All is well on the Novel front. I finished the final edits yesterday around 2:30ish in the am and uploaded the manuscript to create space. Today I received the ok to order my proof copy. Only downfall is that my code didn't work, but hey it was worth a try. I just ended up having to pay for the book & shipping. Once I receive it and make sure it is what I want I will order 2 more. One for my shelf and one to be stored away for safe keeping.
Back in November 2009 I came upon an enchanting group of friends. Their names, Ruslan, Nox, Lily, Hali, Netra, Eva and Kai they brought with them some Superior's in the form of Emberlynn, Mika, Asher, Morgana, Gaia, Bridgit, Ryder, Axton & Kyson. With a few acquaintances we traveled through their lives, loves, betrayals and secrets.
Everytime I thought I had them figures out they would surprise me. For around ten months our lives entwined until that faithful night on August 2, 2010 when all was said and done and I bid farewell to the best friends anyone could ever have.
But I know this group and they are in for a tragic and hectic time in their lives. There have been loses of epic proportions and a battle that has been brewing for seven hundred years. There are difficult choices that need to be made and soon I will join them for the next chapter in their lives and regrettably in their deaths.
But for now we all will take a breath and try to relax a bit before our journey begins yet again. Hope to see you all on the path.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
THE FINISH LINE FINALLY
It's 2:45am and I'm finally relaxing on the couch. The novel is finally finished. No more edits to do! I've uploaded it to create space to be published and I can't wait to have my book in my hand.
Now however my brain is mush and I must go to bed.
Now however my brain is mush and I must go to bed.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
self publishng woohs
As you may have read I participated in the Nanowrimo competition in November. It's objective was to see if you could write 50,000 words in one month. I was able to do it in 18 days and was soooooooo happy about it.
The hardest thing was that we were not to edit till December which I was fine with, but when it rolled around I was exhausted and working on two more competitions.
One of the prizes for the comp was that we were able to get a free proof book from create space (a self publishing division of amazon)which the promo code expired on June 30Th.
I was unable to get to work on the novel until right at the end of June. It was a push on the 30Th to get the novel done not to mention the edits. I was up till 3am knowing that I had missed the deadline to get the free proof copy but I still decided to upload and see if it worked.
It had but then it went to review before I could even check out and try my promo code.
But at last I decided to send an inquiry to find out if it could still be used since it isn't really explained how the process works.
Two days later I got the good news to try it and see, I read between the lines that said the promo code really didn't have an expiration.
Then when I thought I could breath again I got the message back that my trim size was incorrect. It was another piece of self publishing that I did not seem to understand. I of course switch the novel to a pdf as stated but had it in the 8.5x11 that I wrote it in. I chose to trim it down to 6.14x9.21 but did not think that I had to do it before the upload since I would have assumed that it would have just asked what size your book was not what size should they trim it to.
So OK lesson learned I decided to do all the edits and then trim it down and fix it then upload it again and wait for a second review. On the upside it would be the final revision since I was unable to do it the first time so of course there had to be another road block in the fact of the page count. I originally put in 230 pages because that's what it was before the trim size. Now however it is more like 427 and counting and it wont let me change the page count. So if I ever get this fixed it may only print the first 230 pages. Oh my what I learn everyday.
So I am using this book as my Guinna pig of sorts that hopefully I can figure this thing out and things can run more smoothly from now on (keep fingers crossed)
WISH ME LUCK!!!
The hardest thing was that we were not to edit till December which I was fine with, but when it rolled around I was exhausted and working on two more competitions.
One of the prizes for the comp was that we were able to get a free proof book from create space (a self publishing division of amazon)which the promo code expired on June 30Th.
I was unable to get to work on the novel until right at the end of June. It was a push on the 30Th to get the novel done not to mention the edits. I was up till 3am knowing that I had missed the deadline to get the free proof copy but I still decided to upload and see if it worked.
It had but then it went to review before I could even check out and try my promo code.
But at last I decided to send an inquiry to find out if it could still be used since it isn't really explained how the process works.
Two days later I got the good news to try it and see, I read between the lines that said the promo code really didn't have an expiration.
