Summary

I hope you are all doing well, and had fabulous holidays!

I didn’t quite mean to fall off the map like I did.  We had wonderful holidays but the travel did take a toll on us.  And guess what we returned to. A roof leak that had been going on for some time. Due to the torrential amounts of rain while we were gone it gave up any attempt at secrecy and flaunted itself in soaking wet carpets and mold growing behind our walls.  What a great way to end the year, by tearing apart our house and moving our son and all his belongings out of his bedroom.  Still, if we can get it fixed and start the New Year with a safe snug home it will be a wonderful beginning to next year.

Knowing our builder I doubt our home will ever be safe or snug, though.  Sigh. 

The year end, of course, is a natural time of reflection.  Looking back on this year I’m pleased with what has happened.  We’ve had more illness than normal the last six months, possibly because of the mold growing in our walls, but we’ve had some great times as a family and all in all we’ve been moving forward.  Or upward. Or whatever direction you wish to assign to positive movement.

In writing I’ve beta read, been read by betas, edited, began to query, edited again, and when I finish the changes I’m working on will begin querying again in the new year.  Better yet I’ve started a new book that I absolutely adore.  I’m so excited to query just because I can start working on it again.

This New Year may bring some changes and there may be some announcements coming, but even if it’s a continuation of last year I’m happy with that.  Because I’m happy with where we are.  Except for the mold. 

Good and Bad

Preparing for the holidays has reminded me of all the things I love about the holidays. And all the things I don’t like about the holidays.  Fortunately for me,  there are more good than bad things to think about.  I know it's not that way for everyone. Life is filled with good and bad, as our writing should be.

Have you ever read a book where nothing bad happens?  What about a book where everything bad happens and nothing good?  In those cases I know the author was trying to get lots of tension but instead they delivered an unending  stream of trouble and unhappiness.  There’s no relief, leaving the reader too drained to want to continue reading.  

Like in life, a book needs good and bad.  A book with all bad is just as bad as a book with all good. 



I'm traveling for the holidays so I'm not commenting as much on blogs but I'm still around, lurking.  Hope you are all having a great holiday season!

Living

I’ve lately been reading a story, and while the story is good, and the writing is clean, I feel that the author is telling me a story, instead of me living the story.  There’s nothing wrong exactly, but it’s not quite there.  I think being told the story and living the story is difference between a good story and a great story, more so than whether the writing is "good". 

What do you think?  Do you see a difference?

Writer's Christmas List

I saw this comic over on Behler Blog. 






















I thought it pretty much covered everything though I might add a baby sitter a couple hours a week for some writing time. 

What would you add to the list?