Just over 4

Four days left that is.  This month has been a crazy roller coaster of writing.  Some days are fabulous and I can reach my daily word count goals in just a couple of hours.  The plot takes care of it's self, characters behave accordingly and all is happy.  Other days are exactly opposite.  It's like the story along with everyone in it is just staring at you blankly (almost the same way you feel like you're staring at the empty screen).  Or tiredness wins when brain power fails.  I've been known (more than once) to wake up to a few lines of gibberish staring back at me.  Yes, folks, I sleep type.

Today, however, was one of the good days.  In fact I'd go so far as to say it's the best day of all 26, and I imagine it will be the best day of the entire month.  It was that good.  The story practically wrote itself.  I just did my best to keep up with it.  Are there plot holes and flaws?  Absolutely.  Is the writing gorgeous and captivating?  Ha!  Probably not.  But.  It has potential.  A lot of it.  Beautiful things and funny things happened.  Smooth and brilliant (to me) transitions happened.  I couldn't stop typing.  The daily goal is 1,667. Today I stopped at 4,375.

I am in love.

Total word count for November: 43,010

Day 6

Until now I've been really excited about my story overall, even on days is seems to not come as easily. Today I've had a hard dose of doubt about my story.  I think it stemmed from trying to do a little research on it.  I checked some books out on the fairy tale my story is loosely based on.  We'll use the turn loosely very generously.  I panicked that it's not true to the story, that critics will fault me for my own spin on a classic, that it will just stink.  The dialogue could use a lot of help, too.  Lots of help. As in there's hardly any.  At least that's what it feels like.

But.  I keep trying to remind myself that this is the very first draft.  I'm trying to think of it more as a really detailed outline (have I already said this).  When I've got everything down, and it feels finished, I can go back and really make it something great. I don't have to write a perfect novel right off. I also know that these negative thoughts are not from me but from the adversary.  To him I say, "leave my book alone!  She's mine and she is lovely."

Now back to pounding out thousands of words.

Day 3

Current word count: 5,547

This is hard.  And fun. I am loving it.  Maybe next week I'll hate it.  Right now it's awesome.  My writing, however, is not. I shake my head at my writing even as I type it.  It helps to tell myself that this is one really long and superbly detailed outline.  I wish I knew a little more about about both character and plot development.  Another part of me says being an avid reader for my whole life is the best experience I can start with.  I know what I like and what drives me insane.  (Gables series?  Not you, Anne with an e.)  I may have to give up reading book reviews for awhile.  I"m already taking them personally and they're not even about anything I've written.

I casually mentioned to McKay something about writing my book.  His eyes got so big and as excitedly ask, "You're going to be published?!"  I think I'll be happy to have him on my team when rejection letters start rolling in. :)  Jeff has been pretty awesome, too.  OK.  Really awesome and very understanding when I break tradition of watching our shows together so I can go write.  Or not pestering me about getting to bed earlier because he knows I need to write.

Honestly, I've had a really great showing of support.  I expected a little more "You're crazy!"  Instead I've gotten a of , "That's so cool!"  "I want to read it!"  I love it.  But.  No one will be reading it for a long, long time. One day.  I promise.  Even if I have to give it to you on a USB. ha ha.

In three days, I've noticed one side effect that I hadn't anticipated.  Focus.  Not on my writing.  I am focused on it when I'm on the laptop. Focus in every other aspect of my life.  I now have a purpose that is solely for me (even though I'm still doing it for my kids/family).  Things that felt overwhelming before are now simple and I have a clarity of mind that wasn't there before.  If this is what writing does for me, I will write forever no matter how appalling my writing might be at times.

I'm glad tomorrow is Sunday.  I'm hoping to rest my creative brain.  I may sift through my characters and pick their imaginary brains for all the details I can gather.  Maybe write a much shorter outline.

NaNoWriMo

or National Novel Writing Month.

In two days I will begin the journey of 50,000 words.  The goal is to reach this lofty word count in 30 days.  I'm feeling nervous.  50,000 words is a lot of words.  I read somewhere that the average YA book is around 80,000.  Ask me to read that in a day and I could do it.  Piece of cake, actually.  But to write just over half of that in 30 days?  Minus Sundays.  Scary.

I'm also feeling excited.  4 years ago a story popped into my head.  I wrote a page at best.  I sent it to a friend who gave me lots of good feedback.  And then life continued on and my little story sat at a page length for quite sometime.  The story, however, never left.  The heroine kept nudging me.  The hero started pestering me.  The villain taunted me.  So I started again only reaching a few more pages before letting life take over yet again.  Like before, the story and the people in it haunted me.  This summer I knew I needed to give myself over to the story.  For four years these people and the events in their lives have sat patiently, waiting for me to get my act together.  Over the course of a few weeks this summer I upped my word count to nearly 10,000 words which is the equivalent of about 27 pages.

I sent these pages (minus a few at times) to a few deeply trusted souls.  It honestly terrified me.  I love my story.  It's my baby.  It went out with a warning that it was the roughest of rough drafts and the only things I wanted were a) questions about the characters or plot to help me see what I'm missing in my story and b) loads of positive feedback.  No plot consistency corrections.  No grammar.  No spelling.  (Hey.  I'm needy like that.)  Let me just say right now that I sent it to the 3 kindest people.  You know who you are.  I had such lovely feedback that when Cami asked if I wanted to do this crazy NaNoWriMo thing, I jumped at the chance.

