Looking into the future

Okay, so maybe it's just the future inside my head or cleaning up the clutter in there. Since being sick, the abundance of new story ideas has multiplied. I really think Vlad is trying to lead me down the garden path where they are concerned and hiding the series I should be busy working on. He thinks he's hilarious when he does crap like that to me.

This year I meant to finish two more stories:

• The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You
• Wardens of the Guild 3: Heartstrings

The next couple of weeks will be telling of how much I can catch up as I think I actually have 87, 474 words left to write. If I crackdown I could probably still make it I'd at least 5.4K a day until the end of the month. That's with taking Christmas day off to spend with family. I think I'll give it a shot. If I don't make it then I'll let you know on December 31st and tell you how much time I'll need to play catch up next year. Because I'm due to start edits on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses soon.

Character Inspiration

Wardens of the Guild 3: Heartstrings

Gabriel Gillis━Human/Day Warden

Daven Banks━Vampire/Guild Member

Artemis Kohen━Fey 

The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You

Nathan 'Nate' Burkhart━Girly's brother

Daniel Marshal━Viv's brother

Sons of Evenmore 3: Fear the Scarlet Moon

Phoenix Lunos━Vampire/Challus Coven Leader

Linkin━Arctic Wolf/Ollun

Cooper Norton━Human

Dang that hurts...

I went to bed with a migraine last night and woke up this morning with a sore back. How is that fair. I can hardly bloody move. I hate it when my back is sore... 

At least I only have to go out once today, and then I'm at home writing all day. I'm well on the way to finishing Sons of Evemnore 3: Fear the Scarlet Moon by tomorrow. Then I start on Warden of the Guild 3: Heartstrings. Yes, these are the ones I'm doing for NaNoWriMo ━I might not make it to the whole 50K but I'll get damn close.

Summer hasn't even really started yet, and it is as hot as hell. I'm dreading for when we hit the peak of the hot season. Rain━forget it. It seems to want to rain everywhere, but where I am living. Not that I'm bitching━much. The fires are still going strong in and around the country.

Other than that, Vlad is telling me to wrap this up because we have writing to do. If we get on a good roll we might even finish Sons of Evenmore 3: Fear the Scarlet Moon today as we only have 7kish to write on it.

We Can All Stop Looking...

I finally found that amazingly safe place I stashed my plot drafts book for all my storylines.  I was so fricken lost without it. Not that I actually follow what I've written too closely, but at least it gives me a beginning and an end. It also gives me a loose transcript of how to get there. The rest is entirely up to me. (Yes... I know I write them both... the plotlines and the stories), but I never follow the scripts I set out, my characters always seem to have other ideas.

EXAMPLE #1: Way back when I started writing The Lines of Marsden 1: The Rules are Meant to be Broken all those years ago, it was going to be Michael and Christian all the way. Benj and Doyle had other plans though and demanded I change things, or at least they bribed Vlad (the keeper/manager of the carnage inside my head) to divert the storyline to their way of thinking, (he's so easily bought).

EXAMPLE #2: I want The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You to go one way, and the characters keep messing with the storyline and sending me off in a whole different direction completely. So at the moment, we are at a standoff. I really need to get this one done by the end of the year so I hope one of us give in soon. I dare say Nate and Dan will win, especially if GG and Girly have anything to say about it

EXAMPLE #3: The boys in Sons of Evenmore 3: Fear The Scarlet Moon have decided to throw the script completely out the window and write their own, and now I'm trying to steer them back to where I need them to be at the end of this current story, or the next one won't make any sense. I wonder if I'll manage it. Phoenix, Linkin, and Cooper are fighting me the whole way.

EXAMPLE #4: Shane from  The Connelly Chronicles wants me to stop writing him as a douchebag, and give him his own story so he can redeem himself and get his happily-ever-after. I keep telling him it's not as simple as that, but do you think he's listening. I secretly think Vlad is egging them all on. No wonder I have a migraine most days.

