Catching Up

It's been a slow morning here in the north. I'm at work, and it's quiet because two of my colleagues are at a training seminar. Outside my window, the trees are like skeletons in the thick fog that has blanketed the town this morning. I can't even see the traffic on the nearby street. My favorite radio station has chosen to play mostly slow melancholy music.

*sigh*

I tinkered with the blog last night. My 2007 Book List has been perma-linked (is that a word?). I've also updated the "Now Reading" section, which hadn't been touched in....oh...many moons. The next project is to find or make a new header for the whole blog. Something more interesting than a green block with my name in it.

I've also started outlining my next book. The first two books died because of poor plotting, and even though I recognized the weaknesses, I plunged into the writing thinking that I could force the plot to fix itself. It didn't work. Both books irreparably died around 35,000 words (and I was shooting for about 65,000).

This time, I have a much better conflict between the protagonists and the antagonist. The characters have clearer and more realistic motivations for their actions. I'm hoping to have the basic outline done by Sunday. Then I'm going to expand it into a synopsis, from which I'll eventually start writing.


And that's all for today. Tomorrow's post will be Thursday Thirteen Edition #5.

Books I Have Read This Year

I've decided that I'm going to keep track of all the books I read in one year. It will be fun to pull up the list on January 1, 2008, and see where I've been literature-ly speaking. I’m going to link to this post in the sidebar (if I can figure out how to do that) and update this post as time goes on. To date, to the best of my memory, I have read the following books since January 1, 2007

1. “Endurance” by Lynn Viehl, science fiction
2. “Shockball” by Lynn Viehl (reread), science fiction
3. “Eternity Row” by Lynn Viehl (reread), science fiction
4. “Rebel Ice” by Lynn Viehl (reread), science fiction
5. “Plague of Memory” by Lynn Viehl, science fiction
6. “Talyn” by Holly Lisle, fantasy
7. “Demon Angel” by Meljean Brook, paranormal romance
8. “Eternally” by Maureen Child, series paranormal romance
9. “Cry of the Wolf” by Karen Whiddon, series paranormal romance
10. “Working for the Devil” by Lilith Saintcrow
11. “The Huntress” by Crystal Green, series paranormal romance

Thursday Thirteen - #4

Thirteen plants you'll find in my backyard:

1. Iris
2. Pansies
3. Tulips
4. Peonies
5. Russian almond
6. Bee balm
7. Oriental poppies
8. Day lillies
9. Lilacs
10. Mint
11. Wild rose
12. Raspberries
13. Dandelions


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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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And from the comments:

1. Anni

2. Leslie

3. Ancsweetnsassygal

4. Mama Kelly

5. Molly

6. Indigo