Monday, July 12, 2010

Hi Ho, Hi Ho...

I'm back at work this morning. It was a great vacation--there's something about northern Vermont that just puts me at ease. It's really easy to forget about life for a while and just be. Ahhh. I've really needed that lately.

(That's a pic from near the top of Mt. Washington in NH--husband and son # 2 took a day trip over there. Daughter and I shopped, painted nails, and hung by the pool, reading--which we enjoyed, but I would have loved to have seen these views firsthand.)


Anyway (sniffle, sniffle), back to work today. One of the earliest lessons a new writer learns is to always be working on new material. To have another book ready to go, or a proposal (3 chapters + synopsis), or at the very least be ready with several new ideas. I'm usually the first to say this is a crazy business (because it is), and you just never know what the market will bring. Publishers can cut whole lines without warning, sales can tank, and what's hot right now might be cool as a cucumber next month.  

With that in mind, today I'm working a new book. Yes, another one. The diamond proposal is with my agent for edits, and I'm kind of in writing limbo these days as I wait for revisions on Lucy 3, so why not try something new? It's a cozy with a magical twist, and I'm having fun playing the characters. I started it just before I left on vacation so it's *really* new. So new, that no one's been murdered yet. I need a dead body soon, and it's one of those cases where I knew who died but I hadn't quite figured out why or whodunit.

Being in the car for 15 hours (one way) really helps with that kind of brainstorming. Lots of time to think, think, think while eating Peanut M&Ms (anyone try the pretzel ones yet? Good, bad?). So now I have all the pieces and it should be fairly quick putting them together. The only thing that will hold me back is that this is the beginning of a book, of (hopefully) a series, and I'm a bit (completely) Type A about getting every little detail right. My goal is to have this to my agent by the time I leave for RWA at the end of the month. We'll see how that goes...

15 comments:

  1. Beautiful photo. The new book sounds intriguing. Looking forward to finding out more about it.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

    ReplyDelete
  2. Multiple thoughts:

    Love the photo.

    Haven't tried the pretzel M&Ms.

    I'm assuming you mean a proposal on the new idea by the end of the month. Definitely has my interest.

    Thanks again for an excellent class at the Antioch Writer Workshop.

    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad you had a good vacation, the picture is amazing. I have tried the pretzel M&M's, they were good, but not terrific. I'm not sure I could taste too much of the pretzel. Your new books sound great, can't wait to read them. Good luck with everything. It's nice to have you back, you were missed around here.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Look at that sky..simply beautiful.

    Oh I can't wait to hear more about your new book when you're ready to divulge. The mystery angle with a magical twist has peaked my interest.

    Have a good Monday.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Pretzel M & M's rate a win in my book. Lighter than the regular ones, but with that crunch. Love the idea there about a cozy with magic, that always hooks me right off. Hope your agent likes it and that it sees the light of day so I can READ it. Glad you had a good vacation :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm glad you are home safe and sound. I think it's great that you have ideas floating around and letting them simmer so you can get all the little details down.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm glad you are home safe and sound. I think it's great that you have ideas floating around and letting them simmer so you can get all the little details down.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the pic!

    I love a cozy with a magical twist so I hope that one gets a green light.

    Loving the pretzel M&M's...definitely worth a try.

    Happy Monday and happy to hear you had a relaxing vacation.

    ReplyDelete
  9. As, you ladies can see...I'm feeling the "love" today. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lisa, we love the love. :)

    Thanks for the warm welcome back, everyone. As soon as I get a little further with the new book, I'll tell a little bit more about it. I don't like to jinx these things.

    I think I need to try the pretzel M&Ms though I'm a bit scared. LOL. I don't do change well. I love salty and sweet so they *sound* good.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Welcome back! Isn't the first day back to work the hardest?

    I love cozies with a magical twist...as a cozy/magical afficionado, would love to help bounce ideas around with you at RWA the end of the month!
    See you in Orlando!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I grew up right near Mt. Washington and spent most of my summers at a camp in Northern Vermont- I never fully appreciated the beuty that surrounded me until I moved away and others pointed it out to me. Glad you enjoyed my native lands!

    ReplyDelete
  13. if you don't try the pretzel m&m's I'll mail some to you. they're worth trying.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Spent one entire afternoon going from store to store looking for pretzel M&M's and couldn't find any! I LOVE chocolate covered pretzels so I'm hoping they're good.

    On a vacation from my home in Oklahoma to Colorado I bought a lighter plugin thing that let me plug in my laptop to it and wrote the whole way there and back. Nothing like having nothing to do but write! (and it kept me from having to drive)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful photo! I love the pretzel M&M's, but then - I often buy a bag of Goldfish Pretzels and dark Hershey's Kisses to eat together. Soooo good!

    Welcome back!

    ReplyDelete