Today is a lazy day.
Or rather, it was supposed to be. Instead I cleaned my kitchen, did all the dishes except for one(it really needs to soak for a bit, trust me), vacumed, swept what little hard floor we have, gernerally picked up stuff, and did some laundry. I had some good music blasting and sang along as I scrubbed, rinsed, swept, and basically put things to rights.
Oddly enough, it was awesome.
I now have a clean house for my husband to come home to. There's time for a nap, and even some artwork before he gets home....well, maybe not the nap.
As you've probably guessed, I've finished chapter twenty-six. The new ending is still a little raw, but all my betas who have read the new ending love it and that's good enough for me(I can always tweak it later).
Today is also the last day of my usual three day break between chapters. Tomorrow it's back to work, and I'm hoping the new changes I've made are the right ones. It'll all show up one way or another when I buckled down. This will be my second attempt to finish chapter twenty-seven. I have to admit, I'm a little nervous, but excited too.
I'm almost done.
That's right. There are just three chapters after this one and none of them need the kind of rewrite twenty-seven does. With a bit of luck, I'll spend maybe a week on each of them.
For now, however, I'm still on my three day break and I've been working pretty hard. It's time to go slip into my little art studio for a bit and get lost in lush color and clean lines....or I could try for the nap.
Hm...choices, choices...
~Sun and Moon
July 3, 2011
June 27, 2011
Time is flying away
Another week come and gone, and I feel like I'm standing still as it blows by.
I woke up this morning to realize it was monday and I hadn't posted a single word for my Sunday blog post. I haven't been late in a while, but I have a good reason. Or rather, I have a reason that makes sense to me.
Actually, its two reasons.
First of all, I lost a guinea pig last Monday. She had been sick and I'd been trying to get her to pull through with no success. The last of my breeding stock, her death put a definite end to my small breeding operation. I now have a small herd of five guinea pig misfits I either can't bear to sell, or simply won't because I don't trust anyone to understand their quirks like I do. My website died out last year and the online ad I maintained was deleted just yesterday. I'll miss waking up to new babies running around the cube and coroplast cages I built, but its time to let go and just enjoy the ones left to me.
And my other reason for slacking off and forgetting to post yesterday? Well, I had the most amazing day with my husband goofing off and talking about everything and nothing at all. There was a wrestling match(I won), video games(I lost), steak for dinner, and a movie to round out the night.
It was awesome.
I even got some editting done, and chapter 26 is slowly coming together as a new character makes her debut just as things wrap up. It still needs lots of work, but I have the time.
And on that note I think I'll turn in. My pillow is calling my name and I'm about to fall asleep at the keyboard.
G'night folks
~Sun and Moon
I woke up this morning to realize it was monday and I hadn't posted a single word for my Sunday blog post. I haven't been late in a while, but I have a good reason. Or rather, I have a reason that makes sense to me.
Actually, its two reasons.
First of all, I lost a guinea pig last Monday. She had been sick and I'd been trying to get her to pull through with no success. The last of my breeding stock, her death put a definite end to my small breeding operation. I now have a small herd of five guinea pig misfits I either can't bear to sell, or simply won't because I don't trust anyone to understand their quirks like I do. My website died out last year and the online ad I maintained was deleted just yesterday. I'll miss waking up to new babies running around the cube and coroplast cages I built, but its time to let go and just enjoy the ones left to me.
And my other reason for slacking off and forgetting to post yesterday? Well, I had the most amazing day with my husband goofing off and talking about everything and nothing at all. There was a wrestling match(I won), video games(I lost), steak for dinner, and a movie to round out the night.
It was awesome.
I even got some editting done, and chapter 26 is slowly coming together as a new character makes her debut just as things wrap up. It still needs lots of work, but I have the time.
And on that note I think I'll turn in. My pillow is calling my name and I'm about to fall asleep at the keyboard.
G'night folks
~Sun and Moon
June 19, 2011
Progress at last
Things are finally starting to look up around here. I've managed to fixed a scene that was bothering me and even started on working on a new ending for chapter twenty-five. There's new artwork on my desk tonight waiting for a final touch up before it gets a mat and a frame, and I have tomorrow off with my husband for the first time in a long while.
