Friday!

So much going on today that I almost forgot to post the Friday Fiver. Whew.

1. Finished day job work for the week in good time. Whew. Lots of stuff going on. Need to buy plane tickets for our trip to London. Prices are amazing.

2. Freelance work moving right along and I'm feeling good. The first article was perfect, even though the next one needed a bit o'help. Next week will be more intense.

3. Still flying over my novel critique! Woohoo!

4. Family coming in for the weekend. We might have a lot, but that's okay. Everyone's welcome.

5. Still deciding on book project. Working up a preliminary outline and I like it, so hopefully we're moving forward.

Currently reading: CSS FAQ online
Currently listening to: printer

I'm Still Aglow From My Critique

You'd think I'd be hiding in my closet, whimpering, but I'm glowing, thrilled, excited, and ready to write!

The first meet of our twice-monthly writing critique group met last night at Jen's and it was a hit! The four of us (will be five later on) hit it off and sat in front of a cozy fire with chilled grapes and ice water (yes, we are fruity) relaxing and chatting and encouraging each other.

Then for the last hour I got my first 20 pages of the revised novel (currently with my editor) critiqued. I had my laptop and couldn't type fast enough as the comments came. But once they got over the issues they had with my first chapter, the comments were all about how much they loved it and wanted to read more. So my job for the next two weeks is to wait on the my editor for her critique, but to try and fiddle with a first chapter rewrite. Slow to start. I can fix that! I'm delighted. It was a huge breath of fresh air and I can't wait to get started. Two projects to finish today first (a European journal project) and deciding on an outline for a book project.

In movie/writing/media news:

They are filming Harry Potter #6 (spilled by accident by Lois Lowry on her blog last month), but they've just decided to split HP #7 into two movies, six months apart. I am not thrilled by this. Why would you make me wait? Argh.

Off I go. Lots to do today.

Currently reading: History of the Ancient World (Susan Wise Bauer)
Currently listening to: a forgotten iTunes folder with music from 2002!

We're To Wednesday

It's writer's group day! I am so excited! Lots going on in the background here today. Two projects have to go out the door and my house is a mess. This usually does not bug me, but today it's bugging. Big time.

All the Spitzer resignation news is making me tired.

So this will be short and sweet and more tomorrow!

Currently reading: DOT report on transportation hubs
Currently listening to: Youtube video of exploding raisins

Writing Clear

So this is my feedback week. One thing I know for sure: I need to write clear. My sentences are complex, convoluted tangles (if you've read this blog much, you've probably seen it).

I am not cast down, however. Do you know how much I crave feedback? I may be a special breed of writer, but I love to hear when I write terribly.

Why?
Because it makes me a better writer. So bring it on.

News roll today:
HBO is going to do the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency for 13 episodes.
I'm not even going to comment on Spitzer.
The press may be turning on Obama according to The New Republic.
His economic policies definitely need a thorough shaking out. And his financial advisor is from the University of Chicago (which doesn't seem to be helping him either).

Have a lot to be thinking about regarding a platform for my non-fiction writing. A book opp has presented itself, so I really have to get my rear in gear.

Currently reading: book proposal books
Currently listening to: Wall Street Journal from audible.com

Time Change Is A Positive

The UK doesn't move forward for three weeks, so all the meetings are actually at the same time. And boy, was I glad this morning to "sleep in" until 7:55! I will be acclimatized by the time my team moves forward in three weeks. So this works great!

Lots going on this week. The first meeting for our fiction group meets this week and I'm donating the first 20 pages of my YA novel draft for critique. I'm so anxious to get feedback on my book that I'm going to throw it out there.

More on the false memoirs from the Times.

His quote resonated with me:

We all like a good story. The cruelty of the fraudulent ones is that they will inevitably make us distrustful of the true ones — a result unbearable to think about when the Holocaust itself is increasingly dismissed by deniers as just another "amazing story."

Finally finished with about three hours of conference calls this morning. Off to lunch!

Currently reading: Whipple, Squeeze This!
Currently listening to: Nothing (ah bliss!)