"The only way to be sure you never get published is to give up. Don't give up."
- Cara Lockwood

Archive for November 2012

Nanowrimo Day 30: An Excerpt


.



Last day of Nanowrimo.  Right now it is almost 8:30pm so I only have less than 4 hours left of Nanowrimo.  I have been writing all day today and I am actually a little over 40K which is way more than I expected to get too.  I don't think I am going to be able to write 10K in less than four hours.  In fact, I am getting very stiff from writing for so long and I already have issues from my muscle problem so I am not sure if I am going to make it to writing until midnight.  But I think I have done pretty well for being as far behind as I was.  I am a bit sad that I won't make it, especially since I am so close but there is always Camp Nanowrimo.  I seem to do better then any ways.
Today I am going to leave you all with another excerpt.  Hope you enjoy:


Sawley and I got to the pool and every thing was going well for the first five minutes.  I was just settling down on the pool lounge chair after putting on my sun tan lotion, opening my book up to chapter five and had not even read the first word when I heard Sawley scream.  I threw my book down and jumped up.
A life guard, named Terrance who goes to my school and is in the same grade, was jumping in to the water.  He grabbed Sawley and pulled her over to the edge of the pool.  I was already there by the time he got to the edge and he lifted her up to me and I pulled her up out of the water.
“Sawley are you okay?” I yelled.  She had her eyes closed.
Terrance pushed himself out of the water and looked down over Sawley.  He bent down over her face.  “She is not breathing.”
“What?” I yelled.
“I am going to do mouth to mouth.”
Just as his lips touched hers she burst out laughing.  The other children who had gathered around us had begun laughing too.
Sawley jumped up.  “He kissed me; he kissed me,” she squealed.
I sat back on the concrete, relieved that she was okay and then I got angry.  “Sawley Marie, what on earth is the matter with you?  Do you not know better than to fake some thing like that?  Don’t you remember when I read you the story about the boy that cried wolf?  And what if some one else was really drowning?  Terrance would not see them because of you.  You should be ashamed of your self.”
Her smile quickly melted in to a frown and her bottom lip began to pucker.  “I was just doing a dare,” she whispered.  “Bruce said it would be funny.”
“I do not care what Bruce or any one else says.  You know better than to do some thing like this.  Do you think it is funny to give me scare like that?  To think some thing bad has happened to you?”  I was still yelling.  May be I should not have been so hard on her.
She burst out in to tears.
The other children dispersed.  This little boy, Bruce, was usually at the pool and he was such a bad influence on all of the other children.  The only time Sawley ever did any thing remotely bad was when Bruce was around.  I kept telling her that she needs to stop going along with every thing he says.
I looked over at Terrance.  “I am really sorry about this.  I will have Mom talk to her about this.”
Sawley cried louder.  “No do not tell Momma.”
Terrance looked over at Sawley and then at me with a blank expression on his face and then he laughed.
“What are you laughing for?” I asked, still upset about the whole thing.  “What could be so funny?”
He scooted over to Sawley.  “All that for a kiss, huh?”
She wiped her eyes and looked up at him with her big brown eyes.
“All you had to do was ask,” he said.  “Kissing her on the cheek.”
She grinned and sniffled.
“No more faking okay?  You do not want me to have to ban you from the pool, now do you?”
Her eyes got big, as if she had not considered that as a possibility.  “No,” she said, shaking her head.
“Well you are my best customer after all,” he said.  “But if you pull another stunt like that I will be forced to ban you from the pool.  We do not tolerate things like that here.  Do you under stand?”
She shook her head yes.
“Okay.  Well for today I am going to ask that you sit out of the pool for twenty minutes and then you can get back in.”
She frowned and slumped her shoulders.  “A whole twenty minutes?”
“It is either that or I ask you to go home.  What will it be?”
“Twenty minutes,” she said with a frown.
“Go on and sit in the chair,” I said, pointing over to where I had been sitting.
She stomped over to the chair with her head hanging down.
I looked at Terrance.  “Thank you,” I said.  “For not kicking us out I mean.  Hope fully she will learn her lesson.”
“You still going to tell your mom?” he asked.
“Do you not think I should?” I asked.  “That was really bad what she did.”
“Yeah,” he said.  “It was really bad, but she is getting her punishment right now.  Do you think she needs another one from your mom?”
I sighed.  Mom would be furious and would probably ground her, which would mean that I would be grounded as well because if Sawley can not go any where then neither can I and I do not want to be stuck in the house all day.  
“I guess not,” I said.  “But if she does some thing like this again then I will have to tell Mom.”
“Agreed,” he said, helping me up off of the ground.  “Well I better get back to my post,” he said.
I went over and sat down in a chair next to Sawley.  She was sitting in the lounge chair, her arm floaties still on, and she had her arms crossed and her lip pouted and was glaring over at Bruce.
“What a butt munch,” she said.
“Sawley Marie Blank you know better than to say things like that.”
“Well he is,” she said.  “It is all his fault.”
“Now Sawley,” I said.  “Did he force you to do what you did?”
“No but..” She said, sitting up.
“You did not have to go along with what he told you to do, did you?”
“No but…”
“You wanted to do it, didn’t you? So you could get a kiss?”
She did not say any thing but looked over at Terrance.
“He is so dreamy,” she said.  “If you get a life guard why can’t I?”
“Oh Sawley,” I said.  She looks just like a child but some times I forget that she can have grown up feelings.  “Don’t think he is a bit old for you?”
“What is in an age?” she asked, keeping her eyes on him.
“Well a lot in this instance,” I said.  
“He is only nine years older than me,” she said, like that was nothing.
“Only?” I asked.  “Sawley that is more years than you have been alive.  Besides you are a bit too young to be worry about boys.  Trust me you will have plenty of time for boys when you are older.  You know you can’t even date until you are sixteen.”
“Hmph,” she said, crossing her arms and returning her face to the same angry position.  “Life is not fair.”





