"Building A Mystery": Writing For Intrigue

 I love the new look!  You guys did a great job. Now, I just need to figure out how to make everything work.

Delores

Julie, I had trouble getting in as well, but it all seems to be fixed now.  

Yay, "Betty" you're here. I hope everyone else finds us.

Hi Everyone!

I am so happy you found the Writing for Intrigue discussion. 

We had a few glitches getting everything up and running yesterday, but as of this afternoon all of the discussions have been updated.

Thank you for your patience with us during this transition.  I hope you enjoy all of the new features and when you get a moment, make sure you update your profile, add some friends to your buddy list and click on some tags.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you!

Yay! I am gland to see everyone.  I can't wait for us to get back to normal. 

So what are everyone's plans for 2008?  Looking forward to reading or writing or doing something, in particular?

I'm excited about going to the RWA conference in San Francisco this summer.  And my son graduates from high-school (don't know if I'm ready to send him off to college yet but he's a young man and ready to launch into the world).  I'm looking forward to reading Debra Webb's new ST Nameless next month, along with my RITA books--those are usually an interesting mix of authors and genres and gets me to read something different from my usual choices.

And I'm having a blast writing on the third book of my Brotherhood of the Badge mini-series for Intrigue .  The second one I finished in December focused a lot more on the mystery, so was more intellectually draining for me--but this one is a rip-roarin' thrill ride!  Plus, I added several canine characters.  I love it when I can work my dogs (well, they're not ALL mine) into a story!

My brother deploys overseas again this year, and while I'm not looking forward to it, I know it will be a big event that will occupy my thoughts a lot.  Keep the troops and their families in your thoughts and prayers. 

So what other big doin's do you have going on this year?

Julie Miller 

Cool Rebelle! Going back to school will be so much fun!

 Great question, Julie.

My immediate plans are to get busy on my psychic book, the next book I'm submitting to Intrigue. It's a full draft, but it's got a long way to go to submission. I'm also working with my students to save our elective classes in my school district. I've also vowed to give up diets and just eat healthy and excercise.   

Mary Beth 

Wow, Mary Beth--I know how it is with public schools these days and elective classes (I taught Speech and Drama for 15 years)--they don't get the respect they deserve in many cases, and are often on the chopping block when it comes to funding.  So good luck with your quest!

And a psychic book? Sounds like something right up my alley. Good luck with the revisions and submission!

Good luck with school, Rebelle!

Jeanette--I'm with you on the priorities things.  I'm forever making short-term and long-term lists and putting what I think needs to be done first.  Then I get up the next day and something new comes up, or I decide something else is more important. Here's to being decisive and successful in 2008!

Julie Miller 

Glad to see I will be reading more of your books.

My goal is to survive tax season at work, take my DD on a vacation outside of the U.S. and keep on writing and submitting.  I am also hoping to save enough money to have a professional critique done of one of my favorite ms's. My r's of late are getting more positive comments but I want to improve my writing by taking a quantum leap.

Unfortunately, I know the answer to that one too Mallory

Hello to you all Intriguers. Wow this has become such a brand new place to visit. It is more personal so I dare not just lurk.

Thank you hosties for all your hard work. I must say you are all so clever to come up with the design for such a modern looking and intimate community atmosphere complete with friends.

My resolution is to complete two mystery suspense romances for Intrigue before the Nationals. I'm really looking forward to the conference. This will be my first visit to America. 

Linda 

Linda, good luck with those two books! Do you plan to pitch them at RWA?

Delores

I've never had three books come out in the same year, yet, so my goal for 2008 is to write three books that can come out in 2009.  I also really want to do a little more promotion on my 2008 books than I did on the first two.

Personally speaking, I'd like to get my work area better organized.  My "office" consists of one end of the sofa, a TableMate II and my laptop, but that's becoming less and less viable for me.

Delores, I am hoping to go to RWA this year as well!  It will be great to meet some of the Community friends and authors in person.  Plus, traveling to San Francisco is a bonus!

Hi Linda and welcome!  I am so pleased that you like the new design but, I will not take any credit for it.  Our wonderful Community Manager, orchestrated this with our technical team.  They did a fantastic job!

I noticed that you said this will be your first visit to America.  If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?

Hi Mary Beth!  Thanks for sharing your review of Finding His Child.   I agree, we’re a great group LOL.

