I picked up these perennials from the grocery store. They were so pretty, I couldn’t help myself. What are they? I don’t know. But they’re pretty!
I turned in the proofed version of To Tempt the Wolf last night and started working on Red Wolf Christmas. I hated to look to see how far behind I am because of the novella and proofing 2 books. Eight thousand words. So I’m getting my word count for today, and then I’ll try and get a little extra to whittle down my behindedness.
At the writer’s retreat, another writer and I took a long hike along the farm roads and I, of course, brought my camera, just in case there was anything interesting to take pictures of. Of course there was. There always is!
I turned in the proof of Silver Town Wolf: Home for the Holidays and I’m working on the proof of To Tempt the Wolf. It’s VERY long. In the early days, we had to have more word count and I wrote a LOT of words. I managed to get through 166 pages, but still have 340 to go. It’s a fun story and I haven’t read it in 10 years (this is the 10th anniversary release book), so it’s all good.
Boltz–the omega wolf, International Wolf Center, Ely, MN
Every day I get behinder and behinder (author’s prerogative to make up words that work for story–really) on my goals. So why make goals? I think it’s so I can play catch up all the time.
I turned in Hunting for the Red Wolf novella, yay! Got started on final proofing of Silver Town Wolf: Home for the Holidays, when I got an email from yet ANOTHER editor with a request to do the final proof of yet ANOTHER novel: To Tempt the Wolf, the 10th Anniversary Edition. The first is due on the 22nd, the second on the 29th. It sounds like for the other that I have a lot of time, but I’m still working on the first one, AND every day I don’t write on Red Wolf Christmas, I’m 2,000 more words behind. *sigh*
Looming off in the not too far distant future are more edits for Wolff Brothers You Had Me at Wolf. You see, I love, love, love turning in my books. Done. Finished. The End. But then, they keep coming back for 3 sets of edits and final proofing. lol
The problem this year is not only do I have the 3 full length novels to write and edit and proof, I have 3 novellas to write and edit and then along with proofing those, I have the three 10 yearanniversary novels to proof. I wonder why I get behind on my word count goals??? I think last year I only had 1 novella to write? So this year it’s been overwhelming.
Ugh. Stressville, here I come. I’m going with my daughter to swim this morning, last time before she works all week again, which means a little shorter hours for me on the two days I take care of my granddaughter–by about 2 hours. Soooooo, maybe I can write a little more on those days. They’re my off days.
In the meantime, I’m halfway through proofing Silver Town Wolf and hope to have it done today, and then tomorrow I’ll start on To Tempt the Wolf. Both are long books so take some time. Despite all this, setting goals is important. I wouldn’t get half of what I need to get done, done, unless I set the goals for each book all the time. And then try to catch up on the books that I’m behind on! So it works….
Before I have to run off in an hour and a half, I’m off to work.
This little fellow was hanging in the trees in the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul. I was so excited to see one that wasn’t sleeping in a hammock, hidden behind smudged glass and a fence (Waco Zoo). He was just hanging right there for me to take a picture! Such a beautiful tree sloth.
I sent in the novella! Yay! Today I have to concentrate on edits on Silver Town Wolf. It’s due July 22.
While I was taking the garbage out, I heard two owls hooting from different trees in the neighborhood. I wanted to see them so bad. lol Too dark. I have no idea what kind of owls they are either.
Off to feed the puppies, or not. They went back to sleep. And next, edits.
This is one of my favorite pictures I took of my daughter’s corgis. Can you tell who the alpha is? Luna is. Rilo, the male, is definitely the beta. But the background was so horribly busy and junky, you know you can’t get dogs to pose like this in the perfect spot, so the texture added made it fun.
