I Hate This...

D@mn. Did I bite off more than I could chew? This month is freakin' wild and I can't get my creative act together. I missed Camp NaNoWriMo for April and decided to make up for one of the "lost projects" by doing two for July Camp. 

And now I may not make my word counts on both because of an unforeseen project and trying to help out with technical issues at home that drain me and make me remember why I never applied at any tech support jobs! 

I am a total night owl introvert when it comes to things like this because, then, people are asleep and I don't have to contend with them getting in the way of my personal creative work being done.

I Won July Camp NaNo 2019

I WON CAMP NANOWRIMO.

I needed to complete another story project, so for this July Camp NaNo, I decided to work on two stories simultaneously: a continuation of the April Camp NaNo story project and the start and hopefully completion of the second story.

I set my sights on 9,000 words, just as I did for April, and made it to 9,099 words!
Now to work on revising and editing both projects. During July Camp, I also added more to my online world-building encyclopedic blog.

I also did a video series of coloring a sketch on some of the characters and uploading to Instagram. Though I kept tight notes on the videos, they still ended up out of sequence. I'm really exhausted that I did this to myself. But... I won and that means I beat my record from last time. While being distracted with other projects such as the world-builder blog and art-process videos.

And no, I'm not posting to YouTube. It's already been suggested. I have my reasons. I don't need to be on so many social media platforms. I work in several genres and need to get my projects and acts together, and, right now, I use events such as NaNoWriMo and Inktober to get those ideas off the ground. I mean what I say. Social media is work in and of itself, and right now, I'm at a tolerable level.

Thank you. And as always, when I have something new posted or upcoming assignment, I will let you know the details, my Dear Readers.

With Camp NaNo, I'm halfway there!

Dear Self:


When deciding to work on two simultaneous projects at once, making sure all your ducks are in a row still doesn't guarantee satisfaction.

I have one story continuing from last Camp NaNoWriMo April 2019, Oak & Ash with Bone, which is considered high/epic fantasy.

And this Camp NaNoWriMo July 2019, I'm working on another story that is working-titled The Firefly Crown Cycle (the "official first" story in the series published by e-anthology Anthrozine) that takes place 12-20 years later.

It is tentatively-titled The Queen in Spite of Herself/The Lion Rampant. Also titling the chapters.

The photo to my left shows the current journals I'm gleaning from in order to get this work on board.

If you want to read Firefly Crown online, you can go to my publication blog The Angry Goblin at Wordpress!

I am halfway through and already feel I might not make my word count, but, I would rather have the outlines and drafts typed out so I can edit and revise for later.
I'm exhausted and will do more blogging. Take care!

I WON CAMP NANO FOR APRIL!

I won Camp NaNo for April 2019!

A writer pal invited us from our Twitter chat to participate in the 'cabin' he would create. That pal and another pal won - we reached our pre-set word count - and were given discounts on writer-friendly software and online services. This 2019 has been a bit rough and it's good to win something!

This 2019 has been a bit rough and it's good to win something! Also, the contest helped get me to complete a fantasy story that's been on my mind for a LONG time. Not only did I get the outline straightened, but add in enough meat via the contest that I can use May and June to edit and revise it.

Also, God willing, when July Camp NaNo rolls around, not only will my Tabber the Red have a new look, but my SF short story will be out, and I'll have another Furry Fantasy project to complete!

In the meantime, for any writers interested in what Camp NaNo is, to learn more as well as how to donate, head over to its website at Camp NaNoWriMo!

Lots of good stuff coming up, but I will be giving sneak peeks and dropping details as we get closer to the July month on this blog!

More Random Thoughts from Journal Land

Camp NaNoWriMo started but this week took a bit much out of me, plus, I plunked down some hefty funds to get my eyes tested for new prescription frames! I was given a 40% discount but I'm poor until my next paycheck.

More news! Tabber the Red site will have a new look this July! In time for its birthday! So, working on some new Tabber stories set in world while also giving the official website a new face! Ay...

More random notes from the journals - this time, I need to do things on smaller paper or I feel I can't finish it! (Psychologically the same as getting the same amount of food put in a smaller bowl or on a smaller plate)

11x14 paper will be used as drafting/composition ideas!

9x12 will be for larger pieces such as character sheets, profiles, and storyboards.

Finally, 7x10 will be my magic number when it comes to final comic/graphic novel/manga artwork, which can be better scanned and formatted for digital submission.

May God help me with the next coming months. It's gonna be a doozy!

I'm READY for Camp NaNoWriMo! ...I think...

Okay, went off on a tangent with the previous post. A few of my students point this out to me. Good thing I'm in a lab and not a classroom. I think I would serve better to be a lecturer and do a few workshops. However, gotta concentrate on the short stories and comic ideas I feel more confident in working on. Also, I have three submissions in the pipeline now and the suspense is killing me while I try to distract myself with other projects. Below are some of my new goals for 2019.

These aren't all of them. I can still keep some stuff private.

No more chasing fellowships (won't turn down a recommendation or if someone sponsors me, though!)
No more seeking pro-blogging jobs (unless invited and I have other deadlines cleared)
Putting the canine historical on the backburner (for now)
Returning to feline epic fantasy
Drafting updated science fiction series
Returning to comic stories
Returning to more illustrations within the speculative genre

Right now, I'm putting energy into Camp for April 2019. My account still works and I have new equipment and a new vision. I'm so glad to my readers who have stayed with me and I appreciate you who have been with me on this journey.

