Out With the Old...

How lucky are you guys?!? You get stuck with me 2 days this week! SIS BJ is having technical difficulties and can't join us today.

Happy New Year's Eve! I am really looking foward to a new year. It just feels like things will be looking up in 2010. 2009 has been a roller coaster for many of us here at SIS. I love roller coasters if they are in an amusement park. When it comes to life, I'd prefer it to be a little more stable.

Like every year, I will be ringing in the New Year at home with the girls. Of course they are all ready asking me if we get to see the ball drop. The oldest says we should go out and do something "really cool."

I am still working on my New Years resolutions. So far I know that staying focused on my goals is at the top of the list. I can't let anything distract or discourage me! I'd also like to become more organized. I know Beth is working on that too. Losing 10 pounds also makes my list. (it does almost every year)

I send New Years wishes of good health, happiness, stability, creativity, and love to all of you!

What are your resolutions? Anyone have any fabulous plans for tonight?

SIS Brandy

Me? It's my turn?

Geez! I’ve been so busy the past couple days that I didn’t even realize it was my turn to write. I just read Brandy’s post and know exactly how she feels about writer’s block. I haven’t even had coffee yet, but I’ll see what I can pull out of my cob-web filled head.

First I would like to say Happy Birthday to Happy, my little guy. He turned 10 yesterday! Wow! I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by. I still remember the day he was born and how he looked like a Glo-worm all snuggled in his blanket and cap. HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOO-BOO!

Okay, no putting it off any longer….what to write about?????

I haven’t written in probably two months now. How shameful. But I do intend to get back to it ASAP. Maybe that would be a good way to start the new year. I love my story and my characters and really need to get back to it. I loved Tori’s suggestion yesterday of writing at least one sentence. Chances are, if I wrote just one line, it would lead to several more and I would have a productive writing day every day.

I’ve often wondered if I am approaching this writing thing correctly at all. Of course, writing the story is a necessity. You can’t be an author if you haven’t written the book, duh. But I read about writing classes and writing clubs and I wonder if I am missing out on something huge.

Is it possible to write an excellent piece of work with no formal training at all? Does it just come naturally to some? If it does, I hope that I am one of those blessed people. It’s not that I wouldn’t enjoy attending a writing class, or conference, or club, it’s just that I don’t see it happening anytime soon with all that is going on in my life.

And say that I was able to write an incredible book that just had to get published. Is there any chance for me if I’m not able to attend conferences and shop it around? What are my chances of finding a great publisher?

And then let’s not forget self-promoting. I know it’s necessary to a point, but like Beth mentioned here at SIS before, how much is necessary? I have a personal Facebook, and I haven’t even been able to visit there for months! So how in the world would I keep up a Facebook, Twitter, MySpace…blah blah blah? Is it possible to write a book that virtually sells itself?

As I read back over this, it almost sounds like I’m looking for an easy way out. It’s not that at all, I just wonder about these things. I wonder how I will MAKE the time to attend these classes and conferences and how I will MAKE the time to self-promote. But first I need to MAKE the time to write!

I know I could probably find these answers myself via searching the web, but I thought I would ask you first. What are your suggestions/ experiences? Any advice is appreciated…


Happy Wednesday!

SIS Bren

Writer's Block

I have sat here staring at the computer for the last hour. Not a single thing comes to mind to write about. I think I have lost a few brain cells straining for ideas!! I have been struck with total writers block.

I guess I could talk about the weather. Did you know it's too freaking cold out?

Or I could talk about Christmas. You've probably had enough of that.

Or what about New Years? Shoot, I don't even know what my resolutions would be!

Work? Boring!!!

AAAHHH! It's driving me crazy! I can't come up with two or three paragraphs of something creative.

Pretty much everyone here does a lot more writing than me. Whether it be books or poetry, I definately am bringing up the rear. It amazes me that others are able to imagine enough scenes, characters, and details to write a whole book! I am pretty sure that somewhere during the writing process just about every author experiences writer's block.

