Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Goody Package

I'm expecting a goody package from a friend - I think a new Julia Quinn, Gaelen Foley, and Elizabeth Boyle will be included. I'm so excited!

Another goody package: one of my best friends from college will be in NJ this weekend and will be spending one day with me. She's known me since my first day of college, way back when I was 18 years old! My goodness! She's not a rabid fan of romance novels like I am, she has been very busy the past five+ years studying to be a doctor, but I have shared my favorites and she used to get mad at me every time as it would distract her from her studies. When my manuscript takes shape, she'll definitely be an early reader.

My hubs and I started cleaning the apartment for her arrival. While he's away at work, I'm supposed to work on the details of each room until she gets here.

I got a good start on Chapter 12. I'll be satisfied if it is complete by tomorrow.

Page/Word Count:
79 pages
41,723 words

Monday, May 25, 2009

Until 2010!

Yesterday was the last of the birthday celebrations, so I won't have any more excuses as to my slow progress. My hubs and I had dinner with my sister, and we had very good Japanese food. If I didn't have such a large lunch, I would have enjoyed it more. Alas, I have no control over food intake.

I started and finished Sophie Kinsella's "Confessions of a Shopaholic" while out and about yesterday as well. In general, I'm not a "chick lit" fan. For some reason, I don't find the "escapism" that I find with historical romances or even contemporaries. Perhaps it is because I lived in NYC (and can still see it when I step outside) and that I'm not that removed in age from the characters in the chick lit books? I don't know...there's just something that just doesn't jive. If any of you have recommendations, I'll be happy to try them out.

I must say, though, that I did enjoy "Shopaholic". The appeal factor is that it is set in London with primarily London brands, so it is not grounded in anything I am familiar with. Overall, it was a good read with occasional laugh out loud moments.

Page/Word Count:
76 pages
40,223

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Into the Fire

My husband is the lightest sleeper and freaked me out this morning as he heard rustling in our bedroom. With all the weird dreams I've been having of late, my heart was pounding at 4 AM this morning, wondering if we were going to die. Of course, our window was open and the curtains were blowing into something causing the noise. But it still interrupted my sleep and the day went with it...

So, I wrote very little. Though, I did go to the gym. The two may have negated itself; or in my mind at least. Alas, my page/word count is rather pathetic today.

I will, however, note that I read "Into the Fire" by Suzanne Brockmann and read what happens to Izzy. Actually, I read this like 4 days ago, and I was on the fence as to whether or not I wanted to address it. Basically, I was totally disappointed, primarily because there is no strong romantic resolution for him at the end. I hope she brings out his storyline in the next book with a happier ending than the one in "Into the Fire." However, Brockmann did a great job of setting Decker up for his own storyline in the sequel and flushing out the Dan Gillman character. Overall, the book was good, I just had preconceived notions of what should happen to Izzy, and the storyline is so far from it, I felt a little sad for him. Weird, huh?

Page/Word Count:
74 pages
38,861 words

Friday, May 22, 2009

Does Size Really Matter?

Get your mind out of the gutter! Chapter lengths: what is too long or too short? Mine tend to be on the short end of the spectrum and my Chapter 11 might be too short, possibly 5 pages (double spaced). I know a chapter can be as short as a page, or a paragraph. Typically, though, if it is this short, there is some element to the structure that makes it possible. Mine doesn't fit into any particular flow. I'm going to keep writing and perhaps during the revision, I'll come up with a solution.

Overall, I had a productive day despite my husband coming home early as it is Memorial Day weekend. I didn't finish Chapter 11 as planned, but got a good start on it. Right now, I'm full with Peking duck (yum!) and a bit sleepy.

Page/Word Count:
73 pages
38,518 words

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Chapter 11

No, not that kind of Chapter 11! Thank goodness, and knock on wood.

I finished Chapter 10 today, ready to move onto Chapter 11 later today. If I'm lucky, I will finish all of it by tomorrow. I have a feeling it will be an easy chapter. I'm back on the kick of just writing to get the book done so that I can start revisions. Really, I don't think it's possible to write the perfect book in one sitting by thinking through it slowly and plotting each word and paragraph. If you can do it, I'm jealous.

