tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32000792012-02-01T20:13:54.927-06:00Check out my books at www.Lazette.netZettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.comBlogger24871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-44905085797433558612012-02-01T20:13:00.002-06:002012-02-01T20:13:54.940-06:00

For the last month or more I've been thinking about creativity and the production of stories.  I've been sorting through the maze, looking at the A to B to C steps.  Only that doesn't work.  There are too many paths and ways to get there.  None of us takes exactly the same twists and turns, and yet we each learn the same basics . . .  at least if we are willing to learn at all. 

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-25157234437691144812012-01-15T19:54:00.001-06:002012-01-15T19:57:33.485-06:00

This is one of those subjects that really should be easy, right?  Authors should know who their ideal readers would be . . . except it isn't so much about them as it is about us.  And we're not always as good at looking at ourselves as we are at looking out into the boundless dark where readers lurk, just beyond our reach. We are our own ideal readers.  If we can't first please

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-90145800380934854612012-01-13T17:23:00.000-06:002012-01-13T17:23:21.214-06:00

I've been reading a great deal about ebook prices and how $0.99 is bad, etc.  I have, maybe, a slightly different take on all this.   First, I think it should be the author's decision.  And quite honestly, I feel that saying we shouldn't do $0.99 books benefits the big publishers more than it does the Independent Author.  Why?  Because they don't want to compete with lower priced

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-77682365727314453702012-01-13T15:24:00.001-06:002012-01-13T15:24:50.685-06:00

I was very ill for most of the first week of the year.  I still got writing done, but it wasn't easy.  The DAZ newsletter took almost all of my attention and energy.  This was, honestly the worst start to a writing year I ever remember, but I did start on Water/Stone/Light.  A slow start, but I kept at it and now I'm finally into the second chapter.   The illness is not all that has

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-10980535201872544982012-01-07T14:04:00.002-06:002012-01-08T16:36:10.375-06:00

I'm starting to feel like an actor in a Monty Python piece:  Not dead yet!  It's not been the best start to a year for me.  Russ surprised me by coming home a day early (Christmas Day) and spent 8 days at home.  And I was miserably ill for most of them and could barely get out of bed most days.  Still, it was good to have him here to take care of the cats and stuff.  I was better when he

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-61551918062745306512012-01-04T21:55:00.000-06:002012-01-04T21:55:34.270-06:00

The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol 1, Part 1: Prolegomena & Prehistory by I.E.S. Edwards My rating: 5 of 5 stars A person has to truly love history, esoteric knowledge and pottery to read this book from cover-to-cover. I have actually read it twice. The first time was over 25 years ago, when I was able to get a copy from the library. I read several of the books in the series and swore that I

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-63140926234035036162012-01-04T21:47:00.002-06:002012-01-04T21:55:52.111-06:00

The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol 1, Part 2: Early History of the Middle East by I.E.S. Edwards My rating: 5 of 5 stars This volume was every bit as fascinating as the first one. The huge book covers a number of areas, from Early Dynastic Egypt and later to the myriad of Mesopotamian countries with stops at Palestine, Syria, Persia, Cyprus, Crete and early Greece. The journey though the past

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-30816767893474818442011-12-31T18:10:00.000-06:002011-12-31T18:10:37.611-06:00

The last month has been a bit odd for me in many ways.  I've been rethinking Forward Motion and Vision, of course.  The moderators there have been working out some great ideas.  I think 2012 is going to be a lot of fun -- and work -- at the site.  I took time away from the sites, which was a good plan.  I've been looking at my writing, which has made vast improvements in some areas

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-49513822882464745372011-12-23T18:55:00.000-06:002011-12-23T18:56:34.218-06:00

First, let's talk about Write It Now, the program where I do most of my outline and background work.  That's the picture today.  I have actually put two different ways to work up at the same time.  I only use the story board view (the one with all the little boxes) when I have to move scenes around (rather than chapters).  With chapters, it's easier just to grab and move them around in the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-8025115547850823722011-12-20T15:45:00.000-06:002011-12-20T15:45:13.577-06:00

Here are some Forward Motion things to keep in mind.   First, I have said that I will be gone for at least a few weeks and I'll make a decision during that time about if I am coming back or not.  I have backed away and told the moderators they can come up with things for the site. I noticed that my daily forum subscription email is filled with material from the moderator's board, so

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-15029430346490854492011-12-19T18:42:00.001-06:002011-12-19T18:42:37.933-06:00

I'm leaving Forward Motion, at least for a while.  I might be back and I might not, but I almost certainly won't be back for at least a month. Here is the situation: For fourteen years, I've worked at FM trying to help writers find their way to publication (and these days that means traditional or Indie).  For nine of those years, I've run the site.  I even ran it off and on during

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-25929039470501157162011-12-15T01:26:00.001-06:002011-12-15T01:40:52.985-06:00

The Bear on the High Shelf (A True Bear Story) By Lazette Gifford The shelf was too high! The teddy bear watched as people stopped to study the stuffed animals on the shelves below him.  They often took a lucky one home with them, but few patrons of the crowded, small shop ever looked up at the shelf far above their heads.  Certainly, the children never saw him, the only teddy

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-56522123711949339072011-12-05T16:28:00.001-06:002011-12-05T22:57:41.738-06:00

