Jo Leigh - Author

	Jo Leigh
	Jo Leigh

Tuesday, January 31st

The Plan

The day before yesterday I took a nap in the afternoon, and when I woke up, I had the essence of my heroine firmly in my head. Sometime during the nap I dreamt a scene that filled in all the murky parts, complete with dialogue and physical actions. I immediately got up and wrote it all down, and then filled in a bunch of other scenes because I understood her transformation.

The experience convinced me (as if I needed convincing) that I need to nap every day. Well, either nap or shower. I've also figured out really big plot or character questions while getting clean.

I'm sure if I ever did vacuum or scrub floors, that I'd get great ideas then, too. The point is, the great aha! moments happen when I'm not at my desk.

This isn't a new thing - I've known about the process for a long time, and yet, I still don't trust it to happen. I still sit at the computer, squeezing my brain for ideas. It never works. Never. Inevitably, I'll move on to something else, or I'll give it up entirely. Then, when I'm doing something else (showering, sleeping) zap, I'll get the drive-by-epiphany.

I still have some holes in the plotting on this book, so I think I should nap and or shower a few times today. I need to finish the plotting so I can start writing already. Maybe I'll do the first chapter. Listen to the characters talk. Yeah, that sounds right. Nap, shower, write some dialogue.

(Do I have a great job, or what? I could never do that if I was say a banker.)

01.31.06 @ 01:13 PM MST [Link to Entry] [No Comments]

Sunday, January 29th

Small conferences

Man, are we snowed in. Sheesh. I just hope that the weather improves by next Friday because I have to drive to Salt Lake City for the conference. I'm so looking forward to it. Small conferences are one of my favorite things. I love doing workshops, and I love hanging out with all the other writers, and I love staying at hotels.

When I was first starting out, small conferences were more than just a pleasure, they were essential. I met editors, agents, and others who were where I was along the publishing road, as well as those who had come before me. I devoured the information given so freely by truly exceptional writer/teachers. I tried a gazillion different methods until I found what worked for me. I shmoozed with folks over lunches, over cocktails, in midnight sessions over chips and peanut M&Ms.

Back then, there wasn't the internet. Not like it is now, anyway. I was introduced to online chats with Genie, a wonderful DOS based bulletin board. There were no blogs at all, so finding out about authors and lines and the new hot books was a lot more personal.

But even with all the new technology, I still believe, for the beginning romance writer, nothing can replace the small conference. Not National, as terrific as that can be. Not online loops or boards. It's the actual, real networking that made the huge, huge difference in my getting published. Talking, laughing, learning, listening. If you haven't gone to a small conference, you should try it. Go to as many as you can. And even if it's not within your comfort zone, network. Editors and agents are just like any other people - if they know you, they'll probably be more open to looking at your work. It's not a guarantee or anything, but I've sure seen the connections made at conference pay off later down the road.

01.29.06 @ 01:05 PM MST [Link to Entry] [8 Comments]

Friday, January 27th

Scary Good

I've mentioned before that I'm a new knitter. Before your eyes glaze over, this is not a post about knitting per se. It's about learning.

Since I've been writing for a gazillion years, I'm really familiar with that world. I know the jargon, know who the players are, and I'm very comfy in blogland and at conferences. It's my home world. But now that I'm knitting, I'm in a whole different universe, made possible by the internet, kept interesting by the fact that I know squat about it.

I've joined several online knitting groups, complete with pictures, patterns, and helpful folks who seem amazingly patient with the new kids. Just like I did when I first got into romance writing, I'm trying to absorb the knitters mentality, and find a way to learn as much as possible in as short a time as possible, always increasing my skill level.

First, I did scarves. A whole hell of a lot of scarves. It got me familiar with working with the needles and the yarn. I wanted the knitting and purling to feel as natural as if I'd been doing it my whole life. Now, I've gotten a little better, and I'm expanding into wrist warmers and socks. I'm not very good at them yet, but I know if I keep practicing, it'll happen.

