Friday, November 29, 2013

Moonless and Update Day

Hey all!

Sorry for the weird, random silence these past week or so.

Remember when I told you that I was moving to a farm? Well... Said farm had zero connection. No internet, no landline, no mobile phone signal... nothing.

As a result, I haven't been on the internet since the last time you saw me. Except a brief stop before my mobile's data ran out.

Anyway, today I want to do two things. First, I'm welcoming Crystal as part of her Moonless blog tour, then I'll be telling you how I've been doing with my crazy goals.

So first: take it away, Crystal!

Where did MOONLESS Come From?

It was 2002, I had just come off a Dickens reading binge and was querying my first novel when I sat down at the computer with two words in my head: Blue Eyes.

One week and a hundred pages later, I stared at the first draft of the easiest story I’d ever written—a sweet, coming of age tale based in the 1700’s.

Hit the brakes!

As a woman with five brothers, I didn’t write “sweet, coming of age stories.” I wrote fantasy—scary fantasy with action, high stakes, and explosions! I wouldn’t even pick up a book if it looked “girly.” (*ahem* That has since been remedied.)

This little novella sat on my computer and I occasionally glanced at it…or maybe added a page or fifteen while blushing and waiting for my tomboy alternate ego to kick me in the teeth. It was nothing. A silly little love story that made me roll my eyes in embarrassment or (when no one was looking,) sigh contentedly.

Until.

Oh the magic moment when I realized it was a piece of my larger story world—the one that RULED MY WRITING BRAIN and had been brewing since I was thirteen. The hero, Mister Blue-Eyes-Who-Will-Consume-Your-Soul (a title bestowed by my fabulous editor) was a key player in a MUCH larger story.

The manuscript underwent a makeover and burgeoned into the entity it is today—adequately scary with fantasy, action, high stakes, explosions (minus TNT), and romance. *gasp*

Simply put, it came in layers.


So if you’re writing a book and it’s a brand sparkling new idea, I suggest taking your time. Give it a little room to germinate, to infest, to overrun your daylight life. The results may astonish you. And hopefully the rest of the world too.

Thanks so much Crystal! 

As part of her tour, Crystal is giving away some AWESOME prizes, so go enter the draw now. :-)

In the English society of 1768 where women are bred to marry, unattractive Alexia, just sixteen, believes she will end up alone. But on the county doorstep of a neighbor’s estate, she meets a man straight out of her nightmares, one whose blue eyes threaten to consume her whole world—especially later when she discovers him standing over her murdered host in the middle of the night.

Among the many things to change for her that evening are: her physical appearance—from ghastly to breathtaking, an epidemic of night terrors predicting the future, and the blue-eyed man’s unexpected infusion into her life. Not only do his appearances precede tragedies, but they’re echoed by the arrival of ravenous, black-robed wraiths on moonless nights.

Unable to decide whether he is one of these monsters or protecting her from them, she uncovers what her father has been concealing: truths about her own identity, about the blue-eyed man, and about love. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with the man of her dreams and risk becoming one of the Soulless.





Crystal, author of MOONLESS, is a former composer/writer for Black Diamond Productions. She can be found practicing her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, three littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. 






For those of you who don't know, I host a bloghop on the last Friday of every month where writers can share their crazy/crazy important goals and update us on how they're doing. You're more than welcome to sign up!

This month, believe it or not, went swimmingly. 

First round of revisions to The Heir's Choice  was done by the 16th.
The move went well, and the unpacking's almost done.
AND I'm about 3000 words away from winning NaNoWriMo, so I might even win tonight! Needless to say, I'm pretty dang shocked and pleased with what I've been able to accomplish.

How have you been doing?

Also:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!


Edit: I've now won NaNoWriMo. This is what my month looked like. See the bumper amount of writing I did earlier this week? Yeah... didn't know I could draft that much in two days...



25 comments:

  1. EI EI O! And on the farm you go. Internet slow, but now you know, you have me, yes me, at your show.

    How delightful to see the adorable gosh darn fun, Crystal have a book tour on your lovely site, adorable Misha. I'm predicting big things for Crystal and for you, Misha. Penny the Jack Russell and modest internet superstar has told me this.

    Now then, one moment, please.....Argghhhhh!! blog hops, blogfests, alphabet challenges, make them stop!!!! Sorry about that :) And all the best and a hopeful win on that Mork from Ork challenge. NaNo equals NoNo in my home.

    How have I been doing? Fantastically wonderful or something like that. Enjoy your weekend. I'm outta' here.....

    Gary

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  2. I hope you were able to survive without connections, sounds like an exciting move! Love that magic moment when you realise the key, and glad you did Crystal :)

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  3. Good luck on finishing your Nanowrimo project; I'm proud of you! And I think it's great that Crystal tried something different by writing a new story; writing gives us a chance to explore new and unfamiliar territories.

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    1. And if we're not exploring them, we're stunting our own growth. =)

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  4. Well done with the Nano project, know what a challenge it is, hope to use a novel I wrote for Nano next year.

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  5. No Internet is too too bad, god we are very addicted to it nowadays. I like the sound of Crystal's book.

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  6. The farm sounds wonderful! A nice place to write. Crystals story sounds like a good read! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!

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  7. You've won NaNo? OH, I hate you!!! But I'm glad you won. Mine is going to be continued next month as usual. I think I made writing progress for the month so that's a win of a sort.

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  8. I love how Crystal's took a story that was very uncharacteristic of her and later made it become her novel. That's awesome.

    Congrats on winning NaNo, Misha!

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    1. It wasn't easy, but we learn from all the genres we dabble in, eh?

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  9. If it makes you feel any, my computer has officiAlly died. So I'm doing things on my iPhone for now.

    Hugs and chocolate,
    Shelly

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  10. Congratulations on NaNo, Misha :-)

    Crystal - I always write in layers like that. To me it feels completely normal, although other people recoil in horror at the process. I'm glad it worked for you.

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  11. IMPRESSIVE nano writing! Congrats!

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  12. My late congrats, Misha! In spite of a crazy-sounding schedule, you did it! You winner, you. :)

    And Moonless's journey is a story in and of itself, Crystal! Sometimes I worry that I might be rushing a story. Especially this particular one I've had since January 2012. Your advice to let ideas simmer slowly only gives me confidence in backing my decision earlier this fall to decide to set aside said story for my current WIP.

    Cheers, ladies, you're both inspirations for this novice writer.

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    1. Yay! I'm so glad it helped, Hana. I think sometimes it's the hardest balance knowing when to go forward with which project. =)

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  13. Being disconnected has it positives, even though you feel kind of "lonely." I've been off for a while. It's been refreshing and much needed. Great to see Crystal here.

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  14. NICE upward trending writing graph, and congrats with finishing Nanoooooo :)

    PS: Thanks for signing up for 50 States of Pray :)

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  15. Misha I'm so sorry I missed this. I was moving last week too and just finished Saturday. My stuff is still packed. I'll go update right now. Thanks andgood luck with your goals.

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  16. Congratulations Crystal!

    Congratulations on NaNo, Misha! Aww, a forced no-internet visit on a farm sounds lovely :-)

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