Arisia Goodness and the End of An Era

Oh boy, I fell behind this month. *Slaps Wrist*

I had every intention of coming back after going to Arisia 2011 and writing a separate post for every panel I went to. I always thought that was a good idea and maybe I'll actually do it, but today I only have a quick update. Firstly, Arisia was awesome! As it usually is.

Kelley Armstrong was a guest of honor, which made me incredibly happy because she writes in both my genres :) and someone needs to represent! She seems like a very nice lady and I should probably get around to reading one of her books...one day.

I've also made a mental note to eventually invest in and read Gail Z. Martin's books on how to promote yourself. I'm going to need that.

I went to a couple of panels to help me with my steampunk rut...This included a seminar on how steam engines work and where to find then now. An Alchemy 101 workshop, And a steampunk costuming panel. I can't say they did much for my ability to get back into my steampunk novel, but I found them interesting and fun. And now I want to go out and blow a thousand dollars on costumes. Design on a dime for costumers anyone?

On a note that might make you forgive me for being completely unable to complete the steampunk novel -- (cue drum roll...) I was incredibly inspired by the heroine development panels I went to and am now quite happily steaming through another version of the sequel to Scar-Crossed. See, that's steampunk. Steaming through it. A spiffier version of what's already happened. No? Okay, never mind.

Anyway. Yes, yes, I've said this before, but I REALLY feel it with this one. I know where I'm going and how I want things to progress. Lacey actually has a point to existing now! This required taking huge steps back and circling the problem a number of times until I figured out what the problem was. I have a feeling this might happen with every novel I write that's not part of some bigger plot...so I guess I'll have to get used to it? *sigh* Now, if only I could find the time to finish it right this minute so I can die happy!

Writer's group meets tomorrow, so I'll see what my crit-partner thinks of my thoughts. (On a not me note, her story sounds absolutely fascinating and I hope she finishes soon so I can read it!)

Oh also, I'm reading Peter V. Brett's The Warded Man and Laurell K. Hamilton's The Laughing Corpse. I just finished another Carpathian novel, don't hate, they're an utter indulgence.

excitement

So, it's a secret, but I'm excited about it. Things are really ramping up.

There's other stuff too, but that's all boring.

Crossing Over

No I'm not dying. I'm actually quite alive. What no one else knows is that The Hill Dweller Series is written to mesh perfectly with the mythos of The Will of the Fallen Series. Actually, it was more like I wrote Will of the Fallen, turned around and realized I could write quite a few series around the different supernatural groups that I had created. the Hill Dweller series was born right after that.

What I mean by crossing over is that I'm going to draw characters from one series and use them in another. Kind of like a guest appearance that gets readers interested in the characters from my other series -- thus making them go out and buy it. We can thank Sherrilyn Kenyon for that little bit of inspiration. Originally, I was going to keep characters from other supernatural groups out of the picture, but then I realized it would be so much cooler with them in there and it might help me get out of this moat-sized rut I've managed to run around myself.

So get excited! In the next installment of the Hill Dwellers, Lacey's going to learn what the Hill Dwellers really are, what they really do, and where she really comes from. Don't you just love family reunions?

Taking the plunge.

I just sent out my manuscript. I'm a little nervous. A little excited. I'm still not 100% certain that it's ready for the agent to look at it. I was more ready to send it to her right after I wrote it, but I think I made myself nervous about it since then. Part of it is because she keeps telling me to take my time and somehow that's mentally translating to: "You're obviously nowhere close to ready to show this to me." When in fact I probably am and I'm probably just looking for problems where none exist.

At this point, I don't know what else to fix and my betas are quieter than Baileville in a blizzard. I actually think I'm starting to be more of a hindrance than a help to myself. I'm getting headaches from reading my manuscript upside down and backwards in search of what needs to be fixed. The beta readers say it's tight and flows. No one seems to have any problems with the adjustments I've added. The only negative feedback I've gotten seem to be stylistic preferences from reader to reader. I really had to sit down and ask myself, what else can I do with this. And, other than sitting on it for another few months in the hope that inspiration smacks me in the nose, nothing. So I just have to let my baby walk into the spotlight and hold my breath. Tomatoes or roses? The world is watching.

Of course, there could very well be problems. There could be plenty that neither the betas or I caught. That tends to happen when you've read the same thing eight times over. And then there is the dreaded fear that somehow I didn't understand what my agent suggested I fix and I made a whole bunch of changes that weren't necessary. However, I think that's unlikely.

All I can do is sit back and pray that what I've sent is gold and the line-editing process wont take a million years. I realize that the publishing industry is slower than molasses in January, but I need something to move forward.

That's my other realization: Other than coming to understand that sometimes you just have to jump and hope you land on your feet, I've realized that being frozen in mid-air -- eyes locked on the target, but ETA unknown -- isn't any better than standing on the cliff -- uncertain if you'll ever even take the plunge. In fact, I'm finding it worse.