Return and Sacrifice

That's right, you can believe your eyes; I have started to draft Sacrifice. There's not much to it, and I'm not on any kind of schedule for the present time, but I am hoping to get back into my writing groove. I tried to enter something in for NaNoWriMo but couldn't find the energy to do it. For those who don't know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. You have the entire month of November to write a 50,000 word first draft for an original story and submit it for judging. Some manuscripts are offered publishing opportunities. It might be something for developing writers to consider for next year.

What else has been going on? Well, I've been doing a lot of brainstorming for Sacrifice, which means that half my wall is covered with Post-It Notes. So far, I have used a difference strategy for every novel. Promise was written with no direction or planning whatsoever, Treason was written with my cue card system, and now Sacrifice is being written on Post-It Notes. I like the idea because it allows me to see every single idea and move around certain things so that I can change the order of my ideas without having to rewrite new cards. I might go back to cue cards once I have firmer deadlines in mind, but I'm not too sure yet. I am going to take this one nice and slow while I continue to cope with my medical problems - which are getting better, by the way.

It has now been seven months since I finished writing Promise and I didn't look at my manuscript before today. As I explained before, I wanted to put it away for at least half a year to make it easier to find mistakes and identify parts that I didn't like as much. I started to look it over this afternoon and didn't get very far - mostly because my puppy would steal my pens and highlighters when he wanted attention - but I already have a lot of pen marks and entire sections that I want to throw out completely.

As I've said before, I have certain time frames in mind for sending out query letters for my manuscripts but I want to keep those to myself until I have some news to share with you. If I don't tell you when I send off the letter, then you'll never get to know if I get rejected. It's bound to happen, but won't be as bad as if everyone knows about it. I love you all, but some things I need to do on my own before I share it with the cyber world.

Once again, I'd like to thank you all, and all of my Twitter followers for being so supportive during this hiatus. I am sorry for dropping off the map so suddenly, but I promise that I will make it up to you with a book that you'll be able to pick up in your local book store soon enough. Thank you for your loyalty; I'd never have to confidence to do any of this if it wasn't for you.

I love you all,

Diana

This week's song is Good To You by Marianas Trench simply because I love it. Enjoy!

Hiatus Explained

Hi readers,

Wow, it sure has been quite a long time since I last posted. I am really sorry to have to inform you that there has been little work done on Sacrifice and that I still haven't gotten around to reediting Promise. My deadlines for sending off query letters are still the same though. I hope that I can get back to work in the near future so that I can have more progress made and more weight on my side of the scale.

I have recently been diagnosed with a medical condition that has made working on a novel almost impossible to do, but I try my best every day to put in a little effort. Hopefully this will be under control soon and I'll be able to get back to work.

I am going to have to leave you on this note with no promise as to when I'll return to working and posting regularly. Your support through this trying time is greatly appreciated, and I will try my best not to let you down. Thank you all!

Love,
Di

Treason

I know, I've skipped another week, but I have an even better reason! I'm done Treason! That's right, the first draft is finally complete! It took lots of work and long hours, but I have written a novel in four months. I'm so happy to have accomplished something this big. Writing a novel is one thing, writing two is a whole different story. No pun intended.

I started on May 14, 2012 and on September 2nd, I wrote my 51,545th word. I know that it's not nearly as long as Promise, but you have to remember that the first instalment of the PTSD series is in it's near final draft, and I've been working on it for four years. Once I start editing Treason, the word count will go up.

I'm looking into a new novel writing technique for Sacrifice called the snowflake method. I'm hoping that it will help me reach my word count a little faster, and hopefully it'll also be a little easier to follow than my cue cards. They were handy when it came to focusing on one idea at a time and not getting carried away, but they also made the novel seem a little choppy, without very much transition between the ideas. That's something that I need to fix in the editing process.

Anyway, I must already be off. I've been awake since four-thirty this morning, and I'm getting a little tired. I hope that everything has been going well for all of you, and I hope to be update you soon as feedback for Promise slowly trickles in.

Have a good week, and happy belated Labour day to my readers in Canada and the United States!

Love,
Diana

This week's song is Fix A Heart by Demi Lovato

24/28

That's right, ladies and gentlemen; I'm almost done! For those of you who are too new to my website to understand the title, or for those of you who need a little reminder, Treason was broken down into twenty-eight different parts. Each part was worth about two thousand words, and each part had a deadline (that I sucked at following). Today, I just finished the twenty-third card, and it'll all downhill from here. Not in a bad way, though. Has anyone ever seen a plot graph?

