Query Letter Video

Hey Friends! I just posted my first 2 videos on instagram of me reading the query letter for my short story. I’m looking for title recommendations, so if you have about a minute and a half, pop over to my instagram page and give me your thoughts!

My story is soft scifi and loads of fun.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

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1st Draft is Finished!

On Good Friday, I finally finished writing my fantasy novel, Refining Sylver! It’s taken me almost 2 years to bring it from an idea to a book.

The cover as seen on Channillo.

Refining Sylver started as a short story on Channillo and was a great opportunity for me to showcase my idea at about 20,000 words. It received positive feedback from readers and I was pleased that a few people ranked it as favorite, but I thought there was opportunity to deepen and expand the plot. I wanted to flesh out my characters and see where the story went.

About a year and half later, the first full length novel is complete at just above 95,000 words. I’m pleased that it reached such a length–I’m hoping to one day seek representation.

So, now my little word baby has been tucked into it’s file and will nap for a few months. In the meantime, I’m moving along to my summertime projects: writing short stories for magazine publication.

So raise a toast! I finished my book by my self-imposed deadline of the end of March! 2018 has been good for writing!

#Writing Update

Man, 2018 is flying by! Though I’ve been juggling a lot of sick days with the kiddos (we’re talking flu, bronchitis, and standard colds), I’ve still managed to add 20,000 words to my MS since New Years.

I had some concern over the summer that my fantasy novel wouldn’t meet with traditional publishing wordcount standards, but with a little quiet plotting and further character development, things have worked out.

I now feel confident that my werewolf novel will top out around 90,000 words–first draft.

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this novel; not only for it’s concept, but for it’s overall process and quality. Now that I’ve been doing this for a few years, it finally feels like I’m hitting my stride. (Other books I’ve written fall into that first few books category, usually quantified more by the love put into them than the quality of the end result.)

While I don’t know what the future holds for this current MS, I feel confident it’s the best of my writing babies, so far. Once it’s beautifully honed into the best version of itself, I’d love to go agent-hunting.

But in the interum, after the completion of the first draft, I am going to write a few short stories and seek out some magazine publications. It’s been a while since I’ve had my work showcased, and I feel the urge to get out there once again.

So cross your fingers folks! I’d love to finish my wip by the end of March. I’m optimistic of my chances, so long as the kids go to school and I get my me-time.

Cheers on this St. Patrick’s Day! (I’ll be drinking green Sprite with the kiddos!)

Are you meeting your writing goals for 2018? Please leave a comment or word of advice! We’re all in this writing thing together.

 

 

 

#Writerslife

A recent instagram post of mine that perfectly sums up my ongoing writing experience. (BTW–loving the writing experience this time around!)

instagram/vedbrown

Character Crushes

I’ve done a lot of reading over the past 6 months and in the process I’ve not only discovered a few more character crushes to add to my list, but also found a new female heroine to admire (and maybe emulate in my own books!).

In God Save the Queen, by Kate Locke, we meet Vexation Mclaughlin. He’s a charming Scott, Alpha, and romantic interest to the MC. Could not get enough of his wit and confidence. A good balance to the often brash MC, I was glad that their romance developed naturally without the normal hemming and hawing.

wikipedia

In Soulless, by Gail Carriger, we meet Lord Connal Maccon, also Alpha, a bit more rough around the edges, and romantic interest to MC. I was quickly won over by his rough manners and Scottish lilt. But his charm partly enlays in the relationship between him and my new favorite herione, Alexia Taribotti.

goodreads

Alexia is absolutely a compelling female character. She’s strong-willed, intelligent, witty, and as counterbalance, she’s a spinster with a big nose and exotic features. (Exotic for a Victorian based society, that is.)

I love how she’s confident even though she’s not seen as a traditional beauty and is a spinster–at the ripe old age of 26–in an time when that sort of thing was make-or-break. She holds her own with Lord Maccon and quickly seduces him–albeit unknowingly–with her intellect, strong personality, and self-reliance.

Alexia is a great female character to emulate, not only in real life, but in writing. I will put her on my shelf of fave female characters, alongside Scarlett O’Hara and Elizabeth Bennett.

In the world of reading, 2018 has been great to me so far! I’ve finished Origin, by Dan Brown, and I completley ran through Soulless in under a week. I’m torn between waiting a few days for Changeless (by Gail Carriger) to come in or go ahead and start A Time to Dance, by Padma Venkatraman—choices, choices, choices!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

 

Character Development: Great Concepts

This past weekend the hubs and I were watching Pan, when at the very beginning some omniscient being said something that was very enlightening.

She said, “Sometimes friends start out as enemies and enemies start out as friends.”

This simple statment speaks to me because it opens up avenues for character backstory and development. People don’t always start out as strangers, then fall into their permanent places. People evolve. Relationships change based on character decisions. I love getting this simple concept conveyed so concisely!

Anyway, just food for thought. Sustenance for your muses.

Cheers and have a great week!

New Year’s Res…’Cause We All Gotta Have One

Hey folks, I’m back from a crazy holiday season! I had a great time visiting with family, but I’m definitely happy to be getting  back to normal routines. So, now that I can afford to think about writing again, here’s what I have planned for 2018.

1. Finish the first draft of Refining Sylver. My werewolf, urban fantasy novel is just about 60,000 words and entering the final leg. I’m hoping to have the first draft wrapped up by March. Fingers crossed!
2. Start a new novel project. I’ve got two ideas right now: one about a color-blind alien race with some sort of conquering tendancies, and another about the estranged son of the boogie man looking for a little distinction. Maybe I’ll flip a coin?
3. Write two short stories. I figure one for the first half of the year and one for the second. Something to do inbetween editing and writing bigger things.

Other goals:

1. Read a bunch of books! I got a few for Christmas that I’m totally psyched for: A Time To Dance by Padma Venkatraman, and Soulless by Gail Carriger. We’ll see what else comes down the pike, but I’m eager to continue my reading endeavors.
2. Blog.
3. Take the dog out more. Sometimes I get wrapped up with kids and life. I’d like to make sure the dog gets more time at the park or more walks around the neighborhood.
4. Draw more character sketches (they’re fun).

 

I have no lofty goals about getting in shape or eating better. We’ll leave that for another year.

So, do you make goals for the new year, or just let it swing? Please leave a comment or experience below! I’d love to chat.