The awesome co-hosts today are: Tonja Drecker,Diane Burton, MJ Fifield, and Rebecca Douglass!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional!
November Question - Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?
Remember, the question is optional!
November Question - Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?
Hey there!
This past weekend my kids, husband, dog, and I went to my dad's for our annual pumpkin carving afternoon. It's always a sad(dish) day without my mom (She passed away in 2015.), but it's also very nice to carry on the tradition and to hang out with Grandpa.
Here are the pumpkins we carved (From left to right: My dad's, My husband's, My eldest son's (carved mostly by Grandpa, based on my son's design), My youngest son's (carved mostly by me based on his design), My middle son's.)
While they carved, I took pictures and discovered this editing feature on my husband's phone, which is why you get this artistic picture of our pumpkins instead of the one where they look normal and orange. :) You can see a couple of the other pictures I posted on tumblr.
Many of you know I ran a half-marathon in September and that it's nothing new for me to run that particular race (I've been running it since my oldest son (who's almost 12) was born, but I can't remember if I told you that my feet hurt (unusually so) for a couple of weeks afterward. No worries, however, they feel fine now. I'd just worried I'd done permanent damage. Learning nothing, I agreed to run another with my cousin at the end of November.
Since I knew I'd have to log some miles to train for another half this month, when my friend Monica tagged me in a Facebook running (log your miles) challenge, I figured why not? However, I found out it's a bit more involved than simply run when you run and keep track of your miles kind of a thing. There's payment and buying items for charity and group running involved...
Luckily, the ladies (that I just met via one private Facebook message the other night) seem very kind. One is going to shop for us all and I think they'll be understanding if I'm unable to be a part of the group runs.
Trying to fit in anything extra this month is insane BECAUSE, and this is the most important part of the post: I'M PARTICIPATING IN NANOWRIMO2017. What does that mean? IT'S NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH, so crazy creative writers frantically pen at lease 1,667 words per day in order to get a 50,000 word novel written during the month.
Most people spend the months prior planning out their plot so the writing will come much easier and their plot will be organized.
I spent the previous month finishing my novella, After the Ashes. I still need to find time to complete revisions so I can send it to my editor.
Which brings me to another thing I plan to do this month. Release book 1.5 in my Kingdom Come series.
How I planned for Nanowrimo2017:
- Bought candles
- Have my trusty phone with music on it next to me
- Took a long run and "plotted" out some of the action and dialogue for When Fire Rains Down (book 3 in my series)
I plan to do brief daily posts on my progress (on Cecelia's blog), so stay tuned. I'd love it if you'd cheer me/her on there, on twitter, tumblr, instagram, email, facebook (@authorcecelia)... anywhere you can find me!
To answer this month's question: YES, I won Nanowrimo in 2015 and plan to publish it next year. It's a contemporary YA so it will be a fun break from the angel fantasy I've been working on for what feels like forever now!
I'll let you know when After the Ashes is released. Until then... it's All Saints' Day, so here's a link to some fun Halloween history and a quote from my current favorite saint that just happens to do with writing, along with a link to learn more about her. Read about the Origins of Halloween .
