HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I'll post my monthly review with my IWSG post next week. That way, I can report my final progress report for NaNoWriMo.

I know Thanksgiving is going to look different for a lot of people this year. My family's too big to get together for the first time in a while, so immediately families are getting together. If nothing else, find reasons to be thankful, and if for nothing else, be thankful we're still alive.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

November Writing Update

 

Can you believe it's already the middle of November?! It's crazy. I have successfully written every day for NaNoWriMo, and I've passed the 20k words mark! I had to tell myself this time to just not worry about hitting 1,667 words every day. Those first few days, I was passing that, and I even passed 2,000 words a couple of days. I didn't think I could write every day anymore, so I'm excited that I can. If not by the end of November, I will have a completed first draft of my urban fantasy in December!

How is everyone coming with their NaNoWriMo goals?

Celebrating My Mom - Carrie Finney-Holmes

Happy Veteran's Day!

I'll have some words to share next month, and they'll be words I WROTE for NaNoWriMo.

Today would have been my Mom's 64th birthday. She died of Stage 4 metastatic lung cancer, and she had never smoked a day in her life. They are researching the cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, as there is an uptick in this occurrence. Please donate to a lung cancer society, as lung cancer research is highly underfunded compared to other cancers.

We are currently celebrating Mom with a British Brunch, because she was a huge anglophile. For now, please enjoy her incomparable singing voice as she lead our church choir and the Newark Symphony Orchestra in The First Noel.

Insecure Writers Support Group: Into The Place Where You Dream

 

Happy November!

I can't believe this year is already up, but I guess it's a good thing when 3/4 of it has been in quarantine. Here's to a better 2021, even though we still have December. On the bright side, November is also the start of the Holiday Season, beginning with Thanksgiving, my favorite "2-day" holiday (gotta finish those leftovers)!

How is everyone doing with NaNoWriMo? I've successfully gotten through the first 3 days! I think having a publisher to answer to put a fire under my butt. Ha. I'm taking it a day at a time, because if I think about the fact that I have 27 more days to write 1,667 words (well a little less, because I'm actually averaging 1,735 words right now, and the website lowers the bar daily when you write over 1,667) EACH DAY, I will go into panic mode. I'm also writing with a group of other writers in a bigger group called Black Girl Gamers. I joined maybe a month before my mom passed, so these ladies have been a big comfort to me this year. If you're trying NaNoWriMo alone and struggling, try to look for some friends who can join you and support you through it. But also, it's okay if you don't reach 1,667. I have to tell myself that, too, so I don't get disappointed in myself. The important thing is you're writing.

All right, onto this month's question: Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?

Robert Olen Butler said "Art doesn't come from the mind. It comes from where you dream." I'm a big dream writer. I dream vividly, and in color, which is apparently rare, but I know many people who dream in color, so I have questions. Anyway, I write to share what sick and twisted thoughts are in my mind, and to create worlds others can escape into from time to time. Sometimes you can find a moral. Sometimes, meh. As a black woman writing fantasy, I also want younger black girls who love fantasy books and video games that it's okay and they're not alone in what they love.

Why do you write what you write?

Monthly Review & Wednesday Words: Masque of Red Death by Kenya Wright

 

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It is the last Wednesday in October! I can't believe it. But to be honest, October felt long when I look back at it. Strange how that goes. On the 4th Wednesday of the month, I review , but as promised last week, I will also slip in Wednesday Words, since I had big news to share on the 2nd Wednesday!

I still get excited when I think about being an agented author. What a difference a month makes! It had been a secret wish of mine this past year to have an agent find Fractured Princess, read it, love it, and contact me, and that is exactly what happened! I will be under the imprint SFF For the Culture, and if you happen to peek over at Wahida Clark's Instagram, I'm listed as one of their newest authors! That was unreal. It's really happening.

