Like many others I’ve been struggling to spend time on my dream. It’s so easy to go in all kinds of different directions. It’s not so easy to start all over again, to create something that adds and builds on that dream. Despite that, I am a writer. I have to write, and I will…
As you can tell I haven’t put much effort in to my blog for the last couple of years. I’ve decided that it’s time to get back on track, and dedicate the time necessary to my writing. I hope that you’ll stick with me and support me in my efforts. Respectfully submitted, Jodi
This last year has seen me moving away from the book I’ve been pitching for a long time. It’s safely tucked onto a thumb drive. Now I have two stories I’m currently working on. The characters are leading me to get to know them better. As soon as the “inciting incident” reveals itself, I will…
Today I start working on a new story. I’ve been playing with some thoughts and problems for my characters. The main thing for today is to learn more about the protagonist and antagonist. Besides hair and eye color, I need to learn how tall each is and whether they are male or female. That is…
Many of the things in my life have remained the same. I have a day job at an essential service, banking. It has been interesting and I enjoy working to help folks keep somethings on a more even keel. Even though somethings remain real and comfortable, somethings must change. Meetings, even in small groups will…
Sunday is a day I dedicated much time to my writing and editing. Monday, I went back to my day job. Working in the banking industry is considered essential. I wholeheartedly agree. We’ve been working, to keep at bay, the kind of fear from people that I’ve not seen in the years since I’ve started…
I am continuing to edit book 1 in the Naldo Series. Not Too Late Forever has been an intense learning experience for me. Over the years I have heard over and over again, write it and put in a drawer, then write another. I have contemplated filing “Not Too Late Forever” away, but I can’t….
This week I got very strongly reminded that I had not spent the proper amount of time posting something, anything to my webpage. Life has gotten away from me. As with many others who would love to be published authors, there is so much going on in my life. A fulltime job and part of…
I have finished NaNoWriMo 2019 without success. After that I worked on and sent in my latest submission. Now I have another rejection to add to my writing resume. This agent made comments that will help me in the continuing edit of my book. My goal for this coming year is to finish this edit…
Life is rolling right along. Last weekend at The Surrey International Writers’ Conference went by so very quickly. I left early, because I wanted to make sure that I could get through customs and be on the plane that would take me home. It gave me time to think about the workshops and masterclass that…
I continue to work on the edit of my first book, “Not Too Late Forever”. It’s my passion. In the meantime Siwc19 is approaching. Revolving around writing and writers, what a great added dimension to my life. Now I’ve added another dimension. I’m going to participate in the Siwc at Sea. It’s a chance to…
I haven’t posted here in a while. There is no good reason, but still I just didn’t find the time to follow through. Like everyone else there is so much going on in my life. Besides my regular job and my activity in the community, I am working on another edit of my first book….
As you can tell it’s been a while since I’ve posted here. There’s no good excuse for doing that, it’s just had to be a matter of choices. With my day job, community activities, time for writing, pickleball and, on occasion, taking time to sleep, I keep running out of time to get everything in….
Each day I spend some time on my writing, but I choose one part to concentrate on for the week. This week I’m working on the query for my submission to Nephele Tempest. While I do this I’m building on my world as I have built the world in my book. This means that I’m…
I had really been looking forward to the Surrey International Writers Conference this year, and it worked out to be so much more than I had hoped. The first thing I did was take a master class from Laura Bradford, founder of the Bradford Literary Agency. It was amazing. I couldn’t think what my comp…
It’s now less than a month until The Surrey International Writers’ Conference. I’ve decided what to take for my blue pencil. The blue pencil is a sit down with a published author. This year I’m lucky enough to get feedback from best selling author Tess Gerritsen. Each year when I prepare to participate with the…
It’s been a rough week up to this point. The things that have been getting me down, might not seem much to some folks, but for me they are combining to become overwhelming. Funny, but that’s when my writing is so very important. My characters never seem to let me down. Oh, I don’t mean…
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As I prepare my book for the Surrey International Writers, I am tempted to put it aside and write another story. If I were to do that, I would need to do it now and take it to my critique group. Last year, I took it to the group after I submitted it, and wished…
The smoke hangs heavy over my hometown. Every year it seems to get worse, but there a those who don’t understand why. They would deny climate change, yet acknowledge that each year there are more forest fires and smoke in the air. The winters are warmer. There’s less snow fall than there was years ago….
This time last week, I was missing in action. I needed to take care of me. That included some dental surgery. This week I’m back and ready to dedicate even more time to my writing. I have two sets of edits from my critique group to work on, as well as another chapter to finish…
I was recently asked what the Creative Hour was, and if it had to be about writing. So I decided to use this weeks blog to explain it. About four years ago, at The Surrey International Writers Conference, I was lucky enough to do my blue pencil with Jane Espenson. At Surrey BC, a blue…
This week I continue to work on the edit of my book “Not Too Late Forever”. It’s feeling really good, because some of those in my critique group are down to the point of “I like it, but…” Where the “but” comes in is something like, “You like to make up words, so give me…
This past week I had more opportunity to read. One time in particular, I had an appointment for prep for a surgical procedure. I got there thirty minutes early and one hour later they got me in for the consultation. I’m not thrilled that it took me saying something before the consultation started, however it…
What do I read? That was one of the first questions I was asked when I pitched my first book. That worked out really well, because my new favorite author was represented by this particular agent. However, this is not the reason I read. Mostly I read to escape. Maybe that’s why I read across…
This last week the registration for The Surrey International Writers Conference opened on Wednesday, June 6th at noon. By 1:30pm they were 1/2 sold out. I expected to register at 2:30pm, on my lunch break. But 1/2 sold out, can you believe it? I was scared I would be left out and be unable to…
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