Final NaNo Countdown

There's five days left until NaNo ends and my word count is at 12,074. Not my best, but definitely not my worst. It's been difficult finding time to write during the past week. A trip to the ER with a family member last Sunday and followup doctor visits this week has really slowed my writing. I had intended on writing a message here about how to manage finding time to write during Thanksgiving week, but since I wasn't able to do that myself, I figured it wouldn't hold much validity. I know I won't make the 50, 000 words again this year, but I am not giving up and am going to try and at least write something every day until the end of the month.

Carol

Meeting new frinds

I was thrilled today to get to meet fellow author Molly Daniels at a Vendor Bender Festival in Davies County, Indiana. Molly had set up a table to sell her books and I appreciate that she always has my cookbook and my cards for Love, Lies & Deceit on display, too.

We had a wonder time talking about writing and family. I'm hoping to get to see her again in a few weeks at The Mockingbird Emporium bookstore. Always looking for a sale, Molly noticed the lady at the booth next to her reading a Kindle. She immediately said, "She's reading a Kindle" and jumped up to take her one of her bookmarks. I joined in, just happening to also have my own bookmarks. Poor lady, I'm sure she thought we were crazy. But, she was nice about it and we had a good discussion about Kindles and Sony e-readers. She was also nice enough to take the picture above of Molly and myself.

My visit with Molly was cut way too short because I had to rush off to the Dubois County (Indiana) Public Library to participate in a NaNoWriMo Write-in. I had a really good time meeting new writers and am planning on attending the event with them again next week. I had hoped to write 1000 words while there and, thanks to my miscalculation, thought I had made it when I left. Once I got home and actually figured it out, I had only written about 700 words. Hopefully, I can write those last 300+ words tonight.

All and all, it was a really great day.
Carol

NaNo Week Two coming to an end

One of these days I'm going to reach retirement age and actually have time to do things. Today isn't going to be one of those days, in fact tomorrow isn't either. My NaNo words have reached 5,000 and I'm happy with that, although again, I'm way behind schedule.

I'm afraid I may not get many words in today. In about an hour, I'm off to the Ophthalmologist for my final follow-up exam for a study I took part in when I had my cataract surgery about six months ago. He will be dilating my eyes, which means everything will be a blur until later tonight. I'm hoping to get a few words in before I leave and again tonight once I can see clearly again. I know they say no editing with NaNo, but seriously my Word program would explode trying to figure out what I typed, if I did so while dilated.

Tomorrow, I'm off to a festival to meet fellow romance author, Molly Daniels. I'm really looking forward to meeting Molly in person. We live only a few hours from each other, but something has always happened when I have tried to arrange something for us. Tomorrow may finally be the day. On the way home, I will be stopping by the Dubois County (Indiana) Public Library for a NaNo Write-in, where I'll meet other crazies like me who are trying to write a book in 30 days. I can't wait.

As for my NaNo book, the detective has just received confirmation of the identification of the murder victim, but now has to go interview her parents. Here's the blurb for my book:

When a millionaire's daughter is found hanging from a tree in the Mystic, Massachusetts cemetery, witchcraft is suspected. Police Detective Nathan Perry is assigned to the case and works closely with a pretty female P.I. hired by the victim's father to find who murdered his daughter.

I normally write romantic suspense, but this book is going to be a contemporary mystery and the second in a series I am working on featuring Police Detective Nathan Perry. It will have a few romantic elements in it, but will be classified as a police procedural mystery.

Check back again for more updates.
Carol

NaNo Week One

This hasn't been my worst start for a NaNo month, but it's close. My previous post listed some of my excuses, so I won't go into any more this time. I've been bad about my organization for my NaNo this year. For those of you that know me, know that is not like me at all. I am an extremely organized person. Each year, I always download a Word Count Chart to keep track of my words. I had not done that until today. At a glance, I can see how good, or bad I am doing. I also haven't set up my three-ring binder for my research as I usually do. Instead, I am using the binder for last year's NaNo book because the one I am writing this year is a sequel. So, at least I have some of my character charts already filled in.

I won't say the Word Count Chart is the miracle cure, but I'm hoping it will help a little. This week, my day job has me working in my regular office all week, which means being able to eat lunch at my own desk instead of working in a field office and eating lunch at a fast food restaurant. I think I do some of my best writing at my own desk over lunch. Thursday and Friday I am off work. I'm hoping to play a little catch up on Thursday, but I have an eye exam on Friday and won't be able to do much writing with dilated eyes.

Oh, my word count? I'm embarrassed to say that as of last night it was only at 2371, so far behind what it should be. As soon as I get both of my blogs updated today, I'll be planting myself on the couch with my laptop and a glass of iced tea and write. Good luck to all my NaNo friends, keep up the good work.

Carol

Nano Day one

For those that don't know, NaNo is National Novel Writing Month and this will be my eighth year as a participant. The concept is to write at least a 50,000 word novel during the 30 days of November. Yesterday was day one and I pretty much blew it. I have several excuses. I just got home from a weekend away and had laundry to do, but honestly that is not a good excuse because my weekend was at a writers' conference and that motivated me to write.

I have spent the last two months working on my plot and characters but then on Saturday, I changed the whole idea of the book that I was going to write. Not exactly starting from scratch, but almost. I'm writing a sequel to the mystery that I started last year in NaNo month. At least the main character charts are usable from last year.

My daughter and her husband came home for a visit from Mississippi, but again that can't be used as an excuse because they are staying at his parents home and they were only here for about an hour before going there to sleep. They had driven all night to get home.

So, you see I have excuses, but not valid ones. Today, well I'm writing my blog instead of writing on my book, excuse #1. I'm taking my mom to a doctor appointment and then to the hospital for blood work, but I think I will be taking my Alphasmart with me so I can type while waiting.

So, check back here during the month and see my progress, or lack there of.