New website is up!

So I posted on my new website :D Yes, yes I did! A comedy erotica. It's on it's own page with a don't read if you're under 18 disclaimer. I've already gotten some good feedback on the story. It is funny! www.leonajbushman.com

I'll be doing more shorts and a even a serial for my fantasy friends :D I'll take requests even :D Can't promise I'll be able to fill all the many and varied requests I get, but I'll try :D

I've had a couple orders on my etsy which I'm very glad I started :D It's inspired my husband and family to do things as well. My son, who already had started making pictures to buy as soon as I mentioned the idea to my husband, went into a frenzy of picture making. We've also done a class project with the laminator after my husband was inspired to make pics with clip art for the baby's drawers to help everyone keep it straight and teach him what things are.

I've also found some good feedback and help with it that reminded me at a time I sorely needed it that I have friends. Good friends! They may be from the bowels of cyberspace, but they've proven truer and more real to me than some closer at hand. (I have a couple close by as well so don't think I'm dissing on you!)

I have finished putting the paper edits on the paranormal I need to turn into a novella/novel along with the notes of where to add scenes into the computer. That sentence needs editing, but for the life of me I can't think of how else to say it. Anyways, I've also edited severely for like the hundreth time chapter one of Gal Friday Noir as well as a rewrite, and started the tense fixing of the rest of the novel. Found some good tricks as well :D Should be ready by the time an agent actually asks for a full anyway LOL

I love being so productive. Tomorrow I'll go through the paranormal on paper again and start writing scenes by hand. I shall have to be careful of my writing as I could barely read the chicken scratch I used last time!! I have become so adept at cyber writing that my handwriting skills have suffered. No more! I tell you. NO more! I shall have lovely handwriting skills. *stops for the laughter to die down* I can dream, ya' know.

I've already got the traitor mapped out etc because I was going to use it in a sequel anyway. See, when I wrote this short, i'd intended it to be a series of shorts over this one story. The things the editor has asked me to put in are things I'd plan on addressing in future works. So it's only a matter of getting them written and inserted at the proper place. A huge chunk will go in middle and at the end. But I'm flirting with the idea of having a few chapters from the POV of "the bad guys" which is why I'm doing another paper edit so soon. I think it'll help me find the appropriate places for chapter breaks and inserts.

Anyway, my child is actually asleep at 10:46 pm with no movie or coercing. Score 1 for MOM :D and DAD LOL so I think I'm going to hit the hay a little early tonight!! I hope everyone's day goes well and you all are productive where you want to be.

PS don't forget about my website :D love to see you there!

Monday

It's monday. My kids are up even though it's after midnight. I tired out the 2 yo so he'd sleep tonight. So what did he do? Fell asleep at 6 and woke up at 9:30 :P LOL

He's a lot like the character's in my books. I'd like for them to do one thing and they laugh at me and pull something else. *sigh* At least I can threaten to delete my characters! What's a mom to do with a 2 yo with that kind of sleep habits!

He's my fifth child so I know all the tricks of the trade. He's just stubborn. *glares at everyone who's asking me fascetiously where he got that from*

I have this friend. She's beta reading for me me and she gave me this idea. And asked me if I hated her. Nope. Just ask my critique partner. I like help and good ideas. Especially if I can see the WHY of it! Does that mean I'm jumping for joy at the changes she's proposing or the way I need to go about it??? NO!! I'm groaning and eye rolling and asking myself why I didn't think of that. It's something I've done before.

I could be stubborn and say no way! but why? I want to be the best writer I can be and if this will help, then so be it. I'm going to start my first chapter from someplace new and rewrite the first chapter. Wish me luck!! I am a little frustrated because I pretty much thought I was at the cosmetic stage. Let the beta readers find out if I did a name wrong half way through or help me with a procedural error, no biggie. But now I find out I'm going to have to do something else. *BIG SIGH* No, I don't hate you, beta reader, but I sure wish I could say you were wrong!

It will have to wait until I get some sleep though. I'm exhausted.

