Friendship Peak

During my daily dose of research, I stumbled across a Yahoo slideshow highlighting NASA Mars pictures and then BHAM! Gusev Crater popped up. As many of you know, Gusev Crater is where Rinny Matterville from Duty and Devotion trained.

If you look into the distant right you'll see the mountain she and her friends drove to, the one they nicknamed "Friendship Peak"

Here's the link to the slideshow in case you're interested http://news.yahoo.com/photos/the-surface-of-mars-slideshow/future-planetary-rovers-may-own-decisions-photo-123208443.html#crsl=%252Fphotos%252Fthe-surface-of-mars-slideshow%252Fmars-photo-1322584905.html

Excerpt "Friendship Peak":
They reached the crater edge in less than two hours and stopped the vehicle. Climbing into the back, they helped each other into surface suits and started exiting procedures. When they stepped out, Rinny gazed up into the atmosphere and then took in the mountain range. The contrast of the tea-stained sky and the burnt orange range, all in a vivid watercolor tone enraptured Rinny's passion. For a fleeting moment, she wished she were a painter and not a musician. No notes could bring out the emotions the scene caused in her soul. Danny stepped up beside her and Journey.


Rinny turned to them. "You ready, explorers?"

Her voice sounded metallic in the voice transmitters. She couldn't see their faces clearly through the reflective face covers. They double-checked the foot weights and oxygen pressure then headed out. The ground was thick with dust. They had to lift their feet clear or start a dust cloud. They chatted as they worked their way up the crater. A thin layer of dust coated their white suits by the time they reached the top. After clearing off each other's helmets, they took in the Gusev Valley floor all the way out to the Columbia Hills colony.

"It's beautiful," Danny whispered.

"Wow, this is an amazing view." Journey did a full turn and then took hold of Rinny's hand through the bulk of the suit's gloves. "It's like we're the first ones to be here."

Using her free hand, Rinny took Danny's. Standing there, all three holding hands, she felt the connection of friendship. "We've conquered this spot. We'll call it Friendship Peak."

Midsummer Blog Hop: Midsummer Mischevious

Welcome to my blog for the SFR Brigade's Midsummer Blog Hop! WHOOT!!

Okay. Down to business. Midsummer. June. Heat.

For me, midsummer always brings back a case of nostalgia. (For my blogging buddies, shoosh. The newcomers don't have to know a fly could send me into a nostalgic mood.)

Quick Pause: See what I did there? I tricked you all! Mwhuahahaha! You were all so sure I'd go all scifi-ish on the topic. But, really, the science of solstice is pretty standard stuff. Plus, the blog hop is for the SFR Brigade. These aren't just wimpy SF geeks who love to swoon. These are a bunch of hardass geeks. There is nothing I can't blog about that they aren't going to blog about in more and better detail. So...there!

Where was I? Oh, yeah...summer nostalgia.

I can't help remembering the summer right after freshman year high school, when I spent the summer at a family friend's and had my first crush that was reciprocated. (The geeky girl got the cute lifeguard that summer...imagine that!) We each knew there wouldn't be declarations of love. Both of us perfectly aware and happy to experience the romance for exactly what it was, a summer romance.

What a summer!

The daily trips to the pool to hang with new friends, which drifted into meals at the local fast food joint and then evenings at either the bowling alley or the youth group's billiard table. (We weren't old enough to frequent the bars or the pool halls where they served alcohol...yet.)

Oh, okay...we all know I can't NOT go SF-y. Even as I'm reminiscing, the SF in me is turning the thought wheel, like a damn hamster.

It's a sickness.

What will be the equivalent of a "summer memory" for galactic teens growing up? In a future, where who only knows what will be happening in the world(s) and where, how will they build those moments?

In my first SFR novel, Duty and Devotion, the sisters get caught up in a war right as they're experiencing this period in their lives. Poor younger sister, Rinny Matterville, has barely even started. Partly because the sheltered life she's led, but war has no shelter. Below is an excerpt of her, and a couple new friends on a Mars excursion. This was before her world, and reality, were torn apart. One of the better times, shall we say.