I began the first Two Year Novel Course at Forward Motion (www.fmwriters.com) in January, 2004.  The course covered writing a novel from the very first idea all the way through submission (or later, for Indie Authors -- all the way to publication).  The course is filled with information to help people at every step, and while some new writers found it useful, even those who had written a few

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-84542827890609130222011-12-03T15:16:00.001-06:002011-12-03T18:57:16.512-06:00

What happens when a young boy is accidentally turned into a mouse?  He has the adventure of a lifetime of course! I have just released Joey Mousekin's Tale on Smashwords for $1.99. This is a delightful, fun little tale and with a few small illustrations.  I hope people will give it a try. Writing news: I am very happy to have Joey Mousekin's Tale out.  This is a fun story and one others

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-17355191252765334472011-11-30T23:15:00.001-06:002011-11-30T23:17:39.973-06:00

Well, that was a fast month!  Yes, I did well -- 215,750 words Beware the Wrath of Bunny Hopper Devlin 5: The Aldebaran Stopover Devlin 6: Legend Devlin's Report 2: Gemini and Psi Devlin's Report 3: Caliente Not bad at all, really.  Intense.  I had two cats ill during the month, which gave me problems for a while there.  However, I did have fun. And I also crossed the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-35304376605632860892011-11-16T18:18:00.001-06:002011-11-16T18:31:18.997-06:00

Dear Everyone, Today I should have been doing a self-interview for the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour, but I couldn't quite get my head around the questions -- which is odd for someone who generally interviews authors for Vision.  So I thought I would write a pseudo-holiday letter instead and let you know what's going on in my world. Personal Life: Russ is still working in New York and I am in

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-66676511188131839132011-11-11T16:53:00.001-06:002011-11-11T16:56:02.939-06:00

Before I write anything else, you should go check this out from Write Now! Coach blogs:  http://www.writenowcoach.com/blog/?p=493 That's an interesting site, too.  Well worth looking around to see what's going on!  The post was a good reminder that yes, this is supposed to be fun.  My little mini rants in the last post were just a bit of frustration at seeing the same things every

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-53736083902498211522011-11-09T11:44:00.003-06:002011-11-09T11:44:56.448-06:00

I am taking a quick break from NaNo at the start of week 2 to cover a few things that have come up.  Many of them are the same stuff we hear every year.  So here are three little mini-rants and then a short progress report. Number 1: It's no one's business how you spend your free time, in November or any other month.  If you want to write 50,000 words, go for it.  Have fun.  It

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-16825829731044513392011-11-02T02:43:00.002-05:002011-11-02T02:46:42.555-05:00

Just a quick post tonight before I crawl off to bed!  I did have a good first day despite several stops and starts.  Not the best first NaNo day I've ever had, but not bad at all.  So here is a bit from Beware the Wrath of Bunny Hopper.  Remember:  First draft.  Lots of mistakes, but still fun! I rushed forward and in about five steps I had already spotted Brad with his back to a wall and a

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-3705656930064158052011-10-29T16:08:00.002-05:002011-10-29T16:10:25.384-05:00

This will be my 11th NaNo year.  I have won every year, and done multiple full novels all but the first year.  I love it.  I love the chance to fly.  However. . . . A couple weeks ago, about the time I realized I could not get the outline for Water/Stone/Light done before November 1st, I began considering not doing NaNo this year. I started feeling as though there was just too much

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-18710449895273423832011-10-23T17:27:00.000-05:002011-10-23T18:08:32.254-05:00

We are not all the same and neither we do not all work the same.  Nothing is as simple as 'this' or 'that' when it comes to writing and that includes working with outlines.  People approach them in different ways and create different types of outlines.  I don't expect people who dislike working with outlines to suddenly jump up and embrace them.  However, I do think outlines are often

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-867086637962202612011-10-21T16:56:00.001-05:002011-10-21T16:56:31.562-05:00

Lucky is a short story from the IWC Universe and was previously published by Yard Dog Press in my Star Bound collection.  The 'lucky' person is Misea, a woman released early from prison and given a job working construction on the new Shepherd Station.  She's determined to stay out of trouble. That's not going to work, of course.  Especially since there's already been acts of sabotage at

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-85992944266356922512011-10-18T15:39:00.004-05:002011-10-18T15:39:55.727-05:00

First, check out my Nanowrimo guest post at Wrimos FTW! http://bit.ly/o9vafo Second, I am nearly done with the outline for The Wrath of Bunny Hopper.  It's inching closer to a good size for this story, so I'm pretty happy with it.  With two Devlin outlines lined up to go with it, I can stop fretting over not having Water/Stone/Light done in time for this year.  I'll start it on January 1.

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-67123503573196991772011-10-16T15:21:00.000-05:002011-10-16T15:21:55.536-05:00

I love editing No really, I do. I love being able to take a story and nudge it closer to what I first imagined. Many of you have seen my line -- the only story you can't fix is the one you never write. I truly believe that, though I'll concede that authors may have an occasional story that would take more time to fix than is worth the effort. Or that can be a convenient excuse and some

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-81512895698125668642011-10-14T19:56:00.004-05:002011-10-14T19:56:59.803-05:00

I had the feeling, the more I worked with Water/Stone/Light, that this might happen.  The world is complex, the story intricate -- and I can't rush it, even in outline.  I might get the outline done before NaNo, but I decided I had better have something ready if it slows down again. My second choice for NaNo this year has always been a fun Urban Fantasy called The Wrath of Bunny Hopper.

