Gina Bug Writes

What New Year's 2007 Means to Me

I've never been "big" on New Year's Day. Never really celebrated it much or wondered what was in store for my life after that day. Yet this year I've felt just a bit more moved (just a bit!). Wondering what I was going to write about New Years sent me to other writer's blogs. <!--more-->

Just as I was thinking about writing in my blogs about New Year's Day meaning growth and allowance for change this year, I found this quote from Michelle's:

"The goal each year is to make the "right" choices. Sometimes we do, but we make a few stinkers too. That's fine. We just don't want to make the same stinkers; we want to learn from them."

No regrets of the past, only learning. Looking forward instead of behind and growing in a way and pace that's best suited for me. This is what New Year's means to me this year.

Time Magazine -- Off the "take" this year I think

At the grocery store today my husband thought that Time Magazine's take on the Person of the Year Award this year was brilliant. I didn't share his enthusiasm. In fact, I was disgusted.<!--more-->

The magazine's got a big computer and the screen is a mirror. YOU are the winner. I am the winner. He prattled on about how "YOU access millions of bits of information..." yada yada!

I looked at him and said, "Yah, WE are good people who do x, y and z. But how many people look in this mirror and see a pedophile or person in the sex trade looking back at them. They access the same information...." yada yada.

Sad, but true! And I know it wasn't the point and was a bit emotionally led and dramatic, but I can't help myself! I'm a mom and a writer with lots of drama in the veins - I am hardwired to be emotional and dramatic.

Moving furniture outside the box...

I've been lacking a "project space" for the past six months since moving here. We're still lacking great furniture - like a nice, big, desk! - and we're lacking space. I kicked my hubby out to a dingy area of the garage to hold his office space. Sharing a desk with him was hell.

Even with the desk to myself I am not comfy there. I can't wait to get something nice with a comfortable chair under me. But besides that, I had no where to lay out projects like index cards for novels and screenplays or my painting and drawing. The kids had to wrestle for time at the dinner table with paints and Play-Doh and put everything away before dinner.

We have had the hardest time finding a dinner table that would seat 6-8 people and fit in the tiny dining area next to the kitchen. We were talking about what to do when suddenly an idea came to mind.

Our living room isn't particularly wide, but it's long. We moved our furniture down to one side near the fireplace (that I hate because it limits my furniture options) and made a cozy little sitting nook with the couch splitting the middle of the room.

On the other side of the couch is now our dining area. We're finally able to look for a full sized table! We may even have room for a hutch and a corner piece. This area is just a few steps away from the kitchen's other door, so it's going to work out.

And what's best? Our old dining area will be converted into a project area! I'm thinking we toss down a big rug, put in some more storage, a table with stools, an easel for painting, and maybe something comfy like big pillows or bean bags! I'm planning on puttinng up a white board for planning ideas and maybe a cork board.

Finally, after all this time - a solution! And it seems like we have more room than ever, not less. 

Mom?Will you be published?

My 8-year-old asked this morning if I believe I will be published.

YES! Yes I do. When? I don't know. What? I dont know. But I will be. and I will have quite a few published.

Have I mentioned I love how this kid's brain works? I hope he's a writer someday too :-)

My Alphasmart's Coming!

I bought a used Alphasmart Dana from a mom writer yesterday and it will be here before NaNo! It comes with good vibes too - since she used it and won her first NaNo with it :-)

I've been waiting for a good deal at the precise time I had enough in my wallet and it's worked out this week. I'd held off buying one for months. Then I happened to play with a NaNo my son's school placed him with last week and I knew I definitely wanted one. On Saturday, the ad went out, and now it's mine!

Alphasmart's are so lightweight, have great battery power (like 700 hours from 3 AA batteries, or use the AC adapter), auto save, room for lots of files.... It's going to be perfect for November. And the Dana comes with the ability to do more than word processing. It connects to Wi-Fi and you can use lots of programs.

After November, just every day use will be wonderful. It's literally a pain to drag the laptop everywhere. The Alphasmart's make it easy for five minutes in the car, etc.. They power up instantly and the auto save feature means no extra time or worry about saving. Just power off or it turns itself off. Can't wait!

Hired for greeting cards

I was contacted by a man looking for a humor/edgy writer for his new greeting card line. I assume he found me through my humor site www.blamemama.com (that needs some updating!). I'll let you all know how it goes! But so far I accepted the payment amount and have asked for the photos. Looks like fun...

Children's Writers: 24th Annual Golden Gate Conference

I'm looking at writer's conferences lately. I'm a member of SCBWI - Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and they have excellent opportunities to meet editors and get training. There are others as well.

It's worth going to schmooze. It's just that each conference that I have to book hotels for within a five hour drive from here costs me about $300 to $1,000. Hence the reason I have not gone yet!

There's a 24th Annual Golden Gate Conference in Asilomar in February that will be under $400 for members (non-members may also sign up). I think I may just book myself for that in November.

There are optional private manuscript critiques and an additional retreat day being offered. If I can afford it and hubby can be home that many days, I'm in! I'm not sure when the deadline is, I'll have to check the website.

First round of children's book subs...

I'll be sending various children's books out soon! I slated the submission of Pete Caboodle for June. Whoops! I missed that. But I am okay with that - I've done a LOT OF WORK on him. This manuscript is almost a year old. It's time to set him loose on the publishing world. There are a couple of others as well.

I have no grand delusions of publication (yes I do!), but I've been pushing them towards their first round of submissions. I think The Incompetent Tooth Fairy and Monkey, Airplane, Tree Trunk are next to go out.  

Someone hold me to this! I will send out my first before November 15th!

Vote for Women's Fic'ers!

If you are on NaNo and believe those who are writing Women's Fic should get a forum of their own, please vote! Don't mind the humorous reference to romance, chick lit or literary. I was just being sassy!

Please help us Women's Fic'ers (haha) get our own forum and not have to share Chick Lit or "Other."

VOTE: http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=5915&forum=203

Or go to the Polling Booth and look for "Want a Women's Fic forum?"

Thanks!

Ego-surfing

C'mon! Admit it. You go ego surfing once in a while, don't you? You're a writer so you Google your name to see who's mentioned you, who is carrying your book, or how far down the food chain your web article is. C'mon.. you ego-surf too!