I hope you enjoyed the excerpt. It is part of some thing I wrote today. I am really loving my characters Juniper and Sawley and so I will be continuing writing this story because it is no where near finished. I will also probably do more stories with them in the future.

Well I hope you all enjoyed following my blog this Nanowrimo. I will still be keeping the blog about things I am reading, reviews, author/character interviews and updates on my writing projects and then hopefully in April when the first session of Camp Nanowrimo starts, I will be able to come back and blog during that time.

Good luck with your future writing projects and congrats to all those who participated in Nanowrimo this year!


<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 29-Still writing


.



Tomorrow is the last day of Nanowrimo 2012.  Right now my word count is about 31K.  I have written about 1,700 words today.  If I am going to make it to 50K tomorrow I will need to write a little over 10K today and tomorrow.  I am not sure I will be able to make it to 50K but I am going to keep doing some writing and see how far I can get.  So even if I do not make 50K it will still be an accomplishment for me because I won't have given up.  In the past when I have not reached the 50K word goal it is because I gave up, this time will be different.  Also I reached 50K twice this year already and that is a huge accomplishment as well.
Oh and that reminds me.  Next years Camp Nanowrimo sessions will be in April and July so mark your calendars!  I am a little disappointed it won't be in June and August but hopefully those months will be good too.
I had a really hard day the past couple days because some how I pulled a muscle in my back under my left shoulder blade and I haven't been able to move very well.  I couldn't sit or move my arms or my head and I didn't sleep at all tuesday night.  I went to the chiropractor yesterday and I am feeling a little better.  I was actually able to lay down last night.  I never realized how much of a blessing that is.  To just be able to lay down and sleep.  It was quite painful but not as bad as the night before when I could not lay down at all.  I am getting ready to go back to the chiropractor today and will hopefully be feeling even better.  Maybe by this weekend the pain will be gone.
I am unable to drive right now because of the pain (my mom drives me to the doctors) so I have had to cancel work and school for today and tomorrow so I am going to try and use that time to write.  Typing doesn't seem to be too painful.
Well I hope you all are still enjoying your novels and congrats to all those who have reached 50K or who are still writing.

<3 Andrea

Cover Reveal: Hanging from the Family Tree by Alison Davis


.


Today I am taking part in a cover reveal for Alison Davis' book "Hanging by the Family Tree: Tobias' Story"
This story is the companion novel for Alison Davis' first book "Whispers on the Wind: Ari's Story" which can be purchased on Lulu.com.  You can read my cover reveal for this story by clicking here.
"Hanging from the Family Tree" will be available for purchase soon.


The Reveal:



Synopsis:

Hanging from the Family Tree: Tobias’ Story, is a Young Adult fiction novel, based in a fictional English coastal town.

Hidden letters from 1812, the British Regency, tell the story of Alexander Ventus, member of a very rich and influential local family. Besotted with a local women, Elizabeth, who is deemed beneath him, he is forced into a marriage with another woman. Distraught she throws herself from a cliff. Followed years later by Alexander, burdened by his guilt.

Alexander Ventus is Tobias’ great, great, grandfather, and there is an alarming likeness to their lives. Tobias’ Story tells of his struggle to find his place in his family and to discover what it truly means to be a Ventus.


