Do Over Days

I have many aging relatives with escalating health problems. I don't see them that often. In my mind, I still see them as much younger and much more vibrant, which makes each visit a little shocking, even though I know they're actually much older and going through some serious health issues and shouldn't be shocked by the reality of it at all. I also have teenagers who are growing up way too fast. I took my daughter to a parking lot yesterday to practice driving because she got her learner's permit last week. This was the first time I sat in the passenger seat with her behind the wheel. My son got his license in July and I'm just barely getting used to the idea of him driving. They're both doing fine with it and are exactly where they should be -- in reality, anyway. In my mind, they should still be sitting in pint-sized recliners, drinking from sippy cups and watching video episodes of The Magic School Bus.

These introspective days are good for tackling revisions. In our stories, we get do overs.

Hooray for Do Over Days!

And I Signed Up For NaNoWriMo (and unofficially dabbled in PiBiIdMo) Because?

Not really regretting it because it did inspire me to start a YA I've been thinking about for way too long and I'm at 10,000 words but, whenever I dive into a longer project, other new projects always decide to take up residence in my head and refuse to vacate until I pay adequate attention to them. My muse has no authority over these new ideas. I need a bouncer of a muse, who will keep the ideas in line between the velvet ropes and not let them in until there's room for them to dance. Mine seems to be a "Howdy, y'all. Come on in and getcha somethin' cold to drink. Don't worry 'bout the dance floor being full. Heck, just feel free to dance around wherever you find a lil space" kind of a muse. Someone really needs to teach her a little discretion.

So, since November began, I have typed 10,000 words on my new YA -- and I've started two new picture books. I know it's my fault for deciding to unofficially participate in PiBiIdMo, too. They're just ideas, right? You just write them down. You don't have to commit to writing their story yet. That sounds good in theory, but those little PB characters can be so darned demanding. It's hard to concentrate on angsty teens when there's a tantrum being thrown in the next room. I know, I know, if the ideas don't come, writer's block will and I really won't like spending time with him, so I may as well entertain the ideas. Guess I don't really regret the PiBiIdMo sidetrack either, but I'd like to know what it feels like to start a project and roll right through it without stopping to start three more along the way -- I think.

Anybody know what to get a bored little pilot for Christmas? I'm pretty sure he'll still be hanging around, looking for something new to get into and eating up all the pie.

My Guilty Pleasure Revealed: Wherein I Compare Literary Agents to the Slap Chop?

Yes, I'll admit it: YouTube is my guilty pleasure sometimes. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I turn to Kassie who, at three-years-old, is poised for some major monster asth-kicking. And, she's such a polite, little cutie, she gives Mom a heads up first. Honestly, how can you not love that kid? And kudos to her mom, too, for raising a child who, at three-years-old, is confident enough to take on the monsters she believes are coming out of the TV at any minute. At three, I would've run screaming for protection from my mommy, if I thought the monsters were going to come out of the TV to kick my asth. Okay, I'd run for protection right now. I'm pretty audacious by some counts, but I'm no monster asth kicker.

And, when I need a little comic relief, or to remember to find awe in the simple things, to whom do I turn? Vince, of course. "Stop having a boring tuna. Stop having a boring life." Amen, brother. "Life's hard enough as it is. You don't wanna cry anymore." Now you're preaching to the choir, my Slap-Chop-hawking buddy. I gotta get me a Slap Chop. But, oh yeah, thanks to Pampered Chef (who I can't believe hasn't sued the blades off the Slap Chop already), I already got the literal version.

What I need is a metaphorical Slap Chop. More specifically, my writing career needs a metaphorical Slap Chop because I truly don't wanna cry anymore. That's when it hit me that an agent is a writer's Slap Chop -- that one insdispensible item without which you will be unable to turn those too-large chunks of ingredients into a properly diced and blended, palatable end product on a pretty serving platter. Wait, maybe my critique group is the Slap Chop. Maybe the agent is the casserole dish and the publisher is the oven and the bookstore is the serving platter... Maybe I need lunch. This getting published monster is kicking my asth!

I still wanna think of an agent as a Slap Chop because that commercial makes me happy and I'm pretty sure having an agent would make me happy(ier). No inference should be drawn that I wanna smack an agent on top of the head repeatedly until I get the results I desire -- more that I'm still willing to be the one doing the physical work behind it, but I want an instrument to guide the process.

Wow, that got heavy, didn't it? Off to watch some laughing babies...

Getting Ready

Gathering my manuscript copies, paper, highlighter, and books for the picture book workshop with Anastasia Suen tomorrow. So looking forward to immersing myself in this for the entire weekend.

Still making progress on the YA -- 9600 words and going strong. The working title is LEAVE A COMMENT. Yes, there's a blog comment that someone would like to retract. She, of course, can't retract it. In fact, she can't seem to stop commenting there, but it's okay because she's posting under a User ID no one would ever know was her. At least she won't ever have to confess it's her -- probably she won't, right? Besides, with everything else going on in her life, that blog is really a non-issue for her. If she just stops commenting, she's sure her User ID's fake persona's phony problem will be forgotten. And it might be, if everyone else will just stop reading that stupid blog and let it go already!

New PB idea this morning. The plot's still a little scratchy. Teaser? Could be...

Hope everyone gets to spend their weekend immersed in something they love.