M. B. Weston’s Writing Diary: 02/03/15

Posted on February 4, 2015 by M. B. Weston

As I mentioned a few days ago, I’ve got a short story due by Sunday, and it needs to be pretty clean by the time I send it off. It is a Steampunk Superhero story for Dark Oak’s Capes & Clockwork 2 edited by D. Alan Lewis.

I don’t have much time with this. I kinda just found out about the opportunity. I’m takin a few steps to get finished quickly yet still keep the quality level high.

—I’m making this one 3,500 words. Because I have to. That mans that my introduction can only be 850 words. This is a get in/get out story that probably only takes place over the course of an hour at most. (Gotta love how timing changes with the word count.) I’m really trying to keep it simple.

—I’m sticking to what I know in the world of steampunk. as a result off Angela Blackmore series, I’m familiar with Victorian London, so I will set it there. I’ve also done tons of research the social hierarchy of England during that time. My main character is a mudlark because I know about those. Research zaps your writing time. So I am going to figure out how to make this work.

Anyway, got pretty far along today. Hoping to be done with the skeleton tomorrow.

I also did a quick inventory, and goodness my plate got full all of a sudden. Here are the projects I’m working on:

–Due 04/15/15: A Pulp/Urban Fantasy Novella (30,000 words). It’s the story I’ve been working on for a while. I would like the final draft of this thing done in March so I can get some beta reader advice before turning it in.

–Due this weekend: the above mentioned steampunk story.

–Due ASAP: I do some copy-editing for Dark Oak as well and I have a novel that needs editing.

In the cue:
–A paranormal short story collection. Seeing as how I have so many short stories I have written…

—a paranormal thriller novel about a woman who discovers that the person stalking her is: 1) responsible for 90% of the world’s unsolved serial killings and 2) isn’t human.

–Book three of the Elysian Chronicles

–Believe it or not, I’ve got a story about a berzirkir who discovers he’s fighting on the wrong side stuck in my head…

Anyway, I’m quite glad I’m writing every day!

How about you? What is looming?

Toodles!

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M. B. Weston’s Writing Diary: 02/02/15

Posted on February 3, 2015 by M. B. Weston

Sometimes, a picture really is worth 1,000 words.

I love snow. However, I live in Naples, Florida, which means I don’t get much of it. During the winter, I like to change my computer desktop backgrounds to include some kind of snow slideshow. Right now, I’ve got some kind of “holiday lights” theme going on, which can basically means pictures of beautiful, snowy landscapes at night decorate my desktop.

While I was staring at my computer, I suddenly came up with an idea for a horror short story (or even a poem) when is saw this:

IMG_4529

Basically, I came up with the idea of an ice fairy staring down at the town below. (To prevent spoilers, I will keep the rest of the story to myself.)

So tonight, I took a little break from Michael Lodestone the witch hunter and wrote a short story that will be about 500 words, which I hope will be featured in the paranormal/horror short-story collection that I will be finishing up right after I finish this urban fantasy pulp novella.

I love using pictures to stimulate story ideas. Who would have thought that a simple picture of a snow-covered valley at night would give me a horror story idea? It’s one of the reasons I keep pictures of landscapes on my phone and my desktop.

How about you? How do you get ideas flowing? Has a picture ever sparked a story for you?

Toodles!

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M. B. Weston’s Writing Diary: 02/01/15

Posted on February 2, 2015 by M. B. Weston

Sometimes if you want to get any writing done, you just have to take a power nap. I spent 3 days at ChattaCon, and it was awesome! I sold out of my first book, and I’m starting to see a trend back to action/fantasy. (Thank you Marvel!)

I knew I would be able to write on both of my plane rides back to Naples. However, the moment I hit the chair for the Chattanooga to Atlanta leg of the journey, I felt my eyes close, and I couldn’t do much to stop it. I reasoned that since the flight was only 25 minutes, I would just sleep.

It worked. I got just the right amount of sleep so that I was refreshed when I woke up instead of groggy.

Believe it or not, I have often used the power nap as a means of getting rid of the sleepy “edge” so I can write two to three more hours to meet a goal or a deadline. It doesn’t work all the time, but I highly recommend it (especially if you have a 10 hour drive home left to go and you know you aren’t going to make it without some shut eye).

How about you? Do you use power naps so you can keep going?

Toodles!

