Saver of Memories: October 2019

October Wrap-Up

Gonna make this short because I know lots of people are busy starting NaNo and everything.

Basically, all is good on the Daventry frontier.

Though, if I was being honest, I don't like that it's getting colder outside. I can barely tolerate fall, and I detest winter.

Trail trimming with Sister 2.

Navigating a tricky section of trail.

Manning the aid station for the local 30K/50mile race.

Loading the Falcon up with all the drop bags for the runners!

Helping out at the middle aid station.

Ran a local 5K race along this river with some friends.

The brother...came in second overall for the 8 mile distance.

Running the horses.

Sister 3 holding the quiver while we shoot arrows.

Ran a 12 mile race in the mtns.

The race ended up being closer to 13 miles because I got lost...

Seriously, the mountains are so cool!

Allllll the stairs RIGHT at the END of the race when I'm SO TIRED.

So yeah. October was cool. BUT NANO IS UPON US.

Know the Novel - Ships, Secrets, and Survivors

Hello...just jumping in for Christine's Know the Novel linkup! Hope you enjoy this little sneak peak into my NaNo Novel (and the subject of the Shared WIP Tag coming up in November).

What first sparked the idea for this novel?

Well, it kinda started back in...maybe 2010, I think? Maybe '11. But back when I was writing most of my WIPs in notebooks. And basically, I watched the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie for the first time. And tried to write a pirate story. And failed.

Then fast-forward to the end of '18 (or maybe the beginning of '19), where Sarah and I are thinking of doing a story together. She pulls out her fave thing to write (about people having to work as a team) and I pull out my pirate story.

And we shoved it all together.

Share a blurb!

I'm gonna make y'all wait a little longer...it's coming for the Shared WIP Tag!

Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects about the setting?

It takes place in a made-up fantasy world. It has kind of a French Revolution feel, with some scary ocean creatures and pirates and stuff thrown in.

I love how it's not a typical "medieval setting" fantasy story. :)

Tell us about your protagonist(s).

The main characters are Ralivaen del Mankayl and Adima Radi Kashinda.

Ravin is a sailor who would prefer just to be ignored and live his life on the ship and never set foot on land again. But his name is called as one of the selectees for the Scaera Dumeda, and he's planning to put about as little effort into this as possible...

Adi is a princess, who would rather be out fighting and helping people, instead of living a pampered life. So she is thrilled when she's selected and this long-awaited chance arrives. She's not going to mess this up.

Who (or what) is the antagonist?

The main villain is Captain Rev Martin, one of the most feared pirates, who happens to have a grudge against some of our main characters...

What excites you the most about this novel?

-Writing something with Sarah

-Evan is doing cool illustrations for it

-Pirates

-The characters

-Sea creatures

-The Scaera Dumeda

Is this going to be a series? standalone? something else?

For the moment, it's just a standalone novel. I suppose it could continue, but I think in a sense, stories could "always" continue. It just depends on if the author is willing to dig into the story world and see what happens next or if it should be left for the readers to uncover in fanfiction.

Are you plotting? pantsing? plansting?

Sarah and I did some vague plotting back when we started it. Basically covered the first third of the book, and we figured we'd find out what happened next once we got past bringing everyone together.

And that's where I'm going to pick up the book for NaNo. *cracks knuckles* Good thing I'm a pantster.

Name a few things that makes this story unique.

Um...something cool that I don't wanna give away. Plus, the aspect of the Scaera Dumeda is kinda cool. And really, I think it's just a neat little story with lots of neat little aspects.

Share a fun “extra” of the story.

For your enjoyment...the first page of the hand-written original, from long, long ago. Plus two character sheets from characters that have made the cut from the old version to this new NaNo ones!

I'll be back Friday to kick off the Shared WIP Tag!!

Preptober Prompts // Week Three // Day Seven

Well, I hope y'all enjoyed the Plot Section of the Preptober Prompts. I know I've had a lot of fun hosting this! (And the prompts are great!!)

Last one for me. Thanks again, everyone.

I actually have the ending scene of the first Heritage of Kings book all planned out to a song, down to everyone's facial expressions, words, and movements. It's a beautifully sad and moving scene, if I do say so myself!

One last reminder: There are three extra days at the end of October, and for those three days we’re going to be using reader-submitted prompts. You can submit through the form linked in the giveaway below, and that’s really all you need to do, but you can also improve the chances of your prompt being chosen by sharing and participating in the event through the month. Share posts on social media, post your prompt results in the comments, etc. and you’ll get more entries to be chosen for one of those three spots.

