Baubles in the Drawer

Accentuate the positive, they say.

I’m all for accessorizing with the good in the world, but sometimes it is very hard to find the pretty bauble in the drawer of daily crap.

Just saying.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

The Beseeching Muse

The muse is preaching (begging, pleading, imploring) patience.

Yes, the four-legged, furry highness who sits on my hip as I toil away over “Oklahoma” is beseeching me not to sprint blindly to the now-in-sight finish.

“Take your time, human one,” she persists. “Sweat the details. Immerse us both in the pursuit of sweet perfection. The hours are finally ours; the deadline waits two weeks out. Let us luxuriate in the process of tale-telling.”

I, the human one, am trying… but a collar and leash may prove necessary.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

In the Pink

Well, I’ve finally straightened out the last kink in my “Oklahoma” plot!

The storyline no longer shudders and quakes under its surprising twist, but hums warmly at the story’s unexpected turn.

Color me tinkled pink at this development... a soft, blush shade, please. I look absurd in hot pink.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Feeling da Vinci

Artists often make preparatory sketches for their projects. Trial runs of what will go where, what angles work best, what is most pleasing to the eye yet still true to the subject.

While I often fiddle with differing outlines and schematics of plots, I’ve never had the chance to write out full-fledged trial runs of my options before… until “Oklahoma.”

I, my friends, am now a preparatory sketcher!

Time has allowed me this most likely never-to-be-revisited luxury. Three different versions of the climax have been penned and I’m feeling very da Vinci. How utterly silly of me.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Post-Note: Sunday Travel Day bled into Monday Travel Day. Apologies for the unexpected blogless-

ness yesterday.

The Lynchpin Moment

I didn’t even know it was missing. Nope, I had no idea it was lost until I stumbled upon it and went “Ooh, that’s perfect!”

The lynchpin moment.

The one scene in a story where the protagonist decides his fate.

In my stories, this is rarely the climax, but a precursor to it. How I managed to craft the entirety of “Oklahoma” without it is rather alarming. Really alarming. Bad, bad author.

Bottom line: Don’t forget your lynchpin.

Until Monday (travel day tomorrow)…

Chloe 

The Feelers

With exactly 3 weeks left to go until the “Oklahoma” deadline, I have begun sending out feelers for my next project.

I always adore this part of the process. Searching through the millions of places in the real world for a place to sow my fictional folk is my favorite guilty pleasure as a writer.

Spoiler alert: Namibia has caught my authorial eye.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Let Loose the Beast

The lengthening of my “Oklahoma” manuscript from short story to true novella has moved into its final stage.

The original ending which had been 80% written but then entirely discarded due to time restraints (i.e. author screwing up deadline management royally), will now be reinstated and tweaked to match up with the newly birthed middle of the romantic saga.

Word count will not be the chief objective these last 3 weeks; climactic sharpness will. All old and new tidbits of storyline must meld into one cohesive, satisfying, heart-tickling ending… In other words, time to let loose the OCD beast!

May his perfectionist tendencies run wild, free and pretty in word and deed.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Corruption

An unchecked mental illness corrupts its bearer. Beneath the corrosion, the true person remains. Yet, as time passes with no attention paid to the sickness, the soul within ruins and the damage becomes, in some tragic degree, irredeemable.

One day I may be able to explore this sad truth in my stories, but the courage to do so eludes me.

Whether this is blessing or curse, I do not know.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

For Fear of Glut

I’m trying very hard not to mush things up too emotionally with my lengthening of “Oklahoma.”

I am sticking strictly to script, so to speak, not veering from my initial outline in the least. However, as I tweak up the internal angst ever so slightly, the risk of emotional glut rises exponentially.

The dangers are many here, my fellow writers. Tweak carefully.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Back in Print!

Pardon the interruption... just a quick note to let the world know that my first novel, Forever Bound, is now back in print with Riverdale Avenue Books.

With a full-fledged sequel now in the works, catching up with John, Aaron and their passionately wicked games may be advised. 

Chloe

Naked, I Scramble

Tidbit #1… Scrambling around naked on the center of endless frozen lake would equate nicely with the panic that flared up at a stomach ache last night. Yes, I am stupid.

Tidbit #2… My first novel, Forever Bound, is now back in print! Click here for proof that I am currently not delusional.

Tidbit #3… I have been asked to write a full-fledged sequel to Forever Bound. So, I’m hoping there’s reason for my readers to revisit John and Aaron.

Tidbit #4… I feel an endless frozen lake coming on.

Until tomorrow or Wednesday (travel day still up in the air)…

Chloe

Dollop the Angst

Spit up.

Babies do it.

My characters do it.

While the little ones like to gurgle up milk, my guys tend to spew inner turmoil all over themselves.

I do not enjoy this kind of output. Angst should be measured out in careful dollops so as not to overwhelm the reader with overwrought goo. Unfortunately, my characters do not always listen to this wisdom. I am forever cleaning up their messes before a reader spots them.

Bottom line: Always keep a tissue handy. Characters can make an ungodly mess.