Not really in the mood for writing today, either. I had the most frightening dream. I've had two rather frightening dreams the past few months. It always involves a serial or deranged killer of some sorts. No one I know dies, but the murder itself is gruesome and I'm afraid the killer will come after me. I feel very disoriented and weird when I wake up from these dreams. I should google this to see what it means for my psyche.

Page/Word Count:
71 pages
37,560 words

Monday, May 18, 2009

Possibly PMS-ing

I realize this is TMI, but I'm possibly PMS-ing and eating everything in sight. I've written some this morning, having finished Chapter 3 this weekend and am back to the middle of the manuscript writing forward from Chapter 10 on.

Thankfully, my evening plans for drinks have been canceled so I don't have to rush to get to the gym, though I should hit the grocery store soon. I've added a new feature to help me gauge my progress: the page/word count at the end. I had it on a sidebar, but got rid of it in a nanosecond. I should import this data to an excel document and make some sort of graph. Ha.

Page/Word Count:
69 single spaced pages
36,321 words

Sunday, May 17, 2009

60 Years at Harlequin

Lots of beers and pizza today. Some writing. Page count - 68 single spaced pages (12 pt font) or 35,469 words.

Check this out though: http://www.harlequincelebrates.com/index.php. 16 full Harlequin novels up for free download to celebrate Harlequin's 60th Anniversary. Congrats!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Mademoiselle by Coco Chanel

For my birthday present from my hubs, I received Mademoiselle by Coco Chanel. I love it. It's my favorite scent. We also went to an old haunt of ours on the upper west side of NYC; a complete hole in the wall Mexican place which is just out of this world. I'm stuffed but smelling pretty, so I can't complain.

Obviously due to the continued birthday celebration - which will be a week long as my hubs's birthday is this week too - I did not have the chance to write. However, we dropped by the B&N around 80th street and I read a bit of Suzanne Brockmann's "Into the Fire" to get a glimpse at Izzy's story. I was afraid to buy it, however, as I was afraid I might not like how a character I had hyped in my head would turn out. Though, the main story line involving Vinh Murphy sounds fantastic.

I also bought Victoria Alexander's "The Marriage Lesson". Can't wait to read it. Victoria Alexander is good - solid.

Friday, May 15, 2009

What Would MHC Do?

All right, all right, I get what Mary Higgins Clark was talking about all those weeks ago. I keep referencing her, but she did give some sound advice. Not to me, but the world at large.

In my mind, I'm obsessed with two tertiary Suzanne Brockmann characters and I can't get them out of my head. Of course, this is totally messing up with the characterization of my main hero in my novel in many ways and I feel his "chi" diminishing as my mind wanders. I guess this is why one should never cheat!

As it was my birthday yesterday, I'm spending this afternoon with my sister and then the evening with my best friend. No writing at all! I'm going to clear my head and begin anew tomorrow. No more thinking of other men when I should be focusing on my own. :)

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Sequels

Earlier this year, I started reading Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter Series. It's a fairly long series, 14 - 16 books total is my guess, and I've broken my rule about reading the books in order as there are just so many and I started reading midway through anyway. To Brockmann's credit, she does an excellent job in writing books with one strong, focal romantic plot line with a strong subplot and side characters that propel new books in the series. She does this better than any other writer I know. Which begs my question, what about those characters that she doesn't create a book for?

I know people who are non-romance readers would wonder why it would matter. If you read one isn't it the same as reading another? Yes, there is a similarity in plots - boy meets girl, boy fights for girl, boy gets girl. (You can reverse the boy/girl roles or even make it same sex as Brockmann did for one of her novels.) But as I've written earlier, it's all about the characters. If you're drawn to the characters, it sometimes doesn't matter that the plot line is sometimes a little off. Of course, a solid plot helps, but it isn't the be all, end all. At least, that's what I think.

