Hump Day Humor + NaNo Updates

Hello Everyone! I hope you're all having a great week! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving (A-whoo-hoo!) and I'm baking up a storm, but looking forward to this great holiday with the family!

So, three orders of business today:

1) NaNo Updates. I'm at 46,453 words in November, which puts me at 60,147 words for my novel overall. I've written 15 out of 23 chapters, and have three days to write 3,547 words. Will the book be done at 50, 000 words? Um...no. Even I can't get through eight chapters in 3,500 words. I'm thinking will be more in the 70,000-90,000 range, but by the time November is over, I'll have most of it. (Yippee!)

2) Here's some Hump Day Humor to get you through to Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

I bet he only eats 'Dark' meat!

3) Looking for some great Thanksgiving stories? A couple of years ago now, one of my stories (a true one, as it were) was accepted for a Thanksgiving anthology called Thanksgiving Tales, edited by Brian Jaffe. You can find both the print and kindle versions HERE on Amazon, and Amazon prime members can read it for free. I make no money on the sale, but have read most of the stories in it myself, and they range from funny to touching. My story, if anyone is interested, is called Hill vs. Hill vs. Hill. It chronicles our yearly family football game. Let's just say, hilarity generally ensues.

Anyway, I'll be doing a Thanksgiving edition of Thoughts for Thursday tomorrow, but I know plenty of people will be off the net, so if you won't be online tomorrow, let me wish you the Happiest of Thanksgiving holidays!

Cheers!

Will you be online on Thanksgiving Day?

Tweet

Creepy Elevator Video: The Elisa Lam Case

Source

So I came across a seriously crime tidbit this past week and thought I'd share it today. But first, NaNoWriMo updates!

As of yesterday, I've written 39,460 words for NaNo, which equals 53,154 words for my book, Desolate Mantle. I'm going to press through and try to hit the 50,000 word count this week, which means I have 10,000 words to write in the next five days. Participating writers can start uploading their manuscripts for validation today. I'm not done yet, but I hope to finish by the 30th. Wish me luck!

(P.S. If anyone's looking for some great Thanksgiving stories, check out this anthology. I don't make any money on the sale of it, but I do have a story in there entitled Hill vs. Hill vs. Hill about our annual family football game. All the stories in it are pretty great.)

Did you know...

About a girl named Elisa Lam who was killed in L.A. in February of this year? It seems I'm a bit late to this story, but I stumbled across the security cam footage which has gone viral on internet since it was first released. And it's seriously creepy!

The facts: 

Tweet

5 Tips for Staying the Course for NaNoWriMo

http://nanowrimo.org/dashboard

We're more than half way through the month and, if many of you are like me, your behind on your word count and overwhelmed at thoughts of catching up and/or trying to finish your novel in the next 10 days. I feel ya. I can't seem to get caught up to what my word count needs to be, but I'm trying hard! So, here are some tips for pushing through and hitting your goals.

1. Re-structure your goals. Especially if you're behind, look at what you have left to do and what the rest of your month looks like. Maybe adjust the daily word count or try to squeeze in some extra sessions. 

2. Re-think your schedule. You might consider going without a couple of hours sleep here or there, or just cancelling something else you have planned. If so far, something or some time you've planned to write didn't work out, there's a good chance it won't work out again over the next couple of weeks. 

3. Review your outline. Sometimes, no matter how much passion you have for your project, after days of wallowing in it and forcing words to come, you can get a little sick of your story. I find that going over my outline (even if it's just in my head) and picturing the story can get me hyped up about it again. Which translates into more words.

4. Remind yourself of your end-game. Maybe the next 10 Days will be difficult, but you will be 50,000...lets emphasize that: 50,000 words closer to finishing your book. Keep your eye on the prize!

5. Ask for family and friend support. Tell your spouse or kids not to let you get distracted until your words for today are written. Have them help keep you accountable. You could always bribe the kiddos with something like, "we can't go to the park until mommy/daddy finishes their work." Maybe that will get you some quiet time. You never know!

Source

6. Don't be afraid to reward yourself. I'm certainly not above bribing myself to hit my word count. If I find my motivation lacking, I tell myself I can eat some chocolate, but not until I hit my daily goal. It really does work. Find out what works for you. Food? A walk? A favorite TV show? Do what it takes to hit your word count.

7. Give yourself a break. I don't know how everyone else is structuring their NaNo, but I don't write every single day. But if you DO, and one morning you just feel like you can't, and no motivation helps, don't be afraid to take a day off. Granted, you may have to write more later to make up your missed words, but taking a day off may re-charge your batteries enough to make it happen. Besides, burning yourself out completely won't get your novel written any sooner.

8. Watch this video. It's geared toward athletics, but will make you feel like you can do anything and everything on earth. (courtesy of youtube.com)

9. And this one from the LDS Storymakers Conference! It will make you want to write. A lot. FOREVER!!! (courtesy of youtube.com)

10.  Just do it! Yeah, it's the Nike logo. And lots of athletes use it. But in truth, it goes for any goal and any profession. No matter how hard it is or how much you need a break, just stop complaining and do it. 

Do YOU have any tips for pushing through NaNoWriMo?

Tweet

Quick NaNo Update and Link!

Source

Just a quick NaNo update today. I do have a Top Ten Tuesday post HERE if you want to read it or join our blog hop. This week's topic is top ten book recommendations. (What are yours?)