Excerpt:

I’d found the letters just when I needed them, but when I least expected them. The scrawled words that changed everything. The faded ink which pushed me closer to the edge. The echoes and ghosts of the past which haunted my summer, my home and my mind. Then I found her. My Her. And the past began to replay itself. In life you get one chance to write your story, it’s not always perfect and it doesn’t always have a happy ending. This is mine...

Tobias’ Story

The Seed.

I sat staring at the dark polished wood of the desk in front of me, the virgin white paper with small black printed letters, which both promised me hope and sealed my fate, now crumpled and torn. I reached out to smooth it flat.

Dear Mr Ventus,

We are writing to inform you that your application has been accepted...

That was all that was left on the torn scrap my father had ripped from my hand. His thundering voice echoed over and over through my head. He was angry a lot of the time, indignant, pompous, and bitter. Charles Henry Ventus the Second. Six foot of broad shouldered, smoldering resentment. His hair was greying and thinning. He hardly resembled the strapping, muscular young man from all the portraits, and photographs- he even smiled in those. A facial expression that had scarce graced his face in around thirty years, or these halls in thirteen. Not since when aged eight, my father had told me off for running around the halls, and laughing too loudly outside his study. He had roared at me so loudly and scared me so much that I had cried myself to sleep for two weeks, and tiptoed everywhere for at least two months.

Business was everything to him, the paperwork on my desk was testament to that. He had given me the written specifications for part of a holiday complex he wanted to open. He wanted to draw young tourists in, for surf, for group holidays. The surfing tourist industry near here was fairly big, but there was nowhere for nights out, no trendy night scene. Not that one would do well here, the town was traditional, community based. If father ever went into town he would know that. Instead he just sat up here in his house, his castle, behind a desk, on a phone or out in a plane, a helicopter, meetings after meetings. His schedule was his bible.


My Review of the cover:



One of the things I really love about the cover is that it was made to fit nicely with the cover of the first book, "Ari's Story".  It is a wonderful idea for the companion novels.  I also like how the two covers are made in the same style.  The hand written font is perfect for these novels and says a lot about the novel, being that the novels are focused around sets of letters.  Making the title "Hanging from the Family Tree" into the style of a family tree was a wonderful idea.
I also think that the placement of the font is well done.  The lighting on the photograph is wonderful and I the back ground image of the stone wall is a nice touch.  I'm guessing that the stone wall is to signify being down in the cellar.
Overall I really love the cover and I am looking forward to reading Tobias' story as I really loved reading Ari's.
If you have not yet read the Alison Davis' books I highly recommend that you do.


About the Author:



Alison has been writing from an early age, stories, poems, novels, prose. After a 3 year sabbatical from writing she returned to her passion to write Whispers on the Wind: Ari's story.  Her first novel, Whispers on the Wind: Ari's Story, was published in August 2012 on Lulu.com. Hanging from the Family Tree: Tobias' Story, a companion/sequel to Whispers on the Wind, is to be published in November 2012










Links:



Cover Art- Copyright © 2012 Christopher Vincent
Story/excerpt/synopsis/characters etc © Alison Davis

Nanowrimo Day 22- Quick Update


.


Nanowrimo Day 20- Nanowrimo Tag


.


Nanowrimo-Day 19- So behind


.



Daily Dare:

Here are the dares for the days I've missed:

  • Write a scene describing the way your main character's parents met.
  • Does your main character collect anything? Maybe he/she should.  Describe his/her collection and why s/he started it.
  • Write a really cheesy love song that your main character will sing to his/her love interest.
  • Describe the worst thing your main character ever did.
*Dares from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.

Update:

I am so behind! Not just on writing blog posts but on my word count as well.  I haven't written anything since Wednesday.  I ended up not being able to go to that all night write in.  I am going to my cabin tonight so I'm hoping to get caught up or even close to catching up over the next couple of days.  I will also most likely be writing at my aunt's house on Thanksgiving day.  I'm not giving up and I'm going to try my best to get back on track.

Daily Topic:

Topic:

What is your one biggest stressor related to forcing yourself to write 50,000 words in the span of 30 days?

My answer:

My one biggest stressor is not getting distracted by other things.  When ever I am supposed to be doing one thing I get a ton of ideas for other projects.  I try not to get distracted by my urge to draw, sew, or craft or get distracted by pinterest.  I have a hard time focusing on one thing at a time.  So when I actually do reach 50,000 words in 30 days it feels really good because I know I didn't allow myself to get too distracted.



