The Agony and the Irony

... or how not to start National Novel Writing Month.

I've attempted to win at NaNoWriMo twice before, with the same sad results. I always start out with the best of intentions. I do all the prep work. I get excited. And then life happens and my word count suffers.

This year, I decided it was going to be different. Yes, I have book events and school visits scheduled. Yes, my dear husband has the travel schedule from Hell this month. But I figured out on paper that it was still possible to do this, so I sat my family down and explained we were headed into No Nonsense November (because, yanno, alliteration made it sound more serious.) Everyone had to pull their own weight. No messes would be tolerated. I would be unavailable for anything but the most dire emergencies.

And then.

The edit notes for the first two books in my middle grade series arrived. OK. Fine. No reason to dump the writing goals completely. I decided I could make this a sort of NaNoEdMo, and if I finished the edits quickly enough, I could dive into my new super sekrit project.

Just in time for the prep weekend, when my goal was to have all housework and laundry caught up so I could get lost in the intense writing on Monday, I strained my wrist at the gym lifting weights. I now sport a super-stylish wrist brace and I have to take frequent breaks from the computer when my wrist starts to ache. No biggie. I have pen and paper. When I can't type, I can write longhand.

Not satisfied with my continued drive, the Fates conspired, and this afternoon, whilst preparing my favorite gotta-have-it-when-I'm-writing drink (Diet Coke in a cup of crushed ice with a splash of Cherry Coke Zero and a squeeze of lime), I sliced my finger open. The irony is that I was just thinking as I pressed the blade to the skin of the lime that the knife was getting dull and I should probably sharpen in. I pressed harder. The knife slipped. It is not dull.

So I'm typing mostly one-handed now. The good thing is that the bleeding stopped before I passed out. (I hate the sight of my own blood.) Plus - bonus - my throbbing finger now distracts from my aching wrist.

It's all about the silver linings...

Happy goal-reaching this month, everyone!

P.S. If you haven't already - get out and vote!

Winner and What's Up

The winner of Denise Jaden's LOSING FAITH is:

*drumroll*

Amanda

Please send your mailing instructions to gerb (@) lindagerber (.) com.

This post is, unfortunately, cut short by a quick (non-life-threatening) emergency... but before I run...

Nanowrimo starts on Monday. Anyone here participating?

And for Halloween - this week's Video link: ( Go, Arty!)

Winner!

Happy Election Day, all you US Readers! If you are voting age, GET OUT AND VOTE!

I'll be heading to the polls in about an hour and a half, when the last of the sleepover kids go home. (In our community, the schools are used for polling places, so the kids are off today.)

Meanwhile, the winner of the pen and notepad set is:
TINA

Please send me your mailing address at gerb at lindagerber dot com so I can send it out to you!

I'll be a little scarce the rest of the week. I've taken on the NaNoWriMo challenge this month and I'm already finding that it's going to be, well, a challenge. When I'm on deadline, I think nothing of shutting myself away in a room and attaching myself to a computer, but to crank it out like this on a continual basis... gaah! You can follow the struggle - er, progress - on my crit group's blog if you're interested.

You can also find me on BookWormBookLover's blog this week.

See you right here on Friday for another freebie AND the long-awaited GCC Tour interview with Kelly Parra!

See you then! Now, go vote!!!