Paula, I have the same resolution.  We just painted the spare bedroom (my office) “barn door red” and I love it.  Now I need to get all of my stuff organized.  I hope to do it by the end of this month.  Wishing you good luck with completeing three books this year.  I look forward to hearing more news.

Tracy, I am not sure if it is a Mom thing, but I always feel guilty about not spending enough time with ds.  I am working on finding that balance as well.  It might be a yearly resolution

Thanks for the welcome all.

Jeanette I hail from Melbourne, Aus. It's perfect day here in Melb, sunny, not too hot with a gentle but cool breeze blowing.

What will the weather be like in SF late July/August? Is SF a beautiful city as I imagine? Can't wait to explore it. Has anyone used SF as a setting in an Intrigue?

LInda. 

A UFO?  How cool!  I will have to watch the late night news tonight and see what this is all about.

Mary Beth, there is still lots of time before the conference, so you never know.  Sending good vibes your way.

Linda, I have never been to Australia but it is on my list of to-do’s.  I did some looking into the weather in San Francisco and according to the www.sanfrancisco.com website, the weather in July is  “characteristically overcast and cool”.

I am sick with a terrible cold that has hit me hard.  I spent most of the day sleeping and I am hoping to wake up feeling much better tomorrow.

I hope you're having a good day!

Jeanette, no sightings yet, but we're still looking. It's probably some new aircraft they haven't told us about. I remember when they were testing the Stealth, everyone kept reporting UFO sightings then too. I live right by Sheppard AFB, so it would make sense. It's so much more to think that it's aliens though. :-) One of my friends has aseries of alien books out right now. I told her her publisher was going to a lot of trouble to promote her books. 

 Delores, TWO in school at the same time?!?ACK!!!! I want dd yo stay local for a year just to getsome basics out of the way and grow up a little, but the local universities don't offer the major she wants. So she's (supposed to be) busy filling out sscholarship apps and checking into financial aid.

Hope everyone is having a great writing week. 

 Mary Beth

Your son was smart to get English out of the way. DD will IF she passes her AP tests. :-) I hope she'll do an online Algebra class through our community college this summer. She's in Stats now and it's kicking her butt this semester. She has a math learning disability, but she wanted to take a math her senior year so she didn't lose the skills. I tried to talk her out of it, but that never works with her. She's the most stubborn child I know. 

LOL on dh being a huge SciFi/UFO fan. It's funny to see everyone looking up once it gets dark. We're big SciFi UFO fans too. Definitely looking forward to the new X-Files movie out this summer.

 HUGS Jeanette again. I hope you're feeling better.

I hope everyone is writing LOTS. I'm still reading too much and not writing enough!

MB 

Jeanette, yep--two in college. Both are on scholarships that pay for tuition, but we still have to pay for books, housings, food, phones, car insurance.....well, you get the picture.  

When they graduate, I'll be one cheering the loudest.

Delores

Ellen, you know, I think you might be right.

YAY Jeanette. I'm glad you're feeling better.

WOW Delores. Congrats to you and your kids. We just had the whole tuition and housing aren't the only expenses talk with dd in a way she FINALLY understood. That and my brother who did go off to university and started his life in DEEP debt talked to her about basics being basics when you're talking state school. One year isn't a lifetime, but I remember (vaguely) being that age, and I think I really believed one year WAS a lifetime back then!

 Mary Beth

So, did everyone have a good weekend?  I did a lot of running errands. 

Ds started soccer yesterday (soccer tots).  He spent most of the time sitting on the bench watching the other kids.  I tried so hard to convince him to join in.  I am hoping it is just a shy period and that we don't spend every Saturday people watching.

I haven't had much time to read lately, so I am going to find some time for myself this weekend (fingers crossed!)

Mary Beth, I am glad you're feeling so much better.  A little exercise can do that to you (well, after your body adjusts anyway!).

I haven't checked out the Sarah Conner Chronicles.  I saw the commercial a while ago and forgot about it.  I will have to do a search and see when it is on.

That is fantastic news about your first chapter.  You must feel great!  Good luck with your next few chapters.  I hope the momentum keeps rolling.

Happy writing!

Julie, a writers' retreat sounds GREAT.

 Delores

Congratulations Delores! That is awesome news.  Thanks Jeanette for sharing it!

I love Delores and Julie's books.

Well, Delores if you won't toot your horn, who will?

Have a great weekend!