I really tried until the end

I know I said I was withdrawing from the Phaze contest, but I still had a glimmer of hope. Yesterday I tried to finish re-writing chapters 5 - 8. But between getting bad news about the mortgages and the stress of writing, all I ended up getting was a terrible headache. Oh well, I can always submit the story elsewhere. There's a new publisher, Siren Publishing, which is accepting submissions. There's also New Age Dimensions, which is accepting stories for their Dollar Dimensions. BTW, I received emails from Brianna a few minutes ago. In overall she liked chapter3 and the part I sent her of the new (and erotically improved) chapter 4. She made some suggestions, which I've already implemented.

Phaze contest entry update

After posting about my Sandra Bullock attack, I received some emails suggesting me to add a few sizzling scenes to the story. Hoping to be able to save the story at this point, I spent yesterday afternoon trying to do so. But as I read the story, I couldn't find that "opening" where I could stick a scene or two, and still keep the storyline moving forward. I wrote one scene but it looks forced. Ugh! And now with the deadline to get the mortgage for my new home close, I can't spend more time today and tomorrow on the story. Besides, the story won't be critiqued on time. I sent Briana chapters 2 and 3, but I've not heard from her yet. Gosh, maybe they're that bad that she can't find the words to tell me how much they suck. *lol* So I won't be sending it to the Phaze contest.

Suffering a Sandra Bullock attack

Oh my gosh! I knew it! I had a feeling (way in the darkest corner of my mind) this would (eventually) happen! I've had what I call a (major) Sandra Bullock attack. I didn't know I've suffered one until today. You see, yesterday I finished fleshing out most of chapter 4 and began fleshing out chapters 5 and 6. This afternoon I went on to work on chapter 7. While I was writing it, I didn't think much about what was coming out of my head. Then tonight, after I finished critiquing Mish's story, I sat down to re-read chapters 4 - 6 and see if I needed to add anything else before I sent them to Briana. And it was then that I noticed it. All that gooey, luvvy-duvvy stuff. I almost fell off the chair. Geez... Where the heck all those sweet love scenes came from?! This was suppossed to be a hot erotic romance story! Hellooooo! Instead I have a totally freaking sappy romantic story in the vein of one of Sandra Bullock's romantic movies. (While You Were Sleeping comes to mind.) Aaaaagh!!!! No, no, no. It's all wrong. Why didn't I see it before? 'Coz it sneaks on you, that's why. Drats... drats... drats... *bangs her head against the desk* Now it's too late to re-write all those four chapters.

Vote for favorite chapter 2 intro NOW!!!