Until tomorrow (or Tuesday; possible travel day coming up)…

Chloe

The Wee Wicked Line

I’m imbuing my rework/lengthening of Oklahoma with a whiff of scandal. A truly salacious scandal that I’d normally not touch with a ten-foot pole.

I’m feeling a wee wicked, however, and am tempted to see just how far I can push a certain boundary. 

Ooh, how I love the rush of daring in the morning.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

The Silence Deafens

I spent an absurd amount of time yesterday doing an absurd amount of non-writing writing work. You know, all the promotional tidbits that takes hours upon hours of squinty-eyed concentration that inevitably yields a .001% increase in sales.

All this work and effort will eventually pay off, right?

Right?

The silence can be cruelly deafening, at times.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Pen & Curb

A ton of work to be done today. Writing work.

I’m going to try my best to stay out of the gutters today, but I might end up in my parents’ dead limb pile at the street. It’s all relative, I suppose.

Besides, my sister is heading back home today so all is good.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

The Champ

Best laid plans of mice and men…

Travel plans were cancelled yesterday as my sister’s asthma went nuts in Kansas City and sent her to the hospital. While she handled the situation like a champ, I, the pillar of strength, freaked. 

(Note to world: I am a useless pile of nerveless mush and should really be flushed down a toilet in the first moments of any emergency.)

Bottom line: All plans are up in the air. My sister should be fine, but she is still halfway across the country from home. Please, keep the champ in your hearts and prayers.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Startlement

My startlement continues.

The repackaging of my Oklahoma manuscript from a 15k short story to a proper 40k+ novella is going amazingly well.

I can’t help but wonder why?

I can’t help but wonder how I’m going to mess this up?

Perhaps writing this post was the jinx? Oh, well. I was tiring of startlement anyhow.

Until Wednesday (travel day tomorrow)…

Chloe

Psyche Splatter

I woke up with my psyche splattered across my bedroom ceiling.

If only mental health professionals had a forensics branch, the remains of my nightmares would be a boon to their CSI crowd.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Bless the Vincas

I spent my Friday in the vincas.

My mother’s vincas.

Dozens and dozens of pink, white, purple, salmon-colored little flowers who needed to be repotted, fertilized, mulched, watered, lugged a country mile from backyard to front yard, only to then demand their new home be weeded of violets, nut grass and other sundry nasties.

Apparently, this wore my panicky bits out just enough to allow me to sleep again.

Blessed be the vincas!

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Wasp Nest of Mind

Even though 800 words were cajoled out of my wasp’s nest of a mind yesterday, it wasn’t enough to stop my brain from freaking out at 1am.

Usually, if I write enough during the day, I will sleep through the night without panic-type incident.

Apparently, somebody changed the rules without notifying me.

I am not amused.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Out of Focus

Point #1: Somehow, I managed to get 1k words written on the lengthening of Oklahoma yesterday.

Point #2: I exist out of focus. While the majority of people are crisp and clear, their psyches relatively easy to look at and understand, looking at me requires squinting. Hard and lengthy, headache-inducing, squinting. When there’s so much beauty in this world, who can blame a soul for ignoring the fuzzy, gray spot?

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Upsy-Daisy

Expect a few days of weird posting hours as my parents’ gutters call.

Teetering on a ladder, elbow-deep in wet leaves, trying to maintain some sense of “Don’t judge this available hottie by gloves or scowl,” it may be up in the day before a composed blog will be posted. 

If my life gets any more glamorous I will simply puke.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

A Question Begs

Spent nearly 20 minutes tumbling a single sentence around in my head yesterday.

Not an important sentence either. Not the opening line, not the last gasp of an enemy, not the first exclamation of love. Just a descriptive sentence tucked into a mid-novel scene.

So, a question begs to be asked… Am I a master of my craft or a slave to it?

Until Wednesday (travel day tomorrow)…

Chloe

A Wild Comingling

Having written myself nearly stupid over the last two weeks, one would think I’d want a break from the taxing comingling of buck-wild thoughts and harnessed words.

Nope.

I’m itching to put pen back to paper.

Apparently, my lunacy knows no bounds.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Chopping & Blocking

Spent my work hours yesterday, piecing together 7 files of story into 1.

Dreamspinner Press wants me to rework Twisted Intent into a longer story. So, I’m expanding the 15k words to 40k. Since I ended up chopping down the original plotline considerably to meet the deadline, I have tons of ‘outtakes’ just waiting to be plugged back into the manuscript. So patch-working has begun.

My grandmother was a quilter so hopefully some of her patterning mojo has rubbed off on me.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Bitter Is the Secret

Six weeks out from the next hard deadline, I took a breather yesterday to sleep.

How my mind lands such physical blows to my body is one of life’s bitter secrets, I guess.

Today will be a success if I only have to take one nap instead of two.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

The Freakish End

I have survived “Blue.” That would be enough for my complete gratitude. But the fact that I have survived “Blue” with a prideful blush at the finished product borders on the freakish.

Off to hide under the covers now.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe