Struggles of SciFi

For the last few weeks I've been world-building my new scifi trilogy. It's been a challenge to say the least. 
SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS was somewhat scifi since it took place in the future (year 2965 to be exact). Except SHS wasn't set in space. My new trilogy is. A whole new galaxy.
This involves planning and imagining that I've never done before. Not only do I have to brainstorm a future society, but I have to determine planets--multiple worlds! This is a problem for someone whose only experience with space was in elementary school.
The real embarrassing moment was when I mistakenly called the sun a "planet" when talking to my sister. Woops.
Luckily, the library exists. And scifi movies. I can check "The Martian," "Interstellar," and "Star Trek Beyond" off my list (though my trilogy isn't going to have aliens!).

I'm slowly making progress, now adding a few craft books to my list of things to read. I plan to take my time because world-building is a foundation and vital for a good story. 
Though procrastination is a forever struggle...

Waiting to Edit

If you wade through my 2016 posts, you'll find me declaring this year as "The Year of Edits."
Logic would suggest, if 2016 is The Year of Edits, 2015 was The Year of Writing.
Which is 100% true.
I spent 2015 writing three different novels and only went through them to proofread a handful of times. Now I'm returning to each and giving them the old-fashioned "spit and shine."
And, boy, do they need a lot of spit!

Now that SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS is in the capable hands of my beta readers, I've transitioned my attentions to WISHES, MAYBE, a book I haven't touched, read, or even thought about for over a year. 
With this break (as well as writing another novel while waiting), I've noticed three things so far:
1. A long break makes editing (and reading other's opinions) a lot easier. I understand that the book is far from perfect. And being aware that it needs work comes a lot easier. Though, I'm not going to lie, there's still a sting!
2. Plot points I would've considered "okay" are absolutely not. Being far removed from the world of WISHES MAYBE, I can look at things with a critical eye.
3. My muse has had time to recover. When I wrote WISHES, MAYBE, I was a soaked sponge that was wrung dry by the time I typed The End. But now I'm full of new ideas for the book. Ways I can make it better, more real, and un-put-downable!
So, what about you? What's your method to editing? How long do you wait to "dig in" to your edits?

What I'm Up To

Back in mid-June I got to share some very exciting news with you guys. You can find the original post here. 
So, what am I up to post-agent-getting?
I plan to write a series on what to expect after signing with an agent. But I haven't experienced each step yet. So this time around, I'm sharing updates of what's going on with me writing-wise.
My agent and I have been steadily working on THESE WICKED WATERS. No major editing overhauls, just a few tweaks and changes. If things stay on track, we're hoping to be ready to submit to publishing houses after Labor Day. How exciting is that?!

Yeah, I can't quite believe it. Yet.
But as excited I am about THESE WICKED WATERS, it's not my only toasted bread in the Fondu pot (can you tell I'm craving something particular?). I'm also editing SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS, my NaNo project from last year. I hope to have my first round finished in the upcoming days so I can send it out to beta readers.
On that note, if you're interested in swapping stories for beta reads, just let me know!
Isn't life exciting?

Ideas, Where?

I'm still steadfastly working on THESE WICKED WATERS.

In the meantime, I'm prepping SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS for Ink & Insights 2016. As I've edited the first 10,000 words, I've been reminiscing.
For my almost all of my books, I can't tell you the exact moment the "idea" came to mind. With SHS, I can.
In fact, I have evidence of it. I was sitting at the library, using the Internet on my laptop. When the idea popped into my head, I grabbed my phone and saved it as a note--the bare skeleton of an idea. Inspiration that I had no idea how I would use. Yet.

That's right. I got the idea on July 10, 2014. If you followed my Idea to Pages series, you'd realize I didn't start planning SHS until July 9, 2015. A year later--almost to the day! This shows how important it is to write your ideas down! You never know what stories can come from them. 

Every book has a humble beginning. It all starts with one idea.

An Overall Blah

Clouds have invaded the east coast, and they appear too comfortable to leave. Every professor who comes into my office at work mentions the clouds. In fact, one said, "Now, Emily, it's your job to make sure the sun comes out tomorrow."
Unfortunately, I don't have any special contacts with mother nature.
Not only is the lack of sun depressing, but it drains the motivation too. While rainy days are awesome for writing, consecutive cloudy days?
...Not so much.
Which is why I'm coming clean. I haven't worked on THESE WICKED WATERS since my resolution post. 

