Novel Writings

It's a misty, quiet morning (isn't that a song?), and I finished up all my school responsibilities (until the last day, which is one week from today) yesterday. I'm not sure what to do with my time now (ha). I have a list of organizational things which need to be done around the house (a loooong list). The kiddos and I talked about our plans for the summer (the 'schedule' we'll follow), and they're kind of excited, I think. Of course, part of the excitement is simply being on break -- yay!

During the week, I try to follow a similar schedule to the kiddos'. Since I'm having them spend time in reading/writing/math and music, I'll do the same. Maybe I'll actually learn something about the guitar this summer (or maybe I'll just play around on the piano, like I did last summer). I'll definitely use the reading/math/writing time to both read and write (well, let's hope). We'll also be outside for part of each day, playing tennis or basketball or going on a hike. Just like a school day, we stop around 3-ish, and they get 'free' time. ;) It worked pretty well last year, so I'm excited to spend time with them again.

We don't have any weekend plans (yet), though we are heading to Glenwood Springs to visit some caves (E is very excited -- her 'passion' project was on caves) and take a cool hike near there.

So, for any of you who also have charge of kiddos during the summer break, what types of things do you do to keep everyone busy and relatively happy? :)

...I leave for Kansas City and ConQuest in the wee hours of tomorrow. I'm not even bringing my computer, even though the hotel has free wifi. Frank will have his, so I'll check my email, but with all that's going on this weekend, I'm NOT spending any more than a few moments on the internet.

So excited to see Mark and Tom, Karin and good chunk of the HRB crew--and especially Eric. NOT excited to get on a plane. Thankfully, it will be full daylight, it's a small plane, and I don't have to be on it all that long. A layover in Chicago will give me a chance to stretch out, de-stress, and BREATHE! I am hoping Mark doesn't have to text me naughty limmericks and beautiful poetry on the way home this year. Whew--still don't know how I'd have made it without him!

BUT! I did write this week! Not much, but something HUGE fell into place. The Shadows One Walks is now at 66,664 words. Here is the weekly snippet...

( If you are interested...Collapse )

See you after ConQuest!

Just got back from the dentist with my son, who now weighs a little less than he did, thanks to the six (yes, six) wisdom teeth he just had removed.

Poor lad. He looked so sad, with his little face staring out from inside the stretchy head bandage they used to hold the icepacks to his cheeks. I just don’t have the heart to post the picture I took.

      

(Taken in early June -- a typical June -- 6 years ago...)

(Taken during a lovely May 4 years ago...)

(Taken during a very hot May 2 years ago...)

You know that moment when the perfect piece of storyline fits into the place you didn't know was reserved specifically for it? The one that pulls your big finish together with a "holy shit that's cool!"? THAT moment? Yeah--I just had it. Hu-freakin'-zah.

And I had no idea how close I am to the climax. (No orgasm jokes please! Ok, you can.)

Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last week:


The Year of The Bookstore (Kristine Kathryn Rusch)

Publishers Should Empower Authors to Sell Their Own E-books (Nathan Bransford)

Why Use Simple Words (Juliette Wade)

Do I Need a Literary Agent? (Carolyn Kaufman)

Will My Publisher Let Me Self-Publish Too? (Rachelle Gardner)

On Rejection and Beyond (Jael McHenry)

What Is A Print Run, Grandpa? (Dean Wesley Smith)

Bold Storytelling Statements That Are Almost Always True (Larry Brooks)

If you found these useful, you may also like my personal selection of the most interesting blog posts from 2012, and last week’s list.

If you have a particular favorite among these, please let the author know (and me too, if you have time).  Also, if you've a link to a great post that isn't here, feel free to share.

ETA: Live Journal ate the original version of this post, so I wedged a copy back in its place.

This latest season of Dr. Who started off with the excellent Dalek Asylum episode. I think it’s fair to say things spluttered a little during the second half, but last Saturday’s season finale put things firmly back on track.

I particularly enjoy the stories featuring crime-fighting Victorian lizard woman, Madame Vastra, along with her wife/housemaid, Jenny (who could teach Bruce Lee a thing or two), and the Sontaran, Strax, who I’m glad to say made a full recovery from wounds received at the Battle of Demon’s Run and now serves as the butler.

I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to see a spin-off series.   

How about you?

What do you think of this last season of Dr. Who?

Viable Paradise: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop

There is no doubt about it--this workshop changed my life. Without it, I might still be floundering with the things I was doing wrong, with my confidence. It flipped a switch in my head. It introduced me to people who became friends and mentors, as well as people who were moments-that-blew-through-my-life-and-left-it-forever-changed. VP was my turning point, and even now it gives me chills to think about, seven years later.

