Update

More submissions sent, couple more standard rejections.
Rewriting chapter one of book two, since it needs it badly.

YES!

One of the agents I had sent it to before wants to see it again!
GAAAHHH!
I'm so excited!

I need to calm down. Must expect a rejection.

But I've worked so hard all year and everything this last year. This was the agent who called the prior version "unnatural in places". I've worked that out. At least I think so. Sherry told me some of the first chapters still may have that feel. I hope not!
Anyway, I'm going to be insane now.

GAHHHHHH!

My muse got carried away last night...

On Twitter there are lots of fake accounts. Everyone from Darth Vader to Alfred Pennyworth to Bigfoot have Twitter accounts. This means somewhere there is somebody who is pretending to be their favorite characters and twitting stuff. In my opinion these are fun to read and I like some of them.

I'm following almost the entire cast of the Twilight book series. Every night "they" get into it. They work off each other, acting in character and relating to each other that way. It seems several of them are now following me. It always makes me feel good to get followers (except spam).

So last night "they" had a story where Victoria was casing the house and the various cast members were reacting. At first I replied with questions and statements as me, the author of Annabelle.

Then once again "she" wanted to play. I created an account for Annabelle...

http://twitter.com/Annabelle_vamp

Last night "she" traded snarky remarks with the Twilight evil child vamp, Jane. Annabelle also had friendly conversations with Jacob the werewolf and Renesme, the daughter of Edward and Bella.

It was fun but I don't think I'll do it too much. I should be working on the synopsis. I still got to get Ann out into the world proper.

Who is Doctor Impossible?

My sweetheart bought me a complete set of DC Universe Classics assortment 6 last week. It sure means a lot to me.

As I look over Doctor Impossible, a brand new villain who just popped up in the pages of Justice League America, I can't help but think of his mystery.

No one knows who he is. Some of the stories are that he's Mister Miracle's brother or a goon who works for the Penguin. In my mind those answers ar boring and are there to throw people off.

In Superman Batman Vengeance we meet a female Mister Miracle from an alternate Earth where everyone is the opposite sex. She used a "Father Box".
There is now a new Earth 3 where all the heroes are villains and vice a versa.
I think Dr. Impossible, an escape artist on his universe (Earth 3), escaped to the Female/male Earth and stole a Father Box. I think he's hiding in the main universe.

At least I hope that's what it is. Because it could mean a follow up, maybe with both the JLA and JSA where they visit lots of Earths and we meet the JLAs from both those universes.

Well, it'd be fun.

A treat for Willard...

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Query Complete!

Finished the query letter this morn! After a year break from submitting, my old query looked new (and in some places, bogged down).
I cut all the crap that isn’t important and focused on the stuff this novel is really about. I also kept the things Snark taught me.
I’ve sent it to some betas for a look, then it’ll be ready.
Now to work on the synopsis.

What's next?

While I'm chatty, and since the monsters are dwelling on the Nick channel, I thought I'd put down my next plans.

Annabelle isn't gone. Last Feb I received more of the same rejections. Yup. Tale as old as time. Author just doesn't get what the betas are saying and all the agents keep rejecting.

So I took a year off from submitting. Willard introduced me to Michelle's critique group, then when the time didn't work out for me he helped me start my own. Chapter after chapter my new collection of betas ripped it to shreds while I followed along with a dust pan, cleaning, fixing and then strapping on skates and trying to fix my messes before they saw them. I learned a lot and when I look over old beta notes from Chris, Aprilynne, Night Author or others I slap my head and say "They knew, how come I didn't hear them". Still I was finally listening.

Is it perfect? Heck no. Some think I should go one way, others thing another. Maybe I'm still a fool for some of my decisions. No clue. But as for actual writing mistakes. Things like passive words, telling instead of showing, following up on clues I left, etc, etc, well I ironed all that out.

There are five chaps of hand written mark ups fro0m Christy that still need applying. There are still more passive words that need to be searched out and changed into more telling.

Then it'll be "finished". This means submitting and resubmitting can begin in February. I'll start making noise again and getting her out there.

Yes, I'm pessimistic or realistic. In a year I'll probably still be just a dreamer. But I cant sit in a turkey coup and be satisfied when I know this story is an eagle and deserves to fly. So it'll be time to attack.

