Life, the Trishverse, and Everything

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Resolution 2012

Imagine that blog title, for a moment, in a deep movie announcer voice. *laughs* Sorry, couldn't help myself.

All right, so here it is. I've thought for the past week on this little list of resolutions for this year. Yes, I said, "list." I always give myself more than one resolution. I just love lists. More than one person probably should. Without further ado, the switch--ah, I mean, list (lame Darkwing Duck joke, sorry. For this one, see episode "Just Us Justice Ducks):

Writing Resolutions

Because these are the most plentiful of my resolutions, I thought I'd start off with them. We'll start with original fiction.

I hereby resolve myself to finish one novel this year. That means written, and in a state where I feel okay with sending it off to a publisher (because nobody ever feels great when they send it off, I think).

I also resolve to finish one novella. Same conditions as the novel.

Borrowing a leaf, once again, from AD Spencer's book, I also resolve to write at least 12 new short stories. More is better, but 12 is minimum.

Now, for the fanfiction:

I resolve to have the follow chaptered fanfictions finish within this year: Trials, All for Naught, Force of a Slayer, The Funny Thing About Keys, and Youth and Innocence. Lost list? You have no idea....

I also resolve to begin the following chaptered fanfictions this year: How to Save a Dhampire, Family, Devil You Don't Know, and Tribulations.

I also resolve to finish the Wishlist 2011 Challenge well before the Oct. 15, 2012 deadline--I'm hoping for a Late Feb.-Early March finish at the very latest.

I resolve to finish all challenges entered this year.

Personal

These were way harder for me to pin down, and much more vague. I really struggled with these. After all, if you're going to put as much thought as all of this *points to blog post* into a New Year's resolution(s), then it is obviously something you take very seriously. Whether you spend most the year thinking, "Huh, I just completed my resolution!" or not, these are still things that will be there in your mind. You just might not call them "resolutions" by December. Anyway, here's my personal resolutions:

I want to get married. I have been trying and try for the past three years to get married to my fiance. I'm skipping the ceremony--until I can afford it--and going with the courthouse. This will get done this year.

Watch what I eat. Not a full on diet, but I'm aware that this will be my 26th year on this planet and that means the beginning of a lot of things. I'm older. I need to start taking care of myself a little bit more. I need to cut back on *gulp* a lot of my favorite foods... cheese comes to mind. I need as much time as possible if I'm going to write all those novels I have planned.

Secure myself. I was uprooted and stayed that way throughout 2011. I'm sick of it. I want to hunker down somewhere and just stay there until I'm good and ready to move.

And actually... that's it. Yeah, I say that like that's not a substantial list or something. Yeah. But those are my plans for 2012. Think I can do it? Look, I'll be honest... I'm not sure myself. But that's not going to stop me from trying! Have a happy 2012!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Book Pimpage

Taking a page from AD Spencer's book, I've decided to do some pimpage of some books before I do the inevitable New Years' Resolution post. I've had some works published in some new books, so here's the low-down.

~*~

Daily Flash 2012

366 Days of short fiction pieces of all different genres. One for every calender day of the year. How can you pass this up? My stories "Dragon Fruit" and "Gowns I Have Worn" appear here. It can be purchased from either Amazon.com (link on the right) or the Pill Hill Press website.

Daily Frights 2012

Like it's Daily Flash counterpart, it's 366 flash pieces of fiction. Only this time, it's all horror, all the time! My two pieces in this one are "And All Through the House" and "Sunday Dinner." Again, this can be purchased on Amazon.com (Link on the right) and the Pill Hill Press website.

WTF?!

Newly published, and featuring my story, "Tooth Jacked," is the lovely WTF?! Antho. But don't let the cover scare you, there's some fun times ahead in this one! Purchasable on Amazon.com (link on the right) as well as off the Pink Narcissus Press site.

~*~

My New Year's Resolution post is to follow. Feel free to check out these books and the others containing my stories. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

2011: Early Round-Up

Okay, so it's been nearly two months since I last blogged. I apologize for that. So, what have you missed in the way of the Trishverse? Well...

Work

I've been working at Godiva for this entire time, and I gotta say. I really like it. I mean, it's not a career--that's still writing or librarian work at the very least--but as a job to support myself with while I work on those other two, I really like it. I mean, it's fun. It's a great group of co-workers and supervisors. It's not really stressful. I mean, there are moments, but nothing too horrible. Definitely have done more stressful work (those of you who know my workforce history know exactly what I'm talking about here). And I've found out that I'm being kept on after seasonal, so I don't have to worry about finding another job after Feb. 14th (which is when Godiva seasonal ends). All in all, this has been what has taken up most of my time, but I'm okay with that. I just need to re-discover my writing groove.

