneously combust?

His one arm curled around me, catching me from falling back onto the bed; the other hand went to my crotch pressing and massaging me, helping turn the orgasm into an even stronger one. His lips were on my throat, whispering in French, “Magnifique, mon amour . . . magnifique . . .” as though encouraging me through the gratification. Whatever he'd said, it was marvelous and seemed to go with the throes of ecstasy I was experiencing.

The knock at the door interrupted us. It was a good thing I was pretty much done, or I'd have killed them about then.

Vasyl looked toward the door. “What is it?” he asked almost languidly.

“Your food, my lord,” the voice was familiar. It was Chris. I was certain of it. I was glad that he had somehow made it back here, and was—for all that I could tell—alright.

Vasyl launched himself off the bed and answered the door. I heard the low tone of a male voice out in the hall. It sounded like Chris, but now I wasn't sure. I would know once I touched the tray who had brought it. Vasyl spoke quickly to whoever it was, assuring them that I was fine. “Much improved,” he said and edged back through the door.

all writing herein is copyrighted 

Awards Goes To . . .

 Well, to this blog, and these awards are from Lisa Fee of Tall Tales, and I thank her for such a very nice jesture.

I've had no time to post this, and really have no time to do all the things I am supposed to do with them. Thus, if I have time at a later date, I might do the required jumping jacks, back bends, head spins and so forth. But for now I'm simply announcing them and thanking Lisa for being a greath follower of this blog, and any others she has commented on, and is following.

So, the award really goes to those of you who actually follw this blog, and will drink to your good health. Thanks you all of you who have become a follower, this blog has gained 14 FOLLOWERS in a very short time. I never thought it would become that interesting to other writers, so thank you.





You all deserve a toast!




Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go work on something that will be posted on Lorelei's Muse on Monday; interview with Heather McCorkle, newly emerging author of The Secret of Spruce Knoll.

The Short & Sweet

I remember when I had plenty of time to write, oh, so long ago.

Wow. That sounds a little like a poem's beginnings. But I'm not going in that direction. A number of people have been showing up here at Lorelei's Writing Journal. I'm glad to have you, all 9 of you! Some of you have left comments, and know I can't see my follower's list (I can't see anyone's list, actually), and you've been kind enough to leave me at least one comment so that I know who you are.

I've also joined the third Writer's Building Campaign, and so I've been working on getting around to people, but it's rather slow because I've only so much time in the day. Gotta sleep sometime. Gotta work to. And write. Since this is what I love to do.

Today my characters Sabrina Strong and Vasyl will meet the "Underwear Challenge" over on my sister blog,
Something Nebulous Within. I was tagged by Shelly of The Life of a Novice Writer. And I've tagged two men, for a change, so that should be interesting.

I'm on page 146 of my WIP and over 55,000 words! I began this in July. Hey! Got half a book done in 30 days! Not bad, considering I don't get to work on it more than a few hours at night, and maybe 3-5 hours/day on the weekend.

I'm not into a NaNoWri challenge only because I know it would only frustrate me. I've got too many things that frustrate me already.I have to make time to write at the end of the day, but I also have to network, and do my blogs.

But I can make my own challenges, and when the words come, they come. When they don't then I know I have to allow my mind to work on it and not try to put down so many words in a day. Usually it only takes me a night to come up with something to happen next. I consider where the book is going, or needs to go. If it sags too much in the middle, I need to pop something in there that gets things going again.

And that's what I like about fantasy. I just had a demon try to attack Sabrina in a woman's rest room. I thought it would be a little funny placing the whole incident in a lady's room in a restaurant, and when Sabrina's dagger kills it, it goes up in flames. Then she and the guy she's with have to get out of there quickly before someone finds the smoldering remains.

And now to go back to it all. 

Lorelei's Muse: DOUBLE FEATURE THURSDAY: CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNER...

Lorelei's Muse: DOUBLE FEATURE THURSDAY: CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNER...: NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION... scribblingpencil has just won the autographed copy of Vampire Ascending!!!!! scribblingpencil: pl...

The Connections & Continuation

Working on the 4th book & news.