This is a plot graph. It literally is a graph that outlines the plot of a story. In the bottom corner on the left, we have the introduction. That's basically self explanatory; it's where you introduce your characters and what the story is going to be about. After that, the story starts to climb during the rising action. During the rising action, you start to see your plot develop, all of your ideas start to come together, and you start to introduce the main conflict (the main problem or enemy that your characters will have to battle). After that comes the climax. The climax is the highest point of your story. It's when everything comes together for you and when everything falls apart for your characters. It's the pivotal point in your story. Everything that has happened so far had lead up to this. After the climax, you get the quick and rapid fall downhill during your falling action. This is what happens to your characters after the climax; it's how they deal with everything that has happened to them, and how they go back to their normal lives. And then finally, with a deep exhalation, a deep sigh of relief, you reach your resolution. The problem is solved, the war is over, and everyone is happy. For the moment.

Card number twenty-three sat right on the edge of the cliff, that tiny little ledge before the falling action. Card number twenty-eight waits for me at the very bottom of the hill. Cards number twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, and twenty-seven all line the bank of that hill. They are the cards that are going to wrap everything up.

What's going to happen after that? Well, Treason will be printed out onto paper, put into a binder and passed around between ten people who are going to pick the story apart word for word. They're going to write out exactly what needs to be changed, what needs to be longer, what needs to be shorter, what needs to be removed. That will take six months, and during that six months, I won't see a word of Treason. The file will be stored away, the hard copy kept out of my hands, and then after the six months - during which I'll be writing the third instalment of the PTSD series - I'll go back, read all of the comments that people have made in regards to my first draft, and I'll correct it. I'll change what I think needs to be changed, I'll add things were things need to be added, move some chapters around, delete entire chapters, and then some day soon, it'll be done.

It's what I'm doing right now with Promise. I haven't seen my first novel since April. In a month, I'll be able to take my hard copy back and do some editing. If I get my way, Promise will be ready for Christmas. I'll print out the book one last time, pass it around some more, make sure that every little detail is perfect, and then I'll start looking for someone who agrees, someone with influence who agrees, that is. Query letters for Promise and for the entire PTSD novels will be sent out in the new year, once Promise is done, Treason is in it's second or third draft, Sacrifice is drafted, and Death is outlined. 

It sounds like a lot of work, and, trust me, it is, but someday it'll be worth it. When you can all walk into a book store and pick up a copy of Promise, it'll be worth it. When I see my first novel bound into a hard cover with my name on the spine, it'll be worth it.

I wish you all the best, and I hope that you continue to enjoy the rest of your summer! It's almost over! Can you believe it? I know I can't.

Love you all,
Diana

This week's song is Good Time by Owl City feat. Carley Rae Jepsen. Have a listen.

Getting There ... Slowly

Hi, readers!

I'm going to make this a short one for a few reasons. I am running out of time (my final deadline for Treason is September 1) and time is going by too fast. Can it really already be the 14th?! That's insane. I have 17 days left to write twenty-five thousand words. Well, let's make that fifteen, twenty if I'm lucky. My final goal is sixty, but this is just the first draft. It'll get longer once I go back and add some more information.

How far am I? Thirty-five thousand words into the story, and it's about to get really interesting. Right now, it's at exactly one hundred and fifty pages on Microsoft Word. I almost hope to be able to double that. I really need to get back to work, but since this post is so short, I'll leave you with an excerpt from Promise.


 “I’m going to miss you,” she said, kissing my cheek.
“I’ll miss you, too,” I said.
“You’ll be careful, right?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“And you’ll make sure that you have fun?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“And if you come back pregnant, you know I won’t be pleased, right?” she joked.
We both laughed.
“You don’t have to worry about that, Mom. Who would want to get me pregnant anyway?” My voice trailed off.
“Oh, honey, forget about Alex. This is your summer. Go on, and go have the time of your life.”
“I will, Mom. I promise. See you in two months!”
“Goodbye, sweetie,” she said, hugging me tighter.

Copyright © 2012 by Diana Knight

Have a good week, and I hope to see you all back here next Tuesday!

Diana
xo

This week's song is International Love by Pitbull feat. Chris Brown because I love the beat. Enjoy!

I'M SORRY!

I know, I know, I skipped a week! It's been bothering me up until today, but I swear that I have a good reason!

I got this little guy last week and he's been keeping me busy all week. His name is Timbit and he's just a little over two month old. He's a cross between a Yorkie and a Maltese, and he is just the cutest thing ever! I haven't even had time to pick up my computer to do anything, let alone to blog. I have, however, still been working on Treason; I'm just writing everything out by hand. One day I'll have to type it all up, but for the moment, it's just easier to stick with pen and paper. 

I am verging on thirty-thousand words, and the story is really starting to pick up pace. I have to be honest, though, I'm still not really sticking to my schedule. Not only has the puppy put me behind, but I also realized that I left out a really important part when I was planning everything, so I needed to add a few extra days to be able to come up with ideas and write it out. Someday I'll get it done. Hopefully soon. 

I haven't really been up to much besides working, eating, sleeping and writing. I don't know which I've been doing more, but I know that I haven't had a free minute in weeks. I'm so tired that I can't even begin to concentrate on what I'm doing. At work on Sunday, I set the toaster on fire. Yesterday, I broke a pile of dishes and dropped cake on my shoes. Something tells me that this is not going to be my week. 

