NaNoWriMo update... Nov 21st

Uh... if you hadn't been able to figure it out, my writing has gone by the wayside the past few weeks. It's not that I'm in a writer's block... it's just I don't have the energy? to write. (Energy is NOT the correct word.)

It has nothing to do with the pressure of a deadline either... I have plenty of ideas for it... it's just I'm not at a place where I can write & write & write.

So, I've retreated to Facebook... & other things to get my mind off of it. But alas that proved to be a little detrimental... in the fact, I had forgot about NaNoWriMo for some time. & Now I know there's no way I'd make the deadline without pushing myself way beyond the limit... & again, I just don't have the stamina / energy to do it.

I'm not giving up on the book... I'm actually looking forward to finishing it. I'm just not going to push it to be 50,000 words. Because there are so many of you involved in it... I will get it finished! I may just post it as chapters here. or something. We'll see.

Ok, that's all for now. I have lots of other things on my mind that I need to attend to. Take care & HUGS to you all!

Thanks for cheering me on... sorry to let you down. NEXT YEAR, I'll do it!!! (Who knows I may still be able to make a little more effort to it this year... but I'm not going to push it!)

~~TOODLES~~

Good news on the SS Disability .... sort of... (Chiari related)

Spoke with the attorney today & he said we FINALLY have a hearing date scheduled for 1-21-2010.

1st... I can't believe it's going to be 2010 in just about 7 weeks... WHAT HAPPENED to 2009??

2nd.. The attorney said they're going to have a neurologist at the hearing. Which will all be done via video conferencing.

He also said that if all goes well & I'm approved, it will be 30 to 60 days before I get the 1st check... which should be the retroactive money. (Over 3 years worth!!!)

So, once we have that accomplished, I'll be scheduling the surgery soon as I can.... However, BEFORE I can even think about that... I have to get that MRI Cine Flow study done... That won't happen until Hubby's new insurance kicks in late this month....

UNLESS a friend, & advocate for Chiarians & a Chiarian herself, finds out if a certain radiologist will do the MRI for FREE... yes... I said  FREE!!!! Only thing is... since I haven't heard from her... I'm thinking that the radiologist can't get privileges down in Columbus. ... I'm about to tell her to tell the guy that if he can do it... I'll get to New York!

Just hope if I do that... they don't mind I'm not going to the doctors in New York.

Who knows, maybe the doctor will tell me I don't need surgery after all & just will need to take some medicine to relieve the pressure. We'll see.

Anyway... that's the update on that.
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A quick NaNoWriMo update (in case you didn't see my quick note)... It's on hold for me right now. I have completely lost my muse... & the mood of creative writing. I think it's from the lack of sleep I've gotten this week... SOOOOO hopefully things will improve over the weekend.

Stay tuned for more...
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*HUGS* & ~~Toodles~~

Literary abandonment is what it's called... (NaNoWriMo update)

It's a good thing that this book does not need to make sense... because last night after nearly 30 hours of not writing anything toward it I picked up my pen and paper (because my computer was off... as it should be at 3:30 AM!!) and just started to write about each of the characters.

What prompted that was a little 'pep talk' letter that was sent out to the NaNoWriMo participants last evening.

It said something about when you've come to a road block start describing the characters. Their clothes, their mannerisms... anything... just do it in great wordy detail! JUST WRITE!!!

So, that's what I was doing. I believe I only wrote for about 1/2 hour maybe longer. Didn't look at the time when I finally put down my paper & pen... I barely remember laying down.

However, it felt good to have written when I didn't write AT ALL on Friday.

I just finished counting all them words... & they're good enough to add to the book. ... The count was 724. (I'm now up to a total of 10,886 words with 39,114 to go!) I guess I tend to write faster with a pen than to type. LOL.

If I could, probably would write with my pen more often. Only thing is... I would need to transfer it all to the computer anyway. So, I stick with the typing. LOL!!!

Ok... I have to get back at it before the muse leaves me again. I'm playing catch up mode again. By the end of tonight I should be over 13 grand... again, key word being.... SHOULD!