NaNoWriMo is...still around the corner, and I've done nothing to prepare. It's fight or flight at this point. I have to pick a story and work on it. Every day. All month. God help me. I know which one I can work on, though. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to---this will be hard. haha

All righty, onto Wednesday Words!

For the next several weeks, my friends and I are reading Kenya Wright's Masque of Red Death, not to be confused with Edgar Allan Poe's Masque of the Red Death, but part of the story is based on it. We're reading 3 chapters every 2 weeks, though we're a week behind (we're just so busy), and we're not completely sure about the book yet, but it's intriguing nonetheless. Also, that cover! So amazing. Here is the blurb:

In a Florida city plagued by race riots, a murderer has come to play. He calls himself Poe, and he invites only the most corrupt to his game.

The invitations arrive with masks made of human skin. Participants must dress for a masquerade ball and go to a specific nightclub where a riddle is given. Each hour, a guest will die, if the riddle isn’t solved. No one can contact the police.

However, Poe makes a grave mistake by inviting two people—Shadow and Lyric.

Shadow towers over most, wields power like the devil, and holds the city in his hands. Wanting to be steps ahead of this killer, Shadow joins forces with the one person he believes can discover Poe’s identity—Lyric Blue. Once, she was Shadow’s lover and the brain of his operations. But then Lyric chose her morality and pushed him away. Still, there’s an enduring attraction that weaves them together. United, they attend the ball, ready to beat the game.

Secrets are revealed. Bodies pile up. Every death from an unsolved riddle comes with a clue. And a story unravels, exposing victims and betrayal that no one could have ever imagined.

Super intriguing to me. So far, we're dealing with the protests and riots, mental illness, and political corruption. My friends and I meet this Sunday to talk about our next 3 chapters, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

What have you read this month? Planning on doing NaNoWriMo? Good luck!

October Writing Update

 

It is the 3rd Wednesday in October, and I am bringing you a lunch update because I was too tired to post anything earlier.

Honestly, I don't have much of an update, either. I have a lot of ideas in my head that I need to get on paper for all of my works in progress. I did look at my urban fantasy WIP and put down a few more words, which felt good. I also sent my Fractured Princess manuscript to my publisher (wow, I have a publisher) for the editors to look over. I should be able to announce the re-release soon. I'm excited!

For my side project with the startup production company, the director sent us to a podcast called "The left Right Game," so we had an idea of what he wants his horror podcast to sound like. It's really cool and only 11 episodes, so listen if you have time, especially for Halloween. I listened to the first episode yesterday. Chills! That said, the little work I got to do on an episode needs to be reworked. He wants an immersive experience, and I had no idea what that meant until yesterday. Ha.

NaNoWriMo is around the corner, and I actually need to make an effort to do it this year. I'm nervous. I've written close to 1600 words in one day...once. lol Maybe if I write out an outline, I'll be able to do it. What do you think?

That's all I have today. I'll probably add my Wednesday Words to my Monthly Review post next week. See you then!

BIG NEWS

Happy Wednesday!

The second Wednesday of the month is usually the day I share what I'm reading, but I'll still be reading the current book next month, because I'm reading it book club style with my friends. So, this Wednesday is for bigger news!

A little less than two weeks ago now, an agent with Wahida Clark Publishing reached out to me about bringing me on as one of WCP's new fantasy writers! I was a little skeptical at first, but after some research, I saw that Wahida Clark is a 4-time Bestselling Author and known as the Queen of Street Lit. That's a big deal.

I am now in the process of signing a contract (after a hard combing through. I've never read any license agreements/terms & conditions for anything, but I can't just click "I Read This and Agree" on a CONTRACT) and Fractured Princess will be re-released later this season.

This is a whirlwind for me. I wanted to be a traditionally published author. I only decided to self-publish because as a black woman writing fantasy, the doors just don't open as easily as they do for other fantasy writers. I had been hoping an agent would be looking through Amazon, find my book, and love it enough to reach out to me, and that's exactly what happened. My dream has never changed, but I never dreamed how exactly it would happen, and that it finally is in a way I didn't fully expect, I'm over the moon. I'm playing it really calm, but I'm super excited.

