GUTGAA!!! Meet and Greet Questions

-Where do you write?

I would love to snuggle in a chair big enough for my 5'9 frame to get lost in, with my laptop propped on my lap and my favorite drink (white chocolate mocha, soy milk 1 pump vanilla, 1 pump toffee nut, extra whip cream with my shots ristratto(i think that's spelled correct)) Thank God for Starbucks. Since I don't have that chair, I will curl up in my bed, on my couch, and yes at my local Starbucks, and allow my fantasy to spill out onto my computer.

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

Since I'm now sitting on my couch a place where I write often, to my left is my dinning room table. A place where I also creat, quality time over dinner with my family. My supportive husband and 2 of our 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys, 1 of which is at our dinner table often.

-Favorite time to write?

Sunrise, the freshness of a new day not only inspires me to write in general but the WIP I'm working on today reminds me of sunrise, the way the clouds run away or around the beckoning sun, as I inhale taking in a new day I am energized and can spit out 10,000 words:)

-Drink of choice while writing?

As I stated earlier, Starbucks is my drug of choice. 

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

My mind is like the hamster in a cage running on that little wheel, it's constantly moving rapidly. Yes, I listen to music and watch movies. If it's too quiet I can hear the squeaking:)

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

My love for all things mythical, and magical. Each day I get the chance to hide away in my fantasy world. I love it, I don't have to wait on my favorite show, I can create one in my head whenever I want.  

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

Get It In!!!  My biggest problem was editing my WIP, before it was completed I spent a year revising, over and over, and a year later I found myself still revising. Here in year 2 on this MS, I have decided to just write don't edit until I have completed this Ms, and then I will tackle editing 1 chapter at a time. 

For me, I work best if I don't focus on misppellings grammar and such just get the entire idea in.

GUTGAA!!!

So, this is the first time I have heard of GUTGAA!,  I'm pretty excited to see how this all works. I am planning to participate in some aspect of it all.
Its late and I'm tired I will post more details tomorrow (as I learn more myself). Tune in then I promise to be more captivating~

Let me tell you something pt 2

So where did I leave off...?
Yes putting together a story from beginning to middle to end. When I first started my wip, I thought I will just tell the story in my head. Easy enough... right? simply put... no. The end of my story is so close I can taste it. I have this feeling of urgency burning in the pit of my belly. I want to give birth to this baby today, right now.

This is where I have to be careful, it's easy to rush the story when  I have these people talking to me and I want to get down what their saying as well as convey their mood personality and facial expression. I  want to tell about what they see smell taste and touch, without being overwhelming. I want the voice of  my MC to be clear and understood.

Now I'm learning that getting my story out is only the first trimester. Actually putting the entire thought from beginning to middle to end is like being pregnant and then giving birth(it can't be rushed).
Second trimester is all about meshing the story together making sure I have a solid beginning and that beginning is connect to and supported by my middle, and then that each of them lead to an explosive end that has been building to that point of BOOM! In the last trimester, I must be sure that my reader is on the edge of their seat, biting their nails and thirsty for my next book.

Telling a story sounds easy but it is as hard as finding out your're pregnant going through morning sickness and getting to the point where you are in love with this baby growing inside of you. then as the months roll past you become tired and the urge to just get it out. give birth is all you can see.

Most importantly it's the same because I have to wait if I want my baby  healthy and whole. remembering once it's out I can't take it back, so I must be sure I am presenting a polish piece one I would be proud to present to the word.

To answer some of the questions to Pt 1

I considered myself an author when I became serious about my writing. When it was no longer just a hobby, now it's apart of who I am. This is what makes me a writer along with my commitment to create something from start to middle to finish.

I have learned a good story teller is not only about how well you tell a story but the telling of that story as well. I guess I will see when I am done telling my story.

Thanks for stopping by, leave a comment or two I would love to hear your thoughts.

Let Me Tell You Something...

How to tell a story

So, I'm writing my novel right, but it's still a secret to most of the people I know. Why you ask. Truth is I don't feel I'm qualified to say I'm a writer. Am I?

