Apparently I am pro (consensual) incest...

I don't know how this keeps happening but somehow, in every novel, I struggle to keep my main, romantically linked characters from suddenly becoming related. It usually happens because of complex plotting where I'm trying to weave the characters back stories for future plot twists. It is incredibly easy, I assume, which must be why it keeps happening.

Seriously folks. Its not like it accidentally happened once, then I caught the mistake and said, "phew! close call"...

...no it keeps happening, repeatedly, in the same novel.

Michelle says: Incest isn't YA...
Laura says: But my characters are roughly 17...
Michelle says: No, I mean incest isn't a YA theme...you can't do it. What is wrong with you?
Laura says: *shakes head, somewhat ashamed* They could be a little related...
Michelle says: No...they can't...you're done here.

So apparently I need what I am referring to as the "Incest police", a duty Michelle has graciously agreed to perform. She is checking my plot for perverted coupling and possibly setting up an intervention on my behalf...

Disregard.....

.....the fact that the last 3 blog posts refer to drinking heavily...NaNo does NOT drive one to drink...and I'm not being belligerent or defensive about it either!

I suck....and 5 other reasons why I'm gonna lose NaNoWriMo....

I know you've been missing my blog posts. You flip that power switch to your computer in the morning and can't contain the excited anticipation of checking out my blog for my latest post of inspired wisdom and wit. I've left you sorely dissappointed, I know.

Wait, that didn't come out right. You're sad because I haven't been blogging often enough to satisfy your insatiable appetite, right? Not because my blog posts are lame...in any way?

I suck, I know it, I promised 30 fun-filled days of blogging and have delivered....maybe 5? I'm honestly to lazy to scroll through the posts and count. So I'm revising my challenge as follows:

I commit to blogging, one more time in November, maybe two times. In exchange for your understanding, I promise not to drunken blog Thanksgiving night.


Reason 5 why I will lose Nano: The kids are off from school for the next 5 days and the little angels tend to suck the life blood out of me...

Reason 4 why I will lose Nano: I started distracting myself with Christmas decorations...

Reason 3 why I will lose Nano: I can't stop watching episodes of 30 rock from Netflix...

Reason 2 why I will lose Nano: Michelle has finish her NaNovel and so I'm writing alone...and clearly not self motivated...

Reason 1 why I will lose Nano: the last quarter of my plot summary is a single sentence that reads "they rescue him"...

15000 words to go by 11/30. Totally doable.

Don't bother me...I'm blogging...

Or this blog entry's more suitable title "Nano should come with a warning: may cause 5lb weight gain."

Well folks its November 15th and I'm at 26,769 on the old word count. Half way there...damn near on track. To date, I've killed a dozen or so bad-guy characters, vigilante-style (so its ok), there have been numerous unmentionable things occuring in the bedroom, and for some reason I decided to write about a pixie, who lives in a nurse log, with 300 brothers and sisters. Its safe to say that part will get cut once I sober up.

If I were clever, I would say, I write the minimum 1666 words because I am trying to pace myself. But that's not true, I have no such structure, or self control for that matter. No, 1666 words is all I can get on paper on a given day even if I were to handcuff myself to this computer...after 1666 words, I'm effing around on Facebook. Who am I kidding, I do that after 300 words.

But I'm quite proud, and I will NOT reward myself with the truffles lurking in the pantry...the spareribs in the crockpot however, are not safe from danger!

Oh Sh*t, I forgot to blog...

...but I am on schedule with my word count (well at least I will be, by midnight)...

Contrary to the title, this blog entry isn't about how flaky I am when it comes to my voluntary commitments. Rather, this blog entry is about how I need to be voluntarily committed.

Or maybe maybe drinking heavily will suffice.

I forgot to plot book 2 in preparation for Nano, and I knew I didn't have much to finish in the first draft of book 1. I think a small part of me assumed that either a.) I would flake out on Nano -or- b.) I am such a genius that I no longer require the need to plot and outline; fantastic quality stories just come to me instantly, in chronological order, when I sit in front of a laptop.

Well, on day 9, I'm learning that it definitely isn't option b.)

So I rounded the corner to book 2 on day 5 of Nano and well, the story began to get away from me. So tonight, is PLOT night. And Michelle is coming to administer the beatings if I get off task...

...she will be administering the alcohol if I am good...egg nog, with brandy...

I plan on being good.

When in doubt, apply a guilt trip...

I love Jenn and Michelle. Like love, love them. They are very kind to be my followers. But it isn't as fulfilling as one would think, blogging just for them. After all, it is quite possible that they were actually there when the incident in question occurred. I know you're out there, I have like 12,000 hits to this blog.

So if you are lurking, why not follow me? I will love, love you too! (Come on, you know you want to...)

On another note, my 'blog every day in November' challenge is not going well. (I'm sure you've noticed since you are such an avid follower). And today, I'm going to be lame and refer you to a post on Scott Westerfields page that I learned about through The Spiral Path. Scott and Justine are posting writing tips...he is so my kind of writer with the planning, the spreadsheets, the graphs...

Where I write, Part 2...

A few weeks ago I posted where I write 50% of the time, the other 50% is spent here:

Sometimes its quiet, mostly its not...

Nano ADD...

It is no secret that I am about as attention deficient as they come. I cannot function unless completing 5 simultaneous tasks. This does not in any way make me hyper-productive. It's actually quite the opposite. Instead, I do 5 things badly...

So in the rare hours when its just me, a quiet house, the computer and the looming 1600 words, I am always looking for a good distraction. After all, who doesn't need a break after a good 20 minutes of heads down work? When I have earned this reward, this is where I lurk:

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/
http://emergingwriters.us/
http://editorialanonymous.blogspot.com/
http://queryshark.blogspot.com/
http://pimpmynovel.blogspot.com/
http://www.therejectionist.com/

...now back to work!

Nano, Day 1...

Its 4:30pm on Sunday November first. I have written ZERO words today. And I still have 3 kids to put to bed!!

Michelle has written 3400. She is no longer my friend. That may be because I told her she sucked, which wasn't the friendliest thing to do. But I'm green with envy.

I'm on a mission, kids to be at 8pm, 1600 words on paper by 11pm. Its go time.