A Confusion of Riches

I have too much.  Too many books I want to read.  There are over 300 on my Kindle, another 300 in my physical TBR stack.  I've gotten to the point where, unless it's a book I MUST read (Like Wife 22 which comes out on 5-29 and sounds fascinating), I've been putting them on my "wish" list at Amazon instead of adding them to my overcrowded Kindle. 

Occasionally I'll stumble across something I really want to read, only to learn - yes, I have it, and it's been sitting around unread for months. 

With the explosion of free books, and the fact that I help my fellow authors and download their free book when they ask, it's gotten ridiculous.  It's like when you go to RWA National and they give you tons of free books and you bring them home and never read them, unless it's some author or story that strikes your fancy.  I admit, I have discovered new authors that way.

And therein lies the rub.  What if I miss out on a great book, just because my Kindle is cluttered?  Arrrgh.  And it seems like I never have enough time to read anymore.  I work (ie; write) all day, then exercise and watch TV at night.  I used to skip the TV and just go and read while my husband watched, but now there are quite a few shows I like and I enjoy the together time with him. 

When he had to get a minor outpatient medical procedure done on Monday, I was excited because I'd get to read in the waiting room!  Pathetic, isn't it?

Ah well.  It's a holiday weekend.  I sent the revised Nocturne in to my editor yesterday.  I plan to send the revised HRS synopsis and first chapter today.  Then it's back to writing and .... hopefully I can sneak in a little reading too!

Mid-week Wednesday May 23, 2012

I am nearing the end of the revisions.  These - maybe because I did two sets of them (my agent's and my editor's)- have felt particularly brutal.  But I know the story will be better when I'm done.  There are two major issues I have to go back and weave in.  I've fixed some of the other major ones and just about finished the minor things.

It's exhausting and confusing but... I can see the end.  Probably another full day (today) of revising. (Please!)  Once this is done, i need to resend that first chapter of the HRS (done!) and the synopsis (must be revised).  Then hopefully they can pay me for delivery and acceptance of one and synopsis approval on the other.

 Then I can go back to the Fast Draft thing, even if the group has moved on to revising there.  The way it's looking, it will probably be this weekend before I can start any of that.

It's Memorial Day weekend.  I'm ready!  Whether I spend it at the pool or the lake, I'll be around water and outside.

Tuesday May 22, 2012

So last night was the final House MD episode.  Prior to that, they did a one hour Swan Song where Hugh Laurie went over the 8 years the series has run.  It was entertaining and interesting and made me love Hugh a bit more.   I've always faithfully watched House, even bought a couple of seasons on DVD.  This year I was getting tired of it and I agree that they had run out of story and it was time for it to end. 

SPOILER ALERT *** If you haven't watched the finale yet, read no further.

The finale was perfect.  Until the very end.  I could live with House going out like he lived, up in flames.  They should have left him dead.  After all - we see him standing there trying to get out of the burning building.  We see the roof fall in on him and then the building explodes.  There is NO WAY IN HELL he got out, even a back door like they said.  The writer should have stopped there - had the funeral and maybe fast forward to Wilson's death and have House waiting for him.  NOT - have the funeral and have House text Wilson to Shut Up.  And the final scene where House gave up everything - miraculously not only surviving the fire (I still can't buy that) and switching dental records (without being seen - leap of faith there too ) with the heroin addict so everyone believes he's dead.

Everyone except me, apparently.  Sigh. 

House writers = Fail.  Sorry. 

Maniac Monday

As I may have mentioned, I had to quit doing the Fast Draft writing and focus on revisions for THE WOLF PRINCE.  So I'm doing that instead of new writing.  Once I complete those and send that manuscript back to my editor, I have to send also a revised chapter and synopsis for the THE MILLIONAIRE COWBOY.  Then - and only then - will I go back to Fast Draft writing.

I'm in love with the process.  If I can stick to it, I'll write a rough draft fairly quickly and have the luxury of doing lengthy revisions and polishing until it shines! 

Friday my lovely agent Lucienne Diver was in town.  We met for a drink (a glass of red wine) and chatted.  I haven't seen her in a few years I think, so that was lovely.  We talked about future projects and - good news here - Harlequin has asked me to do an online free read.  I'll write a 50 page short story and readers will get to read it free, to introduce more people to my stories.  I'm more than excited about that.

Today my husband has a minor medical procedure, so I'll be in and out. 

Friday (Finally!) May 18, 2012

Yes, I wrote another 20 pages yesterday.  Candace Havens, if you ever see this, I owe you a drink!  Love your fast draft method!  It works for me!

Today I am having to dig in to the revisions.  There are a lot of them, and the way my contracts are set up, everything will be tumbling like a stack of dominoes if I let them slide until the Fast Draft thing is over.  So no new writing today - just burying myself in revisions and hoping to wade through.

The good news is that Harlequin just asked me to do a Free Online Read for their website.  This would be to spotlight my October book and can lead to new readers and new sales.  I'm very excited about this opportunity!  And, thanks to Fast Draft, I can write it fairly quickly! 

My wonderful agent Lucienne Diver is in town tonight and I'm gonna pop by her hotel and have a drink with her and catch up.  I haven't seen her in awhile and I'm really looking forward to that. 

And tomorrow my daughter Steph and I are doing Painting With A Twist.  This was my Mother's Day present from her and I can't wait. 

So my life is full right now and I'm busy.  Yay!

Thursday May 17, 2012

Sorry I forgot to post yesterday. It was Day 3 of The Haven's Fast Draft workshop and yes, I wrote 20 more pages!  Plus I worked on revision for my Nocturne.  Today is day 4 and I'm getting a late start (due to a killer headache among other things), but I fully plan to revise the Nocturne AND write 20 more pages, no matter what! 

This has been both liberating and empowering.  Scary, a little bit, but writing always is.  I was upset that I missed the gym yesterday, but something had to go and that was it.  Every day this week, I've hit all my goals - writing AND steps (10,000 steps a day per my pedometer, which is *way* more difficult than you'd think!)  Except yesterday, I only hit 9371 so fell a bit short, but didn't have one ounce of energy reserve to do that extra 629 steps.  I regret that today, but life must go on.

Anyway, despite the late start, I'm ready to dig in.  I'm going to start off working on revisions, then transition to a 30 minute timed writing session, then revision, and so on.  That seemed to work so well yesterday.

Wish me luck.  PS, if you're a writer and you're reading this, I seriously advise you to take the next Candace Haven's Fast Draft workshop.  Best $20 I ever spent! 

Day Two Success

Once again, using the timed writing with no editing, I wrote 20 pages today.  It's freaking amazing. 

Today also my revisions came on the Nocturne that I turned in on April 1st.  I also have revisions on the HRS proposal I turned in on 3-15.  When it rains, it pours.

I have no choice but to work on the revisions since I don't get paid until they're done.  But I want to keep on writing in the Fast Draft.  I'm gonna see how it goes doing the revisions, but it's my plan to try and keep on keeping on.

After all, there are no excuses allowed in this Fast Draft class!