Knocked up; Chinese food is delicious

The headline says it all.  I'm expecting my first child in April of next year, and fried rice is AWESOME.

I never realized how expensive baby gear is, but I'm very thankful that I was raised with an appreciation for garage sales and donated items.  While doing price comparison on car seats (the one item I know I definitely need new), it struck me that the price for the toys, the clothes, and everything else, is staggeringly high considering the short amount of time a child will need or use those items.  I've always had a borderline paranoia about new items, because I don't like getting things dirty; it makes me feel guilty.  Used and re-purposed things have always held my heart, because they're somehow like introverted people to me.  The old sweater I find at a thrift store has a story; it won't tell me the story, but that's okay.  From the find on out, we're in it together.

My brother offered to let me use the crib his children had when they were little.  The thought that my child will share the same memories of a crib that his or her cousins have, and that he or she will be surrounded and comforted by that common thread, is amazing to me.

The Spider Catcher, my camp NaNoWriMo project from earlier this year, will likely be published soon (keep an eye out for it!).  The second book, Rabbit Bones, will hopefully arrive before this child.  :)

Al

Soon to be on the road again

Yay road trip!

For all of my fellow Camp NaNoWriMos buddies, you're almost there!

Al

Camp NaNoWriMo July

My July Camp NaNoWriMo is now up.  I'm working on the book to follow The Spider Catcher: http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/altyler/novels/rabbit-bones

Cocoon "On My Way"

Listening to this one a lot lately.

Draft 6?

When the H did happen?  I have just started edits on draft 6 of what was going to be the first book in a new series.  It's now the second book, because I received feedback from two frieditors that the 4 page flashback early on in the book needed more explanation.  (...And let's face it, they're right--the flashback was cheesy.)

I just finished writing the new section.  It's roughly 78,000 words worth of prequel, and there are a few sections within that I want to expand a little.  I say a little, but we all know how that goes.

So now I am back to book one (two), which is currently sitting at 170,000 words, and that's entirely separate from the aforementioned prequel text.  That's 335 pages single spaced size 12 Times New Roman in Word.  It isn't even done yet, since I wrote in some additional plot lines that I need to wrap before the book ends.

It's probably more like books two and three, if I can find a good breaking point.  Otherwise, I guess it's just a whopper of a book.   

I am wondering if I should write in some mini-plots to create a good break at the midpoint, but if I do that, there's going to be enough text for three books.  The problem there is that I had only planned six to seven books in the series, and if I keep it as is, it's now more like a nine to ten book series.  That's a long time to wait, and a lot of pages to flip, to get to a conclusion.

It's freaking me out a little, because I could swear this book was only 120K words the last time I left.  I can't wait to read what I've apparently forgot that I wrote.

Al

Project Completion Exhaustion

I stayed up way too late Friday night clicking out the last few chapters of The Spider Catcher on my keyboard; because I was up late, one might assume that I slept in the next day.

Oh no.  I did not.  I got up around 8, and went about completing some house chores I had been putting off.  The crash hit me at around 6pm, when I fell asleep on the couch with my husband and two cats.  (Quick note: thank you to the universe, and my awesome friends, for missing our scheduled movie night.  I seriously needed that sleep.)  We woke around 8:30pm, and were unable to go to bed on time.

So we stayed up past midnight again, and neither of us slept well thereafter because we had napped so late in the day.  I now have a perpetually jet-lagged feeling in my brain and body, and work tomorrow morning.

I can't wait for Camp NaNoWriMo in July.  I never get this feeling when I have a project to complete...

I have learned that the curtains in my bedroom aren't doing enough to keep out morning sunlight.  This is unacceptable, and will be remedied as soon as possible.  Also, I am now consuming the first non-diet Dr. Pepper that I have had in probably 5 years because it was the most caffeinated beverage available in my refrigerator.  And it is delicious.

Al

Finished

The final words are on the page.  Let the editing commence.  :)