The Chorus sings ‘Get back to writing!’

My Guest today is Eleni Konstantine. Welcome to my blog Eleni.


Hey there, my name is Zoe and I open and close gateways to hell. Yes, I know you haven’t heard of me because my creator has neglected me since June. I mean come on, I know I look like Miss Average but this is a remarkable gift…curse…whatever you want to call what I have. Surely she should be concentrating on me?




Hold on there a sec, Zoe. I’ve been around longer than you. I’m Alex and I’ve been around since June LAST year. Yep I started out great too with my story almost nutted out. You see I am a Dream Tamer. I don’t just walk in dreams I change them. And because of that I am a wanted woman. And my hunter is my true-mate. Don’t you think that is a story worth concentrating on?






Xeni here, well actually it’s Alexandra in our world, but I’m in another dimension and Alexandra isn’t a common name. Xeni makes me fit in. I’m a Finder or a Seeker. People hire me for all sorts of jobs, and that keeps the household running while I find out what my true purpose in this dimension is. Our creator has not even worked that one out yet. Surely mine is the best story so far?



My, you ladies have a different way of conversing. I am Tasean, Princess (though don’t say that too loud) of Arestia. I have been promised in marriage to the person who wins the tournament. I hate it, but my father is right (please do not tell him); our Kingdom is too small and powerless to fight a war on many fronts, hence why we need a marriage alliance. Still I was not at fault for stumbling across a dragon who has lost her tribe. A misunderstanding has occured and while I go with the dragon willingly, my father believes I am under a spell. Not to mention the travelling minstrel we have just encountered. While he seems harmless enough and reveres dragons, there is something about him I am not sure of. I have been waiting patiently since goodness knows when. Sofian (that’s my dragon friend) tells me to be patient, but it’s not easy. Creator come back and tell our tale.



Tasean, you think you’ve been waiting long? Well let me tell you, I have been running around the creator’s head for close to 15 years. Yes that’s right, you read right – 15 Long Years. Yes she jotted down ideas, but didn’t actually start writing my story until this year!! I mean sure let my story percolate but come on… I’m Mel or as I found out Melonia. I’ve lived in the Earth dimension all my life…or so I thought. Instead I come from Beyond World. And I really want to find out what the deal is. So Creator, where the hell are you?


Ladies, enough!! You are being very rude. We are here as guests on Sandie’s blog. The least you all can do is say thank you to her for inviting us here to talk about Eleni-fest.
(Sorry Sandie and thanks Sandie for having us here, the character chorus say).
Good now hush up you lot so I talk with Sandie.

(Grumbling in background from chorus)

Sorry about that Sandie. You see my characters are bothering me. This is only the girl contingent, the guys are even worse!! You see they are right, I have been neglecting them and letting them percolate. Partly because it’s my process. Partly because I’ve been concentrating on Irini’s story (Mel & Tasean – hey no fair, we were here first).

As I was saying, but also since July, I’ve been editing, getting ready for the conference, sending partials and this past month, Eleni-fest has been happening. That is near the end. It has been a blast (although exhausting), but I’m itching to get back to my characters.
(Hooray! – the chorus cries)

And from the answers from my guests, it’s going to be hard work and harder work when (like that when not if) I get published. I’m sure my characters will help me out as well as my support team of my CP and Bootcampers who look over my work.

As a person with CFS, should I be scared of this hard work?

Actually surprisingly it doesn’t scare me. This past month I’ve gone further than I have in a long time with anything ‘work’ related i.e. writing related without the actual writing. But I can do it – and Eleni-fest has been squeezed into a month period with not much prep time, so I have been laying down the tracks just as the train is on the horizon. I hope with my stories, that I will have a little bit more breathing room.

It’s been a draining month but my need to get back to writing has been intensified. I’ve truly missed it. So I need to rediscover my process in the next couple of months…or a routine that will suit me. This all hours at the computer is not a good thing (doesn’t help also we are renovating ATM, so life here is stressful on another level) and I need to watch my energy levels. So I’m constantly learning about my process and re-evaluating.

I’m mainly a pantser.
(yes we know, cry the chorus)

But I do have notes of the general direction I’m going. Though different things happen and new characters emerge. It’s fun playing around in my fantasy worlds – whether they are completely made up or my version of our world.

All I know is that I’m looking forward to getting reacquainted with my stories and characters again, and learning more about the writing process. After all the philosopher Socrates said we are students during all our lives. And I agree – there is something new to learn everyday, to expand on, to work on.

Now, for your chance to win a mini-pack, please tell me which of the 5 stories above you think I should on concentrate next and why?

