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!

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

--More applications to fill out

--Work on Hub Article

--Work on Winds

Oct. 15:

--Post for Wishlist Challenge

--Shootout Due

--Deadline Due

--Start Outlining for HoR I: FA

--Work on Winds

--Outline more on The Funny Thing About Keys

Schedule to be updated next on Oct. 15 (late) or Oct. 16 (early).

That Ol' Knot Is Back

By that, I mean the knot in my stomach. Yes, this isn't an update on my writing so much as a personal rant/seeking advice. I have a lot of things on my plate that are worrying my at present. I mean, really. I'm still searching for a job--although I totally just applied for a Tech Writing job that I am oh-so qualified for. And I need money. Now.

Enter the desperation. Now, I'm not "selling illegal stuff" desperate or "selling an organ I'm still using" desperate, but I'm pretty bad off. I've applied and applied, and barely got a nibble. I'm tired of not bringing in any cash. I mean, don't get me wrong, most of the stories I've submitted and got accepted have a payment attached, but these are short stories. They don't pay much, and they only pay when they're in print/online. And I know what some might think: "Well, just finish the any number of longer works you're working on." Yeah, well, I kind of need money to do that. Can't write if I don't have a place to write in.

But let me get to the seeking advice part of this blog. I stumbled across Hubpages.com and I've done a little research. They're legit. However, I don't know if doing this would be a waste of my time. Do I sign up and go for it, or what? I think I might just.

Anyhow, my point is thus: I'm a college graduate with a BS in English (haha, I know). I've been working in the independent publishing (fiction) game practically since I left UNA's doors. I have library experience, as well as experience dealing with massive amounts of teens at once. I can write like nobody's business. Wanna know what I'm not good at? Job hunting. I could use some help there. I don't want to work in fast food--or food at all, if I can help it. Not because I think I'm "above it," but because I think I'd be the worker that everyone would mutter, "Are you freakin' serious? She messed up that?" in those situations. I'm not a terribly confident person sometimes, so I'm not sure I can handle that. But there are 9 to 5 jobs I'm pretty sure I could do. Retail, for example. Why the hell can't someone just hire me? I feel like I've gone in the same circles, round and round for nothing.

So, if anyone out there reading this knows of someone who might be interested in an English major with a history minor who has a crapton o' library experience, give me chat. Meanwhile, screw it. I'm signing up with hubpages.

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Maddie!

Isn't she just a ball of adorable? This, folks, is my beautiful little niece, Madeline Rose! Congrats to her parents, Laura and Lee!

So, what's going on with me? Nothing much. Preston starts school Monday, we're here watching Savvy and Tyler's pets--and Leigh Anne's, lol. I have a lot of applications to fill out. And as for writing? Well, I've been bad recently. I really need to get back on track. I promise, my next blog update will be with some better news on that front. But, for now, here's a picture of the cute little baby with a toothpaste bow in her hair... um, on her head. LOL.

Planning Ahead

I'm a planner. I mean, seriously, if I knew exactly what it took, I would be a Wedding Planner, I love to plan so much. But, oddly, one of the things that often requires a lot of planning for, I rarely plan ahead for, leaving it to be done as I'm supposed to be working. What am I speaking of? Yup, nearly a month early, but I speak of NaNoWriMo! I had the great pleasure of winning last year with this little (fanfic) baby (click here for link):

Usually, I don't plan for NaNo until a couple of weeks before Nov. 1st--the kickoff. And last year, I only had three chapters of Building Blocks outlined until a few days into November. In fact, I had not even planned on participating last year--long story, folks--so I didn't even have a story until Oct. twenty-something. But I participated and won.

But this year... this year, it's different. AD Spencer had made a banner and sent it my way, cementing what her choice for NaNo was this year. Because, let's say, we both had a lot of choices. I literally had a list that had both original fiction works that were both novellas and novels to three fanfic sequels. But after talking to AD it hit me. I want a novel done. One I can sell. So I went with this:

I've had the House of Roanoke series planned for forever! It started out as a series of Short Stories in my head. However, my number one fan for this series (yeah, it's AD) led me to believe that it could be a novel. After some thinking, I realized that, yeah, I love this story enough to make it a novel. And then I thought some more and came to the conclusion that it could be four novels. And then I talked to AD again and realized that an old story idea of my could be linked to this world. So, although it's not apart of the quartet, it's a companion to this world. And then I talked to her about a problem I had concerning one of the characters in the House of Roanoke... how I didn't know what to do with them at the end. I told her what I didn't want to do. And then she made a wonderful suggestion. And, once again, although it isn't to be apart of the quartet, it is definitely a sequel/companion novel to follow. Keeping count? No? Well let me tell you. That's six. Six novels in the planning for this world that so far has only been one unpublished short story--which is a very bad version of chapter one of Family Affairs, btw.