The readers whose prompts are chosen will get a special shout-out and a graphic for their prompt, and if they’re bloggers then they’ll get to host their prompt and Ariel will share their blog on her own and on social media.

But all of your prompts will be shared! Ariel will be putting together a list of bonus prompts at the end of the month, including any prompts that weren’t selected for the last three days, and sharing it on social media and her blog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preptober Prompts // Week Three // Days Five + Six

Hey, one last prompt before y'all get a break and can take a day off and just focus on the Lord. Seriously. Don't think about your WIPs. Just spend your Sunday with God. Come back ready for more on Monday. :)

In Words of Peace, my MC disguises herself as a minstrel...but she has no idea how to play the lute she lugs around and it sometimes gets her into sticky situations...

There are three extra days at the end of October, and for those three days we’re going to be using reader-submitted prompts. You can submit through the form linked in the giveaway below, and that’s really all you need to do, but you can also improve the chances of your prompt being chosen by sharing and participating in the event through the month. Share posts on social media, post your prompt results in the comments, etc. and you’ll get more entries to be chosen for one of those three spots.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preptober Prompts // Week Three /// Day Four

Aaaaand I'm back!

This has been a fave song of mine for AGES. When Ariel gave me the option to pick the song, I was like yesyesyesIknowtheone!!!!!

Here's a quick link, if you need it: HERE

I don't think I've ever set a scene or anything to this particular song, but it's always been one that made me think of my trilogy.

Don't forget that there are three extra days at the end of October, and for those three days we’re going to be using reader-submitted prompts. You can submit through the form linked in the giveaway below, and that’s really all you need to do, but you can also improve the chances of your prompt being chosen by sharing and participating in the event through the month. Share posts on social media, post your prompt results in the comments, etc. and you’ll get more entries to be chosen for one of those three spots.

The readers whose prompts are chosen will get a special shout-out and a graphic for their prompt, and if they’re bloggers then they’ll get to host their prompt and Ariel will share their blog on her own and on social media.

But all of your prompts will be shared! Ariel will be putting together a list of bonus prompts at the end of the month, including any prompts that weren’t selected for the last three days, and sharing it on social media and her blog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preptober Prompts // Week Three // Day Three

Anyways, I'm in love with the music theme. As I have lots of music and poetry and singing in almost all my books...

As to Ships, Secrets, and Survivors, I know there's a scene in which a character plays his violin, tells maybe a touch of his past, and it's a cute, sad, moving scene and all that. But I'm more of a panster, guys. Give me some slack here for not having much planned out...

Also, there are three extra days at the end of October, and for those three days we’re going to be using reader-submitted prompts. You can submit through the form linked in the giveaway below, and that’s really all you need to do, but you can also improve the chances of your prompt being chosen by sharing and participating in the event through the month. Share posts on social media, post your prompt results in the comments, etc. and you’ll get more entries to be chosen for one of those three spots.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preptober Prompts // Week Three // Day Two

Here I am again, with the next prompt. This one will be fun!

Enjoy! I have the opening track for Words of Bravery, but not for this NaNo WIP yet...because I'm co-writing this with Sarah, and her character opened off the book, I didn't have *much* say about how it began.

Don't forget: there are three extra days at the end of October, and for those three days we’re going to be using reader-submitted prompts. You can submit through the form linked in the giveaway below, and that’s really all you need to do, but you can also improve the chances of your prompt being chosen by sharing and participating in the event through the month. Share posts on social media, post your prompt results in the comments, etc. and you’ll get more entries to be chosen for one of those three spots.

The readers whose prompts are chosen will get a special shout-out and a graphic for their prompt, and if they’re bloggers then they’ll get to host their prompt and Ariel will share their blog on her own and on social media.

But all of your prompts will be shared! Ariel will be putting together a list of bonus prompts at the end of the month, including any prompts that weren’t selected for the last three days, and sharing it on social media and her blog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preptober Prompts // Week Three // Day One

So I've never done this before. Hi. Hello.

*grins nervously*

*throws prompt at readers*

Enjoy.

Wait. Am I supposed to answer this myself? Um, well...I don't want to give much away because #spoilers but there is a character who actually plays an instrument...and being as there are sailors, I imagine a number of sea shanties and the like would be sung.

Remember: there are three extra days at the end of October, and for those three days we’re going to be using reader-submitted prompts. You can submit through the form linked in the giveaway below, and that’s really all you need to do, but you can also improve the chances of your prompt being chosen by sharing and participating in the event through the month. Share posts on social media, post your prompt results in the comments, etc. and you’ll get more entries to be chosen for one of those three spots.