Personal

Car's broken down. Like, since before Thanksgiving. Busted valve, I think. But today it got hauled to a mechanic to see what it'll cost us to fix it. Thankfull, he's not charging us anything to look at it and give us an estimate. It would be absolutely frickin' wonderful if it wasn't all that much. So, fingers crossed on that.

My Christmas was kind of low-key. Not bad, but not as big as I usually do it. But, I'll tell you, I'm okay with that too. After years of aiming for big, decorative Xmases, it was kind of like a vacation. I'll do it big next year, and it'll be cool. Preston and I are both doing our personal Xmases a little later (actually, he just bought me something small as an Xmas gift, and ordered the big gift--the new Abarat book *yay!*). I need to figure out what to get him, lol. I have an idea, but I'm trying to do the money math and see if I can work it out.

Writing

Wow. I can't even properly express how far behind I am. I mean, I have two different fanfiction challenges to finish. That I'm behind on. I have several original fiction stories that I need to spruce up and send out. I need to do my 2012 Submission chart. I need to finish so many longer works that it's insane. I also am signing up for a longer fanfic challenge in the new year. And, oh, believe it or not, blogging has been on my list to do for these past two months. That's right... the blog I am just now typing. That's how behind I am.

But, I did get an acceptance for a story, "Ties," that I'd been trying to get published for the better part of a year now. Also, I have stories that have come out in PillHillPress's Daily Frights and Daily Flash collections. Also, my story, "Tooth Jacked," is/will be available from Pink Narcissus Press. And on Jan. 15th, my story, "So, These Monsters Walk into a Con..." will be available within UnCONventional, from Spencer Hill Press. Appropriate links for ordering/pre-ordering will be added over in the sidebar ---->

I haven't updated my writing site in a little bit. I'll have to catch up on that as well.

To Sum Up...

Screw it. 2012 is a new year, and I'm ready to face it head-on. My 2011 sucked so hard. I lost my house. I lost most of my material possessions. I lost good relationships that I never thought I would lose. I've been a burden to some and burdened upon. But right now, in this moment, things are okay. I have a place to stay. I have a job. I'm an aunt to a beautiful baby girl. Preston's doing great in school. He graduates in June. Things are getting better, slowly but surely. 2012 will be a better year. I know it will be. And I can't wait to greet it.

Oh, about the photo manip at the top of the blog. Much thanks to sunnydale-crossing.deviantart.com for restarting their challenges. I'd fallen behind on my photomaniping as well. It's nice to be getting back on track. (That was a winning manip, too).

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

It Has Begun

I mean a lot of different things with that title. Namely, however, I speak of NaNoWriMo. I did the midnight start up--as I've done every year but the very first year I did NaNo. I'm now sitting--as you can see at the side--at 2,070. I intend to add more to it tonight before I go asleep, trying to stay ahead.

I also start work tomorrow. I mean, I went to a Sunday night clean/stock thing, but this is work-work I'm starting tomorrow (Wednesday). During store hours. I really hope I don't accidently blow the place up or something.

Oh, and I also began one of my Wishlist 2011 fics last night. I don't plan for it to be longer than 300 or 400 words, so I got some good headway on it (like 50 words, lol). And I haven't started the next Trials chapter yet--I mean, NaNo--but it shall be done soon enough. In fact, if I feel good enough about it tonight, I might start it. I need to keep the relatively steady pace I have been so I can finish it and put up Tribulation.

Back to workforce gabber, I'm still looking for a second part-time job, as well as looking at libraries (well, going to be looking at libraries). And my fiance has an interview tomorrow, so good luck to him! Oh, I also got all my ID troubles and most of the car troubles fixed today. Things are looking up. Let's hope they stay that way.

Keep an eye on the sidebar to see my word count for NaNo rise! Or add me as a buddy! My name on NaNo is PatriciaLouise.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Plate=Full

Or rather, overflowing. I'm not sure where to start. How about the non-writing stuff for a change?