What I like about the process is that I'm doing things I don't think I can do. Which was a huge part of my writing life. When I was first writing, I didn't know what I could do. When some new challenge came along, I had butterflies in my stomach and a keen determination to dive in that was just slightly more prominent than the fear. Socks versus more scarves.

This state of being, scared yet eager, is where, if I'm honest with myself, I should strive to be with each and every project. It's healthy for me. It keeps me interested, and doesn't let me slip into familiar (worn) patterns. I have to stretch, and I have to tap into the most creative part of me.

Knitting reminded me that it's up to me to find the scary thing in every book. It's easier to do what I've done before. But that's not where I belong.

So what's the scary part of what you're writing? For me, in the book I'm working on now, is to find the core of emotion in the characters when they're involved in a desperate fight for their lives. Not just their fear, but what fear makes them face about themselves. And how living on the edge brings clarity and definition. It would be easy to let the momentum of the action carry the book, but that's not what I want. I want a deeply moving character story set in an action thriller. Scared? You betcha.

01.27.06 @ 12:56 PM MST [Link to Entry] [2 Comments]

Thursday, January 26th

Movies and Memories

We're getting some new channels on our TV service, and this morning one of them played an old mini series called Beulah Land. I watched for about half an hour, and it was like walking into a time machine. I worked on the show as an assistant auditor. We shot it in Mississippi (Natchez, mostly) with a touch of Louisiana.

I was there almost 4 months. I was 25, it was a bitch of a show, with hundreds of extras and tons of sets and it was made in 1980 (before computers, for the most part). Jonathan Frakes (Riker on Star Trek: Next Generation) Leslie-Ann Warren, Don Johnson, Madelyn Stowe and a gazillion other actors. We all got to know each other very well. I went on my first trip to Mardis Gras during that shoot, and while I remember a few things, a lot more is a blur. Lots o' drinking. Lots o' partying. It makes me tired just remembering. I hardly slept for 4 months. We played poker. We cooked meals in popcorn poppers and hibachis. We froze our asses off when we shot all night. Most of us got pneumonia at one time or another, and some of us got sent home. I met one of my closest friends on the set, and had some, uh, interesting experiences with men. hehe.

I used my experiences on that shoot to write the first book I ever sold. It was called Special Effects, and it was published by Meteor. (First line, first book, first paragraph had a huge typo, which wasn't my error, but that's another story). I remember making out with the special effects guy in the fake slave shacks while the rest of the crew was shooting just down the hill. I remember one of the crew guys who I barely, barely knew who came to my room one night and asked me to marry him!!!!

I also remember being forced to dress in costume and be an extra, even though I didn't want to because I hate being on camera. I'm in there somewhere, scowling.

It's just such an odd experience to see such a vivid part of my past come to life. Every scene brought more memories, and a wee bit of nostalgia.

I'd love to work on another movie. I enjoyed the process so much. And now that I'm not struggling to become a producer, it would be a lot more fun. Hm.

01.26.06 @ 12:46 PM MST [Link to Entry] [5 Comments]

Wednesday, January 25th

Random Stuff

I blogged today over at Romancing the Blog. Go. Read. Comment.

Went to town yesterday to get my hair done and get my meds, and forgot my meds. ::sigh:: Have to go back to town today. It's bitch-slap cold out there, but it's my own damn fault.

I mentioned yesterday that I had to write my reader letter and stuff for the new book (CLOSER…July '06) and it was fun because I got to announce the new series and even mention the second book (RELENTLESS Nov '06) in the same letter. They're going to do an excerpt (which isn't written yet) and everything, so yay! I'm so incredibly excited about this series, I'm all twitchy. When it gets closer, I'm going to force people to read it at needle point. I don't have a gun, but I have long knitting needles, so watch out!

Speaking of books, I have one out right now. Yeah, I know. I haven't talked about it much. But it's a fun book. It takes place over 24 hours, and man, it was something to write. Oh, it's called Minute by Minute. (End of promo)

Found out that they've moved Bones to the same timeslot as Criminal Minds. I hate that. Why don't they ask me? I'm right here, ready with my input. But do I get a phone call, an email? sheesh At least they haven't put something decent on Saturday night, so it remains movie/tape night. phew

I must go get ready.

ps - my hair is Faboo!

