Happy New Year!!! The new year has begun and with it has come new changes. I left my interim job at the beginning of December and started a new job. I now work as an assistant teacher to toddlers. I'm saving up before I go back to school once more a Masters in Secondary Education with Specialty in English and possibly Special Education. Still trying to decide whether or not I'm going to start in the Spring or wait one more year. Leaning toward waiting another year since I've made so many changes in the last few months. Two job changes since June of last year. I moved back in September. Had crazy hours and pay cut then with a new job a pay raise. Not to mention steady hours. I can now get back to The Espela Chronicles that everyone has been asking about and waiting for. I made a resolution to finally finish book one and have it out this year. More updates to come as I come closer to a release date. Daily writing time has been added to ensure a finish. ~CCNight You might be wondering what's up this update's title. I can't express how excited I feel!!! I've reached nearly 15,000 words for book one!!! It still puts me a bit behind, but I'm catching up. I can still have a full manuscript written by the end of August.
All of this amidst trying to find a new place to move to and packing. And work. I feel accomplished and my writing goal is nearly finished. Moving up. Now, who wants to be a beta reader come October or so? CCNight Wow, it's nearly the end of June. So much has happened since last I was on with you all. For starters, I mentioned last time that I had quit my last job at the call center. Well, I was taking some time off, but not too much time. I spent most of that time looking for a job to fill my time and volunteering at a local bookstore. Since then I've started a new job. Not much I can say, but I work with the elderly in their homes during the day.
So what have I been doing with the afternoons and evenings? I've been catching up on my reading pile and of course, writing. I've been expanding on the beginning of book one of The Espela Chronicles: Return Home. This may still be broken down into a novella, Escape from Espela. That is, if I can expand it enough. I'd like the novella to be around 8,000 words or so. This month and for the next several weeks I'm also working a challenge with fellow writing coach and author Stephanie BwaBwa. She is a wonderful coach and author and has put together a Write With Me Challenge. I won't say much more on that, but in 90 days I should have a finished manuscript. I'll have to edit it and consider my publishing options. Wow, that's a lot for the month of June and there will be more to come. Thank-you for all of your continued support. CC Night First of all, I want to apologize to all my followers. I've been silent for a full month and that's not what I had intended. I had hoped to keep you all updated on my progress.
Well, that being said, last month was supposed to be a new month of new goals. Clearly, that did not happen. Actually, last month I did no writing what so ever. I am no proud of that because by nature I am a writer. Life got a little out of hand last month. At the beginning of this month, I quit my job. That's right, I left the call center. I did so for my own sanity and that's all I will say on that. I'm seeking other work at this time and now have the focus to get back to my book. That said, I'm working on plotting all four books backwards at this time. The novella is being reworked since I lost the file. No worries I had the original file just not my edited file. My goal is still to have a full manuscript by the end of August for at least one book. This is where I'm at. I wish you all the best. Thank-you as always for your support. There will be more updates coming soon. CC Night Last month I took on a virtual camp challenge to get me writing my book. It will be the first in a trilogy that I'm calling the Espela Chronicles. Book I: Return Home. I had hoped to write 250 pages, but got a bit distracted writing the prequel, Escape from Espela. There will be more on that later. I didn't come close to 250 pages, I ended up with 40 pages at the end of April.
Well, I'm rethinking things a bit. Due to the fact that I'm working in typed pages, in Times New Roman and 12 pt font, this may not come out to 250 pages. So, what I'd like to do is have the first book be about 400,500 words. Update on that, I've got 40 pages or so...haven't renumbered since adding to the file, and about 11,000 words. The goal for May: either 40 more pages or another 10,000 words. Meanwhile, I'm also doing research on some Dark Fantasy and reading Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. If you haven't read it, it's good and includes the dark side of humanity and a torn apart family. And for light reading, I'm reading Hardcore Twenty-four by Janet Evanovich. Until next time. Thanks for your continued support as I'm writing these books. CCNight I realize it's been a couple of weeks. There was some writer's block and stress that was making difficult to write. Several days I came home late with a headache that sent me straight to bed after getting a bite eat.
On the plus side of things: I've written 36 pages for my novel! I feel this quite a feat considering what I've been going through. I've also had a break through thanks to taking a little time off to read other works for inspiration. One night I had such a break through and was so drawn in I had to force myself to stop. Imagine a feeling that you are not writing the story, but reading it as the character tells you their tale. That was my feeling. And that's how it's been the last few days. I can't wait to finish the first book and look at publishing options and be able to share the book with all of you. Thank-you for all of your continued support. CC Night Some days it seems I'm going nowhere. It seems it's slow going on the novel. In this week alone I've managed to write 9 pages total. But then I think about the difference between a page typed on the computer with a Times New Roman font and the font size is 12 and what a page looks like in a novel. So...really once published it will more than likely be longer then 250 pages which is my goal for the first book. I also got some great feedback this week. A post from a group I'm in on Facebook asked what people are working. Here was my reply: "Fantasy. Half elf half human princess struggles with growing up without parents and learns she must save a war torn land and reunite the races."
Here was the response from one person: I'd read that. And from another person in the group: This seriously sounds like a pitch for a YA fantasy novel. I'm impressed! Perhaps if I can get enough people interested in the elevator pitch I could stand a chance of gaining an agent and a publisher? I just wanted to pop into give my readers an update and share some that wonderful news. Thank-you all for reading and checking in each week. Any questions I'd be happy to answer so don't be afraid to reach out to me. Until next week CCNight Was getting ready to catch up on some writing. I fell behind schedule this week while working my last night shift, yay!! At least for a while. They're talking about changing the schedule every three months...no :( . With any luck I'll be catching a break soon and get a position that offers even more flexible writing time. Anyway, I had a request on Facebook this week and wanted to extend it out again. As I'm working on this first novel I've been debating my options for publishing. I'm beginning to lean more toward self publishing. However, self publishing relies heavily on word of mouth. So I'd like to line up a select number of beta readers for Return Home for to read it before the release. I'd like to have a finished manuscript for viewing in August, maybe sooner. Anyone interested can let me know. I may even set up a sign up the closer the time comes. But now, I'm going to get going on the writing. I came up with some amazing ideas that I want to write into the story. Before I go though, attached below is another character introduction. Until next week! CCNight
Hi everyone! Sorry, I've been away. I know I promised weekly updates and I know I missed at least the last two. :( Things were a little crazy. I was on the heavy side of schoolwork. This will actually be my first week as an editor. *internally jumping for joy and at the same time having no clue what I'm doing* I've also spent the last two weeks getting ready for vacation. I know it was only one day out of town, but I desperately needed it. Plus, I've been waiting for this one day for months. I've been doing a countdown from the day I bought the tickets to go see...The Dives! I have to say the experience was better than I could have dreamed. If you want to know more about that trip stay tuned for article. For now I'll include some of the pictures from Friday night. Pictured above is my best friend, Becky and I with the band after their set. From left to right: Becky, Evan (behind me), Sergio in the back, Jimmy and Mike on the end. Now if that's not cool enough here's a shot (or two) of me with Evan before the show. Want to know more about this wonderful escapade? Don't forget to check back for the full article.
Wow! I just want to throw that out there. Lately life is really starting pick up the pace. Last week I posted about getting a new car. That added a new payment to my bills. My classes are really stressful. There's been a lot of reading and wondering how I'm going to keep up. Not only keeping up with schoolwork but also keeping up with the writing group I'm in since they changed our weekly deadline. *internal scream* If that's not enough, I just added being an editor to that list. I look forward to that but hope it doesn't stress. *inner jumping for joy* I'm a firm believer in a healthy level of stress. However, lately I'm finding that I've had to manage some of my stress. What is really worth worrying about? For all of the things that I can't control how am I going react? I'll be honest it's not been easy lately. Somethings have really eaten away at me lately and I can't wait for them to be over. Here's my latest article: www.theodysseyonline.com/managing-my-stress. One thing I forgot to mention in the article is treating yourself. And I've got a nice treat coming. You'll all hear more about it later. Let's just say it's going to be a nice mini vacation away from everything for at least a night. As always thanks for all the support! ~CCNight |
AuthorI work full time as a call center representative. In my spare time I write and read. I also enjoy watching Netflix. Archives
March 2018
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