Tomorrows entry will probably be a video entry because I will be up at my cabin again and I don't want to type out a whole blog post on my phone.  It's just easier to make a video :) Plus I have a Nanowrimo tag video I want to do.

<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 15- Half way there


.



Daily Dare:

Have your character recount a hilarious childhood trauma.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.

Update:

Sorry for my lack of blog posts the last couple days ): 
So I got caught up on Monday while I was at the cabin and then on Tuesday I started to fall behind again.  Now I am two days behind but I will be going to an all night write-in tomorrow night so I hope to get caught up then.  It will be from 6pm-9am.  Hopefully I will be able to stay awake and be coherent enough to think of what to write.  I have my energy drinks all ready to go with me!  Then on Saturday I will be sleeping during the day and going to a tree lighting ceremony at night.
Right now my word count is 20,955 so I am 4,050 behind.  Hoping that will change tomorrow and saturday!

Daily Task:

The task:

Do something to celebrate making it to the half way point in Nanowrimo and then share what you did.  Also talk about what else you have going on in your life and what you have put off in order to write for Nanowrimo.

My answer:

So I am not at 25K yet like I should be but I am still doing Nanowrimo and I haven't given up so that is something to celebrate right?  Well today is the half way point and it also happens to be my birthday.  So I got to celebrate my birthday today and that is also how I celebrated the half way point.
I went out shopping with my mom today, got tropical smoothie (I love their smoothies, especially the "peaches and silk), and for dinner I went out to eat at my favorite restaurant, Red Robin, with my mom and brother.  It was a great day!  I also get another party on Sunday when I celebrate my birthday with my dad :)
So what else I have going on in November is work, a child psychology class (my last class for my degree and then I graduate with an associates in computer arts), church responsibilities, my sewing business, and trips to the cabin to see my dad.
What I have been giving up? Nothing really.  I still do all of those responsibilities I have plus I've gone to the movies, had a game night at a friends house, watched some of my favorite shows at night, ATV rides with my dad, campfires at night, and other little things.  Although I might be a bit further ahead if I didn't do these things but some of these things are necessary and others don't happen too often.  Actually now that I think about it, I have been giving up reading, crafting, and drawing which are other things I do in my spare time.


Congrats for making it to the half way point! 
<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 12- My Inspiration


.


Nanowrimo Day 10- An Excerpt


.



Daily Dare:

People rarely get sick in novels.  Have your protagonist come down with something.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.

Update:

Went to a write-in today after work.  It was a lot of fun.  I got to get to know some new people and we had a great talk.  Not much writing got done but that's okay.  I will be going to another write in on Wednesday.  So I'm looking forward to that.
I wrote about 1,700 words today but I am still behind and will be even more behind tomorrow and tomorrow is going to be a busy day.  I will be going back to the cabin tomorrow night and spending the day there Monday so hopefully I will be able to get a bunch of writing done on Monday to catch up.

I am going to dispense with the daily topic today and give you an excerpt from my novel, "The Diary of Juniper Blank", instead:


21 June 2012
Thursday
16:00

Dear Diary,

Juniper here.  It is almost time for me to get to work and I know I will be too tired to write after I get back so I am writing now.
Not too much to write about so I will just answer today’s journal jar prompt:

List 10 things you really like about yourself.

My answer:
  1. I
  2. Do
  3. Not
  4. Know
  5. What
  6. Like
  7. About
  8. My
  9. Self

Pathetic, I know

XOXO,
Junie Ann


21 June 2012
Thursday
What does 16:00 mean?  There is no 16 on my hello kitty clock.

Dear Junipers Dairy,

Sawley here.  I am taking over again.  Yay!  Junie poo is at work.  I am bored.
She did not really fill out her list so I will do it for her.

10 things I like about Juniper:
  1. She is the best big sister ever
  2. She is really pretty
  3. She is nice
  4. She is fun to play with
  5. She makes the best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the whole wide universe
  6. She hugs me when I am sad and says, Do not be sad my pretty little Sawley
  7. She likes sharing with me
  8. She is not selfish.  She thinks of me over herself.  
  9. I want to be just like her because she is awesome
  10. She is a good singer and best friend ever (even bester than Winnie)


Kissies and Kitties,
Junies biggest fan



21 June 2012
Thursday
21:00

Dear Diary,

Juniper here.  So I just got home from having the worst day ever at work and I grabbed my diary to write about it.  When I opened my diary I almost cried when I saw the wonderful things that Sawley wrote about me while I was gone.
Maybe having Sawley’s journal take overs aren’t going to be so bad.  I read her words and all my sad thoughts and frustrations just melted away.  I have the best little sister ever.  I grabbed a slip off of her Hello Kitty message pad and I wrote this:

10 things I love about Sawley:

  1. She knows just how to make me feel better
  2. She is the sweetest girl I know
  3. She is very pretty and has the cutest smile
  4. When I am sad she wipes away my tears and tells me she will always be there for me
  5. She is an amazing singer
  6. She writes and illustrates the best stories
  7. She is the best sister in every universe combined
  8. She is my bestist ever friend
  9. She is fun to play with
  10. She is very caring

XOXO,
Sawley’s biggest fan

Then I stuck it next to her pillow so she can find it when she wakes up.  I am so lucky to have such a great little sister.  She is my happy thought and the smile on my face.  I love her to bits.

