The Dreaded Query Letter

You heard me right. It's that time again. QUERY LETTER TIME! *cue echoed voice and Halloween track music with scary noises and screams*. Damn. I should have wrote this post three days ago.

Yes, it's going to be THAT kind of post :)

Anywho...

All silliness aside (well, most silliness), the query letter is a huge deal for a writer. In this one page (that's right, 250 words or less, preferably less) you have to introduce  yourself, your story, and your voice to an agent (or editor or publisher). One page to describe all the blood, sweat, and tears you worked so hard on. That means it has to be good. No, not good, great. Really, it has to be your best.

Today I am working on a query letter for "GD". The manuscript is very close to being ready. Very, very close. So I'm taking the initiative and thought you might enjoy some helpful links to help you guys write your own queries.

Now, before we go into the super serious stuff, can we just enjoy some sexy half-naked Dean action?

*swoon*

Okay, serious face on. Here are some articles that are helping me out today.

Agent, Jill Corcoran has a list of great articles here.
Including, Formula For A Query Letter.
Queries and Synopis: How to Get an Agent Salivating to Read Your Manuscript.
And Query Letter Suicide (featuring a list of things NOT to write in a query letter). 

Now, a page with a few more links: here.
Including this not-be-missed three part series from author Jackie Kessler of the Deadline Dames.

And some of the best advice I've ever heard for query letters: Revise, revise, revise. Your query letter should go through extensive revisions the same way your manuscript does. 

Like this --->


I hope these links help you as much as they helped me. Now it's time to hear from you. Anyone else currently working on a query letter now? Have I missed any of your favorite articles or advice?

Wish me luck, guys!

Happy Halloween!

Today is the day every adult waits for. The day they can dress up the way they did when they were kids. Well, almost every adult. I don't dress up. *waits for tomatoes to be thrown* I know, I know.

But just because I don't dress up doesn't mean I'm not a fan. I mean, I write--and therefore practically LIVE--in the Paranormal genre. And let me tell you I enjoy a good scare.

Make no mistake of it I will be sitting in my living room, watching so many scary movies my eyes may melt. While I haven't picked out exactly what will be on the movie menu (which is unusual since today's the day, people!), I know some of what must be watched. The Walking Dead (Sunday's episode has been sitting in the DVR waiting for today), Friday's episode of Supernatural, Insidious (if I can coax the bf into getting his manly bits scared off again), and we're definitely finishing off with The Nightmare Before Christmas. I may even throw in a wild card depending on what I find on Netflix and on DVD/Blu-Ray.

If anyone has amazing plans for tonight that they like to share, I'd love to hear them. Are you an all-out Halloweener? Does the fact that it lands on a Monday night deter you? Are you dressing up? Do you decorate? Go all out? Taking the kiddies trick-or-treating?

Whatever your plans, I wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Halloween and may the odds be ever in your favor! (That's right, I said it)

Falling for Fall

It's here. October. Fall. My favorite season. Leaves are turning, temperatures are changing, rains are falling.


Now you may disagree with me here, but keep in mind I live on the Northern California coast. Smack dab in the middle of the state. Our summers consist of the possibility of seventy degree weather, maybe for a week or two in September. Sure, we can take a trip north, south, or east for an hour and find temperatures at least ten degrees higher, but that's not possible every day.


Still curious about San Francisco summers? Yes, I could have taken this photo less than a month ago. This is the norm for us, people. And I'm not complaining, not one bit. It is beautiful.

However.

There is something different about fog versus rain clouds. Yes, they both look similar. But, for me, nothing beats the pat-pat-pat sound of rain on the windows, the vroom from my ancient heater kicking up to pump warm air (with Kitty A always in front of the living room vent) into the house. There is nothing more motivating for snuggling up with a great book, typing away at the keys on a shiny first draft, or hacking and slashing a manuscript you can almost no longer stand to look at.

And so far, fall has been good to me.

Now I'm curious about my loyal followers. Does fall really get you moving or slow you down? Why? If fall isn't your favorite season, what is?

September Writing Month

September Writing month is a tradition I started on my livejournal blog a few years ago where I basically work (write, edit, rewrite, etc.) every single day in the month of September. I find that once the summer is over, I notice the year is quickly coming to an end. What does that mean? More work needs to get completed, more goals accomplished before that New Year's ball drops. And what better way to knock out some of the things I've been putting off than to hold myself accountable for working every day of the month? September is the perfect month for this. Like I said, summer is over and NaNoWriMo is around the corner, but not so close you can't maybe bang out a draft or a round or two of edits before November rolls around.

Now, I would love it if anyone is interested in participating. Just leave a comment on this post (or link to your own website) with your goal, what you expect to get out of September Writing Month, and we'll check in here every Friday.

So, my Day One.

My goal: Finish my first draft of "Codename: W" my YA sci-fi.

Today I had to deal with the Day Job, so I didn't get as many words on the page as I would have liked, but a few hundred words is better than nothing at all, and that's what September Writing Month is all about. Completing personal goals that you have set for yourself and to clear out those summer cobwebs.

Here's where I am currently with "Codename: W"

8980 / 50000 words. 18% done!

When Decisions Feel Muddled

Okay. So. Uh...

Yeah, that's how I'm feeling today. Why, you ask? Because I'm ping-ponging between three different half-finished projects.

I'm in need of a focus.

So, I'm curious. What do you do to choose your next project? How do you know it's right? Is it a feeling? Or do you just dig your heels in and work on whatever you've vowed to work on, see it to completion?

I think I've picked a project I'm willing to stick with, but it's hard when there are so many ideas floating around in my head. A little insight would help me so much.

News, Books, and the Latest

While I haven't been around blogger lately, I have been keeping busy. After a long and thorough set of edits, GD, my YA Paranormal (one I'm so in love with), is finally off to the world's most amazing crit partners. YAY! And now instead of twiddling my thumbs I just have to decide what to work on while I wait for more revisions to roll in. So I haven't exactly decided yet, but I have several options. I'm leaning toward firing up my mostly-plotted YA sci-fi (codename: W) and writing until my fingers bleed.

Also, I've finally finished my A-Z reading challenge. What a whirlwind. And now that I've read all my required reading, I'm enjoying some great reads I've been looking forward to. Shift (Shade #2) by Jeri Smith-Ready. I'm almost halfway through it. This is how you write an emotional read, people. Uh-mazing! And, by the way, The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade was also a great read. Fun and surprisingly deep. Now all I need is the sequel, Queen of the Dead.

Now I'm sure I don't have to tell you so many great books have come out over the summer and release soon. While my book addiction is...uh, let's call it problematic, there are so many books on my wishlist right now. Seriously. In case you're interested, I've got a wishlist tab on my goodreads.

An amazing bit of news that I almost forgot to mention, my critique partner just signed a contract with Entangled Publishing for her Sci-Fi Romance, Queen of Swords. I'm beyond thrilled for her. And trust me, you will want to get your hands on this one when it releases.

Great news all around! And I'll be seeing you all around a lot more lately.

Take that Manuscript to the Gym

Now while I was almost expecting a post-holiday hangover (the kind where you feel like doing nothing, leftover from an awesome weekend), I'm actually just glad to get things back to normal. Back to my routine. Back to the hair-pulling frustration and sweet-tears-of-joy madness that are revisions.

Edits, rewrites, revisions, call them what you will, just don't skimp on them. There's no better way to get your words (you remember, the ones you worked so hard on not so long ago) into shape. Unfortunately you can't take that first chapter to the gym to work on its hook or shout at that sagging middle through a thousand crunches or even kickbox that ending into submission...or can you?

I'm sure I don't have to tell you that every writer has their own process. Me personally, in the past I would never do less than three rounds of edits before allowing another set of eyes (critique partner or beta reader) on my pages. But this time (another thing I probably don't have to tell you, writers adapt) I'm sending a chapter after only two rounds. Side note: this is because I feel I've worked hard from plot to first draft and through two very substantial and thoughtful edits.

Are my words still under there somewhere?

And man is my CP tearing it apart. If this is where you expect me to cry and whine, then you must not know many writers. I'm loving all the bleeding my poor pages are doing. And I'm prepared to resurrect the first few chapters (and maybe--heh--some of my ego), rewrite, and look forward. Because red ink (or pink comment boxes) mean the reader found something off or wrong in the pages. And I'd rather work hard fixing those holes than leave them there to make myself feel better, to live in denial. Being a writer means persistence and hard work. Work I'm willing to put in. What I'm not prepared to is put out something I'm not a hundred percent proud of.

What that means is a lot of time and frustration for me...and a short blog post for you. :)

But before I go, sometimes we all need a little revision pick me up. Mine is obviously coffee (in the mornings), sandwiches (for lunch), and the occasional cookie in between. Oh, and you can't beat the affection of a darling kitty or two. So, what picks you up when you're down in the revision slumps? What keeps you going?

Kitties A and B

Finishing

So the other day I finished a round of edits on on Graceful Death (one of my more recent works in progress). And man does it feel good. No matter how many times you type "The End" or finish up a round of edits, nothing beats the rush it gifts. Writers, you know what I'm talking about. I would imagine it's like graduating with honors or having kids. While my edits are far from done, even one round on them makes the manuscript a hundred times better.

Plus, working on something else while you're out on submission really takes the edge off waiting for your email to ping. Am I right?

Anyway, I was wondering what else you guys might compare finishing edits or a first draft to. Learning to ride a bike? Scoring the last goal/point of a game? Crossing every thing off your huge To Do list? And does it matter whether or not it's a short story of 10-20k or an entire novel of 60-120k? Are the levels of different for every book or story written? What about comparing the completion of a first novel to, say, a fifth one?

I LOVE this project!

I'm heading to the Giants game tonight, so this is going to be a quick post.

A post on what, you ask?

As I'm coming close to finishing a round of edits on GRACEFUL DEATH, a YA project I'm excited to talk about but not yet comfortable doing so, I'm getting that feeling again. You know, that feeling you get when the writing is done, and the story isn't perfect yet, but you're still SO excited about it. The idea is fresh. The voice is unique. And I may be tooting my own horn here, but I love this one. Each book I write, I'm honing my skill, getting closer to where I want to be. And I love it all!

There's a lot of work left to do, but I just had to share my excitement. I love every bit of the writing process and editing (even when I know so much more work is needed) is a huge part of that process.

And...GO GIANTS!

Epcot

While I could post ever single picture of my trip and feel less than no guilt about it, I figure better to post the best.

While we won't talk about the plane ride (which wasn't so bad, considering a few years ago boarding a plane would be out of the question) because nothing great happened. Oh, and it took something like twelve hours to get there with time change and a layover in Houston.

Epcot

 Beautiful, right? Now, if you're anything like me you know next to nothing about the Florida Disney Parks. Epcot is an adult version of It's a Small World *cue the loop of sappy music*. Basically, you can go around the world by walking around the lake.

Up first, Mexico. Don't worry, I won't breakdown every country. On the left is a huge recreation of a Mayan temple. Inside is a nighttime marketplace with ponchos and day of the dead figures for sale among many other things. These were my favorite.


Crazy hand-painted beautiful ceramics. All shapes, sizes, and colors. Also in this marketplace, strung through with lanterns, were restaurants, a ride, and...a bar.

Disneyland for adults, remember?

 My second favorite thing in Mexico? Ridiculously amazing margaritas! From left to right, my mom's classic (read: boring), the bf's Blood Orange (that's also supposed to be his shot, but he let me take half, more on that in a minute), and my Passion Fruit. MARGARITA! *shakes maracas* And the shot of tequila came with salt, lime, and a little salsa chaser. Weird, but so good! 

As you can imagine, since this was lunchtime, lunch was great. And...maybe we were a little buzzed for the next few hours.


