I Love December

I'm sitting here sipping eggnog mixed with milk, the Christmas tree lights twinkling, the snowflakes falling silently outside, soft music playing in the next room, and thinking....Ahhh.

I love December!

And guess what - I did it!  I finished NaNoWriMo 2012, and I did it a day early!  This past year of really focusing on my writing has paid off.  Not only did I find the first draft process easier this time around, but the story ideas flowed more naturally, and my internal editor was more manageable.

So now it's on to the busyness that consumes December, with next year's writing resolutions at the forefront of my mind.  I have some ideas for where I want both my writing and my blogging to go in the next while, but you'll have to wait till January to find out more.

So Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and see you in January 2013.

P.S.  How was your NaNo experience this year?

Edenbrooke...Best Romantic Novel of the Year?

I know this blog appears to have been on Hiatus.  I am sad to admit I've let it slide these past few months, but happy to share that I've not been idle with my writing.  I spent a good part of my free time in the summer working on short story fiction that I entered into a couple of contests.  I've since been working on editing my first first draft (that's still so exciting to say!) and plotting, outlining and then plodding through NaNoWriMo 2012.  I'm at 40,000 words with less than a week to go.  Wish me luck!

As for the hiatus - part of it was busy life circumstances, and part was a need for a break to think about the value/vision/purpose of this blog.  Or rather re-think it.  I think I have an idea of how I want to shape this space as my author platform, but I'll go into more detail in the new year, so stay tuned...

In the meantime, I found another book I can adore, and have shelved with the best books of 2012.  Coincidentally, it is currently a semi-finalist with the 2012 Romantic Novel of the Year Awards on Goodreads.  If you read it, and loved it, go vote!

What is this books I speak of?

I was picking up my daughter from school a few weeks ago when a friend of mine approached. She handed me a copy of a book called "Edenbrooke" and said, "You have to read this. I just read it twice in two days. I've never done that before." I've always trusted the literary tastes of my friend, and so I dove right in.

Edenbrooke was written by the delightful new author Julianne Donaldson, and published by Shadow Mountain. The blurb for the story (as taken from the back of the book):

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.

From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will Marianne be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.

I recently contacted Julianne and asked her to answer a few questions about her own unique writing and publication journey. I am so grateful that she agreed to answer, and here is what she had to say:

1. When and why did you start writing?

I started writing when I was young because I love to tell stories. As an adult, I would write stories here and there but never seriously thought about being published until I started having children. As a stay-at-home mom, I found within myself a yearning to create something outside of my home and family--something that belonged just to me--something that wouldn't come undone overnight (like the dishes, the laundry, the cooking, the diapering, etc.). I started small, with poems and ideas for picture books. Then I started dreaming bigger and bigger until I had written Edenbrooke.

2. How did you get the idea for Edenbrooke?

Edenbrooke didn't come to me as an "idea." I don't think it's an "idea" type of book. If I try to describe it, I usually end up saying inane things like "It's about a girl who lives in England in the 1800's who grows up and falls in love at a grand estate." No big ideas there. So writing Edenbrooke was not really writing around an idea, but taking a journey of emotional exploration. I escaped into a finer world than my own, where no children existed and money was not an issue. And in my escape, I tried to recreate what it felt like to grow up and fall in love.

3. What was the hardest part about writing your novel?

The hardest part about writing my novel was finishing it. I spent hundreds of pages writing threads of plot that I didn't know how to tie together. Huge gaps existed in the middle of my story that I didn't know how to fill. And the perfectionist side of me rebelled every time I attempted to call the story "done." The best thing I did for myself as a writer was attend a writer's conference, where I learned how to overcome those trouble spots. And sheer determination did the rest.

4. What future plans do you have for your writing?

I loved writing Edenbrooke, but after I finished it I vowed I would never write another historical fiction. It is so limiting to write in that genre, and I think it takes a lot of patience and attention to detail to do it well. Yet...here I am, writing another historical fiction. My fans convinced me to give it another go, and I am currently working on Blackmoore, which is set in England in the same time period as Edenbrooke, but features a whole new cast of characters and problems. As I have been writing Blackmoore, I have sworn up and down that I will never write another historical--yet, I am obviously a person who can be persuaded to change her mind. So I guess I will take things one book at a time. I do know that there are a lot of stories I want to tell. And I have a real science fiction streak in me that will probably make itself heard sooner rather than later.

I invite you to go check out her blog. If you haven't heard of Edenbrooke, I urge you to go get a copy. I loved it so much, I bought my own, and you can bet I'll be reading it again.

Junk in the Trunk

I have a rule:  If I've had it for more than a year without touching or needing it: toss it.

