I decided to take book two and separate it into two books.
Its ironic, because book one used to have both books one and two in it. I broke it into two and never regretted it.
Now book two has grown into books two and three. LOL! At this rate Annabelle's 300 year history will take hundreds of volumes.
Actually, I have a plan in place, but this only helps it.
This also means I now have a started trilogy. If it sells I can proceed to the others.
Book two is closer to being finished now!
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Friday, November 02, 2007
Talked to a class of sixth graders today . . .
It was a blast!
Lets go back a bit. Over a year ago I finished my novel and began the edit process. I met a 6th grade teacher and asked him to beta check it. He did. He liked it and wanted to share it with his class. He read it to them and I spoke to the class about the book.
Fast forward to now. This is the next class of children (one of whom is my daughter) and he wanted me to come in and talk about the writing process, my novel and answer questions.
It always gets me charged up to see the excitement in children's eyes. I love it when they ask questions and get even more excited about the answers. I gave them another copy of the manuscript (the class already has one) so they could check it out and read it.
I love doing this! If I could get published, it would be so wonderfully amazing to talk with kids and share my stories. I just want to bring them excitement and enjoyment.
A very good experience.
Lets go back a bit. Over a year ago I finished my novel and began the edit process. I met a 6th grade teacher and asked him to beta check it. He did. He liked it and wanted to share it with his class. He read it to them and I spoke to the class about the book.
Fast forward to now. This is the next class of children (one of whom is my daughter) and he wanted me to come in and talk about the writing process, my novel and answer questions.
It always gets me charged up to see the excitement in children's eyes. I love it when they ask questions and get even more excited about the answers. I gave them another copy of the manuscript (the class already has one) so they could check it out and read it.
I love doing this! If I could get published, it would be so wonderfully amazing to talk with kids and share my stories. I just want to bring them excitement and enjoyment.
A very good experience.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Another request for a full!
Oh man! What a shocker! I'm still waiting for word on the other request (sent it the first week of October) and now a second request for a full came in!
So two fulls are out there! I'm so excited! I've got to take a deep breath and relax. I can't expect too much...
. . .but still!
I suspect its because Stephenie Meyer's insane growing popularity. I can't swing a dizzy bat without hitting a Twilight fan. Heck, I'M a Twilight fan!
Thank you Stephenie! Go Edward and Bella, go! Lets get people WANTING Annabelle and her brother.
... wow. I've never had two requests for fulls before.
Oh please oh please oh please!
So two fulls are out there! I'm so excited! I've got to take a deep breath and relax. I can't expect too much...
. . .but still!
I suspect its because Stephenie Meyer's insane growing popularity. I can't swing a dizzy bat without hitting a Twilight fan. Heck, I'M a Twilight fan!
Thank you Stephenie! Go Edward and Bella, go! Lets get people WANTING Annabelle and her brother.
... wow. I've never had two requests for fulls before.
Oh please oh please oh please!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
The Black Velvet Ribbon
I heard the original version as a child on an old LP. I was able to get an mp3 of it.
This is a satire of it...
This is a satire of it...
Thursday, October 04, 2007
A request for a full!
YES! I got a request for a full. Man I'm excited! Now I realize the chances are always high for a rejection, but I have to do a happy dance.
*Dances like a crazy man for a minute*
Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes!
*Dances like a crazy man for a minute*
Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
California
Last week I went to Huntington Beach, California for training in Micro station.
The classes were Tues through Friday, with Monday being a travel/get to know the area day.
I had a really good time. I went with a co-worker named Dennis and his wife. She brought along her laptop to study real estate while he was in class. Class was good. I understood a lot and got ahead of things. Now I just need to remember everything.
I flew out on Delta. It was a small plane but the flight was good. The rental car was a Mustang. I'm not into cars but it looks and drives nice. It was too cramped, though.
I stayed at the Best Western Regency and they stayed at the Hilton.
Monday we all rested after the traveling. I mostly read the second "His Dark Materials" book called The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman.
Tuesday I stayed around the hotel and worked on the novel edits (Dennis' wife was wonderful. She let me use her lap top in the evenings).
Wednesday we went to Downtown Disney. Great place. The family is so going back!
Thursday I hung around the beach, the Pier and did some shopping at the little stores on Main Street.
Friday we got out of class early so we went to the pier to have lunch, looked around and then went to the airport early.
We flew out Friday night (I chose late Friday because I didn't want to be away from the family any longer). We flew out on Jet Blue and it was a better plane. There was TVs on the backs of the seats. I flipped through channels faster than a ADD person dosed in Crack. It was just so fun. :)
I really enjoyed the trip. I hope to go again someday. I was glad to get home, too. I missed everyone. I had a lot of time to work on the edits, but I waisted some of that time. BAD SCOOTER! I did finish Pullman's book and started on Stephenie Meyer's New Moon.
