What's Up Wednesday

It's time for What's Up Wednesday!

What I'm Reading

   We were on vacation last week and lots of driving was involved (or in my case, riding with bare feet while drinking coffee and having my nose buried in a book) so I got a fair amount of reading done. I read Riding Lessons by Sarah Gruen and loved how it transported me back to the days when I read nothing but horse books. The plot was predictable but I loved the horse aspect enough to overlook it for the most part. I also read The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen. Both of these books helped me get closer to my summer reading challenge over on YA Buccaneers. I'll be writing a post about that soon. Now I am reading Legend by Marie Lu and The Best of It by Kay Ryan.

    Moving on to audio books, I finished All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill. I wish I had loved it but I didn't. I'm now listening to Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham and it has me laughing out loud while I wash the dishes. Gilmore Girls is one of my all time favorite shows so I had to give it a try. I'm not sure if I'd like it in book format nearly as much because Lauren Graham is also the narrator and her voice and inflections make the dialogue that much wittier. 

What I'm Writing

    I'm participating in JuNoWriMo again this year and I started out with two goals. One was to be a "winner" by writing 50k in a month, the other was to finish the fairytale novel I have been working on since November. I'm a bit behind but have made it to 38k so I think I can pull off my first goal and the finishing the novel one? Done!!! All fifty chapters of it... Yeah... I'll worry about the editing next month. For now I'm just happy that my MC is fully human again, well mostly. She might have a few odd side effects from being a mirror for five years but that's to be expected.

  I'm left with one problem though. I still have a ton of words to write and I have no novel to work on. I almost started a new one but my head is still reeling from the last one so I'm writing random short stories. It was a good choice. I was starting to feel burnt out and now I'm not.

What Inspires Me Right Now

    Reading poetry, writing stories in different genres, my freshly mopped floors.

What Else I've Been Up To

   Besides writing and vacation and vacation recovery? Um, did I mention my freshly mopped floors? I think that pretty much covers my life right now. 

Word Wars

It's day one of Word Wars! I will be "live" blogging throughout the day, keeping you up to date on my word count and crazy writing infused life. I can't wait to see how many words we get written during the next three days!

If you missed the linky sign up and you want to join us just leave the link for your blog in the comments. We'd love to have you!

Day one 

7:09- My three children are settled down with giant bowls of cheerios. No words yet...

7:35- My WIP is open and ready to go and I've thought of a word goal for today. I want to write 5k.

8:59- 512 words and I'm running late for Vacation Bible School... be back later :)

1:40 -lived through vbs ( I'm one of the leaders) only to succumb to a migraine. Guess I'll be napping with my kids instead of writing :(

4:25 - All my children are sleeping. That NEVER happens (well, occasionally at bedtime). My headache is under control and I'm ready to write, although I'll probably only go for ten minutes at a time so the screen doesn't cause another headache.

5:38 - 241 words. My character smells magic on the breeze, and it isn't the friendly sort. Now to see if she can save her friend, who apparently doesn't know the scent of magic, or that it's the dark, evil sort and that it's after her. If she did, she wouldn't be walking straight towards it.

My WIP just hit the 50k mark! It probably has another 5k to tell the story and will likely get longer in revisions. I better figure out what I'm writing next...

9:12 - My word count is at 753 but the kids are in bed so I'm about to add to that, hopefully a lot! I'm just waiting for my coffee to be ready. I'm depending on it to keep my head from smacking into the keyboard mid word.

11:17 - still writing. Slowly, but its still writing. The last few thousand words of a novel always hang me up. I'm almost set up for an epic fairytale style showdown.  Total count is 1,334. Not bad for a migraine day and I have a few words left in me.

12:18 - I don't think my brain can think any more tonight. I'm off to bed!
My final word count for day one: 2,266

Day Two

6:51 - Word Count: six

I'm up but yawning. I've been awake for awhile thanks to my early bird three year old. He comes in early in the morning and climbs in bed for snuggles. Its the only part of the day that he holds still! 

Speaking of not holding still, my seven year old just went flying by with a jet pack on his back.

7:59 - Word Count: 371
The children are eating breakfast, the washing machine is going and I have some words written. I'm happy! I'm even mostly awake. That's always good. Did I mention I was correcting sentence structure and punctuation in my dreams last night? I woke up feeling like I'd never left the computer... Oh well.