I already did 45 pages of edits, wrote new stuff and marked where new scenes needed to be written for the paranormal, Ulfiric's Mate. Ought to be interesting to see if I can do the rest of the story in the same manner. I think I can...

PS I've beaten the stress freeze and rolling right up to hot! Here we go.

I'm going to be busy

It looks like I'll be writing a serial with my critique partner :D It'll be for Splintered Lands :D http://splinteredlands.com/the-splintered-lands/ go here to read some samples of what's been happening so far in this fantasy world :D

I have a short already with them and will be writing more. I'll keep everyone appraised as the results get in. *happy dance :D

Between that and my other works, I ought to keep busy :D

I'm also going to have a website soon! leonajbushman.com is the intended site addy, but will wait to see what the domain server comes back with :D soon, soon, my pretties...

Have so much to do

My critique partner and I are rocking. I wrote an erotic comedy short for a contest that opens on March 1st. And you know what? I wrote it in first person :D

I think it's pretty good for a quickie. *snicker*

I'm now at 19360 words on my Gal Friday Noir and it's coming along nicely. About to send her out into the fray again. Knives blazing. Momma is pissed. Her kids are being held captive to ensure her cooperation. Nothing like a grizzly momma after you. Bad guys never learn. Don't mess with someone's kids.

Not going as quickly as I'd like on the edits. In fact, Hubby just left with the reason and I may have to edit instead of write while they're gone!! It's hard though. I'm really digging my new story and my critique partner as well. Sigh. But I must finsh the other one. Send it off :D

And ahem, I have one other beta reader. her initials are AG who needs to put her two cents in. Or on the other one :D Maybe should send them to her again? LOL I guess I'll be good and go edit. Course, it is the devil's human son, demons, Succubai, angels, Soulmates, sex, love, bondage, sword fights... Hey, that's right, I like that book. :D

Critique Partners and Beta Readers

Recently, I have found a few beta readers. I love my beta readers. They're concise, insightful and all have different strengths. I've got one I can hit up for short spurts, I think. I've got one who is strictly a reader not a writer. And hello to my new daily writing partner/critique partner, Anne-Mhairi!

Because of the input of my beta reader I have started out a new WIP so strong in it's rough (Yes Anne-Mhairi I did send you the rough draft :) that my husband had to say it was good and he is cranky critiquer. He expects me to be awesome out of the starting gates. I only let him read first five pages. Mostly cuz my beta reader had a full he was working on and I needed some feedback that the new story was as good as it felt.

Along the way of my personal journey that has had pain and stress as you've likely read about, I found Anne-Mhairi. She's got a fantastic fantasy going that I can't wait to finish, and together we are holding each other accountable. I'm telling my friends here, so they can help her hold this stubborn, opinionated, procrastinating writer accountable :D

Here's the deal: 5 chapters a week, plus any editing. When we finish our stories, I guess we'll have to change that up a bit, but for now, both of us are early in our WIP.

Now here's the extra bit for me. I have a returned full MS back from my beta readers I forgot to mention my mother-in-law. Technically, she is a beta reader as well :D Her strengths are finding my damn inconsistencies. I'm really glad she can, but I hate that they're there to find! LOL She is the awesome support system from my husband's family that has GREATLY helped me over the years.

I have to edit this full MS and get back to editor who really likes the premis. This is the Damian series. It started out as short story that was asked to be turned into novel to remind everyone. Novel is going through final edits now. This ought to keep me busy for awhile. You think?

So say hello to Anne-Mhairi at her new and very popular blog! It's wonderful that a writer can start off with so many to follow and support her in that way. I hope you all are there as well! :D Here is the link to her latest blog. Sorry I haven't figured out the fancy html code yet!

http://annemhairisimpson.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/small-victories-are-worth-celebrating-too-and-another-tip-for-increasing-traffic/

I expect you all to be asking me how I'm keeping up and poking me if I start to fall behind, even if I'm busy!! Although, I draw the line at cattle prods! I need to write the story while I have it in my head, and I need to edit the other and get it to the editor. So, here's to having work to do and friends to help us along the way!

Cheers!