01.25.06 @ 01:21 PM MST [Link to Entry] [4 Comments]

Tuesday, January 24th

busy and odd

Lot's of stuff to do today - write the reader letter for my next book, plus a new bio. Then I have to get my hair done. Also, keep working on the plotting for the new book, and do research on Asian gangs in Los Angeles. I'm going to take the Alpha to the beauty salon and work while my hair is soaking in shiny redness. But I can't decide about the cut. Horrible dilemma. It's at an ugly stage of growth, and I'm tempted to cut, but I haven't had longer hair for years. Hmph.

Oh, this is so fun. My friend Debbi, who lives down the mountain, rescued two dogs who were going to be euphemized. (She's the one who has my pup's sister). Anyway, she went to get the dogs, brother and sister, and they're living at her house now. The really fun thing about them is how they look. We're calling them the Mad Scientist's Dogs because they're a cross between Australian Shepard and Basset Hound. Picture this - they're short with teeny little legs and a long body (BH) but they're hugely furry (AS) and they have long snouts (AS) and long, floppy ears (BH) so when you look at them, it's as if someone put the wrong head on the body of the dogs. It's weird as hell and SO CUTE! I'm going to get some pics to share, because no description does them justice. They're happy, energetic, and adorable, but OMG!

01.24.06 @ 12:33 PM MST [Link to Entry] [2 Comments]

Monday, January 23rd

Oh, man

I downloaded PBW's Way of the Cheetah from here, and I've been reading it and seeing how I can apply her tips to aid me in the search for more and better productivity. One of the things she said that I reacted to with immediate dismissal was the concept of having nothing distracting in the workspace. Which, of course, meant that that's the one thing I need to do. What? No TV?

I have a little TV on my desk. I love my little TV. Mostly, when I'm writing (really getting work done) I've got the Food Network or HGTV on, the volume low, and I don't even glance at it. It's noise, that's all. I've always said I concentrate better when there's something droning in the background.

But the truth is, I watch the TV a lot when I should be writing. It does, in fact, distract me. If I didn't have the TV there, I'd probably get more work done. But everything in me is rebelling at taking the TV away. Seriously, I'm pouty and anxious, and basically I don't wanna.

The problem is, I have a killer schedule ahead of me. At least 5 books this year, if not 6. So what's it to be? Another recipe from Paula Deen that calls for a pound of butter or getting a chapter done?

Okay, so I'm going to take a baby step - not removing the TV, but turning it off. From 11:00 to 3:00 pm. Off. Not even switching it to the instrumental music channel. OFF.

Eeek.

01.23.06 @ 01:04 PM MST [Link to Entry] [5 Comments]

Saturday, January 21st

Date night and a writing question

It's date night tonight, and up here on Mount Doom that means the two of us sitting in the living room, watching something on TV. Sometimes it's movies, and sometimes, like tonight, we're watching the first 2 episodes of 24, which we TiVo'd. There will mostly likely be popcorn. And blankets because our living room is freezing. But I look forward to date night, because most of the time, he's in his office on the first floor, and I'm in my office on the second floor. We both work in starts and fits, stopping to check email, to play a game of Spider solitaire, or play with the pup. So in the background, the work is always there, hovering.

I've thought about changing that, about making a time for work, a time for play, etc., but damn, I've been writing this way for so long, I'm not sure I could do it. Anyone out there have success in changing a long-time writing habit?

Anyway, we're off to town. Then it's home to bake a meatloaf and some cauliflower for dinner. Then 24!

01.21.06 @ 02:49 PM MST [Link to Entry] [6 Comments]

Friday, January 20th

Home

Hey, we're home, and oy, what a trip! It was snowy. Very snowy. Needing chains on the car snowy. And we had the two dogs. But we made it, and somehow got through the night, even though the dogs are not tiny puppies any more, and they slept with us. Poor Dotes didn't sleep well at all. He needs a nap.