I will sleep much better now.  Thank you Sawley Pawley.

XOXO,
Junie Ann


Hope you enjoyed the excerpt! See you again tomorrow! I'll try and get the blog up sooner.

<3 Andrea


Nanowrimo Day 9- My writing area


.


 

Daily Dare:

Lock a few of your characters in a broken elevator.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.


Update:

So I managed to write about 2,000 words to day but I am still about 1,400 words behind and those will have to be tacked on to tomorrows word count.  I am hoping to be able to go to a write in after work so hopefully that will help me get caught up.
Things are still going well and I am enjoying writing the story.  It is different than I am used too but I like it.  I feel like I have more freedom since I am writing journal entries.
So I haven't been doing the character interview questions lately.  One reason is, I haven't been able to get my blog posts up to real late and I am so tired that I can't really think of what to write.  I hope to do a longer interview soon with Millie and maybe even one with Juniper.


Daily Topic:

The topic:

Show us your writing area.

My Answer: 



So this is where I normally sit to write.  This is my desk in my bedroom.  I hook my laptop into my tv and use that as my monitor.  I top of my tv are my plot bunnies and to the side is my large plot bunny :)
I will also unplug my laptop from my tv and sit in my pink hair that is in my room but after awhile that is not very comfortable.  I also might sit on my bed every now and then to type but that gets uncomfortable after awhile too.








When I go to my cabin this is another place I like to sit and write.  It is a deck that my dad built out in the middle of the woods on our property.  I like to walk out there with my laptop and some hot chocolate and sit and write until my laptop is about to die.
We also have a barbecue pit (where we grill food) which is behind our cabin and has rocking chairs that I like to sit in too or if it is too cold or the weather is not good I will sit on the couch in the living room near our wood stove.  It is nice and cozy.







Hope you all are doing well with your writing!
<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 8- Time Period


.


Daily Dare:

Have each character tell his or her first memory.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.


Update:

So I'm still a little bit behind but no worries because I know I can catch up.  I should be able to catch up this weekend!
I have yet to go to another write in.  We have had a few and I haven't been able to go to them but I plan on going this wednesday and then on the 16th (the day after my birthday) we have our annual "Epic Night of Writing Epically" which is our regions version of the "Night of Writing Dangerously" except ours is an all nighter! It will be from 6pm until 9am the next morning.  I am really looking forward to this!  Hopefully I will be able to stay awake to write and then be able to drive back home in the morning.  I'd like to stay the whole time but we will see.  Anyway it should be fun.

Daily Topic:

Topic:

In what time period is your novel set? Why did you choose this time period?

My answer:

Well if you have been following along with my blog you know that my story "Never Planned on You" is set in the middle 1940s, 1944-46.  I chose this time period because I originally got the inspiration for my story from my grandmother and she was a teenager in the 1940s.  I also wanted to have it in the 40s because I really love that time period.  I really enjoyed being able to have the excuse to research it further.  I also like how there was not as much technology back then.  I love the way people dressed, their hairstyles, the cars they drove, the houses, I just love the time period a lot.

For my story "The Diary of Juniper Blank" that is set during the present time period, well I am thinking it will be around 2004 or so or maybe I just won't give it an exact year but it will be implied that it is within the year 2000 and now.  Right now I have it during the summer of this year but that will probably change.  I chose to do it during this time period because I don't usually set stories during the current time period.  I don't like including current technology in my stories.  I am not sure why that is because I love using current technology.  Just for some reason I don't like writing about it.  So far I haven't really mentioned any technology except for tv and a game boy.  I also have my main character handwriting her journal instead of typing it.  



Good luck with your writing! Also again I encourage you to get the ebook: "@ Wrimo: A Thirty Day Survival Guide" by Kevin Kaiser.  I have been reading through more of it and it has excellent advice in it for making it through Nanowrimo and a lot of encouragement for not giving up.  So check it out, it's only $4usd and I think it is well worth it.  Plus on Amazon you can read a bit of it before you buy so you can see if you will like it.