I have an agent.

And a publisher.

Please stay tuned for more news to come!

All right, apparently I didn't need to sit on this for as long as I have. 

I am currently in the process of signing with Chase Bolling at W. Clark Publishing! pic.twitter.com/XGXTlyIiua

— Debra The Raven Byrd, author (@DebTheAuthor) October 12, 2020

Insecure Writer's Support Group: A Working Writer

 

HAPPY OCTOBER!

It's already time for another installment of the Insecure Writer's Support Group! As always, a big thank you to Alex J. Cavanaugh for all of the work he does. Visit his website to view the co-hosts for this month. You can also join us by visiting the IWSG website.

I'm going to dive right into the question for this month: When you think of the term working writer, what does that look like to you? What do you think it is supposed to look like? Do you see yourself as a working writer or aspiring or hobbyist, and if latter two, what does that look like?

I've never heard of the term working writer, but simply put, it sounds like someone who has made their career and living from being a writer. They don't need a day job; writing is that for them. As a writer, it's the dream. I do not consider myself any of the three terms. A lot of people confuse aspiring writer with aspiring author. If you're writing already, then you're a writer. I was an aspiring author until I self-published. I may be an aspiring working writer. A day job is good and all, but it's certainly not my passion.

What are your thoughts?

Quarterly Goals

 

I just realized that my quarterly goal post should take place in October, but 2020 remains on brand, as nothing is going as it should. There are 5 Wednesdays in September, but not October, so here we are!

Here were my August goals:

To get back into the swing of things - So far, I'm doing an okay job. I've been writing. My friends and I are starting a non-church book club together. We're always in church, so we wanted to do something with no relation to it. Balance is always key.

To find a job I really want to do - I'm content at my current 9-to-5 (also read 8-to-4:30), but it's not my passion, and it's certainly not in my field. As I mentioned in August, I joined a startup production company, and I edited a script for the producer. That is stuff I could do all day, especially if it paid well. I'm also part of Black Girl Gamers, and the founder posts jobs she finds. There is one for a short-term, paid video game writer traineeship. The hours are flexible, and it's virtual, so I think I'm going to apply and see where it takes me.

My next goal is to get back into reading other people's blogs. I haven't done it consistently in a long time, and I know it's because I have so much else going on it's hard to do, but still.

My next quarterly goals will be in December, so I guess I will update you on how the upcoming quarter panned out, and what my plans will be for the first quarter in 2021!

I hope you all enjoy what's left of September.

Monthly Review

 

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September is already almost over, guys. It's wild.

I gained momentum this month. I had to be back in the office many days, but I didn't completely mind. It also helped me write more. I'm actually used to writing at work, so . . . I need to break that habit. haha BUT last Tuesday, I wrote 1,156 words and a 200-word query. Last Wednesday I wrote 1,698 words! That felt super good. So now, I'm actively writing in THREE works in progress. We'll see where they take me.

Reading is still slow, but I'll just start over in 2021. I didn't even set a goal on Goodreads. I think I've read maybe 5 books, and fortunately some comics.

Last Tuesday, my younger sister and I became owners of our mom's house. We'll be selling it and moving soon. It'll be bittersweet. Our mom bought that house for us to have our friends over, and we were introverts and didn't like drama, so we never brought them over. We've been in the house for 21 years, the longest we've ever lived anywhere. But it's also time to be in our own space. My sister started a Pinterest board for interior designs. At first I didn't care, but I realize, we have two different styles, so I might want to, so we can meet in the middle somewhere. I'm also interested in the style of the house as a whole. I hate the style of our current house. I need to look up house types.

