Friday, January 2, 2009

I completed Bloodlines!!!!!!

Happy 2009!

I hope everyone had an awesome New Year’s Day and aren’t suffering too much from all the partying New Year’s Eve. ;-) I’m in New Orleans. Arrived yesterday (Thursday) and have both of my boys with me, so not much partying going on my end. We’re planning to browse the Flea Market today, eat some beignets and just sight see until tonight. Tonight we’ll be cheering our favorite college football to victory—I hope! =)

So, like Sarah, I’ve got to scream and shout my excitement at finishing my novelette, Bloodlines! Finishing a WIP (a work in progress for the non-authors) is like winning the lottery. Or at least how I imagine it would be like to win the lottery because I haven’t been so lucky yet. I guess I need to purchase a ticket to have a chance to win. ;-) I stayed up until 3:00 a.m. Sunday, December 28th—or maybe that was 3:00 a.m. Monday, December 29th—until the novel was complete. Either way, it was late, late for me. And when that last word was written I threw my hands in the air and squealed like a schoolgirl! Yes, I really did!

Julija and Landau are complete, their story written, but the work has only begun. Now I have to edit, revise and then edit and revise some more. I haven’t gotten motivated to start the editing process yet. I love to write, but editing is tedious for me.

I’m going to give myself about a week, reboot my brain so to speak while I’m working on Dragon Blood, and then start edits. I wish I could just write it perfect the first time around. Anyone else out there agree with that? lol Probably ALL authors, right?

I’ve made New Year’s resolutions. I’m sending Wytch Blood to an agent and crossing my fingers that they will like it. Either way, I’ll keep sending it until I’ve exhausted my list of agents…which is pretty long. My next resolution, write more in 2009, to actually carve out time everyday to write. I find it’s easier to write when I’m doing it on a regular basis. Every month, I’ll set new goals for myself to meet by the end of the month. January’s goals: Finish edits on Bloodlines and write 10-20K words on Dragon Blood, both to be completed no later than midnight January 31st! I didn’t want to set my goals too high, so I’m hoping I exceed them both. I have other resolutions, but all personal like exercise more, be a better mother and wife, keep one step ahead of the housework …yeah, I know, the typical song and dance.

Any of you have any writing goals you want to share? Or share any New Year’s resolutions that are non-writing related?

4 deadly screams:

Margay Leah Justice said...

Woohoo, Gracen, that is awesome news! I have another book that is with my publisher now, which I hope to announce a publication date on soon, plus I am hard at work mapping out the next books in the series of the Dante Chronicles, which began with Nora's Soul. I just finished outlining the next book in the series and my goal is to outline all of the others next and then write them as if I'm writing one book (all at once, to keep the flow going). Of course, I intend to submit each one to my publisher as soon as I finish with it - I won't wait until the whole series is written before submitting them for publication! Needless to say, I've got a busy year ahead of me.

Molly Daniels said...

My immediate goal is to finish the edits on the story with the conditional contract and send it back for approval.

Other writing goals include finishing the edits on the third book in my series and submit it everywhere possible; finishing at least a couple of the wips I started last year; and to set a writing schedule and stick to it!

Happy New Year! Enjoy the game; I wasn't able to talk my family into a day of watching football yesterday. I was overruled!

Sarah Mäkelä said...

Congrats on finishing Bloodlines!!! I have lots of writing related goals this year, so I'm breaking them down on a month by month basis as well. I find it easier to keep myself on track. For January I'd like to do my IV edits, submit to an agent, and complete IT (book 2). :D

Gracen Miller said...

Thanks for your comments everyone. Sorry I didn't comment back in a timely fashion, but as mentioned I was out of town in New Orleans and we took down Christmas decorations yesterday (Sunday).

What a way to recoop from a vacation! lol I don't know about any of you, but I usually need a vacation from my vacation. We did so much walking in the French Quarter that my feet, calves and lower back hurt to crawl out of bed. lol Yeah, I guess I need a little more daily exercise in my daily life.

Margay, I agree, you sound like you have a busy 09 waiting for you, but it's great to be busy and doing something you love! Good luck!

Molly, good luck with the conditional contract. I've still got my fingers and toes crossed for you. Good luck with your other writing goals too. I'm amazed you couldn't get family to watch a day of football. My mouth is hanging open in shock. I'd have to beat my family into unconsciousness to keep football off the tube. I love it as much as they all do, so there's never any arguing what to watch on a Saturday during football season. Well, except for maybe which football game. ;-)

Sarah, get back to editing! ;-) Good luck, girl! I'll help kick your butt if you start slacking.