<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 7- Favorite Character


.


Daily Dare:

Write your opening scene from the point of view of your supporting character.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.


Update:
I got home from my cabin not too long ago.  I was able to get a good bit of writing done but then started to not feel too well and that threw me off a bit.  I am almost caught up for day 7.  I am enjoying writing this story.  I am getting to know my two main characters better and have a good idea of a direction I want my story to go in.  Also I had an idea that will help give me more word count.  In each journal entry my character will be answering a journal jar question.  The questions will be related to the story and will give more insight into the character and help set up things to come.
I won't be doing the character interview tonight.


Daily Topic:

Topic:

Currently who is your favorite character and why?

My Answer:

My favorite character right now, in my story "The Diary of Juniper Blank" is Juniper's little sister, Sawley.  I really like both character but if I have to choose I would say Sawley.  I like how her character is progressing.  She is a fun, imaginative, and thoughtful little girl who adores her older sister. The both of them really have a great sisterly relationship and they both look out for each other.


So we made it into one week of Nanowrimo!  Hope you all are doing well with your novels and that you are having fun!

<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 6- Theme Song


.



Daily Dare:

Write a scene of dialogue between your main character and a younger version of him/herself.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.



Update:

I did a little bit of writing this morning after midnight and now I am almost caught up to where I need to be for the day.  Today I'm hoping to get a little bit ahead.  Tonight I will be going up to my cabin and I am hoping to use that time to get a lot of writing done.  No internet and it's nice and peaceful.  I like to think of the cabin as my own writer's retreat.  Since I will be up there with no internet my blog post for tomorrow won't be up until late, after I get home tomorrow night.
Things are going well with the new story.  I even have some ideas for sequels.
Last night I was looking up pictures of actresses that I thought would best look like my characters.  Here's what I have for my two main characters:

Juniper Ann Blank



So this is what I imagine Juniper to look like.  As you may know this is Sarah Hyland.  She seems to dress very fancy with a lot of make up.  My character Juniper is more casual with jeans, t-shirt, dirty sneakers and she usually doesn't wear make-up but the hair, eyes, smile, body build is the same.
Juniper is 17 and getting ready to enter her Senior year.








Sawley Marie Blank


Now this is what I imagine Juniper's little sister, Sawley, to look like.
Sawley is 8 and very imaginative.  She loves to tell stories and draw.  Her and Juniper share a room together.  The two of them are very close.










So that is a little bit about the characters of my new story "The Diary of Juniper Blank".



Character Interview:

Each day I will be doing an interview question with my character Millie from my work in progress "Never Planned on You"  You can find out more about this story by seeing past posts and by clicking on the "Current Projects" tab above.

Question:

Tell us about your first kiss.

Answer:

Well when I was about five years old Charlie and I were playing tag and when he caught me he quickly kissed me on the lips and ran away from me saying "you're it"
But my first real kiss happened about two years ago.  Please don't let on to my daddy about this but one night I snuck out of the house around ten and road my bike over to Charlie's house.  We road in his pick up truck down to the beach.  He had a picnic basket and a blanket to sit on.  We talked for a while and played in the water, it was summer and the night was very warm.  At one point he just leaned in and kissed me.  It was wonderful.


Daily Topic:

Topic:

Share a song from your playlist that you feel is connected to your novel in some way and explain how it is.

My Answer:

"I'll Be Seeing You" (1944) by Billie Holiday This song was very popular during World War II as an anthem for those serving overseas.  This kind of describes how Millie is feeling about Charlie as he is gone serving in the war for two years.  It's just a beautiful song and I love the way Billie Holiday sings it.  I can imagine Mille and Charlie slow dancing to this song.



Well we've almost made a week! If you're behind though don't worry! There is still plenty of time to catch up so don't give up!  I think one year I was like two weeks or more behind and almost gave up but I decided I wasn't going to quit and was able to catch up and finish early.  I surprised myself because I never thought that was possible of myself.  I was busy, I was feeling like I had nothing else to write but I was determined and I just sat down, started writing, and didn't give up.  You may feel like you aren't capable of writing some much to catch up but if you believe in yourself then you can do it.  Tell yourself you can and then you will.  I never thought I could ever write 5K in one day and that first day that I accomplished that it felt so good!  I had so much more confidence in myself.  You never know what you're capable of until you try.  So don't give up, push yourself a little, get out of your comfort zone,  stop saying I can't or I don't have time and start saying I can, start finding time.  And even if you don't want to write 1,667 each day just write something.  100 words, 50 words, 10 words, something as long as you're staying in the habit of writing each day.
You can do it! I know you can! Now make yourself believe it and amazing things will happen!

