Writing in layers

I'm what they call a pantser. I don't plot out my story before I start writing. To me that takes away form the joy of writing. I seem to write from beginning to end. That is the way all my stories come to me. Have I had scenes pop in my head out of sequence? Sure. But they normally stay in the back of my head waiting for their turn. I think that is what makes some of my scenes so visual. The longer they sit the more detailed they come out.

You see I write the bones of the story first. Mostly all dialog with a few descriptions if I have them. That is my rough draft. Then I go back and read the book to make sure it flows, you connected all the dots. Add scenes if I need them. Then I go through again to flush it out the way it should be. Then I go through one or two more times to give it a good polish.

Each of us have a different way of doing things and this one seems to work the best for me.

hectic two months

I've been trying to blog a couple of time each month but have been lagging behind. I do have lots of excuses though. My niece got married, my son graduated from high school was sick for about seven days and went out of town for the forth of July.

I do promise to do better now.

Barb:)

The Things People Do

As a writer I watch people. You never know what you can use in a book. My day job, though, is in retail. I'm a manufacturer's rep with the military exchanges. Basically I'm a glorified stocker. I fill up the products I represent. What I have found interesting - and I'm guilty of it too - is the way people migrate to where I'm working. The isle I go to could have been empty for hours. No one cared what was down it, but let me have a cart stacked with items I need to put on shelves and everyone and their uncle will be walking up and down the isle I'm on. They'll ask if they can get by instead of walking around. They'll ask me if I know where something is or what the price is of something.

I find it funny. We all have the mentality of 'ohhh, wonder what she's putting out - I need to see'. We are a curious bunch, aren't we?

Barb:)

New Cover!!!

I have gotten My new cover for book three of the Vespian Way - Animal Desire - The book is due out at the end of this month through Phaze. I am so excited! Now I have to finish the edits on book four and send it off - almost there - only have about forty pages to go now.

Editing Heck!

I am slowly losing my mind with all the things I have to do all the sudden. Life was nice and quite. Had plenty of time to work on my fourth book. Then the publisher I edit for asked me to work on two short stories. Sure no problem. It should be easy. Then the owner asked me if I could work on a longer manuscript. I should be done with the short stories pretty quickly  - I can do that. Then my next release hit my e-mail. So now I'm suddenly editing three stories at the same time.

I finished the short stories. Which did help - but I'm working on my sixth book in the series too so I have four books open and keep shifting from story to story to work on what I can - deadlines are looming and my brain is melting.

Brain Freeze

You know I get these moments when I don't know what to write. I'm not talking about my books - my characters keep me writing so there is no problem there - it is writing things like this blog. It's like my brain just goes 'urk' - let's talk about warm fuzzy kittens. Really? That is all you can come with?

I blame it on all the writing I've been doing for other blogs - with three books coming out in five months I've been trying to do as much promoting my tiny budget can handle and a lot of the blogs are great for that. I seem to be able to get those done but when it comes to my own little blog I falter. Oh well. I'm sure it will get better.

Lottery Winners

Well I didn't win the record breaking lottery. Not even in the same states as the three winners. It's okay though. Each time I buy my tickets I still get to dream about what I'd do when I do win. I do have dreams like all of us do and as long as I have those dreams I'm good.

Spam Mail

I sure would like to know why they think I need enhancement when I don't have anything they have drugs to enhance. I laugh when I see them but as much info as they gather on us from our e-mails you'd think they'd know I'm female. Why would I need this?

Then of course there are the we have money to give you if you only give us a little information. Right, like I'm going to he dumb enough to give them my checking account info. I get mad when they pirate my yahoo e-mail addresses - why would I be so dumb?

Thunder

I love the sound of thunder and the way lightening fills the sky. Signaling that rain is coming. Sometimes soft and sometimes torrential, it always puts me in awe of Mother Nature. It has a wonderful cleansing effect on me. I love to stand out on the porch and watch as the rain pours from the sky. Helps me focus. Makes me glad to be alive.

My Blog Learning Curve

Still figuring out this thing. Did figure out how to add followers today! I also loaded my new cover! That book gets released tomorrow and I am so excited!!

Barb:)