Do you get nervous?

 Sent my first draft to my editor last week and I have not heard anything back from him yet.  So one of two things is happening:  He loved it so much that hes overwhelmed an can not speak of the power of my book yet without passing out -  or - it needs a lot of editing and reconstruction that he is too overwhelmed to get it done in a reasonable amount of time.  

Editors - god bless you guys!  You are fabulous.  To help a writer with their work is amazing to me.  I like to write.  I like to get my thoughts down on paper.  But the words in my heard may not come out correctly for a book.  To be able to guide a writer to form a sentence better to convey a movement or thought or emotion - is an amazing ability. 

And I am now working on my third, fourth and fifth book at the same time.  Why is it that I can not balance a check book but I can keep my characters and my story lines straight.  

Anyway.... I wait on pins and needles until I hear from my super hero editor.  

It just popped into my head

 I woke up this morning about 4am.  Had to take a quick pee..... lay back down in bed, my brain swirling.  I got the idea for a new book.  I worked out the details until it was time to get up for work at 6:30am.  But I got a good plot for a new book. Have to write down a synopsis of the book so I don't forget the premise.  

I find I do my best work at night, in bed (get your minds out of the gutter...he!!) just letting my mind wander.  I see the story, work out dialogue, work on the plot.  This is where I do my best thinking.  

Can't wait for this one to come out!   Working Title:  Biker at Heart

meh... we can work on that.  

Second Book - Complete - A short story

 Conviction of Forgiveness  -  My second foray into writing is complete.  I sent it off to the editor last night.  It is not a romance.  It is a short story of friendship - redemption and forgiveness.  I am still working on the ending.  I think that it is a little weak.  But I just have to think on it for a bit and it will come to me.  

But my second book!!  OMG!  I can't believe that I am doing this!  The stories are just percolating in my brain waiting to come out.  

I have a lot of my third book done, in long hand.  Shades in Love.  About a woman who is an author - with a pen name Shade James - and each chapter is going to start with a vignette of her book that will shadow the chapter of the characters.  I am looking forward to this book because it's going to segue into the next book about Vanessa and Tav.  I am totally looking forward to their story coming out. These two books, of course, will be a part of the Forever Home series.  

I have been thinking about Shades in Love all morning and have some good story line to get down.  I have good scenes for Vaness and Tavs story - hmmm - tentatively named: Dare to be Different - that's a work in progress. 

Until next time!  

Procrastination? Lazy?

 I am generally a lazy person.  I have a tendency to leave things to the last minute - and then rush to complete the project.  Have been this way all my life and have adjusted to the pace.  While in school and in a job, you have a definite deadline and accountability with a boss or a teacher.  But writing on your own time, there are no hard deadlines and if you make one, you can always change it.  Right?  Like are you going to yell at yourself and fire you?  

But I have those nebulous deadlines.  I kinda give myself some flexibility and somehow I get it done.  My first book took almost a year.  My second book is taking just a few months - it is a short story I wrote that I am expanding on the story - and my third book I anticipate that I will be publishing by the end of the year.  

I have mostly hand written notes.  I have 6 notebooks working now.  Some just have characters names and a general vibe of the book so I don't forget my idea.  I have about a dozen books/ideas being juggled in my mind.  

But my little trick right now.  I have made a firm date with my editor and with that looming over my head I have the impetus to keep the deadline.  

Happy writing all!   

Springtime - writing outside?

 Spring is in full bloom now here in New York.  It is gorgeous! I like to go outside onto my back patio and bring my notebook and write.  I sit at my table, with some music playing and a glass of wine.  Its peaceful, calm and inspiring.  Notebooks allow me to write what I want about which ever book I want to address at the time.  By the time I am ready to publish my third book I may have 5 or 6 other books almost complete.  On the way into work this morning, I got a few little ideas for one of my stories but also an inkling of a new plot for a new story.  How to incorporate the new story to relate to the Forever Home series.  It will come to me.  

So enjoy the spring.  and Happy writing!