Tuesday's Stuff and Things #2

I've seen a lot of weekly topics on Blogger (like My Town Monday, in which both Josh and Travis participate) and, though I've never adopted any of them, I'd like to make up my own. Since I posted Stuff and Things last Tuesday, I decided I'd like to do it each week. It's a way to share whatever's congesting my mind, writing-related or not, in one fell swoop. It's okay that I do this, right? There's no Blogger Police who're supposed to pass out licenses for such a thing? Good. I thought so.

Today's stuff and things?

My daughter had to get the last of her immunizations this morning. It was my job--through all FOUR shots--to trap her legs between mine, crush one arm behind me as a vice grip would, and immobilize the other with my weak hand. Her tears were almost unbearable, but the reward of colorful band-aids and Goldfish crackers brightened her world once again.

I'm cheap. I know this because I can smell a clearance rack from aisles away, or spot neon-colored sale tags before I've darkened the doorway of my favorite store. When my eyes shift and dart back-and-forth, making me look as though I'm up to no good? It's simply that I'm afraid I'll miss a good deal, and one must be alert to such things. Always. And I most often refuse to pay full price for anything. Today we visited one of our local discount stores. There I got five new shirts for the school girl, a new shirt for myself, two notebooks and a plate. For $24 and some change. AWESOME. Then I very nearly split my lid when I spent the same amount at another store, on two pairs of leggings and a Koosh ball. NOT AWESOME. See? I'm cheap.

I've been able to expound upon the idea for my non-fiction book. I did some tweaking to my concept, which opened the possibilities for content. To give you a basic, at-its-most-general hint, the topic is motherhood. It will incorporate humor and the voice I use for my motherhood-themed column, with essays and anecdotes, and an extra special something. But that's all I'm giving you now. I've still got some research and brainstorming and compiling to do.

As for Novel 2 (I've decided not to deny myself progress on one book while I work on the other - I'll do both!), it still sits, lonely and with no recent updates. Thus far, the only work I've done has been on my AlphaSmart 3000, Sally, so I plan to transfer the files to word document soon. I'll be able to look at it with fresh perspective, I think, and that will allow me to move forward just a bit.

Still no word of any kind from agents. I'm not growing impatient at all, I just feel like I'm not doing all I can to be proactive. Which is silly, because what else can I do but wait on them? I'm not quite ready to send another batch of queries out, but may revisit that idea in another few weeks. We'll see what happens between now and then.

11 rejections, 13 out

Stuff and Things

I feel like I've been neglecting this wee little blog. In reality it's just that I haven't posted in, what, four days? Certainly that doesn't rock the writing world, but I feel a little less... involved. I think, in part, I can blame my "vacation brain," whichs still hangs around after our trip two weekends ago. And then, too, we've had an incredibly packed schedule, trying to do all the doin' before school starts. Somehow none of it's conducive to blog post idea after blog post idea; even though recently it had been my habit to churn posts out daily. Maybe once school starts, for which I'll be sending one off to kindergarten *sniffle*, I'll get myself lined out into a better routine. I'm hoping, anyway.

I did start on my non-fiction project. I've looked high and low for how one goes about it, and all signs point to doing your idea and market research first, gathering all the data into your proposal (and writing an overview, etc.) before writing the book itself. So I've taken those initial steps, started down that path. Though the whole kit and kaboodle is something I've never done before, I've found it a worthwhile challenge. And the brainstorming continues.

Likewise, my second novel has still been tugging at my brainwaves. And I love it. I love that there's potential in more than one project; that there are ideas which could take me different directions, depending upon my daily mood and goal. We shall see where they take me.

You may remember we're remodeling our house. It's an A-frame and, along with many other changes and improvements, we've extended the balcony off the Master loft. This new, bigger space will be my writing/reading nook, and I can't tell you how excited I am to get myself set up there. It's still probably a month out, what with everything else we still have to do, but once I'm all settled and decorated, I'll post pictures. It'll be my "special place." Did I tell you how excited I am? (Plus I get to go shopping for a few new pieces to fill it!)