2:21 - No new words to report. I spent the morning teaching VBS again and then had errands to run. I grabbed a giant iced latte on my way home and the kids are resting so I should be able to squeeze in a few minutes of writing. Most of nap time will be spent cleaning so I have free time to write tonight though.

Rest of the day - total word count 643.
I got the needed cleaning done and then... I went limp and didn't move the rest of the day. My husband was shocked. "You're not going to write still 8 a.m. or something crazy?" (I've never written until 8 a.m. What was he thinking? The latest I've stayed up is 4). I'm not sure if I answered, I was so tired. I've been writing first thing in the mornings and until midnight or later every day this month. It finally caught up with me.

Day Three

8:25 - I'm still moving much slower than normal but I do feel much more energetic today. The morning will be spent teaching VBS, grocery shopping and taking care of the kids. I can't wait for nap time when I can hide with my computer and write.

4:28- I survived the final day of VBS and ran my errands. I think I'm even still sane. So watch out Word War participants! It's game on!!!

9:45 - I'm writing from now till midnight. I'll be leading word sprints on twitter under @JuNoWriMo using #JuNoWriMo from 10 - 12 central time if anyone wants to join in.

12:11 - Word Count : 1,611
I know the day is officially over but I'm finally getting the words to flow like I want them too so I'm still writing...

2:05 - Word count: 3,586 and I'm going to bed.

Don't forget to visit the other participants and encourage them as we WRITE!

An InLinkz Link-up

IWSG, Word Wars and What's Up Wednesday

I'm going to limit my Insecure Writer's Support Group post to encouragement today.

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”  -Earl Nightingale

"Decide that you want it more than you're afraid of it." - Bill Cosby

Both of these quotes spoke to my heart and I hope that they will encourage you too.

Now for What's Up Wednesday!

What I'm Reading

  I didn't read anything this week... Terrible, I know. I am listening to "All Our Yesterdays" on Audible. I am not sure what I think of it yet.

What I'm Writing

  I'm participating in JuNoWriMo this month so I've been writing, a lot. For the first part of June I'm drafting Mirra (my fairytale WIP). My MC is back to her human form! I'm so excited! It's challenging to write when your MC is literally stuck on a wall. I was at 28k when I started JuNoWriMo so I'm going to have to switch to another project soon. Mirra is almost complete!!!

  I had to set aside my revisions on Slumber but they will still be waiting for me when the month is over.

What Inspires me right now

Other writers :)

What Else I've Been Up To

Summer!!!!! I bought a massive watermelon and I'm planning on sticking my kids out on the front lawn to eat it and have watermelon seed battles.

Besides hanging out with my kids and writing I've been thinking of things to cut out so I can write even more... Yup. It's summer :)
 
Oh, I did do one crazy thing... I dyed my hair blue. Not all of it but I have some very blue peek-a-boo highlights going on. It was my way of celebrating living through another year of homeschooling. 

One thing I have been working on is the Word War blog hop I'm co-hosting with Katie Doyle from Writing, Reading and Life.

For more information or to sign up click here.

Please check it out! It should be a great way to connect with other writers and get some words written.

Word Wars

I'm a social writer. I love WriMos and other writing challenges. As a stay at home mom it's easy to feel that my life is completely void of grownups, let alone ones that get my passion for writing. That's why when my friend Katie Doyle from Writing, Reading, Life asked me to co-host Word Wars I said yes. It's going to be during JuNoWriMo and days before I go on vacation with my family for a week so this is the perfect way to get my word count up. I hope that you guys will join us. It's going to be a blast!!!

How it works

A word war is when two or more writers set a goal of a certain number of words that has to be written. The first writer to reach the goal is the winner.

Live-blogging is when someone updates a particular blog post throughout some event, whatever the event.

For the Word Wars Blogfest, we aren't going to limit ourselves to a particular number. The goal is to write as many words as you can throughout the three day event. Every once in a while, get on your blog and update your status. Kind of like this:

June 11, 8:05 AM - Just got up and ate breakfast. Let's get this party started!!

9:34 AM - Spilled my coffee all over my lap. Time to get dressed, or just change into different pajama pants? 1372 words.

