MERCY!!! Time flies...

So sorry for the delayed absence loves. Life has been hectic.

Never fear though. You've all been on my thoughts as much as my writing.

Most recently I attended the RWA National Conference in Dallas where I was blessed to spend time with two of my favorite authors on the planet! Thanks to their kind words and tough love, this aspiring author has been re-energized and writing daily.

While in Dallas I also attended a wonderful workshop by Todd A Stone. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Stone, he has a wonderful how-to book out titled "Novelist's Boot Camp." From his camo kilt and his charming way of making everything seem simple, to even his adoration of his wife (who was the Mod for the workshop), Mr. Stone is one of the most memorable speakers I've had the pleasure to listen to in a long time! The 2+ hours flew by. I sincerely hope the RWA invites him back again.

Since I've been home I've been working with a paranormal story which has been partially written for a few years now. It's been my "play" story. You know, that one you don't really intend to publish, but it's such a fun guilty pleasure. After getting much tough love from some dear pals (those two cooky writers I adore) I decided to go for it and finish it up.

The twist this time, however, is that I will write the synopsis FIRST! EEK.

In case you didn't realize, I'm not exactly fond of writing a synopsis. Perhaps one reason I have failed to submit anything yet... I digress. At any rate I promised my pals I would give their way a try and see.

OMYGOODNESS! I already see a new chapter one in this mindless story, a bunch of holes have been filled and thanks to some valuable advice, I've been able to start putting together a potentially publishable story. Scary, I know! LOL

So, I'll have my hands full in the upcoming months, but hopefully will remember to check in with you all and let you know how it's going.

XOXOX
Nichole

HOW Contest Results

Last fall I entered the Heart of the West contest.

I did not enter with hopes of winning. Odd? I told you I was warped, lol. No. I entered the contest to get objective feedback. This mission was for purely selfish reasons.

I had a new story idea and I began to doubt myself. Was I really weak in such-n-such area? Did I really know how to do such-n-such as well as I wanted to believe? So, after working on it for a bit, I decided one sure way to discover the truth was to send it out--with no outside crits. This was another learning lesson.

How much could I trust myself and my writing?

Each person I dealt with was gracious and helpful. If you ever wish to enter a contest, this is one to consider. I had the good fortune to draw judges who were both gracious and honest. Some of the more positive comments included, "You have talent." Or, (ad libbing here) "You have a way with droll dialogue." A big surprise came in the fact that my issues with pacing seemed to have improved greatly. And it was nice to discover that my hard work on eliminating prosey writing has paid off. :) The non-surprise was the fact that I still have issues with my heroines. GRRR. Can I help it if I connect more with my heros? I love my men, lol.

All in all, I learned that I can rely on my instincts. I know what I need to really concentrate on for the moment, and what I can move to "keep watch for, but improved" category. That alone feels liberating. It's freed my mind from the hand-holding I believed I needed from my crit partners. I'm not a child who has to run to them with every little detail.

No, I didn't final, but I definitely won a minor battle and grew in the process.

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Winter Hits Hard...Again

Hello friends! It's 2 a.m. and I'm snug in my home while freezing rain glazes the trees and ground outside. This photo is from our last ice storm in December (yes, it's all ice!). One reason I've been AWOL.


How were your holidays? Our family celebrates Christmas and we enjoyed spending time with our loved ones. I'm a little sad it's over, but am looking forward to the new year, so full of promise. I don't make resolutions. Do you? What did you resolve to change or do this year?

I have sure missed our chats and there is so much to share that I'm going to break it up into individual posts. Don't want you to get dizzy and pass out. lol


I leave you with another pic to enjoy. It always amazes me that something so beautiful can be so treacherous.

Stay warm and do something fun for yourself. XOXOX

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Tagged Again

Okay, I've been tagged by my pal, Word Trix. (Sorry it's late, sweetie. It's been "that" kind of month.)


Four jobs I've had:
1) Bakery Assistant (yes, could make those little roses)
2) Typist in banking trust
3) Office Manager for ad agency
4) Leasing Agent for apartment complex

Four places I've lived:
1. Here
2. Here
3. Here
4. Here...It's a running joke that we've got too much Mississippi mud between our toes to allow us to leave for good, lol. My family has lived in this area since early 1700s.

Four favorite foods:
1. Chocolate
2. Mac N Cheese
3. Southwest Chicken
4. BBQ chicken

Four movies I could watch over and over:
1. The Phantom of the Opera
2. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
3. Princess Bride
4. The Mummy

Four TV shows I enjoy:
1. Heroes
2. Numb3rs
3. House, M.D.
4. Eureka

Four places I've traveled:
1. Las Vegas
2. Dallas
3. All over Florida (Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, St. Augustine, blah blah blah)
4. Heck, all over the Southeast (New Orleans, Nashville, Atlanta, several places in Arkansas, blah blah blah)

Four places I'd like to visit:
1. Scotland!
2. Australia
3. Italy
4. Greece

Four websites I go to daily:
1. My yahoo groups (quite a few)
2. FlyLady.net
3. Splitcoast Stampers
4.

Four people I'm tagging to do this too:
Jolie
Cindy
Ciara
Sharon