I have no great wisdom, no huge milestone today, just hope and perseverance. Last week was difficult in so many ways. My personal battle with RA had me wanting to stay in bed all week, but I fought through and managed to revise a few more chapters while working the day job.
That seems so microscopic compared to what our country went through last week. The bombings, the manhunt, the explosion in West Texas, and other violence around the country. I'm proud of our first responders and our police and FBI agents who followed the bombers to the end, of the brave firefighters and medics who rushed to help the victims of the fertilizer plant explosion, and all the citizens who stood strong.
I can't help but recall last summer's YA SAVES campaign and the whole argument over whether YA literature has gotten too dark. I think of all the young people affected by the events of last week, whether physically wounded or emotionally damaged by it all. No matter how scary or dark this world gets at times, they can always find catharsis and company in a book. As long as we keep writing, they will never be alone.
How have you all weathered this storm?
well said, well said. it was a sad week and my heart went out to all of you south of the border. at a conference where there are people personally affected including someone with family member's hurt in Boston. it was heartening to see the swell of compassion and the coming together of all present.
ReplyDeletehope you have a better week where the RA is concerned and way to go on getting some chapters out anyway! this week is about getting submissions out and working on novel revisions (or should I say a full on rewrite where I don't even look at the last draft?)
all my best everyone, sending my heartfelt admiration for how you come together as a country after a week like the last.
Thanks, Deb. It was amazing to see the people come together and support each other. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your submissions.
DeleteI know what you mean about those rewrite/revision adventures. Close your eyes and jump in! :-)
I came home from a homeschooling class only to find a note letting me know that a friend had finally contacted another friend's family and that they were okay but could still hear bombs. I'm like, wth? I turned on the news and was totally horrified at what I saw. Ashley, our friend's daughter, ran in the marathon but finished in the first hour. The family were at their hotel, debating on what to eat when they were evacuated. So scary!
ReplyDeleteThen something I hoped would happen with my writing, didn't. I wonder if all the terrible news didn't help me feel even worse about my own writing. So what I did was email my webmaster, Little Allie, and ask her to revamp my website in time for the release of my upcoming book! Here's a taste: www.kim-baccellia.com I wanted it to be more fun, light, and reflect my character Jordan's love of romance and Audrey Hepburn. It helped!
Hope you have a better week with your RA. Being ill sucks on all levels. Sending cyber hugs your way!
Oh, Kim! Your web design is gorgeous! I love that clean, Audrey Hepburn feel. Thanks for the hugs! I hope you are inspired all week long.
DeleteLast week was heart wrenching and surreal. I watched Twitter updates almost like a riveting movie, yet it was real, with writer friends stirred up in the mix (looking at you Kip!). To me it just brought home the importance of caring, of reaching out and giving compliments, and telling people the good thoughts when you think them.
ReplyDeleteOn a writing front, I'm really struggling with the blend of day job/writer job. I don't get much writing done during the week as I can't/won't write at work and am too tired at the end of the day. So early mornings it is. By Thursday, I'm pooped from 5am wake up calls. But my weekends are clear and I did make nice headway on my edit letter. It's hard though!
Sorry about the health issues this week, Mary Ann. Hope this week is better. Did you pick out photos for your art show?
I hear you about the writing/day job schedule, JRo! When I was teaching a full load of classes, I just could not write any other time but the weekends. I didn't have the energy! As for the photos, I think I might go with two photos from the Native American Festival. I've read a few things and from what I can tell, I don't need a model release for photos taken of public performances unless I am using them to advertise a product or something.
DeleteGood luck with those edits!
Sorry to hear about your health issues, Mary Ann.
ReplyDeleteNo new writing for me this past week, but I'm engrossed in my plotless WIP with the idea that I will finish revising this for my family (it's a funny sort of growing up memoir) and then see what a CP or two think of it. Onwards!
Watch out for the plot bunny, Carolyn. It just might sneak up and bite your wip in the behind! :-)
DeleteThe plot bunny visited my house!!!!!! *dancing around and screaming gleefully*
DeleteYAY!! Give that bunny a big fat carrot!
DeleteI kept steadily plodding along in my revisions and I think I may be done this weekend or next, at which point I'll send it out to my betas and take a nice little break.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better this week!
That will be nice, Jennifer. Enjoy these last details and the fabulous break that follows.
DeleteMy sympathy was with all those who suffered losses last week. What a world! I just keep singing, "In Christ alone my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song."
ReplyDeleteFor me, last week was filled with visiting family, looking at real estate with them (they're moving closer... yay!!!) and meetings, but I still managed to put in a couple hours of writing each night after everyone went to bed. I can't say it was productive writing since I've scrapped much of it, but the process continues and that's what counts.
So sorry to hear you had a rough week, Mary Ann, but hope this one will be better.
Carol, Flannery O'Connor wrote 2 hours every day, and often she would start the next day by tossing what she had written the day before and starting again. You are in good company.
DeleteAs far as THAT storm goes, I just don't understand it. The motivation and stuff. Which makes me mad. If real life were a book no one would publish it...
ReplyDeleteI hear that!
DeleteSo many horrors in the world. I am so glad for my happy place (my community of writers!) I hope you feel better this week Mary Ann.