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-73099293752455150722011-10-07T17:26:00.001-05:002011-10-07T17:26:57.201-05:00

Russ has been back in New York for several days. I'm having trouble getting back into any routine, and I'm still not quite working well, but I'll get there. I'm running out of time! NaNo is coming! And I have two unfinished outlines! ACK! I've taken a little time from Water/Stone/Light to work on The Wrath of Bunny Hopper. This is a faster story to outline (relatively speaking -- even it

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-846564533116826302011-09-23T22:18:00.000-05:002011-09-23T22:20:23.082-05:00

It's nearly that time of year again.  You'll have already seen posts, tweets and general panic about NaNoWriMo.  At this point, November 1 is still a little over a month away (ack!  Only a month?  Oh no!), but we're already preparing. And people are already snorting and sneering and pointing fingers.  They would NEVER take part in something so crass. Good.  Stay away.  Go back to your own

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-79510053727928112011-09-18T17:34:00.000-05:002011-09-18T17:34:02.564-05:00

Summerfield grew up traveling from one odd place to another while his parents searched for enlightenment. And yes, he does work for the nation's leading paranormal publication, Wolton World News -- or Woo Woo News as the scoffing locals call it. That doesn't mean he's prepared for all kinds of weirdness in the last place he expected to find it . . . Omaha, Nebraska. An unexpected storm and the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-72048946586797070252011-09-18T17:00:00.000-05:002011-09-23T22:21:03.470-05:00

A conversation on Twitter-- never the best place for full explanations -- apparently became confusing yesterday while we were discussing the art of formatting ebooks during #kindlechat. Looking back, I can see where at least one person, and likely others, didn't realize we'd made a jump from using 'Word docs to upload' to 'creating html docs to upload.' When I talked about using html in Word

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-78220153389229722742011-09-16T02:59:00.002-05:002011-09-16T02:59:42.578-05:00

I often hear things like 'genre is just a tool made up by marketing people.' Yes, that's true.  That does not make it bad, though.  Imagine going into a store and wanting a new fantasy novel, only you have to search through every single shelf of fiction to find one.  Or worse, searching through places like Amazon.com, book-by-book.   So let's start by saying that genre distinctions are a

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-4135079559891866732011-09-13T22:57:00.001-05:002011-09-13T23:01:42.226-05:00

  Creating the gods and magic for this setting has taken a lot of trial and error work, and will likely require fine tuning once I start the novel.  I do not want specific spells, but I do want ritual objects, each of which has to be transported in a special blessed container to avoid contamination. Obviously, in my mind, it is the magic associated with the gods that is more important

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-20504355446005094912011-09-11T18:06:00.000-05:002011-09-23T22:21:22.138-05:00

Writers must learn to edit. Even if you are going to traditional publishing, rather than being an Indie Author, you need to put the best possible story out there. There is a nagging knowledge that you will always miss something, but you still have to make that effort. Spelling corrections, grammar changes, etc. -- those are bad enough. You can go over the work a dozen times and you'll

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-66415720320670836222011-09-03T17:51:00.001-05:002011-09-03T17:51:29.612-05:00

It's no wonder my hair is going grey.  Stress lately has been a bit higher than usual.  It started on the 22nd when a neighbor coming home saw someone staring in my window at 1:30 am.  I was working on the other side of that window, so the knowledge someone had been staring in at me . . . right.  Not exactly what I wanted to hear.  Add to that the fact I had heard something at the porch

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-91899824693402911502011-08-29T22:24:00.000-05:002011-08-29T22:24:40.667-05:00

The map is going to change as I expand my idea of the story. Work on this story is going very well. The little pieces are starting to fall together into larger, more coherent sections. The land itself (as you can see from the map) is taking shape. Things may still change on the map, though. I'm not quite done with it. For instance, all the city names are borrowed from Assyria right now.

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-9714701379562323332011-08-26T18:52:00.000-05:002011-09-23T22:21:36.998-05:00

This isn't school work You know the saying: Write what you know. Well the truth is you should write what you can learn, and learn everything that interests you. I hear things from other writers that sometimes drive me crazy and this is one of the big ones: I don't want to read nonfiction because I'm out of school. I hated study then, so why do it now? It's boring. Why should I bother

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-63401159574042470732011-08-20T15:47:00.001-05:002011-08-20T22:59:19.352-05:00

Who are my readers? If you are one of them, I'd like to hear from you! But maybe you don't know. Let me see if I can answer a few questions.  I've been thinking about this for a few days. Discussions about genre, age groups and other writing and reading questions over the last few weeks have made me try to define who I am writing for . . . and this turns out not to be so easy. I write

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-33647228744893411272011-08-16T01:03:00.003-05:002011-08-16T01:48:17.040-05:00

Without thinking about this month's question, I had already posted a bit about my current idea. I'm doing a series of reports on how this particular story grows (or story setting -- I think I see far more than a single piece for this one). You can find it here. You can, in fact, see all the posts for the Water/Stone/Light project by clicking on the label in the right hand column. Since the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-45099535756554100132011-08-14T21:39:00.001-05:002011-08-14T21:40:55.276-05:00

A talented writer with a gift for world building... C J Cherryh When she wrote that blurb for one of my short publications from Yard Dog Press (no longer in print, though the blurb also appears on Farstep Station), I felt both overjoyed and worried. I had been an ardent fan of Cherryh's work for decades. The mere thought that she would write the blurb had me dancing around the house for days.

