Tag Archives: Tending Deacon’s Garden

Write a Novella in—30 days?! (or, I Must Be mad, I Tell Ya— Mad!!)

Write a Novella in—30 days?! (or, I  Must Be Mad, I Tell Ya—Mad!!)

So—

Can I write a novella in 30 days? Well, we’re about to find out, people!

I’m both excited and of course, terrified over putting this kind of declaration out in a blog post. Knowing it can be seen and that perhaps others might hold me to accomplishing this goal, that I might fail—well, is pretty darn scary.  But—I’ll do my best!

MP900387781-MO Goal in dictionary

A goal!

Does writing happen for most writers without making some kind of targeted mission plan? Isuspect not. Goals do hold us accountable don’t they? I’m thinking what better way of closing in on this writing objective than making a public pronouncement of the one I’m expecting to accomplish in the next 30 days.

I’m going to finish the first draft of my novella DEACON’S GARDEN, the second volume in the LOVE BLOOMS SERIES, by —

MP900309636- calendar 4.15

It’s funny, I was thinking of using March 15th as my starting date, and April 15th as my crossing the finish line one.  I was waffling a bit on the dates until I went looking for a picture of a calendar to dress up this post and found the one above highlighting April 15th! You know I just had to take that as my beyond coincidence confirmation that the universe was giving me the go ahead for me to follow through on the impulse of doing this 30 day challenge. Sign from God? Yes, to me it definitely felt that way. And it will take some divine intervention for me to fit this in to my life’s schedule that’s full of busy and stress-filled work days, and most every night spent hanging out with my dad at the nursing home he’s in for eight weeks of rehab. Most days I’m getting home at 10 or 10:30, spent and more than loopy.

I know I said a while back I was going to switch my attention to indie-pubbing my WIP novel, I SEE YOU coincidentally I churned that one out during another 30 days challenge come to think of it! So yes, I do have firsthand experience –this 30 day turnaround is a realistic target!  Just FYI–the last time I did this y’all I was in the middle of a total bathroom and kitchen remodel.

I’ve slowly been revising my novel,  got through about 13 chapters on a first round of revisions and  I expect I SEE YOU will hit about 28-30 chapters– a pretty hefty-size novel once I’m done with it.

But this guy-

h

Yep, Chase!

‘Member him? The character I told you about who insisted his name was Chase, not Wes, not Luke, or any other cowboy-sounding name I could come up with. He’s the male lead (hero) from my novella DEACON’S GARDEN and the dude just won’t leave me alone! I’ve got to get this story out of me, or I’ll always find him pulling me back to it, and leaving me to feel flustered and unfocused.

The other thing is—

I’ve been blessed with a round of five star reviews and some other positive feedback over the last months for my short story BLACKOUT IN THE GARDEN OF LOVE.

Comments like these:

This short story is a refreshing change from the usual IR fare.

The characterizations and dialogue (internal and external) was spot on! I look forward to reading more of this author!!!

Keep up the excellent work and please keep writing!

Not only have these kinds of lovely comments made me grin and dance around like a fool—they’ve also triggered a logical conclusion in my head. Made me grasp the concept that the wise marketing thing for me to do as a new IR writer on the scene it to ride this tide of positivity by bringing something else to the market sometime sooner rather than later.

Anybody up for a challenge? Wanna get the writing juices flowing through you like wildfire, or go ahead and try that no-carb detox you’ve been thinking about, got a junked up room in your house you’d like to give all your extra time and attention for 30 days and turn it into a room of splendor? Let’s do it! Join me and put something on your calendar for the next 30 days. You don’t have to make a world wide proclamation, you know–just a quiet ‘tween you and nobody else challenge is cool, too.

Oh, and I’m going to lose five pounds, too!

I don’t know if this burst of energy is spring fever or winter madness—either one, I’m pumped!

~venice

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Chase? Really?

Chase? Really?

or

What is in a name?

