Day 3

November 3, 2011

ANNHILIATION Word Count: 7664

Today was a bit of a challenge for me. I started later than my usual time (I usually write between one and three) but today I had guests over and could not begin until 2:30. It seems I am a terrible creature of habit and the time change threw me a bit. I am also going out with my daughter tonight to a local Panera to write a little more. She is participating in the NaNoWriMo for teens. It is a great program, if you have anyone of that age group in your life. Actually, I like hers better. Hers comes with projects and a percentage ticker to keep you motivated. I was really impressed. I hope all of you are doing well.     Until tomorrow,

Melanie

Day 2

November 2, 2011

ANNHILIATION Word Count: 5337

My goal is 2500 words per day; that is the only way I can hope to make it to 50,000 in 21 days. I have promised my husband and myself that I won’t take my laptop with us on our vacation. I may sneak and bring my notebook, though. I often find that my first draft of a novel is done in a notebook. I don’t know why, especially in the day of the portable computer. I just find myself returning back to a spiral binder whenever an idea comes to me. But I am hopelessly old fashioned. Have I mentioned that I’ve never texted? Not once. It’s something I’s actually proud of. But it does look tempting.

I hope all of you are doing well. Until tomorrow,

 Melanie

Day 1

November 1

ANNHILIATION Word Count: 2676

Today is the first day of NaNoWriMo. I'm taking advantage of the program to give me an excuse to start my fourth novel. I have found myself going over the first three again and again, tweaking this and that and I needed a good excuse to put them aside for a while to begin one that has been in the back of my mind.

No matter how many times I re-read my novels, I always find something to fix. I have been stuck in the gloom of editing for far too long. It’s fun to just write again. I forgot how much I enjoyed it.

Take care

Melanie

SCBWI NY WINTER CONFERENCE

I’m getting ready to go to New York to the SCBWI winter conference. This is the second year I’ve gone. But this year I’ll be going with my husband instead of my sister. It’ll be better in some ways and worse in others. My sister and I, not having lived in a big city, didn’t feel comfortable going out after dark. So at least with him we’ll do that. That part will be better. It’ll be worse because my husband isn’t a writer, so I’ll be going to the conference itself by myself.

I am actually quite outgoing, but I remember that last year I felt like a fish out of water. I write because I love it. I’ve never claimed to be an English major, or have the slightest inkling what the publishing world does. Hence why I go to the conferences.

Last year I took way too much stuff. I brought five copies of my first fifty pages, several queries, and countless first chapters. I even ordered five hundred business cards. I think I gave out 2.

I can’t even make myself feel better about using them this year. I’ve changed my email and started a website since then.

This year I’ll bring less stuff, just a journal and maybe a few (new) business cards.

But one thing will be the same. Hope. I hope someone loves my characters as much as I do. I hope I meet the person who will publish my book.

I hope.

NANOWRIMO

November is NANOWRIMO month. It involves writing a 50,000 word novel in the course of one month, November. At first I wasn’t sure I was going to participate, my family and I are going on vacation for nine days smack dab in the middle of the month.

But I decided why not.

So instead of thirty, I'll only have twenty-one days. Twenty-one days to write a novel. Sounds like a challenge to me. I doubt it will be readable when I’m done. I usually go over my work again and again, tweaking it, making it just what I want. I doubt I can do that in twenty-one days. A rough draft? Maybe.

This is the first year I’ll be participating. I'm just finishing up my third novel in The Newstead Trilogy, and have been doing research for a fourth, a prequel. I wonder if that’s against the rules, researching before November first? I don’t know.

 Have any of you done it before?

Any advice?

I will be posting on this blog every day, Monday thru Friday keeping you updated on my progress, word count, etc. The only exception to this will be when I’m on vacation.

Take care and good luck to anyone else who is participating. If you would like more information on how it works, the web site is: nanowrimo.org

Jezebel

My third novel, ACQUISITION gets more into this topic than the other two. But it was inevitable. One of my main characters was a Nazarite, and where there is a Nazarite there is always a Jezebel.

It is difficult to know which comes first. It the Nazarite created to counter a Jezebel? Or is the Jezebel sent to destroy the Nazarite?

The Jezebel’s always use the same tools: seduction. Even after Delilah betrayed Samson over and over again he kept taking her back. Why? He wanted her, he lusted for her. She had her hooks in so deep he couldn’t imagine wanting anyone else.

Until she destroyed him.

That’s what my third novel is loosely based on. The seduction. The fall.

Being a Psychiatric Nurse in today’s society, I didn’t need the story of Samson and Delilah to inspire me. The world around is enough of an inspiration.

Nazarites

Nazarites.

This is different than just someone from Nazarith. I’m also not talking about someone taking a Nazarene Vow. That was started with them. I’m talking about something started with God, before the child was even born; usually before he was even conceived.

This topic has been of interest to me for some time, because for many years I suffered from infertility. So I’d study the Bible and find solace in woman like myself whose wombs remained empty. During that time I came across an interesting concept, one that was repeated twice. The long infertile woman was told that they were going to have a baby. Yeh! But more importantly that child would be set aside for God. They could not drink any fermented beverages the entire duration of their pregnancy.

I’m sure they thought: No problem, as long as I get to hold a baby of my own.

The two babies I’m referring to grew up to be Samson, and John the Baptist. While the Bible doesn’t mention the abstaining from alcohol part in regards to Elijah, there are enough similarities between him and the other two that he is often considered a Nazarite, as well. The long hair that was never cut, the wandering in the wilderness, wearing camel’s hair. And the fact that there was a Jezebel. Where ever there is a Nazarite, there is a Jezebel. Samson had his Delilah, John the Baptist his Herodias, And Elijah his Jezebel. Next week I will focus on that topic.