Writing, Interviews, and Book Reviews

I'm taking the evening off (I say evening, it's 11 pm here) to do a bit of writing and reading. I read through half of Patricia Wilson's Walk Upon the Wind, and I forced myself to put it down so I could write for a while. I'm be doing a book review about this little gem shortly.

I've been busy lately, sick kids, sick myself, hubby working out of town...oh, and I've been remodeling the bathroom on my own. That was a sick, sick idea to try and tackle all that painting and wall papering on my own with a toddler running loose in the house...but I digress. I usually sit at the computer for hours on end, blogging, promoting, doing business things, etc. About three hours of that time I'd say I spend writing. I try to log at least 1,000 words a day, and when I don't meet that goal, I don't feel disappointed so much as I feel I've cheated myself an opportunity to get ahead, to get that one step closer to finishing a book.

For the past few weeks it's been really hard to concentrate, really hard to dig my heels in and "just do it". I love that motto, and try to apply it where I can, but my muse has been suffering a severe case of exhaustion. I usually read to recharge, or do something crafty - reroot a doll, paint the house, I tend to run to extremes with that sort of thing. However even facing these things I really love, I just feel...well, depleted.

It takes a lot of time, heart, and brain power to write a story, and if I don't feel those elements are aligned, and I mean perfectly in conjunction with one another, I flounder. It's my greatest weakness as a writer.

I just came off the release of In The Gloaming: A faerie Anthology for Freya's Bower, and I wrote and went through a rapid session of edits for two stories I have coming up in horror anthology called Weirdly 2. After those two projects were finished, I truly felt like I'd been running a marathon. I'd sit to tinker with my HQN Bites story I started a few months ago, and I'd draw a complete blank.

I managed to put a very rough story on paper, but after the work on the two anthologies, I picked it up to begin cleaning and pruning and I realized my heart just wasn't in it. I needed a clean break. I waffled for a few days, my muse in a total coma. I watched a string of my favorite movies: Blade, Big Trouble in Little China, The Howling, Hackers... anything to try and get the creative juices flowing, and yet I still couldn't seem to get my writing groove back.

I don't know what it was really that woke the muse, but something certainly kicked her in the pants. Just when I was beginning to worry too. I haven't had a "no write" streak like this since I had writer's block when working on Wicked Temptation. Scary stuff....

I pulled two key points from my previous wip and began reworking it. Before this, I had placed the setting in a place I've always admired from afar, but have never actually visited - South Beach in Florida. Well,  right after I pulled out those key points and started tinkering with them it dawned on me - "Hey, this would be more singular and authentic if I put this in one of my old home towns".

I did just that, and it started a firestorm. I'm half way through my new story and its like a found that magic spark again. I think of the old saying, "Write what you know." Maybe there is a certain truth to that, even when you don't think that what you know is really all that great. To add another great quote to that bit of logic: To thine own self be true.

I'm hoping I'll have my story ready to submit to HQN by the end of the month. I'd love to have it in by the 25th - my toddler son's birthday. I'm tentatively making that my goal. May 25th - 31st. Now to actually keep myself on track.

I did find a little extra motivation today while surfing the net. I found out that Cupid Library Reviews recently reviewed not only my latest book, but they reviewed 2 other books in my backlist as well. In short, they reviewed ALL my Werekind books in one fail swoop. Woot!

http://www.cupidslibraryreviews.de/crossingborderscz.php 

http://www.cupidslibraryreviews.de/bondingexperiencecz.php

http://www.cupidslibraryreviews.de/dominantterritorycz.php 

Thanks, CLR. I needed a little good news sent my way!

For those who are fans of the Silhouette Nocturne series, be sure to drop by the Midnight Moon Cafe tomorrow - er, in a few hours, lol. Thursday, May 8th author Patrice Michelle will be talking about her new book Scions: Insurrection. We will be giving away a free copy, so be sure to drop in for a chance to win. Too, I have it on good authority, this is one awesome interview, so don't miss out! 

Back to reading my Patricia Wilson, I think. The lights are flickering. We're having a spring storm, so I better shut down due to lightning. Good night, everyone. And hang in there - Friday's just over the horizon!

Live, love, write...
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