June challenge update

I've started the 50ks in 30 days challenge.

First check in was on Sunday.

Here's how I am going so far.


Writing




Editing




Yes, I'm ahead in editing the novella, but it's flowing, and I want to take advantage of that. Then I can concentrate on the words.


Are you doing the challenge? If so, how are you going?

~yia~

June challange

Well it is nearly that time of the year again - the June writing challenge. I join fellow RWAus members as we undertake the 50ks in 30 Days writing challenge. Check out the blog for details.

There is a record 75 (and climbing) members joining in this year. I wish everyone all the best in reaching their goals.

This year I'm aiming for 30ks writing and 20ks editing. Lately, I have been doing very little actual writing, but I hope to change that with this challenge.

So if I'm not around in June, you know where I've gone....

sourced from here

~yia~

BSG: The Plan

Hi everyone (& especially to Christina whose ears would have pricked up at mentioning BSG).

Still struggling with my headaches, so the past week has been little work on writing. Though I have written some words and edited a chapter or so, as well as an article for Hearts Talk. Go me. Though my effort at 50k in 30 days (or in my case 25K) is not going well. I have a couple more weeks, hopefully I can gain some ground.

Today, I came home to find a package for me - & yes it was Battlestar Galactica: The Plan!! I entered a competition on the Showtime Channels website and won it. A real surprise.

Am really looking forward to watching it, but with BSG I need to have some brain cells to match up all the plots - so I'll wait until I feel better. Then again watching this could make me feel better. What to do? What to do?

I have been watching some sci-fi as I have been watching season 1 of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century on DVD. Bringing back some childhood memories.

I also finished reading Fallen by Lauren Kate. Really enjoyed it and it is a series, with the next book coming out in a few months. I have to make sure my library orders it ;) The danger of borrowing books from the library is that I don't get around to the hordes of them here waiting on my bookshelf.

~yia~

Transmission resuming

Yes, I have been away for a long time. I just haven't had the brain space to think of interesting blogs and a lot of energy was on Romancing the Novel, which was fantastic by the way. I will be writing an article on it for Hearts Talk.

But if you want to see some pictures, head over to Bronwyn Stuart's website. Thanks for the fab photos Bronwyn.

Anna Campbell & Yvonne Lindsay on types of romances.

Photo: Bronwyn Stuart

To recap it was a fantastic day. Anna Campbell and Yvonne Lindsay just worked so well together and were fabulous as a tag team, and in their individual sessions. Thank you ladies!! And of course to our wonderful local authors as well - Trish Morey, Anne Oliver, Elizabeth Rolls, Claire Baxter, Christina Carlisle, and Amy T Matthews.

It was wonderful to see new faces, including attendees from across the border in VIC and NSW. Waving! Hope to see you all at the next RTN!!


I mentioned some time back that I was working on some short stories and that has been fun. Was good to re-acquaint myself with the form and it was a nice break from novel length work. Though I will be getting into the swing of working on hopefully a couple of novels (Dream Tamer, and Lady & the Dragon) for the RWAus' 50ks in 30 Days. I'm aiming for 25K though. It will also be a busy month for me personally, so I have to be realistic. 2 more days to go! As always thanks to the fabulous Sandie Hudson for organising this again - you truly are amazing Sandie!!

I just have to set my timer so I get up and walk about- then again the achy back should remind me. *Rolls eyes*


Over the last few months as part of RWA's web team, I've been putting up blog posts with peeks at  Hearts Talk contents. Rachel Bailey as editor just keep on giving the goods it's just flourishing with a huge team of volunteers. Thanks Rachel! So check it out.

Oh and do you like the banners I've been doing?
Eg for May's issue:

  

These are also up on the Romance Writers of Australia Hearts Talk page (members only) and as sponsor banners. I quite enjoy doing them. Again gives another outlet for creativity (& urging the muse).

