I Would Have Written It…

Differently. We all have those books. We’re reading along, there might be some inconsistency in the writing but we’re still in it. Until that moment when we think “No, this that and the other thing needs to happen right here.”

And as writers, our brain sets off like a freight train.

I just had that happen recently in the middle of a book. And my brain is chugging along. I have several ideas that haven’t got the steam on their own, but maybe if I smash them together I can get somewhere.

Spoiler Alert: I’m working through this as I’m writing. I will tell you there will only be generalities about the stories because, whelp. It’s not that I believe someone will “steal” my ideas. You and I could be given the same setting, plot and characters and write completely different stories. It’s because if I write too much or discuss a story my brain is over it and I lose all interest in writing it.

So first off, the book stat I was reading (and DNF’d) was trying very hard to be a mafia romance. And for some odd reason it made me think of a story I had started and stopped quite a few times– it deals with witches & warlock vs mage ability. What’s the difference and what happens when you are one but everyone assumes you are incompetent at the other? This idea is hands down 100% fantasy so obviously no mafia. But warring factions? We can do that.

The part I put it down at was a “meet the head of the family” type of moment and it was not going well. Whelp. Last year I started watching those super short shows– you know the ones. Rich guy drops his wife who is a secret billionaire who is now gonna make his life hell. Ok, so take part of that– the part where they really have NO IDEA who the heck they are dealing withand smash it with witch/mage thing.

I really want a sentient house in there too. I love them. When the house is a character it can go either really really well or very badly for the people involved.

But then I’ve been leaning towards shifter romance, although none of the ones I’m seeing are catching my eye and/or imagination. That might A. Be one step too far or B. Just be a reading thing. I know I tend to not read what I’m writing or what I’m hearing up to write so I might just go back to some old favorites of that type and see if that scratches that.. oh that’s in poor taste.

So. There you have it. My creative brain run around and proof that even the books we don’t finish can be worth it for us.

Ta, my lovelies! I’m off to write a bit now!

Idk

I’m having a problem with follow through on my stories right now. Writing them, that is

And a little bit on reading new books. I’ve thrown a bunch onto my DNF shelf. One of which I dnf’d so hard I mentally started rewriting it in my imagination then flipping it over to a story I had started once upon a time.

So much so that I started looking for the file. But my cloud storage is a confusing batch of storms, none of which I found it in. Which means I should look for it on my laptop. But my desk is full with my work computer and stuff for work and I don’t want to cross that boundary.

Which I get it. I have a whole a$$ house to set up in. And I have too much crap and I get it under control and then it slips the leash and goes out of control and yada yada yada. Just put the work in, and I can have a working solution. I could have the home I want.

And yet something almost always stops me. And that something is me.

I know how I became my own worst enemy in this. Anyone have any suggestions? Because I don’t know how to fix this.

Goals check up

Well, apparently I had no need to worry about the blip of only a few books in January that were read. Because I read an obscene amount in March. Ripped through several author’s entire back list too!

I’ve been blogging more regularly this year, too. Looks like I’m hitting 3 times per month every month. Not great, but so much better than the years previously that I’ll take it.

I’ve been writing more, too. Sometimes I’ll start and stop. Or play here and there. Flash and poetry are what I’m currently completing on a regular basis. But I am writing. And submitting.

One of the best things for my writing was showing up  for a writing date with Rie. It isn’t about being held accountable. It’s about having someone you can shoot a text to really quick– hey, a short female name that doesn’t start with an M or is Lily?? And get a response. It’s not being or feeling so alone in the process. Forwarding opportunities that might fit the other one’s story, feedback, heck just being “there.” We are states away, but technology is a wonderful thing. Just knowing someone is there for an hour a day, Monday through Friday with me… It’s a beautiful thing.

Now, I’m off to go write more in my silly little story. I’m calling it that because right now I’m writing it just for me. It makes me happy to write it. 

And that is enough.

For today, making myself giggle is enough.

Cheers!

Update on goals

So February was a good month for my goals. I posted more here, wrote more words and read a heck of a lot more than I did in January.

READING: Read 20 books (oh my gosh!!!) and DNF’d 16. I am really enjoying what I’m reading, even if I’m picking up tics in the writers. I’m ripping through different authors on KU, which makes those things jump out. Some things I love, like the no 3rd Act Breakup and others, like popping shoulders and using husked instead of…. Said. Whisper. Rasped. Anything other than husk lol. But I’m also learning to jump over those bits. Not having to wait for titles means that I can read an authors backlist or a whole series in one go. If I had to wait a year for the book to come out it probably wouldn’t even be a blip.

