I did it! I’m almost caught up on my words as I did a lot of NaNo writing today—chalking up over 6k words! Not an easy task for an AR *anal retentive* writer like me. Usually, I stop every thousand words or so and whittle down to the basic bones of the story.

Like I’ve said before… NaNo writing requires a large degree of commitment and risk-taking. You write a story dictated entirely by your muse. No questions asked. It’s like diving into a pool blindfolded with no idea of how deep it is or what lies at the bottom. Okay, maybe the blindfolds are off if you have a loose outline.

I’m very close to 20,000 words (yipee!), so I’m posting two things to help mark the occasion:

1. Just a fun pic of me (above) dressed as a RoboCat at a New Orleans Halloween event last month with halau Na Lei Hulu. I promised my costume maven friend, Sandra, that I’d post a pic so… voila! I’m posing with Lela, a character from Futurama, AKA Rose from halau. Yes, I’m like a B-movie RoboCat.

2. Here’s a paragraph from my NaNo middle-grade novel called Between Friends. Thanks to my NaNo buddy, Laura, who has posted sentences from her novel, I’m inspired to post an entire paragraph from mine. Disclaimer: This from my first draft. Just a first draft…

“I dunno. I’m just making up something,” she says. I know and I’m a bit wary about what she’s making. I inspect the floor to see if there’s anything from the kitchen. The last time Deanna made her concoctions, or whatever it is she calls them, she used real milk in some of those bottles. Then she stored them under her bed and forgot all about them. A week or so later there was a gross smell. Worse than that were these little maggots, horrible spindly white things, crawling out from under her bed. Deanna refused to sleep in her bed for weeks, long after the mess was cleaned up.

I aim to get to 30k words by mid-week. Stay tuned…!

You’ve heard of the Cat in the Hat. Get ready for the Cat in the Box:

Too cute, eh? I accidently came across that one over the net.
Okay, now I’m back to Nano-writing on purpose… Ciao!

 

Steady progress is easier said than done with NaNoWriMo. I started out writing every day, then I dropped down to every 2 or 3 days with wordless spurts in between. I found out that didn’t worked. I slipped further and further behind.

So, yesterday I went from 7.5k to 11k words. How was that possible? By turning off internet access and tying myself to a chair at the local Starbuck’s.

And thanks to my NaNo system of support–my Nano Buddies and fellow Nano BlueBoarders–seeing their progress inspires and motivates me.

I also heard from notable author, Katherine Paterson, who sent a goodwill email blast to those of us in NaNoland. Her message, laden with encouragement, melted away my feelings of despair. Here’s an excerpt:

I aim always to get to the end of the first draft even though all the time I’m telling myself that I’m writing nothing but garbage that no one on earth would ever want to read, especially me. But I tell myself that this poor little attempt, this garbage, deserves a chance.

Just as our beautiful dog Annie, who was the runt of her litter, grew into the most beautiful, loving dog anyone would want, so there may be hope, even for this pitiful mess of words I’m accumulating. So I say to myself: Don’t read back too far, don’t try to start rewriting, just get to the end.

Alas, my story is a runt. It is a middle grade novel called Between Friends. I’m enjoying the process of writing it but sometimes it’s scary. I’m doing the whole thing as a rough draft and I can’t slow down to edit or even spell check. One might say it’s a homely little runt, at this point, but I’m committed to feeding and caring for it and I’ll watch that puppy grow! The half-way point of 25k is this weekend. I must speed up my typing like my story depends on it. (It does!) Wish me luck!

Feel free check out my Nano page here.

I came across this cartoon while browsing the net for updates of Obama’s historic win. I can’t remember the article or blog but in the comments section someone simply wrote: “This says it all” with a link to the cartoon. Perfect.

Loved it at first glance. Then I had an idea. So, I contacted the political cartoonist, Steve Sack, for permission to post his cartoon. He not only gave his blessings but he sent me the jpeg! (Thanks, Steve!)

Pinch me. I’ve not only posted the coolest election cartoon from the net but Senator Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the USA! He will be the first African-American, first Hawai’i born citizen to hold the country’s highest office.

I’m still savoring Election Night. Anyone else?

I volunteered for a huge GOTV phone-banking campaign at the Convention Center/Marrott Hotel in Downtown Oakland. When they announced Obama’s victory, close to a thousand people danced, shouted, cried and hugged one another. I phoned my family and they, too, were celebrating.

Oakland Mayor, Ron Dellums, who is African-American, gave an impassioned speech saying, “As a young person, I could not have conceived of this moment… But it’s here; this is the human family. You’ve elected a man who sees the world as it is.”

The room buzzed with a rambunctious, gleeful vibe. Then everyone quieted as soon as Obama showed up on the monster-sized TV screens. We squeezed in closer, eager to hear his words. He did not behave the “victor.”  Instead, Obama exuded a seriousness–a mindful acceptance that his winning encompassed everything: the wonderful, the worrisome and the ugly—the challenges facing America today. He didn’t fail to delight, however, with news of a puppy for Malia and Sasha. (I suggest a cute little mutt!)

