Friday, April 22, 2005

Computer problems, injuries, and more excuses

Well, this is my second attempt to type and post this post. I'm telling you. Computers don't like me! I wrote a whole bunch of stuff yesterday afternoon, pushed the button to publish and lost it all! I was so mad I didn't even turn on my computer when I got home. So, here I go again.

I'm in a writing funk. I don't want to write a thing. I just want to read and concentrate on my day job for a while. What do I do, you ask? I'm a middle school English teacher. Some days are great. Like today. We laughed a lot and managed to learn a little too.

Some days are not so great. Like 3 1/2 weeks ago when I got a bone in my hand broken thanks to a rambunctious 6th grader who came barreling out of a classroom and slammed a metal door into my outstretched fingers. Hence the reason Brenda had to cut up my meat at the Merritt Conference 2 weeks ago. For more info on that, check out
  • Brenda Bradshaw's Blog
  • .

    So, back to this funk. I think I've put too much pressure on myself. I won the Merritt romantic suspense category with my current, yet-to-be-finished manuscript, Under Cover of Darkness. I met with an agent there and she requested a partial (synopsis and first 3 chapters). I wanted to have that out to her last week. Didn't happen. Then, I've got an editor waiting for the full manuscript. Well, waiting may be too strong a word. She requested it back in the fall. So, I keep thinking, "What am I waiting for?"

    Now, I have a tendency to start a book and then try and take over the story telling. Well, my characters don't seem to like that and will intentionally picket until I allow them to tell me their stories the way they want them told. So, right now, I think part of my problem is I'm being too stubborn. I know something's not working, but I'm not letting my characters talk to me. I'll get over it and step down off my high horse eventually. I just hope it's sooner rather than later.

    Well, I've just come in from the doctor's office and after poking and prodding my broken finger, he told me I could take the splint off and start using my hand again. That alone is incentive enough for me to start working on the manuscript again now that I can type with two hands!

    1 comment:

    Nic said...

    Hey, found ya! Once you get the hang of it it's really fun and easy. It was really good to see you and Brenda there today. :)