A sad few months

Hey people,

How is everyone? I hope doing well and chasing your dreams.

I have had a number of people I care about tremendously leave this life through various means. And all within a couple of months. This has taken a toll on me. I basically quit doing anything.

I tried Camp Nano in July and won with a paltry 2000 words. Much of which I struggled for. I was so disappointed in myself, which only made things worse. I quit studying. Quit drawing.

It took a talk with a good friend to basically get my ass in gear. I started to WANT to write again, but still had issues with the words. Then, I figured I would start on a short story. Nothing at all to do with my angels and demons. And what do you know. I broke through. The words are coming again.

I have since, as of today, signed up for Nano this year. I was actually considering skipping it. But one of my friends, actually the first one to pass, would have kicked my ass if he knew that I quit writing because of him. So, Will, this Nano is for you.

We hit speedbumps. Gates come down and block us. But all we can to is keep going. Keep pushing. Eventually, the way will clear and we can move on. Keep chasing dreams!

A Bit of Everything.

Hey!
Long time no see!
Terrible sorry about that. It's been... crazy here.

Also, I have been thinking. I don't always have a lot to say about writing. Hell, with the way things have gone, I haven't even written that much. So, I am going to make this blog about other things as well. Starting with a new obsession.

The Korean language. I have been studying Japanese for a little over a year now, and I feel ...fairly... comfortable with starting a new language. That is of course, subject to change. Though I am nowhere near ready to start a blog on it. So far, I have learned the Hangul (Korean alphabet) and a few words. I can read the Hangul okay... ish. Speaking it is the hard part. Almost the direct opposite of Japanese.

I would also like to get back into drawing. I was kinda teaching myself by watching tutorials and by other peoples drawings, and have come to the realization that I might want to take a class.

This is one of my drawing of another drawing... That's not confusing...

This is another.

I love drawing. 

I want to start painting... More than I have, I should say. I've done some abstract watercolors, but I want to practice with acrylics before moving to oil. I have more hobbies that what is good for a person, only because there are not enough hours in the day to do them all. But hey, this is Chasing Dreams, is it not?

Now, go chase your own! 

Mata ne! (Japanese for see you later!)

Getting Serious About Having Fun

Hello!

Yep, it my random blog post time. I swear I am going to try to do better. I just get... distracted. And I did again.

But, I am going to try to start posting weekly. As opposed to weakly.

This is where I am. Forbidden: Lost is about ready for the world. I finished the back cover stuff and am about to email it off to my cover designer. I figure it should be done in about a week. While waiting for the final cover, I will be going over the formatting and making sure it is ready to go. Once I am happy, and have it formatted, it will be available. I am thrilled to be this close.

And this is the final cover to Lost

I have Forbidden: Redemption ready for beta-reading and I need to start work on the back cover info for it as well. Just as a warning, I am not the best at back cover stuff. Once I have comments back for it, I should be able to set a date for it's release.

Forbidden: Addicted.
This one I am having issues with. I need to make it longer. Give the relationship more time to develop. My problem is, I love the story just the way it is. It flows smoothly and I just love it. But then, I wrote it. I am biased, lol. I can also make the ending a bit longer. It kinda cuts off abruptly. Pretty easy fix. But this is the book I am working on now.

After I get Addicted ready for the great wide open, I am going to go back to a couple of stories I haven't touched in a while. They are a part of my 'Year of Finishing Things". Books that I left off writing when the approach of my first Nano. They deserve my help reaching their potential, and it has always been a niggle in the back of my brain that I didn't get them finished. Well, that will change soon enough :) Stones will have it's day. As will The Game He Plays.

Symphony and Symphony 2 will also see the light of day this year. As will Heart of the Sun. So many babies to give my love to. I love writing.

Well, back to it then!
Bye!

It was a fun Camp

Hey!

As you can tell by the title, my camp is finished. I had set a goal of 50K words, which, in editing speak, is 50 hours of editing. I hit 50K, validated, and instead of drinking champagne, I kept editing.  I hit 60K and now I am pushing for 70K. I think I can do it. But wow... 70 hours of editing in a month... I know I can do it!

I have to. I have momentum and I need to use it. Because I despise editing. Damn it, Jim, I'm a writer, not a doctor. And it's true. I can write forever, but of all the worlds I create, and characters I fall in love with, and the conflict my devious mind can come up with, none of it is perfect. My writings need a doctor's healing touch (read editor).

And it's not easy. Not the admitting that my first draft is not perfect. I swallowed that pride a long time ago. But I know what I meant with that incomplete thought. I know who is talking in a string of dialogue that I don't tag, I know whose head I am in at any given moment in the story. I mean to use sentence fragments as a stylistic choice, to deliver more punch.

So it makes it difficult to read back over and make changes. Editing does not come easy for me. Which is why I left so many things untouched for so long. And now it is coming back to bite me in the ass.

