This one pic of my son says it all- the beautiful, serene beach- wish we were there now.
And there's this one taken by my charming husband, showing me and Em crawling Gollum-like up the ruins at Koba.
What can I say- I hate heights!

But the view from the top was worth it.





Iguanas were everywhere!



And monkeys were in the trees....

Woo Hoo! I said I'd check back in March and I'm early. And I did what I set out to do.
My YA paranormal, No Body to Love, is complete at 62,502 words.
My query letter is out there, right now, in the inbox of 3 different agents. 
So, yay me! Sorry to brag but writing is a lonely life and if I don't do it, no one will.

I'm especially pleased because I not only did what I wanted to do, but I also managed to take Mary Kole's Writer's Digest YA webinar, volunteer at my daughter's school's literary festival and get into Miss Snark's February Secret Agent Contest. I didn't get picked by the agent, but I got loads of brilliant critiques and very encouraging comments which can be viewed here:

http://misssnarksfirstvictim.blogspot.com/2012/02/february-secret-agent-33.html

If you've never checked out Authoress' Secret Agent Archives, do it now. They're full of fantastic info on specific agents' likes and dislikes.

And what of the rest of my resolutions- jogging at least once a week and stuff like that. Well, um...I'm working on it. I mean, sheesh, it's only February. But, I did rewrite my first page after the SA contest.

( Read more... )

Butterflies and hummingbirds- two of my most favorite things. They're so beautiful and fragile, yet capable of great feats of skill and stamina. Every year, when the monarchs float blithely through Dallas on their way to Mexico, I just stand in open-mouthed amazement that such an etheral looking creature could make it all the way. But they do!

So, think what the cover of Possession must be saying when it shows a butterfly trapped in a block of ice. If that image doesn't make you want to reach for the book, you must be heartless!

I  began 2011 in the midst of an Anna Karenina reread. Twelve months later, I can still see Anna's fluttering white hands, Prince Oblonsky's moist teary eyes. 

Last year's resolution was to finally finish The House of Niccolo series and I did!
I picked up at #4 To LIe with Lions (when I'd become really, really upset with Nicholas) and went all the way through to 9!!! Thanks to the fabulous ladies at Shamrock and Stone  http://www.voy.com/202493/ who encouraged me to do so. I'm glad to know how Nicholas' and poor Henry's stories ended and how Lymond's began. However, while I am still in awe of Dorothy Dunnet, I think, that no matter how much we love the characters, no story stays fresh after 6 books. (barring Harry Potter that is!)

Speaking of Harry Potter, I reread all 7 this summer. Emily had, in preparation for the last movie. She was so sad that "her childhood was ending" I picked up the first book so she could have someone who was willing to talk endlessly abou them. The sacrifices a mother will make. ; )

I got so inspired with wonderful rereads, I said what the heck and read the Silmarrilion and LOTR again (I'd read Hobbit last summer). This has to be at least the 5th time I've read that series and I still closed the last page with a sigh wishing it wasn't over just as I did the first time over 30 years ago.

I also re-read The Great Gatsby (because a friend wanted me to read it with her) and while I still dislike all the people in it, I am also still blown away by Fitzergerald's beautiful writing and what his book says about all of us who are awed by wealth and its trappings whether we admit it or not.

The same friend wanted me to read John Irving's Prayer for Owen Meanie. It started out OK but ugh, halfway through I was bored, bored, bored. I thought I'd wretch if I had to read one more supposedly humorous and poignant  Owen anecdote, but friend said I had to keep reading, that I would bawl at the end. I did not. I celebrated. I just found Owen to be so self-righteous and full of hate

If you want to read a poignant and beautiful book, go right now and get The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. It's true I read it the day before I picked up my mother's old doll from a restoration shop so the story hit home; but that book could wring a tear from a heart of stone and Kate Dicamillo does it not waste a single word.

So, what did I read new and loved, loved, loved? A book I picked up off Emily's nightstand. The Mortal Instrument Series by Cassandra Clare, a way-cool mix of arcane, biblical mythology with hip, edgy people. (I'm currently reading the first in her spinoff series- Clockwork Angel and its good- but that's for next year's post).

