Hello, NaNo ...

November is National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). And I'm doing it. Yup, 50,000 words in 30 days. Hoo, boy, what am I getting myself into? But I need to do this. In addition to polishing up the next eBook-to-be (scheduled to be released around the 1st of December), I need to write something NEW. It's just time. And I'm taking advantage of the NaNoWriMo push to do just that.

Believe it or not, I'm off to a good start - 1150 words already this morning, and in the mere span of an hour. I was in the ZONE! I'd forgotten that once I get started the words sort of start to write themselves ... now, that's not to say I won't slam into the proverbial brick wall at some point in the not too distant future, but as I said, I'm off to a good start. It is only the 2nd. We'll see how the rest of the month goes.

I'll try to post word count updates periodically throughout the month, but if you don't see me for a while, don't worry - I'm still here. I'm simply doing what we writers do on occasion - getting lost in our own little worlds, only coming up for air (and coffee) on rare occasions. Until I return, read a book! It's good for you.

Going back to the zone now.

The Saturday Shelf

Nothing to do but ...
All week I've been looking forward to today, with this notion in my head of, "I have nothing to do but ..." well, as it turns out, lots of things. In this day and age of the hurry-up-get-it-done-yesterday, be-on-the-go-24/7, brainwashed mindset, I don't think I will live another day that I truly have nothing I have to do.*

My sometimes misguided, always optimistic brain finished the original thought above with "... work on the book." Reality finishes the thought with

Houston, we have a problem ...

Years ago, my lovely friend and fellow writer Susan McBride (have you read any of Susan's books yet? why not?) wrote a post about how she wasn't the only Susan McBride on the block. She'll have to refresh my memory about whether she was the only one who was a writer.

Well, I have discovered - you guessed it - that I am not the only Jennifer Brooks. In addition, I am not the only Jennifer Brooks who writes.

The Big Announcement

Friends and fans, it's time to make THE announcement.

I'm so proud and excited to share the news that my first novel, No Evil Lost, will be available for purchase as an ebook (Kindle or Nook) this Thursday, September 5, 2013!

Isn't it gorgeous?? My terrific cover artist did a fantastic job, in my humble but honest opinion. =)

Now, a little about the book:

The Domino Effect

Ah, yes, the dreaded rewrite. Groan with me, fellow scribes ...

My invaluable first reader and I had a brainstorming session over the current WIP, and we agreed on a few changes that would make the book stronger, the flow better, and the story hold together more coherently, beginning to end. That accomplished, I've been working on the rewrite for most of the weekend, and I've discovered something.

The domino effect.

To think or not to think ...

No need to think. There's a line in the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that's not in the book (given: one of many); after Professor Umbridge instructs the students that there will be no need to talk while they read their lesson, Hermione mutters under her breath, "No need to think's more like it."

No need to think. How great would it be if we could get away with that, if only for a few hours at a time? No need to think. No need to dwell on the pressures of our daily lives, the stressors, the worries -

For Book Lovers Only

It's an unusually sunny January Saturday here in the mid-state ... we've had so much drear the past few weeks that I actually forgot what sunshine looked like. Cold, still - it is January, after all - but a lovely day to lounge and read. Especially since the WGH did all the laundry yesterday and I don't have to do anything today but go grocery shopping. And that's a maybe.

According to Goodreads, I'm 2 books behind on my 2013 Reading Challenge, so I'm off to the recliner for some quality time with Jamie and Claire. I'll leave you with some reading material to peruse from some of my favorite literary peeps ...

(Cracked) Reflections on A Year in the Life

It's either apologies or homage I must pay to my good friend Robin, who writes a blog called Cracked Reflections on a(n) (ab)Normal Life. I'm stealing her theme here for just a moment ...

Year in Review. I write an annual "update letter" to send out with our Christmas cards. This year I started it with the following disclaimer: