Is unfortunately the dilemma that I face.
Lately, I haven't read anything worth noting. It is worth noting that I haven't actually read anything at all. Oh, sure I peruse copies of old Jim Butcher books to re-familiarize myself with the first person POV and whatnot but these are books I've read a million times over. Basically, what I mean to say is that I haven't read anything NEW in just about forever. I think the last time I read something from start to finish was a beta read about demons, drugs, sex, incest, and just about everything else turrible. Don't get me wrong, it was a riveting read and the writer now has an agent for the book, but it wasn't a pleasure read.
I'm too busy either watching Netflix, playing Animal Crossing on my 3DS, or...
... ... ...
No, I think that's pretty much it. Basically, I'm not reading anything for fun and I think my writing is suffering because of it. It's an issue I've discussed with my husband and we've both come to the conclusion that because I write for a living, I now view reading as a part of my job, and because I think it's a job, all the fun is sucked right out of it.
For my sake, I hope this is not true because I intend to write for the rest of my life. I used to read ALL THE TIME. I never watched TV when I was growing up. Okay, except for when Scooby Doo was on on Cartoon Network. I got in trouble every other week at school for reading. Teachers would take my books away and I'd get them back in a big box at the end of the year. Hell, my parents used to get phone calls about my reading during class.
Maybe, just maybe, I've been reading things that I've lost interest in. Actually, I'm not sure.
But starting today, I'm going to devote just 2 hours of my day to reading something, anything. I'm hoping this will help me re-ignite my writing spark because, let me tell you, with editing and whatnot, I'm feeling kind of low in the creativity department.
11/9/13
9th day of Nano!
And I'm right on track!
In fact, I'm writing right now, with bowls of deep-fried French Fries and Korean spicy rice cakes on one side of my computer. I've got One Piece playing in a small window next to Scrivener because for strange reason, I can stay a little more focused on my current WIP if I have a small distraction playing next to it. I know, I know, it's strange, but hey, it works so I'm not going to question it too deeply.
BITE is being edited as we speak and I anticipate a late November release at this rate it's being worked on. By the end of November, I should have the first draft of the 3rd Blood Martyr book finished. I'm kind of undecided on the title yet, since it deals with both demons and werewolves, instead of just either one. Maybe I'll just call it OF DEMONS AND WOLVES or something like that, luuulz.
Except at this point of the manuscript, which is about 25 percent complete, there's only one demon involved so the title wouldn't really be accurate. Don't ask me about the other 75 percent because I'm writing this book without an outline. I don't even know how this book is going to end. At this rate, I'm just hoping this book will answer questions asked in Book 2 and set up more questions to be resolved in Book 5. I'd like to write and release a Tanith Quinn book every two months, but that seems strangely overly ambitious. Still, it's a goal I can try to push myself to achieve.
And with that said, I will leave you with this gif that I've been having a hard time forgetting...
In fact, I'm writing right now, with bowls of deep-fried French Fries and Korean spicy rice cakes on one side of my computer. I've got One Piece playing in a small window next to Scrivener because for strange reason, I can stay a little more focused on my current WIP if I have a small distraction playing next to it. I know, I know, it's strange, but hey, it works so I'm not going to question it too deeply.
BITE is being edited as we speak and I anticipate a late November release at this rate it's being worked on. By the end of November, I should have the first draft of the 3rd Blood Martyr book finished. I'm kind of undecided on the title yet, since it deals with both demons and werewolves, instead of just either one. Maybe I'll just call it OF DEMONS AND WOLVES or something like that, luuulz.
Except at this point of the manuscript, which is about 25 percent complete, there's only one demon involved so the title wouldn't really be accurate. Don't ask me about the other 75 percent because I'm writing this book without an outline. I don't even know how this book is going to end. At this rate, I'm just hoping this book will answer questions asked in Book 2 and set up more questions to be resolved in Book 5. I'd like to write and release a Tanith Quinn book every two months, but that seems strangely overly ambitious. Still, it's a goal I can try to push myself to achieve.
And with that said, I will leave you with this gif that I've been having a hard time forgetting...
11/1/13
It's November 1st!
First post of November, first day I've started working on the third Blood Martyr book which I have tentatively titled Cry Wolf.
The rough premise I'm going with is, with the absence of Phoenix and his pack from Book 1, Centennial City is seen as the ideal place for a pack of wolves from St. Louis and starts a war in the Underworld that might leave the city in crumbles. And there's not a damn thing Tanith, our MC, can do about it.
I'm actually writing Cry Wolf as my 2013 Nanowrimo project and so far I'm ahead of my word count. Still, it's only the first day, so I'm waiting to see if I'll still feel energetic and go-get-em by the end of the first week.