<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 5- Story Titles


.


Daily Dare:

Describe the worst thing that has ever happened to your villain.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.


Update:

So after a lot of thought I decided I am going to write my back up story for Nanowrimo this month and write my other novel "Never Planned on You" after November is over.  Also I finally decided to make a new account on the Nanowrimo website.  I have been hating my user name and the only way to change it is to create a new account.  So you can now find me here: AndreaLovesWriting
For my blog I will still be doing it as scheduled.  Continuing with my interview questions with Millie and discussing things about that story.  I won't be saying much about my back up story which is titled: "The Diary of Juniper Blank".  I will be writing this exclusively for myself.  I'm hoping that this will make things a bit easier for me for Nano.
Still a bit behind on my word count.  I'm at 6,963 and I need to be at 8,335 to be caught up for day 5.


Character Interview:

Question:

Tell us about your best friend.

Answer:

My best boyfriend is Charlie as you all know.  My girl best friend is Ruth Bennett.  She is two years older than me and she is married to Don, the lead singer in our band.  I met her a couple years ago because her momma is good friends with my momma.  She is some one that I can talk to about anything.  She is very wise.  


Daily Topic:

What's the title of your story? How did you choose it?  Any advice on how to choose titles?

My Answer:

The title of my story is "Never Planned on You".  I chose it because the main idea of the story is that Millie has imagined herself with Charlie and then she meets Sam.  She had never planned on meeting him and becomes confused as to what she should do.
It is usually best to choose a title for your story after it is written.  Usually if an author gets an idea for a title before then they will refer to their title as a "working title".  The title may change several times before they settle on the final title when the book is ready for publication.
To get inspired for a title I will think about the idea behind my story, or I may use an important line from the story.  Also something that helps me is searching the "Adopt a Title" thread on the nanowrimo website.


Again not much in this post.  Sorry about that.  I have been waiting late to write the post and have been feeling tired and unable to think well.  I may come back later and edit this post to add more info.

Hope your writing is going well,
<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 4: Character Setting


.



Daily Writing Dare:

Flash forward twenty years into the future and write a scene that involves at least three of your characters.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.


Update:
Sorry that my post is getting up so late today.  It has been a busy Sunday.
So I didn't end up doing any writing yesterday.  Today I have to do about 3K to catch up.  After church I went to a write in.  I look forward to this write in each year.  It's really nice.  There are word sprints, prizes to win, and goodies handed out.  Plus a table full of yummy sweets.
So far I've written almost 1K so I still have a bit of a ways to go.  
Today I have been thinking a lot about my decision to write this particular story during Nanowrimo.  It is such an important story and I am thinking that Nanowrimo might not be the best time to write it.  I feel like I'm needing to rush and it is hard for me to track my word count.  Plus I have already written parts of it in the past that I like and of course you're not supposed to add previous words in Nano.  I feel like I should be focusing more time into the story and not rushing through it just for the sake of word count.
Another thing is, is that this is my first time planning a story.  I'm usually a pantser and I thought it would be so much easier planning but I do miss the fun of discovering the story as I write.  Also as others have said, it does feel limiting when you plan a lot of the story.  
I thought this might happen and so I had a back up idea for a story just in case.  I'm not sure yet if I want to go to the back up story and just write this story during non-nano months or stick with it.
Hmmm...I must think more on this.


Character Interview

Each day I will be doing an interview question with my main character, Millie.

Question: 

Describe your day today.

Answer:

*sighs.   My day today...well it started off pretty great.  I was getting ready to play my first real concert with the band and then I got some horrible news.  My life long best friend and boyfriend is getting drafted into the army for two years.  The two of us have never been apart since we met as young children.  Not only will I miss him but it will be dangerous where he is going.  All I have felt like doing is crying..


Daily Topic:

Topic:

Introduce us to the world of your characters. 
*Topic by OneMoreSouthernBelle on YouTube


My Answer:


My story takes place in a small town along the east coast in Virginia in 1945-46 or 47 (not really sure yet).  The characters enjoy spending time on the beach.  Also on the beach is a small amusement park with a large white, wooden roller coaster.
It is mainly a farming town.  One small shopping area with a drug store, grocery store, a couple restaurants, a small movie theatre.
My story takes place at different places within the town.  Millie's house, Sam's house, the amusement park, down at the beach...Some of my story also takes place at a small southern baptist church.
The town in which the story takes place is called, Brightman.  It is a fictitious town but was inspired by two different cities in my area.



Sorry there's not much info here today.  I'll try and do better tomorrow.
I hope all of your writing is going well!

<3 Andrea

Nanowrimo Day 3- Characters


.



Daily Writing Dare: 

Write about the last five things your main character bought and where he/she bought them.
*Dare from "No Plot? No Problem! Noveling Workbook" If you decide to use one of the dares, I post on my blog, in your novel I'd love to know and if you'd like to share how you used it, I would love to hear about that too.







Update:


So I haven't done any writing yet for today because I haven't been feeling well.  I'll probably do my writing later tonight.  I was a little bit ahead yesterday.  After going to the movies to see "Wreck it Ralph" (which was pretty good by the way) I stayed up late doing some writing.
Also I came across a really great kindle book called "@ Wrimo: A Thirty Day Survival Guide" by Kevin Kaiser.  It has really great advice for each day of Nanowrimo.  Since it was only $4usd I went ahead and got it.  It's pretty awesome if you need a bit of motivation each day.








Character Interview: 

Each day I will be doing a character interview question with my main character, Millie.

Question: 

Who was your first love? How did you meet?


Answer:

My first and only love is Charlie Higgins.  We met when he was six and I was four when he and his family moved in down the way from us. His daddy went to work with my daddy laying bricks. One Sunday afternoon they came over for dinner and that is when I first met him.

He had the curliest mop of blond hair I had ever seen and a face full of freckles. He looked like something right out of a picture book. My little four year old heart fell in love with him right then and there.

That day I sat in my little red wagon as he pulled me all over the front yard until his arms and legs ached. I remember I had tried to pull him too but I just wasn’t strong enough. I fell to the ground and started crying. He got out of the wagon, patted my head, and handed me a piece of candy he had hidden in his pockets. I smiled a big toothless grin at him and we were best friends ever since.


Technically I am not allowed to go with a boy until I'm sixteen.  I'm sixteen now so we can be official with things but before then, and glory be don't tell my daddy about this but we used to do a bunch a sneaking so we could hang out.  I mean we didn't do anything wrong you know, we just wanted to be together.  We'd go to picture shows or go spend time on the beach or go to the amusement park, things like that.



Daily Topic:

The topic: 

How do you go about creating characters? What are some things you look for in a well developed character? Introduce us to your characters. Use pictures, description, etc
*This blog topic was created by TracyMichelle210 on YouTube

My Answer:

For these characters I had originally gotten the idea for some of the characters from real people and then I developed them into my own fictional characters.  I did that by coming up with personalities, feelings, backstories, etc for them.  I like realistic characters that have distinct personalities and ones that I can relate to.  I also like passionate characters.
I am going to introduce my three main characters and share a little bit about each one.


Camilla "Millie" Ann Jacobs:

Age: 16
Birthdate: 13 Nov 1927
Favorite color: Blue
She is going into her 11th year of school.
She is in a band called "Rhythm and Rhyme"

When asked to describe her childhood she said:

"I had a pretty great childhood. Being the only child I was spoiled a lot, and I don’t really mean spoiled like my parents bought me a lot of stuff. We’ve never really had money for that. Momma made all of my clothes and dolls and daddy made me little toys out of wood. He would carve them and then paint them. He even let me help some times. My daddy was tough but fair and my momma was loving and kind and taught me all about being a woman. I spent most of my free time as a child out doors. I played with neighborhood kids. We’d climb trees, play games in the woods, explore, race air planes and cars that Daddy made us..he even made a small little runway in the yard."


Charlie Higgins

Age: 18

Graduated high school at 16 and went to work with his Daddy building houses.  He's outgoing and a bit of a daredevil.  Has been known to get into fights.  Likes to make his own rules.
Enjoys riding around on his Harley.

Has been drafted into the army for a service of 2 years.




Sam Porter

Age: 20
Birthdate: 16 October 1923

Can be a little cocky when he's showing off.  Has a dry sense of humor.
Very polite and considerate.  Reserved and laid back.  Adores children.  Christian who loves his Heavenly Father and tries hard to do what is right.
He is a musician who plays the guitar and sings.  He can play pretty much any instrument he picks up though.
Gets back from a deployment of 2 years and works for his dad in the family restaurant for the summer while he is trying to get a job for NASA.  Wants to be a mechanical engineer.



Sorry that this is a little rushed but I have to get going.  And for some reason blogger is screwing up and the post headings and all the font is looking really weird >< 
I hope you enjoyed reading about my characters though :)  Join me back here again tomorrow when I'll be talking about the world of my characters.

Keep writing! You can do it!
<3 Andrea