Nobody said it was easy...

There have definitely been times in my life when things feel so messed up and overwhelming that I wish I could go back to a simpler time, when life seemed so wonderful and full of promise. I'm going through a time like that right now and feel this song really captures that emotion.

Latest Obsession: The Hunger Games Trilogy

Considering I am less than eight weeks away from my due date, I have had much on my mind besides "the novel." Honestly, I'm not sure how long it will be before I work on the novel again. And really I'm okay with that. I have come to the realization that it will be there waiting for me when I am ready to address it again. For now, I am concentrating on potty training my two year old, getting ready for a new baby and getting my ducks in a row at work so I can enjoy my maternity leave.

Instead, I will tell you about my latest obsession, namely The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I picked up the first book, The Hunger Games, during the holiday break and finished it in less than a week (quite a feat for me these days). I went straight out and bought the other two books and have already finished the second book, Catching Fire, and started the third and final book, Mockingjay.

These books are excellent. The characters are rich and compelling, the story is fast paced and gripping. I don't want to tell you too much because I went into them knowing only what was on the book jacket. So I will leave you with only that. I hope you pick these up and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

Why I love editing more than writing...

“No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else’s draft.” — H.G. Wells

NaNoWriMo Update

So far National Novel Writing Month has been a bust. This pregnancy is kicking my butt. Seriously. Once I get home from work and get the child to sleep all I can muster the energy to do is collapse on the couch and watch television. And there have definitely been nights I've gone to sleep by 9 p.m. (okay sometimes 8:30...)

I really don't remember being this tired and achy with my first baby, though I suspect having a two year old to chase after and a hubby out of work may be contributing factors. I've had a rough couple of days this week (physically) and now am so far behind on the novel writing that I'm not sure it's worth trying to start. Sigh. Yet another goal abandoned.

There is just too much I want to do in a day and only so many hours (and so much energy) to accomplish it. If only I didn't have to sleep...

National Novel Writing Month

I signed up today to participate in National Novel Writing Month, a challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November. You are judged solely on word count, not content, the idea being to encourage you to just write and not think so much, a way to silence your internal critic.

For me, personally, this has always been a problem. I am always second guessing my choices, whether they be plot details or word choices. My internal critic is always telling me my story is stupid, my characters aren't realistic, that nobody will want to read this. So, the more I read about National Novel Writing Month, the more I thought it would be a great exercise for me. A month to just let loose and let the words flow.

I'll be sure to keep you all up-to-date on my progress as the month progresses so stay tuned...

What's another word for...

"A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the word you first thought of." —Burt Bacharach

Reevaluating

I recently finished reading Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman, a wonderful story about forgiveness, filled with colorful characters you wish were real people. While reading an interview with the author, I discovered it had taken her four years to write the novel (from the moment she finished chapter one to when she sent it out to publishers).

Four.

Years.

And that was all she was doing (she had sold her interior design business to devote herself to writing full time).

This got me to thinking that perhaps the seven months I have left until my deadline weren't going to be enough. Especially considering I do work full time and will very soon have two children under the age of three to care for.

So. I am setting a new goal. 35. That is more than five years away. Surely by then I can string 80,000 or so words together in some sort of fashion enjoyable to readers.

Since we're on the setting new goals bandwagon, I am declaring - officially - that I am putting "the novel" on hold and starting a memoir/novel about my childhood and family. I just can't get the idea out of my head and feel I have to get it out of my system before I can move forward with this current project.

Stay tuned for progress on this new endeavor...