Then when I thought I could breath again I got the message back that my trim size was incorrect. It was another piece of self publishing that I did not seem to understand. I of course switch the novel to a pdf as stated but had it in the 8.5x11 that I wrote it in. I chose to trim it down to 6.14x9.21 but did not think that I had to do it before the upload since I would have assumed that it would have just asked what size your book was not what size should they trim it to.
So OK lesson learned I decided to do all the edits and then trim it down and fix it then upload it again and wait for a second review. On the upside it would be the final revision since I was unable to do it the first time so of course there had to be another road block in the fact of the page count. I originally put in 230 pages because that's what it was before the trim size. Now however it is more like 427 and counting and it wont let me change the page count. So if I ever get this fixed it may only print the first 230 pages. Oh my what I learn everyday.
So I am using this book as my Guinna pig of sorts that hopefully I can figure this thing out and things can run more smoothly from now on (keep fingers crossed)
WISH ME LUCK!!!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Back to the grind
So I have two unfinished novels sitting here and I know I have to get them done yet I also know that I need time. So how to keep writing without racking my brain for the unfinished novels? I finally came up with the solution.
The dictionary.com word of the day. It gives me the option of upping my vocabulary and a reason to write.
I had originally intended to try to write the stories everyday but now I'm incorporating the weekly words into one story should be interesting.
The dictionary.com word of the day. It gives me the option of upping my vocabulary and a reason to write.
I had originally intended to try to write the stories everyday but now I'm incorporating the weekly words into one story should be interesting.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The end of ABNA
It's 12:10am marking the end of the amazon breakthrough novel awards. I sit silently and remember to breath every so often as I let out a long sigh. I would love to say it is a sigh of relief that my last valiant effort made it so but to no avail.
I had uploaded my pitch and even my excerpt all I needed was to end the manuscript. I had gone back an edited it so that it would be good to go in the last seconds. I knew however that even at my best I could not make the word count that I needed to make up.
I thought for a moment to just end the novel and upload it as is without the minimum word count being there just at least to see if I could make it through the couple of rounds before hand. But I still have so much more story to tell and I had to say no. So as the clock ticked down the seconds I sigh.
The submission period is over the tab says and I except it.
I could say all the excuses that caused me to not be ready but in the end my story wanted it's time and so now it gets it.
I had uploaded my pitch and even my excerpt all I needed was to end the manuscript. I had gone back an edited it so that it would be good to go in the last seconds. I knew however that even at my best I could not make the word count that I needed to make up.
I thought for a moment to just end the novel and upload it as is without the minimum word count being there just at least to see if I could make it through the couple of rounds before hand. But I still have so much more story to tell and I had to say no. So as the clock ticked down the seconds I sigh.
The submission period is over the tab says and I except it.
I could say all the excuses that caused me to not be ready but in the end my story wanted it's time and so now it gets it.
Monday, January 25, 2010
When you wish upon a star
When you wish upon a star you have to know that the star may not be taking requests at the moment. There's the possibility of a busy signal or just a star that hates their job and has no time for you.
Wishes are amazing when they come true but they are few and far between and therefore you have to rely on yourself.
Today was the opening deadline for my major compitition and with all my wishing and bribing my Muse I did not make the minumum word count to enter today.
So do I wish upon a star once again that I can upload by thursday and make the 5,000 entrents allowed?
I will try and that is all I can do. Either way I will always believe in the magic....
Wishes are amazing when they come true but they are few and far between and therefore you have to rely on yourself.
Today was the opening deadline for my major compitition and with all my wishing and bribing my Muse I did not make the minumum word count to enter today.
So do I wish upon a star once again that I can upload by thursday and make the 5,000 entrents allowed?
I will try and that is all I can do. Either way I will always believe in the magic....
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The first failed attempt of 2010
So it's sunday January 24th and I'm laying in bed after hitting the snooze button on my phone for probably the 5th time this morning.
Work is from 10:30-7 today with only about a 30min break. Not enough time to write.
Tonight when it hit's 12:01am singling monday morning abna starts.