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-79041838504816304272011-08-10T18:18:00.000-05:002011-08-10T18:18:09.399-05:00

Openings are not set in stone This is the first thing people need to realize when they start a book: Openings can, and should, change if they need to. I have often heard people saying how they can't possibly go on until they have the beginning of the story perfect. And some of them, of course, never go on. Others go on, then find all the work they'd done is useless because something drastic

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-15986639255213312262011-08-06T18:03:00.000-05:002011-08-06T18:03:34.429-05:00

I thought I might make a few posts chronicling the passage from idea to novel for a new work I just started. With luck, I will have all the pre-work done before NaNo. It's hard to say if I will get there. The more I work on this one, the more I see that I need to do. If I don't get all the pre-work done in time, then this might hold over to be my first novel of 2012. Let's start with 'Where

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-85242976531607217662011-08-03T19:25:00.001-05:002011-08-03T19:26:42.149-05:00

The problem of being complacent Writers can sometimes get into a kind of rut they don't even see. They are enthralled with one or two genres and a particular type of character. Titles and names change, but after a while they run the risk of retelling the same story in new clothing. This is especially true for those who have purposely tied themselves to a single series, reusing the same

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-62101322338756087812011-07-27T02:17:00.000-05:002011-07-27T02:17:25.994-05:00

First, we have reached the last few days of the Smashwords sale. All my books are half price and the short stories are free. This means you can have five novels and five shorter works all for less than $5. Only a few days remain on the sale, though! Leap in and get them now! http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LazetteG I am coming perilously close to putting out the first ACOA print

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-42034003854724376892011-07-23T18:43:00.000-05:002011-07-23T18:43:53.665-05:00

Outlines are not for everyone I won't tell you that every single writer needs to work with an outline. That would be as ludicrous as any other 'you must do this' rule that you've read about writing. However, at the same time, I don't believe anyone should say 'never' to some tool in writing. You never know when something that otherwise doesn't work for you is just the bit of help you need

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-62356353347615056572011-07-16T00:53:00.000-05:002011-11-07T20:37:38.055-06:00

Russ and I met in a bookstore where we had our first conversation while looking over a History Book Club catalogue. We were doomed from the start. My house is filled with books. They take up every corner where we could fit a bookshelf, and when we ran out of room, we bought the small house next door, where Russ moved most of his books and created his own office when he was still doing

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-18911059569522412752011-07-12T16:45:00.000-05:002011-07-12T16:45:31.852-05:00

From For Blog For several years, I've been using 100 word leaps while I'm in chat on Forward Motion. I found these work best when I am enjoying the company in chat and still want to get some writing done. They also work very well when I'm doing other work, but have to wait for emails or such to come through. Writing 100 words is not difficult once you get the knack of dropping into a story

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-52314670430035040442011-07-11T19:54:00.000-05:002011-07-11T19:54:09.265-05:00

From For Blog While Russ was home last week, we moved my computer and a few other things out of the back office that I love so well and into the larger, more open area in the dining room/living room area.  There were two reasons for this.  First, I had been staring at those same walls, bookcases, etc. for years now.  While I would change a few things around here and there, the room is too

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-16744478892333865192011-07-08T18:22:00.000-05:002011-07-08T18:22:12.180-05:00

From For Blog The dreaded middle How often have you heard the horror of the 'middle' in tales from writers?  They reach this hideous, deadly swamp where far too many stories die, wandering aimlessly through the muck and mud. It isn't the characters who get lost, of course; it's the authors who lose their way.  Worse, they head into the swamp -- the middle -- without a clue of where they want

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-43047572155286488762011-06-26T17:29:00.001-05:002011-06-26T17:35:43.059-05:00

This is a part of a chapter from Summer Storm, an urban fantasy.  The main character found something earlier in the story and he has no idea how important it really is.  I hope you enjoy it! I drank the cup of tea and decided bed would be better than sitting there, shivering. Bed and warm covers where I could let myself slip off into sleep. I felt exhausted. I stumbled into the room stripped

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-76965032698184133232011-06-23T22:02:00.000-05:002011-06-23T22:02:07.915-05:00

From For Blog Look at the title to this blog. See the 'prolific' up there? It's not just a word I thought would look neat. I am prolific and I have been for many long years. Since I spent many of those years without editing at all or editing badly, that means I have a huge backlog of novels to choose from now that I'm doing some Indie (self) publishing. So, what is there? Where to begin? I

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-69169232272178345122011-06-19T15:33:00.002-05:002011-06-20T16:46:21.654-05:00

From My Cover Art Chapter 1 Marcus tapped his fingers across the touch screen controls, righting the pole-ward drift of his fighter as he headed for the curve of the horizon. He glanced at the two massive starships orbiting almost side-by-side above the world. The smaller Moonwind had unexpectedly dropped in system within hours of the larger Augusta's arrival -- a rare occasion to have two

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-86154134769366853922011-06-18T16:13:00.000-05:002011-10-18T15:40:29.860-05:00

