Not much to say today...

Let me start with the progress bar:

I was hoping to crack the 76k mark during this sitting. Almost made it. :) Still, maybe I'll get the chance to do that later on. Though there are a bunch of other (writing) things I need to do. Who would've thought that 24 hours just wasn't enough time to get everything done? Lol.

Well, the room's moving along nicely. I got everything off the desk. Except for the few things I put back on top. Heee. Heee. I threw away a whole bunch of stuff and intend to throw away more. I want to start having things handy, and actually using everything. I'm a little tired of just collecting, collecting and then it all sits there collecting dust.

Last night we watched the latest ep of Burn Notice. Man, this show is so cool. I just love the dynamic between Michael, Fiona and Sam. I know I've mentioned it before, but they're just so cool together. I'm hooked on this show. Wonder how many episodes are left of season one? I'll have to check.

Okay, almost time to head out. Have a great day!

Clutter

I have a lot of stuff jam-packed into my head at the moment. There are too many things I want to tackle. This makes it twice as hard when the first draft of this novel is so close to being done.

Here's where I'm at right now:

It's a good place to be, in word count. But not in terms of what's going on. I knew things would take a bad turn soon, I was just surprised at how and when it happened. :/ But, I will write on. Write forward. Lol.

You know, we've decided to change the two bedrooms around a bit. My daughter's room somehow always seems to look messy. And ours looks cluttered because I use one corner as an office. It's been bugging me for a while, but we're finally doing something about it. Most of the biggest changes won't happen for a long while, but I've started with the smaller things.

The first thing we're going to do is remove the desk from our room. I mean, I don't use it. The computer sits on that desk collecting dust. It's pretty much become a dumping ground for papers, pens and everything else. I promised the hubby I would remove everything from it by the weekend, so we can get the desk outta there and give the computer to my daughter.

Besides, I only ever write on my lappy nowadays. So I constantly find myself just typing away on the couch. It's where the spark hits. :)

Anyway, getting rid of the desk is a cool plan. Today, I've got everything all over the room. But I did throw some stuff away, so that's a start. I'm getting really tough with what I think is essential to keep. I keep too many things that I never use. It feels so good to do this. I feel lighter. Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Ah. Yeah. Lol.

Did you all see the leaked X-Files trailer? Wow. We saw it on YouTube, but I don't know if it'll still be there now. I'm so excited. July this year, huh? I'm a huge X-Files fan and can't wait to see what they're going to do with this movie. I've read that they're swaying from the whole alien conspiracy thing. Wonder if it's true, or just to throw people off. Either way, I can't wait! Anyone else excited about it?

Okay, I've got less than 30 minutes until me daughter gets out of school. Catch'a tomorrow!

Hey, it's the last week of Feb!

On Saturday, the hubby and I introduced our daughter to Monopoly. We've got the Millenium Edition, which looks very different to the board I used to have when I was a kid. Man, I loved playing this. And I thought it would be a cool idea to introduce her to the game and get her used to adding and counting. It worked. She had a lot of fun, but still managed to sulk a little. Yeah, a game isn't a game without a little sulking from her. ;) Lol.

The hubby and I had a great time too. It was a lot of fun. The hubby had reason to enjoy the game. Man, he beat us real good. He pretty much owned the entire board. :)

We've been doing some more cleaning and clearing out. Got some plans for several drastic changes around the place. It'll make everything look nicer and more organised. You know, I think there's too much clutter in the bedrooms. I'm a huge culprit of clutter, especially when I'm in the middle of a project. I've got piles of research, notes and other stuff all over the place. It's what I like to call organised clutter. If there's such a thing.

Anyway, got some more writing done today:

OMG! I'm so close now. I swear, if I could spend the next 24 hours just writing until I get to the end, I would. But then I would be very tired and probably wouldn't eat or sleep much. If at all. Lol. That's probably not a good idea. I'll be happy with getting to the end by Friday. :D

I also got a bunch of reading done over the weekend. Check out the novel and novella I read below. Both were excellent. Lots of fun and mystery. Cool.

Did you guys watch Supernatural? I thought it was an excellent episode. Dean's so funny. I cracked up at the sheriff and deputy comment. Too funny. Oh, and I loved the fact that Lilith's made it into their mythos. I can't wait to see where this goes. I read that it'll be back with another 4 eps in late April. Let's hope that's true. There can never be too much Dean and Sam Winchester, huh? Bring it on.

