Thankful for...

It's been a crazy and amazing month so far this November. 

I am not doing so well with my Nano writing but the month isn't over yet so I haven't totally given up hope that I will at least get half of what I had planned. 

November started out with a bang.  I was motivated and ready to write.  Then the tooth/sinus infection hit.  I am not sure how published authors manage, but there was no writing through that.  Having said teeth pulled only made it worse before better, but now I am on the mend and feeling so much better than I was just a few weeks ago.

My youngest is also officially finished with wrestling for the year so I have time to catch up with all the things I've let slide the last few weeks.

With tomorrow being Thanksgiving I also have time to think about all the things I have to be thankful for.  I have four beautiful, amazing and wonderful children who I wouldn't trade for anything.  They inspire me to reach for my dreams and never give up.  

While we are talking about dreams and reaching for them... I have received TWO requests this month as well.  One for my SYTYCW entry, Private Relations - and another for my Love Inspired Suspense Fast Track entry, Beauty From Ashes.   I am beyond excited that I have this chance to get my writing out there and seen.  The dream that some day someone will love my writing is inching closer to being possible.

This is where I always fall short - the follow through.   So the next month will be all about me pushing myself beyond the fears and doubts and getting those requests sent in.

I am so excited and thankful for the chances I have to follow my dream and the family who dreams right along with me. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

The Seasons they are a changing!

Can you believe it's almost November?

Last time I checked in I was participating in Harlequin's SYTYCW.  I didn't make the next round but there were some amazing writers I was cheering on who did.  Voting hasn't opened for the next round yet, but I'll be sure to be voting when it does. 

Meanwhile... I'm waiting to see if my chapter caught any attention from anyone and keeping my fingers and toes crossed for a request.  Rumor has it editors will be requesting other manuscripts beginning sometime after November 4th. 

I also sent in a first chapter for the Love Inspired Suspense fast track.  Anything sent in is suppose to hear back within a month.  So yet another fantastic thing that might happen this month. 

Also - November is bringing NaNoWrMo - National Novel Writing Month.  I tried to do NaNo once before and did not complete - this year I'm really going to give it a try.  I just need to decide for sure what I'm writing.  If my SYTYCW story does well then I have a second story idea for it that I'd love to start on - but then if the first chapter for the LIS i sent in does well, I really need to finish it as well. 

Have to sort out which story is screaming the loudest I guess.  But I will complete a book during NaNo.  Anyone else?

Go Vote!

The voting phase has opened for the Harlequin Books So You Think You Can Write contest.

Romance writers from all over the world have submitted their first chapters for the contest and now it's your chance to make someones dream come true.

You are able to vote once a day, every day until October 11.  Your vote could help take one lucky writer from unpublished to published.  There are over six hundred entries to choose from in many of Harlequins well known and liked imprints.  If you don't know where to start, pick a series you like and start reading.  But remember, one vote per day is all you get.

If you think I can write - vote for me.  If you don't, vote for someone else. But vote and help make someones dream come true.

I hope to start some reading today and get back with some posts about the entries that I liked best.  Of course I'm hoping I do well, but there are a lot of talented writers who entered and I've seen many entries that I really liked.  It's so hard to pick just one.

I voted today. Did you?

Alpha Female?

In the story I am working on now - my SYTYCW entry - my heroine is very much an alpha female. 

The more her and the hero are together, the more I get wondering... can an alpha male and alpha female survive with each other without killing each other off?

Maybe not in the real world, but hoping I can make it work for the story.  LOL

Back to writing!

Submitted and Committed

Or maybe I should be committed.  I'm not really sure which yet.  My SYTYCW 2012 entry is up!

Voting doesn't start until Oct. 2 but it is there.  Now I need to actually finish writing the book.  I'm really excited to see all the other writers involved this year.  There are already over  200 entries.  That's a lot of reading to do.  I can't wait for the commenting and voting to open up so we can get some feedback.  Even without winning the contest the feedback itself is worth entering.

So if you have a chance, go check out all the great chapters that are up and support your favorite writers.  Just in case I get so busy writing the next few weeks - I'll remind you all right now to go VOTE!