Hi, my name's Diana (pronounced Die-Anna), I'm Canadian (whoohoo!), and I spend my time writing novels. I am working on a four book series to be called PTSD - Promise, Treason, Sacrifice, and Death. I have finished Promise (64,000 words) and Treason (51,500 words) and I am now working on drafting Sacrifice. Follow me on Twitter @DiannaK_books
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Hello readers!
Diana here, live from Chocolate Lake, Nova Scotia! Unfortunately, I'm too tired to blog tonight, so I'll leave you with a picture of what the weather's like here, and I'll post more tomorrow when I'm actually awake!
Goodnight lovelies!
Xoxo
Diana
Well, here it is: my weekly post. I don't even know where to start this one. So much has happened, and yet I've gotten so little done. Let's start with an easy subject. We're still in a draught. It hasn't rained since June 19, and you can't even call the river a river anymore. There's only ankle-deep water, and, to be honest, it's kind of scaring me. People go on and on about global warming, but it's like we're finally seeing the proof. The average daily temperature has stayed above 30 degrees Celsius this summer. For you Americans, that's 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
That being said, I have no energy to do anything. I am doing my best to get as much work as I can done on Treason, but it seems like my best isn't going to be good enough this time around. It's a good thing that I gave myself a one-month buffer. I wanted to have the first draft done before leaving for Nova Scotia, but I highly doubt that it is going to happen. I am working on card number fifteen out of twenty-eight (I dropped one idea), and in the next five days leading up to our departure, I am scheduled to work thirty-five hours at my waitressing job. It may not seem like much, but work starts at 7 in the morning every day, and in this heat, running around leaves me dead by the time three o'clock rolls around.
I had a little bit of reorganizing to do in terms of story chronology, which is one of the perks of having everything written out on individual cards. It was not helped, however, by my open window and ceiling fan. Ceiling fans and open windows like to make cards flutter around.
Do any of you have a Wreck This Journal? I saw something about it as I was browsing last night, and I was curious enough to go out and buy one today. It's probably one of the most hilarious things I have ever seen. The title says it all; it's a journal that is made for you to destroy. Each page has a different prompt on it to get you to do crazy things with your journal. Some of them are things like "Tie a string to this journal. Go for a walk, drag it.", "Infuse this page with a smell of your choosing.", "Find a way to wear the journal.", and "Take a shower with this journal." I don't know if I'll be able to complete it, seeing as I'm such a perfectionist and that I absolutely need to keep all of my books in the condition that I bought them in. It'll be a challenge.
As a special treat for you all this week, I'll leave you with a bit from Treason!
“Nick, if there was some other girl, would you tell me?” “What do you mean?” “I mean if you met someone else that lived closer to you, would you tell me, or stay the same?” “What the hell? What kind of question is that?” “Why are you getting so defensive?” “Are you accusing me of cheating on you?” “No, I never said that. It’s funny that you brought it up, though.” “What is that supposed to mean?” “It’s supposed to mean that maybe you’re going to lose interest in me because when we see each other, we don’t sleep together.” “You think that I just want you for sex? When did you be come so fake, Sara? I really didn’t think that you were that type of girl when I met you.” “I’m just saying that it’s a possibility.” “What’s a possibility? Me cheating on you? Sara, do you even know me at all? When the hell did this stupid idea pop into your head?” “It’s been there for a while, actually.”