Also watched the latest episode of Torchwood. What the hell is going on? This whole thing with Owen could go really well. Or it could fail. Because I love this show, I'm going to go with yay, it'll work. We'll see. I enjoyed this ep, though. Cool.

Okay, that's it for me today. I hope you all had a great weekend!

WHAT'S A GHOUL TO DO?

M.J., her partner Gilley, and their client, the wealthy, de-lish Dr. Steven Sable, are at his family's lodge, where his grandfather allegedly jumped to his death from the roof-although Sable says it was foul play. But the patriarch's isn't the only ghost around. The place is lousy with souls, all with something to get off their ghoulish chests. Now M.J. will have to to quell the clamor-and listen for a voice with the answers...

Okay, I'm hooked on another Victoria Laurie series. This book was a lot of fun and the characters all very likeable. I'm certainly going to follow their adventures, that's for sure.

If you like to read mysteries - which I do - this is a real treat. M.J. is a really cool character. And don't you just love the cute cover? I think it's great! You've all heard me rave about Victoria's books before, and this one's in the same boat.

The mystery she spun in this one was awesome. Everything clicked into place. You gotta love that. :D

Reading & Writing

 

Last night I started reading another great book. It's the new series by Victoria Laurie. She's such a cool writer, and I already love her Abby Cooper mystery series, so I wanted to give this one a go. I wound up reading the first 70 pages, before the hubby got home.

I'd surpassed my daily word count goal and wanted to reward myself with a little bit of reading. It's a lot of fun so far. It's called What's A Ghoul to Do? Clever title. I've already ordered the second one in the series. :)

Anyway, about my own writing. It's going well. Like I mentioned yesterday, a bunch of things have slotted into place. This is going to make the downward spiral of the novel come hard and fast. Actually, when I sit down to write now, I just want to keep going and going. My head's moving a lot faster than my fingers right now. But I have to force myself to stop a few times. To make sure I'm headed in the right direction.

Progress bar:

Looks like I'll be able to get past the 60k mark sometime tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

I'm looking forward to it. :) This story is so exciting. I'm having a great time writing it and can't wait to get to the end. Although, I know that once it's finished, I'll be sad. And you know, while I was walking yesterday -- supposed to be thinking about a certain plot point -- the muse decided to tell me she wanted to see more of this world. Yeah, sounds about right! She always does that to me.

But for now, I will resist the temptation. Yeah.

Well, I guess that's it from me today. Let me know what you're working on at the moment: short story, novella, novel? :D

MIDNIGHT ALLEY

Everything's changed for Claire Danvers, with a single signature. Oh, she's still got her friends, but for how long? Can she really tell them the truth about what she's done to protect them? And now she's working for a terrifyingly unpredictable vampire with the biggest secret in Morganville ... and every trip down Midnight Alley to meet him could be her last...

OMG! This series is totally awesome. The only problem I had with this book is that I now have to wait several months until the next one. No! ;) I need to know what's going to happen next. Lol.

Honestly, Rachel Caine is so awesome. I love her stuff.

You know, this being a young adult doesn't mean it's not edgy and interesting. The storyline is so involved. The characters feel so real. With every new book, we find out a little more about the vampires of Morganville. Lots of secrets to share in this one. I was fascinated and can't wait to see what will happen next... especially after I finished reading the last chapter.

You should definitely check this series out.

Click!

You know, when I sat down this morning and started writing, I knew where the story was going because I'd purposely stopped in the middle of an action last night. But just as I was wrapping the chapter up, a bunch of things clicked into place. Not just the sequence of events left in this novel, but how it would end.

Okay, so the very last chapter is still a little blurry, but the dark moment is there. And the resolution, too. It's very exciting and I can't wait to see how it all turns out... because I know there will still be a few things left to surprise me in this tale. :)

Here's the word count:

I've met my word target for today. It would be nice to add another 1-2k, though. Maybe tonight.

Also managed to finish reading another book. I've now read the three Morganville Vampires books. Cool! I love this series, it's awesome. Can't wait for the next book.

I had a great weekend!

Too bad I had a hell of a time falling asleep last night. :( Honestly, I thought I'd be out as soon as my head hit the pillow, because we went for a lovely walk and cleaned out the garage yesterday... but I didn't. And the reason? I couldn't breathe. You know, not being able to breathe through your nose is an awful feeling.

It's truly awful. I was falling asleep, gulped for some air and it just wouldn't go up my nasal passage. So, I woke with a start and realized I was lightheaded. My throat felt dry too. That means I was breathing in and out of my mouth for a while. Once again, not a good thing. Anyway, I pumped some spray up my nose and fell asleep sometime after 1:30am. It didn't stop me from getting up early enough to squeeze in some weights. When I make a plan, I like to stick to it like a crazy woman. Lol.

Anyway, I didn't add a single word to my novel over the weekend. I also didn't take any notes. But I did think about the story... a lot. I'm in that bit in the novel when you become totally involved with the characters and story. I could spend all day just writing the novel, or taking notes and expanding on the world.

Progress is as follows:

Very happy with the pace. I've stopped in a horrible scene. Well, it's horrible for my heroine. Not a nice spot to be in. I think havoc is gonna strike sooner than later. :/ Don't you just love torturing these poor characters? ;)

Anyway, I'm hoping for another productive week. Last week was nuts. Looking back, I can't believe I squeezed so much in. But I did.

Did you all watch Supernatural? Man, it was a cool ep. It was awful to see Dean die over and over again, but man, it was hilarious! And seeing Sam on his own was a little creepy, especially when Dean will soon leave.

Also got a double dose of Torchwood. Love it! But what the hell? I can't help thinking that Owen isn't really dead. I mean, they've got access to alien technology and all. There's no way he's gone, right? Funny, I found him totally annoying in season 1, but I liked him in this one. Typical. Oh well. At least Jack Harkness is still with us.

Have a great day!

New week, new words

These characters are really speaking to me. So that's cool. :)

Yesterday, my daughter was home from school. She woke up with a fever. So I only added about 2k. Still, got back into the groove today.

Here's the progress meter for now:

I'm moving at a steady pace and am only about 1k away from my self-imposed word count goal for today. I'd like to add one more writing session after my daughter goes to bed. We'll see, because I've got a bunch of other writing-related stuff I need to do this week...

Oh, and if you'd like to know a little more about my upcoming Vampire Oracle novella, I've set up a thread over at Cobblestone Main Street called, My Vampire Oracle: DEATH. You can go here to read a little more about it.

Man, looks like the sun's coming back out again. Great timing... not! My daughter and I got caught in the downpour on the walk back from school. It totally ruined our walk. I love our walk back home, near the river. So, this pissed me off. Maybe we'll squeeze one in later.

THE DEAD GIRLS' DANCE

So far, Claire and her friends have managed to survive getting on the wrong side of some Morganville VIPs ... Vampire Important Persons. But their temporary peace is in danger of collapsing, thanks to the arrival of Shane's scary father and his vampire-fighting supporters.

Throw in the re-emergence of a brother Eve doesn't want to admit she has, a war brewing between the two most terrifying vampires in the world, and a bitchin' horror-themed party with bite, and Claire's life is about to get very interesting.

Okay, after reading the first one, I got stuck into this one. This is the second book in The Morganville Vampires series, and continues where the first one ended. Right in the middle of a huge mess! Claire, Eve, Shane and Michael get into further trouble in this book.

It's filled with lots of twists and turns. We also get to see a different shade in the vampire community. It's so darn cool. Once again, all of their lives are filled with danger. I loved how these four stick together, no matter what's thrown their way.

Man, what an awesome book. What an awesome series!

And you'll never guess what happens to Michael. Um, I don't want to spoil anything for you... but let's just say that Michael has a dilemma. And in this book, it sorta gets sorted out. Personally, I loved what happened. So, if you've read this book, what did you think?

Do yourself a favour, read this series.

So...

Last night we watched Stardust. Wow. I loved it. I thought it was visually beautiful. The story was great, too. Ah. Honestly, the best word to describe what I thought of this movie is: beautiful. I laughed. I felt sad. I loved their journey together. And most of all I loved the idea of a fallen star.

All the actors were awesome. And the love between Tristan and Yvaine was touching. Man, I loved it! You know... now I want to buy the book. Lol. Neil Gaiman's awesome, isn't he? :) I'm so glad we watched it. Awesome!

Okay, here's the progress meter:

I think 28k is my word count goal for this week. But if I'm lucky, I'll get the chance to add a little more later on. Reaching 30k would be even better. It would put me a little ahead. Besides, I'm at a point in the story where their connection is buzzing. Lots of bad things to come, and several things I was positive about have now led me somewhere else. This is the magic of writing.

I'm at a point in the story where I need to sit down with my notebook to take notes. There are a bunch of things that need to be sorted out and I don't want to forget any of it. Besides, writing these points will help in the direction. Cool! And I've got the weekend to think things over...