Okay, so I didn’t like the opening of the story, had another idea, and ran with that. ONLY, I got edits for the novella and another book and I had to stop everything to work on the novella. And once I reread that and turn it in, I have to do the edits on the other book, reread it and turn it in. And then, I have to get back to this book. BUT, the story is pushing to be written. The characters are showing me the scene, so after I did all the edits, I had to write the scenes last night. I just had to. But today, I HAVE to concentrate on rereading the novella. Well, after baby goes home.
So baby is here, I didn’t get enough sleep and it’s going to be a very long day. lol
As a writer, I have to remind myself of that. Sometimes, I have to get the backstory out, just so I know a little about the situation. I can’t plot out a story from start to finish. So I have to find my way.
I wrote the beginning, but it’s not the beginning. It doesn’t have any oomph. But you have to get started. You can’t edit what you haven’t written. And sometimes I find that the beginning is maybe a few pages down, or even later in the story. Or, it’s just to help me get started and I can get rid of it later.
In any event, on another sleepless night, I was thinking of how I wanted to start the story. Kind of. I don’t plot.
I took this photo of the orangutan momma and her baby eating lettuce leafs at the Waco zoo, but the background was so ugly and cluttered, I wanted to emphasize the momma and baby so added an oil texture.
Okay, I’m off to write before I have to go to the dentist. Who all hates going to the dentist????? I have nothing against dentists. They are good for my teeth. I just hate what has to be done to my teeth!
So I was wracking my brain for a story idea for the Red Wolf Christmas novel. I write a Christmas story every year for my publisher. My stories are always romantic suspenses full of mystery and wolves or jaguars, of course. And every time I try to come up with a new idea for Christmas, I get myself sidetracked in the suspense and mystery. Wait! It’s Christmas.
That sent me in a whole other direction. Sleigh bells ring, are you listening…
Well, yes, and that’s the start of the story. I was reading one blogger’s take on Christmas stories. The ones that are classics, have a dark side to them. My editor reminds me it’s supposed to be a Christmas story. Well, yes, and a Happily Ever After, but it needs the darkness too, the conflict, and the light at the end.
I was trying to watch the Good Witch and it was driving me crazy. She is sickeningly good. That’s no fun. lol
We’re supposed to have storms all day, no pool for my granddaughter and me. I’ve been pulling up a ton of grass and other weeds. Still have a ton more to do. But I’m also always finding fun surprises. A new holly sprouted! Not sure it’s in a good place. I might have to try and transplant it. But I hope it is like my neighbor’s. I love their hollies.
I’m off to play with the toddler. Have a great day!
I finished the novella, but stalled on writing the promo blogs and have to figure out a plot for the next book. I really wanted to get the blogs done today so they’d be out of my way, but…..my brain is on hold.
I’m taking My Photo Artistic Life Online Workshop, and this was the first challenge.
These are the two pictures I combined that I’d taken myself at a Wisconsin zoo. And then we had to add a vector, two textures, and a frame that they provided.
It was fun! Who knew you could add fish on top of another photo, change the blend mode and the fish would just add some color?
Anyway, I was out early this morning trying to weed, and out late last night weeding, trying to beat the heat and the storms. We might get some of the hurricane hitting New Orleans. When I wanted a little rain to help cool things down, that wasn’t what I had in mind!!
Off to write. I need to pick up some groceries, JUST in case. Hmm, m&ms, potatoes, oh, okay, batteries, water….
Signed Books at Barnes and Noble, Woodlands Mall, Woodlands, TXWild Cougar SnarlingWild Wolf Growling
The snarling cougar and red wolf are created using a paint mask splatter and then clipping the animal to the mask, then adding a texture!
I ran more errands than I planned yesterday, wrote a 1,000 words on the novella, and hope to have it done by Saturday. Then I’m starting on the full length novel, Red Wolf Christmas.
In the meantime, I received more promo blogs to do, but I’m concentrating on the novella first! Need to finish it and send it to my beta readers so I can edit it again and send it to my editor.
Baby’s on her way, and that means not much writing can be done today. Hope you all are having a great day!