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Today’s ChattaCon Panel Schedule 02/01/15

Posted on February 1, 2015 by M. B. Weston

Here is today’s ChattaCon panel schedule. If you are going to ChattaCon, be sure to stop by the Dark Oak table where I will be signing books all day!

SUNDAY

  • 12:00pm, Classroom B – Writers Panel- The Concept is Awesome! (but I can’t understand what you’re saying)**

Fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason. Weston is also the hose of The Final Cut In Movies radio show that airs on TMV Cafe Monday nights at 8:00 EST. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. To receive notification of M. B. Weston’s book releases click here to subscribe to Dark Oak Press & Media’s e-newsletter.

Click here for a full listing of M. B. Weston’s published books, and be sure to check out her ever-growing list of published short stories here.

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M. B. Weston’s Writing Diary: 01/31/15

Posted on February 1, 2015 by M. B. Weston

Writing on Saturday while at a convention is next to impossible.

First, there is staying by the table to make sales. That’s kind of a priority at conventions: make sales and introduce new readers to my books. And I’m not just talking sales of books. I got myself myself a another short story deal today while I was standing at the table and talking with a fellow author.

Then, there are the panels. I’m a bit obsessive about arriving on time to panels. If a convention has me as a guest, I want to fulfill my part of the bargain. That means I show up to panels on time, (preferably with a caffeinated beverage to help aid in the entertainment factor). Arriving late or missing panels isn’t an option. (The exception, of course, was MCFC this year when I got so sick I couldn’t stand.)

Then there is the after convention networking… It doesn’t leave much time for writing.

So here I am again, typing words into my phone after I had made a big deal about using a computer for writing sessions from now on only a day or two ago. But I’m writing. I am keeping the momentum of the story flowing.

Today’s session wasn’t much. I can feel that tingle in the back of my throat, meaning I’m about to get sick if my body doesn’t fight it. I can’t get sick again. I just got over two months of a sinus infection that took everything out of me. Basically, I made sure to jot down some of the ideas that I had throughout the day–especially after finding a few experts I needed to interview. I might pester them some more tomorrow.

How about the rest of you? What do you do to carve out time to write at conventions?

Toodles!

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M. B. Weston’s Writing Diary: 01/30/15

Posted on January 31, 2015 by M. B. Weston

My mission: Write write while at a convention.

Day 1 status: SUCCESS!

Yesterday, I flew into Chattanooga for ChattaCon. I knew I would have to really work to find writing time, and I managed to get at least 2 hours in!

First, I used the plane ride. I’m glad I brought my laptop, because pulling out a laptop is a silent signal to leave me alone. The only problem with laptops: they take up the entire seat tray, and I had to forgo my complimentary airline beverage due to lack of space.

Second, I arrived at the convention before registration, and I found a quiet spot to write just away from the lobby.

Without going into too much detail, I realized a major issue in my storyline I will need to monitor. My hero is immortal. It’s hard to created tension when your character can’t die. It’s possible, but it takes creativity and work. Fortunately, one of my friends, Cathe Smith, dropped by just as I was thinking through how I could increase tension in a scene where my hero had fallen into the ocean. After a quick conversation about it, Cathe basically confirmed my decision to make sure people knew he could still suffer even though he couldn’t die. We chatted a bit about the psychological effects of being immortal and other such things.

What a great experience! Writing is a solitary exercise, but no writer can complete a good story without the help of others.

Again, I am really seeing the benefit of writing every day. When you make it your mission to write everyday, you look for opportunities. I saw the quiet corner in the lobby because I was looking for it. I got some writing in and got to have a needed, meaningful conversation with a wonderful person.

How about you? Have you ever found that you were getting bored with your story and needed to create tension? What did you do?

Toodles!

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Today’s ChattaCon Panel Schedule: 01/31/15

Posted on January 31, 2015 by M. B. Weston

Here is my ChattaCon panel schedule for today. Be sure to stop by the Dark Oak table where I will be signing books all day!

SATURDAY

  •  12:00pm, Gallery A – Author’s Panel- Out of Nowhere: The Explosion of Young Adult Speculative Fiction.
  • 01:00pm, Gallery A – Writer’s Workshop- World Building
  • 04:00pm, Gallery B – Author’s Panel- Independent Author Marketing and the Future of Publishing.

Fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason. Weston is also the hose of The Final Cut In Movies radio show that airs on TMV Cafe Monday nights at 8:00 EST. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. To receive notification of M. B. Weston’s book releases click here to subscribe to Dark Oak Press & Media’s e-newsletter.