Next up, China.

Here is a recreation of the famous Terracotta Warriors. History lesson? Check here.

 Even the gardens were beautiful.

This promo for Disney's latest masterpiece was all made of sand. And it was huge. I have about four more pictures to complete one panoramic view.




 How about the pagodas of Japan?

Reading Challenge Update and Goodreads

Here's my latest update for my alphabet reading challenge hosted by Steph @ Thoughts of a Book Junkie.



A - Assassin Study by Maria V. Snyder
B - Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
C - Chime by Franny Billingsley
D - The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
E - The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
F - Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block
G - Going All In by Jess Dee
H - Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey 
I - The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
J - Jonas (Beautiful Dead #1) by Eden Maguire
K - Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf
L - Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
M - Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
N - Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
O - Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
P - Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Q - Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan
R - A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix
S - Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
T - This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
U - Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane
V - Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
W - Wither by Lauren DeStefano
X - XVI by Julia Karr
Y - You by Charles Benoit
Z - Zombie Nights by Tom Lichtenberg

Only six books left. *glows*. I can't wait to get to some of these books. I've heard some great things.

Has anyone around here read anything I have to add to my to-read pile? I love book suggestions! Or is there a book I should definitely stay away from?

Also, I'm a huge Goodreads fanatic! I can't stop tending my account. It's like my own personal Tamagotchi. Come on. I know at least some of you remember these little digital pocket pets that you have to feed and play with otherwise you come out of math class and find your little Tamagotchi has kicked the bucket.

But I know my Goodreads account won't die or wither, but it's so much fun to add books and update where I am on the books I'm reading. My beloved Goodreads account <3! Anyone else on Goodreads or any other social book tending sites?

Finally Home

I just got back from one of the best vacations I've ever taken. Disney World. That's right. Take it all in. And yes, it was just as amazing as it sounds. As a big kid who loves Disneyland, this trip to Florida was everything I hoped for and more.

The point here (as I will be posting a few select pictures in a day or two) is that I'm back. Expect more posts coming soon!

AWOL...and an Interview

To start, I wanted to apologize for being AWOL for so long, both here and on twitter. Building my author platform, I've struggled with professionalism and real life, always striving to keep my use of social media on that thin line, so as not reveal too much. So when I was rocked by another heartbreaking loss in my family a few weeks ago, I wasn't sure whether to announce it or keep silent. Since I had to head out of town to help settle my uncle's estate (with less than 24 hours notice), I decided I should let people know that I wouldn't be around for a week or so. And I mentioned it on twitter. To my surprise I received an outpouring of love and support, so, thank you.

In short, I'm back now, returning to both the Day Job and writing *happy sigh*. There's still a lot to deal with, physically and emotionally, but I'm glad to be home and back to what makes me happy: reading, writing, and my loved ones.

This trip has made me realize life is too short. And I'm not going to waste anymore time. I'm going after what I want, full force. So that means WAY more writing and editing. And blog posting. So expect me around here more often.

Okay, now that all the mushy stuff is out of the way (can you tell I'm a Scorpio?) This is a little late, but I was interviewed by Lexie over at Poisoned Rationality. We talked vamps and superhero names. Trust me, you want to see that. ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

A-Z Reading Challenge March Update

As you may (or may not) know I'm participating in an alphabet reading challenge hosted by Steph @ Thoughts of a Book Junkie.


A - Assassin Study by Maria V. Snyder
B - Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey
C - Chime by Franny Billingsley
D - The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
E - The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
F - Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
G - Going All In by Jess Dee
H - Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey 
I - The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
J - Jonas (Beautiful Dead #1) by Eden Maguire
K - Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf
L - Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
M - Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
N - Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
O - Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
P - Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Q - Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan
R - A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix
S - Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
T - This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
U - Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane
V - Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
W - Wither by Lauren DeStefano
X - XVI by Julia Karr
Y - (Still searching)
Z - Zombie Nights by Tom Lichtenberg

Read in March:
T - This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
M - Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
J - Jonas (Beautiful Dead #1) by Eden Maguire
D - The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
and
Z - Zombie Nights by Tom Lichtenberg

14 down, 12 to go. My favorite this month? It was a big surprise, but Jonas (Beautiful Dead #1). The idea, the fast-paced writing style, and the characters really got to me.


