Music Monday: How Very Dare You (Warning: NSFW)

Once again, I'm diving into Tiktok for the song of the week, and like the one I posted last time, this one does not disappoint. Have you got some rage left over after you've had Paris Paloma's labor on repeat for a week? I got you, fam. While not safe for...work? Male ears? Dinner parties and other such fanciness... This song is on repeat in my head and has resurrected my connection with my MC in this month's Camp Nano, just in time to get in those last 10k words to the finish line.

What?

Anyway, enjoy...or rage. Your choice. I would also suggest checking out Chinchilla's other music because there are some amazing moments in their back catalog.

On Writing, Nanowrimo, and Writer's Block

This happens every time I attempt a Nano month, and you'd think that I would have learned my lesson by now. After all, this Camp Nano that's going on right now is the 37th time I've committed to a specific word count goal in one month.

It's a funny thing, being a writer, especially when you aren't writing for your DayJob™ income. Some days I am so ready to throw off the day's frustration and will make my target word count and then some. Other days, I know what I want to get done but none of it it happening. Every sentence is awful.

Usually, the Nano months will pull me out of that ofnadwy (my favorite Welsh word these days, means terrible) slump and get me back to putting words down. You can always sort out the good from the bad later.

Until this month. Holy Shnikes, is this an uphill battle! It's a new project but not a new genre, if you will. I've got two "manuscripts" in my hard drive that are vampire fiction and the fits and starts of a third. I think the difference is that this one is a collaboration with another author, and I'm frustrated by only hearing one of the two main characters in my head.

There is still plenty of time to go, at least. My word count target is very low, so I don't have to worry about not being able to finish, no matter how ofnadwy the end result is. If you've gotten to this point where NOTHING IS HAPPENING, how do you pull yourself out of it?

Music Monday: Not like you haven't heard this one before...

If you've been anywhere near TikTok lately, I'm sure you have heard this song by Paris Paloma. It is... well, I don't know how to contain the enormity of this song's importance in words so I'm just going to let it speak scream for itself. Please...listen. Also, no lyrics this time because the video has captions.

Music Monday: More than a little unsteady...

 Week...two of Camp Nano? Three? It has been a struggle this time, I will not lie. A lot of that difficulty is caused by trying to write in an unfamiliar world with new characters that are not that willing to speak to me yet. Meanwhile, Sath and Gin are screaming in the back of my mind to get back to their story, while Lex and Em are at the edge of the cliff, ready to jump in May when the second chapter of their story launches. Annie and Lucy have been quiet, probably because they are scouring the early 20th-century Yorkshire countryside with the constabulary, finding supernatural threats to investigate. Whatever is keeping them occupied is a good thing, because I feel they will be making a similar racket soon.

Unsteady is a good word for the character I'm working with now. More on her later, because, "Spoilers, Sweetie."

Unsteadyby X Ambassadors
Hold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteadyHold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteady
Mama, come hereApproach, appearAnd Daddy, I'm alone'Cause this house don't feel like home
If you love me, don't let go (hold)Whoa, if you love me, don't let go (hold)
Hold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteadyHold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteady
Mother, I knowThat you're tired of being aloneDad, I know you're tryingTo fight when you feel like flying
But If you love me, don't let go (hold)Whoa, if you love me, don't let go (hold)
Hold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteadyHold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteady
Hold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteady

Music Monday: Leaping into Camp Nano Like...

...get it? A Catapult?

Listen, I had many other puns involving felines that were MUCH worse, so...you're welcome. 

I have a feeling I have posted this song already before it got lost in the seventy-eleven playlists that I have for every significant moment in my life, but if so, enjoy it again. Another writer I follow on Twitter just finished Darkness and referred to Sath and Gin's relationship as "delectable" (what? Maybe I AM a romance writer after all? No...). I heard this song again recently and it really does bring me into the mind of the Royals of Qatu'anari, so I'm sharing it with you. Romance with a side of never-ending danger and a bit of sarcasm - Sath and Gin all day long. Since this April's Camp Nano isn't going to be in Orana, I'm getting all my Sath and Gin vibes out here. 

Maybe. 

Probably not.

Catapultby Jack Savoretti
Following the headlightsGot to find a way back to youI can be the white knightYou can play the princessWe'll be running like outlawsHiding in the midnightBreak down them gatesLet in the sunlight
Throw me over these wallsHigh up in the atmosphereIf I could catapult my heartWatch the empire fallI'm gonna get you outta hereIf I could catapult my heartTo where you are
You say you had your heart brokenWhat a stupid little thing to doNow you're tied to a train trackBut I'm a gonna comeAnd rescue youMake no mistakeI'll do whatever it takes
To get over these wallsHigh up in the atmosphereIf I could catapult my heartWatch the empire fallOoh I'm gonna get you outta hereIf I could catapult my heartTo where you areIf I could catapult my heart
Oh throw me over these wallsOoh high up in the atmosphereIf I could catapult my heartWatch the empire fallOoh I'm gonna get you outta hereIf I could catapult my heartTo where you areIf I could catapult my heartTo where you areI'm gonna catapult my heart

Off Camping...Again. April 2023 Newsletter

 Well, here goes nothing.

Again.

This is my 24th Camp Nanowrimo, which means 12 years of trying to fit in 2 more 30-50K word months in the year. There have been a few that didn't reach that goal, but that's okay. I just looked back at my projects, and I do have something listed for all of them at least.

This is why I preach the Nano gospel whenever someone asks me for my best advice for someone that wants to get started writing - the accountability is there, the community is there - I firmly believe it can be a great introduction to this crazy life.

So many of my books have started as Nano/Camp Nano projects, including all of the Orana Chronicles, the World of Arcstone, and the Clobberpaws/Proud Racer novels. If you have any questions about joining up for either of this year's Camp sessions (April and July) or the full Nano proper in November, I'd love to hear from you.

As always, if you want signed copies of my books and can't make it to one of the events, contact me and let's talk about how I can make that happen. If you have a copy of one of my books, I'd love it if you'd leave me a review - that's the best way for others to find my books and for me to know how my writing is being received!

Cheers, y'all!