All that fresh air!! They'll write good tonight!

Okay.
A few days away was exactly what I needed. Maybe a little longer would have been nice, but it was still soooo wonderful.

Time away with my family.
Time away from the computer.
Time away to think.

The drive home was perfect for figuring out what I was going to do next in the new book and how to fix a section in the old one.

Yep, I said fix.

Here's what happened...
I was reading submission guidelines on a few e-publisher sites last week. One of them said that any 'relations' between characters had to be when they were 18 years of age or older.

This has been mentioned to me before and here is why...

Without going into too much detail about the story, my characters have 'relations' with each other prior to being 18 years old. (The story actually takes place while they are in their twenties.)

Please, are we really going to kid ourselves and believe for even a second that teens in high school aren't 'doing it'? Really?

I see. We can agree that they are 'doing it' but I just can't write about it without seeming creepy.

So, if that is one of the 500 reasons that someone wouldn't publish my book, well for darn sure I can make that change.

But hold the phone! That is one of the hugey importanty pivoty points in the book! How do I change this event without changing the whole story?

Well, I'll tell you!
Thanks to kibitzing with one of my trusty 'editors' we figured it out!

Originally Colin is older than Riley; senior (18) to her sophomore (16).
Riley is best friends with Colin's sister, Kerry (16).
If I make Colin and Kerry twins then they can all be the same age, 18 in their senior year, and I won't seem like some sort of FREAK for writing about teens having sex.

There. One issue solved.

As for the new book, I have some really good ideas where to go with the characters next. I'm going to have to be 'creative' when it comes to some of the FBI/Police issues and hope I am not writing out of my ass until I find a way to verify my ideas but I can't stop writing while I wait for confirmation.

So. I think that catches everyone up on my writing trials and tribulations.

Now I just have to actually write!

Damn. If only there was an app for that.

Sometimes when a door closes you have to use a Halligan

Words are certainly not flowing but the dam has a leak!

I was able to write almost 4 pages yesterday.

It's not amazing stuff. Mostly just getting the characters from point A to point B but it was important.

I left off on a surprise kiss!

On limited notice I am going on a short trip. I may get to write but I would have to do it with ...duh duh duh... paper and pen.

My laptop hasn't been mobile in a while so it's not worth packing up to take anywhere.

I promised myself a new one when I published my first book. You know how that is working out? Yeah. So do I.

Paper and pen wouldn't be so bad except that my hand gets cramped up pretty quickly these days. Lots of damage from years of typing and cracking my knuckles. The hands are extra fun in the winter months!

Hopefully I will get some more writing in soon and be able to report all of my forward progress!

A girl can dream.

Christine Bell - Author: The Me Romancin' Y'all Contest!!!

Christine Bell - Author: The Me Romancin' Y'all Contest!!!: "Happy Humpday everyone! Because we all need a little romance, between today and September 3rd, I will be trying to romance you all with a fu..."

My break is turning to broke!

ERRRGGGHHHH!!!

I have nothing to write!!!

I haven't written in days!!!

I'M FREAKIN' OUT!

I was reading all the Rainy Day Blogfest entries... http://thewritershole.blogspot.com/2010/08/announcing-rainy-day-blogfest.html
...and I was so inspired and captivated and JEALOUS!

All those great ideas and stories and images.

It was even raining here today and I've got nothing.

I feel like I need someone to come smack me in the face.

No, I'm not actually inviting anyone to do that. But I feel like I am wandering around in a fog and I need a wake up call.

I need something.

These poor characters are just sitting around in limbo waiting for something to happen!

This better clear up soon or I'm not sure what I will do!

Blank spot, like a blind spot, but different.

I have a blank spot where I used to keep my words and thoughts for my books.
Granted, I've got some things on my mind lately.
Non-book/writer/author related stuff.
That real life 'crap' that I don't really want to deal with.
It's why I started writing in the first place, to get away from all that.
I started writing stories in high school. I don't recall writing any thing significant any earlier than that. I wrote romantic stories because I wasn't romantic.
I was a little heavy, a little geeky, a little rough.
A lot of my friends were guys, but not interested in me for anything more than hanging out, drinking and smoking.
Sometimes I would share writing with a friend. I would write a few pages in a notebook and then give it to her and she would write a few.
It was always more fun to write and read than it was to do homework or now ... housework.
It's a phase. I know. It will come back.
I just have to let it rest.
Or fester.
Whichever sounds better.

In the first book, my main female character spoke to me a lot. She had the story to tell.
But this one, it's all my main male character. He has the floor most of the time...in my head.

Wonder why.