Do you encounter writer's block often? When you do is there anything that helps you break through it?

SIS Brandy

Hullabaloo

Ah, yes. The holidays are on their way out and life should hopefully get back to normal. Not that I mind a little hullabaloo every now and then, but I do like my routine. I prefer knowing my work schedule and the children's school schedules so that I may plan my writing schedule accordingly. The last month has been nothing but hullabaloo, thus, very little time for writing. I feel terrible about that and I'm more than ready to get back in the saddle.

Christmas was great. The kids were very thankful which made me beyond proud. Neither one of them said, "Is that all?"

*Big News* My husband gave me a Kindle for Christmas and I have to admit...I LOVE IT. It's so cool, so fast, so easy. The books are much less expensive to buy this way and I can store up to 1000 of them. I can also delete but WHY WOULD I EVER DO THAT? The one thing I will really miss though, is looking at all the cool covers on real books. The colors, the detail, the textures cannot be replicated. Oh well...I'm sure I'll get over that!

Skipping around a bit, but I'm dying to see the movies Avatar and Sherlock Holmes. Both look wonderful. Chances are I'll wait for the DVD's to come out but I WANT TO SEE THESE MOVIES!

Still on a mission to get a dog. I haven't won but I'm far from giving up. Maybe 2010 will be my year.

Don't you love when we ramble over here at SIS?

My Paranormal WIP is screaming at me to get moving. My heroine, Meera, is just discovering her abilities while my hero, Ghanem, is fighting to get his back. It's getting interesting folks! That's why I need to get life BACK TO NORMAL!

My Multi-Cultural Contemporary WIP has been pushed to the side for a few months but I plan to get back to it very soon. I still love those characters and their story, so it's only fair to see how it plays out. I mean, come on, if you were a character, how would you feel if someone put your story on hold? And, right at a big turning point? Exasperated I'm sure. I'm a little afraid of what they'll do to me when I check in on them.

Anyway, that's what's going on with me.

How about you? It's been awhile. Fill us in on what's going on in your life? Still got hullabaloo?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Counting Our Blessings

Happy Holidays!

SIS is taking a break until Monday, Dec. 28, spending time with friends and family and generally having a jolly old time. Wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays--good health and good cheer.

In the true spirit of Christmas, we're counting our blessings. Won't you join us?

SIS Beth, Bren, BJ/Aleena, Barb/Elle, and Brandy

Holiday Round Robin

Please read the post below and contribute as often as you like! Happy Holidays!

Christmas Collaboration

I have what I think is a fun idea! Actually, I sort of got the idea from B.J.'s post last week. I thought it could be interesting to start a story and then have everyone who joins us here at SIS contribute. Not for just one day, but for the rest of the days leading up to Christmas Eve. Each day, I will take everything written that day and post it for the beginning of the next day and then anyone who wants to contribute can chime in.

Any style is allowed: romance, thriller, fantasy. You name it, you can write it. The only rule is that you have to read what was written previously and try to segue from that point. You can twist the story any way you choose. You can add characters, kill off characters if you choose, change it from romance to fantasy...just have fun!

I think it will be interesting to see how the story deviates from what I originally perceived and also to see how very different we each may write from one another. Now, this needn't be a novel. It can be short story. Write as much or as little as you like!

Okay, here goes....

Lily could scarcely believe that it was Christmas time already. The year had flown by so quickly. But she was glad. It had been a horrible year. She had lost her boyfriend, her job, and now, worst of all, her best friend, Snorks.

Not that Snorks had died or anything, she had literally lost him. The last she remembered having him was when she was walking into the toy store to buy a gift for her nephew. He shouldn't be too hard to find. After all, he...

Alright then. It's your turn. I have my ideas for what or who Snorks is and what he looks like, but let's see where this leads. Have fun....

SIS Bren