Jodi the Author

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 would be for “Not Too Late Forever”. Comp is short for comparable. In other words, what two things, movies or books, could be compared together to describe my book. I always knew there were similarities to “Avatar”. But what could I compare this to, to get a flavor of what the book is about. In a discussion group, one of the other participants suggested, “Avatar” meets “Enemy Mine”. Oh my gosh! That is so true.

Using this and additional sustenance gleaned from that workshop, I was able to do a decent presentation to Nephele Tempest, the agent who I pitched to. I went in with no hope of being asked to send to her. However, after reading her my new comp and pitch, she asked me to send the first 50 pages.

Before I even headed home, I started another edit of my book. I know it will always need polishing, but hopefully this time I will make a decent impression and get offered representation.

All things said and done, it was time to wrap things up and head home. There I have dug in and begun another edit of my work to take to my critique group. And now it’s time to get to work on the next set of pages to present.

Keep the coffee flowing.

Respectfully submitted,

Jodi

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 blue pencil, I wonder how I ever got the nerve to think I could sit before one of these great writers, and have them look at my writing. Somehow I’ve always been able to get through it. Actually, I think it’s the grace of the writers who I’ve had the honor to talk to.

I’ve been working on the first three pages of my mid-grade urban fantasy. There is so much that I’ve written and can use for the books. For now, I just need to find a way to get the first book pulled together.

The only thing I’m missing is time. I would dearly love to work more on this and my other books. Well, the only way I’m going to get anything done, is to use every minute I can find on any and all of my writing.

This I will do. For now, back to the writing and editing.

Keep the coffee flowing.

Respectfully submitted,

Jodi

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 that they do the things that I want them to. It’s just that I can usually have a written conversation with one or the other in my current story and they always come through to help me get the scene pulled together.

I’m not published, and I wonder if that will ever happen. Despite that, I can always escape with my writing.

I have a story in “Not Too Late Forever” that I still can hardly believe is a full book. Every time I sit down and work on it, it takes on more and more depth. Now for the umpteenth time I’m going through the edit of this book. I’m not really sure how many times that is, but I guess I’ll go through it this time, and probably go through it for the umpteenth time plus one or two, or even three. Some I’ve taken to my writers/critique group, others I have not.

Well, despite the fact that I can count on my characters, I better get back to work on the latest edit. Life goes on and things happen. I just need to relax and enjoy what I have.

Keep the coffee flowing.

Respectfully submitted,

Jodi

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 I had held off on submitting it. It needed a lot of work.

If I were to write another story, I need to figure out what I would write and who my characters would be. Those in my critique group keep prompting me to work on my Urban Midgrade Fantasy. To write a story in this genre might be a good way to step away from, not only my current book for little, but also the problems in my life.

So, the first question is whose story is this and what is the story arc? Times in the past I have used writing a short story as the opportunity to get to know one of my characters better.

If I do this, I might get to know Cyndre, one of the main characters in “Misty’s Magical Shed”, better. That being said, what would the story and character arc be? This definitely gives me something to work on.

I will report on my thoughts and the progress of the work, or lack there of, on this story. For now, I will sign off.

Keep the coffee flowing.

Respectfully submitted,

Jodi

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. I’m not sure what it will take to wake some up. Maybe they never will. Sad this is a saga to fit into one of my stories.

I grew up among the Redwoods in Northern California, on my Grandmother’s 40 acres. Along with my sisters and cousins, I took all the beauty and splendor for granted. More and more, I understand how lucky we were to have those forested acres to play in and explore.

Instead of being cooped inside playing video games, we were outside, building forts and playing war. We dug in the dirt and went on long walks down the logging road that snaked through the property. Adults and kids would spend hours together picking wild blackberries.

Close to the Pacific Ocean, the draw to spend time hunting for agates and playing in the surf drew us each summer. Rain or shine, out of doors kept us coming back.

Those were great times. Each generation needs to find their own ways of escape. Mine helped build my imagination and my yearning to write. It took a very good friend’s challenge to inspire me beyond my stories. The challenge to write a book was, at the time, a no brainer. I look back now and realize what a massive feat it is to write a book. That I accepted the challenge and started is something I will always owe my dear friend the biggest debt anyone can imagine.

So for now, it’s time to get back to the edit of the book that grows each time I sit down with it.

Keep the coffee flowing.

Respectfully submitted,

Jodi