EXCERPT

Guiding the Mars cruiser out of the exit bay, Rinny marveled again at its beauty. She didn't think she'd ever adjust to real land and open space. It took a few moments to break out of the shadow of the Colombia Hills dome. In the distance, the impressive Gusev Crater edge stood, contrasting with the Mars horizon as a backdrop. Two kilometers out she sped up and enjoyed the control of piloting the land cruiser.

In the rear seat, Danny leaned forward to observe the sky from out the roof viewer. "It's so beautiful here."

Journey leaned over to join him. "Eden Station is a great place, but even their views of space pale in comparison to this."

"Really? I'd love to visit Eden," Rinny smiled at her. "Windmore City seems like living in a fish bowl compared to life here. Can you believe it? Here we are cruising along in free space towards a real mountain region. I feel like we're on an adventure."

Journey laughed and took a bag from behind her seat. "I had a feeling you'd say that, so I got us these."

She took out three big hats, which looked like upside down bowls with deep rims. Rinny wondered when she'd had time to buy three hats. They weren't even sure Danny would be coming. Man, she was quick to plan and more confident in me than I am to myself.

"What are those?" Rinny and Danny asked in unison, glancing at the odd hats with suspicion.

* * * * * *

I guess the season doesn't really matter. It's the experiences, and teenagers will find "the moments to remember" in any conditions. When it comes down to it, it's the interactions, the people, and the places you encounter during that phase in your life that sticks with you.

Okay, now the prizes. Ahhh, I see I've recaptured your attention, didn't I? Admit it, you were about to flip to the next blog on the blog-o-hop. Weren't you?

I forgive you.

My prize is an ebook copy of Duty and Devotion. Now, remember, most blog hop participants are giving away individual prizes, AND there's an overall blog hop grand prize and runner up prize.

What are these grand and runner up prizes, you ask? Wait for it....wait for it...wait for it...Hey! Watch where you're throwing the bricks people! (And they say SF geeks have no aim. Pfft!)

Fine, fine. It's a Kindle for the grand prize. Runner up gets a cool prize to, 20 SFR titles and a gift card. Not too shabby, eh? Winners will be chosen using random.org.

Well, what are you waiting for? Go! Visit those other blogs and leave comments!

New Distribution Sites

Hey blogger buddies! Super excited and had to share.

Just heard from my publisher that their books have been added to a couple more distribution sites. Bonus is, these two sites sell books at discounted prices. GROOVY! GROOVY!

Here are the new sites with links to the books, if you're interested.

Google Books (priced at $4.61)
Duty and Devotion
Revelations of Tomorrow (Telomere Trilogy #1)
Echoes of Regret (Telomere Trilogy #2)

Books on Board (ranging in price from $3.59 to $4.49)

Duty and Devotion
Revelations of Tomorrow (Telomere Trilogy #1)
Echoes of Regret (Telomere Trilogy #2)

The Winners Are.....

Oh, I'm so excited...it's like being frickin' Vanna White! *looks around for the letter board*

Okay, okay, so last week (the 10th to be exact), I posted a contest to celebrate the 2 month anniversary of Duty and Devotion. The responses were awesome and I had so much fun reading the dozen or so entries. But alas, only a few can win. This was my first time using the random.org site to select the winners.

All right...here we go...the winners are...(drum roll please)

Pauline B. Jones

Liana Brooks

Colette Duke

Email me at ambernorris2000@yahoo.com to let me know what e-format you would like Duty ad Devotion in and of course CONGRATULATIONS!

2 Months? Wow!

I can't believe it!

On Monday Duty and Devotion will have been out two months. "Happy R-day Nettie and Rinny!" (R-day instead of B-day, for release day.)

Duty and Devotion has received many compliments, a couple ratings, and a super great review. To celebrate, I'm going to hold a contest and will give away a couple copies of Duty and Devotion... in whatever format you wish.

What do you have to do?

Well, just contact me and let me know your favorite SF scene of all time, ever. (Ever, ever.) You can contact me either by leaving a comment here or emailing me at ambernorris2000@yahoo.com. I will select the winners on the official R-Day of course, which is Monday, August 15th.

Editing Abyss

AR grabs the ledge and pulls. The rain pelts down, drenching and chilling her, but she perseveres. Some of the dirt layering -- now turned to mud by the torrential weather -- slips. She grips harder, her ice cold fingers digging to the rocky underlying. She risks a look down into the abyss of editing hell...