Okay, here's my dilemma. Since yesterday, I've been trying to finish chapter 2 so I can email it to Briana. Although I've done most of the chapter, the beginning of it is still driving me crazy. See, the hero is in his office, which is located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. The problem is that many readers might not know what the Spanish-style buildings look like in and out, or how it feels to be in one of them. So I want to put the reader right in the setting. However, I wonder if I'm giving too much description and/or when to insert all that info. So far I've written two versions. Please vote which one you like best! Version #1: After several morning meetings, it was mid-afternoon when Christopher Drake walked into his office, located on the last floor of a Spanish colonial-style building in Old San Juan. He’d visited Puerto Rico five years ago and fallen in love with the antique buildings that surrounded the capital. So when the opportunity came for him to expand his hotel business in the island, he didn’t hesitate to open his office in one of oldest buildings. Instead of trying to modernize it, he kept the original look. Black and white tiles covered the floor in a checker pattern, the walls typical white. Two sets of heavy wooden doors lay on both sides of the office. One led to the hallway and the other to the ornate balcony. Palm trees planted on pots placed on either side of the doors leading to the balcony gave it that touch of the tropics. Closing the doors behind him, he made his way to his dark, mahogany desk and picked the last of the papers that had piled up over it since this morning. He signed it and put it in the tray marked Out. Then he pressed the button on the intercom. “Mrs. Rodríguez, as soon as Mr. Casiano comes to his office, tell him that I need to see him immediately.” Without waiting for his secretary’s reply, he cut the communication. He got up and walked up to open the doors leading to the balcony wide. He leaned casually against the door frame. The view before him was breathtaking. The sun cast its bright rays over the next buildings, bringing the intensity of their colors. Aqua, peach, yellow, green, red. All bursting like a rainbow. It was almost impossible to look directly at them. The sky was cloudless. A typical afternoon in Puerto Rico. The sound of footsteps on the cobblestone streets below, humming with busy life, was like soothing music. A soft, warm breeze carried the salty smell of the ocean. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths then let them out slowly, feeling the tension drain out of his body with each breath he took. From this height, he could see beyond the other tile-roofed buildings the dark blue outline of the Atlantic Ocean as it met the turquoise sky. Version #2: Christopher Drake signed the last of the papers that had piled up over his dark, mahogany desk since this morning and put it in the tray marked Out. Then he pressed the button on the intercom. “Mrs. Rodríguez, as soon as Mr. Casiano comes to his office, tell him that I need to see him immediately.” Without waiting for his secretary’s reply, he cut the communication. Then he leaned back on his black leather chair, and loosing this tie, he glanced around his new office. It was located on the last floor of a Spanish colonial-style building in Old San Juan. He’d visited Puerto Rico five years ago and fallen in love with the antique buildings that surrounded the capital. So when the opportunity came for him to open his office in the island, he made sure to. But instead of trying to modernize, he kept the original look. Black and white tiles covered the floor in a checker pattern, the walls typical white. Two sets of heavy wooden doors lay on both sides of the office. One led to the hallway and the other to the ornate balcony. Palm trees planted on pots placed on either side of the doors leading to the balcony gave it that touch of the tropics. He got up and walked up to open the doors leading to the balcony wide. He leaned casually against the door frame. The view before him was breathtaking. The sun cast its bright rays over the next buildings, bringing the intensity of their colors. Aqua, peach, yellow, green, red. All bursting like a rainbow. It was almost impossible to look directly at them. The sky was cloudless. A typical afternoon in Puerto Rico. The sound of footsteps on the cobblestone streets below, humming with busy life. A soft, warm breeze carried the salty smell of the ocean. From his office, he could see beyond the other tile-roofed buildings the dark blue outline of the Atlantic Ocean as it met the turquoise sky.

Back on RWAonline and a critique partner

Finally today I received an email from RWAonline about the subscription renewal and letting me know that I can access the online forums. Sadly this all came too late for me to participate in Lori Avocato's workshop. *sighs* At least her notes are still posted, so at least I can copy & paste them to read later. Of course, it won't be the same, but it's better than nothing, right? On another front, I also received an email from Priyanka, who saw my ad in RWClist, and wants to be my critique partner. I went by the list to check out her post, but I couldn't find many. Maybe she is new. Anyway, right now I'm very busy trying (notice that I said "trying") to finish the story for the Phaze contest, so I'll have to get back to this sometime next week.

Editing and fleshing out...

Yesterday Briana sent me the corrections and suggestions for chapter 1. So this morning I spent two hours working on them. The original chapter had a little over 800 words, but after I fleshed it out, it has 1,123 words. Since I added some more description (something I suck at), I sent it back to her for further corrections. I've devoted this afternoon to flesh out chapter 2. It's going okay. So far I've written about 450 words. I'm trying to describe his office in old San Juan. I might be getting overboard with it. I don't know. Ugh!

What a waste of time...

I have pretty much finished the story. Today I typed 512 words. At least the dialogues are all there, and the barebones up to chapter 7. Woohoo! Now all I'm still missing are the parts that I dread the most. You know, the "authorly" stuff. Ugh! So I was hoping to make some headway in the story tonight and start fleshing out chapter 2. Well, I saved the work on a diskette but forgot to bring it with me from work. Aaaagh!

Double-team tagged me!

Kat and Trace double-teamed (like having Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michael) to tag me. *lol* This is a different new tag game, people! Here are my answers to the questions. *g* Total number of books I own: Uh... around 200+ (that's just romance novels) Last books I bought: Seduced by Moonlight (Laurell K. Hamilton) Night Bites (Nina Bangs) Blue Twilight (Maggie Shayne) On the 'To Buy' List: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J. K. Rowling) Sins of the Night (Sherrilyn Kenyon) Dead to the World (Charlaine Harris) Master of the Moon (Angela Knight) Last Books I Read: In order starting from the one I finished last night... Minion: The Dark Legends Begin (L. A. Banks) Star Wars: The Cestus Deception (Steven Barnes) Star Wars: Yoda: Dark Rendezvous (Sean Stewart) Dead Witch Walking (Kim Harrison) Five Books That Mean A Lot To Me: Dang, this is a tough question... Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare) The Three Musketeers (Alexandre Dumas) Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain) Princess Bride (William Goldman) Interview with a Vampire (Anne Rice) Tag Victims: Briana Laura Biacchi Kristen Ashley

Weekend update

Wow, I can't believe the weekend is gone! Anyway, I did some writing. Not as much as I wanted though, I was hoping to put some 5 hours daily. Still I managed to add 700 words. Of course, some of these were as part of editing. I'm still up to chapter four. I sent what I had for chapter 1 to Briana last night. But I don't know what good it'll do. I'm working on the first chapter, editing it, since I want it to be of exactly 1,000 words.