The readers whose prompts are chosen will get a special shout-out and a graphic for their prompt, and if they’re bloggers then they’ll get to host their prompt and Ariel will share their blog on her own and on social media.

But all of your prompts will be shared! Ariel will be putting together a list of bonus prompts at the end of the month, including any prompts that weren’t selected for the last three days, and sharing it on social media and her blog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tips for NaNoWriMo

So what is NaNo and how do I win this thing?

So I'm sure about 95% of y'all have heard about NaNoWriMo and know what it is and have probably done it (or at least done Camp NaNo) a time or two.

But for those who don't know...

NaNoWriMo is a Thing.

A fun writing Thing, to be more exact. It started a number of years ago when some crazy people banded together to try and write their books in a month. Eventually word got around and more and more people wanted to try and they made a website and made it official and now anyone can join in and do it!

The Official NaNo website can be found HERE.

You don't have to sign up to do NaNo, but there are bonuses if you do - you can a place to enter in your word count and you and browse the forums for writing tips and you can get cool freebies and discounts for writing software if you win. So I would suggest signing up as it is free and can help you hold yourself accountable.

But what actually IS NaNo? (i.e. what do I do for it?)

Easy. Write 50,000 words in your book. Start on November 1st, and write up until midnight on November 30th. Make sure you validate your word count on the Official Website so you can claim your winners certificate and check out the winner goodies.

Why 50K? That's the average word count of a novel. Apparently.

Do I have to write on Sundays? Nope! Write whenever you want! Just get it done during the month of November.

Can I finish before the 30th? Yes! After a certain date you are allowed to validate your novel.

There you have it. NaNo in a nutshell.

But let's be honest. Writing 50K is hard. So I also have a few tips for you.

Be Prepared. Unless you are a tried and true hardcore pantster (writing by the seat of your pants and having any kind of outline whatsoever gives you extreme panic and writers block), you will want some kind of a guide. Even having a brief summary of your story (something like "they all go over here and stuff happens and then someone dies and it ends" can help).

Announce Your Plans. We all know it's embarrassing to tell everyone you're doing some big thing and then later have to tell them you failed and didn't make it. But you are going to need the support of your friends and family. You can't just hole up in your room and never come out. And shouting "I'm writing a book for NaNo" through your closed door does not count. You need to sit them down beforehand and look them in the eyes and say, "I'm going to attempt to do NaNo. What can I do so that I have time to write? Can you help keep me on track?" They'll be much more likely to walk the dog for you or at least will understand why you're not keen on getting out and doing stuff with them. They'll know it's not personal, you're just trying to reach a goal.

Do NOT use that backspace key! Unless it's just a typo or changing the word order of a sentence, do not go back and rewrite!! Did you suddenly realize that a name needs to be changed, or that a certain scene doesn't need to be there? Don't delete it! You'll loose your word count. Just keep charging ahead and take that scene out in December while you're editing. Don't look back, y'all, just going going.

Word Sprints/Word Wars. These are fun. Basically, you set a timer, usually anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, and then type like a maniac. Remember my above tip? Well, I don't even stop to fix typos when I'm doing sprints. Once the timer goes off, I'll go through and fix anything that has that annoying red line under it, but when the timer is on--I'm typing!

A word war is same idea, only you're doing it with a friend, or even a group of people. You can find people on the NaNo website and challenge them, or you can text or message an online friend. Pick how many minutes, and see who gets the highest word count in that space of time!

Both are really great ways to boost your word count up.

Know your word count. You have to reach 50K in 30 days. That's essentially 1,667 words a day. If you don't write on Sundays (like me), that takes it to 1,923 words a day. Keeping track of your word count helps you decide if you can take a break or if you need to maybe skip out on movie night and get some extra words in.

Write more when you can. So maybe you're on top of your word count. You're about 2 weeks in, and all is well. You reach the 2K a day or whatever and decide to turn in early and maybe watch some YouTube or something. Don't. If you have extra time, write. If you get sick, or take off a few days to help prepare for Thanksgiving, or work gets busy or your family holds a week-long game tournament, you won't have to stress. You can miss a few days, because you wrote extra on other days.

Plus, you are allowed to win anytime during the month. You don't have to reach 50K on the 30th. And if you can get reach that before Thanksgiving, it'll be a less stressful holiday.

Set yourself up for success - type correctly. If you have the typing skills of a two-fingered toddler, invest in a typing program or find something for free online. Knowing how to use all your fingers to type - and not having to look at the keyboard constantly - is an amazing help. The faster you can type, the easier it will be to reach your word count.

