I seem to have disappeared for a week, huh? Sorry!
The short story is, my brain is mush. The long story is... somewhere on about December 14, I read a book that gutted me. Seriously. It was such a whining, ranting couple of days for me afterwards, that Kristine posted this pin in my honor.
Granted, she was ridiculing me publicly, but my legs are still longer, so I still win. If anyone's keeping score. (She is. The legs ALWAYS win. Booyah!)
Anywho.
Dec. 14: I read a book, was gutted and scarred for life, and in some really insane twist of fate I was struck silly by the most brilliant fiction idea ever.
Ok, so it probably wasn't brilliant. It was totally self-serving and simple. It was still niggling in my head, poking at me to Just outline it, baby. You know you want to. One little outline never hurt anyone...
You may or may not know this, but I've been working on a novel for the better part of six years. (Technically, I've been working on twelve novels for the better part of twelve years, but who's counting).
Last year I refused to allow myself to work on ANYTHING ELSE until Novel A's first draft was finished. The Stephen King rules of writing or whatever. ANYTHING ELSE are known as evil plot bunnies in fiction-writing vernacular. Personally, I call them book sluts.
Dec. 15: I caved and started writing the simple, sweet story to patch up my heart, broken over the piece of emotionally manipulative trash I read the day before. (If you're still following my logic, yes. I'm a slut.)
The Past 3 Weeks : I wrote almost every day. It was easy. It was freeing. It consumed most of my waking hours at home and some of my dreaming hours too. What was intended to be a 10-15K word short story blossomed into a novella by two weeks time. And I wasn't nearly done yet.
The Past 3 Days: People. I have written a novel-length piece of fiction. I wrote 25,000 words in the past nine days. I have honestly lost my mind, because this puppy is never intended for publication anywhere. For one thing, it's too personal and for another, it's not that great, and for the most important other, it's a little scandalous.
(No I'm not giving you any juicy details. Bite me, Kristine.)
I always thought this type of writing was a waste of time.
I've had the biggest smile on my face for the past week because it has SO NOT BEEN A WASTE OF MY TIME.
Other tidbits from my life...
* I walked 5 miles this weekend but I skipped my hike today because of The Importance of Napping On Holidays.
* I ate four Chips Ahoy cookies this afternoon. They weren't as good as I remember.
* I forgot to have supper three days this week because WRITING.
* I haven't turned my sewing machine on in over a month. Mojo, why hath thou forsaken me?
* My sister is getting married next month and I need a dress. Pattern suggestions? (afternoon wedding, conservatory, I don't think I'm in it. If I am no one's told me, so just a "guest" dress. I may have to play photographer. Bah.)
* I interviewed with a charity this weekend for a volunteer position, and it went really well. I was not nearly as dorky as my previous interviews. This is going in the "c'est la vie" column of my life, because I literally can't be anything other than what I was. Hopefully they get that.
I hope you all are hanging out in sewing blog land, having a bang up time and making loads of beautiful garments for me to peruse and slobber over. I'm hopeful in another week I'll be back in the swing of things and maybe sewing, or blogging, or doing something that's not totally absorbed in this piece of fiction that totally stole my heart.
But, of course, then comes EDITING. (Not really. I'm not going to spend a buttload of time editing something that isn't going to be submitted anywhere.)
(famous last words)
PS...DOWNTON ABBEY. PEOPLE. DOWNTON ABBEY IS BACK!!! Shhhh. I'm still an episode behind. Don't spoil me. But definitely expect fashion recaps later this week. Probs.
The short story is, my brain is mush. The long story is... somewhere on about December 14, I read a book that gutted me. Seriously. It was such a whining, ranting couple of days for me afterwards, that Kristine posted this pin in my honor.
Granted, she was ridiculing me publicly, but my legs are still longer, so I still win. If anyone's keeping score. (She is. The legs ALWAYS win. Booyah!)
Anywho.
Dec. 14: I read a book, was gutted and scarred for life, and in some really insane twist of fate I was struck silly by the most brilliant fiction idea ever.
Ok, so it probably wasn't brilliant. It was totally self-serving and simple. It was still niggling in my head, poking at me to Just outline it, baby. You know you want to. One little outline never hurt anyone...
You may or may not know this, but I've been working on a novel for the better part of six years. (Technically, I've been working on twelve novels for the better part of twelve years, but who's counting).
Last year I refused to allow myself to work on ANYTHING ELSE until Novel A's first draft was finished. The Stephen King rules of writing or whatever. ANYTHING ELSE are known as evil plot bunnies in fiction-writing vernacular. Personally, I call them book sluts.
Dec. 15: I caved and started writing the simple, sweet story to patch up my heart, broken over the piece of emotionally manipulative trash I read the day before. (If you're still following my logic, yes. I'm a slut.)
The Past 3 Weeks : I wrote almost every day. It was easy. It was freeing. It consumed most of my waking hours at home and some of my dreaming hours too. What was intended to be a 10-15K word short story blossomed into a novella by two weeks time. And I wasn't nearly done yet.
The Past 3 Days: People. I have written a novel-length piece of fiction. I wrote 25,000 words in the past nine days. I have honestly lost my mind, because this puppy is never intended for publication anywhere. For one thing, it's too personal and for another, it's not that great, and for the most important other, it's a little scandalous.
(No I'm not giving you any juicy details. Bite me, Kristine.)
I always thought this type of writing was a waste of time.
I've had the biggest smile on my face for the past week because it has SO NOT BEEN A WASTE OF MY TIME.
Other tidbits from my life...
* I walked 5 miles this weekend but I skipped my hike today because of The Importance of Napping On Holidays.
* I ate four Chips Ahoy cookies this afternoon. They weren't as good as I remember.
* I forgot to have supper three days this week because WRITING.
* I haven't turned my sewing machine on in over a month. Mojo, why hath thou forsaken me?
* My sister is getting married next month and I need a dress. Pattern suggestions? (afternoon wedding, conservatory, I don't think I'm in it. If I am no one's told me, so just a "guest" dress. I may have to play photographer. Bah.)
* I interviewed with a charity this weekend for a volunteer position, and it went really well. I was not nearly as dorky as my previous interviews. This is going in the "c'est la vie" column of my life, because I literally can't be anything other than what I was. Hopefully they get that.
I hope you all are hanging out in sewing blog land, having a bang up time and making loads of beautiful garments for me to peruse and slobber over. I'm hopeful in another week I'll be back in the swing of things and maybe sewing, or blogging, or doing something that's not totally absorbed in this piece of fiction that totally stole my heart.
But, of course, then comes EDITING. (Not really. I'm not going to spend a buttload of time editing something that isn't going to be submitted anywhere.)
(famous last words)
PS...DOWNTON ABBEY. PEOPLE. DOWNTON ABBEY IS BACK!!! Shhhh. I'm still an episode behind. Don't spoil me. But definitely expect fashion recaps later this week. Probs.