Nancy Henderson

Saturday

2011-12-03T02:10:00.000-08:00

Today is my RWA chapter's Christmas party. Amazing food, good friends, and talking about writing all afternoon. What more could you ask for?

I'll post the highlights later. I can't take any photos, my camera finally died a long and painful death, which sucks, that I haven't gotten a new one but with trying to buy a house (yikes! I just said trying!) and Christmas, things are sort of tight around here.

Later, gators!

Cold and well just cold

2011-12-02T02:39:00.000-08:00

Cold day today. It's still dark but the weather report says it's supposed to snow today. I'm hoping for a non-stressful Friday. I don't have to do anything with the house purchase today. I feel as if I've been running paperwork all over the county for weeks!

I'm going to try to get some written on my horror story this weekend. Don't have much planned. I also want to pick up a planner for 2012 and get started in that. My goal for next year is to be more organized. How about you?

Happy Thursday!

2011-12-01T02:59:00.000-08:00

I knew I was getting low, but this morning I just used my last coffee. Caribou Coffee, the Keurig cups. Mmmmm..... I found a lot of coffees that I did not like throughout my Keurig journey, but I think the Caribou I will stick with for quite awhile. I'm not a big fan of flavored coffees, especially french vanilla, although I know lots of people who love it. I really like Green Mountain's Wild Berry, but that's about it as far as the flavs go.

News on the house is still moving forward, but it's still stressful, and I haven't even thought about the packing part. My mind keeps wondering, "Will we get it?" My husband says he lost his psychic hat when I repeatedly ask him. Hmm...

The Christmas party for my RWA chapter is this Saturday. I want to go, provided the weather is good. I don't like driving long distances in snow, and they're predicting it, so we'll see.

Happy Thursday!

Cyber Monday

2011-11-28T01:16:00.000-08:00

I'm not doing the Cyber Monday. Just going to work like a regular Monday, for which I'm glad of. I'm not done Christmas shopping but I'm burnt out from it already. Got a good dent put in the shopping, and got the tree up, which I'd take pictures of but my camera has died, and aside from that I need to take a break for awhile. A rest on both the mind and the wallet. Had a really nice weekend though. Thanksgiving was wonderful, and Friday we had the inspection on the house we're buying done. I really have a hard time even thinking the home is our until we close and have keys in hand, but it's soooooo hard not to plan my new writing room. So difficult!

Yesterday I got a lot done on a synopsis I'm working on for a new historical proposal, and I plotted out a new outline for a horror I want to target to Ellora's Cave Shivers line. If you're a horror fan you've got to check out that line. They have some amazing talent there.

So that's all for early Monday.

Proposal

2011-11-27T03:03:00.001-08:00

I still have not gotten the new proposal out. I don't know why. I'm stressing about the holidays, about the house, things like that. Maybe if I worked more on the writing I'd think less about real life...

Thanksgiving was very nice. My husband cooked a wonderful meal, and family was over. It was very nice and I'm thankful for the things I have an the people in my life.

How was your holiday?

My green thumb

2011-11-26T02:58:00.000-08:00

I have a strange way of planting. Outside my green thumb thrives. Without bragging, I can grow beautiful impatients (my favorite), shrubs, create water features, etc. However, inside I kill everything. It's gotten worse since we moved into the apartment. There is little light here, no window sills to speak of. I bought top quality dirt, new pots, new plant stand, and every plant I owned has since died. I'm really blaming it on the light this time. Sometimes it's my cats, yes, but they've been good little furr balls as of late, so I'm blaming the light or lack of.

My grandmother's cactus was one of the plants to bite the dust. I feel really bad about that because it was one of the last ones left that she grew.

However, hopefully...fingers crossed!...we will be moving into the house soon. I have soooo many plans in store for the new yard and garden come spring. I don't want to start "serious" planning until we have keys in hand because buying a home is so up and down. Anything can happened, and believe me, it's already happened more than once. So I'm really trying not to get my hopes up too high...but it's so difficult. I really want to start laying out my new garden, where my pond is going to go, etc. Not to mention my new writing office!

Deep breath...not yet, fingers are still crossed.

New stuff

2011-11-25T04:12:00.000-08:00

I'm testing the waters by writing a horror story. I don't know if it's even any good, but the thing is practically writing itself. I have no idea really why I'm writing it, how I would even market it (really, it's that weird) or if I'll just retire it in the file cabinet after I'm finished.

But it's fun. I'm enjoying writing, and that's the important thing.

How about you? Any Black Friday plans? Or are you already out there hitting the pavement?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T03:20:00.000-08:00

I wish you a peaceful, joy filled day spent with family, friends, and fond memories.

