This is SO COOL. I'm enjoying just following the decision tree and seeing where it takes me!! What fun!

A flowchart for navigating through NPR's top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy books.

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2011/09/flowchart-for-navigating-nprs-top-100-sff-books/

Tags: books, notwriting
Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: SILENCE (will fall)

First Draft – Mostly Magic – The Reluctant Seer

In the midst of a very bumpy summer, I finally gave up trying to update and stay online while writing, so I just stopped everything but surviving and wrote. So the first draft of Mostly Magic is finished. And, scene by scene, it stayed almost exactly on target with the plot cards. Of course there are a LOT of things that need to be smoothed out in revision, but I think it is going to be a bit easier than More Than Magic.

Mostly Magic – The Reluctant Seer
First Draft:

113659 / 110000 words. 100% done!

Reading stuff: Gosh, in the interim, I think I went through everything Susan Elizabeth Phillips ever wrote on audio book while walking the dog, cleaning the house, etc. I ADORED her Chicago Stars series. The very best narrator in the world – Kate Fleming – who is sadly, no longer with us. Definite keepers for a re-listen. Loved some of her others, too. Now I've started on Nora Roberts – actually J.D. Robb – and the In Death series on audio books. The narrator of those is really good as well, although I really miss Kate Fleming, bless her.
Music stuff: Watching The American President again. God, I wish we WERE that country again. Maybe we can be, but I don't think so.
Tool stuff: OneNote is still performing WONDERFULLY. It held up to all the graphics, house plans, and maps I wanted, tracked all the plot cards, notes and sticky notes and research

Tags: mostly magic, progress
Current Mood: busy

Reframing the Series – The Kindling

After considering the way I was framing the books I realized I was putting the wrong slant on the way I was marketing them myself. Not that it matters, but by tweaking More Than Magic – The Woodruff Witch just a bit, I could change the way the books could be marketed making it a bit easier to understand what they were about.

Basically, the books are all about romance, but I needed to refocus the paranormal aspect to make it more global and make the direction of the series more obvious. So, you will notice changes in the website reflecting the 'tweaks'. I'm really excited about the changes.

And based on those changes, and the marketing requirements, I'm going to try to finish at least three of the books before offering them to a publisher (or an agent). So, onward.

Mostly Magic – The Mage's Daughter

Writing is going well on Mostly Magic. So far no bumps. The scene by scene is proving to be pretty much on target with a few tweaks and some absolutely lovely toys from my muse (thanks Tink!) Nicely balanced POV between Daniel and Mel so far.

First Draft:

32083 / 90000 words. 36% done!

Reading stuff: Finished "Soldier" by Grace Burrowes on my Kindle. Didn't enjoy it as much as "The Heir". Still trying to figure out why. Listening to Suzanne Brockmann's "Kiss and Tell" on my Sansa Plus. Rereading my friend Carole Cumming's wonderful Dream: Book II of The Aisling for reviewing purposes. I am straining the bounds of what the library has to offer though. I want more vintage Jennie Crusie *SIGH* Audible here I come.
Music stuff: Doctor Who (while I do this, then RAIN while I work).
Tool stuff: Why didn't anyone tell me about Query Tracker ? What a GREAT tool!! I had been running around looking for information on which agents represented which authors, and right there it is.

Tags: mostly magic, progress, writing
Current Mood: determined

Great progress, despite major interruptions. At least the interruptions all came at one time – literally. (1) Huge limb fell out of tree blocking driveway while (2) gas company was digging up lawn and blocking road anyway while (3) insurance adjustor and roofing guy were scheduled to take a look at the damage from our baseball-sized hail when (4) the tree-emergency folks showed up to deal with the limb AND (5) mom's physical therapy folks showed up. It was, briefly, a circus and a parking nightmare.

But, the weather broke a bit. It is actually cooler outside than inside this morning. Amazing.

Finished Grace Burrowes' "The Heir", which was a gentle and tender and genteel romance. Enjoyed it enough to pick up "Soldier" for my Kindle as well. I do love Regencies. I hope to attempt one someday. Also finished "Body Language", one of Suzanne Brockmann's older books, on my Sansa Plus. It was short and sweet and fun. (I know, I need to do more than three word reviews, but my impetus at the moment is to write. Someday on a break I will overload GoodReads with reviews.)

Mostly Magic
First Draft:

24213 / 90000 words. 27% done!

Reading stuff: "Soldier" by Grace Burrowes on my Kindle and Jennifer Crusie's "Manhunting" on my Sansa Plus.
Music stuff: Mozart at the moment (for which the reason will become obvious if you read Mostly Magic.

Tags: mostly magic, progress, writing
Current Mood: determined
Current Music: Mozart

Good progress and some minor issues resolved. Weird coincidences popping up everywhere as I write though. Some a bit SPOOKY. And I am not talking about in the book. Well, one of my key phrases so far in the last book and this one is "no such thing as coincidence".

Added two scenes where I thought I might have to. I think this puppy might end up at 100000 words though, at this rate.

Did I mention the weather? O_o WAY too hot here for this time of year. I am not looking forward to when summer REALLY starts, nor the lovely month of August. Neither is Cali. Twice this week she has laid down in the shade mid-walk to rest. This is not an option for her owner.

Glad to see Sourcebooks Casa with so many hits on their hands these days. I picked up a copy (on Kindle) of Grace Burrowes "The Heir" and I am eyeing Susanna Kearsley's "The Winter Sea" as well. Whether they decide to take a chance on "More Than Magic" or not, I really like their style!

Mostly Magic
First Draft:

15306 / 90000 words. 17% done!

Reading stuff: Now on to "The Heir" by Grace Burrowes on my Kindle and Sandra Brown's "A Whole New Light" on my Sansa Plus (the range of choice on audio at the local library is rather limited).
Tool stuff: Have I mentioned CaptureWizPro? A great way to clip a photo, article, whatever, when there is no other way to grab what you need of the interwebs. Just click pick and stick!

Tags: mostly magic, progress, weather, whining!
Current Mood: productive
Current Music: Rainy Mood

And the little engine struggles up the track. Had to stop yesterday to redo some research and change a couple of things thanks to some wonderful input from my dear Italian friend and resource Francesca, so slower word progress than usual, but on track now and forging ahead.

Sad sight yesterday morning on our daily walk. Some neighbors apparently threw in the towel on their house and abandoned it. I was hoping they were just away on an extended vacation because I could see their girls' toys in the backyard. But no, apparently not. Signs appeared this morning in the windows and a little later a truck and trailer pulled in, quickly filling up with abandoned furniture and rugs and various things. But the saddest sight was a little girl's bicycle, white and pink and purple with little tassels and training wheels, lying on the grass beside the trailer. Yet another foreclosure and another family's abandoned dream. :( I wish them well, wherever they are. And I hope they managed to keep the little puppy.

Well, back to romance and some guaranteed HEA!

Mostly Magic
First Draft:

10636 / 90000 words. 12% done!

Reading stuff: Still enjoying Patricia Rice's "Merely Magic" on my Kindle and Jayne Ann Krentz's "White Lies" on my Sansa Plus and my Romance Writers Report the old fashioned way (with highlighter in hand). But the reading, like the writing, goes slowly in this busy life of mine!
Music stuff: Thank you AGAIN RAINY MOOD !!!

Tags: mostly magic, progress, writing
Current Mood: busy
Current Music: NONE!

Rolling along. Tink (my muse!) is throwing all kinds of toys (tinkertoys!) on the floor. Have I mentioned lately that she is the writer, I am just the meat robot that hits the keys? Just saying! (Ah yes, and here we are 7000 words in and Mel has already said "Mostly magic" on cue. Gotta love it.)

Good progress yesterday, but still not as many words as I would like. Still too many interruptions. But it looks like around 1800 may be my top limit with the current situation. *sigh* And now the tree guys show up at 8 a.m. and ruin yet another morning grinding up my neighbor's trees. Noisily. I can drown them out with my headphones, but that doesn't keep Cali from continually letting me know that the monster next door might be coming for us. So protective and diligent.

Onward!

Mostly Magic
First Draft:

7924 / 90000 words. 9% done!

Reading stuff: Still enjoying Patricia Rice's "Merely Magic" on my Kindle and Jayne Ann Krentz's "White Lies" on my Sansa Plus and my Romance Writers Report the old fashioned way (with highlighter in hand).
Music stuff: Thank you RAINY MOOD !!!

Tags: progress, tinkertoys, writing
Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Tree branches grinding

What is getting written is good stuff, but too many interruptions means not enough is getting written! Ah well, progress is progress, even if it is slow progress.

So far so good. Daniel's prologue and Mel's first scene went off without a hitch. And my lovely muse has thrown at least two "toys on the floor" so far, so things are moving along happily and smoothly, when they move!

Mostly Magic
First Draft:

3561 / 90000 words. 4% done!

Reading stuff: In the middle of the wild wedding scene in Patricia Rice's "Merely Magic" - so far not too much actual magic, but the Ives boys are fun
Tool stuff: You know it is great to have a software tool to turn off the internet, but would someone invent one to turn off interruptions from the rest of the world please?

Tags: progress, writing
Current Mood: working
Current Music: Blissful silence (for the moment!)

Good progress yesterday, despite many interruptions. Have a feeling today isn't going to be much better in terms of the interruptions. It may be strong pot of coffee and midnight oil time!

Mostly Magic
First Draft:

1478 / 90000 words. 2% done!

Reading stuff: Still reading Patricia Rice's "Merely Magic"
Tool stuff: Still loving me some MS OneNote – no new tools at the moment!
Music stuff: RAINY MOOD layered over my More Than Magic playlist (still haven't worked out a Mostly Magic playlist, but it will create itself as I go!)
Interesting stuff: Discovered yet ANOTHER blog to follow! We Are All Savages Inside and I need to get me one of those mugs…

Tags: progress, writing
Current Mood: determined
Current Music: Rainy Mood + Last of the Mohicans

Line for scene plot cards completed. All prelims in place. Scheduled to start the First Draft June 1st and right on time. YAY! I will really be hunkering down now and posting progress reports.

Mostly Magic
Process: First Draft

0 / 90000 words. 0% done!

Reading stuff: Reading Patricia Rice's "Merely Magic" – VERY interesting!
Tool stuff: Not using Freedom enough. Must try harder.
Music stuff: Cali barking in her sleep.

Tags: progress, writing
Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Cali barking in her sleep