Zoe is from Gateway to Hell

Alex is from DreamTamer

Xeni is from Finder

Tasean is from The Lady & the Dragon

Mel is from Beyond World.

They are all jumping up and down trying to get your attention. Not very heroic you know!

LOL, Eleni, you characters sound like mine, so it's good to know I'm not the only one who has problems like this.

Eleni thank you and your ladies for dropping by today.
Sandie

Comments will be open until 4th November 2009 for your chance to win this gift pack.

Am I CRAZY????

Well blogging each week didn’t last long did it. Not even one week! Well not on here anyway. So, what have I been doing that is so important that I can’t blog. Beside the fact I’ve been sick not much. Had some sort of stomach bug most of the week, which is not fun let me tell you.

The RWAus ‘Cruisin’ the Blog’ is going well, some of our RWAus members are very busy promoting their new or soon to be released novels. Speaking of novels, I’m not getting very far with mine. Editing has come to a crawl, writing has stopped altogether and the planning for my November NaNo novel, yes well let’s leave that one alone. The problem with the NaNo novel is I keep changing my mine about what I want to write. Do I do the second novel for CC’s Scarlett House series? Or do I go with the Cosy Mystery I have dancing around in my head.

Yes, you read that right, a cosy mystery for crying out loud. I have the setting, a nursing home. Okay I admit I got this when visiting my Mum one day, they have it all there, the old busy body who knows everything that is going on around the home. She’s great, would make a great nosy sleuth. A lot of the other residence would make great sidekicks. They all make me laugh when I’m talking to them, and the things they come out with, cracks me up every time. I can just see them all tottering around getting in the way as police try to solve the crime. LOL. Have you ever sat and watched the elderly as they interact with each other? How their eyes light up when someone new comes to visit and takes the time to talk to them? The other day when I visited my Mum, one of the volunteers arrived with her two young daughters, look on the residents faces as these girls went from one to the other was priceless.

Anyway back to my cosy mystery. Okay, the setting is the Spring Ball in the nursing home, one of the entertainers for the night is found dead in the change room. Suspects are the bandleader, a woman jealous of the dead woman. The organ player, he had an affair with the dead woman who had moved on to another lover. I should point out that the dead woman is in her late seventies but still very active.

Another suspect is one of the guests, dead woman fleeced her father many years earlier. The final suspect is the clown, who would suspect someone dressed up as a clown? I have to say, this is the first time I have had this much information about one of my stories before I even start to write.

Anyway that's what I've been up to, nothing exciting.

Sandie

Finding Our Heroes

Where do you find your hero material? Do you mould your fictional hero after someone you know? Or is he a mixture of a number of men or women you admire? Of course the last one is, is he completely made up?

For me it depends on the hero I’m working on at the time. Most of my heroes are figments of my imagination. Not that I don’t have men in my life that would make great heroes to write about. I think for me anyway, I like to keep my men separate. The real flesh and blood from those that wander around in my head strutting their stuff. And believe me some of them strut.

Just lately I’ve been finding I’m looking to the normal Joe Blow on the street to tailor my heroes looks after. Now this new angle started the other month when I went to a horse show. Than a couple of weeks ago, I went to a Spring Ball at my Mum’s nursing home and there dancing with his Mum was my perfect young stud muffin hero. I have the perfect story to slot him into, well it’s a spin off from my first NaNoWriMo novel. I’m not sure if this will be the novel I’ll be writing for this year’s NaNo yet, will have to see which hero pushes his way to the front of the line. I have three new novels I can work on for November. Umm… do you think I’d get into too much trouble if I went around the streets taking photos of good looking strangers? LOL.


It was my anniversary yesterday. I’ve been married for thirty-three years to my own special hero. Now what makes Jim so special is that he puts up with me. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. “If I’d married me, I would have divorced myself within the first twelve months.” He has the patients of a saint most of the time, I’m not going to say he perfect, but he’s pretty darn great. You know what? So was my Dad, it was not uncommon for my Dad to sit for hours waiting on my Mum to do shopping or go to church. I have to admit, I don’t think any of my heroes have patients.

Yes, this is me on my wedding day.

Well that’s me for this week, yes, I’m scheduling my own blog for once a week updates (well this blog anyway). This is part of my October is get organized month. Let’s see how long it lasts. I’m off to write a blog for Bootcamper 109, I’ve been a big slack butt in that area. (Hanging my head in shame.) I also have a post for the RWAus 50/30 blog, and my ‘Criusin’ the Blog’ & Members News for RWAustraila Blog. We have some great blogs coming up next week as well as some fantastic members news.

Until next time.
Sandie