National Novel Writing Month, November 2010

I've been participating in National Novel Writing Month since November 1st.  I'm polishing up some stories that I gathered from my Mother over the years and fashioning them into a memoir. There are eleven days left in the month of November and I have many more words to go to hit the magic number of 50,000.

Do you have a favorite family story that you'd like to share?  Please comment below and join me in participating in Nanowrimo.

Dick Foran Singing "My Little Buckaroo" (1937)

During my first NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in 2007, I gathered many stories from my mother by phone that I incorporated into a first draft of a novel. During those daily telephone sessions, songs and music would often come up and spark her memory. On one occasion when she was talking about her early days as a new mother after World War II, she mentioned that my Dad would often sing this song to my eldest brother when he was a baby.

My Mom thought that Dick Foran was handsome and reminded her of my Dad, both in looks and in his singing voice. My Dad could croon a tune. So, a lullaby for all of the little buckaroos out there, a memory from my Mom....

NaNoWriMo 2009 Has Begun!

NaNoWriMo 2009 Has Begun!, originally uploaded by confections.

National Novel Writing Month is off and running for the month of November 2009. I'll be participating again this year. Join in the fun at http://www.nanowrimo.org.

NaNoWriMo 2009

NaNoWriMo 2009, originally uploaded by confections.

National Novel Writing Month begins on November 1st, 2009. I'm planning on participating again this year. I hope to get some new ideas percolating on long walks this month in anticipation of the writing season....

Old Writing Table (7)

Old Writing Table (7), originally uploaded by confections.

...where I spend many hours a day.... This is where I perch my laptop daily and rabble-rouse.

These pictures were taken when I first purchased the table at a local craft fair. This timeworn treasure has served me well over the last year and a half and has lots of mojo--I completed my National Novel Writing Month opus here in 2007. I am in the process of editing it now...

Nanowrimo Winner!

Nanowrimo Winner!, originally uploaded by confections.

I have submitted my novel to the National Novel Writing Month "counter bot" and have written 67,620 words. I have officially won!

Not that I'm finished writing, however; I will continue my odyssey through the November 30th, 2007 deadline and beyond.

I cannot rest on my laurels, because in the spring of 2008 (April) a new adventure begins: Script Frenzy!

Collage of Tapestry Bobbins

Collage of Tapestry Bobbins, originally uploaded by confections.

I photographed some of the tapestry bobbins that I own in the last bit of afternoon light yesterday. I haven't taken up tapestry weaving (yet), but I am enamored of all tools of the fiber arts.

I often make collages with my photos, but lately I've enjoyed trying out the multi-exposure collage tool in Picasa. This first photo is the result of superimposing about a dozen photos one on top of the other.

On the novel-writing front with nanowrimo, I reached the magic number of 50,000 words early on Sunday morning! It's definitely a landmark to celebrate, but I'll be continuing to write every day this month and beyond, because my story is still unfinished.

Rainy Day (and NaNoWriMo) Comforts

Rainy Day Comforts, originally uploaded by confections.

It was a gloomy, misty day in San Diego yesterday, and I enjoyed a spot of tea in my "Cup of Knowledge" tea cup. The milk is served in a modern reproduction Russel Wright creamer found at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, and my handmade tea cozy keeps my Paris tea toasty warm in my favorite everyday tea pot.

Taking a tea break like this daily is helping me meet my writing goals in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I'm running low on my favorite Apricot tea and will have to retrieve some from Tea-upon-Chatsworth when they open again on Wednesday. Cheers, fellow NaNoWriMo folks!

Pacific side of Point Loma, San Diego, California

Pacific side of Point Loma, San Diego, California, originally uploaded by confections.

I've been writing intensely over the last ten days as part of National Novel Writing Month. I've reached the 30,000 word mark; I'm three-fifths of the way there!

I'm also suffering from a bit of cabin fever, so today I'm going to take a little excursion to the tip of Point Loma and feast on this sight. Biophilia will do a lot to soothe my frazzled brain.

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) Calendar

nano-cal11.jpg, originally uploaded by Gun-gun.

I found this inspiring calendar page by fellow flickreeno Gun-gun while surfing flickr a bit ago. It will be essential to refer to it as I write my novel this month. The target word count in a cumulative sequence is given at the top of each date, with the goal of 50,000 words by November 30th in bright red. I can contemplate the beauty of these blooms as I meet my goals each day.

I'm trying to maintain a balanced schedule as I undertake this task, taking time to exercise and eat good meals, make sure I have my daily ritual of tea, spin some of my Ragamuffin yarn, keep in touch with friends and writing buddies, talk to my mother every day--she is a great source of storylines--and not overwhelm myself in the process. On with the novel writing!

Solitude and Time for Writing

Abandoned dinghy, originally uploaded by confections.

This is one of my favorite rejuvenating sights on what I call my "Magical Walk", not too far from my home. I usually drive the few miles to the northern end of the walk, stroll the mile or so to one of the best lookouts, hang out there for a few minutes pondering the imponderable, and then head back. Often I see snowy egrets and at least one great blue heron feeding.

I'll be taking the magical walk later on today as an antidote to writing frantically as I participate in National Novel Writing Month this November.

So far, I have discovered the genre where I'm most comfortable: literary fiction. Who knew? As of this moment I'm at 9,030 words of the 50,000 required, and it's a very rough draft. That's the point. Quantity not quality is part of the exercise. December will be for editing...er...celebrating. I'll be editing in the New Year!

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

nano_participant_icon_large, originally uploaded by confections.

I have signed up to participate in this year's National Novel Writing Month marathon writing fest from November 1st - 30th. This is my first time attempting this, and so far I've kept up with my daily writing demands, but I'm only on the third day of thirty, but I've already got 4,000 out of 50,000 words. Wish me luck!