It was a time that I had been aiming for as my deadline. Only the first 5,000 novels in each of the two catagories will be excepted into the compitition.
Most authors will be entering their novels that were already done. Just waiting for the deadline. I wrote a whole new novel and now I'm not ready to upload at all.
My muse took a well deserved vacation and didn't return to earlier this week and now I do not have enough words to upload yet.
I had quite a good stride for awhile going from only 7,000 to 26,000 in just two days but then the walls came up and I started to question big parts about the book.
I can't say I didn't try and that I'm not still trying to get the book done. I called in friends to help with the editing tonight while I still write but it looks like only one can make it and I can't take them away from their lives.
All I can do now is pray that I can take till thursday and still make the submission time. I have off tue-wed and I know that I'll only need that time I just hope that fate is on my side this year.
They are only looking at the pitch for the first round even though you have to upload everything. This terrifies me. I've been in sales all my life and I'm good at it yet when I sell any of my stuff it just goes bad. I'm hoping this will not be one of those times.
The submission period ends on Feb 7th but I know I have to do it b4 then.
Wish me luck
Work is from 10:30-7 today with only about a 30min break. Not enough time to write.
Tonight when it hit's 12:01am singling monday morning abna starts.
It was a time that I had been aiming for as my deadline. Only the first 5,000 novels in each of the two catagories will be excepted into the compitition.
Most authors will be entering their novels that were already done. Just waiting for the deadline. I wrote a whole new novel and now I'm not ready to upload at all.
My muse took a well deserved vacation and didn't return to earlier this week and now I do not have enough words to upload yet.
I had quite a good stride for awhile going from only 7,000 to 26,000 in just two days but then the walls came up and I started to question big parts about the book.
I can't say I didn't try and that I'm not still trying to get the book done. I called in friends to help with the editing tonight while I still write but it looks like only one can make it and I can't take them away from their lives.
All I can do now is pray that I can take till thursday and still make the submission time. I have off tue-wed and I know that I'll only need that time I just hope that fate is on my side this year.
They are only looking at the pitch for the first round even though you have to upload everything. This terrifies me. I've been in sales all my life and I'm good at it yet when I sell any of my stuff it just goes bad. I'm hoping this will not be one of those times.
The submission period ends on Feb 7th but I know I have to do it b4 then.
Wish me luck
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Learning about deadlines the hard way
So I am trying to enter the amazon breakthrough novel awards this year. The entry is Jan 25th-feb 7th but only the first 5,000 entries in both catagories will be taken so of course I would have to be ready to go on the 25th. I've decided to write a completly new book to enter which shouldn't have been an issue but suddenly it is. Life has gotten in the way once again and my mind has completly blanked. The minimum word count is 50,000 words and I'm not even @ 4,000. It is still doable but it is definatly teaching me about deadlines and the stresses of them. I hope one day to have to truely deal with them from an editor. Coincedently the prize for this comp is a publishing contract with penguin publishers and a $15,000 advance. It is what I want to do with my life and being an uneducated writer it is a difficult task to accomplish but so worth the try.
I'm not normally one to do a complete outline for a novel but I've tried with this one but it just won't flow.
So now I sit here on a bench outside the movie theater blogging to all instead of writing my novel but I guess it is good that I'm at least writing.
Goodbye for now..........
I'm not normally one to do a complete outline for a novel but I've tried with this one but it just won't flow.
So now I sit here on a bench outside the movie theater blogging to all instead of writing my novel but I guess it is good that I'm at least writing.
Goodbye for now..........
Friday, January 8, 2010
Just another day in paradise
Well the new year started off ok minus the fact that I had no heat in the house. All was suppose to be well today when the heat was turned back on. There were some minor mishaps but it still worked out. The heat guy told me to shut the water valve off b4 I go to work in case the pipes burst. Of course I didn't have long before I heard the water flowing and the downstairs is flooded and I had to tell my mom that my gas was off that whole time. All this is killing my inspiration during a crutial time. I have to upload my novel on jan 25th and I'm nowhere near done. I am losing my mind
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