EXAMPLE #5: Don't even get me started on the previously released books that I need to find new homes for as some of them want me to change them completely and I'm not sure that is advisable two of the main contenders are The Diamond Rose 1: The Gateway to Kalethia... and The Freedomers 1: Zephania's Chance (in this one some characters are demanding I change their sex for the rewrite) I'll have to enquire about that one.

Just A Quickie...

Admetus Gaea 1: The Gaean Prophecy is definitely now at Formatting.

The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses is about to be started 1st edits this week on my editor's end... Good luck Christie N.

The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You has left the track I was planning on and gone in a whole new direction. Hopefully, I can bring it back by the end of the book. Though, to be honest I'm liking this new direction a lot.

Hidden Hearts 1: Harder & Harder to Breathe, & 2: One Last Kiss Goodbye I'm still waiting to hear back from the publishing house about them.

House is quiet now that my granddaughter Grace has gone home. She had a sleepover here. We baked scones and cooked food. She had a ball and kept me on my toes. Thank god I can hand her back after one night. I'm too old to have little kids (yes, some days 50 feels too old).

Admetus Gaea & Other Things

Well, I've just finished the last of the edits on Admetus Gaea 1: The Gaean Prophecy... Now it off to Kris J at formatting I think. One step closer to being released.

I've also been helping my daughter and son-in-law house hunt. As they have to find a new place as their landlord is selling the house they are currently in. So, it's drama central here it's here at the moment.

Still working on The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You, I still have to write a bit more each day to catch up but it will be worth it in the end.

It was stinking hot here last night, I had a crap night sleep, so I definitely think today will be a slow stay at home kind of day. Which will mean my cats (Oliver & Robson) will probably be as annoying as they can be.

I've had some skin cancers burnt off, but in the upcoming weeks I have to have 3 cut out. 2 on my back and one on my throat. That's what I get for not wearing sunscreen and hats as a kid I suppose. It's coming back to bite me in the arse now. At least it's nothing too serious.

Quick Update.

Okay, after babysitting my granddaughter Grace for the morning I spent the arvo doing proofer edits on Admetus Gaea 1: The Gaean Prophecy, and sent them back to Christie N at MLRPress. I was pleased to see how few there were only 4.

I've hit a plateau in my weight loss. so I have to rethink the way I'm doing things. My goal is to lose another 17kg (37.47lbs) over the next year. Hopefully, this is doable. Last year I lost 14kg (30.86). If I can reach my goal over the next year it will be a total of 31kg (68.34lbs).

I've just joined a group on Facebook, which will hopefully be the kick in the pants I need to get me back on track with my writing and help me catch back up with The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You. So wish me luck.

Dang It...

Alas, Hidden Hearts 1: Harder and Harder to Breathe and Hidden Hearts 2: One Last Kiss Goodbye wasn't accepted by Pride Publishing, so I have to try and find a new home for them. Wish me luck. I don't look at it as a rejection, just as the stories weren't right for what Pride is currently looking for. 

I'm still working on The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You which will go to Pride as it is part of a series I currently have with them. I think the new track I have taken with it will suit them just fine. I have also planned out  Wardens of the Guild 3: Heart Stings and hope to get that finished by the end of the year as well.

NaNoWriMo is fast approaching and I'm still determined to get Sons of Evenmore 3: Fear the Scarlet Moon knocked out, and that's where I'll make the start on Heart Strings. I'm quite looking forward to it this year.

Other than that: I fell off the front garden bed this morning and hurt my back. It hurts like a bitch. Hopefully, It won't keep me down for long as I have too much stuff to do to be in pain. Luckily I have some pain killers to help me through the worst of it.

What's The Goss?

Well, Today I'm not feeling too crash hot so I decided to cook a steamed chicken. It would have to be one f my favourite eats. This time I have flavoured it with honey, soy & garlic... along with the rest of my usual herbs. It's going to be flipping amazing and so moist. I can't wait, because it smells so good.

I got woken up at the arse-crack of dawn by birds flying around. they have been noisy as f*@k lately, either they're migrating somewhere and just passing through, or it's currently mating season. Either way, they like to wake the whole damn neighbourhood up.

We have been spring cleaning around the house. At the moment, it's washing out all the window tracks. Pain in the arse, but it has to be done. It was the one job we forgot after we had the huge dust storm a couple o weeks back.

I found out Admetus Gaea 1: The Gaean Prophecy is at the proofer. So I'll hopefully get it back for the final run-through then it should be off to releasing. I still haven't heard about a cover yet. I'm hoping to any day now, but honestly, I'm not expecting it until after everyone is back from GRL, but hoping that I'm lucky and get it early.

I'm still working on The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You. Okay, I did go through and rework some of the stuff I swore I wasn't going to do. For some reason, I keep going off track with this one and I don't like that at all, so I have to keep redoing it until I get it back to where it should be.

This Is Me

🔸I woke up with a headache this morning. I had a long day yesterday running around doing errands. Though, I did meet my wordage quota on The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You, mainly because I did the words the day before and the little bit I still need to do will get done today.

🔸I have started the arduous task of spring cleaning the whole house. How do I accumulate so much clutter throughout the year? My mantra for this year is less is more━so I'm literally going to be going through everything once again and donating what I don't need to the op shops, so it can all find a new home somewhere else. Decluttering can be so therapeutic. Though, some of the stuff is going to my sister.

🔸I've been spending some time with my granddaughter━boy does she crack me up with her antics. I can't wait for her to start talking in full on sentences. I reckon she is going to be a chatterbox for sure. It will drive her mother crazy as her mother was always anti-social. It will be a fun dynamics to watch. At the moment she is growing out of shoes like nobodies business.

🔸Why is it when you want to buy something you can never find it in any shop━no matter how hard you look. I'm after some melamine serving spoons. Once, upon a time you could buy them by the dozen and nowhere I've been, stocks them anymore. It's driving me nuts.

🔸This arvo I have swimming lessons with my granddaughter━I'm just the helper on the side of the pool. I won't get in, mainly because I don't want to get bronchitis again.

Today I Am...

▶I've been taking pictures of the bugs invading the hibiscus tree in the front garden of the tattoo shop. In case you didn't realise I live above a tattoo studio. They seemed to have changed colour. last week they were an irredescent blue and now they have gone all red.

▶I've also almost gotten over my cold, and then this morning I was doing the simple chore of folding up some washing and threw my back out━I just can't bloody win.

▶I have also been watching an awesome series in my opinion on Netflix called: The Bletchley Circle. I think I'm about halfway through season one. so far I've enjoyed it a lot.

▶I'm also cooking a baked dinner for lunch today. Well, I'm doing all the vegetables. My brother is doing the meat and gravy part of it all. It will still meat a lot of cooking on my part, but I got up early and prepped the veggies. 

▶ I'm also writing my wordage on The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You today and it will bring me up to 19K... so far the writing plan is working out fine.

▶Still trying to find homes for some of my previous Fireborn books I'm just not sure what to do with them. But I have to do something. Or else they will sit on my computer forever.

▶I also have new story ideas that I can't yet touch until I tie up a few of the older storylines. So I've just been jotting down basic plot lines to keep the ideas there. Eventually, I'll be able to come back and revisit them.

▶We've been having some windy weather here of late. Which, in itself isn't so bad━it did break the whirlybird on our roof, but the worse thing is for us it's bushfire season and we have a few bad ones raging nearby. A lot of people's homes, livestock, and livelihoods are about to go up in smoke. Not to mention all the wildlife we'll lose. I heard on the news this morning that some of the fires were deliberately lit━I mean what the fuck goes through someone's head to think today would be a great day to set fire to the world? I just don't understand people like that. And worse yet it looks like it could be school kids who did the deed. What the hell were they thinking?

I've Been Busy...

▷Yesterday I spent the day making up a calendar template that I can use each year to set out my writing for the year. I worked out that if I work on 2K a day I can write 2 (100K) novels and 15 (40K) novellas a year. that still leaves time for doing edits. I'm happy with that. Now it just means sticking to it. I'll try it out for the end of this year. 

▷This is what I'll be working on:

The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You

Cotter's Girls 1: Tash (M/F)

Sons of Evenmore 3: Fear the Scarlet Moon (NaNoWriMo)

Wardens of the Guild 3: Heart Strings (NaNoWriMo-partly)

Lancaster's Way 3: Pre-loved

Experimentals 3: Messages from the Dead (just the start as it continues into 2020)

▷So Far I've been keeping up with my word count along with doing my edits on other books. The big test will be when I get first edits back on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses. I'll let you all know.

Playing Catch Up

Robson loves helping me when it comes time to work. I don't get much done, but he thinks he's doing a great job. Oliver, on the other hand, is off somewhere sunning himself. Though, not today as we are having a dust storm. I think it's probably from the fires we have hereabouts. All I can smell is dust in the air. Not the greatest thing in the world after being ill.

Today I'm supposed to be writing and I need to make it to 13K on The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You to keep me on track for my end of year of my writing schedule.

I'm waiting for the final line edits on Admetus Gaea 1: The Gaean Prophecy... and first edits on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses.

I still haven't heard from MlRPress about covers yet. I will have to email my editor to make sure if I sent the cover art forms to the right place.

Update Time...

Okay, of late I have been a bit slack. I have no excuses, well none that really count, just the odd headache, cold, Dr app, JAG Marathon, Murdoch Mysteries Marathon...

In between those I have been doing edits on Admetus Gaea 1: The Gaean Prophecy... I've also filled in the BIF and sent back to Christie N at MLRPress.

I've also been working on The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You. I scrapped what I had and started again. a bit drastic I know, but I decided to go another way with the storyline. I think it will now fit with the series back story better.

I also had to update my windows as my computer stopped letting me do some things, and now that I've updated, I can once again get back into everything,

I have also been getting some of my reviews done and sent back in for the Rainbow Awards... there are some talented people out there.

Just Signed A Contract...

 Admetus Gaea 1

The Gaean Prophecy

I'll keep you all updated on how I'm doing with it all. Hopefully, everything will run smoothly.  I haven't heard back about The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses yet, but will let you know when I do.

I'm still plugging away at The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You. I've actually written a heap and then gone through and did a rewrite because it just wasn't right. or heading in the direction that I had originally planned for it. I hate it when a story I'm writing goes off the rails so completely that even I'm left scratching my head and going WTF just happened. Anyway, I'll try and keep you more informed on what's happening.

Working On...

Okay, So until I hear back about the two books I've recently submitted I'm keeping myself busy by writing a mixture of books. I've decided that I need to write a variety so I don't get mired down in one story for the whole time and it lets my brain tick over and keep on going.

You can see the list on the side of my blog what I'll be working on and we all know purple is MLRPress, and green is Pride Publishing, and pink is needs to find a publisher. Most of these stories I hope to have finished by the end of May.

Now Writing List

Destiny House 1

Saving Shane

(Spin-off from The Connelly Chronicles)
~*~

Experimentals 3

Messages from the Dead

~*~

Lancasters Way 3

Pre-loved

~*~

Sons of Evenmore 3

Fear the Scarlet Moon

~*~

The Connelly Chronicles 3

Because of You

~*~
Toowoomba Boys 4
Securing the Heart
~*~

Wardens of the Guild 3

Heart Strings

Wish Me Luck...

You will be happy to know I have just subbed two books. 

The Lines of Marsden 4: 

The Trail of Red Roses

&

Admetus Gaea 1: 

The Gaean Prophecies

Now I just have wait to see if they've been accepted or not. Did I mention I'm not good at waiting? Luckily for me, I have something to keep me busy.

The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You

The End...

I finally reached the end of book 4: The Trail of Red Roses... and I can say for once I stuck mostly to my plot plan... that is until I got right to the last 4 chapters and then it all derailed on me and went in a different direction entirely. 

I guess I have the whole of the next book (5) which is only an offshoot 50K Christmas novella (On the 12th Day) to get it back on track. I'm pretty sure I can do it.

So for right now, I'm typing up the synopsis and getting it ready to submit to MLRPress. this story has been a long time coming.

The next body of works on my agenda is The Connelly Chronicles: Because of You, I'm hoping to get it finished by the end of May.

