writing

December – Milestone – So Distracted

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Hey guys, welcome back! Hope everyone who celebrated had a great Thanksgiving. Ours was nice and quiet and I think it was the most food I’ve eaten in months. (And I’m ok with that.)

Now here we are in December and there is just so much going on. I’ve been in full holiday shopping mode while trying to create some new things for one of my online shops (and failing miserably) as well as still trying like hell to shake the illness that has been plaguing me since August.

I’m also a huge holiday movie and tv specials kind of girl. Even as a kid, I couldn’t wait to get a tv guide and a highlighter and search for every version of a Christmas Carol and crazy animated special being shown on tv. These days, I look online every single day and make a list (check it twice) and then see what I can squeeze in to watch when I can. As I’ve said many times here, I’m a five year old in a very much not five year old body and this time of the year really brings it out in me. It’s the stuff like this that keeps the kid in me alive though. I still sing to the Grinch and Heat Miser and all the fun shows they only show this time of the year.

I also went a little crazy between Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. I’m a shopaholic at heart and during this festive season, I go nuts. Yes I got some books for myself, the sales were just too good!) Hopefully everyone will like what I’ve gotten and that my inner Santa has worked its magic.

All of this is to say…I’ve been distracted as hell from working properly on my book. I mean, I still have been putting the hours in, I really have. However, I’ve been fading much earlier while working and most of that though is due to the fact that I just haven’t been feeling well. Plus, the meds and the fevers have me a little loopy. Not that there is much of a difference than how I normally am, you can ask anyone who knows me about this. lol

I am, however, proud to say that I have hit a major milestone of words cut so far. Ready? I’ve cut just over 20,000 words! Ok so I still have hundreds of thousands to go, but still, this is a good chunk taken out and it is definitely a good start.

I am nowhere near the internal deadline I put in place for myself and that is bumming me out. But seeing this number appear tonight was the big shot of confidence that I needed. Just knowing that I hit that and that it’s truly showing just how hard I’ve been working? Huge. Really, really huge. So as distracted as I’ve been, I really am seeing the progress that I’ve been making. For someone like myself, this is so important.

This book has been an even larger undertaking than I ever imagined. I knew of course it would be the hardest work I’ve ever done. I’m not blind to that. But when I saw how high my word count was and what I’d need to cut in order to submit it, my old self would have given up and started work on a new one. I’m completely dedicated to this manuscript. It invades my thoughts 24/7, including my sleep time. Seeing actual proof that I’ve been making this dent has me excited knowing that yes, I CAN do this! I WILL do this! I will also get multiple books out of this story and I think knowing that, is a big bonus that is also keeping me going.

Even now with the holiday season upon us and all of life’s distractions, this work is keeping me going. And I truly mean that. Every couple of days, it feels like labor, can’t lie about that. Again, I think it’s just because I haven’t been feeling well. All that aside, once I sit and really get into it every night, I know it’s where I’m supposed to be and what I’m supposed to be doing. To keep it festive, I got myself holiday themed keys for my keyboard to keep me on track because that’s the kind of grown up I am!

And that is where I will leave you today.

Thanks so much for being here and please remember, if you’d like to help support my website and get some holiday shopping done? You can do so by clicking on one of the links around the site as well as the links below. Unfortunately, text links here are NOT underlined so be sure to hover over links if you’re interested in something. Thanks for understanding.

Until next time all…cheers!

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To follow me on social, including my #booktok (I’m on booktok the most these days) as well as shopping site relevant ideas, click: HERE

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To shop products with my designs, from home decor to tshirts to stickers and pretty much everything in between, click: HERE

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To see my vintage and estate jewelry listings on eBay, click: HERE

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For book recommendations, check out the On the Bookshelf pages here on the site. See site menu.

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You can find some links in the sidebars here on the site for my blank journals, shops and my Ko-Fi link as well, if you’d like to help support the site a little differently.

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If you’ve made it this far, thank you SO much and I’m done pushing my shops for now. 😉See you soon! 🥰

Busy – Rewrites – Heat Miser

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Want to hear the song? Click HERE

Hey guys, welcome back! Once again I must apologize to you for being MIA over this last week, week and a half. I assure you, I haven’t gone anywhere. Just putting in a ton of time on my work as well as gearing up for the holiday season.

