Mid-week update...

Thanks for all the contest feedback :) Lots to think about. I still can't quite decide - I do like getting fresh feedback, but OTOH, the waiting period is often way too long. I still have time to make up my mind about the contest I'm thinking about.

On the writing front, I managed to finish entering all the handwritten pages from my contemp story and get everything organized in WriteWayPro (copying and pasting stuff I'd typed into PageFour Notebook ). And it turns out, I really did manage over 25,000 words during NaNo last November. Considering I wrote about half the number of days in the month I do know it's possible to write enough each day to achieve 50,000 words. And the story is actually hanging together, though it does need a lot of work.

With my historical, I've done more research and yesterday picked up one of the ILL books that has given me some more plot ideas. Very cool.

On the personal side, I'm going in for volunteer training tomorrow at the Sechelt Library. Been meaning to volunteer there for a while and finally made the arrangements. AND, the framing on our house is now complete (pics at this link)! Yay!!! Now we're waiting on the various sub-trades, so please everyone, keep your fingers crossed.

That's about it for now. Am off to Nia soon and need to get ready. We're having a big family weekend this weekend (Canada Day celebrations) with my brother/sister-in-law, niece and baby nephew, so don't be surprised if I don't surface again till next week some time.

Teresa

Currently Reading: Dark Angels by Karleen Koen
Also Currently Reading: Revolutionary Britannia: Reflections on the threat of revolution in Britain, 1789-1848 by Edward Royle

So much going on...

it feels like I'm falling further and further behind here on my blog. Lots of detailed house decisions to make, research to do and general errands.

Last week I managed to start a flow chart for my latest ms, using the updated version of Freemind. Very cool. It got my creative juices going again, which is always good. Then I found some good info online and was able to order another couple of books through ILL - now I just have to wait for them to arrive :)

We spent much of Saturday on the property, working on various land related chores, clearing roots, trees etc. It was by turns, cloudy, rainy, sunny, hot, then cloudy again. By 7 in the evening, it was pouring rain. Fortunately we'd returned to our temp home by then so didn't get soaked.

I did start typing in my contemp story last week and sent a chapter off to my CPs for their comments. I'm also considering entering my TT opening in the upcoming Gateway to the Best contest. We'll have to see. I did edit it again last year after a good friend read and commented on it for me, so it's pretty much ready. I just still haven't decided about contests in general.

What do you think - do you still like entering contests? Feel it's a good thing?

Teresa

Currently Reading: Dark Angels by Karleen Koen (yes, I'm finally going to finish it)
Link of the Day: Discovering Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities

Yet more wacky weather...

We had another huge windstorm here yesterday - it only last a couple of hours, but was very destructive. Our power went out again twice, but not for too, too long. Just to be safe, though, I planned for a one-pot dinner that could be cooked on the propane stove *g*.

Needless to say, this wreaked havoc with my writing. I couldn't trust the power to stay on, so shut my computer down and turned off the power bar. Friends of hours had their hard drive fried during one of the recent storms and even with the surge protection power bar, I prefer to play things safe. However, before all h*** broke loose, I did some more work on my query letter and more agent research.

Soooo, tonight, I'm hoping to get back to my proofing. I'm doing it on screen as I don't want to waste paper and ink at this stage printing out yet another copy of my ms. It's been so long since I've read the entire ms, that typos etc jump out at me pretty quickly, even on my monitor.

Also, I'm considering entering my TT novel in the Hearts Through History Romance Through the Ages contest. It did reasonably well in the 04 GH - the scores weren't horrible - so I'm curious to see what judges who are allowed to give feedback say. It's in pretty good shape, as I revised it in Sep/Oct after receiving the ms back from a friend (non-writer, but very, very discerning reader). Will have to see if it will fit in the budget.

Anyone out there in blogland planning on entering a contest this year?

Teresa

Currently Reading: The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe by Annette Blair
Currently Knitting: a hat for Sean
Link of the Day: Soldiers' Wives by Claire Thornton (background to her novel Raven's Honour)