Oh, hey... didn't see you there.

Yes, I am still alive and well. I didn't fall into the abyss, though it was close. The whole month of July was pretty much dedicated to manuscript editing. My final publisher edits for the first book in the Telomere Trilogy, Revelations of Tomorrow, and final edits of the holiday free read short story, Lasting Bonds, were due to the editor.

Remind me never to do a free read again. A couple reasons, but first, let me say that I love the final book and am excited to close some open loops for Nettie and Rinny. HOWEVER, I realized something about myself during the adventure of writing the Telomere Trilogy, which I overlooked when I signed up to do a free read for Desert Breeze Publishing.

I am not a monogamous author.

I can't keep characters going over several books. And truthfully, the characters aren't monogamous either. The characters slip into my mind, we flirt, and we all get excited and explore the journey. Once that journey is complete, I'm done and they're done. They drift off into the world I created for them and I never hear from them again. For me, the flirting process has started with a new story and characters. I'm too distracted with the new adventure.

So, any-who, August 1st came around and I sent Lasting Bonds to my editor and let out a huge sigh of relief. Then, within five minutes (could've been sooner, I wasn't watching the clock) the characters from my new novel started beckoning me. I went straight into it and spewed out over 8,000 words. Yes, 8K in 3 days... needless to say, my creativity was pent up.

My new heroine is amazing. I'm so impressed by her resilience and saddened by her past. I hope I can do her justice... plus she's got some really cool genetic make-up that is almost superhuman. I'm still working out my hero and I'm not sure if I like him much, but I think that's the point. He's got some serious jerk issues and shoulder chips, and he's going to change/evolve through the storyline into someone worthy of my heroine's love. The problems with the hero I think will benefit my heroine, and help her realize her own hang up and issues she needs to let go of if she's to find her own peace and happiness.

And the World Kept Turning

I woke up on June 15th expecting, oh, I don't know, something fantastical. No, no. That's not entirely true...the realist inside me said things would be the same. But the imaginative side just thought the whole world would be different. Like I'd wake up with a tell-tale sign that I was now an official novelist. Ooh, maybe an awesome and mysterious tattoo materializing on my forehead, "Novelist Here".

I don't know...something. But the realist won out (and of course was smug about it as realist personalities are when they're right). I got up, dressed, and went to my day job. I worked 8 hours and then went home. My husband and kids were actually gone camping so it was just me. (I know...didn't time that out all too well.)

So, why am I telling you all this almost two weeks later? Well, because now I'm antsy. Are my sales numbers good? Are my readers enjoying the book? Are reviewers interested?

I don't know yet. It's still too soon. But, as a business woman in a corporate role, I feel like I should know these things. I'm going cookoo banana's wanting....something tangible to analyze, fret over and try to fix if needed. I don't remember this being an aspect I'd realize having to face before it published. And it's a discovered characteristic I'm not very proud of.

I'm a control freak.

I was busy fretting about all of this Friday and babbling about it to my husband. He finally sighed, looked at me in that "Ash way" and asked, "What was your goal?"

"To have a book published," I answered. "But--"

He interrupted. "Did you want a book published and it to become an immediate bestseller?"

"No, but--"

"Did you want a book published and be immediately praised?"

"No, but--"

"Then you accomplished your goal. Congratulations." He smiled and went back to his movie.

I sat stunned, trying to decide if I should be pissed when it hit me. I did accomplish my goal. I have a book published. There was a publisher who felt my work was good enough to have their name and talent behind it. There are people reading my story. That's was my dream.

Everything else is icing on the cake.

Winner of Release Day Contest

Yippee!

Okay, so I put all the names from Wednesday's blog post contest into a hat and had one of my sons pull one out. The winner of an electronic copy of Duty and Devotion and cool swag is....


Marion Sipe!



Marion, email me at ambernorris2000 @ yahoo.com and we'll get you all set up.

RELEASE DAY!!

It's here! It's here!

OMG, Duty and Devotion is released. I'm relieved. Excited! Elated!

*wiggle dance*

Okay, okay. Grow up time AR. Be a professional. Be a mature adult....Oh! Screw that! Duty and Devotion is out there in the open!

