I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

I've been working on some scenes in my new project and I'm struggling a bit. My main character is strong-willed, stubborn, and completely distrusting of others. She has some darn good reasons for it, but as she's growing and evolving, I want her to learn to accept help from other people, but not too much help. The balance is hard to find.

See, here's the problem. I have an intense dislike for books where the main character is dragged along with things happening to them along the way. I want dynamic main characters who take action and make things happen. Sometimes it feels like accepting help from other characters takes away from that initiative and I don't want to steal that from her. What do you think? Do you guys ever run into these problems? Any suggestions?

Are You Feeling It? (+ Excerpt!)

I'm working on a new project that, quite frankly, is creeptastic. And I love it. It's at times like these when I remember why I started writing in the first place. It isn't about query requests, submission feedback, even publication.

It's about the writing. The connection to the story that takes you away from this world in a way nothing else can. It's our own legal drug, a constantly available escape route. And there is nothing like it.

How are things with your writing? Are you feeling it?

Here's a tiny excerpt from my next book. Enjoy! And have  great weekend!

~~~

            He’s there. The Father squeezes my shoulder too tight. He wakes me from a peaceful sleep to a world of pain. He stands over me, looks at me, but doesn’t see. His hair is perfect, every strand in place. Everything about him and his life is orderly, well-kept. Everything except for me and Sam. We are the dirty things. His secrets.

            I reach out for Sam’s small fingers beside me, but he isn’t there. My heart pounds in my head and I bolt upright, looking to his hiding places. The corner where he hid with his puppet. The scrap of blanket he put over his head when we played together. Everything is in its place—except for Sam.

They took him while I slept, and he isn’t back yet.

Never both of us, never at the same time. If the Father had come for me, too…why didn’t he bring back Sam?

“Get up.” The Father’s voice spilled contempt, disgust. “You have to bury the boy.”

Um, Welcome?

Like many bloggers, I have a tracker that sends me updates on my visits. I have an avg daily number of 100 - 250 visits depending on whether I posted that day. Last week, I got the e-mail with my stats and expected them to be next to nil during the holidays.

When I opened it and read that I'd had over 5k hits that week so far, I was sure it was a typo. So, I pulled up the site and double checked it. It wasn't a mistake. I had nearly 3k visitors just that day. Turns out, people were pretty curious about this whole 2012 thing around New Years. Particularly people in India and China. Indians and Chinese = very interested in 2012. Who knew?

When I posted last month about my "Reasons 2012 Will Rock", I never expected to end up with so many hits because of it. In fact, I almost feel like I owe them an apology for not having more scientific information about 2012. Like someone planned a surprise party for me at my house and no one told me to clean. I'm standing here in my bathrobe and slippers and apologizing that guests have to look at my sad Christmas tree which is still up and trying to make sure no one ends up with a chocolate from someone's stocking stuck to their bum.

I was unprepared to have so many people interested in what I had to say about the future. Perhaps I should've consulted a psychic, read my horoscope, or at least researched a bit on this whole Mayan calendar/end of the world thing everyone keeps talking about. But I didn't.

I'm sorry China and India. I'll do better next time...Also, HI! Nice to meet you!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

I'm currently trying to plow through the second half of my WIP, have two kids home from school, a closet of unwrapped presents, and a house full of relatives...

So, I'm going to take the rest of the year off.

Man do I feel like a slacker typing that. Luckily, it's only about 10 days or so, I'm sure you'll all forgive me. Assuming there are any of you that are still reading and not already celebrating your own holiday...is anyone there?

*echo, echo*

Okay, well just know that I'm grateful for each of you and your friendship. Thanks for hanging with me through all the ups and downs of 2011. I'm looking forward to all of us having even more to celebrate in 2012!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Jenn

Reasons 2012 Will Rock - Part 3

And now, more embracing 2012 fun. Here are a few more reasons to get excited about the upcoming year.

1 - There are some FREAKTASTICALLY-AWESOME new books coming out. So many that I'm bound to miss a ton, so I'll just name the first three that pop up in my head: Everneath by Brodi Ashton, The Breakaway by Michelle Davidson Argyle, Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo. -- and so, SO many more. Dude. Good books in 2012!!

2 - My good friend, Renee Collins, posted this week about the dreaded scary scenario of what happens if you get an agent, it doesn't work out, and you have to start over. It technically happened at the end of 2011...but I'm sure her happy ending will carry right through next year, so we'll count it. Stop by and congratulate Renee on her new agent! I couldn't be more ecstatic for you, girl! :-D

3 - Very early in 2012, I'll be finishing my current WIP. It's deliciously dark and totally fitting for a year in which the end of the world has been predicted. I'll post an excerpt at some point. This book keeps me awake at night. For real.

So, any new reasons this week to be excited for next year? Add to my fun, will  you?

Link the Blogs

I just came across a couple of posts this week that meant a lot to me and I wanted to share them with you guys.

First the Shooting Stars blog by Bethany Wiggins. She posted about the time demands of being an Author and a Mom/Parent.

Second, a post by the fantastic Elana Johnson about Defining Success.

Last, but certainly not least, a post by my dear friend L.T. Elliot that I think truly demonstrates the power of the human spirit. If you don't watch anything else this Christmas season, read this and remember why love for our fellow-man is so important. And watch the video, for you, for your kids, for all of our future.

And I Love Once Upon A Time...

I have a secret...I'm not really a fairy-tale kind of girl. Or let me rephrase that, I'm not really a Disney fairy-tale kind of girl. So, to be honest, I was completely prepared to be bored out of my mind with the new tv series Once Upon A Time.

And I am so not bored.

Is anyone else watching this? What do you think about it? I'm loving all the dark and twisty turns these familiar stories are taking. I love the way Snow White and Prince Charming fell in love, for that matter, I love why his name is Charming. I'm having so much fun with the show and seriously can't wait for the next episode. The storylines are so masterfully interwoven. The actors are fantasic. Just love...love, love, love.

Anyway, if you can't tell...this new show has my hearty recommendation. Check it out. Did you find any good new shows this fall? Do tell!