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#IWSG #Writing Life: Here We Are, December Already
Our tree-mostly decorated by my son.
Question of the month is: what are your writing goals for December?
November is over, and the tree is up! Now, it’s time to think about Christmas shopping. Yeah, I know, I’m late in starting, but that’s how I roll…every single year!
Well, NaNoWriMo has ended and I finished just shy of 14k. I am a bit disappointed that it wasn’t way higher, but progress is progress, right? I set another goal for the story I started with this and that is to reach 75k (or if the story feels complete before that) by Feb. 1st, 2019. This I believe is a reasonable goal.
From there I plan to set it aside for a few weeks to work on other projects. I hope to go back to it around March/April and begin the editing/revision phase. After this I’d like to see about gathering a few Beta readers to help me make the story even better. My goal is to have as polished a manuscript as possible by the end of 2019. Around this time, I may even attempt to take part in the Pitch Wars.
What about you? What are your writing goals for December? I love to hear them!
***IWSG stands for Insecured Writer’s Support Group. Want to know more? Click here.
Story Sunday: Journey’s End
There, he stood at the twilight of life
where the sun quickly descended for the horizon.
He glanced back and saw all the closed doors.
So many.
Regrets. Wrecked promises. Missed opportunities.
Yet…
there were also realized dreams, unbroken vows, seeds sowed now in full blooms.
Legacies to live beyond the barriers of the physical body.
No, he refused to linger another moment
for there was one remaining door to cross,
into the rising moonbeams that will carry him
up, up
to the final journey.
#Thanksgiving: 5 Things I Am #ThankfulFor
I don’t know about you but I can hardly believe it is THAT time of the year! It feels like it was just yesterday when I was in shorts and puttering in our garden. Now, I’m prepping for a Thanksgiving Day meal.
Is it me, or has time sped up?
As in the past, I like to make a list of things I am grateful for. Here are five:
- My family. I am so grateful for my husband (of nineteen years) and fifteen year-old son. Those two have kept me grounded when I think I might have (permanently) left this reality for an imaginary one.
- Writing. I am thankful that I discovered the magic of writing so many years ago. It enabled me to work through the many dark times in life as well as opened up doors to the many opportunities and wonderful people I never would have encountered. All have been such blessings of hope that kept me going!
- This country. I am so so thankful to live in this great country! It is so full of beauty and variety. As of today, I’ve visited perhaps thirty states. I hope to visit the rest in the near future (have yet to see the Pacific coast).
- Health. I am thankful to be alive and healthy. I’ve known so many who are no longer with me and they will be in my thoughts tomorrow.
- My animals. Okay, I’m going a little mushy now. I am thankful for the many pets I have in and around my house. They keep me thoroughly entertained all day long. And not to mention, great company when both my guys are gone during the days.
What about you? What are you thankful for?
#NaNoWriMo: Midpoint
November is already half over–can you believe it?
And what’s even crazier is that one week from today is Thanksgiving!
Heck, I haven’t gotten a turkey yet much less planned a menu for it. I’ll work on it over the coming weekend…maybe.
I’ve been writing away on a story for NaNoWriMo currently sitting at about 7,200 words for the month. Yeah, the word count is quite low provided that I didn’t start until the 5th day. I’ve set up a goal tracker for this novel that by February 1st 2019 to have written a total of 75,000 words. This will be more realistic, but that won’t stop me from trying to get as many words done for November as I can. At that point (after November 30th), I plan to go back to writing my other projects.
So, what is this story I’m currently writing?
Click on image to read
Brief synopsis:
Nyssa Mann found herself in a zombie apocalypse that claimed everyone she cared for. In search for a safe haven, she met a stranger who promised just that only to be tricked into a fantastical world where she will face a new kind of terror.
There are currently eight chapters up on Wattpad if you’d like to follow along Nyssa’s adventures. I’ve been trying to write about one new chapter per day. At the moment, a total of 30 chapters are slated for the completion of this book (possibly there will be additional chapters). This may also be Book One in a series or saga for the overall story but for now I’m taking this one day at a time.