What make a writer a writer?
When can you call yourself an author?

Why I decided to write my first novel?

I believe we all have it in us, our first novel that is. How many times have you heard..." you did what/what happened to you girl you should write a book."
Then suddenly you think your life is interesting enough to put it down on paper. At first you are not really sure if you will share it with the world, but you know you want to tell people about all your family drama and failed relationships.

If you are like me after having the first epiphany, suddenly I realize I didn't want people to know  every intimate detail about my life, so I create a story based loosely on my life. And sure before I get to chapter two the entire story line had changed and soon the entire bookwas abandoned.

the idea of writing my first novel was and still is top of my list of things to do before I die. I have been serious about doing it a couple times. Only to abandon my project a few months in. I let life happen and always say I will come back to it later.

I always do, come back that is. however many life changing events later I have a much different story. This time however has been different.

Are you a good story teller?

This time I thought about why I wanted to write these stories I had been trying to write for twelve years (at this point), I found that these things didn't really interest me. Nor did they show what I was really passionate about. I started to focus on things I like such as books and movies, even television shows. most people who know me, know that I am attracted to vampires, werewolves, witches and magic definitely magic.

I could come up with a story about fairies and magic in my head easily and enjoy it. This is how/when I found apart of my genre. throughout my research( which I hadn't done before. I just decided I wanted to write and I went for it) I found that not only did I need a genre, but a target market of that genre.
I thought about who I liked to read about and young adults was where I fit in(I was surprise to find out that some say YA was as young as 12).

Once I learned where I fit in as a writer who I was as a writer became clearer to me. I could see my strengths and my weakness better. This help me to grow and become better. I became more serious about starting and finishing my first novel.

Then the question came, can I tell a story. Most people think you have an idea in your head and then you put it to paper. truth is constructing a story from beginning to middle to end is truly an art form not many master well or at all. Most may consider finishing a novel a feat in itself and wouldn't worry about it ever being publish. Completion of a novel is a reward alone( I have learned this lately).

This entry has become longer then I expected so I won't bore you much longer and save the rest for a later entry. Thanks for stopping by and leave a comment answer some of the questiions in this entry I would love to hear about it

Where Have you been?

Well hello everyone out there in blog-a-sphere land ..Hi Angie. I really need to promote this blog...right.

So, where have I been, first I was on a real hiatus running a business and uninspired to write. I know you hate to hear that, trust I hate to say it, but it's true. I was losing that 'loving feeling' for my YA fantasy.
Since I'm no quitter I threw out almost everything I had and started over. Same concept same characters, but I started fresh. I did what I call getting back to the basics, return to your passion, you know the reason why you first decided to put pen to paper..no pun intended, sike yes there is..hehehe.

I had been absorbing everything I learned like a giant sponge, I mean, I didn't throw away anything. That's good right? not so good when you try to implement it all in one story..it's a bit extreme. So, yes I restarted my wip, and I must say it was the best thing I've ever done. The story has come alive in my head and lives in my heart. I have a new found love for my MC, mostly because now I know who she is and her voice is loud and clear.
Lately all the characters have come alive, I found myself meeting people or seeing strangers and thinking they could be related or simply remind me of the people in my book...strange right? I know, but I love it.

I also took a different approach to rough draft, what I'm doing this time instead of writing a chapter or two and revising it before moving on, I decided what works best for me is to just keep writing. In the beginning I would write those chapters go back revise, and never move on. I mean sometimes I could add another chapter, but most of the time I would just revise,revise...I know, what's the definition of crazy again okay.

Although now I do run into the problem of repeat information, I think this way is still better for me, so this is just my rough rough draft. It has really helped me to move my story along, there is a rhythm now that, just makes putting the story together effortless. I mean before I'm done with one scene, the other has already grown inside of me.