Go get a copy you goofy goofs! It's available at All Romance Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo, and the Apple iBookstore. Heck, you can even visit Desert Breeze's website and buy directly from them, here!

Check out the book trailer silly heads!

In celebration one commenter is going to get a special gift package. I'm not saying exactly what it will be. I'm not saying it would be a cool gift, swag, and a free copy of the book. I'm not saying that at all. *wink, wink*

Blurb:
Sisters Nettie and Rinny Matterville head off to war, discovering true love can be found even in a time of conflict. Nettie learns true love isn’t always obvious; sometimes it’s right in front of your face. Rinny learns that love at first site can and does happen, but the real challenge is keeping it.

Older sister Nettie wasn’t sure what the militia thought she was, but she knew and it wasn’t a space fighter pilot on the front line. But Dad always pressed the importance of duty to your territory. Now she has to figure out how to survive in a place she never imagined ending up. Keeping things interesting is a very overconfident competitor, James. Through it all, she’s got her younger sister Rinny. Or so she believed until the moment she lost her.

As for Rinny, the Mars facility gives her chance to break family expectation and she thrives in ground combat training. She also learns life off the concert stage can be just as rewarding when she makes her first real friends and meets Daniel, who could just be “the one”. He’s a little more reluctant and it turns out he has a reason, a secret involving Rinny. After the enemy attacks her facility and kills her best friend, Daniel disappears. Now captured, Rinny must fight behind enemy lines to help her people remain free, and live to return home.

Blog Tour: Duty and Devotion

Okaley, dokaley folks!

It's starting. (OMG!) Duty and Devotion releases on Wednesday and my blog tour for it is kicking off. I wanted to let you all where I'll be and what I'll be chatting about from tomorrow until July 1st.

• Mon - 6/13 - Kaye Manro - Regeneration: The Nano Way



• Tue - 6/14 - Liana Brooks - Altering Human Beings through Gene Manipulation



• Wed - 6/15 - HERE - Release Day Yay!



• Thu - 6/16 - Melisse Aires - The fine line of Science fiction and Science fantasy



• Fri - 6/17 - Marva Dasef - Interview



• Sat - 6/18 - Vijaya Schartz - Sisterhood



• Sun - 6/19 - Spacefreighter's Lounge - Overcoming the Ice Age



• Mon - 6/20 - HERE -Progress Report and a Little Breather



• Tue - 6/21 - Ciara Gold - The Real Space Pilot Life



• Wed - 6/22 - Jennifer Hartz - Family/Community Role in the Future



• Thu - 6/23 - Sandra Sookoo - Interview



• Fri - 6/24 - Stephanie Burkhart - True Love the First Time?



• Sat - 6/25 - Chrystalla Thoma - Using History to Predict the Future



• Sun - 6/26 - HERE - Progress Report and a Little Breather



• Mon - 6/27 - DBP Blog - Interview



• Tue - 6/28 - DBP Blog - Why I Like SFR



• Tue- 6/28 - Galaxy Express - Future Wars: Will There Be a Front Line?



• Wed - 6/29 - DBP Blog - Favorite Movie



• Thu - 6/30 - DBP Blog - Favorite Authors



• Fri - 7/1 - DBP Blog - Excerpt and Prize Announcement

I hope you all are able to stop by!

Hanging with TK Toppin

I'm super excited to be hanging out at TK's blog today. TK is grilling -- er -- interviewing me.

Learn my deep dark secrets...muahahahaha...okay, so they're not so deep but...well...oh, just go over if you have a chance!

http://thelancasterrule.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-guest-ar-norris.html

Truckin' Along

Engines are revved and I'm trying to keep up. Thought I'd pause to lay out my progress.

Duty and Devotion (D&D)
All the prep work is done with this one. It only has to release on the 15th. My blog tour kicks off this Friday at TK Toppins blog. Submissions to review sites are in...that'll take at least a month of waiting.

The Telomere Trilogy Book One: Revelations of Tomorrow
Just got word from my editor and she's begun reading through and marking it up. I should receive first round edits by end of week. It was a relief to find out it's the same editor as with my last book. I'm used to her editing style and she's refreshing and honest to work with...so yay!!! I probably won't see my cover art for a couple more months yet, it's still early. I'm curious because this trilogy has a very different feel than D&D.

