Merry Christmas

Hello everyone! 

Just a quick post to let you know I’m taking a break until January. 

I hope you all have a happy Christmas and New Years! 

Know The Novel part 3

Hi guys! 
It’s time for the last installment of Know the Novel, hosted by Christine.

This set of questions focuses on the finished product. 

1.  Firstly, how did writing this novel go all around? 

All around? It went pretty good. It took almost a year to finish Bad Boy since I was interrupted by edits on Red as Blood, but I’ve got a decent first draft. During nano though it went terrible. The ending is a mess. Mad Hatter didn’t go very well. The story is playing out like I want it too. I’m not connecting with the characters or plot, but I’m not quite sure why yet. 

2. Did it turn out like you expected or completely different? And how do you feel about the outcome?

Overall Bad Boy turned out like I expected. I had a rough outline when I started and I kept to it for the most part. Tamille’s relationship to the king, a background villain, and a few world building details were the only things that really changed and I’m generally happy with the direction it’s going. Mad Hatter is nothing like I thought it would be, and it’s driving me crazy. 

3. What aspect of the story did you love writing about the most? (Characters, plot, setting, prose, etc.)

I loved the characters in Bad

Boy. Tamille and Brass are so colorful. 

For Mad Hatter...I don’t even know yet. I haven’t enjoyed it much at all. 

4. How about your least favorite part?

In Bad Boy it was the chapters leading up to the last one. They were so blah, and I had to move a lot of characters into place really fast. 

For Mad Hatter, writing it. 

5. What do you feel like needs the most work?

Bad Boy, smoothing it all out. I have like three separate sections of story. In the first Tamille is a princess, then she turns into a duke’s daughter, then some guy is suddenly the villain. I need to make it all match. 

The plot is definitely the problem with Mad Hatter. The characters right now are just reacting, they’re not acting on their own. 

6. How do you feel about your characters now that the novel is done? Who’s your favorite? Least favorite? Anyone surprise you? Give us all the details!

Brass is still my favorite. Overall I like the characters in Bad Boy and they all behaved relatively like they were supposed to. I can’t stand Prince Rulan. 

For Mad Hatter, Molly is my favorite. Hatter is unfortunately my least favorite at the moment. He’s not turning out at all like I want him, and I can’t find my original notes about his character. 

7. What’s your next plan of action with this novel?

I need to go through and edit Bad Boy a bit so it makes some sense, then send it off to beta readers. 

Reevaluate the plot and such for Mad Hatter and see if I can bring it to life. 

8. If you could have your greatest dream realized for this novel, what would it be?

Bad Boy: Get it cleaned up and published! 

Mad Hatter: At the moment, to get a first draft down that I’m happy with. 

9. Did you glean any new writing and/or life lessons from writing this novel?

If I can survive fixing both of them, I’m sure I’ll have learned a lot writing wise. Both of them present problems I’ve never ran into before and if I can fix it I’ll be happy. 

So, that’s what I’ve got for today. How are things going for you? 

Suddenly it was December

 

 

Hello everyone!

 

I cannot believe how fast last month went. Or how fast this month is already going. It's getting a bit ridiculous.

 

 

 

Ariel Masters asked to interview me, and was wonderful enough to squeeze me in last minute when I didn't get her message. You can find the interview here. 

 

I had an article published on Story Embers about common Christian practices that can kill a story. You can find that here. 

 

Five Poisoned Apples launched and is officially out in paperback and e-formats. You can find both on Amazon. (This was technically in December, on the 1st, but it feels like ages ago)

 

We had thanksgiving with Jarod's side of the family and had a wonderful time, then snuck to my parents' house last minute and had another wonderful time.

 

I set up Christmas decorations.

 

I had a lunch date with a dear friend and got to talk about mom life, wife life, and adulting. It was much needed.

 

I finished NaNoWriMo with 43,977 words. I was sad I was so close and still fell short, but it's all right. Next year.

 

 

 

This month went from having one thing on the calendar to about fifty.

 

Our church women's Christmas party was rescheduled due to a blizzard. We've got snow, people. Not buried by any means, but plenty. Depressing fact, it's the dry, powdery kind of snow that you can't build a snowman out of.

 

The church women's party was rescheduled to this weekend. I am in charge of games. Wish me luck.

 

There is a reindeer petting day in town, at the same time as the women's party, so it's possibly I might leave early from one and arrive late at the other. Because Henry needs to pet a reindeer.

 

Next weekend me and Jarod are going to try to go to a couples Bible study/retreat. We've been trying to go the last several months and farming got in the way. But now the farm is buried under snow, so I am determined.

 

Jarod's boss/aunt is going on a trip to an island. We're not going, but it's usually pretty interesting to see her pictures and hear the stories when she gets back.

 

We'll be heading to Oklahoma right before Christmas. I've got my Pioneer Woman trip all planned out. The wedding is the 22nd, so we'll go to that and then haul butt back to Nebraska. Because I'm a complete homebody when it comes to Christmas. No one else but my family cooks the food properly, I'm convinced, and I refuse to go a whole year without having Christmas dinner.

 

I've got about half of my Christmas shopping done. I'm hoping to finish up the last half soon. I would like for the presents to actually arrive on time, but Amazon ordering is one thing that I'm usually late at.

 

I participated in #FaithPitch on twitter, where you can pitch your Christian novel to Christian agents, and had several people interested.

 

I've had the soundtracks for Turn, and The Greatest Showman on repeat. The 100 has not left my TV screen. And Bad Boy is so close to being done I can taste it. I'm not really enjoying Mad Hatter, which is the most depressing thing I've written in a while. But, I'll push on.

 

 

 

Next month I'm doing another interview with Kristena Mears.  I'll post the link for everyone when it's up.

 

 

How was your month? Do you have any fun plans for December?