What about this?

And yet another cover...

Am I getting warmer? Actually, I am getting desperate.

Another Cover Mock-Up

This is more in line with my original cover idea. My in-house graphic designer has bigger fish to fry these days so I am trying to figure out the nooks and crannies of making a cover myself. It is not easy. What do you think about this attempt?

Chapters Nine and Ten

These will be the last rough drafts I share with you. I am one chapter (plus a heck of a lot of editing) away from completing my first book. I really didn't think I could do it but here I am, with an almost novel on my hard drive. Very exciting.

Time to retrieve monkey #2. Enjoy the read...

Timeless, A Novel- Chapter Nine Rough Draft First Half
Timeless, A Novel- Chapter Ten Rough Draft First Half

Indie Writer Role Models

So, this new indie ebook publishing world has a slew of great authors. A few of them have stood out for me (and the general public) for their success. I wish I could just say this was for the pleasure of writing, but with little ones to support and my soul feeling all dingy teaching full-time, I want to follow in their particular footsteps.

There is the young star Amanda Hocking, who brought the possibility of e-publishing to the mainstream media's attention.
Read more about it here: Authors Catch Fire with Self-Published E-Books
Hocking is young and had a lot of time on her hands and no dependents so as much as I cheer and envy her success, it is hard to compare what she has accomplished to what I can accomplish with my particular situation.
When I look for writing role models, traditionally published or otherwise, I look for mothers, particularly working mothers with multiple noses to wipe. My favorite one so far is Darcie Chan, whose best-selling novel has generated much acclaim due to the merit of her story alone. She works during the day writing environmental legislation then writes really good fiction at night after bedtime. Chan makes for an excellent role model and is an inspiration to literary fiction writers who want to support themselves.

Of course, with Timeless, I am following Hocking more, writing for a cross-genre loving audience more than for myself. Yet once I am finished with Book One and Two (and hopefully experience a portion of the success Hocking has experienced), I will be afforded the time to slow down and be more careful with my writing. I hope to strike a balance of pleasing my readers and writing stories that I would want to read. It is the dream of most indie writers, I am sure, and having at least two good role models encourages me to continue. Who are your indie writing role models? How did you choose them?

Pushing through Chapter Seven with some inspiring words

This chapter is taking me a few days longer than I had planned. It is strange because I have already mapped it out and done a draft by hand, which is usually the magic combination for writing productivity. Perhaps I am stressed over something outside of the book. Perhaps I am feeling nervous since I am now on the downward slope, having passed the halfway mark in the last chapter. After this chapter, everything is action packed and should flow out of my fingertips and onto the page like water. This chapter, in the meantime, has proved to be a little challenging.
To meet the challenge, I have come to rely on this list:


It has been our desktop wallpaper for months. There is always one line that stands out when I glance at it, that is just right for my needs at that moment. And last night, I came across this, by my nerd crush Ira Glass:


The main thing I need to do right now is push past this. I have set a deadline that I will, for once in my life, respect. Tomorrow is a holiday so tonight I will not sleep but two hours and tomorrow I will write for a least eight hours, plus the hours I put in after the kids' bedtime. I am determined that I will accomplish #33.

So, here is what I got so far. As always, any feedback in the comments is most welcome. Thank you for reading!


Timeless, A Novel- Chapter Seven Rough Draft First Half

Soundtrack to (the writing of) Timeless

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

These are the songs I have been listening to as I wrote the book.

November Rising and Here's Chapter Six

My writing got put aside while I organized and executed the annual children's Halloween party for the school where I teach. It is amazing how exhausting such tasks can be but it is over and I am back in the saddle. I was anxious to finish Chapter Six as it contains a turning point for Ruth that not only reveals more about her as a character but pivots the plot of the book quite substantially. Since this book is to be the first in a short series, I was thinking of a subtitle that would be something like "calm before the storm" or "the eye of the hurricane". Kind of campy right now but I feel like this book is really a brief lull for these women before they have to hop into a hyperactive period of their long lives in the next book. I'll work on that subtitle later. In the meantime, I will hopefully get Chapter Seven cranked out tomorrow. Until then, I give you Chapter Six:
Timeless, A Novel- Chapter Six Rough Draft

Chapters Three and Four

Timeless A Novel- Chapter Three and Chapter Four

I made it to the halfway point in my word count goal this morning. It took a lot longer than I anticipated but I guess that was another rookie mistake. I still plan to have this book finished by November and up on Amazon before Thanksgiving. Crazy perhaps but constant sanity hasn't helped me finish a book. And again any feedback or editorial assistance you'd like to offer is very welcome. Thanks for reading!

Chapter One and Two: Revised

I have been writing non-stop but I thought it was time to go back and smooth Chapter One and Two a little more. I managed to fill a rather thick notebook with my rough draft and I am not even done yet. It is a laborious process to transfer my handwritten work to the computer as I edit as I go. Yet the story is coming together quite well this way. It allows me to write all the time and to get the icky first thoughts out on paper so that I can shape them into something story-ish when the ideas move to the computer. This weekend I am a complete slave to the book though I will probably have to play sometime with the chicklets. You'll notice that Becky has been changed to Cassy in this revision. A few more changes but mainly in style. Okay, I must get some sleep tonight. See you tomorrow for the next chapters... and please feel free to leave any comments aka feedback you wish to make. Thanks!
Timeless- Chapter One and Chapter Two (Revisions)

Casting My Characters

I found with the other book that I am working on (known around these parts as the real book) storyboarding and casting worked wonders for helping the characters come alive. So let me introduce you to the cast of Timeless.

Here is Zoe. Thin, athletic, lovely, with a tendency towards being solemn and withdrawn. She has been through a lot in her many years but is resilient.


This is Rebecca, the sultry neighbor of Ruth and the old friend of Zoe. She is vibrant and full of life and premonitions. She is a key supporting character and brings a bit of humor to the table.


Here is Ruth, the other leading lady. She is timid and in love with a man who is no longer there, even if his body is the same. Her commitment to her vows has her trapped in an abusive relationship but she has more strength than she realizes.


This is Theron, or Ron as he goes by now. His new commitment to the Evolutionists has made him a controlling husband, uninterested in his wife except as a fixture in his life that cares for him. He is suffering psychological trauma from the war still but has turned it into fervor for the Evolutionists.

This is Cyrus, the love of Zoe's life. He disappeared without a trace forty years ago and she thought he was dead.


Here is Cyrus' son, Nick. Zoe and him are briefly involved.


This is Nick's mother, Ally.


It's funny to see them all together like this.

Chapter Two, mended and extended

Not a lot of time right now for sharing my thoughts on these revisions. I'll be back again tomorrow with the new chapter one's revisions. Before I go, I wanted to give a shout out to my beta-readers out there who are helping me with their awesome feedback. I really appreciate your attention and comments. Thank you!

Timeless- Chapter Two Revisions with Ending