And We Have a Winner!
Yep. I made my NaNo goals. Not only did I write more than 50,000 words, I also covered my entire outline. In other words, I actually finished the book, ODE to Joy, in November.
Every book is a little different, and this proved to be no exception. I wrote the original outline (in a spreadsheet) while traveling in Mongolia. I had certain criteria it had to fit.
First, it had to include the Character named Flynn from the book Zackly Right, which I had written quite a few years ago. After going through some very intensive revisions, Zack is ready to market. If it doesn’t find a home in the New York publishing world, I’ll be self publishing it. I’m giving it a year in which to find a home. Zack has clearly set Flynn up for a sequel. ODE to Joy is supposed to be that sequel. I wrote it now because it will probably take a lot of revision, and I will need to have it ready to go out the chute whenever Zack is published.
Second, it had to be set at least part of the time in a place where Buddhist festival music – horns, drums, bells, and chanting – could be heard in the background of a cell phone call. This, also comes from Zack and is not flexible.
Third, after I decided Mongolia would work for the setting, one of my tour guides asked to be included in the book. So part of the book bounces in and out of a tour very much like the one I went on.
Home Decor
Theodor: Tina, my sweet, I have a gift for you.
Tina: Really? What is it?
Theodor: Isn’t it obvious? It’s curtains. For you, my dear.
Previously in Jack and Jill: Chores
The theme for this week’s Jack and Jill is” curtains” as suggested by The Boy
Want to see what I can do with a word or phrase? Make a suggestion.
13 Thanks
Can you come up with 13 things you’re thankful for in 90 seconds? Here’s mine:
1. I’m alive. This one is top of the list most of the time.
2. I’m not in too much pain at the moment. There’s always something hurting, but right now it’s not enough to make #1 go away.
3. I have a great family.
4. I love my husband
5. He loves me back.
6. Same with my kids.
7. I have visited some interesting places.
8. I’ve written some interesting books.
9. I have plenty to eat.
10. If I work at it, I can get enough sleep.
11. I don’t have to spend all day doing things I hate.
12. My roof doesn’t leak.
13. I have reason to believe all of this will continue for a while.
Yep, life is gooooooood.
Suzie’s House 334 : Without Bunny Ears
Pink. And fluffy. With whiskers. Bruce had given her a flipping bunny mask! The only thing it was missing were the long ears. How was Emma supposed to sing in this thing?
She’d planned on wearing her black dominatrix mask. That fit in a bar, didn’t it? No one would really notice her in something like that, right? But something so pink and childish?
The Serialists of Nov 27th
Featured Author: Ann Pino
This is the hub for The Serialists, a meme for people who post original, serialized fiction on their blogs. If you have one or more posts you would like for us to read, please put the direct link(s) to the post(s) in the linky. Remember to visit one another and comment. We all want to hear from our readers.
A Shaman in Ulaanbaatar
We went to see a shaman in Ulaanbaatar. I was surprised when the place turned out to be in the city itself, and the shaman to be female. Yeah, dumb on both counts, but there it is.
In the picture above you can see the city in the background behind the ovo. We could see it from the street like a flag. I tried to get a picture from the street, but it came out blurred.
Chores
Tina: You call THIS doing your own dishes?
Theodor: Yep.
Previously in Jack and Jill: But I’m Not an Alien
The theme for this week’s Jack and Jill is do your own dishes as suggested by The Walking Man
Want to see what I can do with a word or phrase? Make a suggestion.
Arches
“At the end of your long journey you go through the arch and everything will be different.”
“Really? Is there a wall, then?”
“Nope. Just the arch.”
“Are there more houses? No? So what makes it so different?”
“The other side is in the city limits.”
The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story in exactly 55 words. Flash Fiction 55 is hosted by the G-man, a host with the most.
13 Mountains
You knew I was going to do this at some point. These particular mountains are all from the area just north of Ulaanbaatar where the beginning of my book is set.
1.
(more…)
Suzie’s House 333 : You Can’t Manipulate Every Bitter, Tight Spot
Just like he thought, the drums took forever to get set up. Bruce had his keyboard up and running almost as fast as Tracy and Gene had their guitars plugged in and tuned. Of course Emma hovered just off stage. She kept touching the mask he’d given her like maybe it didn’t fit right. He’d have to check it later. That just left the drums, and there goes Kate, chasing one right off the stage.
The Serialists of Nov 20th
Featured Author: Ann Pino, who is rocking the Rockies with an apocalyptic holiday.
This is the hub for The Serialists, a meme for people who post original, serialized fiction on their blogs. If you have one or more posts you would like for us to read, please put the direct link(s) to the post(s) in the linky. Remember to visit one another and comment. We all want to hear from our readers.
Tire Change
In the Gobi Desert we had a flat tire. Considering the condition of the roads, it’s amazing we didn’t have a break down of one sort or another much sooner. I can only think that the constant care and attention given to the vehicles by the drivers had something to do with it.
