I Did It - Finished

That's right I have officially finished NaNoWriMo. What a relief. When I started out on this journey I never expected to have so many highs and lows. I have learnt that I need to take time to get to know my character's, because although I've finished the book I still don't know my characters as much as I would like too.

So after 50,025 words, eleven chapters and 245 pages, I'm now taking time to get to know these characters better.

I'd like to thank all of my writing buddies for their support and wish all those who are still madly typing the best of luck. To those who have finished Angie and Shalanna congratulations. Angie you have been an inspiration to me through out this, it has been a pleasure and a joy to watch you go from strength to strength with your writing.

I'd also like to say a big thank you to Portia De Costa. Portia is one of the Sven sponsors and she has been a constant support to me through out these last couple of months.

So ladies thank you again.

Hugs
Sandie

The Last Days Of NaNo

So we are coming to the end of NaNo, and where am I up too. Well I have 47,862 words down at the moment, with 2,138 to go. Now you might think that is great going, and it is. I’m very proud of myself. The problem is I have no idea where I’m going to get another 2,138 words from, I have done back stories, so they’re out. So what else can I do? To tell you the truth I have no idea. I’m waiting for the magical writing fairy to come by my place and hit me in the head with some ideas. It must be my turn soon.

Anyway, I hope you are all doing well with your writing, editing or re-writing.

I’ll be back when I’ve hit the 50,000 mark.
Hugs

Sandie

Slogging It Out

Well I'm over the 35,000 mark YAH!!! 35,209 to be exact. I'm finding it harder and harder to write each day. Well let's face it I'm NOT writing each day. Has not been a good week. I've been sick for the most part. Dizzy, nauseous, headaches, I'm so over it all.

I went to he doctors today. He's not happy with my blood pressure. Too high, so he has given me another tablet to take and increased one of my others to two at night. I wouldn't want to be a spy or anything in that line because they'd hear me coming a mile off. My wrist is no better, so I'm off to the physio, made me promise I'd go. (I think when this is all over, I'm going to take some time off from typing.) On top of all that he is now worried about my kidney's again. So it's off for more blood tests, God I hate needles.

Anyway on to my story. Isaac had an accident, got bucked of a horse. Silly man didn't lunge the horse first. Cold back horse, open paddock, loose reins and not having mind on job at hand, just asking for trouble. Poor Isaac got it in spades. Of course, it did wake Ashley up enough for her to realise she's in love with the man.

Tomorrow I'm going to my son's to have a family get together for my mum coming home from respite. The last week of her stay she was confined to her bedroom, because they had an outbreak of gastroenteritis. I have to tell you she was so happy to get home. Anyway we're having a party to welcome her home.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Get lots and lots of writing done and have fun.
Hugs
Sandie

NaNo The Home Stretch

With just over a week to go before the end of NaNo I'm 64.3% of the way there. Yah. I have 32,135 down. Ashley and Isaac are just going through their major crisis. She has left to sort out her feelings for him and the situation. So now I have 17,865 word to go, and I'm wondering if I have enough story to use this amount of words. I have already written the last scene.

So I well either have a lot of fill to do, although not as much as I thought I would or I'm going to get some really brilliant ideas come through. I will keep you informed.

Hope everyone else is doing well with their WIP.

Hugs
Sandie. :)

Half Way There

I'm up to half way through my novel. YAH. I added another 2,227 words today. Tomorrow I'm having the day off from writing. I think I need to step back for a moment. Plus I'm going to have the morning with one of my sisters.

I'm finding this writing on a daily bases interesting and frustrating. I think with my other novels because I have been doing bits and pieces I have been able to stop and look at the characters differently, I've come to know them better. With 'Baby Can I Hold You' because I'm writing every day I'm not taking the time to get to know them, not deep down. I don't know something is missing and I can't for the life of me pin point what it is, and I'm getting frustrated with myself. I want to know these people, I need to know them deeper. Maybe this is why you are told to put your MS aside for a while.

Anyway I'm taking tomorrow just to listen, no writing, just listening.

Hope you're having a great week.

Hugs
Sandie

Just Another NaNo Day

I have come to the conclusion that I have no idea what I'm doing anymore. I have no idea where my story is going. I don't even know if I like it anymore and I am now thinking of things I could do that stops me from writing.

