Hello All,

 

I have not posted in too long a time. Many excuses, but none offered to excuse pure procrastination. If I am to have a blog I need to commit to posting frequently.

 

I have been writing, and have started my NaNo novel over. I don’t like to think about the time it will take to whip, or should I say write, it into shape. The structure was all wrong. The number of characters confusing. I am writing scenes, not word counts, and know the characters that remain in the story better. Writing still enthralls me. Ms Muse sits on my shoulder or in my heart often, and when she doesn’t I write anyway. I also write for our Compassionate Friends Newsletter, and to prompts generated by an on-line writer’s community I belong to. So writing is very much a part of my life and my being.

 

This post finds me preparing for the TCF Walk to Remember and picnic on Saturday. It has been cold, for Florida, the past few days, but the weather promises to warm by then. I grew up in New Jersey, so the cold shouldn’t bother me, but it does. I definitely don’t do cold well. I wish you all sunny skies, soothing temperatures, and inspired writing.

 

Next time I’ll pick a writing topic.

 

As ever,

Jean

This blog has been neglected. There I said it. Despite many things going on in my life I never should have let so much time pass between posting. I apologize to anyone checking.

I have added 3,500 words to my NaNo novel. The characters are stepping off the page, not quite dancing, but making themselves known and advancing the story. I have just set a goal of at least 500 words a day.

The candle lighting for national children's memorial day last Sunday went well. We had 100 people at our ceremony which was part of the world wide candlelighting. Candles were lit for the children at 7 pm in every time zone. The preparations for the ceremony took up some of my writing time. I will post pictures in the next newsletter our chapter puts out, (due Feb 1st). And I'll post the web site's address in this blog.

And I'll post again in a few days....

J

 

   I have neglected this blog by doing most of my writing on my NaNo Novel. Yesterday I crossed the "finish line", and earned some thumb nail logos that tell the world I "won".

50,000 words - a good start on a novel, but not a completed project. Much more to write, and then revise, revise, revise. Still I am glad I took the challenge. I'm further along than I would have been if I didn't take the chance. I also made friends, some local, most far away, geographically, but all close to my writing heart.

I have also completed the program for our Candle Lighting which will be held December 9th. This is part of the world wide candle lighting held by the Compassionate Friends around the globe always held on the second Sunday in December.  We light our candle for remembrance at seven pm knowing there is a wave of light happening as each chapter lights theirs at the same time in their respective time zone. We have poetry readings and light additional candles representing love, peace, and hope. Then those attending light individual candles for their children who died too soon, and we play our DVD which includes a slide show of pictures of our children to the music of "Precious Child". And conclude with refreshments and fellowship. It is truely a beautiful ceremony.

Until the next time ~  

J

 

I promised whoever is reading this Blog updates on my NaNoWriMo progress. I am celebrating going over the 25,000 word mark yesterday by 486 words. My goal has been to shoot for writing 2,000 words a day so my marathon day yesterday not only put me over the half-way mark, but has given me a cushion for days I don't quite make my goal. Like I said, I'm celebrating. And starting my writing day with this Blog.

 My new novel is coming along, and I'm in a spot where it could take three different directions. Since I write "from the mist" I won't know which direction my main characters will take untill I  turn off the TV, play my writing music, place my fingers on the keys, and tell my inner-muse to write.

So I will get on with it - my NaNo day. With the goal of another 2,000 words. Wish me smooth musing? 

J

I'm taking a break from NaNo this morning. I have a write-in tonight, and a meeting of a local writer's group at half past noontime. And, oh, my... look at the time!

Several happy things happened recently. Two of my flash fiction pieces have been published in the Ezine, The Infinite Writer. What a thrill seeing them in "print". I also was informed that a short story of mine, Blue Paint, will be published in the WOW (Wizards of Words) anthology in December. Also two of the grief pieces a write for our local TCF newsletter have been published in the Atlanta TCF on-line newsletter. These have generated e-mail communication with 2 bereaved mothers who were brave enough to contact me to give and receive support. And after losing the site to host our anual TCF Candle Lighting ceremony, another was found by a diligent co-voluenteer. And I'm 10,000 words into my NaNo novel!

So happy day .. Now off to my meeting.

J

I passed out 4 bags of chocolate candy, one bag of goldfish, and one of teddy grams - those are bags full of the individual sized treats, about 30 in each so you know a bunch of little and big hobgoblins came to my door tonight looking for treats. They were escorted by parents - and the family dogs. Fun. I do enjoy the children's excitement, and pride in their costumes as they fill their pails and pillowcases. And I smiled watching the parents, and wondered if they were dreading the morning after stomach aches.

