Thursday, August 30, 2012

Working, Working, Working...

It's amazing how many things I can find to do which help contribute to my master's degree in procrastination. While I am currently working on Book Two in The Guardian Stories, I am in re-writes. Personally - I would rather have a dental procedure done without any Novocaine. I decided to ponder on the triggers and resolutions for procrastination.

Book Two is faster paced than "Catalyst", moving our heroine to her inevitable showdown with our villains. I have written and deleted and written and deleted for a little over a year. When I decided it was ready, I sent it out for editing. (I like to have my work read through before submitting to the publisher. It makes the re-writes easier.) After getting her recommendations back it soon became obvious there is a large section of the story which must be switched around.

When I am in editing mode, the best conditions would be late at night, nothing going on with the family, nothing going on television. I am easily distracted. I didn't realize it until I began writing for a living. A song on the radio, a comedy on the television, conversation in the same room, a fly walking on the wall beside me - all these and more can drive me to distraction if I am not focused with laser intensity on the work at hand. And if my own personal shortcomings weren't enough, living with my Helpful Hubby and his TiVO obsession can slow down the process to a snail's pace.

So, the work is going slow. Now there is a political convention on television and I really want to watch the speeches. Okay, well I can plod through some pages after that. So what if it's midnight? So I'm falling asleep over my keyboard, so my fingers can't type anymore - just one more chapter tonight means more three day weekend to myself. Or, maybe I should stop editing for a while and read something fun, something that has nothing to do with Vivienne and her predicament?

Well, maybe tomorrow night will be better!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

At Long Last - Published!

After a long, long road my first novel, CATALYST: Guardian Rising, has been published. It is currently available through Keith Publishing and their genre label D'INKWELL PRESS. Later this week it will be available through Amazon.com.

Writing is my first love, and this story and its interwoven characters have been a part of my life for many years. When my children were young and I was up at odd hours with them, Vivienne was the one who entertained me as I slept in chairs and curled up on the floor beside the crib. As the story began to expand and the notebook grew and grew, I began to regard this as a project, then a quest. Now it is a dream realized.

There are many people to thank and many more to acknowledge, but there is room and time for that at a later time. Right now I just want to thank three people: my family.

First is helpful hubby, who patiently waited and picked up my slack as I spent hours staring at the computer and walking around with my thoughts selfishly turned inward. From our first 'official' date I knew he would be my soul mate and these past twenty-five years have been all the sweeter for being with him.

Then comes darling daughter, who has suffered the most for the all meals I haven't cooked and the dusting I haven't done. Thank God she is  self-sufficient and does her own laundry and preparations. But she learned a more important lesson - go for your dreams. If it is meant to be, then fight for it. It will be!

Last but certainly not the least is my soulful son, the musician and poet whose departure from our family nest brought my own personal catalyst to the forefront. He will always be a 'beautiful soul' to me.

So, head on over, purchase my premier novel then settle back for a good read. And let me know if you have questions. If they haven't already been answered her let me know and I will be happy to provide more information.