The Telomere Trilogy Book Two: Echoes of Regret
I just finished my editing rounds with this one. I've tucked it away for a couple weeks before I start checking and cleaning up for DB house style.

Duty and Devotion Sequel: Lasting Bonds
First draft of this short story is completed. I fell in love with these sisters all over again and can't wait to release this for the holiday free reads. It's now put away for a week, to stew, before I pick it back up and tear through the revision and editing phase.

So, what should I work on now?

I've got a few things in the wings. I've got the third installment of the Telomere trilogy, Ending Eternity, to finish. I also still have my pet novella, Lilly's Journey, I want to finish drafting up.

Hmmm...what to do? What to do?

Magical Mystery Tour in June

On June 1st my friend and fellow writer, Marva Dasef, is holding an awesome month long even on her blog and I get to be part of it for my new release Duty and Devotion.

Here's the line up:

6/1 Roseanne Dowell - Double the Trouble

6/3 Ginger Simpson - Beside Myself

6/5 Larriane/Larion Wills - It's Still Tomorrow

6/7 Lisabet Sarai - Exposure

6/9 Arlene Webb - Ashes

6/11 Lorrie Struiff - Gypsy Crystal

6/14 Anna MacLean - Louisa and the Missing Heiress

6/15 A.R. Norris - Duty and Devotion

6/17 A.M. Roelke - The Space Station Murders

6/19 Pat Dale - Crossed Lines

6/21 J.Q. Rose - Sunshine Boulevard

6/23 John Roseman - Dark Wizard

6/24 Ellie Burmeister - How to Get an Agent in Two Murders or Less (*NEW)

6/26 Frank Scully - Dead Man's Gambit

6/28 Heather Haven - Wedding to Die For

6/30 L.J. Sellers - Dying for Justice

So make sure to stop by throughout the month to see all the cool TBR ideas.

http://mgddasef.blogspot.com

Hanging out over at LASR

Hi all!

I'm guest blogging over at Long and Short Review today, talking about if true love really exists. Stop by if you have a chance!

lasrguest.blogspot.com/2011/05/guest-blog-ar-norris.html

How I Met Desert Breeze

In celebration of Desert Breeze Publishing's 2nd Birthday...the DB authors are doing a huge blogfest. One author a day will be posting the story of how they found Desert Breeze from April 15 - April 30. Commenters will when daily prizes, but that's not all.

*Enter Bob Hope soundtrack*

The commenters from all the days and all the posts will be entered to win a grand prize on May 1st. Diane Craver kicked this off yesterday with me taking the torch today.

So here we go...stay tuned for the daily prize at the end of the post.

How I met Desert Breeze:

I'd been in limbo with Duty and Devotion for months, focusing on publishing my short stories while it went through the never ending submission and querying ride. It was during a search for a place to submit a short story that I spotted Desert Breeze on Duotrope as a featured publisher listing on the search page.

I went to their site and read about how they began. I loved the friendship and passion for books that drove the start up. It called to me. Of course, then I fell in love with the quality of book covers. I don't care what anyone says, the quality and time put into a book cover really is an indication of the quality and time put into selecting and publishing a book.

By that time I was determined to get Duty and Devotion onto the Desert Breeze roster. I sweated over the cover letter, the synopsis, and raked through the manuscript a hundred times. Then I panicked, calmed down, freaked out, lost my nerve, and finally created an email message. From there I sat on the email message for about two weeks, trying to find fault with the wording, went through the cover letter, synopsis and manuscript yet another half dozen times.

In a moment of complete madness, I hit send.

After I regained consciousness I forced myself to start working on my next project while obsessing over the email box. After a couple months I opened my email and found a message from Gail Delaney, Chief Editor and Co-Owner of Desert Breeze. I readied myself for the rejection letter and sat in stunned silence as my brain digested an acceptance letter instead.

I couldn't believe it. I'd gotten in. They'd believed I was good enough to have their name on my book. My book. It was crazy, insane...and TOTALLY FREAKIN' AWESOME!

...and that's how I met and fell in love with Desert Breeze...

Now if you comment on my blog today you'll be able to win my first ever prize giveaway. (Up until now only my guest posters have given prizes away.) Hmmm...what to give away, what to give away? Ah! I know!