ReplyDeleteI finished up a revision by the end of last week and sent it to my agent. Starting on a different book that needs revision this week. Shouldn't be too major. I'm thinking I'll be through it in a week or two. Got one particularly harsh rejection already this week. Trying not to think about it and instead work toward my goals...
Hurray for finishing the revision and for starting a new one! I hope your agent finds a fabulous home for your baby. And I am so thankful for this community, too. Writers rock!
DeleteWeathered the storm in the midst of starting the new job and adjusting to a 4:30 am start time. I love cooking in this fast-paced, tight-quartered vegetarian kitchen. My workmates are mostly non-conformist college students with interesting opinions about EVERYTHING. ^_^ I really am enjoying all the baking and creating and cooking. I've never worked in a kitchen other than my own.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that the few can disrupt the peace of so many. Futility. But as I tweeted last week, despite the tragedies, life is still beautiful. As I write this, a pair of mourning doves are building a nest in my old apple tree. Beautiful!
Though it's been super slow going, I am still plugging along with a WIP revision. And I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the cover for my MG. Can't wait to see that. ^_^
I hope all of you are finding moments of beauty every day, despite all the trials without and within.
Way to keep plugging, Angelina! Your job sounds like a lot of fun and hard work. I worked in a bakery when I was in college, and I had to be there at 4:00 am, too.
DeleteI love those doves!
It's a mix of emotions for me this past week. Started with the tragedy in the US and around the world and ended yesterday with my cousin's birthday and a close family friend's death. I considered him an uncle. If I may use the phrase "Show and Tell", the best thing I can do in times like these is to show and tell people how much I love and care about them. I know I'll feel better when I hug the keysmashing tots when I see them tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGoals, as of tonight:
Camp NaNo = 57,174 words
Savvy Authors Boot Camp = 52,409 words
A to Z Challenge = A through S posted
#ROW80 = Three mid-week check-ins and three weekly check-ins.
I've got some short story anthologies in the pipeline in the coming weeks and more babysitting.
I still have more story to write for both novels but will take it easy the second week of May. I say second because I joined a challenge to write 100 pages from May 1st - 7th. Short breather and then revision time and more short story submissions.
Hugs to everyone and hope you're RA is a bit more tolerable this week, Mary Ann.
Tonette
Tonette, I'm so sorry for your loss. I know I hug my not-so-tiny tots a little closer in these times, too.
DeleteYou are so motivated in your writing! I'm struggling to revise some chapters, let alone compose 50+k words on a new project! Way to go!
Sorry for another late check-in.
ReplyDeleteWell, last week was my staycation, and the theme of the week was *supposed* to be about de-stressing. Lots of stuff happened to make it stressful anyway. And I kind of retreated within myself. I slept a lot. I had to because I was running *that* low on steam.
Didn't get as much writing-related stuff done as planned, but I feel a lot better for mostly recovering my sleep.
The week was bookended by events (which sort of added to the stress): a wedding on the Island, which meant taking the ferry and staying overnight. So that was the first weekend. Then the other weekend was fan expo. Awesome: we got to see Stan Lee, and we got fantastic seats. Not so awesome ... well.
It was 4/20. There was a huge pot festival downtown. When we caught the Skytrain to come home on Saturday, some guy high off his gourd dropped his cell phone onto the tracks. I still can't shake the female bystander's screams from my brain, or the screeching halt as the train came to a sudden stop. The jolt, the thud, the dawning horror as we realized that someone had been hit. The awful jerk who was yelling from inside the train that the person on the tracks had spoiled his 4/20 and he had a party to get to and it was ruining his day. The pervading numbness as the power was cut to the station and we were evacuated, and then had to find some other way home. Keeping the emotions tightly clamped down, because I knew if I set them free, I would break.
Then later, finding out that the guy was okay, that the train had stopped in time. It didn't help. I still have that horror inside me, and Saturday night, I let myself cry. Latent shock. Well, I guess I'll make a story out of it.
*hugs* What a terrible thing to experience! (Glad the guy is okay.)
DeleteOh, also, somehow last week I stopped drinking coffee. So I've switched to decaf and I hope this new thing will last. Despite everything, I've definitely been sleeping better!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm probably last to check in. Sorry for the delay. Last week's tragedies were horrifying. There are no other words to describe it. I'm in shock, still. Despite, the hours upon hours of being glued to the news, I somehow managed to plod along with my revisions, get them to a new critique reader, and now have her notes back in my hands. I also have 6 days left O_O to finish a short story for an anthology submission. Yikes. If it weren't for the editor emailing me asking I please submit, I wouldn't be. I've been so wrapped up with revisions for my agent, I haven't had the time to devote to the short. But I made a promise and I don't want to go back on my word. So, lots of work to do in the next week!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your physical ailments, Mary Ann. I too, suffer with chronic all-over pain. I've been through a multitude of tests these past few weeks and the doctor is leaning toward Fibromyalgia. It's super hard to diagnose, but with process of elimination and the experimentation of a new medication, I finally have an answer. I think! I'm not totally convinced, but for now, I'll take the advice of the doctors, but I'm not ruling out other things yet. So I do feel your pain. I certainly hope you get to feeling better soon. Hugs!
((HUGS)) Candi. I know how hard that process is and how difficult it can be to feel you are truly being heard. I hope you feel better soon.
DeleteKudos for putting it all out there, too. I know you'll have a kick-ass short in no time!