The Servant of the Manthycore is now out!



I also have a new Etsy Shop: Pixy's Garden

You can buy prints of my art there, and soon there will be bookmarks and cards, and well as some handmade purses and bags.

I started a new one last night and couldn't rest until I finished her. Her name's, Jade, and she's a purdy gal with little friends. :D

Okay, I've been surfing deviantArt and keep finding all these great artists who make me really want to draw better. So I binged this afternoon and drew this to see what I could come up with for practice. Man, am I tired.

Her name's "Window." Hope you likey...

Here's my progress on Golden: 

13,000 / 50,000 (26.0%)

I had an awesome, bitchen, totally amazing time at SCBWI LA and can't wait until next year. I met some pretty cool people who I think will be friends for a long time to come. Plus I made some huge strides as a writer--internally, anyway. I was callenged to dig deeper--down to the muck and gore--and stick it on the page. Something about writing for teens made me feel like, "well, I can't put that in." or "The publishers might not like that." Well, now I'm writing it all. Blam. It's gonna be out there. And it inspired me to start my new project--which I was kind of dreading after working on The Willow Door for so long. I feel so free now. Yay!

My new ms is called Golden for now, and it's a whole new leap for me--urban sci-fi, with fantasy elements peperd in there. It's been really fun so far. Here's my progress:

10,025 / 50,000 (20.1%)

SCBWI Los Angeles conference is coming up in just a few days. I'm privilaged to be able to go and can't wait!!! 

As it stands now, I'm fantically working on my novel to finish it up and tie the last bow on top. I'm researching the staff and trying to decide which workshops to go to. I'm talking to myself in the mirror, trying to practice my lame pitch. And I'm spazmatically cleaning to try and leave a clean house for my poor abandoned family--thank God for understanding husbands!

Anyone have any fun con stories to make me feel less stressed? I'd really appreciate it. :D

65,203 / 70,000 (93.1%)

I went nuts this evening cause the kids were out with grandpa. 

Three chapters!

Two pivotal scenes!

4,000 words in five hours! 

I want to keep going but I need to breathe and make sure I'm still on track for tomorrow. Man, I really hope I can get another huge chunk out. This weekend is going to be full.

Thanks for all the encouragement, guys! You're great!

64,226 / 70,000 (91.8%)

Well, I sent the letter to my agent, telling her I didn't wish to renew our contract. I'm now a lone ranger once more. It's back to the agent lists and writing proposals. Which I'm totally fine with. I'm actually kind of excited. My writing has changed a bit since she signed me--and my direction. I feel like there's a grand adventure ahead. :D

I'm really looking forward to getting to know some new writers at the L.A. SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Conference this year. Tamora Pierce will be teaching some workshops and Arthur A. Levine of Scholastic will be there as well. It's going to be really fun--except for the traffic. Just four more weeks. I really need to get cracking on my stuff.

My WIP is really progressing--which is good, cause I need to get it finished in time for the conference--no excuses this time. I seem to be on the downhill slope, reaching the end very soon. It's almost scary, I've been working on this one for so long. Of course, there's going to be plenty of editing to do, and all that fun query letter writing. Then there's the sequel...might wait on that, though. See what sort of response I get.

I just did something kind of nuts. The dealine for the SCBWI conference people to recieve my personal consult is Thursday. So, I knew I needed to get it out today or I was not going to make the cut. Needless to say I had my pages all polished and ready to send out when I did something I hope doesn't ruin me: I cut the first chapter. Just cut it. Snip!

It was driving me crazy, editing, editing, editing, the thing. I felt like I'd edited the life right out of it. So, I snipped the whole thing, then read through the pages again. Hmmm, I thought. Not too bad. Might be okay. But I was having trouble seeing it from the outside. I have all the details of stuff buzzing in my head. Is the editor/agent going to get enough of them in the new beginning to keep him/her knowing what's up? 

I haven't a clue. But it's done now...

I guess they'll be able to tell me. :)

I'm finally rolling again. I can't talk about it, though, cause then something stupid will happen and I'll have another bump in the road. I'm getting superstitious in my old age. 

I just paid for my spot at the SCBWI LA con and am really looking forward to that. Should be fun getting to know some new people and learning, learning, learning. Then I'm hoping to go to SDWC in the new year. I only get one con a year, but that will be a new year, right? And I'll be getting that money tree any day now. 

One can hope.