NaNo not Happenin'

I started off with good intentions.  I was really excited about it, and raring to go.  It would seem that that energy got left behind at the starting gate. I can see holes in my plot that are large enough to walk through.  My motivation for my character is weak.  I see weaknesses everywhere I turn. The realization that this is just my internal editor just messin’ with my mind does not help.  I haven’t been able to turn it off this week, although that in itself may be PMS-related.

 

Nevertheless, I want to trudge on, even knowing that much of what I will write will be crap.  It is murder forcing the words to come when that voice keeps telling you to stop.

 

I’ve been reading a lot of blogs.  I enjoy reading about others’ writing process.  There is some comfort that I am not alone in my fears.  It means a lot when a multi-published author still draws a blank, or thinks his/her writing is all crap.  I like that.  Kindred folks.  I have some ideas for other novels, but refuse to work on them until NaNo is over.  I put them on the back burner to marinate for a while.  I keep thinking about NaNo2001, which is still unfinished, simply because I wrote myself into such a corner, that I will need to revise before I can finish anything.

 

Well, I’ve talked the talk, now it’s time to walk the walk.

 

 

 

 

Days 3-4

This weekend turned out to be a total bust.  I had to work Saturday, which pushed all my other Saturday to-dos even later, and well, writing got pushed to the end of the list. I really need to get better at prioritizing, if I ever want to get to 50K. The internal editor is back, loud and clear and he/she/it is driving me crazy.

 

So I’m working from a deficit now.  I’m hoping to catch up and get back on track this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NaNo Day 1

I got off to a slow start yesterday.  The blank page is an intimidating sight.  For a while there, I didn’t know what to do.  I kept hearing a voice in my head, “Okay Nano started, now what?” I didn’t even write 1K last night.  But, considering that I was having computer issues, and I was just damned tired, I think I did alright. 

 

The hard part is not thinking too much.  And I think too much.  However, as the days progress, I think the whole “thinking” thing will fall to the wayside.  There’s just no time for it.  I’ve never been a person who stops reading fiction while they’re writing.  I haven’t had it become an issue yet.  I believe it is perfect for NaNo.  Whenever you’re stuck, just throw in some element from whatever novel you’re reading at the moment.  Who cares if it doesn’t fit!  It may spark some new idea or tangent you hadn’t thought of earlier.  And that is the extent of my NaNoWriMo advice.  Considering that I’ve participated twice….stuck with it for the full 30 days once, and have not hit 50K yet…well, take my advice with a grain of salt.

 

I love the camaraderie of NaNoWriMo.  In RL, I don’t have any writer friends.  Well, at least none that I know about…for all I know, they can be closet writers.  I’m also hoping that becoming active on the NaNo forums will lead me to writers in my area.  I know they’re out there…I just don’t know who they are.

 

The fickle muse is playing with me.  I’m hearing other voices…ones that do not belong in this novel.  They belong in another world, but they’re whispering in my ear, tempting me to go outside and play with them.  The focus thing isn’t easy.  I’ve compromised, by allowing myself to write down notes, or email myself (while at work) different aspects of this [not-so-]new project.  It’s one that has been marinating for a while, but I have been determined to get this project’s first draft completed before moving on to this very sexy, very tempting project #2.

 

Ok, heading back to the grindstone.  Maybe I can get some words in during lunch.

 

 

 

 

impatience

I realize I’ve spent way too long playing around with characters, world building and back story. I need to get writing. I know there are a lot of holes left to fill, but I’m anxious to get this stuff out of my head and onto paper. I’ve committed to NaNoWriMo, and I can’t wait until November 1^st. It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited about writing.

I want this novel out of my head so I can continue. The ideas are marinating right now, but there is SO much OTHER stuff I want to work on. I’ve got an urban fantasy marinating. The NaNo novel from 2001 that I’m afraid to finish ßtons of editing there, and a couple of short story ideas. So, between now and Nov. 1^st I’m pretty much all over the place, and the ideas are flowing. I bet it’s because la bruja knows that I won’t have time to play when Nano starts.

Ciao for now.

The End of June

Haven’t been writing much lately.. I have been doing a LOT of reading.  Wow. There is so much good stuff out there, and I’m fortunate enough to have a really good library system.  I’ve also started a course on Archetypes over at Writers Village.  The text for the course is The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes & Heroines, which at first glance, seems like a really neat resource to have.  I am really looking forward to the next class I’m taking, which is on scenes and sequels.  That starts July 11^th.