So, my question for you guys is, what are you reading? Or what have you read recently that's blown you away? And I'm still searching for a Y pick. Any ideas?

Friday Five

1. I hate April Fool's Day. I know nothing about how it started or when, but I am not a fan of being more gullible than usual. So, I vote to outlaw it. Maybe we can make it April Jokes Day instead? I like jokes. See, I'm not a huge grump...just a little one :)


2. I swore I wouldn't do this, (no, an April Fool's joke is not on its way) but I am currently reading a book that is not part of my A-Z Reading Challenge. I couldn't help myself. What was I so desperate to read that I just couldn't wait until I got through the entire alphabet? White Cat by Holly Black. I'm about 60% through it...and Wow. Just. Wow. Seriously. It took me a while to get into the book (it was good, but I wasn't connecting) until things really started going wrong for the MC. And so far, Holly Black is doing three things amazingly well. Writing, worldbuilding, and backstory. If you've read it, you know what I mean. If you haven't, why not? This one is definitely worth a go.



3. Working, working, working! Day job, exercise (which I'm actually starting to enjoy doing), and writerly stuff. I have been bu-sy! Woo. What have I been working on? Right now I'm trying to finish up a short story that I'm hoping to submit. After that I'm hoping to pick my my YA Dystopian again.


4. Yesterday a bus remodeled my car. And let me tell you, this calls for a sad face. So... :(


And 5. Happy April! I'm so glad March is over and my super-big-half-paid-off-mega-vacation is that much closer. 6 weeks and 1 day. *happy dance* And...I've already paid for the airfare. More info to come soon.

Getting to Know You

I'd like to take this moment to thank everyone who stopped by to critique my first 250 words of Shimmering Angels. I feel like every piece of input helped me polish it up a little more.

In Friday news, I am currently writing my fingers to the bone. For the first time in a long time I'm trying my hand at a short story and I'm really loving my MC's voice. She's driving me forward, hinting at her personality and her flaws, but right now I'm missing her goals. I could go with something easy, like she just wants to be normal, but I'm digging deeper. There's something inside her that she doesn't even know she wants yet.

Where am I going with this, you ask?

If you're a writer, you've probably heard this combination before: Goal, Motivation, Conflict. This threesome and I are no strangers.

Goals. To truly understand your characters you have to know what they want so desperately--and what they're willing to sacrifice for it. And to write a great book, you have to test these theories, strip away everything your characters hold dear, and flip their world on its ear.

Motivation. Understand why your character wants this, and show--not tell us about--it. Why does your thirty year old villain still suck his thumb when things don't go his way? Could it hint to a tramatic childhood event? Or could he simply enjoy making his rivals think this? Use this strange action to throw your hero off, or create empathy?


Conflict. Now that you know what your character wants and why they want it, twist the knife. Your hero and heroin have a strategic plan in place. Why let everything go smoothly when it's so much more fun to throw a wrench in the cogs? Add a little conflict. The villain knows your hero and heroin are coming and has his own trap ready. Or maybe hero plans to express his feelings to heroin, but heroin (thanks to her own goals and motivations) tells hero she's been lying to him and instead of just wanting villain dead, she needs to reclaim her husband's soul which is lost somewhere inside the villain's hideout.


Now we're getting somewhere. See what I mean about conflict adding more?


Now I'm off to create my own conflict.

Writing Isn't Cake (but I do love cake)

While I would love to be sitting in my office telling you all writing is the easiest thing I've ever done. But we all know that isn't true. Writing is hard, hard work. But anything worth doing is hard.

I love this job. Yes, even where I stand now, unagented and struggling to be better at what I do. Because when I do land a dream agent, I want to be able to share with them my very best. And I'd like to be able to share that with you all as well. A writer is only as good as their last words. And I'm entering that point where I'm ready to make some new words.