My original question was spurred by my rereading of "Into the Storm" yesterday. I liked two characters: Izzy Zanella and Lt. Lew Koehl. I know Izzy's story is told in a sequel (I can't remember which one at the moment and I'm slightly afraid to read it as I have my own ideas of what the sequel should/would be) but I don't think Lt. Lew Koehl will ever get his own story as I believe Brockmann has moved onto a new series. (I could be wrong, I hope!) For various reasons, I know another writer cannot just pick up and write a sequel to a series that is not her own. But sometimes, I wish all the logistical reasons were inconsequential and that it was possible...

What I'm working on at the moment is volume 1 of a 4 volume series. The series idea is not new, but new at the same time. Current too. No vampires, though!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Who's Got Time?

I've been in a funk since last Thursday, I think, and have had a very difficult time writing: a bit of writer's block mixed in with anxiety over my unemployed status. As I can't do much about the former, I have been focusing on the latter. But when in a bind with the latter, I can't do much but stress about the former. Endless cycle.


It's weird. I have a lot of time. All day. I wake up with my husband and see him off to work and go to bed late. That means I have approximately 16 hours of the "day" to do whatever I want: from 8 AM to 12 AM. We have no kids, so my main concern is making dinner for the hubs and some house maintenance. And yet, it feels I can't get anything done. When I was working, I would be able to cram in so much, and now, a trip to the grocery store and back feels like it takes hours of my time. Perhaps being too idle is the problem?

Just read Gena Showalter's latest blog, and she wrote a whole short story in one day. I've read some of her books. They're good. I'm very jealous of her productivity and talent. Wah!

Still chugging along on my new Chapter 3. Hopefully, I'll get it done so that I can continue on...Hopefully, I'll have 150 pages done by the end of the weekend. Fingers crossed!!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Title Change!

The name of my blog was annoying me, so I have changed it to the following. As no one is reading this but me right now, which is fine as I started this blog to practice writing every day and to document my progress, I think we're all ok.

Thank goodness I like the title of my novel for the time being. Though, knowing the business, I'm sure it'll go through many changes before it is printed and on the market. If it gets there! (Cue dramatic music!)

Chapter 2 Done...Chapter 3?

I decided to split up my original first chapter into three separate chapters. Chapter 1 was a breeze, Chapter 2 a bit of a struggle, and now I'm working on Chapter 3...which I'm having a hard time filling in at the moment as I don't have a picture of what it should be about. Hopefully, I can complete it by end of day tomorrow, so that I can correct intermittent portions in between so that the storyline flows.

An editor friend of mine told me that he breaks up the chapters into separate word documents. I am currently writing in one long flow. Does it matter? I'm not sure. For me, keeping all my chapters in one document helps me get a grasp on how long it is and what my goals are in completing it. However, it is getting rather confusing as the document becomes longer. I've been using bookmarks to quickly jump from one chapter to another, but it isn't perfect.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

No Rain! Go figure...

My hubs and I went into the city today, expecting the worst as my iGoogle weather gadget had a square gray with white raindrops and (gasp) thunderbolts all over it. Fortunately for us, the weather was fantastic if not a bit humid. Needless to say, I wrote very little today. A few sentences, actually.

However, I picked up a few romance novels while out. There is a used Japanese bookstore in Manhattan called Bookoff. It is right across the New York Public Library in Bryant Park. There is a great English book section as well as manga, DVDs, CDs, and video games. Most hardcovers, paperbacks, mass market books are $5 - $3. However, there is a whole section of books for $1 regardless of format. I like to go and pick up a bunch of romances and other books in the $1 pile. It's like treasure hunting. You never know what you'll find. The thing is, there is no true rhyme or reason to why certain books are $5 and others are $1. I've frequently found the same book in both sections. Go figure!

Anyway, I picked up the following: "Ever Princess" by Rebecca Hagan Lee and "Homeplace" by JoAnn Ross. Also found the following non-romance books: "M: The Man Who Became Carvaggio" by Peter Robb and "Written on the Body" by Jeanette Winterson.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Obsessed

So I'm totally obsessed and addicted to this drama called "Boys Over Flowers". I've done little but watch episode after episode the past 24 hours. My rear end and legs hurt from being inactive, and I've consumed way too many calories along the way.

