Welcome 2014...am I little late, or what???

I was invited to take part in the "Writing Process Chain"  by E.W. Gibson and although I originally thought that it would be easy, well, it wasn't! First of all you are supposed to have three fellow writers to take part and that was the hardest part as January is chalked full for most people trying to keep up with their New Years Resolutions. So I had no takers! So, it's just lonely me with the writing process chain. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't bring me bad luck like a failed chain letter...

So this is a chain where writers write about what they are working on, which again sounds very easy, if you are not a serial jumper like myself. My resolution was to start something and stick to it until the very end without jumping on another project. We'll see how that goes...

1) What am I working on?

I am working on two contemporary romance novellas featuring a sports theme  - my favorite sport - football. I started one for a Savvy U workshop that is a 30,000 word novella. I've finished a first draft and am revising as we speak. It's due to the instructor on January 31st. Yikers! That's coming up a little too fast.

And the second one, I started for Entangled Smackdown (aka NaNo or novel in a month) that I wrote in November. That was 50,000 words in 30 days and now that I am revising it for Savvy's Editpalooza, I realize just how those 50,000 words are. It's more like a novella now that I've shaved so many scenes that just don't make the cut. :) I'd like to have this one ready for the end of the month, but I'm thinking it would be easier and more realistic to win the lottery.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I think that my work differs from other contemporary romance novels because it has that sports element to it. I love sports. I actually eat, sleep and breath sports so I think that I bring an authenticity to it especially as a former sports reporter. I also haven't read too many books on football players and believe me, I've looked! Mixed martial arts seems to be a big draw right now for women wanting to read sports romances.

3) Why do I write what I do?

I've always been a paranormal romance writer up until last fall, where I branched out to try my hand at contemporary romance. And while I still LOVE paranormal romance, I also enjoy contemporary romance especially since I can combine it with my other love of sports. Maybe someday I will write a a vampire hockey player hero.

4) How does my writing process work?

My writing process doesn't really work well. It's kind of a hit or miss thing, with most times missing. I have an awesome couple of writer friends that keep me working and accountable to continue which has been the real reason why I've been able to stay nearly on track. I am still in the revision stage of my writing process, so hopefully by the end of the year I have a better understanding of it. I have learned that I work better when I have more than one project on the go because then when I get tired or stuck on one, I move to the other and then move back it.

Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know if you have any awesome ways your writing process works. I am always open to learning more!

R.J.

 E.W. Gibson - the one who roped me into this blog chain!

E. W. Gibson studied at École Parsons á Paris and received a BFA in Painting. In essence her art training took place in the museums across Europe and the UK during the ten years she spent traveling with her husband. Ahhh, Paris, she sighs in her sleep.

For her, painting and writing reside beyond the right or left-brain. Like more south, where the heart and dreams blossom. Of course, she admits to being a little way out there. So, it makes sense her stories are about off-the wall characters on a quest of the heart not unlike the Richard Bach quote, “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.”

She must be doing something right because she was a finalist in the 2013 Golden Rose and the 2013 Golden Palm.

E. W. lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina with her adoring husband, three dogs, and neurotic cat. Check out her blog at http://ewgibson.me/

My friend Mel, that is also doing the blog chain today!

Melanie Hamilton is also known as MMV Hamilton, Meham and Meela.  She’s been writing all her life. She remembers writing something about a bunny in third grade, and writing stories and poems when asked. She started writing poems more seriously as a teen but circumstances intervened and she stopped writing except in journals.
By day, she works as a home-care LVN working in a family with a special needs child and her sister. OK let’s call it what it is—specialized babysitting!  Some days it’s just one long play date. Others it’s rescuing a family from stresses they were not expecting waiting for their first child.
She’s getting close to retirement and knows that some of what she received from half a lifetime of helping must go with her. She is hoping that writing and her writing communities will give her that. Meanwhile, she writes, with fellow Savvy members, on their group blog, The Speculative Salon. She is also getting her shorts portfolio ready for submissions.  She’s had micro success being published so far.  Micro Horror took her ZOMBIE WALK story and Apollo’s Lyre  received her shorter short, a six-word story both thanks to the tutelage of Jim Harrington.
She’s currently designing the book of her short fiction, Telling Tales. In the process, she’s discovered what has been driving her all these years. She want to make story books.  Words and pictures together.  Meanwhile, she keeps busy reviewing books for JD Jung’s Underrated Reads. Lots of adventures of the story kind.
You can find her messing about with books at:
http://mmvhamilton.com,
http://speculativesalon.blogspot.com/
http://underratedreads.jacquelinejung.com/.

And E.J. - the one who introduced it to E.W., who introduced it to me.
E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer and business intelligence consultant. She returned to her childhood love of writing fiction after her twin sons learned to drive and she no longer spent half her waking hours ferrying them to dance class.
Her daily commute now consists of walking from one side of her office to the other — from left-brain day job to right-brain author cave — where she’s perfected the fine art of typing with a cat draped across her wrists and a dog attached to her hip. Her stories include gay and straight characters because her life includes gay and straight characters (as does everyone’s).
E.J. lives in rural Oregon with her curmudgeonly husband, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.
Learn more about Ellen by clicking on her name or NORTHERN LIGHT.
 NORTHERN LIGHT
Entangled Publisher
A destitute artist. His art investigator ex-lover. Two men haunted by more than the past.