My neighbor makes jello shooters for the adults. It has become a tradition that my neighborhood anticipates. I swallowed down a few.

Now the countdown to NaNoWriMo - 30 minutes to go. At midnight tonight the challenge of writing 50,000 words during the month's 30 days begins. Most of the Wrimos (that's what they/we call those participating are much younger than moi. The "threads" I have subscribed to are full of postings sharing their excitement, asking for and receiving support, and advise. I plan on attending a local write-in Friday evening and next Weds. noontime. And I plan on beginning to write at midnight for a few hours. I made a poster with pictures of my characters and the setting for inspiration. And, yes, a pot of coffee. Thank you Kathy, and Kathleen for wishing me luck. I will keep you posted.

Jean 

I'm getting ready for the National Novel Writing Month which begins November 1st. All writers signing up pledge to write 50,000 words on a novel during the month of November. That's 1667 words a day. You can outline prior to starting, and do character sketches. But can't begin writing until the start date. You update the words you write to the NaNo site, (scrambled) and they keep the count.

Have I told you I can't outline? When I do I feel like the story has been written and have no inclination to write it. So I have the beginning situation in my head and a slew of characters that are anxious to get out of my head and on the paper. I'm hoping to get the guts of my new novel written while going for the goal of 50,000 words. So you know what I'll be doing in November.

Meanwhile I'm starting to decorate for Halloween. Trick or treat, anyone?

I have been sitting at my laptop for most of the past week and a half attending an awesome on-line writer's conference put on by The Muse it Up Club. The courses offered would more than satisfy an author of any genre. I know they did me. In fact I took 22 of them .. hence my sore wrists and butt, and the spinning neurons in my brain. The presenters, and the moderators of the "chats" were supremely generous with their time, handouts, and answers to our questions. 

It was necessary to sign up for the conference more than a month in advance, and select the specific "classes" three weeks before the conference began. Like I said I took 22. Four days before the conference I started finding my way around the site and copying handouts. Three quarters of the classes I took had them - so I read them all before the conference started.

On the Monday (Oct 8th I found my classes in the Forum... a message board where the threads were the class topics. The instructor of the class posted an introduction - if s/he had posted handouts on the handout board, it would be brief, followed, usually with an assignment. Otherwise she would post the handout there. The students would then post their responses and questions - these would be answered by the instructor, and sometimes by other students. Each day or two there would be another assignment. You get the idea.

In addition to the forum the conference had real-time chats with the instructor of the course, and a moderator. These chats were attended by between 40 and 100 students. The instructor would type an intro and the students would q up by typing a ? and then waiting their turn to post the question .. much fun, learning and support. So much information - it will take me a month at least to absorb it all. The conference was invigorating. I signed up for next year, and also signed up for NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writer's Month which begins Nov 1. More about that in my next post.

I’ve named my place on the web “My Writing Sight”. An intentional play on words suggesting that a writer examines life, present, past, future, or parallel, from a different perspective, with the focused light of story formation. When an idea for a story emerges I think about it, write it down, and then turn it back inside my head to percolate. The rest, once I choose to sit down and write, is mostly subconscious. I write “from the mist” – not from an outline. I outline each chapter in reverse – after I have written it. I do have a vague idea of how the novel or story will end. So, perhaps, I write from the mist while catching a glimpse of the lighthouse. This method does leads to many revisions. Most successful writers do outline first. When I try it I loose my way instead of finding it. So I continue from the mist. I’m comfortable there. I began a new novel that way today.

 

I spent hours trying to upload pictures to my web site and this blog. Without success. I thought I understood the instructions, but I’m obviously skipping a step or two. Yes I do jump into things, but I keep trying. When you visit and see two pictures of me and one of my cat here you will know I finally succeeded. Until then.

J

My name is Jean Limongello. Some people tease me about my last name so I'll tell you I'm not a sweet drink or a colorful bowl of Jello, but if you'll remember my name with those associations, feel free. I don't mind at all. I have been, and am a mother, a grandmother, and a nurse. I enjoy all those roles. I also enjoyed being married to my husband Tom who died four years ago. I grew up in New Jersey, and have lived in Florida for 20 plus years. For most of my life I have loved to read and write. And now I am a writer. I have a web site, and I'm blogging. Yikes! Dreams do come true! During the next few days I will be adding pictures and more content to my web site and will empty some thoughts about my new role into this blog. Right now my cat GrayC is nipping at my toes. She does that when she thinks I've been writing too long and too late. She keeps me in line. Goodnight.   J