Weekly Writing Check-In: The Return

Thought I should bring this back from the blog topic grave. Until a few months ago I used to "check in" every Sunday to talk about how my writing was going. Back then it was mostly a self-motivation type of thing. The more I did it, the less I needed it to be motivated to write. Since doing this full-time it's just become natural for me to write anywhere between 1-3k words a day. (The rest of my work day is editing, outlining, formatting, marketing, etc. as necessary depending on the stage of a story's development.) But I've noticed lately that my blog has become a bit... sparse. Outside of release announcements and sales I don't seem to talk about much anymore. That's mostly because I am usually so focused on work and "real life" that I forget maybe readers want to read other things as well on my blog.

So I think I'll try to start this  up again. Not as a motivator to get me writing, but as a way for me to tell you about my current WIPs.

Right now I am working on what will be the first RR release of the year. Technically it's a part of the RR series, although it doesn't focus on Reina and Aiko as we are all used to. Instead I am letting the minor characters Kaori and Haruka have the whole spotlight by giving them a novel about their entire relationship thus far - from their first meeting until "present day" in the RR universe. That's about three years I am covering in one novel. Right now the thing I am struggling with the most is the pacing - I mean, three years! The longest a RR novel has covered is about a few months. Definitely less than a year. It's a new change of pace I have to plan and write, and I admit it's been a challenge!

The other thing that is new for me is that I am literally rewriting some scenes from SEIKOU and KOIBUMI. Literally. Rewriting. From another character's POV (there's the rub.) This book will cover the breakup that occurs offscreen in SEIKOU, leading Reina and Haruka to first meet. The difference is that I am rewriting it from Haruka's POV! It's both mindnumbingly horrendous and super fun at the same time. I have to find ways to use the same actions and dialogue to give a fresh spin. It's something I've never done before!

All of this, though, is happening while there was a bit of an allergy blitz in my house this week. Our Xmas tree finally bit the dust and released a score of allergens that left me bedridden for a couple of days - massive sore throat, congestion, and terrible fatigue. (Fun fact: I was hospitalized as a small child because of a Christmas tree allergy, so yay!) I've mostly grown out of SEVERE allergies to the, well, world outside (if it has pollen, I am allergic.) But this was so bad that it felt like I was a kid again. So I am  a bit behind right now... but uh, at least I'm caught up in my 3DS games?

I'm gonna take this clear brain of mine and get back to the some serious writing. And some serious Pokemon battling, because my work reward system is totally awesome.

Weekly Writing Check-In: IN AMERICA...we get sick.

Hello all! I am back, yet again. Hopefully for good this time. As of yesterday I am officially moved back in America. I had a lovely and fun vacation in Tokyo, although silly me went out bar-hopping in Shinjuku Wednesday night...and if you don't know, bars in Japan are REALLY small...like, seating only 10 people. Which mean they're very, very crowded. And smoking is still a big thing in Japan, especially in bars. And little ol allergic-to-smoke me was surrounded by cigarette smoke and a friend who just got over the flu, and with my lowered immune system at the time, I woke up thursday with...a cough! Oh. Well you can imagine how well  I handled a cough on a 24 hour trip home. Remember Christmas when I came home and I instantly had laryngitis? Remember the flu I had earlier this month? It's time for both!

So yeah, sick again. Although doing better now that I've finally found the right OTC drugs to take. But yes, checking in to let y'all know what's going on with this blog. Entries should be resuming their normal pattern this following week as planned, unless I super-die from this flu again. See you around! And don't hang out in Japanese bars with a low immune system! <3

Weekly Writing Check-In - I LIIIIIVE!

Sort of. I may be a veritable zombie at the moment. Earlier this week I got a bout of the 24hour flu, stressed myself out too much the following day, and sunk into a prolonged flu relapse the day after that. Thursday I was completely incapable of even sitting up (and since I live by myself until the end of the month, you can imagine how...certain chores went.) So nothing writing related, even checking Blogger, got done. But that's cool. I'm sure I needed some forced relaxation seeing as how I move out in two weeks and I barely have half my things packed and nothing cleaned.

..but on the other hand, if you would like an episode by episode recap of The Mentalist Season 2, I will be happy to oblige! :D