I'm celebrating three things today, but first, hats off to co-hosts for this blog hop, Lexa Cain @ Lexa Cain , L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge , and Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog You can go to any of these sites to get all the links and add your name to the links.
What am I celebrating?
1. I finished the draft of my book and sent it to my writing group. We'll be discussing it next month, after I return home. This, of course, will mean another rewrite, but hopefully the final one, so I can start submitting it.
2. We went to Portugal again for a few days. Our trips to Portugal started out as research trips for the book I just finished. Each time I get more and more details that will help "fine tune" the book. But in the meantime, we've developed some wonderful friendships that mean a lot to us. We took tons of pictures, as usual, and in due course they will make their way to my blog -- probably my next door blog (The Fourth Wish).
3. I'm at work now on a new "Imogene" story. I actually have a series planned, but this is a story to be included in an anthology. It's great fun to write (I like Imogene) and it's going well. I want to finish this draft by the end of this month and submit it to my other writing group. (I belong to two: one for YA/NA/Adult works and one for PB/MG works. Both groups are wonderful, and I count myself very lucky.)
I also feel lucky that many of you have faithfully returned to this site, waiting for me to get on with blogging again. I assure you, I've missed it, and it's nice to be back.
How about you? Have you had to "go dark" for the sake of a manuscript? Do you write in more than one genre? Do you belong to a writing group? More than one group?
26 comments:
Good for you, keep doing what you do and best wishes!
Yes, I've taken time out for work. Blogging is fun, but I've learned over the years to set it aside when the need arises. :)
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Glad to hear you got so much done! Blogging can take up tons of time, and it just needs to be pushed aside every now and then. Yep, I write in a few genres, belong to a writing group (Which really needs to meet again)...have a great week!
I do belong to a writing group, and they are so wonderful for me. I am working on some editing at the moment, after my editor has returned her thoughts to me. Maybe I'll get the book published sometime next month, but I want to be sure it's the best.
Glad you are back! I go dark for a lot of things -- baseball games, moving, sometimes writing -- but never for long. It's always good to get back to blogging.
Congratulations Elizabeth. Your hard work paid off. Imogene's story finally made it to my nightstand. Books travel in my house, but they get read eventually! Interesting you belong to 2 groups for each genre. Lucky you :)
Welcome home from Spain, and it looks like your writing is going well.
Thanks, Blogeratti. Appreciate the good wishes.
Exactly. Now I feel I can relax a little and enjoy blogging a whole lot more.
Good luck with getting it published soon. But it's so wise to do what you are doing, making sure it's your best work. Keep us posted.
Hi, T. I'm glad to hear of someone else who writes in more than one genre. I almost envy those who don't, but because of the advice one reads to have a "brand", but such different stories come to me, wanting to be told in their own way. I'm sure that's how it works with you, too.
Oh, I'm so glad that Imogene made it to your night stand. Except for personal friends I know outside of the blogosphere, I don't hear too much after one of my books goes out into the world, so it's nice to hear from a blog friend. When you get to it, I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks, Richard. Actually we're still in Spain and go home next week. I do a lot of my writing when we are in Spain. Hope your own writing is going well, and your art, too.
Rosi, you are so good about keeping up with your blogging no matter what else is going on. But you are right. It's always good to get back. I love connecting with other writers and lovers of art and people who just love to read. It's such a nice community!
Congrats on finishing your first draft! Trips to Portugal. I have to admit to being a teensy bit envious. I'd love to travel through Spain and Portugal. I do belong to a writers' group, and they're so helpful. Good luck with all your writing projects!
Hi, Lori, actually this was a third draft, which is why I'm hoping one more round will do it. But you never know. I've had books that took about ten drafts! As for our travels in Spain and Portugal, ten years ago we never would have dreamed we'd be having these experiences, so you never know what lies ahead. Yes, I agree with you that writers' groups are so helpful. I really depend on my beta readers. They are wonderful.
Congratulations on completing that first draft. I am aiming to finish a first draft of my WIP by the end of October. Glad the travelling has been inspiring too, welcome back.
Such great news! Congrats on finishing your book, on delightful experiences in Portugal, and on the new story for Imogene. Good luck with your group's feedback and with submitting!
Best wishes for finishing on schedule. Do find it a bit stressful when you are working toward a deadline? (I do sometimes, and sometimes not.) Thanks for the welcome back. Have a great day.
Thanks so much, Lexa. I really count on this group's feedback for the improvements that always come from those extra eyes. And it's nice to be back in Imogene's world again. Hope all is going well with your endeavors.
Welcome back! It sounds like your time away was well spent:)
Congrats on finishing the first draft!!! And good luck with the rewrite!
I would love to be able to travel for research.
Thanks, Sandra. It's nice to be back. But I'm so glad I kept my focus and finished the book. It's such a relief to have that draft behind me instead of looming. :-)
Hi, Chrys,thanks for the good wishes. This is the first time I've ever traveled for a book. We're only able to do that because Portugal is near where we go in Spain. Portugal has been a wonderful discovery for me. I love the people there so much. They are so warm and helpful.
Many congrats on that. It's huge. You chose wisely:)
Thanks, Sandra. It felt huge, for sure. Have a great day.
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