I am really looking forward to seeing the end (and most likely the beginning) of my story.  It's special to me.  It's s something I want to give to my kids.  Which is my ultimate goal.  Something tangible and meaningful to leave my kids.  Publishing has never been the ultimate goal.  But, I won't lie.  It would be legendary.  (Sorry. Lots of HIMYM lately)

Over the next 4-5 weeks, you can expect a messier house.  Hair hiding in a hat.  Face relatively free of makeup.  A slight crazed look in my eye.  Notebooks and note cards and Dr. Pepper as constant companions.  Lack of attention in conversations.  This is it.  My sweet little book is ready to grow.  I am ready for adventure.

Par-TAY!

A few months ago I conned  talked my dad into helping me plan and execute a surprise party for my mom's 60th birthday.  We wrangled her BFF, Bonnie, into being our accomplice.

This is Bonnie.  My partner in crime.  And her husband Paul. He was pretty useful, too. :)

Really.  She was a necessity.  I do not get party planning love from my dad. :)  My mom was 110% surprised.

Mom and Dad.  Mom's still taking it all in.  BTW, the photo booth was a huge success.

So many friends and family members came out to show her some birthday love.  My favorite moment of the entire evening was when she turned around and saw her dear, dear friend Suzanne Hansen waiting to embrace her.

Mom and Suzanne gettin their glamour on.

I think my mom got rather teary.  (Which is the signal of instant success in the Marchant family.)  It was a lovely way to celebrate an lovely woman.

Just a few short days later, Miss Sophie had a "kingdom celebration" to celebrate her 6th birthday.  (6 is apparently the "it" number this year. :)  She was so excited for her party. I don't think she really even cared about her actual birthday.  We tried to go all out on the decor.  Darn wind was being a party pooper.  We did our best though with balloons and kingdom flags strung across the yard and, starting at the slide "tower" where Rapunzel her self was peeking out of a window, yellow crepe paper  going every which way.  Sophie wore her Rapunzel dress all day in anticipation.

 We played lots of fun carnival games like ring toss, pin the frying pan on Flynn, raced Pascal around a tree and more.

All the kids got to make a paper lantern.  (Too bad I forgot to send them home.  Oops.)  The crowning event though was the face painter.  My cute friend and visiting teaching partner is an amazing face painter.  We were lucky enough to schedule her to come and help us celebrate. (Really-she is amazing. And affordable. You can check her out here.)

It was so much fun celebrating birthdays.  I was completely worn out after such a crazy week.  (Did I mention that the first party came two DAYS after we came home from vacation?!)  It was so worth it, though.  Happy sigh.

Happy Birthday!

To the most beautiful 6 year old that I know.

A Typical Sunday at the Maynes

by Jeff Maynes
Shared by me


Upon arriving home from the morning meeting Dad announces his presence and begins to investigate the native householders.

Lyndsi, are you ready?

Yes.  

McKay, are you ready? 

I can't find my shoes.   

They are probably in your room where you took them off last week. 

I looked Dad, I can't find them. 

"Sophie, are you ready?"  Big smile, he he he, he he he, Daddddd.  

Chole enters from some far flung corner of the house she is exploring

"Daddddieeeee  Daddddieeee."

3 mins later. 

McKay are these your shoes? Under your bed under your pants?

Oh, yeah.

Chloe enters room with her favorite toy of McKays, Thor. Its the one that yells "I am Thorrrrrrr"

Chloe  "Torrrrrrrr"

3 mins later

A mad dash of hair preparation has ensued in the bathroom.

Dad, be quiet and go downstairs, you are distracting the baby

Hair prep entails 3 heads of hair in 7.25 minutes. Remarkable

The relative calm of the next three hours descends upon us. 

After the big meeting is over we all head in different directions

Kids exit west to walk with friends/sibling, mom exits south with baby. Dad left in dust.

1 to 4 hours later. 

Dad enters from garage.

McKay and Sophie and table, Chloe & Mom asleep the latter a rarity, Lyndsi in room, all too common.

Hey Dad

Hey Guys. Is that an egg?

Yup

Did you cook it?

Yup

How did you do that?
Don't you remember that time you taught me how.

Ummm Yeah.

He made me one to.

Dinner sometimes is nice and sometimes is leftovers or whatever is found.

Dad, here is a list of what you could be for Halloween.

Spy, Chuck, Flynn Rider.

McKay has derived this list from conversations with Dad regarding his favorite movie, Mom regarding one of her favorite characters and randomness. Flynn Rider really?

Two of these are portrayed by the same actor, I am sensing a theme here.

After some family reading Mom and Dad go on a walk with Chloe while the remaining crew "get ready for bed"

24 minutes later

Sophie prancing around room in PJ's, Lyndsi in room, McKay. Door closed. Oh Dear.

McKay what you doing. 

Moving my bed back where it was when we moved in.

Dad rubs head, with audible groan heard.

Bedroom is rearranged every 5.7 weeks.

Have you guys brushed your teeth?

All answer affirmative

No on has brushed their teeth.

Prayer is said. Prayers are said.

3 minutes later.

Sophie: I'm hungry

Go to bed

I'm hungry.

Remember when we asked you 2 hours ago if you were hungry?

No

You asked what there was to eat, we said you could have some soup, you gave us a blank stare.

But I won't be able to fall asleep unless I get some food

Lyndsi: Dad can you help me make this project? (A doll bed out of cereal boxes she has learned on YouTube)

Its time for bed Lyndsi.  

Big Smile

Guess who won that battle

30 minutes later.

Dad, I'm scared. 

McKay. Go To Bed.