Don't forget to check out the Bootcampers 101 blog for Data Files and What We Are Reading of one member a month. Check out my CP's, Fiona Gregory, blog posts on all sorts of topics that are creative, food, fun and interesting ways to boost your creativity- Origami anyone? Of course Roseanne Smiles has her publicity mum hat on with her Mission Reports. 

OK, I'm hoping to be more on the ball again... :-) I can't believe how long it took to do this post!

~yia~

June Challenge Done!

I finished the challenge & just crept in with my goal of 25K words. So am pretty happy that despite the month I've had that, I've achieved it. It made me realise that I had chosen a realistic goal for me. 50K would have been too much. So I worked with my schedule, my health & in the end it worked out.

There was a total of 10 days that I didn't do any writing for one reason or another and I'd like to improve on that next time around. Even if it's only a sentence, just so it's not a zero count.

To all my fellow 50kers, great going. And thanks for the words of encouragement. And thanks to Diane and Sandie for organising. You ladies are champs.

Another happy smile today.

Yia!!

Challenge Update

I am really pleased that a push yesterday got me over the halfway mark in my goal - woohoo!

I think it was due to watching a hunky Wolverine *wink* and a real good movie of escapism. 

So my total is:

meaning that I wrote 7 800 words for week two. Gotta be happy with that, as well that so far these words have been three flash fictions, and finishing a skeleton draft of a short novella. Now to pick up on one of my other drafts, but after a day of working in front of the computer for other reasons (and no, not surfing, thank you very much), I am absolutely bushed. I think I'll take a break and see how I go later.

To my fellow 50Ks in 30 Days participants, congrats on your achievements and happy writing!

~Yia

Challenge Update

Week one check-in ~

Yep, I managed to add in another 1000 words to my word count during a sprint. Yes, shoulder and arm sore afterward, but it felt great after two days of no writing. 

So I think I'm target for my 25Ks.

~Yia

Lying low

Well I've had to cut computer time dramatically in the last few days. My right arm and shoulder hurt, so typing is uncomfortable as is using a mouse. I've gone to the physio who ouch, ouch, ouch.... worked on the problem and taped up my shoulder for a few days. So I'm not really here OK?

This means that my efforts with the June Challenge is taking a step back. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up soon. I'm just over 5200 words so I'm happy with that since I haven't written anything for over two days (that's 21% of my goal).

Currently listening to: Meatloaf

Reading: 

    Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

    Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

    Circle of Fire by Keri Arthur

Watching:

    Sanctuary (on SciFi)

    30 Rock

~Yia

Ready, set, go.... writing challenge

Today is the first day of a month of writing....... 25Ks - easy peasy - yeah right.

Wish me luck!!!

~Yia

Own background and June challenge

I have been playing around once again (yes, I know, I know) with the background of this blog. I wanted it to be a little bit more in line with my website, so I took the writing font of my website banner and tweaked it abit. I have been basically learning ad-hoc on Photoshop Elements. Must get some instruction on it.

So hope you like it.

And it's that time of the year again - the 50Ks in 30 Days which is in June. I'm joining in but have to be realistic with my time and energy, so I am aiming for 25K. The blog for this is up again here. Everyone is pumped, so I'm hoping all that positive energy will make its way down cyberspace to hit my little brain.

I have done some polishing this week - very slow process, and I've done about 3ooo words on a short story. I've enjoyed the difference between the two. HD is quest fantasy, while G is paranormal romance.

Currently listening to: James Brown

Just read: Kiss the night Good-bye by Keri Arthur

Currently watching: 30 Rock, season one

~Yia

I LOVE your blog award

The fantastic Blog and Challenge Queen extraordinaire Sandie Hudson gave me this award. Do I feel honoured? Oh hell yeah. I've known Sandie from the 2007 Claytons conference and via ROMAUS. She is a powerhouse of support and absolutely floors me with the number of projects she has - not to mention the blogs (you can check all her links to her blogs from the above link). Sandie is good people. *grin*

So next step I have to pass on the love...and need to nominate some people for the 'I Love Your Blog' Awards. Here's what you have to do:

After receiving the award, if you’d like to participate, you must:

1) Add the logo of your award to your blog - check.

2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you -  check.

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs - check.

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog - check

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs - in progress.

They are:

1. OK so since I have seen that the Award has been going through the RWA NaNo (50Ks in 30 days) ladies, I feel like lobbing it back to all of them via individual websites but instead what I'm going to do is nominate the 50ks in 30 Day blog. The contributors and participants are people who I follow in my Google Reader - including Sandie Hudson, Rhian Cahill, Dianne Curran (yes the tabletop dancing trio), Kiki Lon, Natalie Hatch, Suzanne Brandyn, Tannia Franklin and more..... This is an entertaining blog and not to mention that they are posting daily even though they have NaNo still on. Go ladies!

2. Denise Rossetti - author of Erotic Fantasy Romance. Denise's posts are full of her wit and love of words. I've known Denise for a some time via cyberspace and it was fantastic to meet her in person at the 2003 RWAus conference. What a gal! She has a newsletter on her website that follows the tale of Rackety Kate.  Note: blog is for over 18s....

3. Keri Arthur - New York Times Best selling Dark Urban Fantasy author. I've known Keri since my first RWAus conference in 2002 where I was lucky enough to participate in her first author chat - after the release her Nikki and Michael books via Imajinn. I'm hooked onto her Riley Jensen Guardian series as I tell her frequently, I'm so in love with Quinn (who isn't?!!!). Keri's a star!

4. Trish Morey - fellow South Australian and all round fantastic person is HM&B Presents author. Trish organised the RWAus' Roadshows this year and she is always there with encouragement and her pearls of wisdom. She calls them like she sees them, which I absolutely love. She's a gem and her blog is too.

5. Cam - I've known Cam since the Clayton's conference in 2007. And while Cam is a writer, I love this blog that is about her life and views on life. She has a poetry in her prose which I only can aspire to. 

6. Nicola Marsh - HM&B Modern Heat author has posts that are always a joy to read. More often then not there are pictures of inspiring heroes. *grin* Thanks Nicola.

7. Shelley Munro - I've recently started subscribing to this blog and thoroughly enjoy it. I love the variety of posts. Shelley is a multi-published author with Ellora's Cave. 

8. Christina Phillips - I know Christina from a paranormal loop we are on. Recently she had her first erotic romance story published by The Wild Rose Press, and she was a guest on the Bootcampers blog earlier this month. She also has a slight obsession with Clive Owen ;)

9. Barbara Hannay - HM&B Sweet romance author who is one of the sweetest people I have ever met (which I first did via cyberspace on ROMAUS and then in person at the 2002 RWAus Conference). Such a giving person, she sends me copies of her Greek translations for my mum. Her books are full of emotional punch - love them and her posts about QLD life. 

10. CE Murphy - the only non-Down Under author on my list. The author of The Walker Papers (urban fantasy) published by Luna. Great books. I just love CE's blog. A source of great advice and follows her journey as a published author. Very witty and to the point. Gotta love that. Also she keeps a record of Miles to... ATM it's Dunharrow. Go, go, go!

(it does say at least 7, so I think 10 is a nice round number )

Hope you enjoy checking out these great blogs with me.

Yia!

Bits and pieces

Well I hope to be able to do a post with Bits and Pieces of info that I come across....

First of all, we've started a round robin of introducing you to the Bootcampers and what we write. First cabs of the rank are Dana and Janine. To visit, click here.

Next, it's NaNoWriMo is in November - that is the National Novel Writing month. It's goal is for writers to write 50 000 words in one month. The 50ks in 30Days ladies are going to go ahead with this. I will be cheering them from the sidelines and will not be joining in as I did in June. You can check out how they go by visiting their blog.