Creativity update

Last night I could barely sleep because my dog had another epileptic episode, and he ended up sleeping with me - in my bed. So today I was feeling very sluggish. My brain could barely hold to any thoughts for scarcely a few seconds before they were gone. Yet I managed to type 1,249 words for a total 2,516 words. Woohoo! *does the happy, happy, joy, joy dance* I've got the barebones of 4 chapters, which I hope to polish between tonight and tomorrow afternoon. Here's the first paragraph of chapter 1. “I’ve told you already, Mr. Salvador, this beach property is not for sale,” Carolina snapped, her voice high-pitched with annoyance. Without bothering to look at it, she slammed the folder, which she was sure contained the contract and other legal papers, on the small kitchen table and glared at the young man standing before her. Does it hook you or makes you puke?

Creativity needs a last-minute panic shake up

Calvin: You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood. Hobbes: What mood is that? Calvin: Last-minute panic. Ah Calvin, your words couldn't sound more true in a time like this, with only 11 days for the Phaze HeatSheet contest to end. My panic level has increased several notches during the past few days, hitting today an all time high. And in the middle of it, I became in the mood to be creative. I found a perfect simple story, one that won't need a too much background info, that can fit in the 5 - 12K contest limit. *g* Here's the burp: Christopher Drake is an enterpreneur who has set his sight on this beach property in Cabo Rojo. However, there's one problem; he must get the new heir to sell the land. After living in Miami for 10 years, Carolina Santana has decided to come back to Puerto Rico and live in the beach house her parents left her. A secluded place where she can re-energize herself and enjoy herself... if it weren't for those pesky people trying to buy her house. When Christopher and Carolina meet at the bar during a beach festival, sparks sizzle between. Now, how will they react when they find out who they really are?

My writing hell for the Phaze contest

Finding the right title Circle I Limbo Finding inspiration/Coming up with storylines Circle II Whirling in a Dark & Stormy Wind Developing characters Circle III Mud, Rain, Cold, Hail & Snow Naming characters Circle IV Rolling Weights Coming up with a good hook Circle V Stuck in Mud, Mangled River Styx Writing the first chapter Circle VI Buried for Eternity River Phlegyas Plotting a story Circle VII Burning Sands Writing the love scenes Circle IIX Immersed in Excrement Finishing a story Circle IX Frozen in Ice Design your own hell

In the Star Wars mood...

Star Wars Horoscope for Cancer You may whine at times, but you've developed a thick hard shell (like that of a crab). You are strong willed and persistent - until you get what you want. You never shy away from a fight, even when things get dangerous. Mentally sharp, you are starting to master the elements of mind manipulation. Star wars character you are most like: Luke Skywalker What is Your Star Wars Horoscope? WOW! This is so accurate, it spooks me!

Plotting For UnDummies: Day 2

This workshop is quite overwhelming. Ann has been sending all these great articles to the list, which I've cut & pasted to read them later at home. But in one day she has assigned already 2 homeworks. I don't know the deadline though. I take it this is a "post whenever you have your answers" kinda thing. I don't even know if our answers will be reviewed by Ann or the group. But that's okay. It's making me think, and I just came up with three possible storylines, which I hope to send to Briana for input. *grins*