Well there is my travel story. Here are pics of the event.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Check out JT''s blog!
Like humor? Need a laugh?
Go check out JT and Tea's blog.
He's one of my friends and he's a riot.
http://jtandtea.blogspot.com/
Go check out JT and Tea's blog.
He's one of my friends and he's a riot.
http://jtandtea.blogspot.com/
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Update on things
We saved the house. Now to get back to regular things and strive to keep things normal. At least what passes for it in our lives.
Tuesday night (all night) I was in the emergency room with my Katie. She has the stomach flu. She wasn’t improving (her blood pressure was dropping down and she remained pale despite a whole bag of water that went through her IV). They checked her in to the hospital and at 4:30 am (a ½ hour before I would get up for work) I went home to sleep for a bit while Janeen took over Katie Watch.
Later I took over and remained at the hospital till 7:30pm when she was released. She’s much better but we found out she’s anemic. They prescribed iron pills and sent us home.
Now I’m going to walk the dogs and then come home. If I have time to read some PV stories so I don’t get farther behind and so some of our fine writers get appropriate kuddos for their hard work, I will. Not sure if there is time. Another sad thing is that I just don’t have time to edit the book today. Several authors (including Stephanie Meyers) say to write every day and I didn’t do that today. Grr.
Speaking of Stephanie Meyers, with all that time at the emergency room last night, I was able to finish Twilight. It was a good book that kept me reading. I’ve observed a lot of showing instead of telling. This helps me in finding how I can show in my own way. I was disappointed with the ending, but a lot of that is because my muse has me thinking in one direction and she didn’t go that way. Just in time, Phillip Pullman’s The Subtle Knife (part two of His Dark Materials) arrived at the library. Now I can continue with that. Twilight’s sequel, New Moon, is due soon too.
I guess I’ll have reading material for my trip to California next week. For those of you out of the States, I live in Utah and California is two States away. My work is sending me to Huntington Beach (that’s Southern California) for training. I’ll have free evenings and besides looking for souvenirs and walking on the beach, I’m going to use the hotel guest computer to work on editing the novel as well as penning a PV story.
And that’s the news. :)
Tuesday night (all night) I was in the emergency room with my Katie. She has the stomach flu. She wasn’t improving (her blood pressure was dropping down and she remained pale despite a whole bag of water that went through her IV). They checked her in to the hospital and at 4:30 am (a ½ hour before I would get up for work) I went home to sleep for a bit while Janeen took over Katie Watch.
Later I took over and remained at the hospital till 7:30pm when she was released. She’s much better but we found out she’s anemic. They prescribed iron pills and sent us home.
Now I’m going to walk the dogs and then come home. If I have time to read some PV stories so I don’t get farther behind and so some of our fine writers get appropriate kuddos for their hard work, I will. Not sure if there is time. Another sad thing is that I just don’t have time to edit the book today. Several authors (including Stephanie Meyers) say to write every day and I didn’t do that today. Grr.
Speaking of Stephanie Meyers, with all that time at the emergency room last night, I was able to finish Twilight. It was a good book that kept me reading. I’ve observed a lot of showing instead of telling. This helps me in finding how I can show in my own way. I was disappointed with the ending, but a lot of that is because my muse has me thinking in one direction and she didn’t go that way. Just in time, Phillip Pullman’s The Subtle Knife (part two of His Dark Materials) arrived at the library. Now I can continue with that. Twilight’s sequel, New Moon, is due soon too.
I guess I’ll have reading material for my trip to California next week. For those of you out of the States, I live in Utah and California is two States away. My work is sending me to Huntington Beach (that’s Southern California) for training. I’ll have free evenings and besides looking for souvenirs and walking on the beach, I’m going to use the hotel guest computer to work on editing the novel as well as penning a PV story.
And that’s the news. :)
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Vampire writing music
I’ve been meaning to respond to a “music as writing inspiration” thread for a year but just haven’t made the time!
When I’m actually writing, sometimes music distracts me but there are some tunes that build up my excitement and keep me going.
Normally, though, I don’t listen when I’m writing or editing.
I’m a CAD Drafter by way of day job. I try to listen to music constantly. There are certain fast songs (like Evanescence “My Immortal” and “Bring me to life” that get me in the mood for Annabelle.
Some time ago I did a search for vampire music and found a lot. I also added several non-vampire movie themes that speak to me.
When I hear the Edward Scissorhands theme, at first I see the children in their dark cloaks, pale faces and bright red hair and eyes, following Eliza (their adoptive mother and vampire mentor) through the Colonial town at night. Then the song changes tempo and I see Annabelle dancing in the light of the full moon, as well as flying with the boy she loves, Thomas.