In life, stuff accumulates.  With children, stuff accumulates.  I've often found myself calling it junk, but in truth, most of it is not, by proper definition 'junky' (though to be honest I've accumulated enough of that as well).  I've tried to rewire my thinking and remind myself that it is stuff.

That being said, stuff, like junk, can accumulate quickly and leave a home feeling cluttered.  At moments like these, it helps to dejunk - get rid of the clutter.  Hence, the rule.  The key to the rule?  The one that makes it most effective - time.

The last few weeks I have been working on the novel I finished writing in May.  I haven't really touched it since than, and I'm realizing what a blessing that has been.  I'm approaching my project with fresh eyes and a clear perspective, and its much easier to recognize the 'junk', or the 'stuff' that I don't need.  The first night, I deleted 15, 000 words (don't worry, I have many a back up copy in case I change my mind - but I doubt I will).  My story suddenly feels less cluttered.

The key ingredient - time.  I shelved my project - I gave it space.

That isn't to say it was forgotten.  In fact, I've though quite extensively about it over the past four months, making notes, plotting possible revision ideas, talking with crit friends, reading books about the craft of writing.  And I've kept my writing muscle flexed by working on side projects - a couple of short stories I entered into contests, my NaNoWriMo plot for November.  All the while, my novel sizzled in the background.

Do you have junk in the trunk?  How do you know what to toss, and what to keep?

Blogger Gets Sued For Borrowed Image

I read an article last month (perhaps by now you all have as well) by an author named Roni Loren, who discusses her experienced with being sued for using a google image without permission on a past blog post.

Essentially, she was under the impression, as a writer/blogger, that if you use an image on a blog post and credit back to the source, it was considered Fair Use under copyright law. I have to say, that was my assumption as well. When I add images to blog posts, I simply cite the source (webpage) from where I got it. Now I know, it is illegal.

Some time ago, she was contacted by the owner of an image she had used with a legal notice to remove it, which she promptly did, feeling bad that she had unknowingly infringed on the photographer's copyright. However, despite her immediate action, she was sued by the photographer.

In the article, she discusses many of the misconceptions that bloggers have about copyright and fair use. It is definitely an area I will also be furthering my own education in now.

She also shares some links to resources that provide free images for public use, such as Creative Commons (though some of the comments on her post suggested even there, one should be careful). The best advice she had to share was simply - assume it's copyright, then ask permission. You never know, the owner of the image just might say yes!

With 99% percent of bloggers probably using images the way I was until now, under the same misunderstanding, the chances of one individual blogger being sued are relatively small. However, as this author points out, would we want our work, our stories, posted without permission, whether that person gave the proper credit or not? I think the bigger issue, for me, is whether what I've been doing is honest or not. Since the answer to that is a resounding, no, I have gone through my blog and removed several images I had found on Google image search.  The only images left are ones received from others (which I'm hoping they had permission to send in the first place, though I may follow up on that), book covers and blog tours links that were given away for promotion purposes, and images I made or asked permission to use.

And then I think I will make a disclaimer that any image on my blog is free for sharing (unless otherwise indicated). Hopefully that makes up for all the copyright infringement for which I have been guilty up until this point!

What is your take on this issue?

Short Story Writing Contests

If any of you are interested, here are some short story writing contests (all three are free to enter) with deadlines coming up at the end of July.

1.  Mormon Mommy Writers (MMW) is calling for entries by July 31st.  They can be fiction/non-fiction/poetry, and winners will be published in an anthology later in the year.  For more information, check out this page.

2. If you are a Canadian writer, you should visit the Poetry Institute of Canada's contest page, which is also accepting short story submissions.  Just click on this link.

3.  Finally, a Canadian press called Polar Expressions Publishing is also accepting Canadian entries for their yearly anthology (of which I have twice been a published finalist, including once as an honorable mention).

Contests can be a great way to take a break from novel writing and hone our skills with quicker fare.  Consider it the fast food of writing, except that in this case (if you enjoy it) it's actually healthy for you.

Best of luck!

Revisiting Resolutions

So here we are.  July 2012.  The beginning of the month brings both the big National Celebrations for the USA and Canada.  July 1st (Canada Day) and July 4th (Independence Day) and their associated fireworks displays mark exactly half a year since the last big sparkly night sky bash - New Years Eve.

Image used with permission from thenewpbj.blogspot.com
Do not repost without permission.

With six whole months, three seasons, and countless days filled with joy, and trial and work and...well...life, it's time to reflect on where we were the last time we watched the fireworks.

It's time for a check in on our New Years Resolutions.  Sadly, I actually had to look mine up to remember what they were.  Gratefully, I'm not doing too bad.  Here's where I'm at:

1.  My first goal was to finish my Nano manuscript and edit it.

Well, that fell by the way side by February.  But between February and the end of May, I managed to write consistently every evening after the kids went to bed and finished a manuscript (different than the Nano one) for the first time ever.

2.  My next goal was to prepare for NaNoWriMo 2012. 

Yah.  Haven't even started thinking about that yet. 

3. My final writing goal was related to improving my skills through my critique group, my reading, and my blog.

I'm proud to say I've made a more consistent effort to post.  Consistency feels good.  It feels like a small measure of success.  And I've read so far 21 books this year.  Won't ever complain about reading.  And I continue to be a staunch believer of how important writing groups can be.

How about you?  How are your goals coming along?

The Liebster Award

I've been honored with the Liebster Blog award:

Liebster is a German word which means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome. The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers and fit the definition

Carolyn Frank at Frankly Creative gave me the award.

The rules:
1. Each person must post 10 facts about themselves
2. Answer 10 questions the tagger has given you and give 10 questions for the people you’ve tagged.
3. Choose a few people and link them in your post.
4. Tell them you’ve tagged them.
5. Remember, no tag backs.

10 Facts about me (Mandi):
1. I am the mother of three.
2. I was born in the Northwest Territories, Canada (think Santa's turf - okay, not quite so far north, but in the neighborhood)
3. Despite my snowy beginnings, I graduated high school and promptly flew south to the warm and sunny beaches of Hawaii, where I attended my first year of college.
4. I went to Hawaii to learn Marine Biology.  I wanted to be a dolphin trainer.
5. I quickly discovered the program was not for me, but could not abandon it without fulfilling that dream.  So I worked for a summer at the Dolphin Lagoon and Sea Life Caverns at West Edmonton Mall.  Pretty much in the top ten list of coolest jobs ever.
6. I then changed my degree to Education and went on to teach grade one and kindergarten.  Again, in the top ten list for coolest jobs.
7. I'm not a fan of candy.  But I will never balk at dark chocolate.  Mmmm.
8. I can't stand creamed corn or cucumbers.  Uhhhhggghh.
9. I finished my first novel in May.  Felt pretty good.
10. I don't watch television.  Okay, I don't have television, which is why I don't watch it.  Which is why I actually have time to write. 

Blogs I've tagged:

Jolyn at Jolyn Brown's Blog
Kasey at the Beautiful Thrifty Life
Stephanie at Write Bravely
Cindy at Writers Mirror
Jaima at Words
Char at Chimney Sweeper
Jessica at Breathings

Here are my questions to them, along with my own answers.
1. How long have you been blogging?
I actually started blogging July 2007, but due to privacy concerns, changed to a different system about two years ago.  Now I keep my family posts and writer posts separate.

2. Why did you start up a blog?
It seemed like a fabulous means of sharing pictures and stories of my growing family with friends and relatives too far to visit on a frequent basis - much easier than trying to email people.  I also loved the visual appeal, and the chance to journal/write using technology.  Once I started, I was addicted.

3. What has been your weirdest experience with blogging?
Realizing just how dangerous personal information on the web can be - which is why my family blog is private now.  Don't worry, nothing bad happened to me, but to some friends of mine.  It's a long story, and not really mine to share.

4. What is your favorite book? 5. Who is your favorite author?
One of my favorite books is 'The Alchemist', by Paulo Coehlo.  Authors I love are JK Rowling, Jane Austen, JRR Tolkien, Regina Sirois, Mitch Albom, Kate Morton, Lauren Oliver, Monica Hughes, Shannon Hale, Eva Ibbotson - how do you make a comprehensive list on this topic?

6. What do you want to be when you grow up/what is your profession?
I am a teacher, a mother, and a writer.  Someday I hope to be an Author.

7. How many books do you think you might have?
Do the stories in our heads ever end? I hope not.  We'll see how many of those stories are actually translated to paper.

8. Do you prefer reading a proper book or a ebook?
I thought ebooks were a bad idea.  Until I tried one.  Now I'm hooked.  I will, however, always love my ink and paper books.

9. If you could choose to live one character's life in a book, who would it be?
Probably one of Shannon Hale's heroines.  I love her stories....

10. If you were stranded on a desert island what 10 items would you want to have with you?
It would go something like this: 1. My family 2. My books  3.  Scrivener  4. One seriously cool tree house (think Swiss Family Robinson) 5. palm trees  6. Basic necessities (food, clothing, shelter) 7. Dark Chocolate  8. a camera 9. a notebook (I'm a list girl) 10. my friends