On libraries, planning and psyching myself out

Word count on The Language of the Unheard: 51,012

Form Rejections on Finding Innisburg: 1 (so far.  Although it's almost 9 PM in NYC so that's probably it for tonight.

Super nice emails from the Agency Gatekeeper: 1

Volunteer Hours at Harborview Medical Center: 3

Holds placed at the library: 3

So about a year ago, I went on a library borrowing spree, checked out a TON of books, and then couldn't get myself over to the library to return them until they were...pretty late.  So I've had about 40 dollars in late fees that I have been putting off paying, and as a result, I have been buying books instead of borrowing them from the library.  Finally I realized that didn't make any financial sense, and I really wanted to read some new books (not ones I could find for cheap at the used bookstore next door), so I am going to go into the library tomorrow and pay my fees.  And from now on, I'm going to be good and return my books on time.  And I placed three holds on books from my GoodReads "to read" list.

I'm mulling over ideas for my next book(s).  For NaNoWriMo, I think I'm going to attempt my first fantasy novel but between now and then, I'm going to try to outline another book to write after the fantasy novel is finished.  The problem is, I have about four ideas and I can't decide which one I want to do.  So that's where you come in.  Here are the four choices, so leave me a comment and tell me which one you think you'd most like to read.

A.  A paranormal thriller about a little boy sucked into a creepy wormhole by an evil child, and his sister's quest to get him back.

B.  A historical fiction novel about a female pirate.  NOT a romance novel, more action-adventure.  Set in the golden age of piracy (1700's-ish)

C.  A mystery novel about a woman who was given a necklace many years earlier by Elvis, and discovers that it holds the secret to a series of murders.

D. A journalist goes undercover as a prostitute and gets mixed up with the mob/a gang and has to fight for her life and the life of her young child.

So anyway, tell me what you think!

I've been reading a lot of blogs and writing sites lately and I have to keep remembering not to get too caught up in trends.  It's not so much that I want to write books that are trendy, that's never really been  desire of mine, but when I have an idea for a book, and then I read something that says that books like that are "out" I get freaked out.  For example, my fantasy novel that I'm planning for NaNoWriMo, is technically a "portal fantasy" and apparently portal fantasy is not cool anymore.  But I am reminding myself to write what I love and not worry about it.

Planning out 2011

So being the planner that I am, I made out a plan today for how I'm going to do all of my writing projects in the New Year.  The plan goes as follows:

By December 15th: Finish editing and printing out "Christmas at the Holiday Inn" for my friends and family

By January 31st: Finish editing Runaway Train, find and submit it to beta readers

By February 28th: Receive Runaway Train back from beta readers, make final changes and begin submitting to agents.  Also, finish writing and editing the short story "The Banks of Belronan."

By March 31st: Finish outline/research for Script Frenzy screenplay and submit "The Banks of Belronan" to a short story contest.

By April 30th: SCRIPT FRENZY 2011!!! Write screenplay.

By May 31st:  Finish outline for sequel to Runaway Train, currently titled Hand-me-down Mercury.

By June 30th: Finish editing "Finding Innisburg" and submit to beta readers

By August 31st: Write Hand-me-down Mercury and finish editing and begin submitting "Finding Innisburg" to agents.

By September 30th:  Finish rewrites on screenplay and find and submit to beta readers

By October 31st: Finish outline for sequel to Hand-me-down Mercury.

By November 30: NaNoWriMo 2011!!!! Finish Hand-me-down sequel.

By December 31st: Finish last rewrites on screenplay and submit to agents and begin editing on Hand-me-down Mercury.

So that is the plan.  Yes, it is extremely ambitious and yes, probably out of my reach.  But on my 22nd birthday I gave myself three years to make it as a writer.  Three years to do what I really love with my life.  And  I don't want to get to my 25th birthday and feel like I didn't give it my best shot.  So I'm going all out.  If I can pull this year off like this, I will get to the end of 2011 with a total of two novels and a screenplay being submitted to agents and another two novels in various stages of editing.

Also, you'll notice that according to the plan, on two separate occasions, I will need beta readers for my novels.  I'm taking volunteers now if you'd like to help me prepare my novels for submission.  "Runaway Train" is a post-apocalyptic love story.  The theme is that even when everything changes in your life, sometimes, nothing really changes at all.  Right now, the main characters are in their early twenties but recently I've been contemplating the idea of possibly making it a young adult novel by putting the characters in their teens.  It might be an interesting change so I'm interested to see what people have to say about that.

"Finding Innisburg" is a mystery/thriller novel about a young man and his quest to find out why there is a classic American town in the middle of the Guatemalan jungle.  I'll be interested to know if it's gripping enough or if it rambles too much. 

If you would be interested in reading either of these and providing me with feedback regarding them, please shoot me an email at locachica1357ATyahoo.com.  Just let me know which one or both you are interested in and I'll be in touch. 

And of course, throughout 2011 I'll be updating you all on my progress as I try to make something of myself so STAY TUNED.

And now, for the second part of this increasingly long blog entry, there is a pineapple express going through Seattle right now and it is just DUMPING rain outside.  It's pretty remarkable.  (for those of you who don't know, a pineapple express is when warm, wet weather systems move up to the Pacific Northwest from Hawaii, bring lots and lots of rain and mild temperatures)  Also, I woke up this morning to find out that Santa had come during the night (a bit early, but I'm guessing he's trying to get a head start this year) and left two presents with my boyfriend's handwriting on the tags.  It was very cute and I'm excited to see what they are.  

Happy Holidays to you all, and good night!