*waves hands frantically in the air*
Hey! Hi! Hola! Remember me? I’m that person who used to write on here all the time? No? Hm….
*scratches chin*
Wait…
*runs to find memory boost-speration*
It’s all coming back to you know, isn’t it? Phew! *wipes brow* That was close, I know…Well, HELLO!!! Oh yes, I have missed all of you awesome blogs-o-phere peeps. A couple months ago–was it a couple months ago?–I attempted leaving some form of update through a random, “If We Were Having Coffee” post. I had every intention to come back sooner and blog more frequently and well, clearly, that didn’t happen. What did happen?
Well LIFE, my friends! That happened. Ugh. It’s been a crazy, difficult, emotionally numbing year of unexpected staleness. Dramatic, I know. My time back home hit a wall a LONG time ago. I came back to help my family with their business as well as take care of some health issues that I couldn’t do financially or time wise if I were on my own. In that time, reading and writing became my solace.
My book was coming along slowly, with a few bumps on the road here and there. Finally, I determined myself that life wasn’t waiting around for me and so, in turn, I couldn’t sit around and wait for life. If I want change. If I want my life to look different, be different, I’d have to be the one to make it happen. I know, that sounds like self-explanatory common self but it only is in theory. Life, is far more gray and complicated than a simple, “Just Do It” campaign.
A few recent developments have come into play, hence, I’m back!
1. 
I’m moving to California with my best friend! After…four years apart–living in separate states–we are finally going to be living in the same city! This was a crazy, spontaneous, rambunctious decision and I’ve never been more excited! I live in Florida. I’ve been an East Coast girl all my life. Even when I lived in the Midwest (Missouri), I still felt like an East Coast gal. This…well, this is definitely going to be a change. We’re aiming for March 2014, so until then, there is MUCH to plan and do.
This new venture has put some fire under my butt to get a few things done and taken cared of before the move. I could sit and wait around forever for things with my health to present itself, take it’s course and magically disappear but I’ve waited five years for that and life is slipping on by. Time to change course.
2.
I jumped back into writing! And I’m talking about full force, with vengeance! I believe I’ve mentioned this before, but I connected months ago with Julie who is a part of True Blue Editorial. These awesome people offer Editing services that are, I believe a great investment before the querying process. What she’s going to do is an In-Depth critique of my entire manuscript. She’s going to help me clean it up and make it all shiny before I toss my baby (my manuscript) out to the wolves? Happy unicorned fairy godmothers?
Her and I have an appointment next week to begin the process, meaning, my draft for Book One needs to be completed. I hopped onto this writing sprint journey to finish the remaining 25% of the Book. It’s been a crazy two weeks.
So, guess what? I’m about two chapters away from finishing this Book One Draft…*gulps…then LOUDLY SQUEALS* This is SO surreal. Do you understand HOW surreal this is? I have been working to finish this official first draft for a year now. Technically, this is the third draft, second concept but officially, this will be the first completely draft of this book! I’m so nervous about that. Yes, I have a second book to write on for this duology, so the story isn’t over. I don’t have to say goodbye to my characters yet and then of course, there’s the longer journey of querying for an agent and publishing house, then the long journey of Revisions. The story is far from being sent on it’s happy trails. But still, it’s weird to think I’ll be finished writing out the story.
I’m nervous about handing my babies over for some professional to critique and tear apart. I want everyone to love this story and even more, love my characters who I have become so invested in. I know them now. I see them. I understand them in a new way I hadn’t in the beginning when we were all still acquaintances. When I wanted them to do one thing, sometimes, they chose to do another. It’s been such a cool journey to see a story take it’s own shape which may sound mad to non-writers but IT’S TRUE! Sure, you’re their “God” but these little suckers have a life of their own and they will surprise you.
I stumbled upon this tweet from author Trish Doller (“Where the Stars Still Shine”)
The bestie read my recent chapters last night and encouraged my insecure heart. Gosh, I do NOT know what I would’ve done without her during this entire writing journey. She’s been available till the wee-hours, reading chapters out loud with me. She’s blunt to a fault and I’m so lucky to have her. She says, she’s brutally honest and picky because she doesn’t want to see me fail. She genuinely believes in my story and wants the world to have it one day soon. Last night, she complimented the growth of my writing. The writer I was first concept, first drat to the writer from the first half of this draft to the writer I am now in this last half of the draft are day and night. I too, have notice a shift in my writing.
It’s true what they all said. The way to become a better writer is to write. Write and Read. Write tons. Write often. Read tons. Read often. It marks you. It drives your pen differently with time. It took 29 years to come to terms with a desire, a home that was always there but I never had the confidence or courage to believe in myself enough to pursue it. Writing is my home. Reading is my solace.
Here are some twitter highlights in the last two weeks since I’ve been finishing my book:
(WordPress is being a bung-hole. For some reason I can’t embed any tweets or instagram posts on here visually so I had to screenshot these suckers….and…ENJOY!)
So there it is folks! I was tagged to do a “My Writing Process” blog post. That will be going up before this Sunday, so stay tuned for that! I’ve been reading tons lately as well but haven’t kept up with sharing that on Goodreads or anywhere really. I’ll get back on that, soon…for real this time! I know, I said that last time and didn’t, Sheesh! DON’T MAKE ME FEEL MORE GUILTY THAT I ALREADY DO!!! *winks*
Happy trails, my friends! Blog with ya soon. *tips hat*
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