So what's the story to this thing? Well, I'm not willing to say at this moment, other than the fact that I draw upon the story of Roanoke, America's first attempt at a colony. It's a supernatural genre, and it's geared toward adults, though maybe not for the reasons that one might automatically think of when someone thinks "adult fiction," if you get my drift.

So outlining here I come. NaNo '11, your ass is grass, and I'm the lawnmower! (Yikes, I haven't heard that since I was five.) Now... to actually do some work.

Where I Stand

Okay, that image is just a little pretty I did in anticipation of the upcoming premiere of Supernatural Season 7. They've already given us the first minute or so of it online as a promo... all I can say is exactly what AD Spencer said... Mean Cas is Mean :(

(Oh, and the crackle texture I used can be found in the gallery of AshenSorrow.)

So, what am I up to, you ask? As you can see over to the right, I've finally added that other novella. Yeah, I know that 10k isn't technically a novella in some cases, but it can go up to 15k. I just put the minimum to be safe. I've put up that chapter of Trials at fanfiction.net, so now I'm due for Chapter 16 of The Funny Thing About Keys. I've set a good pace for those two, so even if I don't finish them on the exact date I have shared with AD Spencer, I'll at least finish really close to it. My other fanfics, you ask? Yeah, they're still around. The next fanfic past these two that I want to finish is... and this is the first place I've announced this, mind you... Youth and Innocence. It's fully outlined--I'm ashamed to say considering the last time I updated on it--so it shouldn't be that difficult. Also on the fanfiction front, AD and I have entered into a livejournal community's challenge called the 50 States of SPN--livejournal community shares the same name. The challenge? Have a LJ account and sign up for an open state. Then, between now and sometime in Dec, write a fanfic at a minimum of 1k about a myth or legend that takes place your state. They've recently opened back up in efforts to fill all 50 states with only a handful being considered closed. AD and I both have Alabama, but there's still spots open in that. There's also spots open in the other states we asked for--her: Mississippi; me: Alaska.

I also recently posted on my craft blog, Craft Wars. If it so strikes your fancy to do so, be sure to check that out! Also, see my previous blog post for a link to that writing competition I entered. I'd be very thankful for any and all votes on my story, entitled "Piece of."

And that's my writing update. Now, it's back to the ol' grindstone (re:keyboard).

55,799

See that number? Yeah, the one up there in the title? Know what that is? No? Well, I'll tell you. 55, 799 is the number of words--words--that I wrote total last month. And that's both in fanfiction and in original fiction. The banner up there? That's my nifty prize for doing 31 fanfics in 31 days.

Now, did I finish those two huge deadlines due at the beginning of this month? Um... no. However, if I can direct you attention over there ----> Those names and wordcounts are the novellas I'm still working on and where I stand on them. I'm still working on them with the full intention to finish them and sent them off. I have one other that I've signed on to finish, so when I come up w/ a title it'll be added over there.

In other news? Yeah, I'm still applying for 9 to 5s, working on finishing Trials and The Funny Thing about Keys (which is the one that's due to have a chapter uploaded... as soon as I write it, lol). I also need to be thinking about--not too heavily until October--about what I'm doing for NaNoWriMo. I have several novel projects--not to mention two other novellas I wish to work on. And I have a fanfiction sequel I've been promising for oh, about forever. At least a year, lol. So, yeah.

Now, before I go, there's just one other thing. I've entered a fiction contest that is totally reliant on public votes to win. I'd really appreciate it if anyone who reads this who might not have already voted for my story would vote. Or pass the word to others to vote. Click my story title for the link: "Piece of"

Thanks. Oh, and also, I finally did that blog about the pros and cons of having a writing buddy. You can find it both on my personal writing blog here or at the Guild of the Fantastic Quill's blog. I'd love to hear any thoughts on the subject. So, until next time!