Take yesterday for instance I spent the better part of the day playing on my new BeBo site. Like I need another site, any way I have one it's at http://www.bebo.com/sandiehudson have a look if you like.

Then today for some reason I just had to start to read Kelly Hunter's Sleeping Partner if you haven't read it yet you are missing a great read. It's sad and funny and keeps you entertained. I haven't finished it yet but I'm sooo enjoying it. So today I've been reading, writing, reading, playing, reading, writing and now playing again. I dare say when I finish here I'll be reading some more before I go to bed.

I've added another 4,618 words since Saturday that's 45.7% of my novel completed. Mind you I'm not sure I'll make 50,000 words before the story finishes, I'm thinking I'll have to go back and add bits and pieces to make up the word count.

Since Sven started I've written 63,758 word, which just goes to show me if I put my mind to it I could write a novel in a month. I just need to put this self doubt to bed. I'm not the only one there are a few of us in the same boat.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful week for of adventure with your characters and lots of words on pages.

Hugs
Sandie

NaNo & Sven

Well I got another 2,926 words down today and Ashley decided it was time to let go of her deceased husband didn't see that coming, well not so soon I was thinking you know towards the end of the book. But no seems she needed to come to terms with that before she could think about moving on with Isaac. Although she is feeling a little uneasy at the moment, she has just caught him out with another woman.

So I'm over my hissy fit from the other day again. I seem to be having a lot more of these moment with this novel, not sure why. Oh well I'll get over it at some point. I went over to my good friend Annie Doyle's blog yesterday http://www.anniedoyle.blogspot.com/ and she was blogging about inspiration and you know things just fell into place again, so yesterday and today Annie has been my inspiration. If you get a chance go and visit Annie she's great.

Hope all is going well for everyone else. I have a few of my NaNo buddies powering on, these are women who have little ones. I have to say I really take my hat off to them, you know they have from 11,000 to 14,000 words done how good is that.

Oh and I also have to tell you that a few of my Aussie NaNo buddies are through to the next round of Karin Tabke One Line contest. Way to go Aussies. I feel like I should be making pompom and singing "Come on Aussie, Come on, Come on, Come on Aussie, come on." Any way good luck girls.

I have to say you are very, very lucky you can't hear me sing, not very pretty. More like a cat with it tail caught in something. Yuck. My grandson tells me not to sing because it hurts his ears, God love little children and their honesty.

See ya Hugs
Sandie

Day 7 of NaNo and Sven Day 24

Well I did another 1,062 words today and in my personal unbiased opinion it is crap (still), but I'm powering on. I keep saying to myself this is just the first draft, you can fix it all later, but can I? Can I really do this? I getting to the saggy middle and I am soooo scared it is going to sag to where ever it is on the other side of the world, you know go straight through the centre of the earth and just keep on going saggy, saggy, saggy middle.

Have you ever written a book where you think I just do not like some of these people. My hero I like but he never does what I want him to do, my heroine I like but she is stronger the I thought she would be, see just not playing nice. But some of the other characters are just plain pains in the butt, I don't know writing is the pits at the moment. I've been so tempted to go and have a nice chat with Tyler and Jackie (although they don't listen to me either), maybe Rhett and Ella would be better they are always nice, not so much doing as I say but at least they don't go doing 180's on me and leave me looking at the screen like a dummy, and saying "What The?"

Anyway I'm stepping back from it all for the afternoon, clear my head and maybe come back tonight and tackle it all again.

Sorry for the rambling and whining and whinging.
Bye

Hugs
Sandie

NaNo - Day 6 & Sven Day 23

Haven't been able to put a lot of writing time in on my novels the last few days. We took Mum to Respite yesterday, she seemed very happy when my sisters and I left her, I hope she is having a good time. On top of that I've been sick for a few days as well, some tummy bug I think, hence the slow going with my writing.

I sooo happy I was able to get a good start, it gives me a bit of leeway. So I have 12,620/50,000 words that's 25.0% on 'Baby Can I Hold You'. That's not bad for six days work.