I haven't been totally lazy. I've been hard at work prepping SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS for Ink & Insight's contest. (Anyone care to beta read 10,000 words???) But I know I need to get back on track, good weather or not.
Wish me luck. I've got a whole new chapter to write for TWW. You have no idea the massive editing that has been done on this book. I just hope it's worth it!

Goal Time

As I've sworn before, telling people your writing goals makes a difference.
It makes you stick to them.
Which is why I'm updating you on my dismal progress.
Slow progress is being made with THESE WICKED WATERS. I feel like I've been editing this book forever. Maybe I'm having a hard time with motivate because there is so much work to do. I have pages of pages of notes left to enact, and I'm halfway through the novel!
Thus, I've set the following goal for myself: edit one chapter of TWW a day.
Yes, the number's a little underwhelming, but doable. That way I don't feel like a failure at the end of every weekday. That'll be a nice change.

Now for a new manuscript! Any of you remember SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS? Well, I'm prepping it for entry into Ink & Insights! Placing third last year earned me a free entry, and boy am I going to use it! 
The goal for this novel is a lot simpler: finish editing 10,000 words by Saturday--Monday at the latest.
I can totally do that.
...Right?

The End of a Novel

20 days of writing...
4,000 words/day (give or take)...
88,451 words later...
And SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS is complete! 

Well, as complete as the first draft of a novel can get. Trust me when I say that this book will need a lot of work. But not this week! This week I'm taking off writing as a sort of Thanksgiving break.
Editing picks up again on November 30th (that's a Monday).
Final thoughts about NaNoWriMo?
Phew.
Oh, and yay. Because I now have my seventh book completed. It's such an amazing and rewarding feeling.
Okay, okay, I know I should probably be more chatty about how NaNo's been for me this time around and my feelings about it... But I'm kind of talked out. If you want to know the ins and outs (day by day, nonetheless!), click here.
Finished NaNoWriMo too? Not sure of what to do next?
First on the list should be a delicious Thanksgiving meal and well-deserved rest. Second (after said rest) will be lots of editing. Third, if you're feeling particularly crazy Camp NaNoWriMo picks up in April...
I'll just leave that tidbit of information with you. I'm not feeling particularly crazy at the moment.
Keyword: at the moment.

Pantsless for Words

Ahem. By "pantsless" I mean skirts and dresses. Not, well, you know...
Because of church and work I have a huge collection of dresses and skirts in my closet. Coincidentally more for summer than fall/winter. But I digress. 
In this video I discussed ways to get inside the mind of your main character. Well, today I'm doing some more of the same. Except in an extreme way.
Guys, wearing a dress/skirt every day takes some serious logistical planning. Way more than is involved with pants. Not only do I need to have a matching shirt and bottom, but there are tights and shoes to think about. Everything must tie together!

To be honest, it's been a lot of fun. It's opened up my outfit creativity in ways wearing jeans hasn't. I don't even miss wearing pants. I've actually kind of fallen in love with leggings. I need to get more in my closet (and the tops that go with them). But that's another story...
If you're wondering if this style change has helped me understand Jane (my MC) any better, the answer would be a resounding YES.
Not only do I know how to write her movements (there are just some things you can't do in dresses), but there's a greater feeling of femininity sans pants. Jane's voice is able to fly from my fingers, loud and clear.
But the skirts/dresses isn't where it ends. I've donned my glasses too (Jane wears glasses, fyi). At times I feel like it makes me look more artsy and smart. Other times I swear it enhances the size of my nose... The sacrifices I make for writing.

It's so much fun guys. If you're participating in NaNoWriMo, or just writing in general, I highly recommend getting into character in whatever ways you can. Sometimes, it's fun to slip into another personality.
Just don't stay there!

#NaNoWriMo 2015: Week One

Idea to Pages: Wading In

Step One: The Inspiration & Jewelry Step Two: Prepping My Muse Step Three: Building My World (Part 1 & Part 2) Step Four: Let the Plotting, Begin! Step Five: Wading In
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final part to my Idea to Pages blog series. It's bittersweet, but also very exciting.
From July through November, you loyalists have followed me through the process of going from getting an idea to developing a story. 