WRITING: I’m writing more, and coming to terms with the fact that longer forms aren’t for me right now. Poetry, prose poetry and flash fiction are what I’m able to sustain and that’s ok. Also, I submitted something in February. Maybe a little too honest, too raw in my cover letter but it happens. I have another story I’m getting ready to sub, one that’s more of a humorous story.

I’m hanging out here more too, keeping up with the blog. I’ve dropped off of scrolling aimlessly for hours on the clock app, and I gave up the book face a long time ago– it wasn’t good for my mental health. Instead of social media I have been turning to reading and writing.

So. As check-ins go, February was a good month. Here’s to hoping March is even better!

Ta, my lovelies! Hope you find great books to read and if you’re of a writerly bent may the muse bless you.

Paladins Faith : Bookish Thoughts

I had been looking forward to T. Kingfisher’s Paladins Faith and I’m happy to say it did not disappoint. Rousing plot, great characters, a sprinkle of romance and some comic relief… But this one hit me differently than the others.

It reminded me of why I love the genre.

Speculative Fiction. Fantasy in particular.

Possible spoiler alerts. Not sure where I’m going but I’m going to talk about big ideas. Ideas that sometimes need to be worked out in a setting not of our own.

Big.ideas like… Religion. The paladins in this series are berzerker warriors for the Saint of Steel who, apparently, died. Leaving them without control during berzerker episodes. But if a god can die… How is one born? And if a demon is old and wily, but actually doing good and protecting their people– is it an evil thing? Can something inherently evil do good? How, and who, makes those decisions?

And then there is the problem of people using the weapons they have. Berzerker uses sword, or axe or some other similar weapon. But what if you are not a warrior? And you need to use your own body to win the war? Oh, and add in that you are female. Does that change how you feel about it? Why?

Just some really good questions that reading this book brought up. Ideas to gnaw on for a while, ideas that are important.

Also important to note that none of this is bashed over the readers head. It is fairly natural in the course of the book.

Which makes it all the more impressive.

New Year- New Intentions

Happy New Year, my lovelies! I hope you had a fun, safe New Year’s Eve and are having a great start to 2024.

Last year, I went whole hog. I set goals for reading and a trifecta of types of writing: fiction, letters and this here blog. I wrote them down, had a “Word of the Year” and shared my goals.

Then my year went to Hell in a hand basket. I didn’t know where to turn, and I pretty much had a break down. The good news is I listened to the right people and ended up exactly where I needed to be. I’m starting to remember who I am.

I’m starting to want to write again.

I’m also kinda gun shy about those goals now. So instead of quantifying my resolutions, I’m setting intentions.

I normally run 2 planners, and I use them mostly as. Creative outlet. In addition to keeping track of things, I also throw quotes in there, poems, stuff about the books I was reading. I still have 2, but I created a third out of a notebook. A reading & writing planner. Just for me.

I had made a 2 page book review document for Fantasy books– and it worked really well! I did Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree on it, and I have enough to do a review (forthcoming, I promise!). I also made my own book bingo page and ways to keep track of what I’ve read for the year.

For my wiring, I have a section where I work on what I like to write, what makes me love a story I’m telling. Added to that a stat tracker (word count beginning and end of month ), blog posts (this one is my first to go in! Whee!), and also submission tracking. I had started doing that, but lost the book in the move. I am crossing my fingers tightly that I don’t resub to same markets).

So. I have intentions. Not resolutions. I think doing these things with intention, paying attention to how it goes and what works and what doesn’t, I think that will make all the difference!

At least I hope so!

Here’s to a New Year! May 2024 be kind to all of us.

Things I Never Thought I’d Say

I got a KU subscription and… I like it. There’s a wide variety and no wait time like with Libby. The app glitches on me all the time, but I’m figuring that out (it puts me back, page wise, in the book so I have to find my place again. It’s workable.)

Yes, I still buy books. Ahhh, don’t tell anyone tho. But it feels good to be able to dip in and see if I like an author or not, a book or not, and return it with no hassle or financial hit. And I am finding that I’m a voracious reader lol.

Second thing… I am severely disappointed in both Net Galley and St Martin’s press. I had emailed Net Galley, asking what their position was on the whole St Martin’s press boycott going on (boycotting reviews on their titles until they address the actions of a marketing employee who has not only said atrocious things, has also picked through ARC copies as to who was approved and who wasn’t). Other people explain it more eloquently over on the Klock App. I read an ARC that comes out in January and is a St Martin’s book… And as of right now I won’t be posting anything on it. And that sucks for the author. For all authors publishing within that company. I know I’m small potatoes. That’s ok. I’ll still abide. It would have been nice to get a response from Netgalley, tho. Any response.

Since starting this, I saw an ad for that company on the Klock app and saw one of the authors was Nora Roberts. It makes me sad, so I found a reader email for her and sent an email. But as I said, I am small and she is huge. But I always thought of her as one who would stand up against that type of hatred. All the comments under that ad on the Klock app had to do with the boycott & the marketing employee.

And Booktok is weird. And I love it. First, no it is not all smut. There are accounts that are dedicated to fantasy, mystery, general fiction, sweet romance, spicy romance, all of it. It’s just that what you interact with you see more of. So if you can’t help yourself and keep commenting on genres you hate… It’s going to keep showing them to you. If you scroll on by, they’ll eventually drop off. You can find like minded people there… Even when you read a wide variety. The search bar is your friend lol.

Booktok also holds authors accountable. One just spiraled so far out of control they lost their publishing deal AFTER cover art had been released. They even had a special edition box edition signed. Gone. All because they tried to harm other authors release ng at the same time as them. I can’t imagine NOT supporting other authors. The ones I’ve met have always been so helpful and kind to a baby author like me.

So is there anything else I never thought I’d say? Well yes

Merry almost Christmas from the Midwest.

Bookish Thoughts:You Lucky Dog

Stay with me on this one, I promise even if you don’t read romance, it goes beyond the genre.

You Lucky Dog by Julia London is, according to the back cover, a Contemporary Romance. It is a romance (there is DEFINATELY a HEA at the end) and it is contemporary…. But it’s not a Rom-Com per se (there are funny bits) and the spice level is mild.

I liked the book, a lot. Finished in the way I do books I enjoy. The above is just to get it out of the way, because I want to talk about something else. I need to talk about this book. So obviously I loved it LOL

This book sucked me in and kept me turning pages. And it felt like I was reading a different sort of book. One like… A Man Called Ove, or the Hendrick series. So why was I feeling that with a romance?

In A Man Called Ove, the titular character tries to off himself a few times and keeps suffering mishaps that thankfully ruin his plans. But it sucks you in because you want to know what on earth can possibly happen next.

The Hendrick book that I started with, well Hendrick and his best friend accidentally kidnap a baby. And again, I was pulled through wanting to know what could happen next.

And this story was the same. It pulled me through with what on earth could possibly be going wrong for the heroine, and the couple, next. Because they clearly belong together — they even have matching doggies that are so heart-warming and smoochable.

So while there is romance, and tingly feelings, this falls hard on the fade to black side of romance.

And quite frankly, is just a really good book romance or otherwise.

Ta for now, my lovelies. Hope you’re having a great reading day!

DNF’ing Books

First of all— DNF (the way I understand it) means Did Not Finish. Clearing that up because I had to ask someone myself lol.

I just DNF’ed a book for being too YA. I didn’t realize it was YA when I bought it but that doesn’t really matter. I read YA, the occasional Middle Grade and of course my normal reading diet of Romance and SF & Fantasy. So, if I have no problem reading YA, why on earth did I DNF one for being TOO YA?

Because I have a teenager.

Yes, my lovelies, the Princeling is 16 and 6’5 (at least). And after spending a day with teenager mood swings and general angst I just couldn’t.

Could. Not.

So I DNF’ed. Do I feel bad? Not really. I’ve always said life is too short for bad books. This book wasn’t bad– I just couldn’t take the teen angst. I know growing up is hard. I know he’s at a weird age where we’re treating him differently and he’s figuring it out.

But my books right now need to be an escape for me. This one was not, in fact, an escape.

Onward!!!!

(and by onward I mean to the unlikely romance series I started thanks to my public library. I bought the book I’m currently reading and have been sooooo looking forward to it! I’ll talk about it later in the week. Cheers!)

Happy Reading!

So I did the thing…

And it is out now! You can read my short story, Family Dinner, here

Or you can go this way https://iselemagazine.com/2022/12/23/family-dinner-wynelda-ann-deaver/

Isele Magazine was wonderful to work with. A huge thank you to the editors for polishing up my story so it shines!

I do hope you’ll go check them out. The stories for December center on food– and there is so much emotion that goes into it. I highly recommend Emma Raymond’s “Sustenance” (I felt the inappropriate laughter to my bones– it’s wonderful when a story shows you that you are not alone in how you cope). Meanwhile, James C Holland made me simultaneously want a squished Wonderbread sandwich and more of my mom’s friend bread (although my brother made some for Christmas breakfast and Chaz– you da bomb! It tasted like home!)

So. Lots of good reading! They have poetry & essays to.

Happy reading my lovelies!