Finding Focus

This blog has been quiet for a few years, because I didn't have much to say. While I plan to sporadically blog, I don't plan to link this blog to any other social media, unless I have a really great recipe/news/etc to report.

In essence, this is my private journal that I will put up for public view only if you want to pop over to my blog. . . which means no one will read it. Fine with me. I'm good.

So why did I decide to blog again?

My Cousin-in-law posted a note on FB that he was finally ready to blog about stuff. I commented that most people don't have the time or interest to spend clicking to a bunch of blogs and reading everyone's pithy thoughts. But it is a good way to keep your hand in by writing daily. There are a few bloggers who have reached remarkable success and even they have had to stop blogging--the Pioneer Woman--is one of them.

But no one really blogs now. Blogging is so ten years ago. Many of my author friends send out monthly emails to let readers about their life/new book/writing. Which is the method I prefer to see. I can click the links to buy or read more, or I can simply delete into trash. Other people simply post life/writing tidbits on FB because blogging is draining.

So you might ask again why am I blogging?

For the last few years, I've felt out of sorts, writing-wise. Aimlessly puttering through life. I couldn't settle down on any one project--I think I have about eight or nine stories started--picture books, chapter books, middle grade, a techno-thriller, and even some fantasy. No it isn't YA, but it's more firmly in the fantasy genre with a romance as the secondary plot.

I really couldn't finish a project. And when I did finish a project, a middle grade story featuring Kyte Webber, TIME OF THE YETI, and queried it, I would get rejections or no responses. Which is very frustrating, unhelpful, and sent me into the 'Why bother writing at all?' mindset. I have no idea if the story sucks because the writing is terrible. Or it's a great story, but no one is buying that sort of story. Or it would actually be good with XYZ strengthened.

No idea. It's like living in a vacuum, spinning around and around in the canister of a Dyson, along with tons of dirt and dog hair.

At times, I would decide to give a previously written story another edit to see what I could do to strengthen it only to bog myself down in the first chapter.

*sigh*

And then yesterday, I had a minor epiphany.

I needed a story bible to keep everything in my Goblin's Apprentice series straight--names, characteristics, backstory, etc.

And I discovered Microsoft One Note . . . so much for paying for the Scrivener program sitting on my computer.  

It's early in the story bible game, but this is the most excited I've been in a long time.

I can ORGANIZE my stories, my characters, EVERYTHING!!

Organization gives me focus.

I have a binder for Goblin's Apprentice, with an assortment of tabs, which have numerous pages. I have each story in chronological order, including the Chapter books and stories about Rory Leafhopper, Piper, and a soon to be named Goblin who doesn't squeak.

I'll start short and simple, rereading my chapter books and making notes,  before moving to the longer stories.

I have hope that this will work to get me into my world, where I can write fun stories again.

Time to get started documenting stuff on GNOME WITHOUT A HOME--Rory Leafhopper's story.
 
Later!

Lots of Little Things

School starts this Thursday. I'm pretty sure we have the important stuff taken care of: school supplies, school uniforms, and summer reading is finished. Taking her to school won't be as easy as walking her to the school behind our house. Nope, she will have to be driven across town to Cascia Hall . . . luckily, I'm not stuck with THAT particular chore in the mornings! Hubster will be taking her through the horrendous road work areas (three lanes on major expressway narrowing down to one--are they serious??) and then continuing on to work.

I'll be picking her up at 3 PM, well, 2:55.

With school starting I'd like to start a nice normal writing routine again, but I have a lot of little things I'd like to accomplish before I can do it. This is just the stuff that piles up over time, until you know you need to do something about it.

Saturday night I finished one the them.

The magazine pile--I had about six month's worth of magazines to go through. Of course they were all cooking magazines and I had to pull out the pages of the recipes I found interesting, then trim them to a reasonable size before filing into one of my thirteen cookbooks. -- DONE!

My earrings---I keep my earrings in four fishing tackle boxes. These are only 1-inch deep and clear(ish). I need to take a picture when I'm finished. Well, about two years ago, it was in fantastic shape. My hubby had spray glued the polyester backing to fuzzy stuff so I could hook my earrings through the material and keep them nice and neat. I need to cut new pieces for the earrings I use and to reorganize the boxes, as my earring habit seems to keep growing.

--I picked up cute little person with a pearl head earrings in Seaside and a pair from the Italy venue in Epcot that I'll be getting for my b-day.

My blog---yep, I need to do some housecleaning on this blog: hyperlinking my WW and FF blogs to their respective places, updating my book info, copying and pasting all my WW blogs to a document and then organizing them for my weight loss book.

My documents folder--I've been really bad about this one, as it has grown to unimaginable proportions . . . when you have to scroll down to see all the documents, it's too large!

And then there's the 'other' stuff I need to do:

Reformat my Goblin's Apprentice books for print--which means I need to do another editing job.

Fill out my Weight Watcher's leader info when it arrives--if I decide to actually take the job. I'm still waffling on this one. The pay isn't good, but there are some perks. But then there's wear and tear on my car, the lack of ability to call my own shots, plus my mom might be needing more of my driving skills in the near future.

Brainstorm my Elemental series.

Plot Goblin's Apprentice book 4, DRAGON DAYS OF SUMMER

Finish working on my Christmas projects

Order chocolate supplies to be ready to make and mail the donated items I've already promised.

And of course, last but certainly not least, act as chauffeur to my kidlet. Swim hasn't started back up, but it will when the pool is ready to go. And we already have two other school activities PRIOR to school starting!

Monday is a get-together pool party for the kids. And Wednesday is orientation and a retreat, but hubby wants to do the driving on both ends of it so he can figure out his driving plan of attack.

While there is no firm deadline on any of this--with the exception of the Christmas items and the donations to Lee Lofland's Writer's Police Academy in September--I don't really have to DO anything, but I'm ready to work . . . and that's a big plus in my book!

Oh, BTW, does anyone know how I can make book marks or something like that I can put into the candy boxes?? I have no clue where to start on this!

Later, Peeps!