Random

2011-10-21T01:56:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a lot lately. Novels? Sadly, no. Mostly contracts, how to articles, statements. The kinds of things which go along with red tape and hassle and just things that give you a headache right at the base of your skull.

But it will be well worth it when all is said and done.

This weekend marks the begining of winter in upstate New York. I will be getting my snowtires mounted on the car. Yes, we just may need them this early. Have before and I don't want to take any chances. Did I mention that I hate winter driving?

But it's Friday, busiest day of my workweek. I have french vanilla coffee which I need to start brewing (thanks, Lisa!) which hopefully will wake me up, which hopefully will get me going for an insane day, which will ultimately lead to a weekend of insane errands and chores, which...anyway, happy Friday!

Glorious clutter

2011-10-16T04:32:00.000-07:00

I think all writers are pack rats. At least all the writers I know are. We have to collect things. Snippets of dialogue we hear in passing conversations, photos that resemble our characters, reference books, which in my home are now threatening to topple over and suffocate me. Besides these, I also have a variety of material junk that, as a writer, I simply cannot do without.

I have a gargoyle, which gazes from a shelf over my desk. He sits in quiet vigilance, reminding me of the strength necessary for facing rejections and those long periods when waiting to receive the go on a proposal. A lavender candle sits next to my keyboard. Lavender is naturally calming, and I love the color purple. I am also surrounded by things I’ve collected on past vacations: a glass bowl of seashells, a small photo of Lake George in the Adirondacks.

Books written by my published friends rest on a shelf above my computer monitor. These remind me that I am not alone in my writing journey. Writing is a solitary process. It’s nice to know I have friends who share both my struggles and my successes.

And I mustn’t forget my cats who share my writing office. They curl up next to the computer mouse, tails darting in my view of the monitor, keeping momentum with the action scene that I’m working on.

To me, collecting is necessary. Like writing, it’s a way of life. Without my glorious clutter, my writing cave would be just a room to work. And where’s the inspiration in that?

Back to work

2011-10-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

Back from Virginia Beach and back to work. Upcoming goals:

Submit historical to major publisher.
Keep plugging away at dark paranormal plot, currently written up on index cards and without a believable conflict resolution.
Edit Charmer and make the hero more likeable, i.e. stronger in goals and conflicts.

My voyage to the sea

2011-09-29T03:48:00.000-07:00

So I'm in Virginia Beach (and I really don't want to leave anytime soon...) These things as pictured at left are washed up all over the beach. Slang name is "Mermaid's Purse". When we visited the VA Beach Aquarium yesterday they told me they were casings for various eggs that hatch out. Sharks, certain types of rays, etc. Interesting.

There are also small grey blobs washed up too. I thought they were jellyfish, but the aquarium dude I was talking to said they were probably some type of sea sponge. I have photos of them but I've broken the card reader to the camera (myself and electronics do not mix) so once I receive the replacement I've ordered in about a week I'll post those pictures.

I want to write a mermaid romance now...

Work

2011-09-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

I've been brainstorming like crazy. I've gone back to a novel I started writing in 2003. Didn't get very far with it at the time, but I've since filled in a ton of plot holes. Good times!

Pandora is sitting on my desk as I type, watching the words dance across the monitor. It's very difficult to see around chubby kitty butt.

Bad bump v. good bump

2011-09-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

So it's nice that I can take back roads on my way to the day job. I'm thankful for that. However, it does make me think, at times.

All summer one section of the road has been dug up. No one has made any effort to fix it as of yet. The other day I noticed a wooden sign put up stating: "bad bump". I'm told the town road workers were instructed to erect this.

I'm left to wonder.

What constitutes a 'bad' bump? Is it compared to other potholes, etc. on the highway? And who dictates which bumps are bad, really bad, or even good bumps? Are there signs that say 'good bump' somewhere?

Just random hump day thoughts which run through my head at 6 am.

New look

2011-09-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

I've been dabbling with the website again. What do you think? I think it looks totally historical romance now. Although all I've been writing lately is contemporary paranormal. Shrug.

Saturday was the CNY RWA chapter meeting. It was amazing. NYC agent Chelsea Gilmore presented information on her agency and answered a ton of questions for members. I was so impressed with her, in that she said she would not have a job if it were not for writers and that she was there for us.

Surprising to me she said ego plays a large role in submissions. For example, if you're pitching your book and there is no enthusiasm on your part, why should she be interested in taking you/your book on? Good point.

I'm so glad I went. And as a special bonus, the library where the meetings are held had their annual mega book sale. I came home with 5 bags of books for all of about $5.00! A wonderful day all around.