If you win today I will send you a collection of things:

5x7 signed poster of my latests free read To the Meadow's Edge


Advanced Readers Copy of my June 2011 debut novel Duty and Devotion

You'll be the first non Desert Breeze to read it!

Now, to continue learning about Desert Breeze AND the chance to win more prizes, visit NIKE CHILEMI's blog, http://crimefictionandfaith.blogspot.com/ tomorrow and learn how she found Desert Breeze.

Another Step Done

And a few more to go, but I'm going to celebrate the completion of this one a little. The editing rounds are for Duty and Devotion are complete and my editor is moving it to the line editing phase!

*does an excite yet awkward wiggle dance*

Okay, okay. Calm down AR, calm down. The final version turned out soooo great. My editor was fab-u-loso! A rock star if you will. The story is to the pin tip a portrayal of my vision for it. She knew when to push me and when to ease me back and most important, when to celebrate what was just right. I kept all her notes and comments so I can apply the common editing/revision themes for my next work.

Also coming soon should be the kick off of cover art development. I don't know who'll be my official cover artist. Desert Breeze has hired a couple more on board but all their website portfolios look awesome. I do have a likeness for one of the portfolios in particular but I'm keeping quiet as really, any of them would do an excellent job.

I've started daydreaming about all the different ways they can go with the cover. I'm hoping for a nice balance between science fiction and romance. Not too harsh but not too soft either...

LOL! Geez, you know what? Just call me Goldie Locks!

Any-who just thought I'd share this milestone with my Blogger Buddies!

Sweeter with Age?

There's something to be said about time and yes, some things grow sweeter with its passage. Perhaps I'm in one of those infamous "AR nostalgia" moods or perhaps it's this editing frenzy thing I'm in, but that little phrase about time being sweater with age keeps repeating in my head.

Where the heckola are you going with this, AR?

Hang in there…I'm getting to it. You have to remember, any case of nostalgia is only lived through and cured at a slow pace.

Quite a while ago, documented in this very blog in fact, I finally tucked away Duty and Devotion from my main writing focus, and in a weird way from my life. It was a huge move. This story concept has been with me since…well, the first time I really attempted a novel length manuscript. Let's just say a long, long...long time ago.

Any-who.

In a way, Nettie and Rinny grew up with me. Their experiences of joy, loss, confusion, and adventure mirrored my own life experiences. (Mine without the awesome space battles and trips around Jupiter of course). And just like real friends, there were times in my life where I gave them tons of attention and energy and times when we drifted apart.

Face it, life does get in the way. There was college, marriage, kids, car payments, work schedules, and commutes to contend with.

However, whenever I meandered back into writing, they were always first and foremost in my thoughts. Even as I dedicated myself to my publication dream and during the period where I wrote my shorts and flashes, Duty and Devotion was my one and only novel length work.

The original story would be unrecognizable today. It goes to show you probably shouldn't try to publish your first manuscript. I would've died with embarrassment today had the original been accepted by some dimwitted publishing house back then.

Thankful, I took a winding road in my writing journey. I needed that exploratory pace to grow as a person and mature into the world around me. Not only that, my vision for Nettie and Rinny's story needed that pace to grow and mature into the world around them. What's there now is what I hope readers will see as two freaked out young woman stepping into an unknown future and trying to survive and come out with some semblance of self.

This concept of "self", for both women, are tested, challenged, threatened, and exposed. Some of what they learn about themselves gives them pride and the drive to hold on to it. Some of what they learn shames them and forces them to change for the better. In both scenarios they learn to become the best they are able to be at any given moment…of course, that is my hope in the execution of the story. The reality of it is up to interpretation by the readers.

Yes, Duty and Devotion has come full circle, back into my top priorities as we prepare it for its release day. This time however, I'm able to review it with an objective eye and without as much of my self worth dependent on its reception by the reading audience. Nettie and Rinny will always be dear to my heart.

Just like a first kiss, is holds a piece of my innocence and unguarded passion. But, also just like a first kiss, I've experienced more memorable moments after and grown to understand more memorable moments await me.

What was your first story? How did you feel about it than compared to today? Tell me a little about its and yours journey.

