A Nod To November...

It is the last day of November, 2011.  Are you ready for December?

We've got a busy month beginning tomorrow!  That's right, December starts in less than twenty-four hours...
Unbelievable, eh?

I'll be starting off with a bang!  And, the fun will continue right to the very last day of 2011!  Here's how my final month of this year is shaping up.

What are your big events for December? 

 I am days away from publishing Her Dark Baron!  Woo-Hoo!

 - Seven year old birthday!  (Luckily, the school is having a party with Santa on the birthday night and little man wants to attend - Voila!  Instant birthday night fun - and no kids in my house!  It doesn't get better than that.)
  Better get those Christmas Cards addressed and ready to mail out!


 12 Days of Christmas Reading - 10 December through 22 December!  Stop by and enter to win some great books and have a great reading gift list for those avid readers on your shopping list!


  ...baking all those holiday goodies...Mmm-mmm-hhmmm!

   Chanukah in a Nutshell is a great article that offers over twenty different links to learn about the story of Chanukah, celebrated this year from 20 December through 28 December!  There are plenty of activities for kids on the home site.  This is also a terrific history lesson, covering the Syrian/Greek occupation of Israel! 


  The reason for the season...the birth of Messiah!

  and some added Christmas excitement for the kiddies...

 and another birthday celebration - our oldest this time!

  New Year Countdown...

Whew!  Lots to do. 

Writing Goals and Updates...

As I listed above, I will publish Her Dark Baron in the next few days.  I need to go over a final read-through or two before I click that button!  I am so ready! 

My first novel featured a couple with high ideals and sweet dispositions.  This novella has an entirely different vibe!  The title says it all, and I'm excited to get this published. 

You may have noticed on my sidebar...I'm a NaNoWriMo winner!  I cannot believe it! (Good thing they give you that badge and all...it helps you believe...ha!)  Congrats to everyone who took part in this challenge.  The pace is a bit grueling, but it gets you up and out of your comfort zone splendidly.  And a special shout out to all my writing buddies who've hit that 50K mark!

What have other ROW80 authors been up to this week?  Click the link to visit around and find out.  Happy Wednesday, everyone.  ~ Nadja

White Lightening And Wine....

100 Posts And Counting...Er, Counting To What? ...

Wow!  One hundred posts, publishing my first novel, gearing up for my Her Dark Baron's release, NaNoWriMo, and a Christmas promotion...it's been a busy, wonderful, exciting, year!  All this high achieving has me in mind of one of my favorite songs!

...Oh the world's all mine...white lightening and wine...
...Came on so fast, when did I last...feel this fine...

Ann and Nancy have been my favorite female rockers since way back - and still are.  Take a minute and enjoy ...   

Goal Updates...

I've one beta's feedback from start to finish - so I'll be pouring over that in the next few days.  Surprisingly, there isn't much to fix.  I had been worried that after setting the project down to finalize my edits on Claiming The Prize I had lost the original tone.  

Happily, I've heard no such thing - yet.  ;}  I plan to have the novella cleaned up and ready to publish by December 1, 2011.  Yippee! 

I've continued to visit blogs - just at a much slower pace through NaNo.  And speaking of NaNo - I will pass the 40K mark today!  Unless life throws me a curve I'm not expecting, that is...

Stop by fellow ROW80 author Alberta Ross' page.  She's got a new book trailer for her Sefuty Chronicles - which is fantastic - and would love your feedback! 

What's got you feeling 'fine' this week?

~ Nadja

Sublime...

Sublime Sunday...

In aesthetics, the sublime (from the Latin sublīmis) is the quality of greatness, whether physical, moral, intellectual, metaphysical, aesthetic, spiritual or artistic...

Er...What?

  Ha ha.

This Sunday, Sublime - in the artistic sense I suppose -  is the word of the day.  I will finish typing Her Dark Baron today!  I will also attempt to write 2K in my NaNo project, but I'm not promising anything there...Ha!  By Monday evening, my beta readers will be highlighting away in OO, finding my typos, my errors, my plot holes, or whatever it is that I need to handle.  I'm excited! 


For those of you who regularly read my blog, you'll know how giddy I really am.  Typing this novella has been a task I've struggled to complete!  I had to wrestle with myself to sit down and force my fingers put the words into the computer. There was always something more interesting to capture my attention, like reading a book, outlining for NaNo, writing for NaNo, or visiting around to fellow writers' blogs'.  At last, I will shout - "It's Complete!"

