Category: NaNoWriMo

Who’s doing NaNoWriMo 2013?

2 Comments

November 1 is getting closer!

Who’s participating this year? I’m trying to save my arm from too much typing, so I’m going to vlog this week about NaNo, my experience, etc. As many of you may know, TAKE THE REINS was my 2006 NaNoNovel. I am obsessed with the contest and have SO MUCH love for it. 🙂

If you want to friend me on NaNo, I’m jessicab_87.

I really, really want to participate this year. However, 11/1 is my first day back to work after two months on medical leave for golfer’s elbow. I’ll still be in recovery in November and how well–or how poorly–my arm reacts to the break, new medications–all depends on whether or not I’ll be able to participate this year. I may do a halfsies version and go for 25,000 words in Nov. We’ll have to wait and see!

I can’t wait to see who’s in this year and will be there every step of the way cheering you on. I hope to at the very least Keek daily with a message of encouragement, a tip that worked for me, or something like that.

Even if I end up not being able to participate, I’ll be on the forums and checking on everyone! I’m so excited for this year!

Popular releases tomorrow!

31 Comments

W-O-W–WOW!

I can’t believe the *fourteenth* Canterwood Crest book releases on Tuesday! This was a series that started with one book in mind that I wrote in 2009. Ya’ll know the story, but I’m feeling nostalgic. I was 19, a senior in college with a full course load and I heard about National Novel Writing Month. It was late October 2006, and NaNo is November 1-30, so I had no ideas, no outline–nothing. I jumped into it and started writing my first ever novel.

Tidbit: It was a YA novel called “High Jumps at Collins Academy” first. 🙂

I wrote my butt off and actually crossed the 50,000 word mark on or just before November 30. My draft was UGLY. I mean, it was seriously scary! But editing on my own, later edits with my ex-agent and edits from my first editor, Molly, got the book on track. That one book turned into a four book deal and after Molly left S&S (I got the call on my birthday!) I got the greatest gift: High Jumps, now Canterwood Crest, was under the guidance and editorial input of Kate Angelella.

Everything changed after that. Call it two girls clicking over a story. Or maybe it was the beautiful photos. Or the insane, nonstop marketing. Or the schedule of writing a bi-monthly series for a while. All of those things, and more, came into play into getting my series from one book to 20. Those were all important components, but it was, without a doubt, the edits from Editor K that got us to where we are: over 500,000 copies of the series in print.

I am ever so grateful to Kate and Simon & Schuster for embracing a girl with a desperate need for horses in her life, but being unable to do so unless I could write about them. Canterwood allows me to live vicariously through my characters and I couldn’t be more immersed in Horse World. Best part? I got to see Kate pet her first horse. Nice coincidence, huh? 🙂

I’m busy working on MASQUERADE and Kate had her hands full with projects and will soon be editing my book.

I sincerely want to thank all of Team Canterwood for your support. I would NOT be able to live my dream without you. If you could only know how grateful I am!

Let me know if you spot POPULAR! I’m going to be spending release day in Rochester, MN, so I’ll sign copies at Barnes & Noble, take pics and let you know where the books are in case you live nearby.

xoxo

Hello, NaNoWriMo 2011!

8 Comments

Ahh, NaNoWriMo is in the air! November 1st brings one of my favorite times of year–the month where hundreds of thousands of crazy writers try to write 50,000 words in a month.

I’ve been NaNoing since 2006 and my first NaNoNovel was TAKE THE REINS–the book that started the Canterwood series!

Here’s what I’ve learned about NaNo:

FACT: You will consume more caffeine than you ever have.

FALSE: Your book won’t be worth editing because you wrote it in a month.

FACT: You’ve got to write FAST. This forces you to turn off your inner editor. Buh-bye little editorial voice!

FALSE: On December 1st, your book will be perfect! Time to query agents or submit it to your editor if you have one already.

FACT: There are many NaNo critics. That’s fine. To each his own. But I love NaNo!

FALSE: You’ve got to wait for the “perfect” time to do NaNo. This year’s just too busy.

FACT: There will never be a perfect time to write a book. Life happens. Let it while you write a book!

FALSE: You need to invest in fancy software.

FACT: Use MS Word or whatever program came with your computer.

FALSE: You’re too old. Or too young.

FACT: No one’s too old or too young to write a novel.

I wish you ALL the best of luck this November. Get out there and rack up those words! I’ll be NaNoing for the first couple of weeks of the month, but then I have to switch to editing for my POPULAR deadline.

Check out lots of tips on NaNo’s Website that will offer much more help/advice.

Special shout out to the man who made it all possible, Chris Baty.

Go NaNoers!

Interview and NaNoWriMo 2008!

5 Comments


Today, I’m being interviewed by a writer for a local magazine. The magazine is interested in featuring me in a future issue and I’m meeting the writer this afternoon. I’m excited and it should be fun. 🙂

Also…it’s exactly one month until my favorite writing event–National Novel Writing Month–begins!! Yay!! I heart NaNo and it’s soooo much fun. Writing 50,000 words in 30 days is the craziest and hardest writing challenge I’ve ever done, but I keep doing it each year. 🙂 I’m not sure where I’ll be in my draft on November 1, but I’m trying to schedule things so I can start something new for November. We’ll see how that goes.

So, if you haven’t friended me on NaNo, please do! I’m “jessicab_87” and I’d love to add you to my friend list. The forums are already busy with activity and I’ll be popping in and out on those over the next couple of months. Love it.

Who’s with me for NaNo ’08?

Amazon, Chasing Blue update and signing offer from tack a shop

3 Comments

Thank you all so much for sharing my excitement about finding Take the Reins on Amazon yesterday. Yes, the pub date is off but at least it’s there in all of it’s paperback glory.

Also, I wanted to share that on Saturday, I visited a lovely upscale tackshop downtown. I struck up a conversation with the store owner she excitedly offered to host a book signing in her shop next fall. 🙂 I was thrilled about that and wrote her a thank you note as a follow up.

Chasing Blue, my NaNoNovel, sits at 21k and I hope to get at least 1500 words down today. Except, well, it’s sweeps month and every afternoon at 3 I must break for General Hospital. Lots of drama this month! 🙂

How’s everyone else doing with the NaNoNovel? Are you going to type during the Thanksgiving holiday or are you building in some extra words now?

PS- Anyone else dying to see Beowulf and The Golden Compass? Both look fantastic, especially GC. Hopefully, it will turn into a Lord of the Rings type of series.

PPS- Thanks to Em for you-know-what yesterday. 🙂

National Novel Writing Month: Day 10 & Announcement

6 Comments

Finally! Saturday and a few uninterrupted hours to type! I went to a craft fair this morning with my mom and it just made me feel bad that I’m not a crafty person. Seriously, we saw some stuff I couldn’t even begin to make.

How’s everyone’s typing coming? I managed to get in 1900 words yesterday and I’m hoping for the same or more today. I love seeing my little pie graph fill in the more I type and chart on the NaNo progress report. 🙂

I’m also making a small announcement today. Starting next year, I’m going to be doing video podcasts (when the situation arises) with quick segments of what it’s like to be a debut author. From calls with agents, to stacks of paper drafts I’ve amassed, to visiting the local bookstores (chains and indies), to getting ARCs, deciding on giveaways, going to book fairs, etc. I want to take you all with me on this insane, exciting journey! I’m going to tape the most important moments and start a new section of the blog on the sidebar. So, in January of 2008, look for DIARY OF A DEBUT AUTHOR videos.