36 hours to go

My book deadline is in 36-hours. I'm far from the finish line. Instead of crying and freaking out, I'm working hard to get as far as I can. I'm mad at myself for spending to much time editing early in the process back in November, when I should have just been writing. Now I'm paying for it!

Every chapter is a scenic road trip with lots of adventure and sights. But the hard part is in between the chapters. Sitting at the rest stop, taking too much to stretch. It's hard to get going from level zero. But as soon as I get going, the words and scenes fly and I can't go fast enough.

I'm at the rest stop at the moment, getting ready to put my foot to the pedal again. Break over. Last night I wrote for 12 hours straight. Hoping to have that magic again tonight!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

Looking for bloggers and reviewers for my book release!

We are starting to put together a blog tour for when my novel comes out! If you want to:

- participate in reviewing the book on your site
- having an interview or feature

send me a message (kathyATcraftychicaDOTcom) or leave a comment, and the publicity department from Grand Central Publishing will be in touch!

Yikes, I can't believe time is getting close!

Thanks!!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

Photos from my first signing for Waking Up in the Land of Glitter

 Here I am at the Craft and Hobby Trade Show, where I had my first signing for my first novel! We had 100 books and they went FAST. There was a big crowd before I even arrived, which sent me into a panic attack! I love people, and relax once I'm around them, but at first I get really nervous! Everyone was so generous and kind, I feel blessed to have met them all!

 Before the signing, I read a portion from the book, which was a big challenging because there wasn't a mic, but I shouted it out and the crowd laughed and cheered at the end, so I let out a huge sigh of relief.

 Aleene Jackson even stood in line! She is the inventor of Aleene's Original Tacky Glue!

Here is a fun art piece I made for the trade show. This is my book editor, Selina, posing in it!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

Devoted to deadlines?

Using a timer might help you break through your writer's block.

Focus and center

(Art: Focus and center, by my friend, Tracy Dove, TracyDove.com)

I'm starting to worry. CHA is next week in two days, and I'm not quite ready. But I will be.

Focus and center.

My novel manuscript is due next month in two weeks, and it's not done. I'm hoping praying it will be.

Focus and center.

I'm giving up parties and dinners at CHA so I can scurry back to my hotel room to continue banging out the stylish saga of Scarlet, DeeDee, and Mary Theresa.

The thing about writing fiction is you can't rush. I can't stay up all night and finish this project like I can with my artwork and crafty assignments. Yet, at the same time, I know what is going to happen in the plot and I'm excited to get there, so I push harder and faster to write each chapter.

In my last book (the one that comes out in March) all the characters had a lot of "me" in them. That helped my fingers fly across the keyboard. However, none of these new characters resemble me at all. This book stretches beyond crafting and touches into fashion design and costume-making. There are scenes in New York, Miami, Glendale, and Phoenix. It's hoity toity in some parts. The eras span from the 1950s to present. I never thought I could "go there". I always thought as long as I stayed in my comfort zone of what I know, I'd do just fine.

Instead, I'm tackling a marathon through the woods! And I'm very proud so far, even though I've had many deletes and do-overs. All of this makes writing my characters' story lines more interesting because they are people I normally would have nothing to do with, and now they are all I think about! I love them because they have lots of drama and sparkle surrounding them.

I've been writing until 1-2 a.m. every night, on weekends I start at 10 a.m. I haven't seen the news, any new movies, or gone out to dinner. I'm washing the same clothes over and over to shave time off of deciding what to wear. I haven't coated these lashes with mascara in weeks, but I do still wear red lipstick. I apply face cream when I need to think through a scene. My skin is super soft right now. The kids make me coffee, Patrick makes my meals and serves them to me at my desk. I hide when company comes over so they won't see me in this state.

I do take breaks. Weekdays are prepping for CHA and other stuff for my job, and sometimes at night I'll catch an episode of 30 Rock or Ugly Betty. (LOVE!) Half of me is 100% burnt out. I'm beyond anxious to get in the art room and paint, draw, sew and stitch. But I can't. I have to finish this book first. I WANT to finish this book first.

I'm probably boring you to tears. OK, getting back to work!

Focus and center!
Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

The Lovely Bones Screening: Giveaway!

5:10 p.m.: Sorry, all the passes are gone! Check back again for more book-to-movie promotions!
If you live in the Phoenix metropolitan area, I'm giving away 50 movie passes to see an advanced screening of The Lovely Bones.
Screening Info:
January 12, 2010 at 7:00PM
Harkins Fashion Square, Scottsdale, AZ

LINK
CLICK HERE TO PRINT A PASS FOR YOU AND ONE GUEST (limit of 50)
The Lovely Bones
Director: Peter Jackson
Synopsis: Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, and directed by Oscar® winner Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson, “The Lovely Bones” centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal. Oscar® nominee Mark Wahlberg and Oscar® winners Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon star along with Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Oscar® nominee Saoirse Ronan.
Studio:
Release Date: Friday, January 15, 2010
MPAA Rating: THIS FILM IS RATED PG-13 FOR MATURE THEMATIC MATERIAL INVOLVING DISTURBING VIOLENT CONTENT AND IMAGES, AND SOME LANGUAGE.

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

Listen to your characters

I spent all day crafting the chapter I mentioned in my previous post.

I'm happy to report, I had a breakthrough and love how it turned out. Not only that, but it led me to the perfect ending for the entire novel. There's no way I could have come to the idea if not for writing through the details of this chapter. No. Way.

My advice (as a second-time novelist): It's not wise to spend all your time (ie: procrastinating) outlining the plot to spider web-thin details, or filling pages with lists of quirky character notes. Yes, they come in handy and can make the overall job easier - BUT they are not the be all, end all.
Once your fingers start flying across the keyboard, your characters will come to life in unexpected ways. Be open to listen to them - they know what works!

I thought my original outline was pure genius, all the pieces of the story fit perfectly in place. Until I started writing it. One of my secondary characters bloomed big time, and I had no choice but to go into her backstory. And through that, I discovered new ways to enhance my other characters' storylines so they all play off of eachother.

Thank you, Daisy! (That's her name)

How I'm handling this: I always have a printed outline on my desk. In my computer, I have my master outline. After every couple of chapters, I revise it with the changes, save it as a new file by date and print it out. That way I can keep track of what has happened and where I'm going, yet I still have the master saved. I try not to spend too much time on this process, just a few important lines of content.

I had hoped to hit 5,000 words, but I'm happy with the 2,600 I closed out with tonight. I'm more than anxious to wake up and dive into the next chapter. Miss Scarlet, here I come!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

If it's boring to write, it's boring to read!

I've been stuck on a certain part of my story. It was supposed to be a breezy narrative chapter, but has grown into a wall of angst. I keep starting and stopping, finding any reason to step away and do something else - "research" (surfing the Web) or sketching it out (doodling on my notepad).
It finally hit me that I'm bored with the content I want to relay. If I'm bored writing it, there is a 100% chance readers will be bored too. So what to do? Well, I must move forward, but I really do need this information in the story.