I also found out that Yahoo has bounced 86(!) messages for some unknown reason, and I can't retrieve them. WTF??? I'm so disgusted with them, I'd like to quit all my groups, but uh, I can't. And of course, they have no customer support. None. What fun.

On a more productive note, I'm jumping into the new book today. Tentatively titled: Relentless. Which I adore. I hope it sticks.

Oh, I want to do one of those progress counters on the blog, but I have no idea how to do it. If someone has any ideas for pasting it into a greymatter blog, let me know.

And again, thanks for the birthday wishes!

01.20.06 @ 12:40 PM MST [Link to Entry] [4 Comments]

Thursday, January 19th

The end of a great session

Well, we plotted. A lot. And it was good. Bingo, not so much. But the important thing was that we all came away with great books, and lots of work to do. Tomorrow, we head home, get the puppies and go up the mountain. A long day, but I have the alpha smart with me, so I'll be working on my next synopsis. Weee!

We also ate too much, and laughed a lot, which is good for the soul (I meant the laughter). I'm quite energized and raring to go. I've got the overview of the whole of the 6 books, so that makes things easier. And I have a bunch of twists and turns for the next book.

I'll check back in on Friday morning.

01.19.06 @ 12:37 AM MST [Link to Entry] [9 Comments]

Tuesday, January 17th

Hi From Henderson

We're here, we're plotting, and there was cake! It doesn't get better than this. I hope everyone's having as good a time as we are. And tonight...bingo!

I do, however, miss my dog.

01.17.06 @ 07:51 PM MST [Link to Entry] [3 Comments]

Monday, January 16th

On the road

We're trying to get off of Mount Doom. It's 0 degrees with much snow. Luckily, we have some wonderful people who come to help dig us out with snowplows and such. Jeez. It's not all that far from the road, but you have to drive up a little hill to get there. In our car, that's not so easy. On the other hand, plotting! One of the most fun things about this whole writing gig. There's the laughing and the brainstorming, and the full-body-flush of an idea taking flight. Wow.

I'm taking the laptop, and maybe we'll have better luck with it this time. But if you don't hear from me until Friday, that's why. I'm also taking the alpha smart in case I'm inspired on the drive home. You never know.

We're also going to try to see a movie. Not sure what. Maybe Last Holiday. Or, if we can find it, Good Night & Good Luck. I'm taking a book - Suspicion of Vengeance by Barbara Parker. I've read a couple of her other books and enjoyed them, so it's bound to be a good read.

Have a good holiday! And I hope to report in tomorrow.

01.16.06 @ 12:54 PM MST [Link to Entry] [3 Comments]

Sunday, January 15th

The Sunday Post

Because Mother Nature has a sense of humor - major snow today and tonight. We're supposed to go to Vegas tomorrow, so it's going to be digging out time! Weeeee!

I'm incredibly anxious to get to the plotting already. I'm aching to write this book, and yet, there are some plot issues that I truly need to bat around and get under control. One more day. I can do that.

Last night we watched the special edition of Sin City, with all the extras. So fun and cool. I love the movie, love Frank Miller, loved the whole damn thing. It was our Xmas gift to ourselves, along with Serenity. Damn find presents.

Also - any of you guys going to the Salt Lake City romance conference Feb 3rd? (Or 2nd, I forget). I hope so. It's going to be lots of fun. I adore smaller conferences. I love to teach, love to chat, love to mingle with new folks. Let me know if you're going to be there and we'll find time to have a drink. J

Okay, must wash clothes, etc., etc. For tomorrow, come hell or high snow, we leave!

01.15.06 @ 02:27 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Saturday, January 14th

All Sorts of Things

Sorry about the lack of bloggage yesterday. The computer burped and then we were gone most of the day, so…

I'm pondering the flash for my new Blaze series. It's not easy - mostly I come up with names that are all Intrigue-y, meaning they hit on the suspense aspects but not the Blazey goodness. I suggested Shadow Something-or-other, but I can't figure out that pesky second part. The thrust is that these people are living in the shadows, under the radar, until they can expose the people who are trying to kill them. They've had to abandon their old lives and everything they knew to live this secret life. And they have lots of great sex.