Back at the Type Writer...

Or━computer, as the case may be...

For the last few months, I've had bronchitis that has kicked off my asthma, which I must admit I haven't suffered from since my early twenties. Apparently, my doctor was worried I was going to develop pneumonia. thankfully I never, and I'm well and truly on the mend. Though, some nights I still have trouble breathing... but that's okay, because I know I'm getting better every day.

The sad thing is, that after coming back online after so long I realised I missed the passing of a very dear person, who is going to be missed by so many people. He was one of the reasons I actually submitted in the first place. 

On a writing note→ seeing as Moon Runner's 2: I Won't Let You Go wasn't released by January 1st of this year I'm now in the process of getting my rights back from Fireborn Publishing so that I can try and house them elsewhere. It sucks big time, but what else can I do.

I've also been in contact with Laura B at MLRPress and let her know what all I have been working on all the synopsis I have long-handed up and have to complete the writing part as most have at least some wordage in them. Plus I want to have The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses submitted by February 7th.

Plus I have been finishing up some in-depth synopsis for the following titles so that when the time comes up for writing them I know exactly where each chapter needs to be at. The wordage count is the minimum needed for each book.

Synopsis wrote For MLR:

The Lines of Marsden 5: On the 12th Day (50K) Christmas Novella.

The Lines of Marsden 6: And Then You Die (100K) End 1st line.

Experimentals 3: Messages From The Dead (40K)

Lancaster's Way 3: Pre-loved (40K)

Lancaster's Way 4: Riding Fences (40K)

Lancaster's Way 5: A Stuart Family Christmas (40K) Ends Series.

Sons of Evenmore 3: Fear the Scarlet Moon (40K)

Sons of Evenmore 4: Pieces of You (40K)

Sons of Evenmore 5: Always Been Yours (40K)

Sons of Evenmore 6: Touching Shadows (40K) Ends series.

Intended Mates 2: Dancing to the Sounds of Madness (40K)

Toowoomba Boys 4: Securing the Heart (40K)

Synopsis wrote for Pride:

Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You (100K)

Connelly Chronicles 4: Just good Friends (100K)

Connelly Chronicles 5: Jamie's Bear (100K)

Connelly Chronicles 6: Millies Gift (100K)

Destiny House 1: Saving Shane (40K)

Destiny House 2: Needing Norman (40K)

Wardens of the Guild 3: Heart Strings (40K)

Wardens of the Guild 4: Gilded Cages (40K)

Other synopsis wrote:

Admetus Gaea 1: The Gaean Prophecy (40K) Re-write 

Brandon's Briar (40K)

Cotter's Girls 1: Tash (40K) M/F

Cotter's Girls 2: Raine (40K) M/F

Mountain Made 1: Mumford (40K)

Mountain Made 2: Jethro (40K)

Mountain Made 3: Fornell (40K)

Skyler's Voice (40K)

When Things Go Right (40K)

Where Still Waters Flow Deep (40K)

(Yet to be named sci-fi) (40K)

What's The Hap?

This week I'm trying to get all my stories set for MLRPress. I want to at least have a gist of where I'm going with each of the 9 stories for their label that I have on my 2018 schedule. 

I must admit some stories I can recall as if I wrote them yesterday, and others I have no clue what the storyline is about. I guess I'll have to do some re-reading before I write the next in each series. The best part is I get to fall in love with my favourite characters all over again.

I still haven't heard back from Fireborn Publishing about Moon Runners 2: I Won't Let You Go. To be honest I'm not sure what's going on... I've heard the head lady is currently having computer issues and playing catch up with everything. I might have to send out another email to see what's happening. Hopefully, she's okay as she was also recently ill as well.... and I know how that feels as my ears still aren't back to normal.

I've also gotten all manuscripts set in place for Fireborn for 2018 as well.

I'm also getting all my Pride Publishing stuff organised so that 2018 can run smoothly for me writing wise. I just want to get the job done next year seeing as I failed so miserably this year. 

I've worked out I only have to write 2,521 words per day... only more if I miss a day here and there... that's doable, right?