Midweek moan

I wasn’t planning to write an update until Sunday, but I feel the need to write something. I’m at work so I can’t work on my novel so I’m going to have a moan instead.

I have barely written anything! I’m still recovering from a cold and I’m exhausted from work. Finding the energy to write is hard. If I have a post work nap I can manage it but then I don’t start writing until late in the evening. That limits me to two or three hours at most.

I’ve also got to a point in the novel where I could go in a couple of directions. The overall result will be the same, its just getting there that’s giving me difficulty. I think some of my problem is that I don’t want to tackle the problem but I have to or the novel is not going to get finished.

I need a swift kick up the arse to get going again.

Right, back to the day job I go,

Bye,

Rose

xXx

Weekly NaNoWriMo update 2

Hello,

Well, it’s been an odd week. I’ve been ill, I spent most of the week asleep. However I have tried to work on my novel. I managed to write on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and I’ve written a just over fifteen hundred words today.

My total word count is 20,761.

My goals:

minimum – 18333 words

preferred – 22000 + words

I’m pleased I managed to pass my minimum word count and there is still a chance could manage my preferred word count of 22,000 but I’m getting tired and I have to get ready for work tomorrow. I write best from about 8pm to midnight or later, It’s difficult though, because I have to get up for work at 5 am  and therefore work in the afternoon. It hasn’t been an problem so far because I’ve been off sick and could write when I felt up to it, except for today. I have had to write this afternoon and it hasn’t been as productive as I would have liked. However, since I am aware that this is a problem I can try to work around it.

When I go back to work I shall make notes on my breaks in my notebook and then when I get home I shall type the notes up and hope that this stimulates my writing. I am determined not to give up this year.

As for my novel’s progress, I have my main characters together in the place I need them to be and their next steps are forming in my head. I have an overall plan but it is the detailed steps in between that is taking the time. I think this novel is going to be a few more than 50,000 words. I feel that I am only just finishing the beginning portion of my plan, there is still the middle and end thirds to write yet.

Well, I’m going now, so good luck with your writing, and I shall be back next Sunday with another update.

Bye

Rose

xXx

 

NaNoWriMo – First update

Well four days in and after a marathon writing session that lasted in to the early hours of the morning – I found my muse and wasn’t giving up until my shoulder, wrist and hand hurt – I have managed to get myself ahead of my schedule. I was going for 2000 words a day, meaning I would be up to 8000 words today. Instead I have written 9412. I already know that the first couple of thousand words will go in the first edit. They were just my starting point and everything in that bit can be worked in with more subtlety later. I now have all my main characters where I want them, and now I shall let them get on with it.

Well, I’d best be off, more writing to do, among other things.

I’ll be back next Sunday with another update. Good luck everyone,

Rose

xXx

NaNoWriMo – I’m trying again this year

I had planned to post this on Thursday, when I wrote it, but the WordPress App on my phone wouldn’t play nicely, so I’m posting it now, while I have access to the internet on my laptop.

‘Last year I participated in NaNoWriMo but didn’t make much progress, so this year I’m trying again. I think the problem last year was that I didn’t prepare well enough. Or at all actually, so this year I have. I’m going to use the month to work on the idea that first arose in my short story ‘Summer Wine’. I have made some plans, plotted it out, made notes of ideas as they’ve come to me, and so this month I will finally be putting it all together to get the first draft written.

I normally write short stories; I start longer works but don’t seem to finish them, so that’s the goal – get it finished.

Wish me luck. And good luck to everyone who is taking part in NaNoWriMo, and any of the other writing challenges taking place this month.’

I’d like to add that I will be updating about my progress every Sunday.

Bye,

Rose

xXx

Review: The Falcons of Fire and Ice by Karen Maitland

I finally finished reading this book a few days ago, and then eventually managed to get a decent internet connection, so at last I can post this review.

‘The Falcons of Fire and Ice’ interweaves the lives of a cast of Icelandic and Portuguese characters in a supernatural adventure.

Isabela must save her father from the machinations of the Inquisition, or risk losing everything. After the king’s prized gyrfalcons are discovered dead she is given a year and a day to replace them. She must travel to Iceland alone.

Cruz is a crook, but the Inquisition have a job for him, a job he can not refuse. He must prevent Isabela from acquiring the falcons. She must die or he will.

Eyedis and Valdis are twins condemned to life chained in a cave, dispensing healing and advice to the people of Iceland. Eyedis must help Isabela find her gyrfalcons, but she needs Isabela’s help in return – to defeat the spirit lurking in Valdis.

Set in a time of religious upheaval and intolerance, the live of these people are inextricably linked. They must defeat monsters out of myth, human monstrosity and save hundreds of innocent lives. But the mountains are stirring and time is running out.

 

It took me a while to get in to this book, but once the characters make it to Iceland the momentum builds and it becomes a thoroughly enjoyable adventure though early modern Europe. The glossary at the end is also very interesting, and helps to fill in any gaps in understanding that exist.

 

 

And something else I remembered I had to do

Add to the previous list

7. Transfer some of my short stories from here to Live Journal Done, just now.

8. Finish typing up a short story I wrote at the beginning of the month. Done, just now. Interrupted multiple times by having a conversation with friends. All these social media sites are very distracting 😀

Time to go and do the rest of the things on my list.

Today’s plans

Due to the nature of my current employment I have a day free, so I’m actually going to do something vaguely writing related.

Today’s plans

  1. Check freelanced.com for any suitable freelance work Done – nothing doing
  2. Check my Suite101.com profile, try to think of a new article to write Done – still thinking about the second part – maybe a new book review?
  3. Read through and edit a fanfic a couple of friends sent me last night Done by 6pm – YAY – I’m considering asking for cake in payment 😀
  4. Write some more of the short story I started last night but have no idea what I’m going to do with or where it’s going. Yeah, that’s not happening today.
  5. Read more of ‘Falcons of Fire and Ice’ so I can get the review written and online as soon as possible. Neither is this. Tomorrow maybe, at work or something.
  6. Check Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr – yes, I’m slightly addicted to social media! They are on pretty much all day, so we can call that one done.

So busy day then, since I still need to eat at some point and walk the dog. Done – I was out walking for an hour. It was very bracing.

Going now, since, you know, I can lose a day on the internet given the opportunity,

Bye

Rose

Review: ‘Blackout’ by Mira Grant (Seanan McQuire)

The third and final instalment of the ‘Newsflesh’ trilogy leads the reader further in to the conspiracy that the ‘After the End Times’ team have been chasing since Georgia’s murder.

Shaun and his team are back out on the road, seeking help, and the truth – as always. The team must complete Dr. Abbey’s tasks if they want to get what they need.
After a narrow escape or two, and meeting a zombie bear, the team regroups in Seattle. Re-united with more than just the living they find that there are more ways than one to bring back the dead. The Conspiracy reaches all the way to the White House, but with new allies they break the story open and do what they do best – get it out on the internet.

A thoroughly enjoyable tale, with a plot that keeps the reader enthralled throughout. Alternating the point of view, changing narrator, only adds to this and makes the novel more interesting. This is an excellent finale, intelligent and well written.

5/5

My review has gone missing.

Drat it!

I started writing a review of Blackout, by Mira Grant on my break today at work (WordPress for Blackberry, brilliant app), tried to find it to finish writing it this evening, and its gone walkies.

I could have sworn I’d saved it on my phone.

Oh well, I’d better re-write it. Thank goodness I always write everything down in my notebook.