And now?
Now I'm writing that story.
In fact, I plan to have said story finished by the end of November. Different writers have different ways of getting their story written. As I've learned and grown in my craft, I've learned that the more writing done in less time, the better. Which is why my last two books have been finished in one month. The same will happen with SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS (I hope!).
Furthermore, if you too are intigued by the idea of getting a novel written in a month (or two weeks!) and want to know how... Well, just take a look up at the beginning of this post and follow the five steps above.
Thanks for joining me on the ride. I haven't quite decided, but later on I might just unearth this post from retirement by adding a Step Six.
We'll see...

November is Coming

It's that time of year again.
Well, almost.
The leaves are morphing into vibrant flame and feather-light gold. Temperatures are shifting to the 50-60 degree (fahrenheit) range. Pictures of people holding pumpkins litter every form of social media. Fall is most definitely here... with NaNoWriMo soon to follow. Not sure about what NaNoWriMo is? Or pondering if you should do it (or not)? Click here.
I've already got SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS set up on NaNo's site and am *almost* ready to start writing. I just need to get a little more plotting done...

I've got a little less than a week, okay? I'll be fine!
This post is to serve as a reminder for you (while you've still got some time to prepare). NaNoWriMo is coming, and if you've got a story idea just waiting to be formed by words--now is the time!
Join me for 30 days of reckless abandon in the wonderful world of imagination. Here's my NaNo account! Shoot me a message or friend me. In this writing business, encouragement is worth more than diamonds!
I'll be vlogging each day of NaNo, keeping you updated of my progress (victories and pitfalls). Don't miss the adventure, even if you're not taking part. Make sure you follow my YouTube channel.
NaNoWriMo. Sunday, November 1st. Mark your calendars.
I hope to see you there.

Idea to Pages: Let the Plotting, Begin!

Emily Layne's Steps to Write a Book:
Step One: The Inspiration & Jewelry Step Two: Prepping My Muse Step Three: Building My World (Part 1 & Part 2) Step Four: Let the Plotting, Begin!

Ahh! At last! After starting this blog series on July 9, 2015, I've finally hit the all important stage of plotting. That statement should answer the question: Is Emily a plotter or a pantser? Not sure what a plotter or panster is? 
Click here.
Plotting is probably one of the most complex parts of the Idea to Pages process (other than actually writing). In this step I'm determining the direction of the story, the characters, and the plot. If a story moves too slowly or the action seems contrived, this is where I need to fix it. Because, if not?
70,000 words later, after my book is written, I'll have a lot of editing to do. I know this from experience. Though I can see the fun of pantsing, it results in way too much work for me down the road. Plotting gives me security, direction, and keeps me from having to tear my story to shreds.
Though my plotting time is very limited for SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS. I've got until October 31st. Why is Halloween my deadline, you wonder. Well, this year I'm participating in NaNoWriMo a.k.a. National Novel Writing Month. It's going to make things a bit crunched for time, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Now if someone will just buy me NaNo's winner's t-shirt to give me even more motivation. My birthday is coming up, you know!

The Final Step: Wading In!

Looking Back

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." --Lao Tzu
This past week, while procrastinating from what I should've been doing (plotting SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS), I rediscovered some old, cringe-worthy stories of mine. 
I, like many authors attest, started writing when I was little. Let's say as early as ten. Almost thirteen years later (I turn 23 on October 23rd!) I have a handful of completed, and a larger pool of unfinished, stories to my name.
Clicking through documents last opened in 2005, I couldn't help but smile (and wince).
Just for fun, I thought I'd share a couple lines from a few of the books I've written (novellas, really). Don't worry-- I'll spare you the Sailor Moon fanfiction devoid of proper punctuation and paragraph breaks.

"Kika found herself running to Tokyo Tower as the screaming became more audible.  She soon saw before her a small girl shrieking as she was being trapped by a large Oakwood tree.  Kika blinked, this is getting weirder and weirder." --Myst Princess, June 29, 2005
"Rei screamed a loud kiyap to distract Xander, which as she thought, it worked extremely well.  Xander froze like a deer in headlights and blinked." --Fairies, November 11, 2005
"Around me I only say ten remaining men from my ship.  Slowly the pirates were over-powering us, but I didn’t care.  If I was going to die, then I was going to die fighting." --The Black Dawn, April 27, 2006
"My swordstick lay where I had left it the previous night, behind the barrels of water.  I took it out, watching for any signs of my younger sisters.  They would die for a stick like this.  I reasoned with myself." --Times of War, July 4, 2006
Phew. That was painful. And these are just a select few of the stories I wrote. Some of them are even on paper--can you believe that? A time before computers were a common thing!
Well, now that I've eaten a large portion of humble pie, I'm going to go beg my little sister for some of her Layne Family Famous chocolate cookies.
Or cheesecake. I never turn down a good cheesecake. I hear they have pumpkin cheesecake out right now...