I walked out of the convention center to music blasting from a nearby restaurant. People spilled onto the sidewalks and streets, dancing and shouting in jubilation. I pulled away from the curb just as the honking started. It began as a faint beep in the distance. It grew louder and louder, bouncing from car to car, until it came to me. Of course, I joined in. We tooted car horns in a game of “call and response,” all the way to the Oakalnd Tube, past the cops blockading Jack London Square. Yes we did!

 

That’s right: NaNo. Short for NaNoWriMo aka National Novel Writing Month.

Here’s how it works: You pledge, along with a trillion other crazy writers, to write your own 50k novel within 30 days, in the month of November.

Whatever you write is your call. For example, I’ve got a middle grade story brewing in my head. I’ve no outline, no character studies and no particular theme in mind. I’ve only the audacity of trust that a novel will sprout from a few lines of notes.

My method certainly doesn’t suit everyone. Some writers begin with a high degree of preparedness. They arm themselves with enough research and source material to dig themselves out of trouble–even they expect surprises along the way. For other writers, surprises are the way. They have no inkling of the story that will surface as they are 110 per cent reliant on their muse.

There is no right or wrong way to start. It’s all about the writing.

I know I’m in for a wild ride. I did NaNo twice before. Got to 35k in 2005 and 14k in 2007. (I skipped 2006, the year my PB came out.) Not bad for a picture book writer, eh?

Okay, so if I didn’t make it to the finish the first two times, what makes me think I’ll do better this time?

I have a few things figured out. Besides having learned something from the previous times, and the growing vault of Nano wisdom tricks and tips, I have three things in place:

1. A laptop. I am the proud owner of an Intel Macbook Pro—my main computer since my beloved workhorse PowerMac died last spring. Have laptop, will travel… and this laptop shall remain near my fingertips the entire east coast family trek come Thanksgiving break.

2. Goodies. This includes rewards and self-administered bribes. I’ve grown wise to the fact that I need the carrot, as well as, the stick. So, some weekly rewards or incentives are in order, starting with a new chocolate brown NaNo t-shirt. Love its cool front design and 10-year anniversary pronouncement on the back!

Other potential rewards: A new book, a visit to a local day spa and chocolate. I could get used to this!

Of course, completing a 50k first draft is it’s own reward.

3. It’s the 10-year Anniversary. NaNoWriMo reaches a new milestone year so I’m pumped up and inspired to succeed. Nevermind the two trial runs I’ve had as a participant. Three’s a charm, right?

One of the perks about NaNo are the friendships and cameraderie that develop. I have my talented friend, Laura, to thank for telling me about NaNo back in 2005. She is a NaNo winner two or three times over and the coolest NaNo buddy one could ask for.

Kai, my daughter, is also taking the NaNo challenge. With her natural gift for words and storytelling, I’m curious to see what she’ll write.

With a heap of inspiration from Laura, Kai and others in NaNoland, I’m fixing my eyes on the 50k finish-line. If I hardly blog, it’s because of NaNo. If I skip meals or forget to floss, blame NaNo.

For all you dear, brave and crazy fellow NaNoers:

May your fingers fly to the finish!

 

I’m thrilled to announce that my illustration, Donia with Sasha, won first place (in the 25 and over group) in the Wicked Lovely Art Contest created and sponsored by Melissa Marr. Entrants were asked to portray something from Melissa’s critically-acclaimed YA novel–any medium in 2D was acceptable. The artwork was judged by Melissa and some of her publishing associates. You can see all the winning entries here.

I was easily inspired by WL. The hard part was choosing one scene from the lush array of choices. I considered recreating the dimly-lit streets where Aislinn spied faery folk slipping in and out of the shadows. I also thought of Seth’s train-car home emblazoned with graffiti. In the end, I was compelled to paint Donia and her faithful wolf, Sasha.

The book passage about Donia captivated me, sending me into the Winter Faery Queen’s world: a cacophony of freezing wind and crackling ice. I thought of my childhood in Iceland–the wind biting my cheeks, chilling my bones, as I waded waist-deep through snow to get to school. I knew about “cold.”

I drew the characters in pencil, adding touches of pastel. Then, I scanned the art, altering it into an ice-inspired scene with Photoshop. It was an experiment, actually. To my delight, it paid off.

The prizes were very cool: Art supplies! All winning entrants were awarded gift certificates to their online art store of choice. I found it insanely easy to use my $200 gift certificate because…  I. Love. Art. Supplies.

Here’s what I chose from Jerry’s Art-A-Rama: A Stack-N-Dry Spring-loaded Drying Rack (for stacking and drying artwork, of course), a painter’s apron (the kind with a gazillion nifty pockets), two large natural bristle brushes and an 18-tube set of Turner Design Gouache.

Much thanks to Melissa Marr for putting on her cool art contest and for the generous prize!

Looking forward to using my art supplies… (Hm, I sense a new portfolio piece brewing… ;-))