As for work, I'm not unhappy about being back in the office, as I said, but I do realize I'm unhappy still being in an office period. I've always wanted to just be a writer, and the publishing industry, though it's trying to change, is really hard to break into as a black writer, let alone a speculative fiction writer. That said, two of the three projects I'm working on are romance novels, which I haven't done in YEARS, but I do want to give it a go. Romance was my wheelhouse when I was a fan fiction writer. I know I can do it.

I have two more quarterly posts for the year to see if I've reached any goals. December will be unique, because I'll get to set some for 2021. Not that I want time to keep moving as quickly as it is, but I could stand waking up and it no longer being 2020.

September Writing Update

 

Happy September!

This is my first writing update since MAY, and I didn't even have much to say then. Looking back at what I was working on, I think I have an idea of what scene I was talking about. I did finally finish it, and then I reworked it to something stronger that I really like. Now, I have to hash out the next scene. It's another breakthrough scene, but I know exactly how I want it to go, so it's just putting it down on paper.

I actually have a few things I need to work on. I joined a startup production group, and I have a very interesting horror script I need to write. It's been a while since I've had to do a script, but script writing is a lot simpler than prose, so I know when I sit down to get it done, it will be like riding a bike.

Saturday night, I had an epiphany about an old fan fiction I wrote. I've said before that I want to revamp my fan fictions into regular novels, so on Monday, I not only wrote a query for one, but then I turned around wrote over 1,000 words for the first time in a very long time. That said, the tone of what I wrote fits another story I have in progress, so I'm going to move it over to that one, but I already know how I want to replace it for the revamped story. So, I'm super excited.

I think I'm back in the game, and it feels good.

Wednesday Words: Solitaire by Alice Oseman

 

It has been a while for one of these!

It is the 2nd Wednesday of the month, and that usually means I share with you all what I am reading. I'm finally back into reading, almost at my normal pace again, so I can finally share my current read! That lucky book is Solitaire by Alice Oseman.

This is the cover for the e-book. I'm actually close to the end, and the blurb up top is a bit misleading. For the most part we follow Tori and Michael, though I have a hankering suspicion about Lucas and his dealings with the mysterious prankster group known as Solitaire.

This is Alice's first book. I read Radio Silence last year, and it was amazing, so I could see where she grew. This story lacked a little direction, and Tori isn't a very likable protagonist, so I had to ignore her for the most part. I can't wait to see how this ends, though.

Here is the book description: In case you're wondering, this is not a love story.

My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year - before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people - I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that's all over now.

Now there's Solitaire. And Michael Holden.

As I said, I'm close to the end, and I'm around the point where she "doesn't have friends" anymore. I don't think she ever did, just people she hung out with because her best friend did, and she didn't even really like her!

Speaking of which, here is a line from page 68 that I found very interesting, the opening to Chapter 12:

There is a line that you cross when making relationships with people. Crossing this line occurs when you transfer from knowing someone to knowing about someone, and Michael and I cross that line at Becky's seventeenth birthday party.

It's a warm point in the story that I appreciate, though it's also surrounded by the millionth time that Tori hates something. Maybe it's because of that that I like it.

What are you reading?

IWSG: The Dinner Party Question Revamped

 HAPPY SEPTEMBER!

It's already about to be Fall, my favorite season, but it is also the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's time for another installment of the Insecure Writer's Support Group! As always, a big thank you to Alex J. Cavanaugh for all of the work he does. Visit his website to view the co-hosts for this month. You can also join us by visiting the IWSG website.

This month's optional question is: If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be and why?

Just one?? Eesh. Because she is still alive, and I have a small chance of meeting her one day, I won't say my favorite living author, N.K. Jemisin. I would be terrified to let her see a beta version of my work, even though I'm sure she would be really nice about it.

My official answer is my favorite author who is not living, and that is Octavia Butler. Her writing changed my life and my outlook on being a speculative fiction writer so much. She even had a similar experience with her mom about not writing "normal" fiction. I would love to pick her brain about my writing style and choices.

Though I'd still be terrified a little.

Let me hear your answers!