11:56 AM - Mom called and had an emergency that wasn't an emergency. Spent the last two hours calming her down. Word count the same.

Update as much or as little as you like throughout the three days. It's totally up to you.

When it happens

The linky list will be up starting today (May 30th) until June 9th at 11:55 PM EST (US). The actual Word War will take place from June 11th to the 13th. This gives you plenty of time to sign up and a day to get everything you might need ready before the live-blogging begins.

What you need

Most of this is completely up to you, but a blog would most certainly help. Even if you don't have a blog, you can use Facebook Notes and just link to that. Don't have either? See if a blogger friend will let you take over for a couple of days. As for anything else: your favorite writing snack, some good music, a sign for your door so your family or friends know not to bother you, etc. Basically, whatever will make this fun for you!

Why you should sign up

The writing community is one of the best parts of being a writer. Even with a name like Word War, this is a great way to go out and support your fellow writers and allow your fellow writers to support you. You win by writing. You win by making new friends. You win by taking part in something fun and productive. You might also come up with some great insights into your own writing schedule (when you're most productive, when you're least productive, and when you are more often distracted).

Okay, I've signed up. What now?

There are a few things you could do:

1. Grab the badge at the top of this post. You'll want to display it somewhere prominent during the blogfest.
2. Let others know you're taking part. A signal boost on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog post will get more people involved and create better opportunity to meet even more writers.
3. Get rid of CAPTCHA. Because it's really annoying to anyone who wants to comment on your progress. Most blog platforms are really good at filtering spam or you could turn on comment moderation.

Even if you can't participate all three days, that's okay. This isn't about who writes the most words, it's about sitting down with a group of like-minded people to get some words on paper (or screen) in a fun and supportive way. Hope to see you there=) PS - A special thanks to Carrie Butler for creating the amazing badge for the Word Wars Blogfest! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Writing Boot Camp Update and What's Up Wednesday

It's time for What's Up Wednesday!

What I'm Reading

  I'm reading Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger. It took me a few tries to get started but now that I'm past the first few chapters it's drawing me in. I listened to The Attachments by Rainbow Rowell over the weekend and I must have looked crazy because I had my headphones on and kept laughing hysterically. I'm now listening to All Our Yesterdays by Cristen Terrill.

What I'm Writing

 I'm still working towards my YA Buccaneer's Spring Writing Bootcamp goal of finishing my first round of revisions/rewrites. I'm on page 110 of 258. I'm not sure if I can make it by June but I'm working on it anyway. Either way, 110 is much better than 9 which is where I was when I started. When I first wrote my goal, my WIP was 244 pages... I've cut out a lot of week areas too so its amazing that it is still growing.

What Inspires Me Right Now

June! I'm gearing up for JuNoWriMo. I pushed my fairytale WIP to the back while I worked on revising Slumber and I've missed the characters and icy/enchanted woods setting. June is the month I'm planning to finish it.

   It is also the month that we are going on vacation. My kids are excited that they are going to see mountains and real dirt (it is flat and sandy here)! I can't wait to show them thick grass that isn't full of fire ants and burrs. When we get back we should be ready to hit the beach for the rest of the summer.

So to sum up June: Writing/Vacation/Beach  Woohoo!!!

What Else I'm Up To

  I think what I've been up to is interchangeable with what inspires me this week. It's my youngest son's birthday today. He is three! I love watching his excitement. He spent most of yesterday telling people "Happy Birthday". So cute! 

   The school year is drawing to a close. We have one last homeschool event and three days worth of history to finish up and then.... TA DA!!!! We are done for the summer and can move on to the summer unit I've been planning! I thought since we live at the beach and will likely move in the next couple of years, we should do a beach unit. It will be different from our normal studies, much more hands on and very little busy work. I've been putting together piles of related books to read aloud or have my children look at during quite time and brainstorming up the best way to record our adventures and finding. My children do best when their hands and minds are busy so I thought having a theme might help me keep them that way. It has made the ideas flow, for sure!

Happy end of May!!!

Can you tell that I prefer June?

What's Up Wednesday

It's time for What's Up Wednesday!

What I'm Reading

   I finished Cress by Marissa Meyer. It was exciting and fun just like I knew it would be. I also read Thorns of Decision by Breeana Puttroff and started River Marked by Patricia Briggs.