 

The writing I have done has been working on my notecards for my untitled WIP.  I’m aiming for 100000 words, and I have two major POVs and two minor POVs.  I’m about halfway through.  After that, the fun begins!  I can honestly say, this will be the first time I’ve attempted a novel with pre-planning work in place.  Usually I’ve just winged it, with little more than a fleshed out main character.  And I have yet to finish a novel yet. I believe that I need to change my ways, so I’m planning.  I worry that I spend too much time planning and not enough time writing.

 

Vacation next week and I’m actually not really looking forward to it.  Long story there, but it will be a little stressful.

writing and reading

I was a reader long before I was a writer.

And I think finally after all this time, the reader and writer in me are working together. I still read for pleasure, but the writer in me gets her word in as well. I am noticing what other writers do. The technique of craft--foreshadowing, worldbuilding, “show, don’t tell”. I know what they are, but to see them at work in a novel still surprises and amazes me. And I am learning how to pick those things out, and say “Ah hah! So that’s how it’s done! Cool.”

I love characters. Nothing showcases characters better than a series. I love me some series! Stardoc, Harry Dresden, Black Dagger Brotherhood, Crimson City. Yup, characters that evolve, and a world I learn more about with each book...gotta love it. Those are the kind of characters I hope to create with my own writing. I don’t know that I’m there yet, but I am starting to get close.

Thanks to Terry McMillan

Terry McMillan is one of the reasons I've stuck with writing. I've "dabbled" for many years. Science Fiction was my first love, although I didn't (and still don't) know a lot about the "science" of science fiction. I've always been a voracious reader, but oddly enough, haven't read very many of the "classics". I'm a big fan of Zora Neale Hurston, and Their Eyes Were Watching God is one of my ALL-time favorite novels. So here it is, 1993, and I pick up Waiting to Exhale from the library. I remember it was Friday evening when I started the book, and the sun was rising Saturday morning when I finished the book. Not a literary masterpiece, but it was a book I could totally relate to. African American writers like Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and others--these were writers who were on such a pedestal, and rightly so. BUT..they did not write about characters I knew. This was new to me--Terry McMillan wrote of characters that I knew intimately. I had friends I could recognize in Savannah, Bernie, Gloria and Robin. And that simple connection turned it all around for me. Write what you know finally made sense. That was a big hurdle for me, and I owe it to Terry McMillan

library vs. bookstore

Something that just came to me.

I wonder, how do authors feel about readers who read their books via library loan vs. purchase? I mean everyone wants to be read...does it matter if the reader purchased their book, or borrowed it from the library? I will admit, I cannot afford to buy all the books I want to read. Although there are some authors whose books I'll purchase simply because I've read everything they've written, and have enjoyed each one [Holly Lisle, S. L. Viehl]. Does it really matter? I purchased 1/2 of the Vampire Huntress books, but read the last 4 as library copies. I will buy them eventually...but I didn't want to wait until my wallet was feeling cooperative.


Just curious...what are your thoughts on this?

just another day

I didn’t write at all this weekend. But I did get some brainstorming done last night. At this point I need to take a minute and get organized. To that end, I plan on printing out all my current files, and put them in a binder, separated by character / plot / scenes, etc. I now that if I don’t do this now, the lack of organization will only get worse.

It’s crazy busy at work, and I am slightly burnt out. And I, like a fool, volunteered to work Monday. Yes, because I have no life. No matter, the overtime will come in handy. I don’t expect that I will be very busy, so I will definitely get a lot of writing done in the meantime.

My Theme/Premise came to me: Be True to Yourself. This is the crux of Erika’s conflict. She cannot be true to herself and indulge her need to please everyone in her life. It’s just not possible. Something’s gotta give, and this is something she needs to realize for herself before she falls apart. Theme is something I never really thought about before, but I am beginning to understand how it can help pull everything together. I know what scenes I need, which ones I don’t. And I expect it will keep me focused so I am not going off on a tangent as I am known for doing.

Been doing some brainstorming at Romance Divas. I've got conflict up the waa-zoo now! Erika is exciting me now. She is going to go through it, but it really works well for me. I'm hoping to get all these random ideas on paper this weekend. Next week I'll start working on scenes, and put together a tentative outline after that. Then comes the writing.

