WRITING RETREAT WAS A BLAST!

I am back from our three day mini writing retreat to Emerald Isle, North Carolina. I want to publicly thank our host, Lori Hayes Keizer. Comedy relief was added by Sarra Cannon. The two days of rain did what a huge snowstorm does for many people in America...made us stay inside and WORK! For us, that meant WRITE!


Me, Lori & Sarra kick up some sand


We snuggled around the fireplace, drank tea and worked on our WIPs (work in progress) A short break at the local coffee shop,
BEANS-N-SCREENS, gave us a few minutes of Internet, which is hard for me. Ignoring all those e-mails? They are a time suck.

Lori lucked out when the opportunity to interview the owner AND shadow the barista filled her head with everything she needed to create her story...set in a coffee shop! Things sometimes work out, that way. Sometimes an author has an idea, but doesn't have the background to keep the book accurate, which is why opportunities like this are FIRST RATE!

Hello Kitty shared our beach house because Sarra Cannon, a Young Adult author, was in her element. Typing away on one of two different laptops, and her fancy phone, but she is the techno-savvy author. YA titles of hers grace many e-book seller sites and she is selling her books right and left. She shared some great tips for getting the word out on my own Amazon titles (use their Forums), and has me considering self-publishing some of my stories (in the future).

For me, I worked on my contemporary paranormal, HEAVEN SENT WARRIOR. It is set in North Carolina and actually ends at the ocean, where my heroine drowns...don't worry, there is a happy ending. I love the ocean and it was great to wake up Sunday morning and finally see the sun. We took an early afternoon break to walk on the beach. The photos are fun, and the surfers were cute...I mean, inspirational.

Some day, hubby and I might rent one of the many pastel-colored beach homes and spend a week or two on beautiful Emerald Isle. 

Nancy

Time flies when you are WRITING

It has been awhile since I have posted, but I have an excuse. I have been writing. Writing is my full time profession. It is time consuming, hair-pulling, heart-wrenching....

I have enjoyed meeting other writers for breakfast, and lunch, and have shared chapters with query partners, while giving them feedback about their chapters. I've worked on our family taxes, worried about owning two ancient cars that could drop dead at any moment, and am planning my husband's birthday trip.

World news is filled with crazy stuff. Family members have suffered illnesses. Their pain affects me in many ways. Luckily, I am still well, so accepted a fellow writer's offer to join her and another friend for a weekend at the beach. No, the North Carolina coast is not the best place in February and the rain has come down for two days straight, but the ability to write, edit, and ask for opinions is a real treat.

As I write this blog post, I am sitting in a coffee shop, the only Internet available. I can't wait to get back to the beach house and continue my writing...shoes off, a hot cup of tea or a glass of wine by my seat, and no interruptions.

Heaven!

WEEKEND PROGRESS REPORT:
     1)I have polished chapters eight and nine of HEAVEN SENT WARRIOR. I plan to begin submitting the completed single title contemporary paranormal to agents sometime next month.
     2)I have polished the first 4 chapters of SPELLBOUND HIGHLANDER which I plan to submit to a publisher by the end of the week.

Sales for my current novels are adding up, but I am seeking representation in order to get a book published in PRINT FORM. I have goals and met several in 2010. 2011 is a new year and I am looking forward to more success.

Nancy