   I'm still using audio books to entertain me while I clean and exercise so I finished Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff, listened to the entire book, Roots of Insight ( also by Breeana Puttroff) and started The Debt Collector serial by Susan Kaye Quinn. Both books by Breeana Puttroff are part of her Dusk Gate Chronicles. They aren't the most unique YA fantasy stories but they are clean enough that I can listen to them while snuggling my toddler at nap time, which I love. You might have noticed that I have one of her books listed in the previous paragraph. Apparently they were gripping enough that I had to continue reading the series even after I finished ones available in audio format!

What I'm Writing

I'm still revising/rewritting Slumber. It's beginning to feel like drudgery. I need to get my joy back so this story stays alive and doesn't have a grumpy tone through the middle. I'm wondering if its just because I've been working on it so long or if its because there is something off about the middle of the book that I need correct. 

What's Inspiring Me Right Now

                                                  Playing at the beach with my kids!!!!!!!

What Else I've Been Up To

I've been applying sunscreen to wiggly children.  It's a full time job.

My Writing Process Blog Hop

Katie Doyle over at Writing, Reading, and Life invited me to be a part of the Writing Process Blog Hop (Thanks Katie!) so here is my post!

What am I working on?
I'm currently revising Slumber, the first book in a YA fantasy quartet. I wrote the second book last summer and have the third storyline dancing in my head. The first three books run parallel to each other and the fourth one will tie all the threads together. I'm also drafting an unrelated YA fantasy story that takes place on the edges of a well know fairy tale.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?
  My imagination runs away with me. A lot. I think that gives my stories of twist of their own. 

Why do I write what I do?
  I love the feeling that anything can happen, that I can be anyone, that fairytales are real. I get that when I read and write YA. I also remember how much books influenced me during my teen years. I grew up along side Anne of Green Gables and learned to let my imagination free. I developed a hunger for adventure while following Frodo Baggins to Mordor. I discovered that I didn't have to leave fairytales behind me with my childhood while reading books by Robin McKinley and Cynthia Voigt. The young adult years are so important and incredibly challenging. I like to dream that my writing will encourage someone like my favorite authors encouraged me.

How does your writing process work?

   Usually an idea hijacks my brain and I'm useless until I write the main details down. After that I flesh out my characters and setting. Then I make coffee in my French press and I write the draft, often late into the night. I'm working on outlining my plot better but my characters are stubborn and have different ideas so I follow them through their story. I do plan the main plot points but not the journey in-between. 
  My revisions are a bit more structured. I let my story sit for a month or more before I read over it again, jotting down notes as I go. Then I fix major structural problems, weave in dialogue and flesh out scenes. That's the stage I'm on right now. When I'm done with that  I will go over it again to perfect punctuation and make sure the words have the flow I want them to.

I'm suppose to tag five people but I guess I'm not that social... 

I'm tagging three instead. I hope you check out their posts next Monday!

S. K. Anthony is a writer, a reader and a make-stuff-up-er who lives in New York with her husband and toddler twins. She is a wine connoisseur, which just really means she knows she loves it, and a caffeine addict. When she isn’t busy with her family she finds herself being transported into the world of imagination. Well, either that or running away from spiders . . . she is convinced they are out to get her!

Check out her blog or find her around the internet at:

Twitter - Facebook - Goodreads -  Pinterest - Google +

Brandon Ax  fell in love with fantasy as child after first devouring the entire Chronicles of Narnia series. Born in New Orleans his early life was spent moving from state to state all along the south. Developing a love for people and their stories he began to pursue a career as an author. After years of tuning his craft he finished his first novel ELEMENTAL. Living in South Carolina with his wife, three children and three dogs, he spends his days dreaming up new worlds and fascinating characters. Hard at work on finishing, The Light Bringer Saga, he enjoys the task of molding a story to its completion. 
Find him on :

Twitter https://twitter.com/BrandonAx

FB  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brandon-Ax-Author/144786922366235?ref=hl

Blog http://baxwriting.blogspot.com/

Jocelyn Charrette is a world traveling soccer player and writer of a YA sci-fi/fantasy series that she hopes to one day complete and share with others. She also enjoys reading, meeting new people, and eating Swedish candy. You can stalk her on instagram @jlych or twitter @jocelyncharette

She blogs at My Writing Adventure.