I've been reading voraciously the last few weeks. I've always loved reading, and done it often, but I've been in a particularly good mood to sit down, paperback in hand, these days. Usually I prefer reading just one book at a time, though I've got three going now. The first is Freezing Point by Karen Dionne. She's the aunt of my friend Melanie [I decided today, Melanie, that calling you my "writing buddy" isn't sufficient anymore ;)], and is touted as "the new Michael Crichton." How totally cool is that? I've taken part in Ms. Dionne's virtual book tour. Here's my picture, taken in the chicken house at the Missouri State Fair, five-dollar hat to boot. Yee haw!



I've also begun Anne Lamott's bird by bird. So many people have recommended it, particularly once they've found out I write, and so far it's not the least bit disappointing. I have yet to finish Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, which I started months ago. I've loved it so far, but fell out of the mood for it, and it's really just a matter of picking it up again.

And my last stuff (or thing, if you're keeping track), is that I haven't heard word from any agent in almost two weeks. (I say this not to whine, just to state the fact.) So, the count remains...

11 rejections, 13 queries out

What To Do, What To Do

So I've mentioned my start on book 2, but something has me hesitant to pick up work on it again. It could just be laziness, or lack of motivation (which, really, could be the same thing as laziness, no?), or just that my writing brain needs an extended break. But... my mind has been flitting back and forth to the non-fiction idea I had several months ago. I'd not finished book 1 yet, and some brainstorming worked its way to paper. Er, word document. So I have some notes filed away and have thought about making that my next project. But is that the right step to take? How do I know?* Is it the wrong idea when I'm trying to get representation for my fiction? Tell me your thoughts.

*I should point out I'm one who believes in signs, and I'm looking for guidance from above... I'll keep you posted.

Janna: Unplugged

I did it. I actually made it through the weekend without getting online. And I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms! Oh, I could have logged on; two brothers-in-law had laptops (with wireless internet), and a sister-in-law had her does-it-all cell phone. But I rather enjoyed being "unplugged." And though I took Sally, my AlphaSmart, I didn't use her either. I did a lot of reading, a lot of eating, and spent quality time with my husband's family. It was a grand weekend, full of fodder for my writing. (Don't ask what I did that my sisters-in-law dared me to do...) How can one go wrong with any of that?

I didn't have anything pertinent waiting in my inbox when I returned, rejection or otherwise. What I want to know is, when days pass with no reply, does it mean A) they've not had the time to look at my query yet, period B) they didn't like it and have moved on to other stuff, without letting me know or C) they think they kinda like my storyline and they're stewing over whether or not to request more from me? Yeah, I know it could be any of these things. But it's the not knowing that's toughest.

I do feel a renewed surge over Novel 2. I haven't touched it in a few weeks, but at last sit-down I'd made my way through part of the second chapter. I need to revisit it and get to work, so as not to fritter any time away. I think it would work to my advantage if, once an agent expresses interest in working with me, I can say I've conceptualized and begun work on a second book.

What about you? What's big for you? What are you working on right now?

Just A Hint

So I'd given a little thought (minimal, really) to Novel #2, but when several people suggested I begin work on it while querying Novel #1, the loose premise I'd brainstormed started to take on a bigger form.

...Today I slipped from the quiet house before anyone in my family was awake. I went to breakfast by myself, and enjoyed driving around in search of garage sales. I relished the time to myself but, even more, the time it gave me to think. Plot points and details brewed, and I'm really excited about this idea that's begun building and building.

Here it is, in a not-yet-perfected nutshell (creating "The Blurb" is one of the hardest parts for me) :

A man's world is turned upside-down when his wife reveals well-hidden secrets. But while she exhibits behavior that would end most relationships, he tries to uphold his marriage vows and Christian values, hoping for the day she'll see the error of her ways and return to the life they once had. But how far will his wife's behaviors lead her, and how much will he put up with? What will happen when a new woman, one who's everything his wife is not, enters the picture? How will he choose the path his life should take?

What do you think?