However, there are great character profiles that I've derived from watching. If you ever need a good Cinderella story, Korean dramas are full of them (practically 99%). Imagine "Paradise" or "Double Standards" by Judith McNaught, and there you have it! And, I'm progressing along on Chapter 2, though not complete. And, I did go running today. And, I'm making excuses...will be back on track soon. I swear!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Boys Over Flowers

Just when my lunch plans were cancelled and I sighed with relief as it meant that I had more time to write this afternoon, my friend emails me the link to a Korean drama website. If you've never watched a Korean drama and love romantic story lines and convoluted plots, you must give it a try! It's addictive. Like romance novels.

The site has Chinese and Japanese dramas too. Plots and story lines are similar, but they differ a little in style.

Anyway, the one I'm watching now is "Boys Over Flowers". It's originally a Japanese manga of which there is an English version (published by VIZ in the states) and now a Korean drama. My sister watched this a while ago and liked it, and my friend read the manga and liked it. So here I am...not doing what I'm supposed to.

But, I'm limiting myself to one episode a day countered by a visit to the gym. Balance is the key.

And my resolution for today: to finish my revision of Chapter 2!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Coming Out

Not what you're thinking..."not that there's anything wrong with that!"

For years, over a decade I imagine, I've hidden my love of romance novels. My experience is singular, but probably experienced by all romance readers to some degree. During the past year, I've been a lot more vocal, and to be honest, I've received a wide array of responses. People who know me to be the Ivy League educated, highly professional, widely read person all of a sudden thought I was a bumbling idiot with as much sense as Paris Hilton. Others rooted me on as if my acknowledgement was a fight for some great social cause.

Really? Really.

I don't know why they just can't understand it. It's rather simple: I like them as I occasionally love a great mystery thriller (Greg Iles is fantastic and is the male Suzanne Brockmann; his love scenes can be very steamy as well and fascinating as it is totally written from a male point of view) or a horror novel (check out the new Guillermo del Torro "The Strain") or even a wah-wah memoir ("The Glass Castle" is both fantastic and just so...so!). It's also how I like Philip Roth (dude can be raunchy too), Harry Potter (told my husband not to come home early from a business trip as it would collide with the on sale of the last volume and I wouldn't pay much attention to him anyway), W. Somerset Maughm (totally dig him) and think Junot Diaz is overrated (it's all in the packaging) and refuse to read Jodi Picoult for some unknown reason (well I know, but I won't reveal here).

What's the big deal?

Perhaps its the covers - I'm sure a big portion is, but publishers swear that they don't sell if the cover is not right - but the social stigma associated with reading (and writing) romance novels is pretty harsh. I don't judge if I see a man reading a Tom Clancy on the subway or if you rush out to buy the recent Dan Brown - and both men are celebrated as smart men writing entertaining books. Both probably true, but being smarter and more entertaining is highly subjective. I'm a proponent of all reading. If you're reading, particularly a book, I don't care what it is: good for you.

My two cents.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Stuck

Hmmm...a little bit stuck.

My original first chapter had three natural segments, so I went back and elaborated on the first segment making it the whole for the first chapter. Now, I need to go back and rewrite the second and third segments into either two separate subsequent chapters or one chapter that links chapter one with three. Confusing? Yes, for me too!

So, I took a break and dug through my piles of romance novels and found a Karen Robard's contemporary that I haven't read in a long, long time: "Whispers at Midnight". Love a contemporary set in the South, especially one dealing with an old high school crush that was once the bad boy in town and is now a reformed man involved in law!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Reviews

There's no excuse. I'm old enough to not "Twitter" but young enough to "Facebook", and yet I realize how little I know about anything technology-wise. Hence, my very simple blog here that I am having some difficulty navigating. I'm several years behind on this blogging phenomenon, so I'm discovering some very interesting finds along the way, which includes the fantastic "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" website.