While I'm writing the first draft of Cry Wolf, I am also working on the third draft of Bite, which is the second book of the Blood Martyr series. Bite was supposed to be released late June, early July but I had to write several more drafts when I noticed a bunch of strange plot holes that wouldn't go away no matter what I did to the current plot. I'm now almost finished with the third draft, which might turn out to be my last one. I'm quite excited and hope to have this book finished and out to the general public by the end of November. I've been working on this chapter of Tanith's life for way too long and I'm ready to have it out of my hair and finally move on.
As far as life on the non-writing front goes, it's...going. Hangzhou is relatively slow compared to Chicago, or maybe I just feel this way since I now stay at home all day and write pretty much all day and into half the night.
Well, that's it for today. I'd like to aim to post at least something every day, so we'll see if I'm back tomorrow!
The rough premise I'm going with is, with the absence of Phoenix and his pack from Book 1, Centennial City is seen as the ideal place for a pack of wolves from St. Louis and starts a war in the Underworld that might leave the city in crumbles. And there's not a damn thing Tanith, our MC, can do about it.
I'm actually writing Cry Wolf as my 2013 Nanowrimo project and so far I'm ahead of my word count. Still, it's only the first day, so I'm waiting to see if I'll still feel energetic and go-get-em by the end of the first week.
While I'm writing the first draft of Cry Wolf, I am also working on the third draft of Bite, which is the second book of the Blood Martyr series. Bite was supposed to be released late June, early July but I had to write several more drafts when I noticed a bunch of strange plot holes that wouldn't go away no matter what I did to the current plot. I'm now almost finished with the third draft, which might turn out to be my last one. I'm quite excited and hope to have this book finished and out to the general public by the end of November. I've been working on this chapter of Tanith's life for way too long and I'm ready to have it out of my hair and finally move on.
As far as life on the non-writing front goes, it's...going. Hangzhou is relatively slow compared to Chicago, or maybe I just feel this way since I now stay at home all day and write pretty much all day and into half the night.
Well, that's it for today. I'd like to aim to post at least something every day, so we'll see if I'm back tomorrow!
The Day of Reckoning has come...and passed...
And BITE is not complete.
It's closer to being complete than yesterday, but the fact remains that it is not yet ready for human consumption, so once again, I must push back the release date. Damn.
I really honestly think that maybe another week of hard work and I can make it presentable, at least to the degree in which no one will try to kill me in my sleep for putting up such a shoddy product. But only just.
Nanowrimo officially starts in less than 5 hours and I know what project I'm working on: the third book in the Blood Martyr series, which I have tentatively titled Cry Wolf.
Normally, I balk at going from book to book without any rest, but I think it might prove to be advantageous for me since the second book will be very, very fresh in my mind. The third book will be a few weeks in the future and as the title says, refers to the wolves of Centennial City. More specifically, it concentrates on Kieran's struggle for dominance in a city that might have grown too large for him to rule with any practicality.
The second book, BITE, is more of a continuation of the first book since the first book Waiting for Darkness ended on such an abrupt note. BITE will deal with the repercussions of Tanith's actions and she's also going to have to contend with Kieran and Jamison's attentions. Bite, unfortunately, will not settle the ultimate question of who she ends up with, and I'm afraid, neither will Cry Wolf.
The Blood Martyr series started with a lot more sex but I think the subsequent books in the series will be less sex and more violence, although this certainly was not intentional.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a book to finish. And start.
It's closer to being complete than yesterday, but the fact remains that it is not yet ready for human consumption, so once again, I must push back the release date. Damn.
I really honestly think that maybe another week of hard work and I can make it presentable, at least to the degree in which no one will try to kill me in my sleep for putting up such a shoddy product. But only just.
Nanowrimo officially starts in less than 5 hours and I know what project I'm working on: the third book in the Blood Martyr series, which I have tentatively titled Cry Wolf.
Normally, I balk at going from book to book without any rest, but I think it might prove to be advantageous for me since the second book will be very, very fresh in my mind. The third book will be a few weeks in the future and as the title says, refers to the wolves of Centennial City. More specifically, it concentrates on Kieran's struggle for dominance in a city that might have grown too large for him to rule with any practicality.
The second book, BITE, is more of a continuation of the first book since the first book Waiting for Darkness ended on such an abrupt note. BITE will deal with the repercussions of Tanith's actions and she's also going to have to contend with Kieran and Jamison's attentions. Bite, unfortunately, will not settle the ultimate question of who she ends up with, and I'm afraid, neither will Cry Wolf.
The Blood Martyr series started with a lot more sex but I think the subsequent books in the series will be less sex and more violence, although this certainly was not intentional.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a book to finish. And start.
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