The Infamous Staircase

When i came up with the idea for the staircase in Connor's cabin, I "invented" it in my head. I had no idea if it was possible, accounting for physics and the like. But I always felt that even if it wasn't possible, a little magic would do the trick.

I was just sent an email of Amazing Staircases and found Connor's stairs! That makes me so happy!!

(sorry - i have no idea where the photo came from aside from a chain email... apologies for not crediting it properly)

Here I am! Did you miss me?

Since my last post, much has happened, including nothing.

How could much happen, if nothing happened? Well, life went bonkers! It’s crazy busy right now! I am currently playing on two soccer teams, and a baseball team. Four days a week I have some form of sports. So needless to say, the writing fell off the table.

Don’t get me wrong, I have tried to write. The other three days of the week I thought about writing a lot. But unfortunately, thinking about writing isn’t the same as writing about thinking.

At one point, about a month ago, I had another idea. I know, I promised everyone I would finish the third novel in the “Magic” series, but it’s just not working. I may have to completely rewrite it. But this other idea came to me in an entirely new format: a screenplay! I’ve never written a screenplay, so when I set to put it down, I had no idea about formatting. I mean seriously, who has ever heard of a “Slugline”? So I found myself spending more time formatting the damn thing than writing it down. Eventually, I found a template with screenplay styles, and was able to use that, but MAN! It’s tough business!

I wrote so quickly and with such determination, it wasn’t until I got to the main climax that I realized I had NO IDEA where the characters were going to go. I mean, I have an ending, all waiting to connect to the beginning, but I am a bit lost as to some key plot points. When they say “WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW” they weren’t kidding. My characters went travelling, and though they ended up in Greece (the ONLY foreign country I’ve spent any time in aside from the US), I couldn’t remember some key destinations. (It has been fifteen years since I travelled there, and I was twelve at the time, so you can blame my amnesia on the subject.) So, I stopped until I could get more information.

Thank goodness for friends who are travel agents. A little Starbucks bribery and I had him spilling all the important information I needed. I voraciously took notes. And once I had everything I needed....

I went to bed.

Hey, I was tired. Okay?

Well that was a month ago and I have touched it since.

But wait! There’s more!

Last weekend, having no other set plans, I told myself I would WRITE. I decided Saturday was writing day. And sure as shootin’ (did I really just say that?) on Saturday morning I woke up with an idea.

It involves a writer who has writer’s block. Ironic, no?

So I trucked over to Starbucks and opened up my laptop and started to.... stare at it. I had this great idea and no opening line. Ugh. Finally it came to me and I started typing.

I was only a chapter in when I realized something.
IT WAS CRAP! I looked back at the drivel and realized, what a MESS!

So I did the only thing I could think of, I started proofing “It’s a Kind of Magic” again. And, for the first time since writing it, I actually ENJOYED reading it! I never hated it, I just knew it so well that when I read it back I always found it boring. Well now that it’s been months since I last reviewed it, it’s igniting the desire to finish book three, and maybe even write a FOURTH! GASP! I know! Shocker!

I hope I can keep the drive going. I really do want to finish book three. I have the ending all resolved in my head, I just have to get there. The plan is to thoroughly read through books one and two, and then finish book three. I know that will make a few of you happy (Erinn, Mom, Sharlene)

(Also, I wrote to a couple more agents on Sunday :) YAY! Fingers crossed)

Resolutions

It's the eve of 2010 and I find myself looking back on the past year with little in the way of regrets.

I started 2009 with a crazy idea: to write a book. I've since written three. Well two full novels and two half-completed novels.

2010 brings me the resolution to persevere. To keep writing. To keep seeking an agent and publisher. To drive forward at full speed.

In that spirit, I made a few changes. I renamed Force. It's now called It's a Kind of Magic. The reason for the change is to allow continuity in the titles of the series. I hope to include the word "magic" in each title, and hopefully use a song title or lyric for the title. Other titles i'm tossing about include Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic and Black Magic Woman.

Also, I signed up to Authonomy.com today. It's a site owned by HarperCollins. It allows aspiring authors to post there work to the site for peer review, and the top rated books get selected by HarperCollins for review.

Here's the link to my book: http://authonomy.com/ViewBook.aspx?bookid=15163

Please go there, sign up (it's free and there's no spam!) and then click on "Back this Book."

Okay, I'm done with the shameless self promotion. :)