   

12 Days of Christmas Reading...  
...10 December - 22 December, 2011

12 Days of Christmas Reading  is coming up!  Don't forget to add the button to your side bar (we appreciate all your encouragement and support!) to help promote the success of fellow Round of Words  and many other writers.  Cheer them on, and stop by from 10 December - 22 December to enter for a chance to win!  There will be a giveaway on each of the 12 days!  How easy is that?

There's still time to add your book to the list, too!  Email either myself or J.R. Pearse Nelson to hop on board! 
nadja.notariani@gmail.com
jrpearsenelson@gmail.com

~ Nadja

A Quick Check-In

I've Made It To Wednesday...

Yeah.  That's about how it's going here.  My boys are down with a terrible cold and ear infections.  The youngest has that awful barking croup.  And I feel like a bus ran me over.  Oh...and did I mention why? 

        

Forget the cold that's lurking in my upper respritory system...I've become a Crossfitter!  That's right!  I joined Crossfit.  It's been over a week now, and I am able to say that I'm alive.  I don't have a muscle that doesn't ache, but I am alive.  Let's see...Monday I ran 400 meters, completed 20 hollows, 20 jumping lunges - that was the warmup.  Then I did a row for 500 meters.  Then I completed 25 pushups, 50 situps, 50 supermans, 50 dips, 50 box-jumps, and 20 turkish 'get-ups'... Then Tuesday ...I threw the 10lb medicine ball 80 times, did 80 squats, 80 'V's, 28 sumo dead lifts, and 30 burpees...(don't ask what those are...let's just say they are a form of torture that personal trainers wield expertly.) 



Okay...so I have been caught smiling about it all.  Once I finish, I feel great - well, it's that and the hot shower and hot toddy I have when I get home - in that order.

Progress continutes on the NaNo front.  I'll pass 30K today if all goes well.  Woo-hoo!  J.R. Pearse-Nelson and I have finalized plans for the  12 Days Of Christmas Reading and the email to authors is about to go out!  A great big thank-you to all the wonderful authors and bloggers who've expressed interest and willingness to join and/or post our link!  You guys are fantastic! 

Now, I've got to get my buns back to work.  I've fallen behind over the last few days with my poor boys' colds. 
~ Nadja

Taking On New Adventures...

What Do You Get When You Let An Idea Out Of The Bag? ...A New Adventure...

Fellow Round of Words author J.R. Pearse-Nelson and I tossed around some fun banter a few weeks ago.  You see, we both have had new releases this year, and are nearing the dates for our second releases!  So, being the fun girls we are, we both commented on how terrific it would be to celebrate in some way together.  Well...one thing led to another, and before either of us knew what had happened, we'd decided to host a Christmas-time promotion!

Over the last two weeks, J.R. and I have been sharing ideas of how we could best accomplish a promotion (neither of us have attempted anything like this before) that will offer authors and readers alike a fun holiday season blog hop of sorts.  We will feature newly published authors (having books out this year), showcase a glimpse of the various authors in a meaningful way, and offer readers a great Christmas Reading Gift List - through purchase links - and prizes.  One of our main goals was to keep the requirements simple!  With the Christmas season upon us, life gets busy.  It's also a time to share with family and friends.  With that in mind, we invite you to join in the fun.

(To be added to the author list, or for more information - email either myself or J.R.  We'd love to have you!)
jrpearsenelson@gmail.com
nadja.notariani@gmail.com

12 Days Of Christmas Reading Gift List






/>

You can also support your fellow Row80/Platform/Insecure/REN3 authors by posting a link to the giveaway!  Just grab our button and put it on your sidebar.  Oh!  And don't forget to stop by during the 12 Days!  By commenting - and answering our question(s) - you'll be entered to win one of the great books on the list.  There will be multiple chances to win, so come on over.  12 Days of Christmas Reading will begin on December 10, 2011 and run until December 22, 2011.

Goals...

It's the usual this check-in...typing, writing, you know.  I've managed to break 18K in my NaNo project, which is encouraging.  There are far to many state of being verbs, but - Ha! I don't have to worry about that right now!  I'll be replacing them with 'strong-verbs' later.  Maybe I'll have a collection day of verbs where everyone will comment with their  top three favorite verbs...hmmm.  That sounds like fun. :)

I also managed to design a blog button!  For someone technically challenged, such as myself, this was a huge endeavor.  But...after all that hoopla I just wrote, it was fairly simple.  I followed the straight forward directions Amy Lynn Andrews suggested - check it out. 

I've still to finish Her Dark Baron's typing.  Sigh. 

I don't want to talk about it.

How are you coming along with NaNo?  Are you letting your story flow out, or stifling it with the 'inner-editor'?

