Motivational Monday

It's time once again for Motivational Mondays!  Jennifer McLennan hosts this great hop over at
http://canadianmom-whatsonmymind.blogspot.com/2011/03/motivational-monday-blog-hop-031411.html

Thanks Jen!  Here's my offering ..........

My sons (all three of them) wrestle, and we follow the sport closely through the college level.  This year Anthony Robles, a senior at Arizona State University, won a national title.  What makes Anthony stand out from the crowd is this.....  He was born without his right leg.  That's right.  This amazing young man racked up an impressive 36-0 season on his way to an NCAA championship title. He will graduate in May with a degree in business communications, but plans on becoming a motivational speaker.  

"My message," he says, "will be no matter your circumstances, you can be unstoppable."  

~Nadja 

Bratislava, Slovakia,

A Beautiful City ........

Drago and Grace will travel to Bratislava in the upcoming chapters, so today was research day!  I found some lovely images of the old city and thought I'd share them.  I just love the old stone streets and walkways.  Apparently, much of the inner city is now a pedestrian precinct, I'm guessing to preserve the stone.  There is an extensive train system for travel as there is in most of Europe, and it makes me wonder if vehicle ownership is popular amongst city dwellers. 

Modern buildings are common as well, such as Aupark Shopping Center (which is decidedly modern) and some hotels, but I prefer the older buildings so I have posted pics of those. The red roofs of the city stand against the sky nicely, and it looks as if they are tiled.   The city boasts some neat attractions, such as a 'new' bridge over the Danue River, and tourist trips can be taken on river boats.  Two popular dining spots are the Alien/UFO restaurant and Le Monde. The old Bratislava Castle can be reached through a quaint archway from the Old District, and that picture, although not shown here, was beautiful in a simple way and has me thinking of writing that location into the novel. 

Enjoy the photos............

Totally Tuesday Blog Hop.......

Sharing Helpful Tips For Busy Moms Is What Cindy Does Over At
http://www.busy-moms-tips-blog.com/

Picture of Busy-Moms-Tips-Blog author, Cindy

Writing takes a time committment that is difficult when running a household (I live with my husband and our three boys), so I stopped by Busy Mom's Tips to check out a few time saving ideas I can use during my upcoming week. 

Her latest post was on organizing a birthday party for a child, and it so happens that today is my middle son's 8th  birthday!  Well, we keep things simple for birthdays in our home, but I appreciated the coincidence. Check out Cindy's site for vacation ideas, decorating tips, coupons, and more.  ~Nadja

Motivational Mondays Blog Hop

Blog Hopping For Motivational Mondays.........

Hosted by http://canadianmom-whatsonmymind.blogspot.com/2011/03/motivational-monday-blog-hop-031411.html

Her motivational quote for the day -
"True motivation comes from within - from the willingness to see a dream fulfilled - from the desire to leave the world better than you found it." - Steve Brunkhorst
As part of the blog hop, each 'hopper' is asked to share a motivational quote, poem, story, etc. for others who stop by for some motivation.  Here's my offering..........

Over the weekend, MMA fighter, John Jones won a decisive victory in the ring against a well-known and capable opponent, Shogun Rua.  It was his day to shine.  Earlier in the day while meditating in a park near the arena in New Jersey, John Jones heard the cries of what turned out to be the victim of a purse snatcher.  Fresh from his 'quiet time', Mr. Jones chased down the culprit (more than a mile) before using those well trained legs to head kick the criminal, subdue him, and wait for police.  All this before a main event fight later in the evening!  What does Mr. Jones have tattooed on his chest........
Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through him who gives me power."
Now that's motivational! ~Nadja

An Unwanted Time Out

Hi Everyone!  I've been out of commission for almost an entire week with the dreaded head-cold that comes around each spring.  Over the weekend I finally began to feel a little better, but still had that spacey 'air-headed' feeling that makes cognitive thought practically impossible.  There was NO romance on my mind.  The closest thing to love I encountered this weekend was the short lived affair I had with NyQuil.

