August 8, 2010
Romance Through The Ages Contest
I am very excited that the Scourge of the Soaring Phoenix, now A Pirate’s Curse, took second place!
April 11, 2010
Regis University
I have been accepted to Regis University and will be getting a Master of Art in Creative Writing. I start July 5th and want to finish December 2011. Very Excited!
February 8, 2010
2010
I have set writing goals and have more energy to perfect my craft. I have received positive feedback from a contest and an editor on my manuscript. I plan on taking more classes, entering contests and submitting to publishers and/or agents. Each time I do, I get closer to my dream of being a published author. My critique group keeps me on track and pushes me to take those scary steps. I have read that many famous authors had thirty rejections before they were finally published so I’m in good company!
December 4, 2009
Contests
Sometimes the feedback from contests can be disheartening. One judge loves your work while the other hates it. Maybe hate is too strong of a word but it does get discouraging. I wonder if I should give up but then I read an article from this month’s Romance Writers Report on Contests: Proving Ground and the author, Alexis Walker, said that the judges are like editors and agents. One editor might throw your manuscript into the trash, another thinks it needs revision and the last wants to publish it. I guess it’s that last one we all pin our dreams on. I’ll lick my wounds, evaluate the statements given and apply the statements to my manuscript.
November 25, 2009
NANO COMPLETION
I just completed 54000 word for the month of November! I’ve been working on my sequel, The Revenge of the Soaring Phoenix and hope to complete it by December 14th. My New Year’s Resolution is to finish self-editing by June 2010. Happy Thanksgiving!
November 22, 2009
National Novel Writing Month
I’ve made a commitment with the National Novel Writing Month to type 50,000 words by November 30th and so far I’m up to 40,000 words as of today. I hope to reach 50,000 words by Friday, November 27th. Each day I upload my words on NaNoWritMo’s website and it keeps me focused. I would like to thank the encouragement I have received from the sponsors of the National Novel Writing Month through their emails.
The story I am writing, The Revenge of the Soaring Phoenix is the sequel to my first manuscript. The story starts with a full moon rising over the island of Tortuga. In the Scourge of the Soaring Phoenix, my first manuscript, the demon, Zuito, curses a fresh water lake and after Captain Kane O’Brien and his crew members drink from it, they change into vampires during each full moon. At the end of the battle in the first manuscript, Zuito casts a spell onto Kane’s brother, William O’Brien, who is the hero in the sequel. William, does not change into a vampire during a full moon like his brother. He transforms into a dragon, but reverts back to a man after each full moon. William needs to combine forces with a witch, Mariah, to lift the curse and destroy a new enemy, Anatas, a female demon who has joined forces with Zuito. Anatas holds Mariah’s brother, Lark, prisoner on Zuito’s island. She plans on converting him into a warlock unless William and Mariah can stop her. Mariah calls on her friend, Angelica, an undine or water nymph to help her rescue her brother, Lark. Angelica appears to Lark but only resolves to help him if once free, he promises to make her human so she can pursue a male crew member aboard the Soaring Phoenix, Shayne Macmillian. Lark is not sure he has the power to do so but makes the pact with her. A yari, a choker, around his neck, keeps him from summoning his power. As you can see, my characters are in trouble again and I plan on completing this story by the New Year!
On a lighter note, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving this week!
November 8, 2009
Lighthouse Writers Workshop: Final Draft Polishing Your Book-Length Manuscript
Once again, Lighthouse Writers Workshop put on another magical retreat. This time it was at the Hand Hotel in Fairplay, Colorado. Fairplay is located west of Konesha Pass and nestled in the Rocky Mountains.
Our instructors were Shari Caudron, William Haywood Henderson and Shana Kelly. Shari Caudron taught Analyzing Story Structure and Creating A Plan of Action. William Haywood Henderson taught Assessing the Fundamentals and Setting Yourself Apart. Shana Kelly taught the Do’s and Don’ts of the Submission Process. I found each of these classes pushed me to challenge my writing and showed me how to edit and critique my manuscript. I developed smart goals which means I have specific objectives and deadlines on critiquing and polishing my manuscript.
In the evening in front of a roaring fireplace at the Hand Hotel, we read the first 500 words of our manuscript and received feedback on our work. This type of workshop reveals whether we are communicating effectively to our readership.
I met a diverse group of novelists from romance writers to science fiction writers to literary writers. We formed a camaraderie and vowed to keep in touch to promote each others work.
If you have a chance, I strongly encourage you to participate in a retreat with Lighthouse. Their retreats are in July at Grand Lake, Colorado and in November in Fairplay, Colorado. You will find support and encourgement and honest critiques to propel you to a higher level of writing.
If you can not come to Colorado, look for a similar organization in your area that offers similar services. I have Lighthouse’s link on my website.
October 24, 2009
Hello World
I’m very new at this but am excited about my new website that will be coming out in November. As an unpublished writer, I’m not always sure on how to navigate these waters, but I feel each day I learn how to do something new like blogging. So bare with me on this because its new for me.