Let's rock 2019! Or, at least, skip pebbles. :)

Oh, and I promised the official link to Camp NaNoWriMo.
Here it is: http://campnanowrimo.org/

CAMP NaNoWriMo is fast approaching and I've been having tech problems...

It has been three years since I participated in any NaNoWriMo activities.

As I've said in past posts, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. At the end of this post, I will provide official links. The reason I decided to do so this year is I have a series that helped me find my voice as a writer as well as a community of acceptance. It has also helped me have a "writing career" of sorts. I've been interviewed for podcasts, invited to participate in writing workshops, a few events, and led me to graduate school, something I thought I wouldn't do.

My feline fantasy series has also helped me to create an online presence as well as navigate social media and I know there are still stories for me to tell. I don't want to give it up. Also, the life of a writer has sidelines and detours. Writers, we get distracted or obsessed with other projects, new ideas, and have asides. Also, life gets in the way as it does with everything. Sometimes, I struggle to juggle all these stories, new shiny ideas, and the determination to finish other projects.

Once I sat back and took a good look at myself from 2017 and 2018, I realized I would need to take a step back from the goals I had set for myself, especially when certain goals have been met as well as seeing that some have become stumbling blocks and may no longer serve their purpose. It's okay to walk away from certain goals one sets for oneself! I had to learn that hard lesson. I understood that the continuing of my fantasy short story series cannot be sacrificed in the interest of goals that have expired or outlived their purpose.

Sorry, I went into a diatribe, but I'm officially returning to the Tabber the Red world and will use 2019 as the Year of the Cat for my tales. My website named after my warrior tabby is turning 13 and I want to give it a fresh new look for its birthday this year. The blogs keep getting updated, but ever since I upgraded my desktop, I now lack the software I've used to update the website. And just recently, had to lease a new laptop since the new Dell netbook to replace my Chromebook died, and then the Chromebook has been shutting off, so...

Also, my mom needed a new computer, so I helped put her Lenovo 3-in-1 desktop together and have been navigating my way around it as well as my own Alienware to keep their antiviruses, software patches, and notifications up-to-speed. It hasn't been easy. I'm a lab tutor and one of my coworkers and good friends is our department's tech person, I'm the unofficial one for when he isn't around. So, not only do I have to do topical fixes and changes to our technical equipment at my job, but I come home to maintain my and mom's computers and printer. That's another thing, my own 3-in-1 printer stopped talking to my Chromebook, so that's been fun!

But the good news is my desktop is an Alienware and my brand-new laptop is a Razer, so by the grace of God, I can go back to worrying about updating site, blogs, writing, and hopefully returning to relearning digital artwork on these new platforms. And there I went off on talking about technology when I should have been talking about my plans for April Camp NaNoWriMo!

Next post! Onward and upward!

Camp NaNoWriMo - Day 29 - And I am a WINNER! *PARTY!*

I WON CAMP NANOWRIMO 2016! I can't believe it!

Thought I had two more days, but, beat my pre-set word count when I was struggling with a chapter, and realized I could rewrite the revised scene from a journal of five years ago. It was a difficult scene, the middle of an easy chapter. However, that singular moment consisted of several literary and grammatical devices I would have to use. It consisted of flashbacks, inner monologue, thoughts, inferences, personal history, and epiphany. While this sounds like an absolute mess, thanks to the training, feedback, and constructive criticism I received from MFA mentors and classmates, I didn't even look at the scene's previous typed draft but pulled from the journal to rewrite an entirely new scene.
No matter what, this April is not only special because it is my mom's and a brother's birthday month, but this contest is synonymous with the writer's life. We must be persistent, consistent, diligent, and persevere in this business. When we do that as writers, we learn and open other opportunities for ourselves and others.

Camp NaNoWriMo - Day 10

I joined Camp NaNoWriMo if my badge on the right wasn't a dead giveaway! Now, I'm just trying to adjust the image's size. Oh well. In the meantime, here's another badge I need to upload. And then, back to writing my novel!

Fun Post! But still being serious...

Everyone should have a teddy

   Just wanted my readers/visitors to know  that I joined Camp NaNoWriMo! Why  should you care? Well, this time, one can  set how high the word count must be. I set  mine to 15,000. Seems attainable, doesn't  it? But, then again, I need all the motivation I can create for myself to complete this novel. For anybody who frequents social media, the bookish teddy on the left is my buddy from graduate school. I saw him and just fell in love. He is now my mascot when I'm in the middle of beating a deadline, mired in research, or just need somebody cute to pick up my spirits when I'm stuck in the middle of writing!

Gift from a work friend

Which takes me to the next image on the left. This was a gift from a dear friend at work. Everyone knows, even students, that I am a short story author and am constantly writing. This gorgeous notebook given as a gift (was it birthday? Christmas? GAH! Can't remember!:( ) and I am using it along with its other companions.
Dear readers, you have no idea how many of these journals I have... I need them. Like a vampire needs blood.

The Harlem Renaissance

 My next two books definitely are high on the list of research that saved my bacon! When I had dropped down a plot-hole, or paper, paper everywhere, and not a plot to think, both these books on the Harlem Renaissance pulled me firmly into those times, giving me their history as the beating of a heart. There have been so many references that have helped the development of this story and of me as a writer, I don't know where there will be enough space to dedicate them all, but, this blog will have to do!

When Harlem Was In Vogue