Romanticizing vs. Reality

After reading my post yesterday, a lightbulb in my head lit, making me realized that people fantasize about places they have never been before, romanticizing in our mind about those exotic places. For those who have never visited Puerto Rico, or have visited as tourists only, the island may seem like an idillyc place to live, with its turquoise sky, white clouds, and wonderful weather all year around. The flora will look exotic, its vibrant colors catching their eyes. The island can entice a foreigner, making his/her imagination take flight. If they're writers, that imagination can take new heights. And if they're romance writers, it'll turn into a source of inspiration. However, those of us who have lived here all our lives can tell you a very different story. The hardships of getting a job. Living through hurricanes and draughts. (Don't take me wrong. Puerto Rico isn't such a bad place to live. Especially if you live in a small town. Totally quiet.) And don't get me started on politics. Reality crashes against that romantic version, pretty much stripping the illusion away. For example, it's like me and snow. I've never seen snow in my life. Sure, I've seen pics of it, but that's as close as I've been to snow. In my mind, writing a story in which the hero and heroine are trapped in a cabin after a snowstorm sounds very romantic. The snow covering the land like a while blanket. The fire. The furs on the floor. Warming by the hearth. Hmm...the deliciously romantic possibilities. Of course, Jill, who's still been getting snow, would tell me differently. *lol* My point is some romance writers romanticize about Puerto Rico. Me? I've lived here all my life. So I'm having a hard time coming up with romantic ideas to set here. Reality bites...

Plotting For UnDummies: Day 1

Today Ann Rodriguez's workshop, Plotting For UnDummies, started, so I was very pretty excited this morning to find the worksheets already uploaded. I went by the files and copied & pasted them. These would come in handy eventually, although I admit I'm not a big fan of character work sheets. Ann also posted the first lesson and its assignment, which didn't seem too hard. I had to choose the book length, genre, setting, title, and name of characters. She also wanted us to fill out a GMC worksheet for the hero, heroine, and the villain. Okay, I didn't like this last part much, but since it's a bare-essential worksheet, I might be able to get something out of it. So tonight I opened my trusty notebook and tried to work on this, but I couldn't. I'm so tired, I can barely think straight. Last night I was hardly able to sleep with Pixie walking all over my bed. And tonight he still looks restless. I've also noticed that he whines a bit when he is laying down in a certain position and tries to get up. He must have hit himself hard against the floor when he fell during the epileptic episode last night. Right now he is in my bed, and my eyes keep wandering there, watching him for any signs of something else going wrong.

Do I look like I live in Fantasy Island?

Just recently Briana suggested me to write a story set in Puerto Rico, and since there aren't many romance novels set where I live, I thought it was a great idea. I mean, who better to write a novel set here than me, a native from the island, born and raised here? After all, I could create a more realistic setting, right? So I said to myself, "Bueno Silma, manos a la obra. Let's get buzy!" So for the past two weeks I've agonized over the story. Okay, I don't have a title for it. No problem. I could work something out once it's written. Next. I've got the setting: Puerto Rico. Now, where in Borinquen? Small town or San Juan? That could have an impact in the story. Hmm... At the beach or the country? Oookay... Maybe I could get back to this later. So I moved on to the real good stuff: characters, conflict, and plot. Yes, I've got my hero and heroine in Puerto Rico. Now, who's my hero and heroine? Is one local and the other isn't? Perhaps one is a tourist? If she is the local one, she must have big butts, big hips. Totally curvy. Hmm... No good. In a market target for American women, I don't think they can identify with busty and curvy heroines. How about if he is a local? He'd have to be small, around 5'6" to 5'8", with a lean body, like a surfer. Hmm... Nope, no good. Okay, forget characters. I could work on the characters later. How about conflict? Well, they could...uh... hmm... My mind remained blissfully blank. Then I tried a series of mix-and-match ideas for my characters, but they all fell into the "summer love" category. You know, meet during summer, have great sex, and at the end they say good-bye. Good for smut, but not romantic. Finally, hoping to jumpstart my writing muse, Briana asked me, "What can happen only in Puerto Rico because of the heat?" And I went, "Uh?" Let's face it, I couldn't think of anything, but I already told you about that part of my writing hell, right? Anyway, it was obvious that I needed help, so I decided to ask around the following question: When you think of Puerto Rico, what comes to your mind? Them: "Chupacabras!" Me: *growls* "Let's not go there, sistah." It's a sad, dark day for my beloved island when the only thing people can remember it for is the chupacabras. We're ashamed of it. Let us be! NEXT! Them: "I think of exotic fruits like mangoes." Me: "What's so exotic about mangoes? We've got a tree in the backyard. Do you know how much mangoes stink when they fall on the ground and you don't throw them far away soon?" Them: "Beautiful exotic tall palm trees." Me: "You've got to be kidding! They grow everywhere like weed. Don't let a coconut too close to the ground, or a palm tree will quickly sprout. (Oops! Did I just rhymed? I must be sicker than I thought.) Mom has two on big pots decorating the front porch. And they're very dangerous 'cause they attract lightning like you won't believe it." Them: "Lots of heat and beaches!" Me: "Er... I don't feel like writing an Annette-and-Frankie, beach romance novel. Makes me wanna puke." Them: "Skimpy bikinis. Maybe no tops!" Me: "Uh, you don't wanna do that here unless you want to be arrested for indecent exposure." Them: "A fun place to live." Me: "You've got us confused with Disney or Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch." Them: "Oh, the place sounds like it's jumping with action and adventure." Me: "Not even Agent 007 could get any action here. Unless he paid for it." Them: "Gosh, you're so lucky to live there. It sounds like such an idyllic place to live." Me: "Where do they think I live? Fantasy Island?" I can see Tattoo in my mind announcing the incoming planes at the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport. ("Boss! The plane! The plane!"). Puerto Rico isn't la isla del encanto, people.