From My Cover Art I love writing science fiction. This probably looks odd from someone who has published so much fantasy and urban fantasy, and so little science fiction, in the past. However, my first love was always science fiction, and those were the tales I started with. I love epic tales and space opera, and even the hard science fiction if they have good characters. So what took me

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-77046442260753499792011-06-17T17:15:00.000-05:002011-06-17T17:15:49.935-05:00

From For Blog Remember the reader There is one big reason to keep chapters in mind: the reader. Most people don't have the time or inclination to sit down and read an entire book in one sitting. They look for the best place to take a break. This is a problem for writers because while you want to give them such a spot, you don't want to make it too easy by giving them a dull section in the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-22485243356497753282011-06-15T14:47:00.001-05:002011-06-16T15:03:22.690-05:00

From For Blog Little things can help Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be putting up posts tagged as 'Zette's Take' which are going to be writing-related. I have 18 of them planned out so far, and I will likely add more as I go along. I hope you enjoy them. Originally, I was going to do these in a new blog, but I feared there might be long stretches between posts of this nature. Besides,

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-64739160989411546272011-06-05T16:58:00.003-05:002011-10-18T15:40:50.448-05:00

This story hit me a couple days ago. I am in the midst of final rewrite/edit of something else, but I decided to get the opening out of my head anyway. This is VERY rough and will likely be cut back later, when I have time to work more seriously on it: My mother, unfortunately, has a healthy dose of whimsy; far more, in fact, than a grown woman should possess. She spends most of her days making

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-65934422411233435002011-06-03T15:39:00.003-05:002011-07-11T19:57:33.331-05:00

From For Blog The Missouri River, August 2008 When Russ typed on Skype that he was going to call me last night, I knew something was wrong. He had already said he was heading for bed. That meant he had just gotten news about something. I started going through lists of things to be worried about, including the bills we had just been discussing. The news was not what I expected. It turns out

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-42780764395117439272011-06-01T20:57:00.001-05:002011-07-11T19:59:13.442-05:00

Before you think this is a rant about the current state of books, let me assure you it is not. There are thousands of great books out there drawing all kinds of readers and pleasing them. They are doing exactly what they should be doing. I have nothing against sex in books, either, so don't think that's the problem. And, as someone pointed out not long ago, romance is not just about sex,

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-19421886920357465062011-05-27T16:27:00.000-05:002011-07-11T20:01:11.038-05:00

I had every intention of getting up and finishing the chapter for Ada Nish Pura first thing today. My mistake? Looking at my email first. I knew better. I should never look at email before I set about doing the one thing I have planned to do for the day.However, at least this time I had fun email: A request to use one of my pictures in a conservation flyer to be distributed in various areas of

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-48573184812850493312011-05-26T18:27:00.000-05:002011-07-11T20:02:27.816-05:00

I have put all four of my novels at Smashwords on sale for $0.99! Head to my Smashword's page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LazetteG Choose the book(s) you want and at the checkout, enter the code next to the title: Kat Among the Pigeons: NA89T Katlyn is a member of a fae clan whose job is to stand the line between human and magical lands, a secret she has trouble hiding from

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-23645285842174386592011-05-22T21:59:00.001-05:002011-07-11T20:01:11.038-05:00

The one thing I've noticed about writing that relates very closely to real life is how there will always be a lot of people telling you what you should do. Sometimes what they say can be helpful. Other times, what they are really saying is 'this is what worked for me' or 'this is what I want out of life/writing' which may not be anything close to what you want or need. Some advice is always

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-86565673398827323552011-05-19T18:51:00.000-05:002011-07-11T20:01:11.039-05:00

From For Blog I haven't been very active on the Internet for the last couple weeks. Life stepped in. Wind was very ill and had to go to the vet, but he checked out and came home. Then yesterday he got ill again and he'll stay at the vet for a couple days this time. The vet is still convinced it is not anything too serious -- this time a bad cold and congestion, but his heart sounds fine, he's

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-21685574884445440132011-04-24T15:24:00.000-05:002011-07-11T20:03:03.527-05:00

From My Cover Art A couple words of explanation: This is the sequel to a novella published some years ago by Yard Dog Press. The original is called For the Honor of the Hunt and explains how Britta and Teon got together. The biggest part of the background is that the world, Andradora, was settled as a matriarchy, but has recently given up that status to join the Inner Worlds Council. That

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-45931035289571571692011-04-23T14:42:00.001-05:002011-07-11T20:04:37.073-05:00

From My Cover Art From Saturday April 23rd until the end of Monday, April 25th, Kat Among the Pigeons will be on sale at Smashwords for $0.99!  You can find the link here:  http://bit.ly/fPfILA Use this code at check out for the discount: SD96W Katlyn is a member of a fae clan whose job is to stand the line between human and magical lands, a secret she has trouble hiding from her new

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-74602209205862356902011-04-20T15:55:00.000-05:002011-10-18T15:44:15.421-05:00

I am down to the very last bit of Waiting for the Last Dance -- if I can get a chance to do it. Kind of busy day with other things going on. Then the book goes off to be edited and back to me to check over and finally it will be ready for publication. I have the cover art done -- I did that before I started editing this time. But this brings me to the next problem. What novel shall I do next?