Idea to Pages: Building My World (Part 2)

Emily Layne's Steps to Write a Book:
Step One: The Inspiration & Jewelry Step Two: Prepping My Muse Step Three: Building My World (Part 1 & Part 2)
Continuing my first half of Step Three in the series, Idea to Pages, I'm concluding the building of my world. 
Part 2 involved a less historical setting. Instead I shifted my focus to the present... and the future! To be honest, this part didn't require as much work as Part 1. Which makes sense, considering I'm particularly familiar with the present-day and the future is entirely up to my imagination.
The freedom in this part was a lot of fun. I got to place my setting somewhere in the U.S. I've always wanted to visit (won't spoil that--you'll have to read the book!). And I got to create a future society decades down the road. 

 Though, while imagining the world past the 21st Century, I couldn't help think of SciFi movies and books before me. Like Edward Balmy's Looking Backward. Balmy's book imagined a society of "universal credit." People in this futuristic world used cards to purchase goods on "credit." Sound familiar? 

Or George Orwell's 1984. In Orwell's society people were monitored by an interconnected web of security cameras. Surveillance. Absurd, right?
Not.
Then, of course, there's the well-known movies, Back to the Future. We're still waiting for some of the tech in that movie. But we're getting there (you won't see me on a hoverboard anytime soon though!).

All of these technology concepts came from Balmy and Orwell's imagination, but today they're in common use! It's crazy to think, far down the road, that some of my imagined tech could be real--even used by people!
Though 2965, my futuristic world, is awfully far away, and it's doubtful I'll live to see my imaginings become real. And, to be honest, I think that's a good thing.
Soon to come, Step Four: Let the Plotting, Begin!

Put the "Pro" in PROcrastinate

I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this year. In fact, I'm planning on writing the entirety of SECOND-HAND SCAVENGER in November. Only one problem.
I'm a plotter. 
Okay, maybe two problems.
One: I'm a plotter.
Two: I haven't plotted anything.
This issue is in part due to laziness, but also procrastination, plain and simple. I suffer terribly from a lack of butt-to-chair syndrome. At least, in the beginning. Once I'm rolling, it takes a lot to pry me away. Like that time I wrote a book in two weeks...
It's just the whole getting started business that laughs in my face.

Are you in the same boat? Do you have an awesome idea, but you can't quite force yourself to work on it?
Sign up for NaNoWriMo. Trust me. Though November seems like light years away--today is the first day of October. Time is of the essence. You and I better get to work!
The race...is on!

Idea to Pages: Building My World (Part 1)

Emily Layne's Steps to Write a Book:
Step One: The Inspiration & Jewelry Step Two: Prepping My Muse Step Three: Building My World (Part 1)
Up next on my blog series, Idea to Pages, is the first part of Step Three. I'm building my world!
Normally, I would research and implement the main setting of my book during this stage--and I will. But SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS is jam-packed with historical events. Which means lots of fact compiling before I even nail down the "future world" that one of my main characters is from. At first I thought all the research would be daunting. I can't say I ever loved history class. 

But boy was I wrong. History is so interesting! I won't spoil it, but I've chosen eleven time periods to visit from early AD all the way to the late 1900's. Society has evolved and changed so much since then. It's amazing! Not only has my study given me a better understanding and respect for history, but it's also inspired ways that I can mold the world's future in 2965 (when my book takes place...sorta). With the past groundwork laid and cemented, next stop... the future!
Don't miss Part 2 of Step Three: Building My World.

Survivor's Guilt, 103 Years Too Late

April 15, 1912, 2:20 a.m.

1,517 Deaths out of 2,224 Passengers.

1 Iceburg.

. . . R.M.S Titanic

My research for SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS has whisked me through decades of history--from 40 AD all the way to the 1960's. Even still, the one event lodged in my mind and heart is the fateful voyage of the R.M.S. Titanic.

The Titanic is such a well-known historical event, and I knew I had to put it in my book (even though the "jump" to 1912 is an accident). This determination also meant immersing myself in Titanic's history...