It’s Thanksgiving week here in the states and while that used to mean the ‘official’ start of the holiday season, these days it seems, we can now start to decorate whenever we feel like it…and I’m on board with this 100%.

When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to watch the parade on Turkey Day. It was during the airing of it that the airing of seasonal commercials would begin. Actually, they’d start halfway through the parade. Seriously. As the hours passed, we’d begin to see an ad here, another there (the M&M’s meeting Santa was big for being the first one) and I’d be so excited! To this day, I still start to look for the tv listings to see when the movies and specials are starting to appear…I’m a five year old in a very not five year old body during the Christmas season. And yes, I sat here the other night watching both the original Grinch and Year Without a Santa Claus, (aka. Heat Miser) and singing to every single song. 

All that aside, I’ve been working so damned hard on this manuscript to get it done. Every time I think I have a handle on which way it’s going, I think of something new. I’ve been rewriting several chapters from the point of view of the MMC and I have to say, I really like writing for him. I didn’t think I could write from the male perspective, but it turns out, I can! So I’ve been flipping some chapters around to show his side of things and by doing that, my word count is getting considerably lower.

The other night it also occurred to me, and maybe it’s because of the time of year we are in and the books I’ve been ordering for myself these days, but I think I’m going to switch things up a bit. I make several references now to the characters loving fall and Christmas so I’m thinking that instead of this book taking place earlier in the year, Spring/Summer, I should move it to Fall/Winter. Why not right? Stop making the references and have it set during my own favorite time! Of course doing this is going to take considerable reworking and right now, I’m fine with that.

I think my fellow writers will understand this…I HATE EDITING! Ok, let me rephrase that…I hate editing my OWN work. I used to love editing others, can’t lie about that. But really, I miss the writing so much. I still have so many ideas for these characters and quite frankly, after seven+ rereads and doing so many cuts, etc, I want to go back to the writing, the creating, the making their lives what I think they could be. Unfortunately for me, the writing is where I get over enthusiastic and end up with hundreds of thousands of words that then need to be what???? Edited and cut! (It really is a vicious cycle.)

I’ve read so many Fall and holiday themed books over the last year, I think my mindset is with them as well. So I’ve decided not to fight it any longer. Besides, if I switch the book to this particular time of the year, it can become someone’s new ‘cozy’ read for next year (fingers crossed) and in the long run, some of what I’ve already written will really make a little more sense. At least in my mind it will. (Work with me here.)

In a nutshell, I’ve been losing my mind about all of this. In my head, the book is done. It’s ready to go. It’s ready to submit. And yet, I also know that I’m freaking delusional and it needs SO much work. So…much…work.

So here I am. Trying to get this done, still watching pieces of Hamilton every single night and wishing I could speak with Lin-Manuel Miranda and ask for his help. (WWLMM is my mantra now) and getting into the holiday spirit all while still fighting whatever illness I’ve had since August. However, neglecting this blog was never supposed to be a part of it and for that, I’m sorry. Being here is what is supposed to keep me on track, helps me to work through issues and also touch base with you all and hope you are doing well. I very much hope to do better.

And that is where I will leave you for today. I appreciate you guys so much and thank you for hanging in there with me!

If you are celebrating this week, I hope you have a great turkey day. As a vegetarian myself, I’ll be saving lots of room for apple pie because that’s how I roll. Also, and this is a very shameless plug…with ‘black Friday’ deals all over the place, if you are looking to start your shopping, I hope you’ll check out the links scattered all around the site. I’ll post more below for you to see and every purchase made though my site helps to support it and greatly appreciated. 

Thanks again for being here and let’s get the holidays started!

Until next time…cheers!!

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If you’d like to follow me on social, including my #booktok: linktr.ee/promosocially there is also my linktree shop inside that link besides my other shops.