Non-Writing Stuff

Okay, so I'm still trying to get an apartment. To do that, I need my birth certificate. Hopefully I'll get a text from my sister at any moment, announcing that she's found it. At least, that way, I don't have to pay to get it and go through that whole mess. I think I'll also get a State Issued ID until I get an opportunity to get my license. It seems a bit easier that way. Also, although I do plan to have a ceremony when I can afford it--dress, flowers, the whole shebang--my fiance and I will be getting married as soon as we can afford it in a civil ceremony at the courthouse. That way, we can qualify for a bit more of the help that we need.

Oh, also, I totally have a job! I start this Sunday--if I understood that right--at Godiva Chocolatier. Godiva! Of all the 9-5s I could have gotten, I'm so happy that it was that one! I can't wait to be making a steady paycheck again. I miss it, seriously. As much as I love writing, that steady paycheck is just so nice.

Writing-Related Stuff

(The Twisted Library)

A sad bit of news here. I had three stories accepted and waiting for print (+2 I was waiting to hear from), and the Library has recently had to drop just about all of their anthologies. It was just costing the owner too much in this crappy economy. While understandable, that leaves me with 5 stories to search for new homes for. However, the Library will continue publish novels (+3, if I remember, of their anthos that were planned for print). If you want to support them, check out the forum here to see how to go about buying one of their ridiculously awesome novels!

(Trials)

I recently posted chapter 19 (titled "Between the Devil and the Deep Crimson Sea) up on fanfiction.net! After that, the count of chapters left to write and post, including the epilogue, is 7. Just 7! The end is near, folks! And I've got 122 reviews on it, and it'll end up being way longer (word count) than Untested was. Now if I could translate this power I have for this story into some of my novels or other fanfics. Anyhoo, the sequel to Trials will be call Tribulation, so there's something to chew on while you wait for chapter 20!

(NaNoWriMo)

Have I outlined? Nope. I actually negative outlined. Do I need to? Like you wouldn't believe! I need to get to 50 next month--while writing and working and doing holiday stuff and moving--and I have no plan past chapter one. Actually, I need this novel to end up being about 80k when it's finish. So, yeah. Oh, and speaking of that...

(Novellas)

So I added about 1500 or so words to Aftershock the other day. Yay moment, right? Yeah, I should have added it to Winds of Change. That's the one that's got an honest to God deadline. Something else I need to be working on. And another one that I only have a vague outline for. Not to mention the slew of other novellas I have planned that I haven't even started!

(50 States of SPN)

I've got a vague outline--no title--for my fic set in Alaska. I have a really good idea of what I want to happen in it and how I want it to happen. But for the one in Alabama? I've got a vague outline of the beginning. Have no idea how I'm ending this. I need to do more research for both, really, but mostly for the Alabama one. Of which I have no title for. Yeah. Posting for this begins Dec. 1st. Yikes, right?

(Wishlist 2011)

I have all 12 of my prompts! I'll be doing a post on my LiveJournal account of the complete list. They'll be in order I got them (not necessarily the order I'll do them in). Posting starts for that on Dec. 1st as well. I have a couple of those I have to research for, but only a couple. I'm sort of working on one of them now, since it's a character I've never written for before (did this to myself).

(SPN Crossover Big Bang)

What's a big bang? Well, as it was explained to me, it's where a fanartist and a fanficcer meet up. The fanficcer writes a story (in this case, a crossover and a long one), and the artist does fanart for that story. There is a sign up period (Jan 11th-Feb 25th) and several checkpoints. Posting of the fanfic--which is beta-read beforehand--doesn't begin until June. By then, the writer has written the complete fic, and the artist has done the art for it. Now, the big question is, am I doing this? Well, to be honest, I'm considering it. What Supernatural Crossover will I be doing? That's part of the consideration. I either have to come up with one, or stretch the one I have in my mind into a chapter-length fic. Of course, with the stretching idea comes the fact that I need to complete a particular sequel fic first. And I could do that. I could. I could work on both and post only the sequel fic. Then, ideally, it'll be done by June, in which I could post the Big Bang fic. But that's crazy, right? I just don't know. I'd really like some imput on that one.

And I think that's everything. I mean, I have a few other things going on that I need to do (flyers and craigslist related, oddly enough). Well, until then, here's my NaNo calender.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Wishlist Announcement!

I'm now accepting prompts for the Wishlist Fanfic Challenge! You can find the post on my LJ here! If you don't have an LJ account, just leave me an anon message! I've still got at least 10 spots open!