Meanwhile, I'll rework book 2. Ouch it's ugly. Sure, it's done, but it's ugly. Not fit for human eyes. Only Chris has seen the entire thing. Only Steven has seen sample chaps. It's wrong and needs serous edits. But that's going to be so fun. The stand alone revised ending to book 1 has allowed for a much better chapter 1 of book two. Heck, Usha gets to cameo!

Usha, for those who don't know, is the opposite. See, the idea of Annabelle was that she is the opposite of Claudia from Interview With A Vampire. Well, Usha is the opposite of Annabelle. But she's not Claudia.

OK, sorry. Got carried away. Anyway, I'm going to edit book 2 while subbing book 1. I'm also going to go deeper into world building my other novel. Yes, there ARE other novels that don't involve vampires.

So I'm excited. I can finally move forward!

Somebody's watching me!

Yup, I'm quoting Rockwell from his old 80's song.

I accidentally sent an email to one of my past beta readers and she replied back, saying "Hi"! Turns out she's been lurking. That's great! I do worry that some of my more grouchy moments have come forth too, but it's still wonderful that there are people out there.

Meanwhile, the author of Fablehaven started following me on Twitter. Yes, I finally was able to sit down and read his second book. But that doesn't mean I contacted him currently. This was a complete coincidence. I contacted him back in 07, asking questions about writing and he replied back with some great advice, but that's the only contact we've had.

Heck, there have been plenty of times in the last two years that I've wanted to speak with both Brandon Mull (said author) and Stephenie Meyers. As a fellow Mormon writing fantasy (and in Stephenie's case, vampires) I would kill for the chance to pick their brains on a number of topics only they could answer.

But my point is, that's two people (a prior beta and an author) whom contacted or followed me. Me! Sheesh. Makes me want to clean up my digital house a bit more.

It also raises a question. Since '06, after I thought I was finished with book 1, I started making a lot of noise online. I posted all over the place, trying to get Annabelle out there. If two people I contacted back then are still watching, who else is?

It's exciting.

*Sniff* The group is done

I'm sure going to miss them. We've all got various things going on and mutually agreed it was time to quit. But while it was going I learned so much. In fact, before I started it with Willard, before Sherry, Christy, Antonio or even Clare joined, I learned at the other group with Michelle, Kim and Kirk. All of the members of both critique groups have helped me beyond words.

I've thought, since day 1, who I would thank on a dedication page. In fact the rough draft had such a page and I keep everything.

So it's time to update it. I may never get published and die an old drafter who couldn't quite touch the sky, but if by some miracle I do get Ann out there and she makes it, it's due to many shoulders. Here are all the ones I can think of at the moment...

There is a special virtue in taking a curse and making it a blessing.

For the knowledge and help;
Jeff, Steven, Willard, Chris, Ian, Jay, Adam, Mike, Daniel, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Warner, Claudia, Night Author, Aprilynne, Danielle, Jason, Jesse, Michelle, Kim, Kirk, Liz (RIP), M’liss, Claire, Anna, Sherry, Antonio, Christy and two of Mr. Russon’s 6th grade classes.

For the heart and soul;
Janeen, Laura, Katelyn, Sara and David


----

Yep, this year of edits is done. I've got a couple things left (5 more chaps of hard copy mark ups, possible last scene from Roland's pov) then it's resubmit time. But did I catch everything?

Does it still talk down? Does the show outweigh the tell? Is the history stuff accurate? Are the characters interesting enough? Strong enough? Does it resolve things enough to be considered stand alone? Is the action paced enough? Are the redundant and passive words replaced with active words? And is it still stiff?

Sigh. Will it ever be right? Am I over-editing?

"They" all say they get sucked in. Will "they" still get sucked in? I see so many errors in so many published works, yet those books are popular. Their characters and entertain and inspire. Can mine? Will mine?

I've traded very short, brief emails with Brandon Mull and Daran Shan, but I wish I could just sit and chat with a published author about my fears. Ask them if they went through it. How did they survive? Did they ever find out if their editing was "too much" or "not enough" or did it ultimately even matter?

A part of me feels close. A part of me feels very far away.

Longs for more Golden Compass movies...

Just rewatched the movie on HBO. I have the special DVDs and my ears are always pealed for news on the sequels.