However... I'm more looking at the goal at the end of tomorrow... FIFTEEN THOUSAND words... So, hopefully be end of tomorrow I'll be back on track. (Not going to push myself... just going to write and write and write.... )

~Toodles~

This may be the silliest thing I've ever written (NaNoWriMo update)

I thought Stella the Stiletto was the goofiest thing I would ever write. Well, this novel I'm writing for the NaNoWriMo challenge has gone way beyond silliness!! In my mind, I think so! ;o)

At least it really doesn't matter if the book is really worthy for the masses to read. It's the exercise of writing is what counts.

In doing so, I have found I can write nearly 1500 words in just over an hour, if I really just sat down and just let mind (and fingers) have at it. I can only imagine at this point what I really could punch out if I spent a good eight hours working on just writing for my book. Meaning no blogs... no Facebook updates... no tweets on Twitter... just creative writing.

Anyway, I'm taking a little break from the book to let you know that (in case you didn't see in my quick notes) I've crossed that TEN GRAND mark! WOO HOO!!! And there's still a few hour left in the day! :o)

Also, to inform you there is now a widget on my front page with my word count. It's the 1st little box in the left column. (Or you can just refer back to this blog and the picture at the top.)

Well, that's all for this update. Talk to ya all soon! ~Toodles~

Off to a good start - NaNoWriMo update

After I gathered my Nestle Toll House chocolate chips and a glass a milk I started the challenge.

I stopped only once in the past 3 hours, and it has paid off. I have already typed over 2600 words. To meet the goal of 50,000 words in 30 days you need to average about 1667 words a day. My personal goal is 1800 to 2000.

Which I have succeeded for Day 1! And to think... there's still 21 more hours left in the day! *grins!*

In the next day or so, I hope to be able to have a little widget on my front page to show you my tally, so I don't have to bug you all with a blog each time. (And so I don't use up my words! Like as if that would happen! LOL!)

Anyway... Just wanted to let you all know how it's going. Stay tuned for more updates!

~Toodles!~ :)

Cast of characters for NaNoWriMo 2009 (updated)

Well my characters are almost all accounted for... now I just need to start coming up with some destinations for when all have climbed aboard.

btw... here are those who have "signed up"... so far... There are just a few whom I'm waiting for confirmation to use their screen name. So they're not on the list just yet.

Maegan; Dio; KittyChile; Spooked Dreamscape (a dragon, in case you didn't know!); Caffienated Jo (may just call her Caffi Jo!); Cali the Quill & Ink; Passion Wolf; Stilly Bee; Nomie Panda & her imaginary friend Jessifer; MystyDragons & her Pixies; & the Warrior Princess (you all know her as HeartsofParis)... & Now we have Gina Bean (my sister!) :)

I have some ideas for the destinations... country wise that is (ie: Africa) but will need some town / village / city names. Any ideas??

Please feel free to add your ideas below... if I use it, I'll be sure to give you (your screen name that is.) in my "credits".

Thanks to all who have stepped forward & agreed to lend their screen name in this project of mine! It's been a huge help & relief to know I should not have a problem meeting the 50,000 (or more) words in 30 days challenge!! :o)
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Guess I should have read my other messages before I started to type this... seems that KittyChile has given me a list of town names. HOWEVER... don't let the stop YOU from giving some suggestions.

Just remember can't be any thing that would be in someone else's novel. (Ie: Hogwarts)

If you think of something... let me know what country it maybe in.

Thanks again all!!! :)

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Due to copyright... I had to change the name of our dear friend Dory Panda. She will be known as Nomie Panda in the story. (Mutually agreed upon between the two of us.)

YOUR name on my list.... (updated 10-31.. TWICE!) ;)

Re-posting this from a quick note... in hopes to get ya all to look at it... (sorry for the duplication.)

In case you've missed my other blogs / notes... I finally have an idea for my novel for the NaNoWriMo... but I need some character names... & below is the list I'm looking at.

Please keep in mind I will NOT be using any of your real life details (except maybe the country you live in as a destination stop)... This will be strictly a work of fiction. If you want more information, please send me a PM. Thanks :)

(You think 12 characters is too many???) I may not need all of these... but these are the ones I think I can really get a good story lines with!! :o)

Maegan - ON BOARD ... might be the Train Engineer??

Dio & Flagon - ON BOARD - (already ok'd via the THIS BLOG.) <~~~ Go there in case you want more info.

KittyChile - ON BOARD... & will be defending the Pixies!! ;o)

Spooked Dreamscape (can't have Kitty without her Spooked! *grins*) ??????

Caffienated Jo - ON BOARD!!!

