Doing the Homework

I have to admit - one of the biggest thrills I get out of starting a new manuscript is the 'homework' that needs to be done to ensure the details are right.

For some reason my gladiator got railroaded by fairies and I'm now deep in the Irish Sidhe sorting out kings and warriors and who belongs in a fairy court. Gotta say Irish history and fairytales make for facinating reading.  I always start at Wiki and Google then surf from there.

So far my world building is at the stage of figuring out what details are important to the story; and what details I can gloss over.  Detail affects pace. Too much at the beginning and a reader will throw in the towel at chapter two.  Too much later on and a reader will want to curse me for stopping her in the middle of a chase to explain why the colour yellow on my heroines dress aides her running skills (it doesn't btw - I just made that up as an example :-)  ).

Also - this is the first time I've had a full-on fairy book (or two) stuck in my head.  I'm not sure why it's fairies - except, I love the idea that fairies can't lie, which means I have to write some pretty clever dialogue for my bad guys. (Gives me the happy-shivers just thinking about it.)

Happy writing - Happy reading.
Tyree

Pottermore

Pottermore???  Youtube teaser??? What is she up to now?  Author marketing at its best!!

(BTW: The Youtube page is a teaser extra-ordinaire! - try it out, you can't subscribe (unless you go down the bottom) the 'likes' number is static, etc etc etc - it's a teaser within a teaser - probably a code (because that's what JKR does) - this brain teaser will keep the population hooked for the next five days.)

Romance under fire

Is this inspiration for a Romance Writer? - you can bet your sweet Canuck it is.

This guy - an Australian...who knew they could be that heroic? (Kylie you don't need to answer that) - kissed his girlfriend as he comforted her after she got caught up in the Canadian riots.

It's a moment captured in time - it's not sexual - he is absolutely, my hero!

Photojournalist Richard Lam took the photo and it's gone viral. Girl - Canadian, Boy - Autralian. Gotta love the big boost the two countries have got for their international relations. *sigh*

Chasing Bulls, Second Place and Nailing the Synopsis

It's a mouthfull of a heading - I know - but it's been a very hectic two weeks!

Bull Leasing has started with a handful of winter bulls doing the rounds for the 'early' ladies. I have to admit that they're big brutes and drafting in the yards is fairly intimidating. I had a go at drafting two bulls myself, which went well (I'm still alive), though standing still while they charge towards you is not my natural reaction to a threat! (cut and run would be more like it)

No words written - just a handful of edited pages on two manuscripts. The RWNZ is running three pitch competitions for the August conference and I intend to enter all of them. Jessica Faust is the guest agent and  I'd love a face to face. She requested a partial from me this year; it wasn't successful but she's a top agent I'd like to work with - so I'll bother her with another manuscript and see if that's more to her liking :)

The results of the Chapter Bookshop Short Story arrived last night and I placed SECOND. 
Woop Woop!


Very stoked with the placing - my little mouse story was fun to write and I'm glad it hit the right note with the editor of Womans Day. Now I'll get it off to the magazines and see if I can get a wee sale.  It's a definite boost to the slightly tired writing muscle.

As a small note - we were given the option to utilise the feedback from first-round judges and then forward a re-edited manuscript to the final judge if we wished. I did this. The feedback was brilliant (and very similar from all three judges). It critiqued the weaknesses in the story really well. I put forward a tighter manuscript which took me from sixth equal in the first round, to second place in the finals. Well worth taking on board the feedback. Yayee first round judges!

Also, I received my results from the Great Beginnings competition last night. I didn't make the final cut but again the feedback has proved invaluable. It was the synopsis that let it down. With no more than 500 words to play with I didn't convince the judges of the "conflict" between my protagonists. I received top marks for my writing (at least my voice didn't get lost in the change to a medical genre) but defining the conflict of my story is a weakness - excellent - a skill I can now work on improving.

All in all - Life's Good!

Short Story Success

What a great week!

Started off by receiving notification that I've finaled in the Chapters Short Story competition. Yee ha!

 It included fantastic feedback from the judges which I used to tweek the manuscript before I sent it for the final judging. Now it's fingers and toes crossed.

Competitions are a fantastic resource for writers. Not only do they get you on the right desk if you final, but they provide invaluable critiques.

To bring me back to earth I've spent my first few days with the bulls - and I love it. I'm going to enjoy the new challenge. We went to the sales yards yesterday - cattle everywhere. It's a real social occasion for farmers, they come to town for the livestock auctions and a bit of a food shop - I could imagine a few romance stories here. A couple of characters jumped into my head straight away - crikey, what market would a bull farmer romance fit into - Harlequin Category?

I've managed 13,000 words this week, plus editing - the gladiator is taking shape.

Easter Holiday is almost over...

Wow - time is spinning past me as fast as my new clothes dryer (yes, I have sat down and watched a cycle of my fabulous new machine. Just in time for winter.)

The girls are back at school on Monday and I start day one of my new life...

Part-time Bull Farmer  /  Part-time Writer!!

Did I just say that out loud to a back yard full of chickens? You bet your dime-store romance I did. Sure, they didn't react much but their clucking is sending out very positive energy waves.

I've done the planning and the research and have a number of projects to get through over the next six months. New full paranormal - gladiators are in my head and they won't shuddup - and a re-work of one of my earlier shapeshifter novella's that I wrote with 'Nocturne Bites' in mind and now feel a full novel coming along. It's a favourite of mine. The first time I wrote edgier paranormal and didn't treat my heroine so nicely (thanks to my critique partner).

Further plans are to write two novella's a month - crafted towards e-publishers - as a way to keep the 'pingas' ticking over.

Exciting, exciting, exciting. Now, the only thing I need to do is limit my time on blogs/facebook/email and make damn sure I churn out at least 3000 words a day. Piece of easter cake, anyone?

DH has read the manuscript

Yes, that's right, my darling, the man of my heart, has read the complete paranormal manuscript.

This is a man who prefers to ride a bike, hike a trail, dance competitively and generally keep our family functioning properly - rather than read a book.

And the feedback from this wonderful, super-sexy guy  - "it's actually good".











"Wow" you say!
"Wow" I agree with you!

This simple but straight-up comment is incredibly important to me because, as stated above, DH keeps our family functioning. Particularly when I'm locked in my closet writing and I don't realise it's time to eat, or time to sleep, or time to dance. He keeps me on track while my mind is lost in a whole other world...

and if he knows it's worth it, if he knows "it's actually good"...

then I don't feel so guilty about the "home" work my writing also means for him. We're in it together - the writing is a partnership - and he likes my story :)