When I hear “Love Song for a Vampire” by Annie Lennox I see Eliza, biting the near dead children and turning them into what she is. I see her sorrow for them, and hope for them and the future they must save.
“The Kraken” from the Pirates of the Caribbean II soundtrack, gives me thoughts of Dominic and his evil majesty. I see his armies of night creatures, his mad devotion to his three black eternal goals and feel the pure, deep, forever evil seething within. The power. The arrogance. How could two simple children ever hope to stop his plan?
From the play “Dance of the Vampires”, the song “Carpe Noctem” always shows me the final battle at the end of the series. Taking place in whatever year the book comes out, I see Annabelle and Roland, now generals and leaders of their army, putting up the last line of defense with all their friends and allies against the massive armies at Dominic’s control.
It goes on and on. The Cocteau Twins – “Music For Vampires” is the children as little bats, hunting in the night. ”Journey To Transylvania” from the “Van Helsing” soundtrack shows me a different carriage ride than the one it was written for. It shows Annabelle, Thomas and Eliza in their desperate chase to rescue Roland from that gruff vampire-trapper Fenroth (and I don’t mean he traps vampires, I mean he is a trapper from pre-Colonial days who is also a vampire, and one of Dominic’s right hand men).
Music just excites me and drives the desires onward. I’m glad I finally took the time to share this with you guys.
When I’m actually writing, sometimes music distracts me but there are some tunes that build up my excitement and keep me going.
Normally, though, I don’t listen when I’m writing or editing.
I’m a CAD Drafter by way of day job. I try to listen to music constantly. There are certain fast songs (like Evanescence “My Immortal” and “Bring me to life” that get me in the mood for Annabelle.
Some time ago I did a search for vampire music and found a lot. I also added several non-vampire movie themes that speak to me.
When I hear the Edward Scissorhands theme, at first I see the children in their dark cloaks, pale faces and bright red hair and eyes, following Eliza (their adoptive mother and vampire mentor) through the Colonial town at night. Then the song changes tempo and I see Annabelle dancing in the light of the full moon, as well as flying with the boy she loves, Thomas.
When I hear “Love Song for a Vampire” by Annie Lennox I see Eliza, biting the near dead children and turning them into what she is. I see her sorrow for them, and hope for them and the future they must save.
“The Kraken” from the Pirates of the Caribbean II soundtrack, gives me thoughts of Dominic and his evil majesty. I see his armies of night creatures, his mad devotion to his three black eternal goals and feel the pure, deep, forever evil seething within. The power. The arrogance. How could two simple children ever hope to stop his plan?
From the play “Dance of the Vampires”, the song “Carpe Noctem” always shows me the final battle at the end of the series. Taking place in whatever year the book comes out, I see Annabelle and Roland, now generals and leaders of their army, putting up the last line of defense with all their friends and allies against the massive armies at Dominic’s control.
It goes on and on. The Cocteau Twins – “Music For Vampires” is the children as little bats, hunting in the night. ”Journey To Transylvania” from the “Van Helsing” soundtrack shows me a different carriage ride than the one it was written for. It shows Annabelle, Thomas and Eliza in their desperate chase to rescue Roland from that gruff vampire-trapper Fenroth (and I don’t mean he traps vampires, I mean he is a trapper from pre-Colonial days who is also a vampire, and one of Dominic’s right hand men).
Music just excites me and drives the desires onward. I’m glad I finally took the time to share this with you guys.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
A poem to discribe my thoughts
Oh bright ball of lunar majesty! You sit in the heavens, full of illuminating power!
As I walk the streets of man, my faithful beasts at my side, I wonder at your glow.
I hear her behind your glory.
If she were real she’d be dancing beneath you. If she were real she’s stroll much like I did, listening to the nightlife and thirsting for more.
I hear her in every cricket chirp.
I see her in every shadow.
I feel her in the glow of that beautiful moon.
So why do I not heed her strong influence once more? Why dose my Chapter Eight, and all it’s sisters, remain unedited?
Exhaustion. The frail body cannot keep up with life’s demands.
But I must return. Tomorrow I hope to return. She must be headed. I will serve her tempting, addictive call.
As I walk the streets of man, my faithful beasts at my side, I wonder at your glow.
I hear her behind your glory.
If she were real she’d be dancing beneath you. If she were real she’s stroll much like I did, listening to the nightlife and thirsting for more.
I hear her in every cricket chirp.
I see her in every shadow.
I feel her in the glow of that beautiful moon.
So why do I not heed her strong influence once more? Why dose my Chapter Eight, and all it’s sisters, remain unedited?
Exhaustion. The frail body cannot keep up with life’s demands.
But I must return. Tomorrow I hope to return. She must be headed. I will serve her tempting, addictive call.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
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