Cali the Quill & Ink - ON BOARD!!! (She knows who she is! & this one is OK'd!!)

Passion Wolf - just received a text confirmation... she's ON BOARD!! :o)

Stilly Bee - ON BOARD! - buzz buzzz

Buggal the Lady Bug - I have a great idea for Buggal... hope she will join us!!! ;o)

Dory Panda - ON BOARD - & will bring along some friends too, maybe! :)

Emma Monkey ?????

MystyDragons & her Pixies - ON BOARD - & there will be NO eating of the pixies!!! :o)

Warrior Princess (you all know her as HeartsofParis) - ON BOARD! Thank you! :)

Actually make that at baker's dozen of characters... because I'll need my name, Lady Harley, in it too, as the conductor of the train!!! ;o)

Now... it's hurry up & wait until 12:01a Nov 1st!!! LOL

(btw... You can either reply below OR send me a PM to ok or veto your user id.)

Oh wow... this is coming together quite nicely!!! *BIG grins!*

NaNoWriMo update... (just a quick note) ;)

Ok, in just less than 2 hours I have had the inspiration hit me, like a ton of bricks, for my novel this year...

I, now, think I'll have NO PROBLEM whatsoever meeting this challenge!

The ideas are just pouring out of my little brain... (I mean the brain that's too big for my head! LOL... yes that's a reference to my Chiari Malformation.) ;o)

Anyway... stay tuned... more updates to follow...

Let the COUNTDOWN begin!!!

So much for that idea!

Yes, I'm talking about NaNoWriMo again...

I thought I had a great idea of what to do... but then I wanted to be sure that I could do a piece of Non-Fiction / a sort of auto-biography...

Then I read this:
Write a novel. We define a novel as a lengthy work of fiction. If you consider the book you're writing a novel, we consider it a novel too!

Well, that idea is thrown out the window & back to square 1...

So, again I ask... Anyone have any ideas for me???

Wait... STOP THE TRAIN!!! Something just hit my train of thought here...

But I guess I'll need all of you to give your ok on this... Well, a few of you at least...

If I were to write something using your user id... would you mind? (Of course I'd give you credit & a thank you in the book.)

It would be one of them type of stories where I would use the names and / or pictures to base the character upon. Meaning, I would NOT use any of your real life details!!! ;o)

For example: KittyChile would be a kitten... then there's Passion Wolf, she'd be... a wolf. (Big stretch there.) and etc... LOL.

Ok... with that said... I best get to thinking of a plot for these characters.

In the meantime... keep an eye on this blog for updates of how it's going.

~~ TOODLES ~~

FOUR days until NaNoWriMo starts

Writers on your mark... only FOUR days away from the start of the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)!

In case you don't know, that's the challenge to write a 50,000+ word novel in 30 days. That averages out to over 1600 words per day; over 138 words per hour & 2.3 words per minute. Now that's doesn't sound so hard, does it???

It does if you don't have a plot idea in your head at this moment... I have NOT a single one!!!

But my main concern is I may have another episode of my backwards typing... Yeah, I know... the spelling / context of the words don't count, it's the quantity they're after.

Only thing is I hope that when I have my sister read & proof this one that it's not sooooo far off that she may not get the story. LOL.

Anyway... Get stocked up now on all the snacks & prepare to spend a few late nights typing up a storm.

Just remember, if you're going to do this challenge to take many breaks so as not to get stiff! (Mainly saying this for myself.) ;o)

On you marks... Get set.... WAIT... it's not November 1st yet!!! *giggles*

(Yes that's my "badge" from last year. And to think, I started 11 days late last year!!)
(Title corrected... I forgot there are 31 days in Oct! LOL!)

I DID IT!! I DID IT!!!

I knew I could do it!! It took some sleepless nights & some hard work. Lots of chocolate... but I DID IT!!!
I made the goal of FIFTY THOUSAND WORDS!! However, the novel is not complete yet! But I reached the goal! So, I'm good to go!!

Final tally: 54,392 words (and counting!!!!)

I will try to post the certificate later. For now, I'm going back to sleep!!! WOO HOO!!!!

CALLING for all NaNoWriMo writers.... who else is out there doing this??

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

If you'd like to buddy up on NaNoWriMo... we can encourage each other to get that last push of 50,000 words!!!

WE ALL CAN DO IT!!! I know it!!!

