End of November

November is always the busiest month in my year and this year has been no exception.

I once more had visitors - this time our lovely friends Julie & Chevy; my university exam was in November and I wrote my 50 000 word novel.

Yes, I did it - Book Two of my trilogy is complete - well it still needs editing, but a full draft is finished. I have renamed the series - it is now called The Guild Chronicles:

Book One - written last year is 'The Creators'

Book Two - written this year is 'The Destructors'

and Book Three still to be written is called The . . . . '

You will have to wait and see :)

My university results were also great - I got a distinction for my American Literature course, so am thrilled. Next year I am studying Gothic Literature and hopefully also Jane Austen depending on the time-table.

Thank you to my friends and family who have supported me throughout the month of writing - it is addictive, time consuming, wonderful and exciting.

Now I need to edit and publish them both. 2011 is going to be my year - I am hoping to have them published and available to order through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sites. So hang in there. Keep reminding me to edit and get going with this project.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the USA. We have so much to be thankful for.

Word Update

Middle of the month and not quite at the middle of my target.

I have however, reached 20 173 words - that is really great considering I did not writing between the 4th & the 11th of November. Also in just 4 days I have written 7616 words so I am on track to be able to finish.

I need just under 2000 words per day - a little more than I am writing at present, but feel as though I can achieve this.

I am up to Chapter 16 and feel that the characters are developing nicely. At times the plot feels a little slow, but will fix that up in the editing in December. I also think it might be because I have been haphazard in my writing.

The interesting part is that this year I feel more pressured, I now have a readership who want a finished product and also they have a standar - Book One - for me to live up to. Wow, who can believe it, but here I am discussing my second book. 2011, I will certainly try and Edit both books properly and hopefully get book three written, although it may have to wait until nanowrimo 2011. There is nothing like a deadline to force one to work at writing.

Sorry about the lack of postings etc on Vesta - exams, visitors and writing and just hectic, busy, family life have got in the way.

The Writing has started

Nearly 11 000 words so far and 9 chapters. It is such a wonderful feeling to be in control of something in life. In this case it is my 'Creators' World and all the characters. Unlike reality where I am at the whim of everything around me, with my writing I can control it all. Well that is until the characters take on a life of their own and dominate their story.

I am also in the process of writing up study notes for my exam next week - boring - can't wait for it to be finished, so that I can get back to my writing.

Will keep you all updated.

NaNoWriMo is just 6 days away!

Yikes!

This year my determination to write Book 2 of The Creators has inspired a landslide of fellow writers.

Sarah (my 12 year old daughter) has decided to join the Young Writer's Program and write an 8000 word novel about Vermaids - Vampire Mermaids. It sounds so exciting.

Elizabeth (my 20 year old daughter) has decided to join NaNoWriMo and write a 50 000 word screenplay called - Late Night Shopping

and Michelle my best friend has decided to write the first of her six books that are rattling around in her head.

Michelle has also set up a challenge group and attracted people from all walks of life to attempt something for 30 days, so we have all sorts of challenges.

It is exciting!

Will keep you updated.

Joy is in the Swing

Elizabeth took Mom shopping yesterday morning and then picked up Dad for a drive down to the river to see the flood after all the recent rain.
She then ran to the swings and let go, all the joy of being young and free is visible in these photos.

Elizabeth you are beautiful!

(Mom, thanks for the photos)

NaNoWriMo 2010

Here is a huge announcement for November 2010

I am writing Book Two of 'The Creators' this November.

Not only that but Sarah will be joining me in an endeavour to write her novel 'Vermaids', she will attempt to write 8 000 as part of the Young Writer's Programme.

Elizabeth will also be signing up in the next few days, so our household is going to be filled with 'artistic madness' in the month of November.

Wish us all luck, as our fingers fly across the keyboards and the words flow.

It is all finished!

Sixteen and a half years ago, my beautiful son was born and we began a series of appointments together. Matthew was born with a cleft lip and palate and as such we started attending the cleft clinic at the Royal Children's hospital.

Every six months for the past 16 years, we have spent a day together attending appointments with the ENT specialist; the Speech pathologist; the audiologist, the surgical team and of course our regular 6 weekly appointments with the orthodontists.

Today it was another of those appointments - but the wonderful news is that is was the LAST ONE!

Matthew no longer needs to see the Cleft Clinic Team! He still requires a few years of orthdontics, but the Speech clinic; the ENT and the surgical team have all signed off on his treatment. No more is required!!!!!

We shared the joy of ripping up the last appointment form, no more hours waiting on hard chairs, no more early morning drives, no more exhausting tests, questions and most importantly it appearts 99% likely that he will require no more surgery.

Well done Matthew - you have been wonderful. So patient, well -behaved, patient and grateful.

Thank you to the special teams of doctors who have overseen Matthew's progress - these are the true Angels in this world.