Did I mention I have a name for book 1? It's CLOSER… I'm dying to know what they're going to do with the cover. Please, please, let the cover gods smile, because, damn this book is (too?) important to me.

I don't know how many books there will be in the series yet. I know at least 2 more, but I'm not sure after that. I can go all the way to 6, but I might combine some characters. I must say, it's really, really fun to do the whole suspense thing in a Blaze. The trick for me was to make sure the suspense didn't overshadow the romance.

We're leaving Monday for Vegas and plot group. Which is a good thing. An excellent thing, because I need a lot of brainstorming on the over-arching story, and the individual books. Thank goodness I have brilliant friends who know all about the plot. (Not to mention Sushi! Thai! Indian! Foods that are unknown in my little tiny town!)

Oh, I forgot to mention - Finally saw SERENITY. I loved it! Man, that Joss Whedon is some brilliant dude. Wonder if he'd like to come to my plot group?

Which leads to…if you could have any three writers come help you plot, who would they be?

01.14.06 @ 09:36 AM MST [Link to Entry]

Thursday, January 12th

Much better

Feeling much better today, thank goodness, in large part due to the phone call yesterday with my editor. She loved the suspense novel, had no revisions, and waxed enthusiastic about the rest of the series. So phew and yay.

Oh, and Jordan, I got your note, even though it didn't turn up in the comments. Thank you.

I felt really sorry for the pup. We were both so out of it, and she wanted to play. I wish there were puppysitters on the mountain that we could call to take over when we're unavailable. We didn't even feel up to going down the mountain so she could play with her sister.

But we both slept last night, and today we're getting back to normal. I don't know what we had, but it's safe to say it wasn't the flu.

For those of you who missed it, check back a couple of posts to the one on plotting. Very fascinating view of how different authors attack the beast. Feel free to chime in.

Having blown off work yesterday, I must get ze butt in gear today!

01.12.06 @ 02:31 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Wednesday, January 11th

Ugh

Ugh - sick folks up on Mount Doom. None of us slept most of the night. So, uh, I'll be back when I'm coherent. (not that anyone can tell the difference).

01.11.06 @ 02:58 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Tuesday, January 10th

Plotting methods

Forgive me, my reading friends, but this is another one for the writers…

Do you use a specific plotting method? Which one?

I've been reading about a bunch of stuff I never heard of - The Snowflake Method, Mountain Plotting, The W. Believe me, I've read a lot about plotting, and while I start out with the idea of being organized and anal, I never end up that way.

So please, talk to me about your process.

01.10.06 @ 03:42 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Monday, January 9th

Who?

Thinking cap post:

Who's your favorite literary character and why?

Mine is Horatio Hornblower, because of his complexity and his brilliance. Every time I read the Hornblower books I'm blow away by the layers of the his character, and how he attacks problems. I yearn to write someone as deeply moving and affecting as Horatio.

Okay, your turn.

01.09.06 @ 01:37 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Sunday, January 8th

Secret Languages

I love the fact that every industry/hobby/sport/etc. has its own language.

As a new knitter, it took me a bit to understand that DPNs are double pointed needles, that to frog is to unravel your knitting, and an FO is a finished object.

In fan fiction, there are a gazillion words - slash, squee, AU, deathfic, MSR…it goes on and on, breaking up into even more diverse language as you get into more specific fandoms.

The same holds true for publishing, and to me it was a big deal when I finally got the nomenclature. I didn't know what the RWA was until halfway through my first book. I'd heard the word galleys, but wasn't exactly sure what that meant. Try talking to a non-category reader and see how often you have to think of what the abbreviations that are a standard part of your lexicon stand for.

The police, boy, they have a huge vocabulary in code. So do scientists and musicians and movie folk. The inner-language has everything to do with inclusion and exclusion. If you don't know the words, you're an outsider and suspect. The secret language is the extension of the secret handshake, and we all know how desperately we want to know that.