Another update, a better one, on the ways soon!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Lookin' Up AKA Writing Update AKA Schedule

NaNoWriMo.org is still working on its updates, so--for now--this blog, photobucket, and my deviantart page is the only place to see this cover. I'm not sure if I love the cover--I don't hate it, and I definitely like it better and better the more I look at it--but I just like my banner--soon to be added to the bottom of this blog page--better. So, catching up, let's get this blog post on the road.

Writing Related

I totally finished a novellette length work that will appear--unless something happens, nothing is ever set in stone--in an anthology (I really shouldn't say which one until the TOC is final). It ran a little over 13k, thought will probably be a couple of hundred under 13k after proper edits--which is totally cool. If you'd like, the title is over there ---> in my sidebar, and I'll leave its progress bar up until the work sees print. Then I'll replace it with a link to where the antho can be purchased.

So, let's see... what else? Oh, well, I have two other deadlines I wish to do for this month, one due in a couple of days and one due on the 31st. Also, I signed up to partcipate in several challenges/writing group things. First, there's the Pill Hill Press's Fall Shootout. It's currently closed for people to sign up to participate--sorry for the late advertisement, I'll do better for the Spring one, promise. But my good friend, AD Spencer, is also partcipating, as well as a couple of those that were also in the very first Shootout I'd ever partcipated in--2011's Summer one.

Next, of course, is NaNoWriMo. They finally put up the partcipation badges on the site--which is still being booted up from their updates--and I have mine added at the top of the sidebar ---> My synopisis is up for the novel I plan to attempt, and as soon as writing buddies are back up, I'd love to be added and/or to add you. Just send me an invite on the site (again, when it's up) and I'll return the favor. You can find me here.

Hmm... what else? Oh yeah, I joined in a fanfic challenge called The 50 States of SPN. See my LJ for more on that, but basically you sign up for states (two, in mine and Ariyana's case) and choose a ghost/monster/whatever story that actually exist for that state and write a fanfic where the Winchester Boys hunt said ghost/whatever. My two states are Alabama and Alaska. (AD's are Alabama and Mississippi). I have a good idea for both Alabama and Alaska, I just need to work on it. Posting of the finished fics begins on Dec. 1st.

Following that same train of thought, AD and I also signed up for The Wishlist Challenge which was advertised on Twisting the Hellmouth. Basically, you sign up for a full round (24) half round (12) or a quarter round (6). Then, on October 15th you make a post on your LJ, announcing the fandoms you will write for and what you will absolutely under no circumstances write for. Then, on a first come first serve basis, you accept prompts and write fanfics. Starting (again) on Dec. 1, you post one fic a day as a Christmas gift of sorts to readers. AD and I signed up for a half round. When I do my post on LJ, I'll do a blog with a link so you can prompt too, if you'd like.

I also have another novella due soon (Winds), but I'm not worried about it (yet... see me about this in November). Not to mention any other short story deadlines I want to meet, and Aftershock, another novella, I want to finish and try to find a home for.

And finally, in an attempt to make some pocket change--at the very least--I signed up for Hubpages to write articles. I currently have none written, but that will all change soon. I'll link to them here, but keep an eye on my profile for more info. I'll put a link to it at the side as well. And please, feel free to click an advertisements and links... I think that's how Hubpages pay me. I know all the Amazon advertisements are legit.

And back to fanfiction for a final moment, I've made a slight change to my plan. I've dropped trying to finish The Funny Thing About Keys so soon. I mean, it's definitely still one of the fics that I'll be finishing soon, but not as soon as Trials. I'm on a roll with Trials, and I need to outline on Keys, so for any Keys readers who actually keep up with this blog, please be patient. I don't want that fic to suffer just because I'd rather be writing on Trials. It's not fair.

Lookin' Up

Just a quickie here. Things are definitely looking up. Savannah and Tyler were kind enough, one day, to take me around the Galleria to apply for jobs. Because of that, I have already interviewed at Bath and Body Works--fingers crossed--and I have an interview at Michael's Arts & Crafts tomorrow. Now, all I need is to hear back from Godiva and Hobby Lobby and I'd be estatic. Any wishings of Good Luck are very much appreciated!

Oh, also, Preston is doing very well in his classes, and he has an interview as well tomorrow. Good Luck wishings for him as well, please!

Schedule (From 10/13 to 10/15)

Oct. 13:

--Edit Galley from SW (code, of course, lol)

--Finish NaNo Calender

--Work on Hub Article

--Update Craft Blog

--Work on Winds

Oct. 14:

--Edit for SHP

--Work on Shootout Story

--Work on Deadline for the 15th