I wrote a short story last night before falling asleep because I had nothing better to do. Read it and let me know what you think?

A million thoughts race through your head, a million moments. It's been a year. An entire year has gone by since your life changed. A year filled with laughter, tears, heartbreak, and happiness. A year filled with him. When it happened, it was like a bolt of lightning striking the Earth: fast and dangerous. It was like a river leaving it's bed: overtaking. But at the same time, it was like lava: slowly becoming hard and solid.

The lightning hit first, the very first day that you saw him. All you could see were eyes and a smile, all you could hear was a gentle laugh and a teasing voice, all you could feel was your heart slamming against your chest, trying to break free. That was summer.

As fall came along, things changed. You changed. You were more daring in the fall, more comfortable and more willing to take chances. In the fall, the teasing comments and raised voices turned into deeper conversations. There was no more of the constant insulting and arguing. She was gone, and he had changed. Like the trees, you were also shedding your old leaves, leaving yourselves bare and exposed to the harsher days ahead. 

Winter brought short days, cold, dark nights, and pain. She was back, but only to tease. He ran back to her, to shelter, and you were left alone to bare December's iciness. 

As the days got longer, things looked brighter. You were trying to grow new leaves, to move on. You couldn't, though. Leaves need not only water, but also sunlight to grow. You were trying to run away from your sunlight. Happiness blossomed like May flowers when you returned to his side. Everything was back to normal and the wheel of the year was once again in motion. Thoughts of him flooded through you. 

Now, as yet another summer comes to an end, you have become lava: not yet rock, not yet solid, but sure to transform soon. Summer has brought happiness beyond belief, comfort, and safety. Summer has brought change and yet reminded you that you are all still the same. Summer has brought growth. Summer has brought magic.

Copyright © 2012 by Diana Knight

So that's that. That's what I come up with a one in the morning when thoughts are chasing each other around my head. Albeit, it might have been due to the country music that was playing. I'll let you be the judge.

Well, I'm off. I really do need to get back to work. I hope that you have had a good week and that this one coming up will be just as good. Thank you for stopping in, and I'll try to be more on time with my postings!

XO
Diana

This week's song is Wide Awake by Katy Perry just because. Enjoy!

Nova Scotia Part 2

Hello readers,

I'd tell you where I am right now, but I have no clue. All I know is that we're on a high way in the lovely province of Nova Scotia. We're on the move though, never spending two nights in the same city. We spent a night in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, a night in Chocolate Lake, Nova Scotia, and now, we're heading towards Moncton, New Brunswick. Tomorrow we'll be in Alma, New Brunswick. It's right in the middle of Fundy National Park. We booked a night on a ranch and we're scheduled for four hours of horse back riding tomorrow. On Friday, we'll be leaving the maritimes and spending the night in Quebec City, followed by Montreal on Saturday before heading home.

Well, as of today, I can say that I've touched the Atlantic Ocean! Another thing to cross off of my bucket list. And might I say, boy was it cold!

Monday was a pretty exciting day, too, because we got to have three meals in the same day but in three different provinces. Casselman, Ontario, Lévis, Québec, and Grand Falls, New Brunswick.

Here's a list of things that I've learned so far on this trip:
1) When forced to travel with younger siblings, giving them lots and lots of Gravol is your best hope for survival.
2) New Brunswick is Canada's only bilingual province; watch what you say and who's around when you say it.
3) Halifax has many pubs that are open late, even after most other restaurants are closed. When looking for food, remember that their liquor license prohibits them from seating minors after 9PM - if you're hungry, don't bring your younger siblings.
4) The Appalachian Mountain Range is on of the most beautiful parts on New Brunswick.
5) When traveling to a busy city, make hotel reservations in advance if you have a big family. If you don't, someone might have to sleep on the floor, and that someone might be you.
6) Leaving your knee brace in the car when you know that you have a knee injury is never a good idea, especially when walking through the Halifax Harbour.
7) Also, don't wear skirts in the Harbour; it's windy.
8) It rains a lot in the Maritimes, so don't decide to go for a walk.
9) When you cross the border into New Brunswick, you enter a new time zone. Don't panic when you get into the hotel room an hour later than it was when you left your car five minutes ago.
10) Writing a book is impossible to do on a road trip.

I have made no progress at all. As much as I hate to admit it, it's true. All of my time has been spent on the road, in restaurants, or asleep. Today was the only day that I got a break from that, and I spent it touring Halifax and visiting gift shops.

Well, I must go before I start getting car sick. Just kidding, I need to go before I fall asleep and drop my iPhone. Thanks for stopping in. Remember to follow me on Twitter @DianaK_books for more frequent updates. It's back to business on Sunday for the final stretch. I'll see you all back here next Tuesday!

Love you,
Di