The Kernal Of An Idea

I'm teaching a course on medieval Europe this semester and while I was scouring the library for a film to show about the First World War (another class, obviously), I came upon a book about chivalry and its connection to religion in the Middle Ages.  I'm a sucker for books like this, so I picked it up along with my video and beat feet out of there to make it to my first class. 

When I got home, I began to read the book and I don't think I made it four pages in before I was jotting down ideas for a medieval romance story.  I don't have anything really fleshed out, but I'm feeling the novella vibe for this one--around 25,000 words.  Since this is one of my favorite periods in history, I'm not surprised my brain is popping with ideas. 

I don't know what's going to shake out with this, but I like the idea of knights, those wonderful Alpha males in chainmail, maybe misbehaving.  Maybe nothing too serious but far more erotic for this story.  Hmmm....we'll have to see. 

Another Great Weekend

As I sit here late Saturday night, I'm finished with my writing for the weekend.  My goal was 24 pages, and I wrote about 30, so I feel very good.  Someone asked me the other day how I can write so much in a sitting.  I explained that I really don't have the opportunity to write each day because of work and life and everything else that requires my time, so I save up ideas (jotting them down in the margins of my notebooks) all week and then write on the weekend.  So while it seems like 30+ is a lot, for a week, I'm not writing as much as I'd like.  That's less than 5 pages a day for a 7 day week, but it's what I can do for now.  I'd prefer to write every day, but this semester is just a dog this year. 

I'm beginning Chapter 21 on Destiny Renewed and still am hovering on Chapter 14 of Broken Destiny.  Things are moving along nicely with Stolen Destiny going toward publication in June.  This week I got to complete information about what I see for the cover, which I have to admit, was so thrilling I was silly with happiness for a few days.  (I'm such a newbie!)  Just the thought that soon I'll be published is still sinking in. 

I've set a goal of the end of March to be finished with Destiny Renewed, which would put me at the end of April to get it typed (remember, I hand write everything first, so I have the second leg of the journey once I finish writing the book), edited, and out to my beta readers.  I hope to submit that book right around the time the first one is published.  (Fingers crossed!)

As for Broken Destiny, I'm aiming for a May 1 date to complete that, but that might be a bit ambitious. Still, that's my goal.  That would put me at the beginning of June with it typed, edited, and out to my beta readers.  A late summer submit would be success for this one. 

And for the last book, which is actually the first one I wrote in this series but put aside when Stolen Destiny invaded my mind one day in the shower, I'm looking forward to resurrecting it and moving ahead with that one after the previous two are edited to within an inch of their lives and submitted.  I don't have a name for this one yet, but it will be the last one in the Destined Ones Series, barring some major change that isn't on the horizon quite yet. 

Whew!  I think I need a beer and some R & R before the week begins again.  Here's to a wonderful week for us all!

18+ Over Book Blogger Tag Along and A New Hop

The 18 & Over Book Blogger Tag Along is hosted by Bitten by Paranormal Romance, and it's a good chance for those who read and appreciate adult books to find others like them.

This week the tag along includes a question:  Name a couple of your favorite erotic authors.  I like a lot of erotica, but for me Charlotte Featherstone is one of the very best erotic authors, hands down.  Her books combine erotica and history, two of my favorite things, and they're incredible, from the cover on.  Her most recent book is a perfect example.  The cover sets the stage and then the story is just fantastic.  If I hadn't been a huge fan of hers before, Lust would've made me an instant convert.

Also, one of the erotic authors that got me interested in the genre is Robin Schone.  Her books The Lady's Tutor and The Lover still have top shelf status on my bookshelf.  They may be from 2002, but they're still incredibly erotic reads.

If you've come with the tag along, please leave a comment and let me know you were here.  

This week I'm also doing a new hop, the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books. Each week she offers a question and bloggers answer it, so here's this week's:  Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different? 

