National Novel Writing Month

My Nanowrimo project this year is not a novel. It’s an anthology called A Class of Muses, and my ID on nanowrimo.org is JMK.  I've written first drafts of four novels during past Novembers. My third novel, Hada's Fog, is in its sixth and final draft.

Monday and Tuesday writing class members have submitted stories, poems, essays, blogs, and a group tag story to A Class of Muses.  Writing tips will be included and some art work too.

The book probably won't be 50,000 words, but I will  use the time it takes me to write around 2000 words a day to organize the many files into a first draft. I'd like to publish it before the San Francisco Writers Conference in February.

Pitch for Hada's Fog

After six years of writing and rewriting my pitch for Hada's Fog, I think this is the one that I like the best:

In her seventh decade, Hada Zimmerman questions her traditional family role and is shocked into a life-changing decision when a teenage girl reveals a secret.

WordPress Blog

I have a new blog that will become my primary one in 2013. Until then, I'll continue to post duplicates here at Blogspot, but it would be great if you would sign up as a follower on my new one.  I intend to post more often now that this difficult year is almost over. I'm feeling better and my motivation is back. Hurray!

The new blog is easy to remember. It has the same first four words:  timetowritenow.wordpress.com

See you there.

Harlequin Published My Story

My story "Enough Time for Christmas", about a Christmas story my son wrote when he was in high school, has been published by Harlequin in Jennifer Basye Sanders' anthology called:  

A Miracle Under the Christmas Tree: Real Stories of Hope, Faith and the True Gifts of the Season.

It's available on Amazon. There will be a book launch in Pacific Grove on November 10th at The Works Bookstore, 2 to 4.

Thank you, Jennifer for making this acceptance possible.

Give Feelings a Chance to Act

 I read somewhere to give life to abstractions by substituting concrete images that suggest the feeling. I've decided to put that advice into practice with every other chapter. The newest one I wrote in revising Chapter One again is about Hada. Instead of saying she felt guilty, I wrote:

Guilt pinched at her heart and then hid somewhere, maybe in her bones.

It takes a while to think of feelings taking action, but it's fun and avoids overused words.

Character inspiration quote

This quote applies to our characters too. If we look at them through Maharaji's words,  maybe we can find a way to deepen them.

 The peace that we are looking for is within.
It is in the heart,
waiting to be felt.

~ Maharaji

Stephen King Quote

"You can't deny laughter when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants."

~ Stephen King