I'm trying to learn at least a few words in the secret language of special forces. Some are acronyms that I don't want to spell out. It's one of those things that gives characters authenticity. Readers don't have to understand the secret language, they just have to get that it is the secret language. I've read many a book where there was medical jargon or spy jargon, and unless it was overused or used in a weird way, it helped me immerse myself in the story by making me believe that I was being given special access into a special place.

When I read a book that's placed in a unique world, I need those signposts, something to tell me this is the real deal.

What would be a dream come true is a dictionary of special universe language. A compendium of all the slang and acronyms and secret handshakes. How cool would that be? Any takers? Hmm?

01.08.06 @ 02:09 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Saturday, January 7th

If you're writing a series...

I mentioned in another entry that I was creating a bible for my Blaze suspense series, and some folks have asked me what I do, so I thought I'd talk about it here, just in case others were planning multi-book connected series.

First, I work with a program called Power Structure that holds all my notes on plot and character. I can print out individual pages, which helps.

I have a big 3-ring binder, and I separate it into sections, one for each character, a bunch for research, and one for each book itself. I use pictures for my characters, usually actors, because I like to hear their voices in my head, so I go online, find the right actor to portray the character, and print out a picture of them. I tape those pictures to the main character pages.

On this book, I have an overarching story, so I have a section for that. I print out everything I've written about that story and put it in the book, so that I have an easy reference.

When I was writing the first book, I used some locations and situations that might come up in other books, so I printed out those sections and put those in the binder.

Then, every time another recurring character was mentioned in the first book, I printed out that section and put it in that character's section. If I mentioned more than one character in a scene, I'd print out as many copies as necessary.

If I have pictures, say of a weapon, a map, a location, I print them out and include them in the bible.

As the books build, the notebook fills up, so that everything I'm using for the book is in one convenient place, and I don't have to scramble to remember what I said before, or what things look like.

It's immensely helpful, and I recommend the process. Hell, I've even used a small bible when I've had a particularly research and/or character heavy book.

01.07.06 @ 12:49 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Friday, January 6th

Big Doin's

Wow, big things up here on Mount Doom. It looks like it's going to be bought, and become a very large and impressive ski resort. Which is good, in that there'll be at least one restaurant up here, along with a store, which will be heaven for us. But it's also bad because there will be actual people here. A lot of people. I mean, they're building a big hotel, an RV park, more condos and more ski runs. They're even building another lodge farther down the mountain. They're also talking about doing a kind of dude ranch (I think) for summer guests so they can ride and fish and stuff. Year round activities for all. But you'd better be quiet when I want to go to bed or we'll send out the hounds.

The reason I know this is because the guy buying it came for dinner last night, and he made phone calls to the partners which I listened to unabashedly. No, we're not talking glass to the wall. He talked downstairs, right below my loft. I couldn't help it. Honest. And I took notes because I'm a damn good hostess and didn't want him to forget anything.

So, I'm going to enjoy the peace and quiet while it's still here. And write. Yes, I finally talked to my editor, and now I have my direction for the rest of the series. That's a very good thing. Especially because I go to plot group on the 17th.

Oh, and for the knitters amongst us - I'm working my first project on DPNs! Yee Haaw!

01.06.06 @ 01:06 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Thursday, January 5th

Huh?

There's this add for LDS books that plays a lot on our local stations. Every time I hear this title, I can't help but squint and wonder WTF? It's called "If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard."

Uh, is it me? Is there some hidden irony or message that I'm missing? It sounds to me like a book title from a SNL skit.

There's also an ad for some TV cable station (or something like that) whose tag line is…

TV…for people.

Versus what? Tomatoes?

Seriously, is it me?

01.05.06 @ 01:43 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Wednesday, January 4th

More on the challenge

The Uber-Challenge has over 100 members now, and boy, did I not expect that. It's interesting, because I've done this challenge on my own over several years, and I never really thought about doing it as a group until this year. I'm not even sure what my expectations were, except that it's worked for me, and it would have been fun to have some friends do it along with me.

There's everyone from multi-published authors to folks who have just decided to write, which is also something I didn't expect. A lot of people want to work on discipline (which is my number one goal) and many want to work on plotting and scenes and grammar. So far, folks have been great about how-to book recommendations in the database, and I've certainly earmarked a few for myself.