On a roll...

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Here I am taking a quick break to give you an update... (& to get a power snack!)

The date today is 1/2 way in the NaNoWriMo challenge... and I'm only a 5th of the way complete... HOWEVER, if you've been paying attention... I only just started on Tuesday.

So, I call reaching the 10,000 word count threshold an accomplishment!! :o)

I have put a counter "widget" on my front page... so, I may not post as many updates as I have been. I don't want to bore the majority of you... and besides, I should be saving my words for the novel. ;o)

Speaking of, I must get back at it. Have to make up for not writing last night!! :)

How many words can you type in a day?

Well, I am at EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN. Yep, that's 8,516 words in just 3 days. (Well, actually only 2, since I didn't write anything last night!) ... According to another word count widget, I saw I am at 17% of my goal!

WOO HOO!!

*grabs the calculator* That's leaves me at an average of just under 2500 words a day from here on out.

As you can probably tell, I am starting to feel better. At least for now I am!

Don't worry, when you see the time on this blog... I will get plenty of sleep. It just happens that I have been sleeping in the day... and I bet because I've been sick is the reason I had been sleep so much!

Ok, I'll give you that, it is LATE... even for me!! But I feel more relieved since I've wrote a lot.

I'm getting excited how it's all going to! I just hope that I don't end the story before I reach my goal of 50,000 words!!!

I'll give you a tiny glimpse into the storyline...

It's about a girl and a boy... KIDDING!!! Actually, the two main characters is a girl and a boy... but it's actually a suspense type of a novel with a little tiny romance in it.

I think it would be something that Hallmark Movie Channel (HMC) would air.

If you don't know me well, just keep in mind... I write PG stuff! So, if you don't know of the HMC that's just a tip.

Ok... you all twisted my arm... here's a snippet...

It was of his grandfather standing at a lake holding his fishing rod. The caption under it was ‘Tom Jackson caught something alright!’ Lily giggled as she remembered the story she was told.

Ok... that's all I can give you. What I can tell you is that is the start of a story within the story!!!

Would something like that interest you enough to read more??

Word count update...

Well, I did not write at all last night. I was not feeling very well. However tonight I am back at it. Taking a quick break to give you an update.

I am not sure if this meter will update automatically... but here is something you can watch. (If it does, I'm going to put it on my front page, too!)

I tell you... I am bound and determined to make this deadline!!! I figured it out... with a little more than 16 days to go... I have to average about 2900 words each day from here on out. I hope that average will decrease by the end of the weekend.

Best month to do it... WRITE A NOVEL...

I had been hearing about this site NaNoWriMo (which stands for National Novel Writing Month) for a couple weeks now. I never went to investigate... (wish now I had sooner... knowing it was something about writing.)

Well, in my boredom-ness (from being sick & been watching too much TV)... I started to peruse some blogs of my friends. I stumbled upon one from SkyeRider in which she had a link to the NaNoWriMo site. (I'd post her blog about it, but it's for her network only).

So, I checked out the site... looked at the rules... & thought... what the hay... I can do this... I'm a RAMBLER... & most of all, I LOVE TO WRITE!! ... I've been itching to write again... but haven't been really inspired. Well, nothing like a contest to get you motivated!!

The goal is to write a novel of at least 175 pages with AT LEAST 50,000 words... by 11:59p.m. November 30th. Has to be original work & nothing that you've published or posted anywhere else before.

Well, I have started many other novels, if you say, & I never quite seem to get them finished. Then I loose the notebook they're in... or lost the file some how. As I said... nothing like getting motivation.

For this "contest", my novel is actually going to be the 2nd installment of a series of ones that I am working on. I have not finished the 1st book yet.... however, in writing it I "unearthed" a way to be able to make it into a series.

Since this site is wanting original work that you didn't start to write until Nov 1st... I'm going to go ahead & start on the 2nd book.

The reason I'm going into all this is because I wanted to let you all know that even though I'm still sick... & not feeling well... I'll be making my down time count for something!

Who knows what it may lead to... WISH ME LUCK!! & If you're a Multiply user... go by SkyeRider's site & wish her luck too! ... I don't know who else is participating. Feel free to comment below if you are a part of NaNoWriMo!!

P.S. When I feel I can, I'll give you a little excerpt from the novel... however, I may wait until after the deadline.



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