Computer Fail, OA Chats and WIP Progress!

Is it Friday already?

I closed my little eyes at 4am this morning, but it was so worth it. Last night (or this morning for me) was the awesome query chat with Elana Johnson. The verdict? Woot.

We had questions galore, winners of critiques and a rather important discussion about Alexander Skarsgaard from True Blood (thoughts on that topic a) yum, b) Amparo, where are those pics?). Anyway, it wasn't without its disasters. Okay, my disaster.

Forty minutes before the chat started, my laptop decided it didn't want to play. Nothing loaded. I had no Internet access (apart from my phone) and everything shut down. After lots of eye rolls, reloading and "Crap, my CP's and Elana are gonna kill me" thoughts, I made it. Phew. For anyone who couldn't join us, or just wants to soak up the ninja's awesome advice, the transcript is available over on the OA blog.

Although, Kristal did mention my computer may have been protesting due to sheer exhaustion. Why? Last night I finished the first draft of my wip. Woot. Now it's time to revise, revise, revise and NaNo for book 2.

I might take a little nap first though. Oh, and if anyone can recommend a nice new laptop, I may be in the market soon enough!

Happy Friday everyone. :)

P.S. Amparo has an amazing guest post by Janice Hardy over on the OA blog today!

Writing, Writing, Writing...Ooh, Today's The Day

I've finally got the Hot Dog song out of my head from goddaughter sitting yesterday. Woot. So today I'm writing. Yes, I shall be in my happy space tapping on the keyboard. I've got blogs to read, a plot twist to finish, my ending to complete; I'm swamped.

Okay, I'm paraphrasing Prince Humperdinck from The Princess Bride there, but you get the idea. :)

One question though? Can you hear me squee? Yes, today is the Operation Awesome query chat with Elana Johnson. In case you need it, Kristal has posted a handy reminder form over on the OA blog. 

My love of spreading the awesome means I am to sacrifice my cookie/plot dreaming sleep to be awake at 2am. Fear not, I'm prepared. I've saved my writing procrastination episodes of this weeks The Vampire Diaries and Criminal Minds to keep me busy. Although you've seen where I write so I don't have to go far. I'll be the one moderating in my PJ's. I promise I'll brush my hair though. :)

There's also only three days to get your entry in for the beautiful UK edition white Twilight covers (bought and sent by yours truly). Contest closes at Midnight GMT.

And now other things.

Over the last month the goddaughter has started the copying phase. I rested my chin  on my hand, she did the same. I stood in the doorway...so did she (she even looked how my feet were positioned and did the same). If she had any sense she'd copy someone less of a klutz than her auntie, but I guess she's learning other actions. Other ways of expressing herself by watching me.

Then I realised that I do the same when I write. We all do.

We take our notebooks and jot down actions, moments and reactions we've seen and twist them to use for our own literary purposes. We magpie various tones of voice, facial gestures, traits and ticks for characters. We are the ultimate developing children who use our experiences to layer into our richly created worlds.

And that's got to help us learn to be better writers, right?

Hope to see you at the chat. :)

Reminder

Two things today.

1) Today is my post day over on Operation Awesome. I'm talking about a write query process. Feel free to pop over and check it out. 

2) Tomorrow is the epic of epicness live query chat with Elana Johnson (and us OA girls). If you have some time, join us over on the OA blog at 9pm EST. We have copies of Elana's eBook as prizes and Elana is generously giving away three query critiques.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

P.S. Sorry if I don't get round to your blogs today, I've been on goddaughter duty. She doesn't let me use the computer in her presence. I have to play with toys and watch The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. lol.

My Writing Process.

Yesterday I shared my bookcases with you. Today I thought I'd share something else. Yes, today I'm giving you a peek at my writing process.
And I'm including pictures!

Step one: Get my writing space ready.

Step 2: I need to have my essentials -- my wip playlist and snacks. I have a cup of tea as well.

Step 3: Think about writing by staring at the keyboard. Tapping my fingers is crucial during this. I like to think of it as limbering up.

Step 4: Procrastinate. Today was a Criminal Minds episode. Until Supernatural season 6 comes to the UK it's either Criminal Minds or The Vampire Diaries. How I love my Sky+ recorder.