One of the things I've noticed when reading about those who share my need for more discipline, is that the heart of the matter seems to be getting rid of procrastination. That's probably a more accurate goal for me than discipline, because once I'm writing, I'm usually good to go. It's getting to the writing that trips me up. So - how do I get rid of the procrastination? Setting up work hours? Using a timer? Doing morning pages? I believe I'm going to try all three things. What I'm primarily hoping to get from the group dynamic is accountability. I also want to hear what works for other people, and I'm hoping that will become more and more what the posts are about, once the initial intros are done. (Note- people can join any time, so don't be afraid to jump in)

And even though I'm focusing on discipline/procrastination, I'm also looking forward to learning about craft issues. That's something I'm always in the market for. So by sharing the forum, we can all reap the benefits of all the learning and discoveries.

My biggest fear is that with so many people participating, the comments will devolve into chatting that is not about the work, or flame wars. I've already decided that the group is self-governing. I have neither the time nor desire to be a list-mom. So I'll just trust that those of us who want a viable, interesting, educational forum will take the initiative to post about the craft and the methodology.

01.04.06 @ 12:55 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Tuesday, January 3rd

From the writing front

I just discovered that my editor isn't going to be back in the office for two more days. I thought she was coming back today, and I was all ready to confab with her on the next project and get cooking. Now I have to shift gears, which sounds easier than it is.

Don't get me wrong, I can still work. It's just that I had my mind all set on talking and getting some things locked down. It's kind of like taking a bite of a bright, shiny apple only to taste a pear. Pears aren't bad - they're just not apples.

What I'm doing first, though, is cleaning the desk. It must be done, and there's no one but me to do it, so… I don't know why I can't keep the desk clean. It's a sickness. But I can't find things, so it's time. And this is part of my writing discipline plan. Make the space comfy and fine so that it feels good to sit there.

We were supposed to go to town today, but the blizzard has made that impossible. Major snow and wind. No chance of getting the car out. Which is a drag because we're out of milk and bread, among other things. I hate that. But the snow should blow over soon, and maybe we'll get out tomorrow.

01.03.06 @ 01:30 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Monday, January 2nd

A late start

Sorry for the late start this morning, um, afternoon. I did a little baking (spiced pumpkin bread) and did a little research, and checked out the UC (Uber Challenge) posts. So far, so good. Now it's time to work. I'm still building, brick by brick.

Lovely fun last night as PBS is showing Jeeves and Wooster again, staring the much young Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. I just hope it wasn't a one-shot deal. I loved the books and I loved the series.

I'm actually anxious for tomorrow - I'm not good with holidays and time off. I think everyone should be there when I want to call. (Not that I'm selfish or anything). It's only the 2nd but I already feel as if the month is slipping away. Not the most healthy attitude. I need to chill, and do the next thing on the list. It's the only way to move forward. Now if I could just stop stressing about it, all would be well.

Oh - we got some flannel sheets (nice ones) for Xmas, and oh. Wow. Nice. If you haven't tried them, do. Just don't wear flannel pjs or you'll end up with a flannel scarf in around your neck in the middle of the night.

For the record? I think Daniel Jackson is way too cute.

Okay, now I have to work.

01.02.06 @ 03:35 PM MST [Link to Entry]

Sunday, January 1st

The first post in '06

So I checked this morning, and there's almost 80 people participating in the Uber Challenge. Holy crap! I think it's gonna be great.

I'm starting off the day with research, and building a character. They're dependent on each other because the research is about her job - forensic accounting. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but yup, there is. So I'm googling like mad and taking notes. Once I understand more about her career, then I figure out why she chose that profession, how she got into the mess she's in now, and how she's going to solve her problem using her skills. Yee Haw.

It snowed a lot last night, so it's very white and pretty outside. The dog is in heaven, as she loves the white stuff. A perfect day to work, no?

Hope everyone is hangover free. We went to bed at 11:00. It was nice.

01.01.06 @ 01:58 PM MST [Link to Entry]

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