Update on the suspense manuscript and proposal

Captain’s Log, Stardate 03.05.2005

Taking a break from writing (which is what I should be doing) and indulging myself in my blog.

Funny thing is, I don’t have that much to say. I just like writing these darn things.

I finished my proposal for the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference going on March 18-22. I really can’t NOT go, seeing as it’s only 45 minutes away and a terrific conference to learn and grow and smooze with some really nice people. It’s cost is a bit prohibitive--I thought long and hard about going, did I already blog about this? Oh well.--but decided to hand over the money and have a great time.

I’m getting really excited. I know several people who will be going, including my friend Cherise whom I haven’t seen since Mt. Hermon last year, where we met. I’ll actually be having lunch at her house next weekend. She took the plunge and quit her job so she could open her own store in Santa Cruz, an ice-cream/hot soups shop. It’s right near Big Basin and all the tourists who visit for hiking, camping, and mountain biking. I think it’ll be a hit.

I also get to see tons of other writer friends. Sharon and her daughter will be staying an extra day with me just to hang and see a beach (they’re from the Midwest). I’ll be joined by fellow San Jose writers Marilyn and Shelley, both published authors (aren’t I in exalted company?). I’m looking forward to seeing Meredith, my mentor from last year’s conference who has a fabulous Momlit coming out this November.

Did I forget anyone?

Okay, so the proposal. I actually wrote two of them, because I don’t know if I should pitch just the book or the 3-book series it starts off. I’ll be submitting the proposal to a couple editors. Writing the proposal was actually not as bad as I’d thought. The synopsis was the worst part, but since I had done Randy’s Snowflake method, I had it mostly completed already. And my wonderful writer friends critiqued the crap out of it to make sure it didn’t leak off of the two-page limit I wanted.

The market comparison was fun because I got to go online at Amazon.com and search through a bunch of Silhouette Bombshell storylines and other neat romantic suspense titles. I finished a rather nice query/cover letter (if I do say so myself) thanks to John Olson’s fiction class at the Redwood Chapel’s Christian Writers Seminar a few weeks ago.

God is so good. Everything just seemed to come together and fall into place with terrific timing. I’m still rather apprehensive and insecure about this manuscript, but Sharon was knocking me over the head and reminding me that it’s ALL IN GOD’S HANDS. Why do I keep forgetting that? I need it tattooed on my hand or something.

So now that the proposal’s done, I’m writing like crazy again (hence the lack of blogging, otherwise I’d be on here every day). I have about 1/4 of the manuscript to finish, and I’m hopeful I can get it done before Mt. Hermon.

I’m also considering entering this manuscript in a few contests. The Daphne du Maurier contest (sponsored by the RWA Kiss of Death Chapter--love that name!) has an inspirational category this year, and they’re in need of entries. Also, I’m considering entering the ACFW’s Noble Theme contest again. Am I just a glutton for punishment? Both contests need to be submitted this month, the Daphne in a few days, actually. Thanks to my terrific friends (you know who you are), my first chapter has been critiqued quite a bit and I’m a little more confident in submitting it.

Meanwhile, I’ve been taking walks at lunchtime at work and brainstorming my next manuscript, the Hawaii Chicklit/suspense. After I finish the romantic suspense, however, I’ll need to work on the Chicklit novella for the anthology I’m doing with Marilynn Griffith, Rachel Hauck and Janet Spaeth. I’ve gotten that mostly thought out, I’ll just need to fill in a few details before I can do the outline. I hope I can write fast--it’s due April 1st. Man, talk about deadlines. But it helps me be productive and efficient, I must admit.

Okay, I have a few emails to write and then I need to work on the manuscript.

Diet: Almost didn’t want to admit I ate a peanut butter French toast this morning, and then Wendy’s for dinner. I got the salad and poured the chili over it, so it was kind of like a taco salad. But I also got chicken nuggets and French fries.

According to my calorie counter, it was 800 calories, added to the French toast’s 650 calories and a few chips I ate at youth group meeting tonight (hence the Wendy’s dinner). Hey, I’m not doing too bad. I did great yesterday--I had a salad for lunch and low-fat bean soup and a slice of homemade bread for dinner.

I am hoping to drop 4 pounds by the end of the month. Wishful thinking? I’m going in small increments so I don’t get depressed by how overweight I’ve gotten since the injury and surgery last November.