Over all for Sven I have 36,920/150,000 that's 24.6% of my three novels done, I'm happy with that progress. I don't think I'll get the three novels finished before the end of Sven but I'm still hopeful of getting at least two finished.

Hope you are all have a great week.
Hugs
Sandie

Day 3 of NaNoWriMo & Day 20 of Sven

I finally got down to see my Mum today, my Auntie was there as well which was really nice. I love my auntie she is such a crack up, she always has some funny story to tell about her and Mum growing up. My Mum is going into Respite for a couple of weeks, I hope she has a good time, it's been pretty lonely for her at home since my Dad passed away. Having company all day should be good for her and knowing my Mum she will keep them all well entertained. I have to say it is really hard watching your parents grow old. I know watching my Dad over the last few years of his life was very hard to take at times.

My Dad to me was always my super hero, to the extent that when I was growing up he told me (and I believed him) he taught Superman how to fly and Tarzan how to swing through trees. Dad was a tall man almost six foot, with dark brown eyes and when he was young he had dark curly hair. In a lot of ways he was what we all look for in your hero's. Anyway it's hard watching the man you thought could hold a house together in a storm, deteriorate the way my Dad did. You know there is not a day that goes by that I don't think of my Dad at least once.

So (needs to change the subject) my writing, I've done another 1,368 words tonight, which takes me up to 11,529 just over 23% WOO HOO. I'm in a bit of a dilemma ATM though, this is not going the way I thought it would go, see I was going to have Isaac and Ashley go to bed together and Ashley would feel guilty about her dead husband etc. But just as I was getting to where they would do their horizontal tango, Isaac pulled back. Heavens to Betsy, I can't win. I either have a hero that wants to jump into bed when I don't want any bed jumping or I have one who is just so damn sweet, (this is suppose to be my BAD BOY) that he asks the heroine if she's sure and blows the whole thing. MEN they are driving me CRAZY.

And to top it all off the darn Aunt who I thought would be kind, sweet and caring is picking a fight with my heroine. What that!! I've written a whole scene and I have absolutely no idea where it is going or why it is going there. I give up, so much for me writing this novel, I'm just the person typing, I have no say in anything else it seems. Well one good thing I'll be able to report in to Sven with some good figures.

Hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy what ever it is you have planned.

Hugs
Sandie

Day Two of NaNoWriMo and Day nineteen of Sven

Oh my, I never thought I'd get this much done in two days. I'm scared now, there has to come a time when it is all going to go pear shape. Doesn't it? It is all falling so easily into place, the words are flowing, I'm not sure how good it is but it's flowing.

Last night I did another 2,422 words and tonight I've added another 3,161 giving me a grand total... drum roll of 10,161 YA me. And did I need a pick me up today.


I had a lovely lunch with my wonderful children today, my son shouted his sister and me lunch down by the bay. What a lovely view sitting on the deck of restaurant over looking Nelson Bay (that's in NSW Australia). But when I came home my daughter and I found one of the horses out of his paddock and having a nice little wander up the track. Thank the Lord he is so quite and easy to catch.

So I didn't get down to see my mum AGAIN, I wasn't game to leave just in case he escaped again. So I have promised mum to visit tomorrow. I might have to take her something special down just in way to say sorry.

In all I'm pleased with how the writing is going, and I'm hoping I'll be able to spend some time on my children's book over the next few days as I have let that slip a bit.

Hope you all have a great weekend and good luck next week with your writing.

Hugs
Sandie.

NaNoWriMo Starts

Day one of NaNoWriMo and I'm happy with my progress, 4,578 words not bad for the first day and it's just as well I have to go and see my mum tomorrow, so I'm not sure how much I'll get done on this.

I think the weekend is pretty clear for me so that's 2 days, Monday and Tuesday are out I have commitments with my family, so I'm thinking I'll do what I can when I can, get in front then if I have a few days where I slip hopefully I'll have them covered.

So the story so far Isaac and Ashley have meet and both feel the chemistry there but are fighting it, which of course is what I want them to do at the moment. They are both playing nice and leading me through their sides of the story, another plus. In all I've had a very good day, hoping to get in some more work in on this tonight. I'll see how it goes.

Hugs
Sandie