Click here for a full listing of M. B. Weston’s published books, and be sure to check out her ever-growing list of published short stories here.

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Coming Soon! M. B. Weston’s “Witch Hunter” in The Big Bad 2 Anthology!

Posted on January 30, 2015 by M. B. Weston

Big Bad 2If you’ve been following my Writing Diary Posts, you’ve heard me talk about the highs and lows of writing my newest urban fantasy pulp novella, currently staring a character named Michael Lodestone. (Note that all names are subject to change at the author’s whim until a library of congress number is established.) This whole novella idea came from a short story I wrote last year called, “The Witch Hunter,” which I submitted for publication for Dark Oak Press & Media‘s, The Big Bad II anthology edited by John Hartness and Emily Leverett. The story was accepted, and I actually performed it at DragonCon 2014. (Click here for a sample of the story.) While it falls under urban fantasy, I can let you know that part of my story inspired the cover, so I would say it falls under the horror/thriller genre as well.

I have just received word that The Big Bad II is due to be released on February 24th, so stay tuned!

Fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason. Weston is also the hose of The Final Cut In Movies radio show that airs on TMV Cafe Monday nights at 8:00 EST. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. To receive notification of M. B. Weston’s book releases click here to subscribe to Dark Oak Press & Media’s e-newsletter.

Click here for a full listing of M. B. Weston’s published books, and be sure to check out her ever-growing list of published short stories here.

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M. B. Weston’s Writing Diary: 01/29/15

Posted on January 30, 2015 by M. B. Weston

I’m sitting here at the airport ready to board a plane for Charlotte, and then another for Chattanooga. I will be at ChattaCon all weekend. This is the promotional part of writing. The fun part. I get to meet readers, talk about writing on panels, and geek out.

Packing for this con made me realize the difficulty of staying in target with writing every day while traveling, and I think I came to a big realization.

Typing on the computer, no matter how tired I am, will ultimately lead to a more efficient writing session…

Dang. I really love the MS Word app in my iPhone, and I still swear by it. Without it, I would not have started to develop this habit of writing every day.

However, I suspect it has made me lazy.

Using a cell phone app is easy. I pick up my cell phone. I type words in texting style. I don’t have to wait for a computer to boot up. (Stop laughing, Mac users.) I don’t have to wait for all those stupid updates to take effect. (Seriously, Mac users, no snarky comments.) I can even lay down on the couch while I type.

And last night I fell asleep after just a few words…

Sigh. So I realized that using my computer to write is making a commitment to writing. It’s not a fly by night thing. It requires me to sit up. Turning it on and waiting means I will be more apt to keep writing for longer because I’ve already wasted the boot up time. (I would say that sitting up will keep me from sleeping, but we all know that doesn’t work…)

Anyway, so I packed my computer to go to this convention. I will write this weekend. And I will make it count.

How about you? Have any of you figured out that using a computer might work better?

Toodles!

PS sorry in advance for double blogs this weekend. I am uploaded my con schedule as well.

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M. B. Weston’s Writing Diary: 01/28/15

Posted on January 29, 2015 by M. B. Weston

Ah tonight’s writing session. So full of promise!

I got to spend more time writing this urban fantasy pulp novella than I’ve been able to in a while.

Score!

I really made some headway with characters. My strong silent hero is starting to come out of his shell for me.

Score!

I have a short story being published in an anthology that will be available in a few weeks, and this short story just so happens to be about my hero and villain one year after this novella takes place.

Score!

I’m so close to being halfway done with this rough draft that I can taste it. (1000 words. I can knock that out tomorrow night.)

Score!

I’ve got a lovely little scene where my hero is starting to come into his own. He has snuck aboard a cargo ship and has been watching the bad guys unload a box/crate. I’m so excited because I know my story is finally headed somewhere! Except I don’t know what is in the blasted crate…

No score…

Sigh. What’s in the box/crate? How do they get the thing off the boat if it’s heavy? And what about customs of its big? (I know what the thing inside the box will be used for, but I don’t know what it is…)

The only way I’m going to figure this one out is to keep writing.

It’s a game of discovery we all play as writers. What’s in the box? Where does this tunnel/road lead? Why does the character keep dying? Who keeps stealing money from the cash register? It’s the stuff we have to figure out, and it’s one of the things I love about writing!

How about you? Have you ever encountered the unknown and had to go searching for the answer within your story?

Toodles!

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