I see lots of blogs with really great names, but I figured that since this blog is about my writing, I should name it something that indicates that.  Actually what I do wish I could do differently is the theme of my blog, but that will have to wait a little bit.  :)

If you found my blog through the Book Blogger Hop, please leave a comment so I can visit your blog and follow too!  Have a wonderful weekend! 

Gabrielle

I'm The Feature Thursday Star At WordsInSync

Many thanks to Shah at WordsInSync for interviewing me for her Feature Thursday post. Shah is a wonderful blogger who dedicates her time to many areas, including creativity.  Her interview was thoughtful and definitely made me think! 

Please take a look at her blog and the interview at Feature Thursday at WordInSync.

Progress

Each weekend, I devote the vast majority of my time to writing.  This means little else gets done around my house, but that's ok with me and the people I live with, so it works.  I aim for 12-15 pages each weekend (around 3000-3750 words for those of you who think in those terms).  Usually I hit my goal, but this weekend, I had an extra day to write because school was called off due to winter returning with a vengeance, so I got much more done than I expected.

Between Friday night and last night, I finished 39 pages:  11 pages in Broken Destiny and 28 pages in Destiny Renewed.  To say I'm thrilled would be an understatement. 

As someone who hand writes everything first, those 39 pages are filled with self-editing that occurs along the way.  The margins of my pages are filled with ideas and notes about everything from research about a scene to the possibility of moving sections to other parts of the story. 

What this does mean is that I have a mountain of typing ahead of me as I only have the first 5 or so chapters typed in each story and I'm up to the late teens in both.  That brings a sense of dread to my creativity, though.  I love to imagine stories, and I love to write them.  Researching them is enjoyable too.  But typing is not.  Whereas when I write the story, I'm sitting comfortably somewhere (usually my bedroom) and there's music playing, when I'm typing I end up all hunched over and bleary eyed. 

I had someone once ask me what I would do if I ever became famous and my answer was immediate:  hire someone to type my work.  But on this wonderful, sunny day in February, I won't think any more about the drudgery of typing.  I'll just continue to enjoy my progress and the ideas I have percolating in my mind for when I get back to the written page (hopefully in a day or so).

Gabrielle

Seven Facts Award

Wow!  As I was hopping along this weekend, I found out that Ronda from Queentutt's World of Escapism awarded me the Seven Facts Award.  Thank you so much, Ronda!  Please, everyone take a trip over to her wonderful world where today (Sunday, 2-20) she has the most delicious book reviewed.

Here is how it works:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog. 
2. Post seven random facts about yourself.

3. Pass on the award along to 15 other worthy bloggers.

I will be posting later the 15 bloggers who I can award this to (since most of the bloggers who follow me already have this award posted on their blogs!).  For now, here are seven random facts about me. 

1.  Seven is my favorite number--and my lucky number!

2.  I've only had my blog for about a month. 

3.  My favorite period in history is the medieval period, pre-Columbian and colonial period for American history.

4.  I have naturally curly hair I usually straighten, except in the summer.

5.  I've known my best friend for 38 years.

6.  My favorite color is blue.

7.  My favorite time of year is summer.

Gabrielle

The Weekend Creation Blog Hop

I found this blog hop through a blogger I follow and love the idea!  It's hosted by Shah Wharton over at Words in Sync and is open to anyone who uses their blog for creative purposes.  Since I use this blog to showcase and discuss my completed book and WIP, I thought it would be perfect.  Please be sure to visit Shah and all the lovely people involved in the Weekend Creation Blog Hop.

As for my creations, I discuss them in blog posts, but today I posted an excerpt from my first book, a paranormal romance entitled Stolen Destiny, on the Excerpts page.  It's been accepted at Siren-BookStrand for publication later this year.  I plan to put excerpts from my other WIP up, but it's the weekend, so I'm off to write. 

Thank you for stopping by, and please leave a comment so I can visit you and follow. Have a wonderful weekend!

Gabrielle