Oh Yeah...We're There

Oh boy! My brain (and eye balls) are ready to explode. It's the major editing saga of March, which will drone on into April. I'm just coming off of first round edits with my publishing editor on Duty and Devotion. Now I'm wading through the sluggish zone of "Editing Land" for Revelations of Tomorrow. It has to be done, and yeah, it's bad timing...but those are the breaks when you have deadlines to meet.

I'd wanted to get the first draft of Ending Eternity done so I could revise and edit all the Telomere Trilogy books together before having to submit the first to my publisher. However, my "Muse" decided to strike on me with the last 8K of Ending Eternity first draft. The reason? A conflict on the direction of the story. I feel someone needs to die, she feels I chose the wrong character to kill off, yet won't tell give me an alternative option.

I have mixed feelings about Muses. I know in reality they don't exist...not in the harps playing mirror looking human representation kind of way. I call my creative thought process my Muse. It's the little part of my brain that is always on imagination overload.

So, what do I do when my "Muse" and I are at odds? Well, it really means that two parts of my thought processes are at opposite ends of the spectrum. This usually means I'm not seeing the whole picture of the vision for my story. One or the other needs to share their little secrets so I can re-imagine what needs to be done.

With all the editing deadlines mentioned above, I know I have time to wait out this OK Corral moment and let it unwind itself in its own pace. It'll come to me...of course, at the most inconvenient time. But hey, don't look a gift muse in the mouth. Right?

What are you all working on right now? Mostly editing or mostly writing or some mix of both? (Of course, you could also be world building or outlining...don't mean to leave those two out.)

It's Sadistic Really

Yes, it is. I don't know what it is about writers (or maybe it's just me) but we are a sadistic and weird bunch.

...Let me explain before any odd ball notions get planted here. Too late you say? Oh, well...(heehee)

I sat down at lunch break and checked my personal mail.

What did I find?

The first round edits from my editor. I read through the email that contained overall pros and cons of the story and my writing. Then I peeked into the document and found all the red marks of the change tracker throughout the file.

What did I do?

I stood and did a little gleeful booty dance. That's what I did.

Now, why would I dance at the mark ups of my work? My precious piece of art that took a little sliver of my soul? There's a couple reasons. The first is my day job. It's a business setting where I work with management to come up with ideas that will keep the organization solvent. Then I build proposal and try to "sell" my executive team on them.

By its very nature this comes with a lot of technical review, political mumbo jumbo, and praise or criticism. They'll either love it or hate it. Rarely does the project fall into the middle "okay" ground. I've had to learn to accept this, and respond in a professional and non personal level. Sometimes that's standing my ground, sometimes it's compromising, and sometimes it's knowing when to let it go.

Writing is more personal. Yes, yes. I know you're thinking that. And you're right. Several years ago, I probably would've cried if this came back to me from an editor or critique partner. Okay...I did cry the first time this happened to me. It is personal. I poured out my creativity and tapped into emotions to make this story how I envisioned it.

But at the end of the day, I want this book in the hands of a reader, preferably lots of readers. To do that, like in my day job, means a couple specific things:

1. Checking my ego at the door
2. Putting my work into the hands and review of others
3. Accepting those professionals have my work in their best interest
4. Understanding the revisions of my work will result in a better portrayal of my vision

So far, these key points have not failed me. The end result of editing rounds has always been a better story.

Let's face it, I've read through Duty and Devotion hundreds of times. My eye is not catching another mistake or weird sentence. It's just not. The fresh eyes of my editor spotted things that, if published as is, would've been embarrassing or confusing (which leads back to embarrassing).

So, yes, I did shake a little excited booty and am ready to find out all the errors of my ways with Duty and Devotion. It's going to be exciting and challenging...and ultimately rewarding.

How do you all take criticism of your work? Are there specific points you follow to keep the experience positive?

Six Sentence Sunday

I thought with this Six Sentence Sunday I'd revisit my upcoming release, Duty and Devotion, that'll be out in June. Publisher edits started and a cover should be coming in the next month or two. Weeeee! So remember this isn't the final version, these sentences my be different in the final product.

Okay, here we go.

None of it sent her emotions into giddy delight and wonder as it had always done before. Tears streaked her face, and fear chilled her spine. Grief and guilt weighed on her heart.

Journey was dead.

Danny was missing.

I’m alone...

Make sure to check out the other participating Six Sentence Sunday writers.