What about you? Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? If not, are you currently working on a writing project? I’d like to hear about it! 🙂
#IWSG: Should You Use #NaNoWriMo To Write Your Novel?
The question for this month’s #IWSG: should you use National Novel Writing Month to write your book?
Click on the image
My answer?
Why not?
I think NaNoWriMo is a great way to get that first draft written. As part of this community, you know you’re NOT alone in pursuing a common goal: 50,000 words in 30 days.
50,000 words may not finish the book, but it’d make a darn good start.
This year, I’ve decided to write my NaNoWriMo book on Wattpad as an added incentive to complete the first draft especially since I’m terrible at finishing anything I start.
What about you? Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? Do you think it’s a good way to write a book?
#SixWordStory: Sea Her
Photo Credit: unsplash.com
The sea no longer wants her.
#HappyHalloween Fun Tidbits
Here are some fun tidbits you may not have known about Halloween:
- Did you know that the first Jack O’ Lanterns were actually made from turnips?
- If you completely freak out whenever someone mention the word “Halloween” then you might have Samhainophobia.
- If you see a spider on Halloween, it means that a deceased loved one is watching you (which sounds a little creepy).
- But, if you hear an owl’s call on Halloween it means someone is going to die. Yikes!
- Masks can deter evil spirits! Of course back in the day, pagans wore animal skins and heads, aren’t you glad that still isn’t the case today?
Happy Halloween!
#Halloween #Spooky #Story: A Ghost Town
#Halloween #Story The House
*Author’s Note: I’m re-posting a story from one year ago. This one was based on the very first short story I wrote as an eleven-year-old and of all genres I naturally wrote a horror story. 🙂
Penny, the new kid on the block, stood in front of an old, rickety house along with two new-found friends.
She swallowed hard as she stepped up to the front door.
“Don’t be a scaredy cat and go in!” Darla called out.
Inside the dank-smelling entryway, cobwebs littered every nook and cranny. Dark and not a living soul present as the young girl walked down a hallway.
A movement on her right caused Penny to pause.
On the long, narrow table sat a huge glass platter with a steel cover. The cover rattled ever so slightly.
She slowly reached for the metallic lid and lifted it.
The first thing she saw was the wrinkled balding head, and in a great start, she released her grasp on the heavy top which landed on the hard floor with a thunderous clang that echoed throughout the building.
Her brown eyes widened as she stared at what sat on the glass dish.
A head of an elderly man who appeared to be asleep. His skin pallor and sunken except for one eye where folds of flesh drooped.The sight had her rooted to the spot as she held her breath fearing that any noise would awaken him.
Suddenly, his eyes sprung open. Black as coals they completely mesmerized Penny…
Until the mouth opened and an evil cackle bellowed from it.
She turned and ran screaming out of the house, and didn’t stop screaming until she reached her friends down on the curbs.
What dismayed her further was that they were laughing.
At her.
“It’s not funny!” She said.
Darla, the brunette, giggled through her hands but it was the blondie who spoke.
“If only you could have seen your face!” Roxie said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
Penny glared at them. “You knew about this?”
“Oh yeah.” Darla finally replied. “Old man Marco’s been doing this every year for years.”
The red-head folded her arms at her two so-called friends. “And where does he usually pull this prank?”
“In the kitchen. On the table with the red cloth.” Roxie answered.
“Well, his head was on a platter in the hallway between the kitchen and living room,” Penny stated. “And it did NOT have ANY tablecloth.”
Roxie and Darla looked at her.
“Go on.” Penny pointed to the house. “Go check on the old man!”
Clasping each other’s hand, the two girls walked across the front yard, and through the doorway disappearing into the murkiness.
Penny continued to stand with her arms folded and waited.
Moments passed before screeching screams sounded through the house, and the pale-faced girls galloped outside, nearly colliding with Penny.
Unmoved, Penny asked, “Well?”
“Th-that wasn’t Marco!” Darla said. “And-and there was no body under the table!”
“But the head was real, right?” Penny asked.
Both girls nodded in earnest.
All pairs of eyes turned to the house just as the front door creaked shut.