And tragedy.

As I read and watched countless films and documentaries about the Titanic (I highly recommend this one), my heart grew heavier and heavier. I found myself torn apart over the lives that were so unceremoniously silenced.

It was then, I suddenly realized, I had survivor's guilt--over something that happened 80 years before I was born. It's strange, isn't it? But true, nonetheless.

In search of history for my book, I came across a deeper understanding. The human race has endured hardship and destruction, but also triumph, and joy. Each moment is like a piece of wet clay, as it is molded into a work of art. Although I can look back to 1912 and see anguish, I can also look to the present and gain understanding.

Because of the Titanic:

• The number of lifeboats on ships would equal the number of passengers, instead of the mandated 16.
• Safety drills (muster drills) would be performed by passengers and crew before every voyage.
• 24 hour radio watch and distress rockets would be required--so any calls of distress would not be missed again.
• An international ice patrol began and is still done today by aircraft.
• Ships' designs were altered to increase safety.

In a way, I could owe my life to the Titanic tragedy--which is so strange to consider. For, in May 2013, I was aboard Grandeur of the Seas when it caught fire at 2:50 AM. I remember the panic of being rushed onto the muster deck and fear of seeing the lifeboats lowered. It seemed so unreal and still does, thinking back on the event.

If not for the Titanic, what would Grandeur's fate have been on that early morning, two years ago? 

I prefer not to imagine, though I rest in the comfort that our Artist, the Designer of our world and its history, planned for it to happen. Maybe for the very reason that the Grandeur fire was just a blip of news and not a historical tragedy.

I hope that as I write SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS I can pay homage to those lost and those who survived the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic. It will be a challenge, but a most worthy one.

Stargardt's Disease, An Interview

As part of researching for my next book, SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS, I've been talking to an awesome friend from Australia. Her name is Chrissy and she has Stargardt's Disease (just like my main character, Jane, will). 

What is Stargardt's Disease? In simple terms, in the early part of an individual's life, (usually before the age of 20), their central vision steadily decreases until they are legally blind.

Chrissy was kind enough to answer a few (of my many-to-come) questions and let me stick them on my blog. I hope to help raise awareness about Stargardt's through this post and my book. Be awesome and give it a share, readers!

1.  In my book, the main character is going to be roughly 16 years old and has just been diagnosed with Stargardt’s. In your case, what age were you diagnosed?

I was diagnosed at 23 in my last year at uni. I think being 16 would be really difficult as it’s already a difficult time for a teenager. My main concern was having to change my life plan and I think this would be relevant for a teen too. There’s also the social aspect as it’s hard to tell people because they have never heard of it and just don’t understand at all!

2.  Before you were diagnosed, did you wear glasses or have any vision trouble?

No I had perfect vision. I never owned glasses. I had check-ups sporadically and nothing was ever found. 

3.  If you can remember, what was your vision like when you were first diagnosed with Stargardt’s?

It was around 6/15 in one eye and 6/12 in the other. I had my driver’s licence and was still driving though the legal limit here is 6/12.  I had noticed that I couldn’t read the board at uni and even sitting up closer I was still having trouble. I also noticed that at night my vision was worse and when I was driving all the lights from cars, traffic lights etc would blend together and make it hard for me to figure out what was going on. I noticed that was reading I wasn’t looking directly at the words, I’d look slightly above (because of the blind spot). I’d actually thought I’d lazily trained myself to read wrong! The other thing was sometimes people noticed  when I was looking at them talking I wasn’t actually looking at their eyes I was looking above at their forehead.

4.  What is your vision level now?

I’m now legally blind at 6/60. It took about three years to get to that level. I read with magnification and large print. I don’t read long documents anymore I use audio a lot. If I’m having conversations with people I can’t usually see their face but I look directly at them because I don’t want to look weird looking at them with my peripheral. When I walk down the street it’s like I’m walking into a tunnel of nothingness. I can see in my peripheral but don’t know what’s coming probably about 15 steps ahead.

5.  Are there any support groups for people with Stargardt’s? Or any therapists or online forums? I’d love to know of some that I can put in my book (and direct others to).

There’s your local vision organisations eg we have Vision Australia and Guide Dogs. Support groups are usually through Facebook. I think some areas in the US have local support groups, I know The Foundation Fighting Blindness has a New York based support group. But really there’s not many of us so in smaller citties/towns it would more likely be a general ‘vision impaired’ support group rather than Stargardt’s specifically. 