Step 5: Write.

Sorry no photo. It's hard to write and take a photo and I forgot how to set the timer on the camera. LOL.

Step 6: Have a 'why did my character just do that?' moment.

Step 6: Delete the disaster from step 6.

Step 7: Nap time? No, I'm thinking about my scenes with my eyes closed for visualization.

Okay I was napping.

Step 8: Wake up/brainwave. Repeat step 5. Lather, rinse, repeat.

So that's my handy guide to writing. I missed out the drinking tea, eating cookies and toilet break photos. As much as I <3 you all, I think that would be sharing a little bit too much information. lol. But I hope I made you smile. :)

I Spy My Bookcases.

Last week I was happily bantering with one of my awesome beta's, the fantastic Renae, about the TBR pile and how we need to see photographs. Imagine the look on my face on Friday when she posted just how big is that TBR pile? 

Like Renae said on Friday, we have never said how many books are in the TBR pile. But since Renae came clean with her thirty four, it's now my turn.

I've mentioned I have a TBR bookcase. Oh, and said once or twice how I get the dad eye roll when a new book arrives in the mail (I have a love/love relationship with Amazon.com and The Book Depository, he has a 'where are you going to put those' relationship with it. hee hee). It also doesn't help that Katrina, one of my CP's, is my book enabler in crime. But hey, at least I don't have any habits that can land me in jail.

You can't get arrested for too many books can you?

Anyway, I present my bookcases.

As you can see these bookcases are kind of full. These are the shelves my friend, and mother of the goddaughter, refers to as her library. If you look close enough you can see the gorgeous UK white Twilight saga covers on the top of the smaller bookcase. (Which you can still enter to win at Operation Awesome.)

The white bookcase is a mix of read/reading and TBR books. It's depth means I can stack books two rows deep, so I fit more in.

"So how many are in the TBR section?" I counted them, I double checked and I have forty books waiting for my attention. Some of these were bought over the last few months. I would have read them by now, but in order to finish the wip by the end of this month I've put a pause on my reading. I can't tell you how much I'm itching to get reading these books now. It's a good thing I read quickly.

Okay, there you have it. So come on, how many books are on your TBR pile?

Awesome And Reminders.

When Operation Awesome launched we had an amazing one-sentence pitch contest. And I did a happy squee when I found out one of the entrants, Nancy Herman, has been offered representation with our September Mystery Agent, Mandy Hubbard.

For all the amazing info check out Katrina's post over on OA.

Oh, and polish those one-sentence pitches. You may need it sooner than you think. :)

And don't forget on Thursday the 28th of October is the frawesome query chat with Elana Johnson and all us OA gals.

Now I have to go finish my entry for Hannah's contest before midnight. Wish me creepy thoughts. :)

Happy Friday everyone. :)

Books. Books. Books: Well Hello My Pretties.

First, I'll be working my way through my inbox today to reply to comments from the last few days. The cold made a return over the last couple of days so I've been snuffling in bed. I blame the goddaughter. She got it back and re-germed me, but all seems clear this morning. :)

Second, a huge hello to my new followers. *waves* Nice to have you here on the journey.

You all know I love my books. I make no secret that I let out a huge squee of excitement when Atom Books said they were releasing a UK limited edition set of white Twilight covers.I got so excited I even ordered two sets to give away over at Operation Awesome. If you'd like to win a set feel free to pop over and enter before October 31st.

I'm not the only one excited by these covers. Myrna McEntire is as well.

Want to peek at the covers? Here's one of them:

Anyway, my lovelies arrived last week and are now living happy on my bookcase. I also just sent a set across to one of my amazing CP's, Katrina (a.k.a my book enabler).

I also took delivery of a pretty copy of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer! Unfortunately it came while I was out. When I got home my dear old Dad gave the the 'how many more books are you expecting' eye roll. So, for now, I've had to put a hold on ordering anymore books for myself this month. Sniff.

I guess I'll just have to start making a list of what I want to order now. Sorry Dad, the postman will be paying lots of visits to the door in November/December. hee hee.

What about you. Got any good books lately?