I have been responsible for getting other writers to apply since the year before my own experience (long story short, I got someone to come with me to VP9 in 2006, my son fell, I had to reschedule to the following year.) I'm hoping to continue my pay-it-forward streak. If you have any inkling whatsoever--apply! If you get in--GO! Sell a kidney if you must for the funds. It will change your life.

The dates for VP16 are October 13-18, up in beautiful Martha's Vineyard. Submissions close June 15. And this year--if all holds well!--I am actually going to be there as slave staff. Yes, that is how loyal one becomes to the VP crew--you will be willing to do ANYTHING to go back. I know they only want me for my meatballs! But that's fine. I get to go. I get to bask in the memories, in the new memories being made. I get to absorb all the great stuff that gets sent out into the aether, and I get to see hopeful writers take that extraordinary step into their futures.

See you in October?

INDELIBLE arcs are coming to BEA! To celebrate, the Harlequin Dream Team and I wanted everyone to feel like they were part of this amazing event at the Javitz Center in New York by giving you a little taste of the pre-launch party fun! (We didn't want anyone to feel left out, so...)

INDELIBLE is about a girl, Joy Malone, and how she gets entangled with members of the Twixt, the last vestiges of magic that exist in our world. Her introduction comes in the form of two Goth-looking twins, Indelible Ink and Invisible Inq, whose jobs are to mark humans that are claimed by the Twixt. Ink's marks are meant to be seen while Inq's marks are invisible. To qualify for this latest giveaway, *YOU* get to marked by one of the Twixt!

*** Show Me Your Ink!!! ***



Send me a photo of yourself or your favorite unsuspecting sleeping person with the words "Ink Was Here" written anywhere on the face/lips/cheek/ear. (Please use eye pencil or face paint or something other than magic marker so your parents or S.O.s don't yell at me.) Purists might want to know that my preference is the ear for reasons that will become obvious once you read the book! Email the photo along with your mailing address to me at Dawn.Metcalf on gmail for a gorgeous INDELIBLE temporary tattoo!



Oooo! Ahhhh! WANT!

Keep that camera handy, ladies & gentlemen--there's more...

This tattoo by Mario S. Nevado is not only pretty and pretty darn cool, but it qualifies you for an exclusive content contest. To enter, apply this tattoo to your shoulder/arm/wrist/hand and take a photo. (Purists may also want to note the left shoulder is the one mentioned in the book!) Email that pic with "Show My Ink!" in the Subject line and you can win an exclusive prize only available to those who participate! Details will be emailed directly to you.



This contest is open to US residents and runs from now through June 1st. Tattoos will be available at BEA and also through this (and other) contests! Get writing, get snapping & SHOW ME YOUR INK!

Recap Deets on How To Enter & Win Swag:

PART I:
1. Draw "Ink Was Here" somewhere on your face with something that won't get me in trouble
2. Email it & your mailing address to me at Dawn.Metcalf (at) gmail.com
3. Get your beautiful INDELIBLE temporary tattoo!
PART II:
1. Take a picture of your tattoo somewhere on your arm that won't get me in trouble
2. Email it to me at Dawn.Metcalf (at) gmail.com
3. Get your exclusive, participant-only prize via email!

But wait! There's still more going on...

- Did you enter the Goodreads Giveaway going on right now? ARCs available directly from Harlequin TEEN!
- And, bloggers, it may be late May but I Still ♥ Book Bloggers! and you can get arcs & swag by clicking on the link!
- INDELIBLE's pre-order contest is ongoing through launch date, July 30th--send proof of purchase to my email and get a super-secret Thank You prize from me!

So, I return from my writerly absence of the past week, blinking in the light, a smile curving my lips. Why? Because, by mid-week, I had completed Act Three of the SeaNovel rewrites, bringing me to the shores of the final act, and within 15K words of the end.

And there I paused, looking this way and that, but unable to find the path that would lead me to the end.

I know what the end is; I've known from the first what the climactic scene would be, but the events leading up to it, as written in previous versions of the manuscript, have never felt quite right.

Despairing that I would ever find the path, I sat down on a rock and distracted myself with other things for a few days, allowing my sub-conscious to get to work on the problem in my absence.

And when I looked up again, notebook, post-its and pens in hand, the path was clear.

Turns out I needed to discover several keys in order to unlock the solution, and once those became clear, the pieces started to fall into place. The key which intrigues me the most is that concerning my main character, "L".

See, L is a loner, and in all previous versions of SeaNovel, she had felt it her responsibility to struggle alone with saving the day. Now, however, L has discovered what her true strength is — other people. Specifically the friends and 'family' around her whom she loves and who love her in turn. In a storm-surge of epiphany, she has realised that she doesn't have to deal with everything on her own. What she needs to do is ask for help from her loved ones; to open up to them and trust them to believe her and believe in her.

My Wild Girl has grown up.