So when TENDING DEACON’S GARDEN came to me, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to call my hero. He’s a bit of a modern cowboy and I played around with a few names that might be a good fit for him. Names like Wes, Luke, Jake, Reese—ya know. I couldn’t decide, but I needed a name just to get the story going, certain I’d only be using it to sketch out my draft of the story. Until I could decide which one I wanted for him. So—I used Chase.  Yeah, I know, it’s so romance-novel-ly, but I was having some fun.

Now– my hero won’t let me switch it out. He tells me ‘my name is Chase’ and he’s adamant, won’t budge or negotiate with me for something more low-key. Heck, I don’t know much about cowboys, but apparently they are as stubborn as the ones I’ve seen in movies and on TV.

What’s a writer to do when her hunky alpha male puts his boot down, y’all? I’d like to think I know what’s best for my story but does Chase know what’s best for him? Will I miss the opportunity to really get to know this guy and the essence of who he really is by finding and replacing everywhere ‘Chase’  appears in my draft with Wes, or with ‘Luke’?

Is there a chance I will forever change the heart, mind and soul of this man by giving him the name Jake?

I can’t be the first or last writer who has had a disagreement with one of their characters. I wonder if there are writers out there who went ahead and blocked out a character’s demand, published their book only to regret that they hadn’t listened to that demand?

Let’s face it, the guy might be wrong. Maybe his character will soar to new heights and have more depth with a moniker like Houston or Buck. He acts like I’m trying to call him Chester, or Palladin.

Perhaps it’s all because Chase has been Chase for quite a few months now. And while I’ve created the world he’s been living in, and the romantic tension that is driving him looney—I’ve also given him the chance to find true love and a happy ever after. Maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised that he’s fighting so hard to be the one my heroine gives all her sweet lovin’ to.

While the jury is still out on this, I’ll let him keep giving me that hard stare as I begin working on this novella, and just maybe he’ll convince me – he really is Chase and not a Wes, or Jake, or a Luke.

~venice

Onward, right?

Onward, right?

So what else is coming from this Venice Kennedy chick?

Well, I’m going to jump on the next volume in the LOVE BLOOMS SERIES. While I’ve got my WIP novel  “I See You” that I’m revising and hoping, no PLANNING to publish in 2013, I don’t want folks to think I’m one of those ‘publish one short story and then go MIA writers’.  I’m in this for the long haul. I have to write, and I’m more than invested and willing to see where this writing thing takes me.

The next story in the LOVE BLOOMS SERIES, “TENDING DEACON’S GARDEN” is more a novella then short story. It’s also a much darker story.  Darker in the sense of where my characters are emotionally and in regards to the story I’ve put together to connect them. I’m already sweet on my male lead; he’s just a hunk extraordinaire, with a broody exterior, and a heart of gold. He’s all broken and vulnerable, and has a very big reason to be that way. Something horrible happening only makes those truths about him surface.  I hope I can bring him out to you guys the way I ‘feel’ him.  I’m pairing him with a woman who is equally as scarred (more about her later). What happens when two broken-hearted and angry people have no one to turn to but each other? Well, I guess we’ll find out. Lots of tension and yes, passion thrown into the mix. When I say passion I’m not talking about hot sex, sorry. There will be romance, though. And I hope readers will still feel the sizzle!

I think it’s a prudent and wise for me to push myself to get this story out there ASAP. I like the contrast of this more dramatic and heavier story to the lighter BLACKOUT IN THE GARDEN OF LOVE. And I think I’ll even attempt to get my feet wet on marketing the story in advance, throw some snippets of it on here, and chat it up a little bit. My confidence is growing, and my purpose in sharing my writing is becoming clearer to me. Purpose? What is Venice up to? Nothing too complicated, or revolutionary.

I do believe I’m trying to do something here. Not exactly sure why though, let’s just say— I’m compelled– to write sweet IRs. Simply, I want to give folks who like sweet IRs a quality story to read and enjoy. It’s not more complicated than that.

Are you 20 people who bought “BLACKOUT IN THE GARDEN OF LOVE” with me?!! Then let’s keep it moving people!

😉

Thanks guys!

~venice