Re-dedication

I'm re-dedicating myself to posting at least once a week. I added a new widget for my favorite blogs...blogger now has an official blogroll widget, so I transferred the list to that and added a few new ones to the list. Changed the quote of the week, updated my profile. Minor things, but they needed to be done. Next I'll work on revamping my website a bit.

There's a writing conference in Chicago the second weekend of February called Love is Murder...sounds about perfect for the paranormal fiction novel I'm editing right now. I would love to go, particularly because there will be a pitch session available, but my novel isn't quite ready to pitch yet, and I worry that I'm too late to sign up for the optional critique session. If I do go, I want to get all I can out of it. I'll probably pass and go next year.

Right now, I want to finish my paranormal novel (and think of a title for it! Just can't seem to come up with one) so I can go back to The Moonlight Cafe. I think it's sat long enough, and I'm once again excited at the thought of working on it. The thought of another major rewrite doesn't fill me with dread. But one thing at a time.

I would also like to work on some short stories for contests or publication (or both!) and maybe some nonfiction articles to publish. Not sure what the topic would be for the nonfiction or how to go about it, but I'd like to start trying to make a little money off my writing so I can begin my journey away from corporate american and towards a life lived with my passion.

Plenty to keep me busy, that's for sure!

Writing Day at My Place

Tina, Mary, and Sarah came over Saturday for our monthly writing day. Sylvie, sadly, couldn't make it. We missed her! As always, we talked for a little while then got down to writing. I organized my notes. Had character notes, copied them to index cards for easier access and easier expansion as I learn more about my characters. Did some resarch too. I'm at the point where I can't do much else until I do a bunch of research and reading. I do need to do my read through out loud to myself.

After writing, we had lunch. I made a chicken casserole which surprised everyone, because I don't cook. I can, I just don't. Don't like cooking for only 1 person.

Then we shared from our novels. As always, I got some good suggestions to improve things.

I think I need to do some freewriting on some of my characters to get to know them a little better. The main ones are fine, but some of the slightly more minor characters need a bit of fleshing out, I think. I'll mix that in with my research so I still get to write stuff.

I also submitted the first chapter of The Moonlight Cafe to Firebrand literary agency. They're doing what they call "query holiday" until Jan. 15. Just e-mail the first chapter and they'll read it. If they like it, they'll respond by Feb. 1. If not, they won't. Yes, I need to revise it, but maybe they'll like it as is. Can't pass this up. You never know what might happen.