I even managed to get a full night's sleep last night.
Yeah, things are definitely looking up. I'm still stumped on how to rework the ending of chapter twenty-six, but I figure I'll come to that when it's time. Until then I have plenty to think about as one of the books I've been putting off while I work on this trilogy has decided to drop some new facts in my lap. Thank goodness for notebooks kept by the bed and the street lamp outside my window.
For now though, it's time to get back to work while I can. Here's hoping all this forward progress doesn't come crashing to a halt anytime soon. I'm enjoying this ride too much to be getting off now and I have more stories to share then just this one.
And on that note, I'm out of here. Chapter twenty-five is calling my name and I need to get to work.
Later :)
~Sun and Moon
P.S. Happy Father's day :)
I even managed to get a full night's sleep last night.
Yeah, things are definitely looking up. I'm still stumped on how to rework the ending of chapter twenty-six, but I figure I'll come to that when it's time. Until then I have plenty to think about as one of the books I've been putting off while I work on this trilogy has decided to drop some new facts in my lap. Thank goodness for notebooks kept by the bed and the street lamp outside my window.
For now though, it's time to get back to work while I can. Here's hoping all this forward progress doesn't come crashing to a halt anytime soon. I'm enjoying this ride too much to be getting off now and I have more stories to share then just this one.
And on that note, I'm out of here. Chapter twenty-five is calling my name and I need to get to work.
Later :)
~Sun and Moon
P.S. Happy Father's day :)
June 12, 2011
One step forward, two steps back
"Take your time. I get paid by the hour."
That's what I tell people when I've just finished ringing them up and they can't seem to find their cash/check book/credit card. And it's true. I do get paid by the hour. That's not why I say it though.
You see, when those words pass my lips the customer usually smiles or chuckles and then goes back to looking. However, now they know the pressure is off. They know I'm not standing there wishing they'd gotten everything ready while I was ringing up their groceries. And I've discovered that when they're more relaxed they tend to find that elusive cash/check book/credit card a lot faster.
Don't worry, there's a point to all this rambling.
If you look in on my blog regularly, you'll know I've been having problems with the chapter 27 rewrite. Well, maybe "problem" is a bit of an understatement. Its been the most frustrating chapter so far and then some. But in the rush to get it done and out of the way, I didn't realize the real problem.
Sometimes you have to go back in order to go forwards.
There were a couple spots I wasn't truly happy with in chapter twenty-five, and again in chapter twenty-six, but since I was in a hurry to get them done, I brushed them off and ignored that nagging feeling.
Well now that neglect and rushing has come back to bite me one. Just like those folks who were in such a hurry to get to the next store that they just tossed their cash/check book/credit card in their purse or pocket instead of putting it were it belonged, I tossed some words down and ran on to the next chapter. Now I've wasted a week fumbling for the words I needed when my characters are still waiting for me back in chapter twenty-five wondering where I left my brain.
Nothing makes you feel stupid like your characters giving you the silent treatment. Trust me, it sucks.
So after I tracked down my brain and groveled to my characters for a bit, I returned to chapter twenty-five. I still feel stupid, but at least my characters are talking to me again. Tonight I go back to chapter twenty-five one more time to a proper polish on it before heading to take another look at chapter twenty-six. With a little effort, I should be back to chapter twenty-seven by the end of the week.
Nothing is for sure, of course, but hopefully I've learned my lesson. Unfortunately, only time will tell. In the meantime, have you seen my wallet? I seem to have lost it again.
~Sun and Moon
That's what I tell people when I've just finished ringing them up and they can't seem to find their cash/check book/credit card. And it's true. I do get paid by the hour. That's not why I say it though.
You see, when those words pass my lips the customer usually smiles or chuckles and then goes back to looking. However, now they know the pressure is off. They know I'm not standing there wishing they'd gotten everything ready while I was ringing up their groceries. And I've discovered that when they're more relaxed they tend to find that elusive cash/check book/credit card a lot faster.
Don't worry, there's a point to all this rambling.
If you look in on my blog regularly, you'll know I've been having problems with the chapter 27 rewrite. Well, maybe "problem" is a bit of an understatement. Its been the most frustrating chapter so far and then some. But in the rush to get it done and out of the way, I didn't realize the real problem.
Sometimes you have to go back in order to go forwards.
There were a couple spots I wasn't truly happy with in chapter twenty-five, and again in chapter twenty-six, but since I was in a hurry to get them done, I brushed them off and ignored that nagging feeling.
Well now that neglect and rushing has come back to bite me one. Just like those folks who were in such a hurry to get to the next store that they just tossed their cash/check book/credit card in their purse or pocket instead of putting it were it belonged, I tossed some words down and ran on to the next chapter. Now I've wasted a week fumbling for the words I needed when my characters are still waiting for me back in chapter twenty-five wondering where I left my brain.
Nothing makes you feel stupid like your characters giving you the silent treatment. Trust me, it sucks.
So after I tracked down my brain and groveled to my characters for a bit, I returned to chapter twenty-five. I still feel stupid, but at least my characters are talking to me again. Tonight I go back to chapter twenty-five one more time to a proper polish on it before heading to take another look at chapter twenty-six. With a little effort, I should be back to chapter twenty-seven by the end of the week.
Nothing is for sure, of course, but hopefully I've learned my lesson. Unfortunately, only time will tell. In the meantime, have you seen my wallet? I seem to have lost it again.
~Sun and Moon
June 5, 2011
I didn't forget, I swear
It's that time of the week again and for once I can't seem to think of what to say. I would just post a cute picture of some sort and call a night, but I don't have any cute pictures to post.
Shameful isn't it?
So for lack of a cute picture, here's one one of our cat Nikkie. One of the few ways to get her to stay still long enough to take her picture is to pet her until she flops down on the floor and starts batting at your fingers.
I didn't lose any fingers taking this pic, but she did swat my foot when I went to walk away. That's right folks, don't let the innocent look fool you. After all, it's the quiet ones you have to watch.
~Sun and Moon
Shameful isn't it?
So for lack of a cute picture, here's one one of our cat Nikkie. One of the few ways to get her to stay still long enough to take her picture is to pet her until she flops down on the floor and starts batting at your fingers.
I didn't lose any fingers taking this pic, but she did swat my foot when I went to walk away. That's right folks, don't let the innocent look fool you. After all, it's the quiet ones you have to watch.
~Sun and Moon
May 30, 2011
Slow and steady does it
As I'm working on chapter twenty-seven(and wondering how long it's going to take to get it finished so I can move on to chapter 28), I keep hitting these snags. I've probably rewritten the fourth page half a million times already, and it's still not quite right. Part of it is the piece of me that clings to the original words because they've been there so long and they're comfortable. The rest is me just wanting it to be perfect as possible and refusing to settle for less then the best I can do.
After working on the same page for nearly a week, I feel like it's nearly there. Like it just needs the right words, the right push, and it'll all fall into place for me. So while I probably have at least another week's worth of work to put into it until I can call it close to ready...I'm making progress.
It's hard not to rush ahead, though. Because while I'm making progress, it's taking me longer then I thought it would. Plus I keep thinking about the fact I'm just three chapters away from being done with edits. I keep getting all excited....and then I start screwing up and it's back to square one.
I have to admit though, I've peeked ahead a few times. Mostly to reassure myself the last three chapters won't need work quite on the scale this one does. So far, so good, but I've said that before and been wrong, so we'll just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, there's a new scene to fit into chapter twenty-five, cover art for "New Beginnings" to finish, and my apartment could do with a good cleaning. I took a break from edits today, but tomorrow its back to work on chapter twenty-seven. Hopefully I'll be able to leave page four behind at last and move on to something new.
Keep your fingers crossed for me, ok? I'm off to get some sleep. Goodnight, folks.
~Sun and Moon
After working on the same page for nearly a week, I feel like it's nearly there. Like it just needs the right words, the right push, and it'll all fall into place for me. So while I probably have at least another week's worth of work to put into it until I can call it close to ready...I'm making progress.