Set yourself up for success - Prepare before you start typing. Get your chores done. Grab a drink and maybe a snack. Let everyone know it's your writing time. Then sit down and write.

Don't feel guilty. If you don't make it, be proud of what you did achieve. Be proud that you tried your best. Be proud of how far you got before life, thanksgiving, sickness, work, etc, got in your way and tackled you like a football player.

Remember: just because you can't write 50K in one month does not mean you are less of a writer then those who can write 50K (or even 100K) in a month. Your book might be better than theirs. Your book might need less editing by the time it's done. You might just have not as much time available to write as they do.

This is a race, a challenge, for YOU. To push YOU. NaNoWriMo is about getting people together and writing. It's not about finding out who the "real writers" are. It's about challenging yourself towards the goal of writing a novel.

And you can do this.

September Wrap-Up + Thoughts + Horses

So in the space of 8 days during September, I logged in 11+ hours of truck and trailer driving (mostly with the horse trailer, but a bit with the flatbed while getting a few loads of hay).

I actually drove the truck a bunch this month...it stayed hitched up to trailers for basically three weeks in a row. But I did have a long road trip as well.

So I just wanted to share a few thoughts.

That space I leave between my truck and the vehicle ahead of me is not free-for-all space. That is so I have extra room to slow my rig when pulling a heavy trailer. If you squeeze into that spot I will personally smash your bumper (okay, so I never actually did this, but I always thought about it when people squeeze into my extra space, because if everyone suddenly slammed on their brakes I would likely end up doing that, intentionally or not).

When there are only two pumps with diesel at a gas station, and you are in a non-diesel vehicle and there are non-diesel pumps open, go to one of those non-diesel pumps so I can take the diesel pump and not have to park in front of the station and wait for you to finish getting gas while there are perfectly good gas-only pumps just hanging out empty for cars like you.

There really needs to be a "pulling heavy trailer with live cargo" tick-box on the gps app on my phone. That way it won't take me from TN to NC over the mountains using one-and-a-half-lane roads.

There also should be a "brakes are shot" tick-box on the gps app as well.

Hi, yes, I know I'm going way under the speed limit, but if you haven't noticed, I'm from out-of-state, I have a live horse in the back and I'd like to keep him that way, this road looks like they had a two-year-old sketch the blueprint plans, and these potholes are so huge you might end up in China if you jump into them. Please don't follow me to my next stop and beat me with a tire iron.

If the gps tells me to turn onto a road that looks like it was made before pavement was a thing and has a rusty gate across it with a sign labeled "no trespassing" then NO I AM NOT TURNING ONTO THAT ROAD.

When you reach one of the trickier sections to navigate, a family member will call to chat.

Backing practice pays off when you put the truck in reverse and whip that trailer into a space between two other horse trailers and an onlooker applauds and says it would have taken him a few more tries to get it in that straight.

Sure you're proud of that 2018 brand-spankin-new truck you got, but it probably will never do half the crazy stuff my old '97 Ford has done. Ever.

I know the running board looks like it's about to fall off, but trust me, it's still attached underneath. Just hangs lower than you would expect.

If I can get over to another lane to help you merge, I will. But otherwise, you're on your own.

I might be able to slow down to help you merge, but you better SPEED UP cuz I can't accelerate quickly at all. You gotta work with me here, mate.

If I end up in the left lane, stop speeding around me. I'm trying to get out of the left lane and back into the right, so if you would slow down for five seconds and let me get over, I'll get out of your way, but does anyone listen to me? Nooooo they just all speed around me until some kind person finally notices my blinky turn signal and waits for me to get over.

Yes, I am a girl driving this big rig. Yes, I weight like, 100 lbs. I can still back this trailer better than you. And yes, that is the avengers theme song blaring through the speakers.

If I perform the most amazing backing job ever with a load of 11 round bales on a flatbed, the only person to witness it will be my hard-to-impress-and-who-also-wanted-me-to-back-beside-the-barn-not-in-front-of-it sister.

Anyway, just a few thoughts. I had a long haul to TN for a race as well as a visit to the vet and then to a specialist farrier. Then had to get two loads of hay on Saturday as well as doing a guided trail ride for a local family.

If anyone is wondering, we got DQ'd at the race because my horse was intermittently lame, took him to the vet and found he has navicular, and got him a new set of corrective shoes. So praying that the shoes will help.

Writing is well. Finished my tenth edit of Words of Bravery. This month I will be reading through Words of Betrayal as well as preparing my NaNo novel.

Is anyone else doing NaNo this year? Any specific goals relating to that? This year I'm just doing the 50K, but I want to get it done asap so I can get back to editing and stuff.