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-64539565791818309712011-04-07T17:32:00.001-05:002011-07-21T20:01:06.936-05:00

From For Blog The material I've been posting here the last few days is from the Two Year Novel Course. While I have stopped doing the live versions, the ebooks are still available from Holly Lisle's book store, if anyone is interested: http://shop.hollylisle.com/index.php?crn=215&rn=366&action=show_detail This is the third and last of the sections on getting unstuck. I hope they've helped

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-56460742934565180722011-04-05T16:51:00.001-05:002011-07-21T20:01:36.824-05:00

This is a continuation of yesterday's blog. There's one more section to go! Problem 3: Stuck at a Bad Spot Maybe it's not as bad as the pictures I painted in the last class. Maybe you're stuck at a bad point in the story. Sometimes the best written outlines can have problems, because stories grow and change with the telling. A subtle change here, a slight shift there -- and suddenly, you face

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-77034602699767294772011-04-04T17:19:00.001-05:002011-07-21T20:02:03.372-05:00

Let's talk about moving ahead in a plot when you seem to be stuck. This is part of the material in my 2 Year Novel Course (now on hiatus). You will see references to the 2YN course in it, but ignore those and see if anything else helps you. I might post a couple more parts to this this week. I hope it might help some of you. Getting Unstuck, Part 1 What to do when it doesn't work If you

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-85963200059929846602011-03-29T19:26:00.000-05:002011-03-29T19:26:05.678-05:00

(I will be playing with the settings for this blog for a while. Just so you know.) Some people write faster than others. This is just the way they work, and there is nothing either better or worse about it. There's the first truth authors need to realize because when you start judging a writer's ability by the speed at which they create, you are looking in the entirely wrong place. Only the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-786583576697258922011-03-20T19:10:00.000-05:002011-03-20T19:10:45.999-05:00

The night brightened as lightning forked across the sky. I flinched, but at least, in the sudden flash of light, I could see the stranger moving ahead of us on the narrow trail. I had feared we'd lost him in the worsening weather. We'd been lucky he came along when the carriage floundered on the road. He showed us the path to higher ground, but even this narrow, hard-packed trail had turned to a

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-64968714927228718802011-03-14T15:16:00.000-05:002011-03-14T15:16:07.048-05:00

Here's a rule that, unlike other writing-related rules, you must never break: You must be willing to learn. And I mean to learn everything you can, not just things specific to writing. Everything you learn gives you a wider range of knowledge to draw on in writing. You know the saying 'Write what you know.' But really, the saying should be 'Write what you can learn.' And you can learn at

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-46830128991177547682011-03-13T20:40:00.001-05:002011-03-13T20:45:30.269-05:00

For the Honor of the Hunt By Lazette Gifford Rain pounded the bike's cab as I arrived at the edge of the wildwood refuge. I'd been wise to pull the top over before I left town and forgo the joy of the wind in my hair and bugs in my face. The intensity of the deluge took me by surprise, though, and I almost swept straight past the black and gold Andradora Police Force vehicle sitting at the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-9850552528017542402011-03-12T18:10:00.003-06:002011-03-13T20:49:50.042-05:00

From Zette's Stuffed Plot Bunny Collection Everyone knows I love to write. The 'Joyously Prolific' title of this blog isn't just a saying: I write a great deal. Even on days like today, when my brain refuses to focus on any one thing, I will get considerable writing done. Just do it, right? When I'm in chat over at Forward Motion, I often use the 'write 100 words' method of working. It's a

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-28333335905734276122011-03-08T18:59:00.001-06:002011-03-08T19:38:00.715-06:00

Today is my birthday. Since I knew I wasn't going to have any celebration, I decided to do something for me. I've worked hard on Kat Among the Pigeons, and it still almost didn't get done and up in time. However, the book is available at Smashwords for $1.99, and I hope people will give it a try. It's a fun book! And remember -- even if you don't have a Nook or Kindle (or other ebook reader),

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-58548116029117044802011-03-01T15:54:00.000-06:002011-03-01T15:54:15.990-06:00

From For Blog Hello Yes, I am alive. Really. I've just had a few weeks of misery and work, which is never a good combination. The misery came in two forms. First was the return of some nasty cold weather that just sapped my strength. I was ready for spring, had gotten a taste of it, and then the snow and cold returned. The worst problem, however, was a horrendous pain through my neck that

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-82486105956127158392011-02-20T18:55:00.000-06:002011-02-20T18:55:31.611-06:00

From Plants This is from a novel that should be available in early March.  I hope you enjoy the little section I've posted here. About the book: Katlyn is a member of a fae clan that guards the line between human and magical lands, a secret she has trouble hiding from her new human boyfriend even before she unexpectedly finds the fate of the world in her hands. She isn't magically strong (

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-60843829703107418322011-02-02T23:18:00.000-06:002011-02-02T23:18:49.381-06:00

From 2011-01-28 Always remember this: Not everyone works the same way. In fact, I've yet to find two writers who do work in exactly the same way. Keep that in mind when you go off reading blog after blog about what you MUST do to be a good writer. The only thing you must do is find the combination of things that will help you write a good story. The blogs you read are telling you what has

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-56292599763627353142011-01-31T16:30:00.000-06:002011-01-31T16:30:27.568-06:00

From The Orphan Kittens    Let's start with some basics.  There's been a dislike and distrust of intelligence in America for a long time. This feeling is rooted in a fundamental American work ethic. For generations, we've been inundated with the idea that the only thing worthwhile in life is to work hard and get ahead. We've idolized farmers and factory workers, at least as far as showing

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-76664041691592359152011-01-30T21:16:00.000-06:002011-01-30T21:16:02.850-06:00

From My Cover Art This short story will be for sale for Kindle and Nook in the next few days.  Here is the opening: The night brightened as lightning forked across the sky. I flinched, but at least, in the sudden flash of light, I could see the stranger moving ahead of us on the narrow trail. I had feared we'd lost him in the worsening weather. We'd been lucky he came along when the carriage

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-69233914915727198612011-01-28T16:34:00.000-06:002011-01-28T16:34:23.301-06:00

From Art Prepare for the journey Some stories you can leap into with little or no preparation, though they are less common than you think. Even if you are writing a book based in your own neighborhood, it won't hurt for you to think about and jot down a few things like descriptions of places and people. The farther from your 'real world' you wander, the more background work you should do

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-47943979617072436192011-01-27T20:27:00.000-06:002011-01-27T20:27:07.278-06:00

From My Cover Art That's 'Cover Art' for a new short story that I'll have up for sale soon. I don't have a bad life. There are many aspects of it that are better than I could ever have hoped for, really. I can, for instance, write whenever I please as long as I get some other work done, too. I can sleep as late as I like and work on stories through the night, which is my best writing time

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-33026416625670052292011-01-19T20:13:00.000-06:002011-01-19T20:13:07.510-06:00

From My Cover Art The people who are really serious about Indie Publication have taken a step away from the term self-publish because, quite honestly, there are still far too many people who leap into the fray without a clue about what they're doing.  I see it happen all the time. Stop. Don't do that.  You're not ready. There are a number of things to think about here.  Okay, let's say you've

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-4857147114431305752011-01-13T16:27:00.001-06:002011-01-14T18:09:29.634-06:00

There is a movement started by many of the more serious self-published authors to distance themselves from the general rabble by taking on the name Indi Authors -- and like Indi Bookstores, they're saying they are not part of the chain or the system. For many of them, it is a conscious choice to do things differently and they understand that it is not an easy answer. Many name authors are

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-63711373621192321352011-01-06T17:34:00.001-06:002011-01-06T20:36:06.232-06:00

From My Cover Art Welcome to 2011 I am already falling behind. Some of it is not my fault. I started out the year with the worst backache I have every suffered with. For more than a week, starting on December 29th, I could barely walk from one room to another. The problem is almost entirely cleared up. It was difficult even to sit at the desk and work, but I fought my way through what I had

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-27212278193566307662011-01-02T14:30:00.002-06:002011-01-02T17:44:57.060-06:00

From My Cover Art I hope to take part in the Twitter #SampleSunday listing for Indie authors. Below is the first chapter to a book I completed at the end of 2010. Once it goes through my editor, it should be available at the new Conspiracy of Authors site. I hope you enjoy it! WAITING FOR THE LAST DANCE Chapter One I spent another Friday night working at the library, looking forward to

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-81497938317478272062011-01-01T23:06:00.001-06:002011-01-01T23:14:50.944-06:00

So far I'm not impressed. It's VERY cold. My back is giving me an incredible amount of trouble and there is snow that needs shoveled (not a good combination). I stayed up past midnight and did some writing, though not very much. I've started the 4th Devlin book, and I think it's going to be better once I feel up to actually sitting in chairs and stuff. So, overall, it's hard to approach the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-81844078611425382722010-12-22T00:12:00.002-06:002011-01-01T23:17:20.560-06:00

Over the last couple days, I put a novelette up on both the Nook and the Kindle site for $1. This was an attempt to see if I could get the formatting right for epub stuff and actually get it up on the sites without totally messing things up. I wanted to know before I went on with other, longer material. Nook version: http://bit.ly/gdM0av  and Kindle version: http://amzn.to/faegvd No Beast

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-27527721333584858412010-12-14T21:45:00.000-06:002010-12-14T21:45:06.441-06:00

That's how I'm starting to view 2011. I have things I'm doing that are entirely different from my usual track. I'm excited about it in many ways, but in others -- well, it's not the path I was on, and the footing looks a bit treacherous out there. But it is a path that is increasingly popular among previously published authors. I've been picking up wonderful books by favorite authors lately in

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-88728171996790683792010-12-02T22:10:00.000-06:002010-12-02T22:10:29.240-06:00

I am now, officially, in tea heaven.I did something I probably shouldn't have done, not given the rounds of financial problems and such -- but sometimes a person needs something to cheer up. I bought myself a lovely tea maker. An expensive one, in fact:http://www.adagio.com/gifts/holiday_triniTEA.html?SID=a47f558dcbdaaaaa8aaff8f21274027cI got the 'Flavor' sampler plus two other samplers and

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-51633372998862844232010-12-01T17:03:00.000-06:002010-12-01T17:04:00.235-06:00

I did well this year, despite a lot of hell, including the death of my poor Willow kitty. And of course, the first of the major holidays came and went with me alone for the fourth year. So yes, of course I threw myself fully and completely into NaNo. It was fun, it was exciting -- and it took every single free moment I had. What more could I ask for?I wrote three novels and one shorter,

