writing retreat

Hello! Remember me?

I am relieved to say that the first draft of my novel is now with my editor! Yes, the first step in the long publishing process has begun, but "Every journey must begin with a first step," is how the Chinese proverb goes, right?

But getting to that first step was pretty hard! After missing, um, three years of deadlines I was finally determined to make this last one. However, as I was nearing the end,  I needed huge, extended chunks of uninterrupted time and that is something I can't get at home, so I was starting to feel a bit desperate.

And that is where my good friend and fellow author Libby Koponen stepped in. Offering me her spare room in her place by the sea (very apropos for my book),  we created our own two-person writing retreat.

the view from my borrowed writing desk!

Libby was a fabulous hostess (as she always is):

Fresh tea every couple of hours and a pajama dress code!

And we both got a lot of writing done! I worked from the wee hours of the morning to the wee hours at night--I slept less than when Rain Dragon was a baby! But, (as you know, but I must repeat it because I am a bit disbelieving) I finished my first draft!

I watched the sun rise!

It went so well that we are talking about running real writing retreats, offering it to other authors besides ourselves. I think it would be great, don't you?

But in the meantime, I am just thankful that I had this one!

two writers in our work uniforms!

and this is three!

So, the novel took a back seat this weekend so that we could decorate the yard like this:

Because it was Rain Dragon's birthday!

We had another birthday red hunt, this time making sure all the eggs were red so that the connection to the Chinese tradition was a little more direct (in Chinese tradition, red eggs are used to celebrate a child's birthday--the red egg hunt is our own personal take one it!). Even so, it was not very traditional--but the Rain Dragon's friends didn't seem to mind.

The hardest part was holding back the crowd:

On your mark, get set, GO!

The yard was in much better shape this year and the weather was cooperative, so I think it  was a successful hunt!

at least it was for Rain Dragon:

Also, this year instead of trying to do the cake last minute, we assembled it with pre-made fondant decorations and turned everyone's mouth's blue:

Rain Dragon loves planets and ducks!

which might have been what Rain Dragon wished for:

 

Happy 3rd Birthday, Rain Dragon! 

nose to the grindstone

revising the first draft of the new novel!!

Recently, I've come up for air to attend events like the Virginia Hamilton Conference and the Richland Library's Augusta Baker's Dozen Storytelling Celebration. It's been great (thank you to all the came! So fun to meet all of you!) but it's back to work I go! I miss writing regularly here at my blog, but I hope to be back soon! I'm on the first revision on the first draft of the new novel, which would be exciting except that I usually go through at least five of these, so there's still have far to go. Right now, the tentative title is "The Silver Waves of the Sea." What do you think?

In the meantime, I'm still going to be using my newsletter as my main source of outgoing news, so please sign up! That's where you'll first hear all about the novel when it's finally finished!

Happy Lunar New Year!

Best Wishes to you from me, for the Year of the Sheep!

Happy Lunar New Year! Winter Edition of my Newsletter

Learn a bit about the Year of the Sheep in my newsletter!

The Winter and Lunar New Year edition of my newsletter is now out! Learn a little bit about the Year of the Sheep, get a sneak peak at my new novel, and more! And if you want to be eligible for the free book giveaways, please sign up!  As I said earlier, the newsletter will be my main outgoing source for now, so it would be great to have you onboard to keep in touch!

a little honesty and a little hiatus

hoping for a blessing from the Goddess of Mercy!

It's a new year and usually I like to make a bunch of resolutions or goals; but this last year has been  kind of a disaster when it comes to goal completion. I have to admit I've been a bit depressed about it.

I kept watching colleagues online that seem to be able to juggle their events and promotion and health and family and friends and books effortlessly and have driven myself to despair with comparisons. That Author is able to write four hundred beautiful novels, go to the gym for three hours a day, raise a family with six perfect kids and is the wittiest person on the internet! This Author does five hundred school visits a year but still is able to get a two hundred incredible books completed and go on date nights with wonderful spouse!

For the past year, I've been trying to figure out the magic formula. Can I work harder? Can I work later at night? Earlier in the morning? Stand on my head? But I still couldn't get it together. What could I do to be like Other Author?

And the answer is...nothing. Because I will never be like Other Author. Because Other Author is not me. Yes, Other Author can juggle the sun, moon, all the planets and all the stars and that is wonderful for Other Author. But I have come to accept that I am not a good juggler. That doesn't mean I don't have my good points, but trying to be someone I am not is a waste of energy (and making me even a poorer juggler). This year, I am just going to try to accept that my limitations are what make me who I am.

This doesn't mean that I do not strive for excellence, in fact it's the opposite. It's because I refuse to give up my ambition that I accept defeat. Other Author can do everything and somehow be brilliant at all of it. I cannot. I have to choose.

So, all of this is to say two things to you, my very patient reader. First, and most importantly, is  that I love interacting with you and am always so, so honored when I hear from anyone. But, ever since Rain Dragon arrived, I've been a poor responder and I truly apologize. I hope you understand my lack of response is more about my poor balancing skills than it is about my affection towards you.

Second is...I must write my novel. I want it to be good, for you and for myself. And because of that, I'm going to be temporarily taking a hiatus from this blog and most of my social media until I at least get the first draft finished. I hope it won't be too long, but I really don't know when I'll be back. If you'd like to stay in touch with my doings, please sign up for my newsletter, which for the time being will be my most active outgoing info.

Thank you so much and hope to see you all again soon!

fortune cookie friday

"If the first words fail, ten thousand more will then not avail."
- Chinese Proverb

memory pearl

We gave recently gave Rain Dragon a bag of marbles and she quickly became enamored with them. Her favorite game is to make Marble Soup and pretend to eat and serve them.

"This is the Sun Marble," she says, "It tastes like bread, fire and rubber duckies."

The Moon Marble taste like milk, ice cream and kitty cats. The Ice Marble tastes like snow and ice, of course.

on my desk monday

The holidays are over so it's back to work!

Though, honestly, when I am writing a novel there is always a part of my that is thinking about it, which if my excuse why I am so absent-minded and disorganized these past months. This particular novel has been a hard one for me to keep straight, so I've actually done a pin board with all the important plot points to help keep me organized. Hope it works!

fortune cookie friday

"A goal without a deadline is only a wish.A dream with a deadline becomes a goal."
- Chinese Proverb