6.  What sorts of “helpers” do you use to read things online as well as books? 

I’m audiobook obsessed. I used Audible as I find they have the most content and they have an app you can have on your phone that saves where you are, can speed up/down the audio, buy the books straight on there. There’s also software called Jaws that is a screenreader for the computer. I don’t use this I only use Zoomtext for reading short webpages. I also used software called Kurzweil 3000 (the people that make pianos) for long documents and uni work. I load the file into the software and it will read it to me and highlighting where I’m at. I only got it this year so still learning all its functionality.

7.  Are there any terms I should avoid while writing out of respect? I don’t want to offend anyone.

I’ll look into this more. I have come across people being offended by ‘vision impaired’. I don’t have a problem with it at all. Legally blind is fine too. I tend to use either of the two on my blog and have never had anybody say anything.

8.  Anything else you’d like to add would be great. I’m looking for as much information as possible!

I could go on forever!! If you have particular situations you’d like me to explain how I perceive it I would be happy to! I also think anxiety and depression are a huge part of this diagnosis. Nobody talks about it and when I have brought it up everybody opens up and talks about their experiences. It’s not just a visual condition there are so many more aspects to it. Physically you get eye strain, migraines, headaches, neck pain and nausea. Also, because it is degenerative, it can be hard to accept as it continually declines and you can’t predict how fast or how bad it will get. It’s like a lottery. Anything else, at any time you want to know please ask away!

This is amazing, guys. There's so much more I want to learn. If you too are interested and want to spread the word, make sure you look at Chrissy's website. She has her own story as well as interviews with others and tons of information about the scientific community's research progress. 

A few more links of Chrissy's--make sure to like and follow:

Facebook

Twitter

Thank you, Chrissy, for taking the time to do this interview. I'm sure I'll have tons more questions for you!!

Idea to Pages: Prepping My Muse

Emily Layne's Steps to Write a Book:

Step One: The Inspiration & Jewelry
Step Two: Prepping My Muse

I'm jumping back into the blog series Idea to Pages, and I will discuss Step Two--Prepping My Muse. Believe it or not, I've just started this part of brainstorming today.

It's been a really busy summer, okay?!

Ahem.

Molding My Muse involves a lot of different steps that vary from book-to-book, but two things always remain the same. Pinterest and music. I stalk Pinterest looking for pictures of my characters and their world to really figure out what I want it to look like.

...This unfortunately requires Internet, and I live in an area where Internet is not plenteous. So it's taken me awhile to get to this step.

Music, on the other hand, has already been playing in my mind. My sister, Maddie, being the awesome DJ she is, makes me a CD for every book. Her song choice is stellar (especially considering our music tastes differ) and are the perfect brainstorming background for my work commute.

Here are my top three songs for SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS...

What about you? How do you spark your muse?

Up next: Building My World

Idea to Pages: The Inspiration & Jewelry

Kicking off a new blog series called Idea to Pages! You get to witness my novel-writing process, first hand! Each post won't be in sequential order, mostly because the process takes some time, and I'll be blogging as I accomplish each task.

Without further to do: The Inspiration & Jewelry.

To be honest, I have no idea where I came up with the idea for my next book. It might have been when I was half-asleep (I get a lot of ideas then, not all good). Or when I was driving to work and listening to music.

Regardless. I got an idea. And the idea came with a title (as they usually so helpfully do): SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS.

I'd love to tell you guys the ins-and-outs of the soon-to-be book, but I don't want to give any spoilers. Yet.

So, I've been inspired with an idea. What next? The characters shove their way into my brain. At the moment I've got four characters solidified: Dimitri Protea, Elle, Jane Grey Laselle, and Glitch. More will follow. In the mean time, I've made a Pinterest Board to keep all my inspiration in one place as my ideas develop.

Then comes the jewelry! With every book I write, I buy a necklace that represents the story. I wear the necklace throughout the Idea to Pages process. It makes me feel more connected to the book and characters.

Well, I've already bought SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS necklace--it's beautiful, let me just say! In fact, I'm so excited about this book, I bought myself a ring too.

Though it might seem like the jewelry isn't a huge step in the Idea to Pages process, it is! Buying a necklace is a monetary form of committment. SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS is going to be written. No. Matter. What.

Up next is Prepping My Muse!