Well, I guess that's it for me today.

Have a great weekend!

ytd wordcount: 45,933

Rain, rain, go away!

Yeah, just bitchin' about the rain again. I think we've had too much rain during the last four days. :/ I don't like rainy weather, but I know we need it. Still, I enjoy a break in between. I miss the sun.

Maybe it's because the novel I'm writing at the moment has a lot of rain. Who knows? ;)

Anyway, let's get straight to the word meter:

Just stopped writing about ten minutes ago. I was really caught up in an action scene. But of course, the laptop ran out of juice. It loves to do that to me. Lol.

I'll just have to finish the chapter tomorrow. Things were starting to slow down a little, but they're about to get crazy again. Gotta get those characters running again.

We caught up with some shows over the weekend:

Supernatural: It's back! Yay. I love, love, love this show. Those Winchester boys sure know how to find trouble. And don't you just love the way we're finding out a little more about how things work in their world? Wow. I was sure I knew the direction they were going, and now they've just spun it around on me. Love the demon explanation. Can't wait to hear more. And poor Dean, 'cause, we all know where he's going. :(

Torchwood: Ah, another show I love. Top episode. Love the ones that deal with the Time Rift thingy. Very interesting. Talk about making your characters suffer. At least Captain Jack and Ianto are going somewhere... I hope. ;)

Burn Notice: Man! Let's add this to the love list. Yeah. Definitely. I really like the way Michael, Fiona and Sam play off each other. Love the flow of the show. Love to see assholes lose after they've conned little old women out of their savings. Yay! Go Michael!

We've also started watching the Aussie versions of The Biggest Loser and So You Think You Can Dance. Really enjoying both so far. I find TBL very inspirational. We watched the latest American one about a month ago and some of the results were amazing. Can't wait to see how the Aussies do. This is our third one downunder. And the first SYTYCD. Some of the dancers are really talented. Can't wait to see the top 20.

So yeah, just watching a little TV at the moment. But I've also been reading. And writing! Busy, busy. Well, have a great day!

GLASS HOUSES

Welcome to Morganville, Texas.

Just don't stay out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero.

When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

You all know I love vampires, right? And well, Rachel Caine's awesome! So, I've had the first three books in the Morganville Vampires series for a while now. And I really wanted to get stuck into a YA, for a change. It's completely different to what I'm writing at the moment, which I find is (always) essential when I write a first draft. It's that, or not read at all. And well, I wanna read. ;)

Anyway, this book is awesome. I love Claire, Eve, Shane and Michael. What a nice bunch of kids. Okay, so they're a little quirky and live in a town run by vampires, but these four are so cool. They're really not afraid of anyone, or anything. Sure, they get scared but never back down. Love it! And the bitch in this book, Monica... man, you just wanna scratch her eyes out. I loved the plot. Lotsa twists and turns. And you know, when I got to the end, I just had to start the next one right away. The end was a little bit of a cliffhanger.

Still, awesome book! Can't wait to find out more about this strange place...

It's another cool and grey autumn day, here in Sydney

Oh. Hold on. We're in the middle of summer at the moment. That's right. For a second I forgot. You wouldn't know which season it is at the moment by looking out the window.

Y'know, I reckon that one of these days, seasons are going to be nothing more than a name. A title given to sections of the year, because none of the seasons have acted accordingly for a long time now.

Anyway. Enough about the weather. :/

I passed the 10k mark on my first draft this afternoon. This is the official progress meter:

If I get the chance to add some more words later - which I'm hoping to - it would be nice to get to 12k. No particular reason for that particular number. Just the fact that I'd like to get the next chapter (mostly) out of my head, because it's scraping away at me.

The story's moving fast, with many more probs than I initially expected for this couple. I'm going to torture them a lot. Things just aren't lookin' too crash hot for them right now. But it's so much fun! I love this insanely dark world they live in. It feels so real to me, like it sorta exists somewhere. And I guess in a way, it does. Inside my (crazy) head. Lol. :D

Lots of things are falling into place. Others are surprising me out of nowhere. And I'm already getting attached to the cast of characters. I'm lovin' the process.

Anyway. I'm hoping to watch the next episode of Torchwood tonight. Did any of you guys watch last week's ep? It was so much fun. Man, I love this show. Though it did touch a little on a similar storyline I've already written about. But hey, that happens a lot. The whole no-new-ideas thing. ;)
Have a great weekend!


ytd word count: 28,170 (<---- this will hopefully change later on...)