~ Nadja

Sunday ~ A Summary ...

Sunday Features To Start The Week Right...

Annalise Green explored a concept that we authors have to deal with, using wit and humor to make light of our struggles.  Nicely done, I'm recommending the read to brighten your day - and probably lighten your mood.  Entitled,

The Strange but Necessary Doublethink of a Writer, by Which I Mean Me and Probably Only Me, and also This Title is Long, and Now It’s Longer

Green's post struck a chord.  In no way, Annalise, are you the only practicer (I know, I made that one up) of 'doublethink'...As a matter of fact, I find it a brilliant strategy!

Quote Of The Week ~ by W. J. Smith

No Space Available

Don't rent space. The world is full of "tire kickers", haters, and self preserving characters. These thrive on excuses and others' let downs. Your life is influenced only by what you allow it to be, who you permit to rent space.

-W.J. Smith

Goals.

I've managed to hit all my goals except for the typing.  Ack!  I've got to get this typing done!  I'm currently in the last third of the book, and stalling.  Evading.  Avoiding. 

NaNo has been my latest excuse - although I've done my fair share of typing there, negating it as a valid excuse.  Oy.  I've hit 13k in my NaNo project!  This is more than exciting to me, as I have never just turned it off and written before.  I don't know that I would do it all the time, but WOW is it freeing!  The story is pouring out of me faster than I can get it down.  

Okay...back to reality.  This week I have to knuckle down and get it done!  No excuses.  For real.  (I'm giggling even while writing this...NOT a good sign.)  ;}

That's it for me today...short and sweet!  Have a lovely Sunday.  I've got a date with my NaNo novel, with my keyboard, and with my kitchen - I believe I have a hankering for rice pudding - and falafel - (Yeah..I don't know where these combinations come from, I just cook it and eat it) ??  And, I have to clean my home.  I absolutely cannot work in a cluttered, messy, dusty, unorganized space.  (My husband would insist here that I've a touch of the OCD, but who listens to him?)  Once that's finished, the kitchen smells lovely with the aroma of deliciousness, pumpkin spice candles are flickering, and I've got my hot tea steaming beside me...it's going to be nice.  Productive.  Fun.  Satisfying.  (This is my positive thought 'therapy'...ha!)

~ Nadja

NaNoWriMo : We're Off ~ Insecurities And All

Battered Keyboards, Accomplishments, and Keeping Your Joy...

Tis The Season To...Wait...Write A Novel?

With NaNo upon us at last, fingers are nimbly plucking out letters all over the globe in pursuit of the elusive and fickle 'muse of the accumulating wordcount'.  Come on, NaNo Buddies - Nail it!  ;}

Belvedere, a new children's book by fellow ROW80 author Rebecca J. Fleming can be previewed by clicking the link!  Take a peek and offer up some hearty congratulations over at her blog!  Congratulations, Rebecca!

Insecurities Got You Down?  Stop By the Insecure Writers Support Group, hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Head over to Publishness where the talented and hilarious Angela Brown offers a treat to trick your fears back into the closet - where they belong!

I'm not sure I can top Angela's take on the age old problem of insecurity...
So, I'll tackle another troublesome issue - Leaving The Comfort Zone
That's right!  I said those four ugly words that have us all inspecting our shoes for ...well, scuffs, gum, or anything other than having to face this challenge.

I've discovered that to grow at all, whether as a writer, a woman, a mother, or in any other facet of my person (chef, historian, baker, teacher, or my plain old irritating know-it-all-self) I have to try new things.  Putting myself out there - an open invitation for humiliation - is hard to do.  I like my comfort.  Same old same old is safe.  Trying something new is definitely NOT safe.  But, it must be done if I'm to get anywhere I'd like to go, right? 

That's why I decided to attempt, try, put together a Christmas promotion for authors -
drum roll, please... ha ha.  (I just love saying that) -
12 Days Of Christmas Reading Gift List

Fellow ROW80 author J.R. Pearse-Nelson and I are marking out the best way to feature the list - and the start date, if there will be a giveaway attached to the list, and all the fun details.  If you're interested in adding your book to the list, or if you'd be willing to post a link to the list (What a fantastic way to give a gift to fellow authors that won't cost you a cent!  Ha!) drop me an email - nadja.notariani@gmail.com and I'll be sure to fill you in on all the details.  It's a pretty simple concept, as the Christmas season is so busy.  I'm a firm believer that family is the focus of the holiday season, and I don't want to be frantically rushing around doing anything.  I want to enjoy the season - and so do you.

So take a minute and examine the past month or two.  How have you stepped out of your comfort zone to grow?