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For items with my designs on them, you can find my other shops here: linktr.ee/stuffwemade

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Looking for vintage and estate jewelry? I’m on eBay as well! (Have been since 1998!): linktr.ee/stuffwefind

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Book recommendations can be found on this site…check out the On the Bookshelf pages in my site menu.

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If you’d like to help support the site without shopping, you can hit my Ko-Fi link (see logo on the site) or click HERE

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If you’ve made it this far, I thank you and remember…calories don’t count on holidays so go crazy! 😉

Birthday – That’s It

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Hey guys, welcome back! Just a quick post to say hiya and to let you know that I’m  happy you’re here.

Today is my birthday and while it was a lot more subdued than many of my past ones, it was still a nice one. Just vegging out and relaxing, having some treats and loving the messages from friends and family.

Not too long ago, I was out celebrating for the entire month and lucky if I remembered what happened. Our group’s celebrations were pretty much drunken evenings filled with a ton of laughter and lots of shots and boy, how I miss those times!

This year though, being sick, I’ve been laying low and frankly, that’s ok. Still doing my thing, getting in extra reading and writing time and watching Clark W. Griswold try to give his family a Merry Christmas despite what Uncle Eddie does. 😬

I ask that in honor of my day and if you can spare it (I know not many can these days), please donate something to your favorite charity. I’m personally a huge animal lover so that’s always a plus, but you do you.

Also, while I usually save this for the end of a post, I’m picking my day to share this and frankly, have no shame…you are looking to shop online for the upcoming season, be sure to check out the links I have all over this site. From my shops that can be found in the sidebar or linked below) to the On the Bookshelf pages where you can find some new reading inspiration, not only can you find great gift ideas, but you will also help support this site and in turn, myself. Little known fact that my online gigs are my only income, so every little bit helps. Again, if you can’t, totally get it. This year has been a rough one. So why not come and just check out my social links then?

For shops with my designs: linktr.ee/stuffwemade

For my vintage/estate jewelry on eBay: linktr.ee/stuffwefind

For my links for this site/social/booktok/shopping items handpicked for you: linktr.ee/promosocially

And that is where I will leave you for today. I hope you all are well and thank you again for being here! 

Until next time…cheers!

Enjoyment – Puzzle – Bit by Bit

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Photo credit: markusspiske on pixabay.

Hey guys, welcome back! Yes, I slacked off here again. (Sorry) Some life stuff happened and sometimes that’s just how it goes. However, I’m still here and admittedly listening to holiday music as I write this…yes, I’m one of those. 😬

Anywhoo, I’ve been working hard on the book and tonight, I think I finally figured out how I’m going to not only get the word count down significantly, but also how to change the timeline a little. Right now, the story is supposed to take place in a month’s time. That may need to change, or better yet, I need to reel it in. Either way, I’m going to have to work it like a puzzle. Breaking up the entire manuscript and piecing it together bit by bit.

Quick segue here…a little known fact by those who know me now, I used to be a theater person. I majored in it in college and also worked in a professional theater for a few years. This was many years ago, but I still have a great love of shows, both musicals and straight plays. (Hamilton has taken over my brain and is on repeat now on the Disney+ app.) I tell you this because a song that can invade my brain is one from an old show called Sunday in the Park with George. The song Putting it Together has come to the surface as I work on this book. Why? Check out these lyrics:

Bit by bit putting it together,

piece by piece, only way to make a work of art

every moment makes a contribution

every little detail plays a part

having the vision’s no solution

everything depends on execution

putting it together

that’s what counts.

Seriously? Why that is not the anthem of every creative person in the world is a mystery. So as I move around chapters, rewrite character monologues and create new scenarios for a book that technically is already written, yes, this song has been taking up residence in my brain and making me a little crazier than usual. Still, all hail Stephen Sondheim for writing it.

I had no idea when writing this book that I’d be doing this at all. Taking chapters and moving them around. Taking full paragraphs and adding them to another ‘day’ in the life of these characters. Losing it a little here and there as I cut full pages and cursing myself for having written so much in the first place. I am now understanding the writer trope of being a full on alcoholic. It’s both satisfying and infuriating watching what I created be changed in such ways. And this is even before a true editor gets a hold of it!

