Posts from the “Writing” Category

You are getting sleepy.

Posted on April 14th, 2013

…I finally finished that last scene in the last rewrite of the novel. This is a very happy day, except I stayed up late to do it, Pea had an epic series of meltdowns (nuclear) this morning, and I am too tired to read what I wrote. It probably sucks, but at least I have something to work from whenever I’m awake enough to edit. …Friday, M had minor foot surgery (something was removed but I’m not sure what — wire? wood? metal?). …I want a day where I don’t drive anywhere. Not even to the grocery store. This is why I miss downtown. Did I ever tell you guys that there was one year when I only drove 1,000 miles? How awesome is…

Categories: Advice, Writing

Will work for Pepsi Max

Posted on March 28th, 2013

Actually working at my desk table today, and had to close the blinds against the sun. Amazing all around.

Categories: Not crazy...yet, Writing

The Find

Posted on March 27th, 2013

This week, a friend from the east coast made his annual pilgrimage to Portland. Part of the pilgrimage ritual is a stop at Powell’s, because, well. Powell’s. As far as I’m concerned, if you come to Portland and skip Powell’s, there is something wrong with you. (Also, watching the cashier’s face when our friend checks out is awesome. Because, well. Four figures. And they’ll ship it all for something like $11.) Since we used to live so close to Powell’s (10 minute walk), and because Pea’s tolerance for browsing in sections other than children’s quickly devolves into her pulling books out and saying, “Here’s one for you,” I’ve gotten used to either browsing online, buying the book(s) I want and trudging up to the…

Categories: Epiphanies, Portlandia, Reading, Writing

Plan B(s)

Posted on February 25th, 2013

As we know, I didn’t get the job. I am not an “everything happens for a reason” person, because, well, I don’t think there’s any sort of omniscient/omnipotent being interested in my employment status. (The career services office at my law school doesn’t even care. Why would a sky god?) I do think opportunities arise all the time and one must be open-minded enough to see them and seize them. Not getting this job means my time to write still remains my time to write. The downside is I am tired of The Poverty (TM). I would like to not worry about money, or at least not worry about little things like rent and food and gas money. So I’m trying to make lemonade.…

Categories: Epiphanies, Job Hunt, Writing

The First Annual AALAAAA Winner!

Posted on February 4th, 2013

That is to say, the first annual Attorney at Large Award for Aimless Accolade Assassinations goes to…. Robyn Parnell! Congrats, Robyn! You get…this, um, bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper and months of back issues of the London Review of Books (which I have finally gotten caught up with). I’ll hand-fashion a laurel wreath from the greenery outside, but don’t eat it! Laurels are poison. (Oh, irony.) To let you in on the joke, this post started as an email exchange about the goofiness of writing awards, and as it turned out, Robyn already had a ready-made essay. So I made an award for the occasion. Because why the heck not? Now she can’t claim not to have won an award. More seriously, Robyn blogs…

Categories: Epiphanies, Writing

School, scones, skates, and general updates

Posted on January 4th, 2013

Pea tells me how she hates school. I don’t know how to answer this. Truthfully? “So did your father and I.” “I know, but you have to go, anyway.” “This is part of growing up.” “If I had to go to your class, I’d hate school, too.” I haven’t said the last one. Yet. This morning, I said, “I know, but if you hurry you can have a pumpkin scone for breakfast.” (I made them last night. They’re only okay, but then, I couldn’t find any cranberries in the house and I can’t add walnuts on pain of death, so perhaps just the addition of golden raisins do not make a good enough pumpkin scone.) She seems to like them, anyway. I am happy…

Categories: Hard days, School, TMI, Writing

Oversick. Overwritten. Overwatched. Overjoyed.

Posted on December 18th, 2012

I feel like I’ve been sick for two months…pretty much because I have been sick for two (almost three) months, off and on. I remember this from when Pea started daycare, except that was four months, included my once-only case of laryngitis and my first case of strep, and ended with me on prednisone for a week. I was on top of things over the weekend, including baking and pre-cooking dinners, and then today, M was home sick. Pea and I went out and then a couple of hours after we got home, WHAM. Aching. Chills. Tired. Nose running. I am hoping this is short lived, because uncle. In other news? The novel I was done with has now been rewritten and edited and…

Categories: Good day, Hard days, Sick Mom, Writing

Sloppy Joe cake and so much more (catching up)

Posted on November 30th, 2012

Actually, there isn’t much news. After learning about it from a friend, I made a sort of Sloppy Joe biscuit cake with biscuits in the bottom of a bundt pan, then sloppy joes (I used Quorn instead of meat, and it was good), and another layer of biscuits on top. Then cook for about 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. I used store-bought biscuits, because the whole point of the experiment was to find something that was insanely easy to make from things I could have on hand in the fridge. It was interesting and I liked it, but there was too much bread vs. Sloppy Joes. Still, Pea ate four bites of it, largely because… She wanted to eat cake. For some…

Categories: Eating, Epiphanies, Not crazy...yet, Reading, Routines, Writing

Going for Number Three

Posted on November 25th, 2012

Let’s see if I can’t write a third novel in this calendar year. I mean, why not? (Although I have to say that when plotting a novel roughly parallels — and involves — the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, it feels a little weird!) Although maybe I should pick up the mess in my office first.

Categories: Writing

Some notes on editing, or why I hate sighing, frowning, and muttering, but I love Scrivener

Posted on November 21st, 2012

I don’t talk about writing here much, because while craft posts are interesting, other people are much better teachers. But I was working on my manuscript today, and thought I’d share one of my strategies for getting rid of redundancies. I learned editing genre fiction that authors have a tendency to use the same words and phrases repeatedly. (Well, I already knew it, because I’m no different.) While writing a first draft, this is good because it helps you finish quickly. You don’t want to be bogged down in word choice; you just need to get the story out. When I am editing or rewriting myself, I go through and do multiple passes for words and phrases I know I use too much. I…

Categories: Advice, Editing, Writing