This will be the first time that I've actually planned before writing. I still have an unfinished NaNoWriMo novel that I'd like to finish, if only to tear it apart later. That book is a SF space opera, and I really like the world I've created. I plan to go back to that world again and again--maybe in a series, maybe not. Either way, it is a world I am not finished with yet.

Lately I find myself drawn to YA fiction. Perhaps because I have a tween at home, and anything that will encourage her to read is ok by me. My son has inherited the book gene times two from me. The girl...not so much. She is not a fast reader, and she starts books but doesn't finish them. We're going to work on that this summer. And both of them have inherited the bookstore gene. A simple trip to Barnes & Noble can easily become a 2-3 hour excursion. And if I don't give them a limit beforehand, each will come find me, with a stack of books they're carrying. LOL There are worse things I can spend money on!! And my kids are smart. They can get money from me much, much easier if we're in a bookstore, as opposed to Best Buy or in Game Stop.

a breakthrough

Just last night, I was contemplating putting aside my current stalled project. Not that I'd gotten far, I was still trying to figure out what is motivating this character and what does she want. I even started a character sketch for someone new.

Well, as I was on my way to work this morning, while I parking the car and making the long trek across the huge parking lot it came to me. THAT IS IT. My character has been grieving, and this is the catalyst that makes her ask herself some strong questions. It will also add another pretty major character...but drama will ensue!! I was so excited, when I got to work I sent an email to myself with my notes.

It seems that all it took was me telling my muse that I don't have time to wait to figure Erika out, and I'm moving on. Apparently she didn't like that. And I won the battle. Yay me!

Tracking my progress...or lack thereof

I will admit, I'm all about the numbers. If I can tally word count, and see those numbers go up daily, it's like pure adrenaline, and I'm moving. To that end, I've been tracking word counts. I've been using the NaNo Report Card, which is all over the internet. Good spreadsheet, but not exactly what I want. And I am not excel-savvy enough to create what I want. I'd like a spreadsheet that tallies my wordcount, but also lets me see what I've been working on at a glance. I'd also like it to be a monthly spreadsheet, that will end up with a yearly total. Has anyone in blogland have such a spreadsheet, or seen one around?

The Vampire Huntress legend

I have been sucked deep into The Vampire Huntress series of books by L.A. Banks. There is romance, there are vampires, there is the classic battle between good and evil, and there is the pending Armageddon…what more can a girl ask for? I am currently reading The Forbidden, Book 5 of 9 (so far). The characters are all people I want to know, and would hang out with, of course sans flesh eating were-demons, and killer harpies. This is the type of book I aspire to writing. A storyline and characters that leave you thinking about them days after you’ve finished the book. As for my own writing, it seems like I’ve been sucked down so far into this other world, I’m feeling both intimidated, and excited. There are not enough hours in the day for me to read these books, and continue to write…and right now, guess which one is winning?

looking back

This evening I've been doing some long overdue purging of stuff. Various outdated emails, and such, and of course old projects that I started (and never finished). I found a dear friend's email to me, back at the end of 2001. He said, "You write clean ... reads like you've been publishing for a while....I'm impressed...and you're handling 1st person very well." I don't even remember what I sent him, but damn, what a boost to my confidence. Perhaps my fears are simply my own, and I just need to get over myself and write.

As even further proof that I at least have some talent, I read a small scene snippet that I wrote off the cuff. It was pretty good. Comparable to published work I've read, if I say so myself. LOL This was a pump up that I needed. I need to stop worrying so much about the mechanics and "get 'er done!'

cute new tool

Once upon a time I used notecards for scene-plotting. One card per scene with a short description of said scene. Had a stack of cards, that I couldn't even tell you where they are right now. Anyway, tonight I was in the big store that starts with "W", and I came across a very useful item. Index cards that were perforated down the middle, attached with a ring. I'd thought about doing the same thing...which would require a hole punch, and time. But this was perfect. Index cards on a ring, already holepunched. The pack has 75 full size cards, which is really 150 punched cards. Let's just say I'm a sucker for a new gadgety type of item, and I'm a sucker for any type of office/school supply that I haven't tried before, and it was a pre-packaged version of something I'd already thought about.

Kewl.