It's hard not to rush ahead, though. Because while I'm making progress, it's taking me longer then I thought it would. Plus I keep thinking about the fact I'm just three chapters away from being done with edits. I keep getting all excited....and then I start screwing up and it's back to square one.
I have to admit though, I've peeked ahead a few times. Mostly to reassure myself the last three chapters won't need work quite on the scale this one does. So far, so good, but I've said that before and been wrong, so we'll just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, there's a new scene to fit into chapter twenty-five, cover art for "New Beginnings" to finish, and my apartment could do with a good cleaning. I took a break from edits today, but tomorrow its back to work on chapter twenty-seven. Hopefully I'll be able to leave page four behind at last and move on to something new.
Keep your fingers crossed for me, ok? I'm off to get some sleep. Goodnight, folks.
~Sun and Moon
May 22, 2011
Penny for your thoughts
Getting opinions for my work can be an all day thing. Fortunately, most of my beta readers work at the same store as me. This was especially good yesterday when I found myself stuck waiting for my husband to finish his shift so we could go home.
Instead of pouting when I couldn't find someone else to take me home, I tracked down two of my beta readers and asked them to have a look at a scene change I was thinking of doing in chapter twenty-five(yes, I know I'm supposed to be working on chapter twenty-seven, but this scene had been bugging me for a while).
While I was doing that, another person I work with saw the papers and asked what it was. My reply was a little garbled as I was(and still am) sick and had run out of cold medicine halfway through the day, but I must've managed to make some kind of sense, because she decided to read it too.
So I now have several opinions on that scene. Mostly they're positive, but seeing as the original scene was VERY polished and I threw the alternate one together in an hour's time late at night after I'd had some nyquil....it wasn't whole hearted.
Beta reader One(no names, sorry) thought the alternate was better. Or, it would be once I fixed two mistakes that she pointed out.
Beta reader Two said it would be very good if I blended the changes in better. A lot better. As in take the new bits and transfer them into the polished chapter seamlessly.
Coworker who took time to read pointed out an unrelated error(I had forgotten to add "the" at the right spot...on BOTH copies. How embarrassing!), and then said she liked them both. I didn't get a chance to clarify things for my fuzzy sick person brain before my husband was ready to go, but that's ok. I got what I wanted.
So today I'll be getting back to work on chapter 27 as well as giving that new scene a good polish. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have something to show for it. In the meantime, it's time for lunch and the leftover chicken lo mein in my fridge is calling my name.
Now where did I leave that little bottle of hot sauce...hm...
~Sun and Moon
Instead of pouting when I couldn't find someone else to take me home, I tracked down two of my beta readers and asked them to have a look at a scene change I was thinking of doing in chapter twenty-five(yes, I know I'm supposed to be working on chapter twenty-seven, but this scene had been bugging me for a while).
While I was doing that, another person I work with saw the papers and asked what it was. My reply was a little garbled as I was(and still am) sick and had run out of cold medicine halfway through the day, but I must've managed to make some kind of sense, because she decided to read it too.
So I now have several opinions on that scene. Mostly they're positive, but seeing as the original scene was VERY polished and I threw the alternate one together in an hour's time late at night after I'd had some nyquil....it wasn't whole hearted.
Beta reader One(no names, sorry) thought the alternate was better. Or, it would be once I fixed two mistakes that she pointed out.
Beta reader Two said it would be very good if I blended the changes in better. A lot better. As in take the new bits and transfer them into the polished chapter seamlessly.
Coworker who took time to read pointed out an unrelated error(I had forgotten to add "the" at the right spot...on BOTH copies. How embarrassing!), and then said she liked them both. I didn't get a chance to clarify things for my fuzzy sick person brain before my husband was ready to go, but that's ok. I got what I wanted.
So today I'll be getting back to work on chapter 27 as well as giving that new scene a good polish. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have something to show for it. In the meantime, it's time for lunch and the leftover chicken lo mein in my fridge is calling my name.
Now where did I leave that little bottle of hot sauce...hm...
~Sun and Moon
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