Squeezed time for writing

I managed to do some writing in the still-to-be-named WIP tonight, even though I'm still all frazzled about the epileptic attack my dog, Pixie, had a few hours ago. It didn't much writing, only 150 words, but it's better than nothing. Shannon uploaded the critique for CIS chapters 9 - 12. I've downloaded and barely glanced through it. I won't sit down to read all the critiques thoroughly until I have time to rewrite the story.

One of WCP is signed by Loose-ID!

I just received an email from Sarah, one of my Writing Challenge Partners, and she had great news for this week. Loose-ID wants to contract her novella!!! Woohoo!!! *does the "happy, happy, joy, joy" dance* Congratulations Sarah! Can't wait to read your novella. *grins*

A visual of my own writing hell

The semester ended last week, and now I'm in the low season at work. After finishing the critiques yesterday, I turned my attention back to writing in the hopes of coming up with an idea for a sizzling hot romance story for the Phaze contest. Briana, my mentor (I think she still is my mentor), wants me to set it in Puerto Rico. Okay, I'm all for it, but nothing comes to my mind. (Forget the erotic vampire story I mentioned a few weeks ago. I agree with Briana, it'd work best as a single title.) So hoping to stimulate my creative neurons (well, at least those that might still function anyway), she sent me an email with this question: What can happen only in Puerto Rico because of the heat? Since today I'm alone at the office, I wrote the question on a piece of paper and sat on the table (away from the computer to avoid the internet temptation), hoping to do some free writing. For the past few hours, I've been staring at the question, but my mind remains like a blank board. Agh! I'm in writing hell! If I could put it visually, this is how it'd look: Narrow down the setting Circle I Limbo Finding the hero and heroine Circle II Whirling in a Dark & Stormy Wind Describing the hero/heroine Circle III Mud, Rain, Cold, Hail & Snow A good hook to begin the first chapter Circle IV Rolling Weights How does the story end? Circle V Stuck in Mud, Mangled River Styx Inner conflict Circle VI Buried for Eternity River Phlegyas Plot Circle VII Burning Sands What's the conflict of this story? Circle IIX Immersed in Excrement Characters motivation Circle IX Frozen in Ice Design your own hell Go to the beach? Well, the heat last throughout the year, so we go to the beach even on December 25th. Hurricanes? Draughts? Ugh! Not romantic! Sheesh! When you live in a tropical island all your life, heat is something you live with every, single, day. It becomes as normal as breathing.

Ready for Ann Rodriguez's workshop!

Cool! I just received the email inviting me to join FTHRW_Workshops for Ann Rodriguez's workshop, Plotting for UnDummies. I hope nothing goes wrong. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I've already missed participating in 2 excellent workshops. I don't want to miss this one too.

Mentally exhausted but I'm done

Since Tuesday I've been trying to catch up with my critique. I didn't notice I'd posted on it until last week. It's one of those things that creeps on unnoticed. *chuckles* Oh, I know I should be writing something for the Phaze contest and my mentor instead of critiquing, but since I'd not been too inspired lately I figured reading other people's work might help my muse. Gosh, in two days I've read 3 full MS. Plus add to that the chapters from others' WIPs. I just finished uploading the 2 chapters for Mish's newest WIP. I'm finally done with the critiques! Whoopee!