I am literally full as if I have eaten a huge meal, on this story. All the information, and plots just seem to grow on their own and are bubbling over to come out of me. So, that's where I've been trying to complete the rough, rough draft of my wip.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope to be sharing more soon.

The Incomparable Whitney Elizabeth Houston

As I sit here thinking of the impact Ms.Houston had on my life, it makes it even more difficult to believe she is no longer with us. We were together when I got my first boyfriend (The Greatest Love of All) and we were together when he broke my heart ( Where do Broken Hearts go).  More boyfriends came and went, but we remained together.

My first love the one I was (Saving All My Love)for, came I thought  and told him repeatedly I would (Always Love You), He too would join the ranks of boyfriends past. Our friendship remained intact, when you met the man you would call the Greatest Love of All, I didn't understand, but I supported your decision. I felt in my soul he was not right for you. Who am I to say that, so I stood in the gap for you my sister my friend. Prayers and belief that you would be fine, and this too would pass.

As I watched the world around me crumble from drugs, life as I knew it changed love ones lost and my childhood stolen. I understood completely your fight , your battle, your resilience. When you said you were fine, and no one really knew you. I knew all to well what that meant. I prayed for you as I prayed for my loved one and myself. I hope that for you as I hoped for her, that you both would get up dust your knees off and prove to be the strong women I knew you to be.

The day I heard of your comeback, I believed and I prayed that the time had come, for you to reclaim your place in this universe. Not only as the voice, but as the child of God you had shown us you were many times before. It was difficult peering threw the mess showing up knowing all to well that the battle was not over. You put on a good face, as you had done many time before and stepped into the limelight. No matter what you sang, how you sang, I saw the triumph you had made, I saw through what you showed the world. I knew it very well, because I saw it many times on her.

I asked God to hold you both, cradle you in his arms protect and keep you. God Bless you Whitney, you are safe free and home.

No two journeys are alike, many can say what they would do different and what they wouldn't allow to happen to them. In my life I have seem many things fought many battles. The one thing I know to be true, God is God alone. In my own power I am nothing, through Christ Jesus I have my being. I wont judge your journey, so don't judge mine.

If we take a moment and look inward, heal our own hearts be true to self, the healing for those around us would come without effort. If you happen to stop by this blog, be it a fan of Whitney's or not. If you are someone that has been touched by adversity, I am sure you will understand. I pray you strength in our Lord Jesus, I stand in agreement that you are strong, you are the head not the tail above not beneath. You are more then a conqueror through Jesus Christ who loves you.

God Bless. Never stop believing in you!!

I can't Find the words!

I don't know what happened, but I can't find the words, the strength, or my inspiration to put words on the page. Since I have immersed myself in my writing, and learned that a true writer not only writes when she/he is inspired, but when they are serious about their craft. With that said I have come to be mindful of stating I am not inspired to write.

AHG!! I am not inspired! After my first chapter critique I was excited, but became overwhelmed by the small amount of editing. I now understand why you shouldn't get a critique before you are finished with your novel. Because you would never finish:). I loved all the suggestion my critique partner made, and was eager to make them. However all that I learned was so great, and helped me to grow as a writer. It made me look at how to write differently, which of course in essence changes how I view my narrative.

I sat down to make the changes and before I could control it I wanted to change the entire book. Of course this frustrated me, because it would be like the 5th time I have changed this story. The thought of starting over is to much for me to process, considering I do have another job, family and other things I enjoy doing.

I guess I am at the point of "what am I doing", and I have no answers.I have decided to put the book down for a couple of months, sort through some personal issues, and maybe return with a clear head. I love the story I envision, but the task of getting it out of my head and onto the paper has proven to be daunting. The Lesson here is, finish the book before getting it critiqued, proof reading or editing. I think you should just put the entire idea down on paper, before you  proof it, and second guess yourself. 5th guess, in my case.

I think I need to take my critique partners advice and come back with fresh eyes. Am I preaching to the choir? Has this happened to you? I would love to hear your views and/or experiences. Even if you are just passing by today comments are free, as well as clicking on the Join this blog link