It's a new week, and I'm ready to get back to love and romance.  Happy Monday! ~Nadja

Marking The Mid-Point!

This weekend I hit the halfway mark for my novel!  I must admit, it feels great.  I'm moving right along with Drago and Grace's story, and before I know it, I'll have to start watching my word count to keep it within the 90,000 word limit that I've heard is the 'accepted' length of a first romance novel.  I tend to get 'involved', let's say, with my settings.
I'm hoping to find time this week to create a page on the blog where you can read an excerpt or two from the book.  I'll post as soon as I cross that item off my 'to-do' list.  I'm off to write a little before I turn in for the night.  Sweet Dreams! ~Nadja

The Perfect Proposal......

I finished the proposal!  ( ...and I'm quite pleased with it...).  In it's writing, however, I realize that there is no such thing as THE perfect proposal.  There is a 'perfect' proposal for Grace, but a completely different 'perfect' proposal for another character I have in a different novel.  And once again, I relish being a romance writer, as there is no end to the 'perfect' proposals I can imagine for any number of characters. 

The beauty of novels is that inside each new cover opened there is a different story, different perspective, and excitingly foreign characters.  For Drago and Grace, this chapter is written, and their story can go on.....~Nadja

Mechanics for Dummies

As I sat last night happily working on the proposal, (well, sort of), I decided to describe the setting of a lovely garden on the Orthodox Church's grounds.  Two pages later, I called it a night, ending right before the question is asked.  The garden's description came together well, but I realized that I need the 'Mechanics for Dummies' manual.  At least three times when I read over my work, I realized that I had made a 'faux-paux' in the mechanics of my prepositions.....which I corrected of course.  Now I'm going with the excuse that I was tired ( I did write this late in the night), but it was quite hilarious (in a rather disturbing way) that I pride myself on being an excellent communicator within the English language, yet made such idiotic errors.  Well, they say we all need a good dose of humility, right? 

Discussing Ideas

Today I spent about an hour on the phone with my brother, who is also a writer (and my only fellow left-handed sibling).  My book, which remains nameless to date, is a romance.  I adore romance novels.  It is also a story about a mixed martial artist and his path toward capturing a title.  Writing a novel that offers romance as opposed to a romance that happens to also have a story requires balance between the two aspects of the novel, and my brother offers a nice sounding board to bounce my ideas around with. 

Today was productive in the editing process.  I re-read what I had written over the past week, adding a bit, scratching a bit, and embellishing a bit, too.  Tonight, two hours will be set aside to finish the section titled (for now), "The Proposal".  Good stuff!  What could be more fun for a romance writer than a proposal? 

The character, Drago, is a private man, so I must write a scenario that 'wow's' his prospective bride, yet remains consistent with his nature.  The couple in question also share their faith, so sexual tension must remain just tension for now......( Don't worry girls....prolonging it is half the fun!).  ~Nadja

Thoughts on Beginnings

Beginning is the hardest part of any project.  I am fortunate to have fellow reader/writer G. Bisset as a friend.  Without her encouragement, this novel might still be a project in my mind instead of a work in progress.  For that, I offer her many thanks. 

I began writing fiction last October.  The first weeks were spent turning a collection of ideas into a concise storyline, and for me, that was quite an undertaking.  From there I began the development of my main characters, Drago Zadrovec and Grace Antolini. Trips to the library to research locations, customs, language, and occupational backgrounds needed full time attention, but I also teach, so it received part-time hours.  It didn't matter; I was writing!  My schedule is extremely hectic between early December and late February, and writing was slow during that time.  Thankfully, that season is over (until next December, anyway), and it has been a treat to have more hours to devote to my novel. 

Writing is more satisfying that I imagined it would be, and this blog is an extension of my work.  Completing the novel is one step (albeit a big step) in the journey, and I will share my ups and downs as I navigate the literary world.  ~ Nadja