Taking stock of my WIPS

Yesterday I was browsing some of my favorite blogs, when I came across a post on Larissa's blog in which is taking stock of her WIPs. As I read it, it made me think of my own. So today, after finishing critiquing Shannon's latest MS, I opened the cyber file with all my WIPs, and here's what I came up: 1 - Contemporary Romantic Comedy - 5 chapters 2 - Fantasy - Merpeople - 8 chapters - Greek Gods - Prologue and first 3 chapters 1 - Paranormal/Comedy - 27 chapters (must revise two break into two books) 1 - Contemporary/Erotic Romance - first chapter 1 - Suspense - 2 chapters 1 - Contemporary romance - first chapter 1 - Paranormal romance - first 2 chapters *groans* This is all I've been able to achieve in almost a year, right? So here's my dilemma. I begin the stories, but I'm never ever able to finish them.

Missing another workshop

I just logged into Romance Divas and casually went by the workshop forum. Well guess what? I found out that Yolonda J. Greggs's workshop, Logical Scenes & Competent Structure :: The Keys to Publication, had already begun yesterday. Another workshop I was looking forward to. Well, now it's too late for me to join in. Sheesh! I can't believe I'm missing another workshop. *sighs* At least I can lurk and read Yolonda's posts and her critiques to the others' works. It won't be the same, but it's better than nothing.

Update on Lori Avocato's workshop

Well, after spending most of the day sending emails back and forth, the whole thing was resolved. I paid the whole membership fee even though I applied in July, but still I was suppossed to renew it in April. So a few minutes ago I re-applied for it. Since I've already missed most of Avocato's workshop, I chose to pay through check instead of PayPal. *sighs* This is so sucks... I was really looking forward to this workshop. A few hints would have helped me with the SOI story. It's my first suspense story, and I can't seem to move it forward.

Missing out on Lori Avocato's workshop

Last week I received an email reminding me of Lori Avocato's workshop, "Two Part Suspense Writing- Character and Plot". I logged into my RWAonline account and everything was fine. Well, yesterday I remembered it was the first day of Lori Avocato's workshop, so I tried to log in early to see if she had posted already some info and exercises. To my surprise, I couldn't get in. At first I thought it was my password, but when I tried to retrieved it, it said that my account didn't exist. Luckily I hadn't thrown away last weeks email, so I queried about what had happened. Jo answered saying that I hadn't renewed my membership so I was eliminated from the lists. I replied her telling her that 1) I never received an email telling me about renewing my membership and 2) I had paid $15 because I'd joined before September so I thought I'd paid for a full-year membership. This morning I picked another email from Jo, in which she says she doesn't know what's going on. There seems to be some discrepancies between what's posted on the website about memberships and what I was charged for joining. But Jo has been most helpful and is making further inquiries. Last night, on her last email to me for the day, Jo told me that she had forwarded my email to the RWAonline treasurer. So far I've not heard from her. When is this going to be solved? I don't know. Probably not this week at this rate. *sighs* This is just great! I'm probably missing out on a workshop that could help me with my story, SOI. I hate it when things like this happens...

I'm such a scatteredbrained...

I just an email from FTHRW, one of the few RWA special interest groups I'm in, reminding me that Ann Rodriguez's workshop, Plotting for UnDummies, starts next week. Gosh, I'd totally forgotten I'd signed up for this one months ago. I hope nothing goes wrong and I can take this one.

End of a dry spell? Part 2

Since the cable modem isn't working today either, which translates to no internet access, and I hate to surf the web using the iPaq, I sat down to finish reading Star Wars: The Cestus Deception. While I was reading, my mind kept wondering back to yesterday's story. So I closed the book, took out the iPaq and foldable keyboard, and started typing away. No specific order. No complete scenes. I just let my mind wander and have fun. If it was something new, fine. If it was part of something I'd written yesterday, fine too. In total, I wrote 501 words. Calista and Matt's story is starting to take shape. As I re-read, I think I've got the basic of 2 chapters. In what seems to be the first chapter, it begins with Calista killing a demon. That scene is a killer (no pun intended)! Hm... At times Calista sounds a bit like Lara Croft though. Actually it's more like a snarky Lara Croft. Bad ass attitude, big mouth to back it up. Different backgrounds though. The conflict between Matt and Calista is right there in that first chapter. Usually my hero and heroine don't meet until the 3rd. or 4th. chapter, so this is new to me. I'm pretty excited about this story. And before you ask, no it's not a summer-themed story. And no, I won't submit it to Phaze's contest. This story is on a different ball game altogether.

End of a dry spell?

Since January, I've not had a good story idea. (Okay, I did have one back in mid-January - SOI. But I never finished it.) Today, as I played Jawbreaker in my iPaq, a glimmer of a dialogue popped in my mind. So I switched to MS Word, and using the stylo, I tried to type the few words in my head. Yet as I wrote, more and more parts of the dialogue kept popping, to the point that I couldn't keep up. Have you ever tried writing using that little pencil? It's crazy! So anyway, I hooked it to the foldable keyboard. I did 265 words! Woohoo!

RD Bootcamp: Day 32

Things have been quite slow at work for the past 2 days, but that's to be expected after the rush at the beginning of the week. So today I pulled out the files with all my writing ideas. I've got several ideas, but instead of running them down through my mentor, I want to just pick one and then stick to it, pouring all my (inspirational) energies into it. As I carefully read them, I realized that all my 7 story ideas had two things in common: 1) The hero is a reporter. 2) The heroine is either a writer or webmaster. Gosh, my biggest fear came true. I'm repetiting myself! Ugh!

Tagged (thrice!)

Three fabulous divas, Ash, Sheri Haynes, and Sasha White, tagged me. (OUCH!) I have to choose five of these, write about them, and then tag somebody else. This is a hard choice because either I am (professor, linguist, writer) or have been (musician) some of these. Hmm... If I could be a scientist... If I could be a farmer... If I could be a musician... If I could be a doctor... If I could be a painter... If I could be a gardener... If I could be a missionary... If I could be a chef... If I could be an architect... If I could be a linguist... If I could be a psychologist... If I could be a librarian... If I could be an athlete... If I could be a lawyer... If I could be an innkeeper... If I could be a professor... If I could be a writer... If I could be a backup dancer... If I could be a llama-rider... If I could be a bonnie pirate... If I could be a midget stripper... If I could be a proctologist... If I could be a TV-Chat Show host... If I could be an actor... If I could be a judge... If I could be a Jedi... If I could be a mob boss... If I could be a backup singer... If I could be a CEO... If I could be a movie reviewer.... If I could be a Jedi, I'd cross the stars, traveling from planet to planet, stopping injustice as I wield my golden lightsaber. If I could be a painter, I'd paint my own book covers, using airbrush and pastels, creating romantic masterpieces in 3" X 5" inches. If I could be a TV-Chat Show host, I'd have romance authors to interview about their latest books and introduce up-and-coming writers. My show would also have Pick-a-Book segment to pick my favorite romance stories. And there would be a fun contest - Looking for Mr. Romance. The viewers would like some eye candy. *winks* If I could be an actor, I'd love to work in a movie with a theme set in the past, something maybe Druid or Viking, and with Viggo Mortensen in the lead. If I could be a bonnie pirate, like my distant relative Pirate Cofresi, I'd sail the Caribbean Sea into great adventures, picking up handsome men in every shore. I'm tagging Laura Biacchi and Abbey.

RD Bootcamp: Day 27

Last night I rented "National Treasure." While watching the movie, a few more ideas popped for SOI, which I quickly scribbled on my trusty notebook. Then today as I showered a new set of dialogues for that same story came into me. I quickly got off the shower, and made sure that I wrote as much as I could. Now, as I re-read the new dialogues, I feel like some of them are a bit too sarcastic for the characters. Perhaps Michael, the hero, might be a bit sarcastic, but it's not in his nature. I'm not going to totally ditch these, but I'm not sure about using them either. On the Bootcamp front, I came up with a story set during mid-summer celebrations. The way I see it, it's a time travel one. She goes back to the times of the druids in England. Somehow I already find it quite predictable. Still I'd be willing to work on it if it weren't for the extensive research I'd have to do. It's not something I can do for what's left of the RD Bootcamp.

New WCP

I received an email from another RWC member who wants to be my Writing Challenge Partner. Her name is Tracy. She travels around the country fighting with swords. When I asked her if it was fencing, she told me she is into mace and broadswords. Is that cool or what?! And here I am, a Medieval freak who would love to take classes in one of those places that teaches you all about Medieval fighting. Anyway, I'm disgressing. *lol* I'm going to accept her because the other two WCP aren't working out. That means that this will be two WCP I'll have. Now, I wish someone would answer my RWC post for a critique partner. It's the only thing I don't have yet, and I'd like to have a CP very much.