What makes it even more brutal is that one of my favorite activities in life is taking long walks. I was always a walker and used to walk 15-20 miles a week, sometimes more, before I got sick 9 years ago. Especially now that I’ve had another setback, this is not in the cards for me, so walking off the frustrations isn’t a possibility. It doubly sucks because I used to get great ideas and have revelations during these nighttime walks. I’d suddenly figure out a plot point or backstory or a line that I’ve been struggling with, rush home and get it down before I could lose the idea. Now it happens while I sleep, or rather try to sleep…sometimes I get lucky and it happens while I’m washing dishes or showering. At least I’m awake and aware during those times.

Am I rambling again? You betcha! I’m struggling like crazy to make an internal deadline and as I cannot scream out loud, I shall rant about it here. So here’s the deal, as I cannot give you all a group hug for following along with my insanity, I ask that those of you who are reading this, treat yourself to something fun. Get yourself some of your favorite ice cream, get that book you’ve been keeping in your save for later, take that trip, buy yourself a present before the gift giving season hits hard. Do something just for YOU.

We are all working towards some kind of goal. No matter what it is, we need to remember to take a break, clear the mind and enjoy life for a little bit. My own personal escape is reading and I make time every night to knock out a few chapters. Now it’s your turn. One of these days, I hope to have a more entertaining and funny post than I have been giving you lately. In the meantime, I want to make sure that you guys take time for yourselves and get some enjoyment out of this thing called life. The stress will always be there (sorry) and if we don’t take the time to enjoy ourselves, what’s it all for?

And that is where I’m leaving you for today. As always, I thank you SO much for being here and here’s to treating ourselves!

Until next time…cheers!!!

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Want to follow me on social? Linktr.ee/promosocially

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Want to treat yourself? Be sure to check out the various links I have on here as well as my shops! Linktr.ee/stuffwemade

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If you’d like to help support this site, you can hit my Ko-fi link (see logo) or click HERE

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If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much and I’ll see you soon! 🥰

Fun – Spooky – History

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Photo credit: me! (Newfield Cemetery)

Hey guys, welcome back! Been busy editing, healing and all that…but with it being Halloween week, I wanted to do a quick post to get you in the mood for the upcoming day where candy has no calories and the ghosts come out to say hello.

For eleven years, I had a local website dedicated to my city. As time went on with it, I started to use the platform to talk about our local history. Our town unfortunately is getting more and more overdeveloped and we are losing so much of our past. So I had an idea…on Halloween, I’d post local legends of our town to get folks more interested in the historical aspects of our CT town. I thought if I could get people interested in a more unusual way, we’d have more folks care that we are losing so much.

For five years, as the clock struck midnight on Halloween, I’d post several stories that looked at the more twisted side of the city. It took massive amounts of research and long nights and I would sometimes start as early as April getting these pieces together. The response I had to them always astounded me. Not being a native here, I was always worried that the stories wouldn’t pass with those born and raised in town. However, I have lived here for over 30 years now and had been briefly active with the local historical society as well as local businesses and again, research, research, research. I’m happy to say, I had such great feedback from my fellow Stamford-ites!

I have them linked here on this site under the ‘Stamford History’ tab, or click HERE to check out the spookier side of the city and get in the mood for Halloween.

Stamford has a hell of a past. From having our own witch trials the same year as Salem had theirs, revolutionary war intrigue at Fort Stamford and of course, we had our own local campfire legend of the Clawman. (Because why not, right?)

I had some interesting things happen while I was researching these pieces, the strangest being the time I was looking up the deaths at an old railroad crossing just as a fire call came over the scanner for that exact location! I mean, what the hell were the odds of that?!

So come on. Grab some popcorn and check out the stories. Get in the Halloween spirit with me!!!

And that is where I’m leaving you for today. Until next time…cheers!

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Come follow me on social, including my #booktok linktr.ee/promosocially

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Looking for gift ideas already? Or maybe you’d like to treat yourself to something fun? Check out my shops: linktr.ee/stuffwemade 

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Thanks for following and putting up with me. See you soon. 👻