As of yesterday, I've written 27,605 words this month for NaNoWriMo, which puts me at 41, 299 for the novel all together. I broke 40,000 yesterday! A-whoo-hoo! 

How's everyone else's NaNo going?

Tweet

Historical Fiction Lovers Read This!

Happy Monday, Everyone! 

I have two orders of business today 1) NaNoWriMo Updates and 2) an invitation for historical fiction lovers!

1) NaNoWriMo is going great! I was going to give a numbers update, but I didn't get as much writing done on Desolate Mantles over the weekend as I would have liked, so I think I'll wait until tomorrow. Hehe. I've had both troubles and good things, so I suppose I'll get a post or two out of my first NaNoWriMo experience. Stay tuned!

2) As many of you know, I recently got the cover art for my forthcoming historical fiction set in Russia in the middle ages (see cover below). Citadels of Fire is set to hit shelves in May, but I should be getting ARCs for it in the next couple of months, and I'll be sending out requests for reviews.

If anyone wants to beat the hype and would like the chance to review Citadels of Fire, send me an email at lkhillbooks@gmail.com and I'll be sure to include you when the ARCs arrive. Below is a blurb so you can decide if it's for you. I look forward to hearing from anyone interested!

Well, have a great Monday, and a great week, everyone! Happy NaNoWriMo!

In a world where power is paid for in blood, no one ever aspires to more than what they were born to, and danger hides in plain sight, Inga, a maid in the imperial Russian palace, must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth.

Inga’s life in sixteenth century Russia is bleak until a man she crossed paths with as a child returns to the Kremlin.  Taras is convinced his mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident and has returned to try and discover what really happened, all during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit on the throne of Russia.

While Taras only finds lies and silence where he seeks truth, Inga struggles with the feelings of oppression that have plagued her for most of her life.  Taras gives her the chance to leave her loneliness behind forever, but the cost and future of such a liaison is uncertain and Inga is afraid.

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

How's everyone's Monday going?

Tweet

Hoory! It's Friday! + Nano Updates

Source

Happy Friday Everyone! We made it through the week! Who-hoo! 

My Follow Friday post is HERE at Musings on Fantasia if you want to see it, or join our blog hop. 

As for NaNo, as of today I've written 17, 537 words for NaNoWriMo, which puts me at 31, 231 for the novel. I've written 9 chapters out of 24. As you can see, though I'm still running a bit behind on my NaNo word count, I'm chugging right along.

How has everyone else done with NaNo this week? Got any fun weekend plans?

Tweet

NaNoWriMo Updates + Updates on Book 2!

I didn't mention it yet, I don't think, but I'm trying to finish the second book in my Street Games series for NaNo. I'd started writing it before November, but I only had about 5,000 words. I think it will be longer than 55,000--more in the 70-90,000 range, but I think I can finish it, or if not that, come very close.

I'm tentatively calling book 2 Desolate Mantle.

Yesterday, I wrote 4898 words, which puts me at 12303 for NaNo and 25,997 for the novel. 

Here's the info on book 1, Dark Remnants. It's currently priced at $0.99, though that will probably change when I finish book 2.  You can get it on Amazon, B&N, or Smashwords.

      In the most dangerous city in the country, one controlled by a sadistic gang called the Sons of Ares, Kyra Roberts is searching the deep places for someone…
      Kyra has come to Abstreuse city to find someone she’s lost, but walking the underbelly—a dark alley system residents call the Slip Mire—even in disguise, is rife with dangers. Kyra must stay on her toes if she intends to live. After crossing paths several times with the same detective, she wonders if his work and hers might be connected.
      Gabe Nichols has worked homicide in Abstreuse for three years. Dead prostitutes and gang violence are part of the night shift. When a woman who looks like a street junkie but acts like an intellectual saves his life, he’s intrigued. Another woman shows up at his crime scene, and Gabe’s instincts kick into high gear when she clams up. Two cases involving strange women who won’t tell what they know are too coincidental.
     If Gabe and Kyra can’t find a way to collaborate, they may not live to see the sunrise. Doomed, like so many others, to become gray, unmarked graves in a forgotten fracture of the Slip Mire.

How's everyone else doing with their NaNoWriMo projects?

Tweet

It's Monday! What does YOUR week look like? (And NaNo Updates)

Good Monday Morning, All! I hope everyone had a safe, wonderful weekend. I was quite busy, though happily, I managed to accomplish plenty of work and also play a little. My sister and I did some early Christmas shopping and tons of holiday planning, but we also saw not one, but two films Yea! I don't think I've been to the movies since the summer. The last thing I remember seeing in the theaters was The Great Gatsby, and that was quite some time ago!

Source

Anyway, this post is just to say good morning, wish everyone a great week, and also say that my posts for the rest of the month will probably more sparse than usual. I don't think I mentioned it at all last week, but I"m participating in NaNoWriMo. I had a fairly normal posting schedule last week, but that's only because I wrote up most of last week's posts days before NaNo started. Now, I'm in the thick of it, already behind on my word count, and the holidays are coming at us faster than I can believe.

So...if I'm a bit absent over the next few weeks--less commenting, less interaction, and the like--that's why. I may do simple, paragraph-long posts each day to give updates on NaNo and other small things, but that's all. For right now, I have 7,405 words written. A bit behind, as you can see (I should have roughly double that by now) but I hope to get caught up this week. Wish me luck! So, everyone have a great week, good luck to everyone participating in NaNo, and wish me luck as well!

Cheers! :D

Anyone else doing NaNo? How's it going?

Tweet