Beginning a new writing project is largely the same as tackling an essay for school. First, you decide on your topic, then you research. I find these two steps difficult. If you choose the wrong project or misdirect your research, you're screwed, right? Not necessarily. When I started with the seeds of this project I brought it in several different directions before I discovered where I really wanted it to go. Even now, with a full and solid outline, I know things may change. And I'm looking forward to it.

Here, this step, somewhere between research and writing is where everything comes to life. I'm picking names, gathering photos and any other visuals I can find, discovering the ideas in my head didn't come close to some of the pieces I'm using for inspiration.

Just like in a school paper, things can change with research. If you find an article with differing opinions, you have to use it. You have the responsibility to show both sides of an argument and prove yours is right, sway opinions. And as a writer, I'm all about swaying opinions. I'm going to show you the deepest, darkest sides of my characters right along with what made me create them. I'm going to put them out there, strip away all their walls, and let you decide how you feel about them. Because ultimately, I will do my best, write the best damn story I can, and let you, the readers, grade me.

A-Z Reading Challenge February Update

As you may (or may not) know I'm participating in an alphabet reading challenge hosted by Steph @ Thoughts of a Book Junkie. And I wanted to share my progress.

This is my first reading challenge, and even though I'm not a book blogger, I am a writer. And as a writer, I read. In fact, I've always loved to read. So this challenge seemed right for me. And so much fun!

A - Assassin Study by Maria V. Snyder
B - (Either: The Body Finder by Kimberly Dertling, Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris, or Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey)
C - City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
D - (Either: Devoured by Amanda Marrone and The Dead Girl's Dance by Rachel Caine, or Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning)
E - The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
F - Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
G - Going All In by Jess Dee
H - Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey 
I - The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
J - Jonas (Beautiful Dead #1) by Eden Maguire
K - Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf
L - Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
M - Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
N - Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
O - Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
P - Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Q - Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan
R - A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix
S - Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
T - This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
U - Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane
V - Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
W - Wither by Lauren DeStefano
X - XVI by Julia Karr
Y - (Still searching)
Z - (Still searching)

Read in February:
K - Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf
H - Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
I - The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
and
R - A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix

9 down, 17 to go. My favorite this month? It was a tie between Hearts at Stake and A Rush of Wings. Can't wait to see what both series will offer in the future.

Currently Reading:
M - Magic Study
and
T - This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

So, my question for you guys is, what are you reading? Or what have you read recently that's blown you away?

Welcome and BAM!

So, my very, very, very generous friend Lesley (check out her fantastic writing blog here) put this new blog together for me (<3 her!) and isn't it beautiful? Note: anything lacking is entirely my fault, not hers.

That said, welcome! My previous Livejournal account will now direct you here. Because, if you couldn't tell by now, this is where I'll be blogging from now on. And I'm so excited!

I wanted to start this new blog off with a bang, and I've been racking my brain to come up with something awesome to do here to announce the move when BAM! an idea came to me. Too bad it had nothing to do with the blog post, or so I thought.
 
The Idea To End All Ideas came to me early this morning. I've been outlining a new WIP (which already has a title I'm crazy about--which NEVER happens) for weeks now. It's been going slowly because I've been missing a key piece of this puzzle. And today, while deep in research, an idea came. And it grew. It grew so perfectly, all these interesting, unexpected pieces fell into place. So while the outline isn't done, the holes in it have been filled and the ending has been plotted. Yay! Now all I have to do is fill in the middle. Which still makes for a huge task, but not as foreboding as an ending, at least to me. Because now that I know where I'm taking my MC (main character), all I have to do is throw a bunch of obstacles in her way to make her journey that much tougher--and her story that much more interesting.

One other awesome thing came out of this breakthrough: a new bad guy :)

Not bad for a little research gone awry.

Now for you, because I love my readers more than anything, do you have any tips, ideas, or topics you would like to see here on the blog? I'm open to suggestions, and will always give you credit for your ideas :)