Re-reading

There aren't many books that I will re-read. Stephen King--definitely. S.L. Viehl's StarDoc--of course! A certain mystery writer--nope. However I just started re-reading the Vampire Huntress series by L.A. Banks. I'm starting from the beginning.. Minion. I love the series...I've read 5 or 6 of the 8 currently available. I forgot which one I was up to, so I decided to start all over. And I am happy to say, that it is a whole new experience. I mean, I pretty much know what is going to happen, but now I can savor it. The first time I read the books I was thrown into a non-stop whirlwind of good vs. evil. I was so anxious to find out what was going to happen that I didn't slow down to savor the experience. That is the beauty of the 2nd reading. Especially if a bit of time has elapsed from the initial reading. I am also reading as research. Plotting, characterization. I've slowed down enough to take a look around this world I'm experiencing, and seeing the world as Ms. Banks wrote it.

I'm hoping this will help me to translate those movies in my mind onto paper. I often write without thinking...without drawing a complete picture. I leave things out, and I know in a first draft it shouldn't matter, but this old brain forgets....and I think I need to really watch that movie that's playing on the back of my eyelids,a nd absorbing it before i try to commit it to paper. I am working hard on my character--really just trying to get myself organized, and finding out what motivates Erika, Malcolm, Rohan, Serena and Kyle. (Five characters, two different novels, two different genres). I'm ping-ponging back and forth between the two, because they have been in my head for such a long time. I need to get them on paper and then decide what to do with them.

Eden's Promise was my Nano novel from six years ago. I never finished it, simply because I wrote myself into a corner. I've been thinking about this novel, and hope to get back to it later this year. I have some notes written down on that one as well. I don't think I am spreading myself too thin, as all three are different genres.

Ok. so I've been reading an unnamed mystery writer these past couple of weeks. The writer has a series of novels with very interesting characters. But I have noticed one disturbing thing, that probably wouldn't matter if I weren't a writer. Descriptive passages that are repeated from book to book. No, not infodumping the same backstoy....but literally word-for-word paragraphs that are repeated from book to book to book. I don't know about you, but that seems like lazy writing to me.

hump day

Tonight was Jericho. But I didn't watch it. I am 2 episodes behind, catching up on On Demand. I missed one, then babygirl was gone for a week, and I didn't want to watch it without her. We watched an episode monday night, but then between homework, and my being tired, we haven't finished the other 2 episodes. So now we're back to 3 episodes behind I guess.

I have not been writing, but I have been thinking about writing. My MC Erika, is not ready yet. I still need to work on her motivations, as well as the motivations for the other major characters. I am [finally] reading Goal, Motivation & Conflict by Debra Dixon. It is giving me a lot to think about. And I am realizing that Erika is only half-formed...she is not "real" yet. There is more I need to know before I move on to plotting.

I also have a couple of ideas (and characters) marinating. Jaylen is speaking to me again. She is the main character from my SF trilogy, that I started as a NaNoWriMo project back in 2001. I remember that I ended the month at 35K, continued writing, and petered out at around 75K. No plot in mind, but I've got an interesting story. I think it is almost time to dig for the gold, and see what I can salvage. The only thing I can be sure of is Jaylen, her two buddies, and the titles for each of the three books.

Related to that project is a short story--a sort of prequel if you will. It is not finished either (do you see a pattern here?) but it is already over 10K. This is another project that I'd like to come back to.

Aside from all this crowding my brain, I am also trying to...get organized. <--what a concept! I am the most disorganized person in the world. My attempts at becoming organized fall to the wayside when I get overwhelmed. I'm a great starter. A finisher...not so much. And that is what I want to change. Banish that procrastination demon! Well, I'm off to do some reading tonight. I have several books in my TBR pile, and they keep getting pushed back, because I can't stay out of the library. LOL My thought is..those books need to be returned, so they need to be read first. Makes sense, no?

it's only tuesday?

Jericho is my latest television addiction. I discovered this show recently, and spent a Saturday watching all the episodes on Comcast On Demand. This show has truly sucked me in. Yes, it really stretches the believability factor, but still, it is an interesting show, especially since we the viewers don’t know yet just who attacked the United States, or why. And the storyline currently suggests that it was a US agency gone rogue.

I am a fan of post-apocalyptic stories—be it movies, novels, whatever. I don’t like the idea of the world as we know it coming to an end, but it is truly the big “What If?”. I’d like to think that if I survived the initial apocalyptic incident, that I could adapt to a whole new world. I see a world where people will need the sometimes forgotten knowledge of our forefathers. Simple things, like sewing, digging a well, milking a cow. Things that we as a society take for granted. I'm thinking that this will definitely be something I explore in my writing one day.

my visual DNA

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monday monday

I have a car. I bought a car. A new car. My first new car. I drove it off the lot with 11 miles on it. Wow. I'm still suffering from sticker-price-shock or something, as I am not sure it is real yet. So now, I have to pay for said car. Reality hasn't set it, but I'm sure it will soon. It is a 2007 Hyundai Elantra. I wanted a Sonata, but my budget could not swing it. Still, it's cute, and the gas mileage is incredible!

Not much else is going on...babygirl is back at home, and all is well. I'm sleepy.

Thank God its Friday

It has been a hell of a week. I’m glad it’s over. My daughter is visiting her dad in Philly, so I’ve been by myself.  Woo Hoo!  You’d think I would have gotten a lot done.  Nope.  I fear that I went through a couple of horrible days at work, where I ended up in bed rather early. 

 

Oh then came Wednesday.

 

I was on my way to a car dealership, since I knew the 1998 Taurus I was driving had seen better days, and I would be lucky to get any trade in dollars for it.  Well, here I am, cruising down Atlantic Ave, when smoke is pouring out from under the hood. I pull into the turning lane, because I was right at Pep Boys.  Dropped it there for an cooling system diagnostic, and walked three blocks to the nearby car dealership.  That wasn’t so bad.  They want $1500 down, which is a little more that I was planning, but not as bad as I thought it would be…you see, I have bad credit.  But I’m happy to say, I’m on the far side of bad, and I can see the end of the tunnel, when I will have “fair” credit, which will naturally pave the way back to “good” credit.  So I’ve got to come up with some cold hard cash to put as a down payment, and in the meantime, I’m without a vehicle.  Or, if I drive the Taurus, I’m in danger of blowing up.  That was enough to scare me. The repair bill on the Taurus was approximately $2600 dollars.  I’m better off with the $1500 down and having a new(er) car that has a warranty, versus a repair bill on a car that will more than likely need something else in a few months.

 

I have spent some time writing. I need to take some time this weekend to organize my notes.  I’ve been playing around with WriteItNow and Liquid Story Binder.  I have Write Way Pro installed, but the evaluation period is over.  I’ll let you know which program I decide to actually keep.  Right now, I’m leaning towards WriteItNow.

 

More later….

alone at last

Don't know if it's a good thing or not, yet. My babygirl just flew on a plane all by herself to Philadelphia to spend spring break with her dad. Okay she's 10. And she will be escorted by airline personnel from the time she boards, till she meets Dad. But still, she's my baby. I was a big girl though, and didn't cry. Now I'm home alone (the boy lives in NYC with my mom). This is the first time I've been alone in a very long time. So long that, I can't quite remember if I've ever had this experience before.

PARTY TIME!!

Not. More like cleaning, not cooking, writing time. Oh yeah, and shopping for a car. I'll be leaving Jacksonville soon, and I need reliable transportation. Another bill. I'm not gonna go there....let's just say my financial picture ain't that pretty.

So I've been spending this weekend doing blog hopping, and thinking. Balance, and dedication. Two issues I need to really sit down and think about. How do I find balance between writing, exercise, being a mom, knitting, work, and entertainment. (Who's fooling who, we all have some type of entertainment in our lives). I will not pretend that I don't like watching TV. I do. So aside from the normal things that I have to do, all these things mentioned about fill up my "free" time. I need to start scheduling, and planning....something I also need to do with my writing as well. I can't just sit down without a plan, because, well I don't have time for it. I need to have a plan and execute it. Which leads to becoming more organized, in my work, and breaking it down to small tasks that will [eventually] become habits. It is all related, because habits I pick up in one area of my life, will filter into other parts of my life, and theoretically, make for a less stressful and more productive life.

romance divas

Please be sure to check out RomanceDivas. It's a great website, and the women there are so helpful. In my efforts to become less of a hermit, I've started hanging out there again. I aksed one question on the forums today, and the response was awesome. I had an epiphany...I'm a write who loves/needs that back-and-forth type of bantering to work out my ideas/plot. Sometimes I have such a narrow view, that I miss things that other people pick up right away. Of course this is the crux of critiquing....but I haven't even gotten there yet. How do I learn to be my own crit partner?

So now I've got a ton of ideas that are "marinating". I've been playing around with TwiddlySpot, and it came in handy today while I was at work. Lucky for me, I have access to that particular website (and RomanceDivas, of course). I was able to jot down an idea I had in a spot where it made sense, not in some random email to myself, or even worse, a sticky note. I keep it open and minimized all day, so whenever the random thought flies by, I can catch it before it reaches the ether.

My fish are spoiled and picky. So, they normally eat Romaine lettuce. When I went to the store yesterday they were out of Romaine, and I picked up some green leaf lettuce. I put to nice sized pieces in the tank and they absolutely hated it! I mean they "sniffed" around it, took a bite, and left it alone. So wuss that I am, I was back at the store today, buying Romaine. I'm watching them now, and they are happier campers today. Granted, it's not brine shrimp but they will get over it. I try not to give them too much brine shrimp, because a lot of it goes to waste and gives the nasty bristleworms something to eat.


Watched American Idol. I can't believe Sanjaya squeaked through another week. I was worried for Phil Stacey though. I didn't think he should have been in the bottom 3. I also can't believe Diana Ross will be 63 this month! Go Diva Diana!

checking in

I was feeling a little sick on Sunday, but didn’t think anything of it. After a horrible night of trying to sleep, I dragged myself into work. By 1PM I was outta there. Don’t quite remember getting home, but apparently I made it in one piece. I fell asleep thinking that it was way too bright outside and daylight savings really sucked. So with a head cold, and the time change, I’m feeling out of sorts. I feel like I’m viewing the world through gauze. Nothing seems really clear. Should be a good time for writing, you would think.

Made it to work today, (which is why I’m posting via email, damn those website watchers) and if I could crawl under my desk for a nap, I would. I can’t even enjoy the 80 degree weather we’re having today. Yes I’m bragging…this is the reason for living in Florida. J

I wonder how effective and productive I am actually being today. I don’t feel like I’ve done anything, and honestly, couldn’t care less right now. I just want to lie down and relax. I’ve started reading Lisey’s Story by Stephen King. I don’t know if I’m going to like this one…but it is Mr. King, so perhaps it is just slow starting. I just finished Whiskey Sour by J. A. Konrath, which I really liked. I definitely plan on checking out the other books in this new series.

I like series’ characters. I like investing the time in getting to know characters and wondering where their story goes next. The best books (and characters) are those I’m still thinking about long after I’ve finished the book. Those are the kinds of characters that I hope to create. I want my readers to care and/or identify with my characters.

I have a character named Erika. She is a doormat, plain and simple. But the story is about her changing from doormat to independent woman. My biggest problem seems to be plotting…figuring out the “trigger” that makes her decide she doesn’t want to be a doormat anymore. Not that she realizes just how much of a doormat she really is. I’ve got plot points by the ton, things are happening…it’s just that opening catalyst that I have trouble with. What makes her want to change NOW?

beginning again

I can't believe its March already. I think this is the first time this year I've sat down with my computer and wrote something other than an email. My writing resolution bit the dust weeks ago. I'm currently taking an online writing class. It's a month long workshop, and already I feel out of my element. There are so many things I want to write and the one thing that is keeping me from it, is me.

So in a effort to be accountable, I've set up this new blog. I've had blogs in the past, but never really kept up with it. I won't even link to them here. If you know me, you'll know those blogs. But they are in the past.

I have a lot of ideas currently marinating in the mind. This is the part of writing I enjoy. Building my world, creating characters, discovering who these people are. Unfortunately, it is also the part of writing where I tend to get lost. And then I just kinda wander around in my world, but never actually getting to the story part of it. I'd like to conquer this issue this year. And I'm hoping this blog will get me past that blockade.

Last weekend I discovered a new show, "Jericho". I remember when it first premiered, and wanted to watch it, but for whatever reason, never got into it. Well Saturday, I saw it was on cable On Demand. All the missed episodes...woo hoo! I spent the next 9 hours watching it, as I got sucked in in a big way! I loved the premise and the fact that not everyone is as they seem. Lots of twists with the main characters.

I have also been struggling with my fitness regimen. I have it all planned out, but the execution of said plan is where I falter. Can you see the recurring theme here?? In any case, the pounds are going, though not at the pace I'd like. The BF percentage is going down, and the inches are melting away again, so I'll take the downward trend vs. no progress at all. Still the plan is to step up my game, not only in my workouts, but my writing workouts as well.