I've got a lot of friends, and when you are connected--on facebook esp.--you can put a question out there and you will probably get an answer within 24 hours. I asked one person I know from work what old car had big tail fins. He told me the '59 Cadilac. He is to send me some link, later, I guess so I have a visual.

I need the visuals--who doesn't--when working on a book. I've got a lot happening, pretty much all at once. I've discussed here how I keep notes, but also write note cards so as to keep scenes in order when I go to write them.

This book is slightly different in that I'm going with two different POV's. I'm using the 1st person for Sabrina, but everyone else I'm going with 3rd person. This is the first of this series where I'm showing the thoughts of other characters. I think while a 1st person book is good, you are very limited in telling a story. You really have to think about what your story is about, before you begin writing it in any POV. So many people are involved with Sabrina I felt I needed to bring their voices into this story, and let them tell their own background and reasons why they are persuing her.

Meanwhile, my publisher, who is located in Maine, has said that everyone is fine after Irene hit. I'm sure there is a lot of cleaning up going on. But we are discussing the book cover for the second book. That's sort of fun. I didn't complain about the first book's cover at all, since it was so awesome. But this one I want it to capture a little more of what the book is all about, rather than keep it with any theme or whatever. He agreed with me. So, I'm waiting to see what he comes up with next.

Other than that, I've won a contest. Since I chose to have something critiqued, I'm going to send the first 1,000 words of my 3rd novel to Sylvia Ney of Writing In Wonderland. I know that it isn't perfect, and I'm not expecting her to gush with "Oh, this is wonderful! blah-blah". All I want is to have someone look at it, find the dumb mistakes, let me know what I might be able to do better, and go from there.

I once went to some site that said they would "critique" so many words of whatever, about 2 years ago and got insulted six ways to side ways--and on line no less! I thought the person running the thing was rather brutish about it and allowing other people to sling crap at it was not instructive at all. It was almost like being thrown to the lions. I really didn't think that was fair. It took me a long time to get over that.

So, not wanting to go through that again, I know Sylvia is kind hearted and will review my opening of the third book with an editor's eye, so that I can at least find anything I might miss otherwise.

Anyone out there send out for critiques? Have a critique group? It's nice to have good people who will give you honest helpful critiques of your work, I think.

Lorelei's Muse: LORELEI'S BIRTHDAY BASH & GIVE AWAY!!!!

Lorelei's Muse: LORELEI'S BIRTHDAY BASH & GIVE AWAY!!!!: Hello! You made it! Welcome! Join us in the celebration! Here's a party hat and we're about to cut the cake. Mingle and make yourself comfor...

Lorelei's Muse: GIVE AWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!

Lorelei's Muse: GIVE AWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!: Okay, so this girl is turning a year older, and I decided I would have a little party for those of you who follow, and/or are fans of my vam...

HEY, YOU! CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

I seem to be gaining popularity here on my writing journal--which was basiclly done on a whim. I now have 4 followers, and getting comments all the time. I love when I get comments. Why? Because I can come and meet you all over on your blogs! Bug you for a change!!!

And since you all are new to me, and me new to you, tell you what. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I've got a birthday coming up. I'm trying to find a way of celebrating it with all of my favorite blogie friends-old and new--and I think I may have come up with a good idea.

My birthday is on Saturday, so you will have time to make plans to come to my main blog Lorelei's Muse. I will post notification of a give away there, on August 27th. But you must come to this post, become a follower and follow the very easy rules of the contest. That's it. You don't have to give blood (just kidding!). Just show up on the 28th, make comment on the post that day, or even there after, and become a follower.

How easy is that?

See you there!

When the Writing Gets Complicated & Plotting Scenes

Hello all two of you! *chuckle*

I'm still working along in the 4th book. And because I will now be working longer days, it will be difficult for me to post most of the time in here, or elsewhere.

However, here is where I'm at in my WIP: 43,227 words. Which I would consider at half-way through, depending upon where I want to end it. I don't try and reach a limited amount of words, but at the same time I don't want an overly long novel. With my publisher, he doesn't limit word count, but the book will merely cost more for the consumer, depending upon the pages. Thus, with the economy as it is, I'm trying to work toward much less than 100,000 words. I try and keep the work within 300 pages, if possible.

My pick for best book on
 Nephilim and fallen angels

So, with that in mind, and knowing that I am working with several character's POV's, I have to limit what each one gets to have in their moments/scenes in the book. Because I've been just working along from the beginning with what I had, I'm now adding the other characters, having their scenes in here, I have to now drop them in as I go along. With one character in particular, Bill Gannon (who is introduced in second book about to come out), I've had to develop his history. He is the off-spring of Nephilim, and I had to develop their history according to what I wanted them to be and so forth. I've read only two novels pertaining to Nephilim, and one was very good, called Angelology, by Danielle Trussoni. I would recommend this book over all. I felt she did the most extensive work on the background and history out of the two I've read so far. The other book was a YA. Not that into YA, but it was an alright book for young adults. This was called Fallen by Lauren Kate. The cover, and the first chapter are a bit deceiving, so I had to read into the center of this book to even become interested. I don't care for young adult, I guess it's because they always have them in some sort of school. Which is fine. I simply hated school, when young. I guess nothing will even touch the Harry Potter series for most interesting schools for me.

Anyway, what I've had to do is think on who Bill is, his history, and come up with some moments from his past. I had to also decide how old he was. Came up with that he's at least 110 years old, but still looks in his 20's. I had to decide--earlier than this book--what his purpose was to finding Sabrina and trying to woo her, in second book. I knew he would have to be brought into another book to address him, his true background, history, and so forth. It only took a few days for me to come up with his history. Now I need to sprinkle it in.

In order to keep him straight--because there are several characters who I will get into their heads and have scenes with--I've taken note cards and briefly written each scene down on a card for Bill. In a separate document, I've written the ideas more fully, to the point in some cases dialogue, or the scene itself. This is easier for me than to try and write it into the main doc. itself. I have ADD, so if I begin reading portions of my writing, I get distracted away from what I want to do.

The note card ploy works with anything you need for plotting your novel. You can briefly describe the scene, lay them out on a flat surface and figure out what goes first. I've addressed numerous advantages of using this method, and the plot planner, etc. over on Lorelei's Muse in my WORDSMITHING 101 series. If you wish to take a look at those, that's the heading for any you wish to take a look at in past posts of mine. One happens to be on my most viewed at the left side bar. It was the first one I'd written, and it must be pretty good, or I wouldn't have that many people looking at it.

Well, I'll leave you two for now. If you have anything to share here, or at Muse, please do. I always like to hear about what you're doing. Also know that I'm unable to see who my followers are here. I don't know why it's blocked for me. So, if you wish to leave me a link in order to find you, do so. I'll be happy to stop by, and follow you as well!

Motivation for Characters

the albino vampire

In my notebook a page is open and on it written in green highlight ink the question is posed:

WHAT IS BILL'S MOTIVATION?
PURPOUS?
~is it to keep her safe?
~ or to kill the Albino?
~BOTH???

You always have to continuously ask yourself these questions when working on the WIP.
Bill Gannon is a character I've introduced in the second book. And since the second book has not yet come out, I won't go into him too much. But he has a secret that is revealed in the second book, but he has a few more secrets that I'm wanting to explore in this fourth book. A little more of this background, too.

The picture above is not Bill. It reminded me so much of another character that is in my fourth book. He is the villain. He is called "the Albino". But he is a type of vampire that I'm introducing in the series in the fourth book, which I can't even talk about here, because it would give too much away.

But, the Albino is pretty nasty. Making him as nasty as I can, includes causing the death of innocents. And one scene I have not quite put together as yet, but I've got a portion of it done.

The fourth book is now at over 31,000 words, and I'm on page 84, a few more since this morning. I've been going to town on this book this past week since I've been off work.  Thank's to my husband for allowing me the time off. I make no vacation pay, thus I'm simply off.

On Monday we are leaving for the North Woods. Wisconsin, to Lake Superior. I'm taking a lot of pictures. We've never been up there before. I can't wait!

Of course I'm bringing notebooks, my little recorder, and whatever else I might need, just in case I have to get some scene down. The break will give me time to mull over what to do about Bill.