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-82681498403624572382010-11-11T16:02:00.000-06:002010-11-11T16:02:12.116-06:00

A million words in ten days? Is it possible?I got an email today from someone writing to tell me how she had written one million words by the end of yesterday, and ha ha ha don’t we all feel dumb for being so slow and writing crap instead of working to her high standards. NaNo, plainly, is filled with losers.Ummm. . . .Well, first is the fact that I don't care if you've written a million words

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-72870970023314019172010-11-10T19:24:00.000-06:002010-11-10T19:24:42.089-06:00

The boysThis is the tenth day of NaNo. I have been having a remarkably good time this year. I'm not sure what happened that it finally clicked into place. I have finished the first draft of Team Work at a little over 82k and I'm working on the second book, Farewell to Summer, which is already almost 6k. Yeah, I'm having a wonderful time!Work is kind of taking a beating -- but I do get it done

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-23765802512564897512010-11-05T13:21:00.001-05:002010-11-05T19:01:08.657-05:00

Hello NaNo people! Welcome to day . . . 5? I've lost track of time. I woke up this morning wondering if I was going to survive this year's NaNo. It's been harder for me than usual in many ways. But let's talk about a different sort of NaNo thing -- the usual negativity within and without the NaNo community. My goals are not the same as most of the people doing NaNo. For many people, being able

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-31818996613938050712010-11-03T18:41:00.000-05:002010-11-03T18:41:14.540-05:00

Good work and good luck to everyone!Do you want a quick trick to help you get through a day's writing?Write down five things that can next happen in your story. For instance: 1. Goes for walk in woods2. Comes home to find house open3. Goes to neighbor for help4. Finds neighbor dead5. Heads into the woods to hide Now write 400 words for each of those little points. You'll have made your word

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-34757813049611065722010-11-02T23:58:00.000-05:002010-11-02T23:58:07.095-05:00

This was a more difficult day than yesterday, but I made the count I wanted, so I'm good. It will keep dropping down after this. I have work to get back to. I did a little bit today, but the NaNo novel kept pulling me in. That's good, of course. Here is another short snipped. Remember: FIRST DRAFT"Okay. So you trained and went into the ring when you were old enough? How old?""Started

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-53983248658778569952010-11-02T00:13:00.000-05:002010-11-02T00:13:45.618-05:00

Hard day of work!Here is a little snippet from the opening. I'll drop these in every now and then, but not likely every day, especially once real life work kicks back in again!Remember -- FIRST DRAFT! MISTAKES! NEEDS EDITING FOR CONTENT!Devlin stood beneath the shadow of the high wooden benches that rose in tiers above her and tried not to wince every time she heard a creak or groan from the

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-58259236990920710582010-10-26T16:13:00.000-05:002010-10-26T16:13:31.045-05:00

Before I forget -- remember that you can download the free 'NaNo for the New and the Insane' ebook at my site: http://www.lazette.net/FreeStuff/NaNo.htmWe are only days away from the start of the insanity. I still have far too much to get done -- Vision for Writers update for the new issue, Forward Motion update for the new month, the DAZ3d Newsletter for this week -- all in all, it looks like

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-37990918827804137942010-10-13T20:28:00.000-05:002010-10-13T20:28:22.400-05:00

He's busy tonight, but we've been going like mad the last few days. I now own a slightly outdated, but wonderful laptop that we picked up new for $169. I am very happy to have it! This not only allows me to work away from my office now and then, but also to work away from home if I have a chance to go anywhere with Russ!I'd been saving up money in hopes of finding something inexpensive. This

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-29837590725079702422010-10-06T18:50:00.000-05:002010-10-06T18:50:10.750-05:00

Russ will be home on Friday. This pretty much means a round of insanity for the next couple days. I've started realizing there are all kinds of things I wanted to have done before he got here, and that's not even counting trying to get real work out of the way. It is quite likely the last time I'll see him this year. We're about to head into winter, and the weather is too changeable to risk him

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-71426893440886333852010-10-01T15:49:00.004-05:002010-10-01T15:57:47.983-05:00

  From For Blog I've been busy, and I fear that I am going to remain busy for a good long time. Maybe that's all right. Winter is coming and I really don't like the idea of being here through hip deep snows again (like the last two years). If I'm busy enough, maybe I won't notice the snow. Right? Maybe I should just plaster the windows with pictures of the mountains and oceans and just

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-3257573934357114902010-09-15T19:41:00.000-05:002010-09-15T19:41:19.797-05:00

Yes, that would be a curve you see . . . . I'm down to the last edits of the Silky trilogy, which has been out in eBook form from two different publishers down through the years and is now going to a third and getting a print version. Actually, the third book of the trilogy hasn't been out before and it will also go to Holly's shop so that people there have a chance at it! This has been a lot

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200079.post-76393169447326525812010-09-11T23:51:00.002-05:002010-09-11T23:54:58.970-05:00

Helpful ZaphodThis is just a quick post to show what I'm doing with one of the books.  It's really a novella and I'm expanding it into a novel.  This is made easier by the fact that it really is lacking in almost all details.  My first drafts are often that way. Here are the original 337 words: The Deervale cemetery sits up on the hillside, to the south and a bit lower than the AviTen HQ. It's

Zettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01837114270302314607noreply@blogger.com0