Beta readers are a good thing to have, but all of my beta readers are also writers, busy with things of their own. What is a writer to do? Let you work sit and look at it with fresh eyes. But how long is too long to let something ferment? When does your novel become less like wine and more like... something gross?

I ask this because I am having trouble getting back into my first Nano novel. I miss my elves and dwarves. I miss that world. But as I am trying to edit it now, I am having troubles getting back into that world.
I really wanted this book to be finished by now. I wrote it for Nano 14. I will make it... somehow. Because I am proud of that book, even though it's hard getting back to it.

Maybe it's because my angels and demons won't leave me alone.

My camp this April was/is finishing Lost. Done. It is in the hands of a beta right now, getting what is hopefully its last read-through. I SOMEHOW managed to get Redemption ready for a beta. And I WANTED to move on to Heart of the Sun, but... nope. I am working on Addicted.

Maybe it's the amount of work HotS requires... Most of the book doesn't even have chapters... The love it needs is daunting, to say the least. It will happen one day...

Camp Nano. Goals for the month and beyond.

So, Camp Nano starts in less than 11 hours. I am both thrilled and terrified.

But it's the same every time I start something with Nano, lol. But I have such high expectations this time. And I am not getting any younger. The name of this blog is called Chasing Dreams for a reason.

My goals for this Camp are to A: Get Lost ready for the world. B: Get Redemption ready for Beta's. (That should have been done, but though it seems this was my most favorite to write, it is by far the most difficult to edit.  And C: To get my Black  Butler fanfic finished. Yep, fanfic. I fell into it. Hard. Thanks, you sexy demon butler!

It's a lot to accomplish in a month. But I have faith in myself. I know I can do it. Because I would really like to catch one of my dreams. It will happen.

In other news, in addition to studying, I am now learning Korean. I blame Vixx for pushing ahead that goal. Vixx is a concept idol group in the K-pop world and I adore them. I am  proud to call myself a Starlight.

Their song "Voodoo Doll" has inspired a very dark and demented story in my mind that I have to keep fighting off. No more novel writing until I get Lost and Redemption ready for publication.  *determined face*

Anyone else participating in Camp Nano?

Hi!

Sorry it's been so long. I have been up to my eyeballs in editing.

I have done to my worst to Forbidden: Lost and it is now in the hands of Beta's, where hopefully, they are doing their worst.

I am on pins and needles, though so far the feedback has been positive.

It's a difficult thing, being beta'ed. You want the person reading it to be honest, even brutally, sometimes. It helps you learn as a writer, and your writing reflects the things you learn, but it is also incredibility sad. Because you really only want to hear how great it is, lol. You want that affirmation that you might just make it as a writer. That maybe your words hold merit. And seeing the comments and suggestions fill you with trepidation. The... "maybe this wasn't meant for me..."

But you push through that. Your skin gets thicker. You are able to look at your baby through the eyes of a stranger. And really, you need that. We all have 'mommy' blinders when it comes to our works. Strangers eyes see better. The distance is necessary.

But, my writer friends, we know that, right?

This might just be a pep talk for myself as I wait with held breath, for my readers to get back to me. But, I do have this for comfort.

The cover!

I am thrilled. This cover has come a long way from it's original design, but I adore this. The blue suits it better, in that it is a more bittersweet story.

Now, while readers are ripping and clawing, I need to work on the back matter.

Forbidden: Redemption is halfway edited, so, I need to start lining up readers for it as well. Things are moving now! Yay!

My Nano novel is done!

Strings is complete.
Of course, I still need to edit it. And ponder the ending. I like it. I won't lie. But it is a huge departure for my normal endings. And I shall say no more about it.

But there is this

Thank you again, A.H. Spiral, first, for being my friend and second, for my beautiful covers.
In the past, I have also posted character inspiration pictures for the people in my novels. But I can't really do that in this case. This novel was inspired by three dances from the Japanese Cosplay group, Ars Magna.

I would link the Youtube videos, but recently, Youtube has decided that since we live in the states, we don't get to watch them. Thanks Youtube! What a way to let a group reach as many people as it wants. You can still find their videos on Youtube, but they won't be official.

If you are interested, just copy and paste this ---> アルスマグナ  in the search bar. They are amazing.

Anyway, what is next?

Lots. That's what. After all, this is the year for finishing things.

Editing, so much editing.
I have a picture that I stopped painting a while back. I really need to finish it. A baby blanket that the baby is now over a year old... I know. I have a carousel horse I have been cross stitching for over a year as well.

So many half completed projects.

Including myself.

I need to get my butt out of this chair and start moving. I would like to lose some weight, become healthier. I keep starting things, but they never last for more than a couple of days. Well, I am also part of the 'year for finishing things' thing.

But, for now. Editing.
*goes off to edit*