NaNo #1

Hello Facebookers, Twitterers, and Readers of My Blogs:

As noted, you’re all getting the same updates, at least for now. Maybe I’ll rotate them thru the week as I go.

Oct 31 – final countdown. At 12:01 am on Nov 1 (remember, we don’t officially change clocks until 2am) I will begin writing. I plan to go until 2:00 am, just because I can. Then bed and back to writing in the a.m. I’m excited about this… and I’ll let you know how it all goes tomorrow

I've Really Stuck My Neck Out This Time...

My kids will tell you -- really, just ask -- that I've developed an annoying habit over the years. My husband rather likes it, but the kids don't.

The habit is one of practicality and self-survival: I won't commit to anything unless I am ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN (yes, I'm yelling at top of my lungs) that I can do it. Which means they get a lot of "No." "Maybe..." and the perennial favorite (not!) "We'll see." I've had children threaten to defect and run away screaming over my refusal to commit. Dad thinks I'm merely being prudent and honest.

So, now what have I gone and done?

Uhh -- signed up for NaNoWriMo. Yup. Gonna write me a book in 30 days and -- of course, fifty thousand -- that's FIFTY THOUSAND -- words are not enough. I have to try and write NINETY THOUSAND WORDS in 30 days. Publicly. And I've said I would. And so, at peril of life, limb, job, homelife and possibly children and husband, I have to try,

Why, oh, why am I doing this?

Theoretically it's to jumpstart my new project. It's also to have an excuse to act like a college kid again and not get my husband mad at me. And, it's a challenge, and one I can take on willingly. Lordy knows there's not too many of those around!

Probably I'll annoy people, but luckily everyone in the family writes to some extent, or they're artistic in other ways, so they all understand the passion part of this. They have, however, already expressed annoyance at my announcement that I might not blog or FB or Twitter as much, so I've also had to commit to posting periodic updates. They may be identical on all my blogs and the social networks, but people will just have to check to see.

I will say that prepping for the event has already given me a good start on the material of my novel. And I don't remember when I've felt so enthusiastic over starting something, or over meeting new people (I'll meet with fellow WriMos here in Fayetteville at least once). So clearly, succeed or not, this has already been good for me.

Which brings me to my other point for today. Not everyone writes, poor souls. But everyone does something they love. If you have let your passion languish, even if it's with good reason, this is a great time to pick it up and dust it off and launch it once again. Find that thing that you love to do and throw yourself into it. Maybe in a new way or with a new twist, but let yourself get excited about it. Have fun, create/produce, and feel great!

Aww, shuckee durn....

There is absolutely no better motivator for blogging than a very thoughtful friend who compliments your writing and bestows the latest blogging award on you. Wonderful Kaye Barley of Meanderings and Muses has passed along to me the "Honest Scrap Award".

It's a lovely award whose purpose is to reward bloggers who write from the heart. Well, gee. I can't think of a nicer thing someone could say about Blackwater Tales. It's what I intended all along. So, thank you, Kaye, for all your support.

Now this award has a couple of requirements. I must pass it along to 7 other worthy blogs, and I must list 10 honest things about myself (actually, awarding 7 others is optional, but I want to).


Beyond Understanding

Little House in the Suburbs

Hey, There's a Dead Guy in the Living Room

L.J. Sellers

Stick to Your Hips and its sister site Living Well... Eating Thin

A Good Blog is Hard to Find



These blogs focus on different things, but each blogger is passionate about what they are saying. I can read them any time and they touch some part of me in a thoughtful or thought-provoking way. Check them out.

As for 10 honest things about myself:

Well. Hmm. How deep do I have to go here, or should I ask, how deep will I get myself in with this?

How about 10 things I maybe should have done but didn't (honestly)?

• gotten my Master's degree
• written more thank you notes
• driven to Eugene (OR) anyway
• gone up in the hot air balloon
• taken another tap class
• re-done the kitchen floor in our last house (sooner)
• asked the guy on Student Court for a raincheck on that drink
• bought more stock -- ANY stock
• gotten a horse
• focused harder on my writing sooner

Whew. That last one was hard to write. I don't believe in regrets, you see. However, sometimes I have to admit to mistakes, and I do think there are things I could have done better, the last item on the list possibly being the most important. But, as most people know, life has a way of interfering with your plans. And while we can have it all, we can't usually have it all all at once. So I just have to deal with the fact that I didn't settle down sooner. Perhaps, like a lot of writers, I just wasn't ready to say what I need to say. I'd like to think that, because it's the only consolation I'll get. That and firing myself up and making up for lost time.

So, in keeping with writing from the heart, I urge everyone, follow your passion. follow it as quickly and as fully as you know how. And beyond that, no regrets.

Oh! And if you haven't already, sign up for NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month and write 50,000 words in 30 days!