Now, yesterday I did what I didn't want to do but wanted to do instinctively: I went back and started rewriting the first few chapters. This is partially because I read a blog about writing and the number of words and/or pages a novel typically requires, and I'm far behind on both accounts. And, I couldn't get over what Mary Higgins Clark said about how she likes a solid first 50 pages. I haven't read Mary Higgins Clark since middle school, but the woman's a writing machine and a smashing success in her genre. I think she knows a bit more than I do.

During a break - I tend to have a lot of these which I need to eliminate - I was searching the web and came across the SBTB site. Nice. Something I should have thought to do years and years ago, but these women are smarter and sassier than I'll ever be, so kudos to them. One of their recent reviews was for Lisa Kleypas's new contemporary, "Smooth Talking Stranger". It received a B+! For me, a B+ is close to failure (I once cried and threw a fit at a teacher in high school telling him B+ was not an option). Lisa Kleypas writes the most steamy, wonderful romantic fiction. I didn't get it. Then I found the very interesting rant against Gaelen Foley! My goodness...

If there was anything to stump my writing, it was the SBTB site. If writers that I aspire to become get reamed, how well would I fare? Not very well! This kept me up a bit longer last night than it should have. This morning when I woke up, I refused to let it bother me as I turned on my laptop. Everything is subjective...love, romance, relationships. It is only natural that books and readers' response would be the same as well, no?

SBTB is still fantastic. IF and WHEN my book ever comes out, I would be scared to send it along for review, though. Shaking in my Hessian boots - that I stole from my older gentleman brother as I cross-dress to run away from my evil guardian to stow on a ship to be ravished by a dashing pirate sort!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Sphere of Influence

I saw Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter (who is also a writer) on the Today Show this past week promoting her new book. Two takeaways: a) she struggles with the first 50 pages of any new novel and b) she doesn't read fiction while writing a book as it 'distracts' her from giving her all in her own characters.

Interesting.

I can relate to A. So many nights, I lay awake trying to rethink my first pages. I know it is seriously flawed, but I can't figure out how to better it. Eventually, when I will submit the manuscript to agents, I will need to fix it. How am I to acquire an agent - or an audience for that matter - without an engaging beginning?

Regarding B, I've been doing the exact opposite. Perhaps it is because I'm a newbie, but I find going back to authors and novels I've loved to be very helpful. I pick up on techniques that bypassed me as a reader and see where they have succeeded and I failed.

Last night I picked up a book by Gaelen Foley: "Devil Takes a Bride." ALL of Foley's books are amazingly well written and her story lines are always unique. And this is one of my favorites. Rereading the first few chapters, she does an exceptional job of creating mood and characters and early tension between the hero and heroine. Her writing is detailed and intricate yet light enough to draw in readers. I'm still chugging along, writing to progress the forward motion of the book, but I can sense a shift in tone in my own writing already. Kind of. Sort of.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Reader No. 1

Yesterday, I had lunch with my sister who had a day off from work and I'm...still unemployed. I had sent her the first 100 pages of my manuscript and the outline of my novel the day prior so that she could print it out at work (ssshhh!). My sister was my first reader because a) she's my sister and trust is a given and b) she's also a romance fan. Over lunch she told me she began reading it. Her opinion: writing is solid but the plot could use work.

Hmmm.

Romance novels are strongly driven by the plot and characters. Without it, well, you don't have much but a well written but flat book.

My dilemma now is whether or not I should rethink the plot or to plod along and finish the bulk of the book and go back for rewrites. Sister: just write it all out and worry about plot later. My gut: write it out and worry about the plot later. My mind: go back and rewrite now!!!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Prologue

Laid off. Plan B.

Except it isn't Plan B, it has always been a thought, an idea...wishful thinking and a dream. With unemployment checks coming in and a working husband, I have endless hours to whittle away the time by letting my imagination wander...and what better to fantasize about than dreamy men, beautiful women, and regency love?

Approximately 3 months have passed in which time I've vegetated, muddled, hemmed and hawed and I have a 100 pages of my first romance novel written. Yay!

More ruminations on research, writing and hair-pulling to come.