If you like a little Monte Python mixed with your horror, read The Gates by John Connelly. Very Funny.

I found Julie Kagagawa's  Iron King at the grocery store, liked it and its interesting mythology and passed it along to Em. She and I both read The Iron Daughter but felt the series stalled. Neither of us have read The Iron Knight yet.

The other book I took from Em's room was Of Mice and Men. She had to read it for lit class. I, somehow, never had. Wow. Powerful writing, powerful story.

I also read Wise Man's Fear, the looooong awaited sequel to Patrick Rothfuss' debut, The Name of the Wind. There was some major word wasting there. The story really doesn't get going until page 150 (i'm not kidding) We finally got to Faeire but... I'm still waiting to find out more about Bast, the main reason I read the book!

Now, as to what Duncan got me to read: The Rise of the Hoard, The Last Guardian and The First War, all best selling books based on the World of Warcraft game. Its the backstory/mythos of the game's characters. It is to Duncan what Tolkien was to me at age 12. They remind me very much of the Silmarrilion. I was suppose to read the rise of The Lich King next  but I weanied out because I knew it would be so sad.

Instead, I did a final reread of a favorite author, Susanna Clark's wonderful collection of stories, The Ladies of Grace Adieu. 

And I'm still working through editor, Cheryl Klein's, Second Sight, the only non-fiction of the year. So far, so good. I'll let you know final thoughts next year! 
 

It's a cliche topic; I realize that, but this is my journal and writing something down gives it power. Especially if you do it in ink rather than pencil. Or you post it on the internet! So here goes.

1. I will finish my new manuscript, No Body to Love, by the end of January. I mean it. I had planned to do it by November 1st so I could query before all the NanoWrimoers got the agents in a bad mood. Here it is, January and I'm not done. But I will be. I love you family and friends but this is my month. For these four weeks, you gotta fix your own problems, entertain yourselves- you can do it.

2. I will run at least once a week.

3. I will fix up The Room of Requirement. (we redid our house last Feb/March and ended up with a small, wonderfully cave-like room that could be used as craft room, writing room, exercise room, whatever) It's still just the place we put things we don't know what to do with.

4. Once I have fixed up the Room of Requirment, I will organize our family photos. I stopped doing this when Duncan was in kindergarten. (right about the time, I started writing actually- ok, great, now I feel guilty about Resolution Numero Uno). That's 7 years of photos. Gasp.


All right Resolutions- I'll be checking back with you in March. I'm putting it on the calendar! Right now.

Duncan hanging with our doorman, Jorge. I thought he was a statue until he moved. His brother, Jose, hung out by the outside lunch area but never ate the chicken legs I threw at him. Guess he was a vegetarian.
One of the monkey family that came onto the resort every afternoon.The others were a mom and baby. We realized they were there, above our head, by the smell, musky monkey.
 

 Emily with her afternoon smoothie, mango and honey. I tried cactus. I can't say it was tasty, but I did feel healthy and local. We took our waiter's advice and walked along the beach into the town. It took an hour but was worth it.

 We decided NOT   to eat here and to move along quickly and ran into these guys.

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Back at the Azul Five (yes, that's fives with an s) Duncan wins, again. Emily at the Sea Olive and shopping with me!
 Sunset over the jungle.

Author Shelli Johannes is having a contest in order to pay back to the writing community. 
You can read about it on her website http://www.faeriality.blogspot.com/
It's a fabulous idea for a fabulous community. I am amazed every day by publishing professionals.
Whether its editors and agents who offer critiques to raise money for charity or published and agented authors who reach out to those struggling amid the slush pile, the writing community gives back.

I've blogged before about Denise Jaden, author of Losing Faith. I met her at first conference I attended. I was nervous, naive and fairly ignorant about the publishing industry. She and I were waiting in line to get agent appointments. We were both writers of YA fiction, pitching to the same agents; yet, she was encouraging and willing to share all the knowledge she had gained with me. Though she got an agent and became busy with revisions and promotions, she never stopped encouraging other writers. It was through Denise's tweet that I heard of Shelli's contest. So thanks to Denise and Shelli. Here's hoping I'll be able to give back some day.