New Year and JANO

Well, it's the first day of the year and JANO is here.  As you can see I've put a word counter up, but whether I can use it is another think. :)

I plan to work on the Earth book, but I also included the second book in this series since I don't know what my muse will do to me during this month. I've been thinking about the other books in the series the last two weeks and not getting much done on Earth.  As I've said in my last post, I've intro'd the killer and a red herring in my last chapter, but I've also intro'd a few red herrings in the eighth, which is where I'm starting JANO.  

I love to give teasers.

I added the rough draft of my first chapter's first two pages under Teaser 1 as you can see. I've worked on it a bit during the last two weeks and have changed things up a little. I can never not edit which means JANO is going to be so hard for me.  Please read and write a comment about the teaser. I can always use the feedback.  I'll probably put another teaser up soon.  Should it be the next chapter or should I pick a dramatic moment?

I haven't started my 1600 words yet, I'm procastinating with this blog. :)  It's alittle intimidating to me I guess. I'm officially in a contest against people who are mostly published authors and have done this before. I can't turn off my editing and I'm afraid I'll just keep falling behind. I'm starring at the tab at the bottom of my screen that says Earth is open and waiting, and my palm's are sweating. I'm actually doing this. I'm going to work on my book and maybe finish it by the end of the month.

It's exciting but scary as well.

I've procastinated enough I think. I need to start this JANO off right and write. :)

End of Year Status

Well, it's December, the end of the year. So I guess I should update before the New Year.

The Earth book is coming along. Chapter six is finish and I'm into Chapter seven. I hit 20,000 words so I'm definitely making progress.  JANO will probably see the end of this book since I plan to write on this book during it.

I'm up to date on memberships to all three of the writing groups in town so I'm starting the New Year with something new and educational. 

My friend returned the first five chapters of the Earth book and said she enjoyed it.  She said that I didn't give away too many clues. A clue a chapter is what she says I should do and asked if I introduced the killer yet. I told her no since he gets intro'd in Chapter Seven with a red herring. 

Another teaser!

Anyway, this has been a fairly good year, though there has been bumps in the road. 

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.

Status report on Earth book

The earth book is the one with the vampire FBI agent and the earth reading consultant.  I have finished five chapters so far and am almost done with the sixth chapter. I just have to figure out how I want to end the chapter. Of course, I already know how I want the next chapter to start. 

I had a friend read the third chapter and she figured out what clue I was leaving so that was good.   However, I don't know if I'm leaving too many clues too early or not.  That's the thing with mysteries, you can't be sure if you're leaving breadcrumbs or tire treads. :)  At least I can't as this is my first mystery, and I already know the ending!

I added a stalker to the story to mix things up a bit, and even though the characters know the stalker isn't the killer, evidence leads to him.  So is the killer using the stalker to try to throw them off or does he have something else in mind?

That's a spoiler, ain't it? ;)

Thought I'd tease you a bit.  

I still plan to get this book done with in the next three to four months. Hopefully by JANO, or I might have to work on it during JANO. I only got 3500 words so far during November.  I write a page or two, and then my attention wanders to future chapters instead of staying in the one I'm working on. My ADD strikes again, and being a pantser doesn't help either! 

I have given the five chapters I have done to a friend who has published a book, and asked her to give me a review of what I have done. Hopefully, I haven't given away too much of the clues, and she'll tell me straight what she thinks.  I took part of the one chapter in to one of my writing groups, and they said it was interesting. I'm taking that as a good sign. :)  

So status report on book: five chapters down, one almost done, and more to go.