Last critique group it was suggested that I broaden my YA reading. I was told there was a world outside Harry Potter and Twilight. She said that because I always cite those books when comparing mine. I do that for familiarity. The truth is, I have read other books. I've read Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak series, the Spiderwick Chronicles series(although that was practically a picture book), Watership Down, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Work and the Glory series, most of the Tinnishoes Among the Nephites series and I'm in the middle of the second Fablehaven book.

I've also read the His Dark Materials trilogy. I read all three of these before the movie came out. My daughter has read them, too and like me she loves them. I like Harry more, but I this the Dark Materials books better than the Twilight series. I like Lyra a lot better than Bella and just as much as I like Hermonie.

I enjoyed the movie and after rewatching it on HBO I did a web surf on the sequels. Still nothing. hisdarkmaterials.org is gone, Wikipedia and IMDB have nothing of real use in regard to new news on the sequels.

I long for them. I hunger. But alas, for so many different reasons, they are on hold. Dakota Blue Richards is getting older and before long it'll be too late.

Sigh.

You THINK it's a 70's education film.

Watch closely.

Twitter links

Hmm
Lot's of fake celebs on twitter...

http://twitter.pbwiki.com/Fakers

And here are some real ones...

http://twitter.pbwiki.com/MinorCelebrities

The TWILIGHT Before Christmas (HD)

Cut 20,000 words? "Kill" big bad at end?

The title of this post says my next big challenges in editing my novel. I found out it's Middle Grade and MG books run about 75,000 words. Mine is 92,000.
It's 92 because I cut the Kidnappers scene and the Festival scene. Both have been in since the rough draft but both can be safety removed.

I thought last night that besides the add on scene with Tom from book 2, there was nothing else I could cut. This morn while walking the dogs I thought of 2 others. If done right, I could cut both tavern scenes. This means editing the witch and final battle scenes so Dale never appears and that means a new beginning on book 2, but it would be worth it. After all, I need to get THIS book off the ground.

First I need to completely rewrite most of chap 31 (the final battle) and fake Dominic's death. The tools are already in place to set that up, just need to rework it. I'll do that, then if I need to cut the tavern scenes, all the better.

This is hard!

More details to follow.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ABC Family Sneak Peek: The Story

Loved Twilight!

Thought it was a perfect representation of the book. I was OK with Patterson being Edward.
I actually liked the movie better than the book. But I always said books 1 and 2 had slow first halves.

Anyway, great movie. I would love to see it again. Can't wait for the DVD. And can't wait for New Moon!

novel sigh

Yes, I know the kids talk too old. I know you doubt my historical stuff (and maybe you're right).
So what do I do? Chuck it?

I've been at this for too long. Harry was ripping up the charts and I was trying. Now Edward is ripping up the charts and I'm STILL trying. Heck, Edward is from a Mormon author. A Mormon writing vampires? Wait. I thought that was me. But no. She was already finished with her story while I was still writing the rough draft.

Do I hate Twilight? Nope. I've read them. I own them. I'm catching the movie this weekend and yes, I like them. Do I resent Stephenie Meyers? Nope. We each have our time. Her time is now. In fact maybe she's opened a door for me. Maybe people will want Annabelle.

This really has nothing to do with Twilight. I'm just angry. Around every printed, handwritten red lined page is more bloody ink, telling me how this version is flawed. It wouldn't be so bad if her mark up was one of the first ten betas. But this is two years later. Two years!

Will I ever get it right?
"Not so much italics, let the reader decide what is stressed."
"Jorgantown sounds awfully Norwegian for Connecticut".
"Glorianna should have her hair up, not down. Woman never had it down in those days."
"Children wouldn't know about fairy tails because this is before the Grimm brothers."
"The Dunston kids should talk in a uneducated way. They should be dumbed down."
"The Foresights come off as rich. If they were, they would settle in the cities like rich people of the time did. Not come to start a new life."
"The first name Paige wasn't used back then. Change it."
"Dominic is too tall at 7'. No men were that tall during those times."
"The children don't talk like kids. Annabelle talks too old."
"Annabelle shouldn't be able to read. Kids cant read back then."

That's why her dad's a bookbinder! It's all there in chap 2! And the Dunstons point out that she talks funny. And the raven states Annabelle is an old soul. Now should I say she grew up fast because she helped her dad with the bookbinding?

Face it. It sucks. I suck. I get a dream and it sucks.

Stupid.

Brief preview of Christmas Specail for Doctor Who!

New Harry Potter 6 preview!

Clip from Twilight.

'Twilight' Clip: "Your Theories"