Digital Illustration Attempt

Here is my attempt at illustrating using Adobe Illustrator and the touchpad on my latop. Pretty challenging... I love vectors, but selecting closed figures for painting was a problem. I had to insert my picture into Paint, color in the area, then re-insert into Illustrator. I'm sure there is an easier way...

Time to Write

I recently read a set of articles in the December issue of The Writer about finding time to write. Honestly, many of the authors cited in the articles had full time jobs but no family, or had a family but not a full time job. What about if you have both? Teaching is a full time job, regardless of the hours that look good in theory. Ask any teacher and they will tell you. Add a family to the mix, and writing time dwindles to near nothing. What about those who have demanding full time jobs and work extra hours? Do we stifle our creativity and work just to make a living? It's either that, or as one of the authors suggested, train yourself to sleep less and get up early. Yep, that'll do alot for your creativity...

YA or MG Confusion

Until now, I thought that my two fantasy stories with characters in their early teens would be considered YA. Now, after reading Twilight, I see that YA is more for older teens and perhaps with main characters in their early twenties. Does age matter or is it a style of writing? Difficulty in laguage style and vocabulary? What distinguishes an MG from YA? Since I've been pitching my first novel as YA and though the writing may be considered YA, the characters are young. Though I've read so many books in both, I'm confused and ashamed that I'm still unclear of the difference...

Genre Schizophrenia

I don't know what my deal is. One moment I'm immersed in young adult fantasy writing - and an amazing story it's turning out to be - another, my fingers are flying over the keyboard as I work on a picture book. Next, I'm working on a short historical story about an old violin repairman.

Here's my sketch of him (based on my father ~God rest his soul~ who's dream was to be a violin maker):

My mind is on a picture book series, a YA fatasy, and a historical story all at the same time. I feel divided, and yet refreshed each time I work on one genre, then move on to another. It's probably crazy, but it's like subjects in school. You can move between one subject and another and still be able to focus on it as long as you're giving your attention to one subject at a time. Not to mention my full time teaching job that takes up so much energy.... sigh.

Oh, here is my daughter's blog: http://ctlucy.livejournal.com/ I'm so proud of her!

Writing Space

For the past year I have been trying to find a spot in my house that I feel most comfortable writing, but I can't seem to make a new space since the space I most love is my bed! We finished our basement, put in four bookcases, a little table and chair and I thought that would be my quiet space to write. It didn't work for me. Too much away from everyone, and let's face it, my basement is kind of depressing. No inspiration. So it's been the kitchen table in the midst of cooking and kids' homework, or my bed at nights after the house has quieted down and I can breathe. Maybe one day I'll have a nice, inspirational space I can call my own.

More Rejections!!!

I sent out my first novel to eight agents yesterday. This morning, very promptly, four agents responded with a "no". I wonder if it's my cover letter or the first few pages? Hmmm...

My daughter and I are both reading The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. He's a first time novelist and wow, what a great book! My daughter and I are stealing it from each other's rooms and have two different bookmarks in the same book! We're on a race as to who will read further. The story is about four children who are chosen to participate in a dangerous mission. I won't give any information away, in case anyone wants to read it.

My favorite MG/YA writers include Shannon Hale, Cornelia Funke, Brandon Mull, and Angie Sage.

So it begins...

I worked on my young adult fantasy novel for three years. I even caught the attention of an editor at a writers' conference! Unfortunately, I haven't heard from her. :( I've started to query agents and it's making me so nervous! What if they think my work is terrible! What if I have to revise so much I no longer recognize the original story? So I've decided to keep a blog of my ups and downs of writing. Now I'm on my second and third novels. The journey continues...