Christina Phillips has her debut book 'Foretaste for Forever' out now with The Wild Rose Press. It was released yesterday but I'm sure her launch party will still be going at her blog. *vbg*

Now when I saw this I was instantly transported back to my childhood watching the show on TV and in the commercials making up storylines for the characters... Buck Rogers!!

The figurine....

source: Sideshow Collectables

And even though the following is from 2006, the South Park take of Cartman doing a Buck Rogers (love it!):

source: SFX

My official certificate...

Yep, I had to show off my certifcate. What a boost it is to see that you have achieved a goal that you set out to do - despite all the bumps along the way.

I've got the certificate displayed on the right hand sidebar of this blog... so come check it out.

I've taken it easy the last week. I've needed it to recover!!

Yia... :)

I did it! I did it!

....I did it, yeah!!! Okay, so I have the little tune from Dora the Explorer in my head. Amazing what sticks in your mind from kid tv programs.

But the fact of the matter is I finished the 50K in 30 day challenge, oh with about 9 hours to spare. A reminder of the uni days when assignments were finished up the night before. Phew!!!

I didn't think I'd make it but I really pushed the last three days and edged my way over the finish line. You know the sweaty person, collapsed on the ground, taking deep deep breaths after a marathon... yep, that's me.

But I get to flash this on my blog....






Cool eh?

Congrats to everyone who took the challenge and every word is a bloody achievement! Go check out the blog to see how everyone did (well from tomorrow as challengers have until midnight tonight!) Good luck to those who are still going. It's been a blast folks.

No where is my drink!
Yia.... hiccup :)

Over the 20K mark!

Yay me!! Yes I'm at 23,421 words - see my little book counter go up on the right (on the site for those receiving this via feed). So almost half way. Abit behind but what the hell, I think I'm achieving more than I seriously thought I would be able to. So little happy dance!

Some of the ladies have seriously floored me with already reaching the 50K. Awe-inspiring, I tell you. Felicity, RC, Sandie!! Also a pat on the back for my fellow Bootcampers Alison, Hannah, and Tracey. And the SA contigent (Sharon, Lynn). Actually...great going everyone. Check out the blog.

I'm enjoying the way Delta is going. I thought it would be a novella but I'm over 23K and it's still getting interesting, flinging more questions than answers. LOL! It's alive! Maybe it won't be a mammoth like Alpha but it certainly wont be the 15-20K that I intially envisioned. LOL! Funny how I can either do short short stories or novels, but have yet to do something in between!!

Happy Writing...
Yia!

50K update

Well I'm not where I should/want to be at this stage in the game, but at 8472 words, I am still happy with the progress. It could have been much worse - like zero for instance *grin*. I'm really amazed at how some of the ladies are doing. Really inspirational. Check out the 50KsIn30Days blog.

Hopefully I will get my butt into gear in the next few days.

Yia!

Ready, Set, Go....... 50K is on!

It's the 1st of June and that means the 50Ks in 30 Days writing challenge is on! Gulp! So far - hmmm just a couple of paragraphs in a notebook. Not very good. I did have family commitments today and so hopefully will make up for it tomorrow. Hopefully..... probably, maybe? *Sigh* It'll happen, I know it will.

You can see all the challenger's progress at the blog.

Wish us luck. I know I'm going to need it.

50K in 30 Days Challenge

Yes, I'm a glutton for punishment. As mentioned in my previous post, one of my goals is to prepare for a 50K in 30 Day challenge. That's 50,000 words folks. Hmmm... I have not written 50K in a long time and certainly not in a month, but I think I need to devote some time to just WRITING and not editing the story. So this has come up a great time, really. Honestly. Truly

Nuh, I'm just nuts! *grin* That's OK. I'll do what I can. Still have to decide which story I want to work on.

The challenge has been set up by fellow writers who are also member of the Romance Writers of Australia. It's been inspired by NaNoWriMo (which is an international writing challenge in November). But June is our month. So come and visit us at our blog.