Celebrate the Small things 28-11-14

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. Head on over there to join up! 

So, what am I celebrating this week?





Winning NaNo!  I just crossed the 50K line after writing just over 7K in one day.  I think that's my biggest word count in a single day ever.  I'm not saying they're good words, but they will be after a lot of revising.  But first I need to finish the book.  Although I did write the ending today.  I usually do it earlier in the process, but I've been struggling to figure out what the ending will be.  Then today, it all fell into place.

I have a new job too!  I start on Monday as a Marketing Executive at the New Zealand Film Commission.  I'm super-excited about it too.  After working in cinemas for most of my career, and as a chef for the rest of it, I've never had a job with regular hours and weekends free.  I feel like this new job will change my life in many ways.  And I'm really looking forward to working with all those talented local film makers.

I spent a couple of days in Auckland this week with my best friend.  She's starring in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the moment, and I got to see the show on Wednesday night.  It was fantastic, and she was the toughest Mary Magdalene I've seen yet.  But even better than seeing the show was just getting to have a chance to hang out with her again.  We don't see enough of each other.   

What are you celebrating this week?

Weekly Goals 24-11-14

This week I plan to win NaNo.  Yesterday I crept over the 40K mark, so I'm confident I can crack the 50K by Sunday.  The book won't be finished, but that doesn't matter.  I always knew 50K wouldn't finish my story.  My books always end up between 70K and 85K.

I'm going to Auckland tomorrow, so I know I won't get any writing done then, but I have a plan for the rest of the week that should get me over the finish line.

What are your goals this week?

Celebrate the Small Things 21-11-14

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. Head on over there to join up! 

So, what am I celebrating this week?




It's a little hard to be celebratory this week because I was made redundant at work.  It's the second time in two years, so it kind of sucks.  On the up side, without having to go to work, I've had a lot more time to write.  I'm almost back on track to finish NaNo on time.  

Yesterday I went to the library for the day and managed to knock out 5863 words.  I'm hoping for 2 more good days like that next week.  I'm pretty sure the book I'm writing is terrible, but at least I'm figuring out my characters and their voices.

What are you celebrating this week?

Musings on the end of a career

Today marked the end of my career in cinemas.  It has been 23 years now, and it was with a mixture of sadness and relief that I walked through the theatre doors for the last time today after being made redundant for the second time in two years.

I never planned on a career in movie theatres.  I love movies, sure, but I always thought I’d be a filmmaker or an actor.  I went to drama school in London to make the second one a reality, and it was there I fell in love with film. Thank you, Museum of the Moving Image.... When my drama school class fizzled out because of the number of drop-outs, I decided to go to university instead, majoring in theatre and film.

In my first year, I joined the local film society and soon became a member of the committee.  One of the committee members’ jobs was to run the projectors for the society’s screenings.  In those days, most of the films we screened were from the society’s 16mm film library.  I quickly became confident in running the 16mm projector and eagerly waited for the days we had 35mm films so I could learn to project that too.

I volunteered to work for the International Film Festival and was given numerous chores from ticketing (in the days before computerized ticketing systems), publicity and marketing to carrying films between venues.

When a new cinema opened in the city, I was first in line to apply.  After a chaotic opening night, I was one of the first of the new staff to be picked as a supervisor.  I didn’t know it then, but my career was born on that night.

I only worked there a few months, as a supervisor and a projectionist, before disagreements with the management led me to leave.  It was temporary.  A year later I was called by the then-operations manager and asked if I’d like to return as assistant manager.  I accepted.

A year or so later, I took over as the manager when the then-manager left to pursue other things.

After that, apart from a six-month period when I moved to Sydney, I’ve managed cinemas.  I managed a large (and growing) complex in Melbourne for five years, then moved back to New Zealand after my first child was born and was headhunted for a role here.  I was at that job for over 8 years before being made redundant when the business changed hands for the third time in my tenure as manager.

I was lucky enough to get picked up by another local art-house almost right away.  But now, after a year there, restructuring of the management team has left me redundant again.

There have been so many changes to the film business in the time I’ve been in it, most significantly, the move from 35mm film to digital.  Reporting and ticketing has been computerized and is so much more efficient and easy.  The whole way films are released has changed, with almost every title going to almost every cinema in town.  With so much competition for people’s entertainment dollar, and the number of platforms films are now available on, audiences have shrunk and changed.  When I was a student, going to the movies was a very viable form of entertainment; almost every Friday night we went down to the Paramount for the late show.  Now students rarely go to the movies, preferring to download movies to their iPads or computers.

But there will always be a place for cinema.  There is nothing like sitting in the dark with a roomful of strangers, sharing the highs and lows of a great story playing out on the big screen.  Even after 23 years in the business, I still get a little thrill when the lights start to fade and the screen lights up.

Sometimes the film is great, other times disappointing.  But going to the cinema to see a film will always beat seeing it on a TV screen in my book….

Happy Release Day to The Weight of Destiny!

My good friend, Nyrae Dawn, has a new book out today.  And I'm lucky enough to have had her over to answer a few interview questions, and to tell us a little bit about her book The Weight of Destiny.

Hi Nyrae,

So nice to see you back here on Fiction and Film.

• If you could swap places with one of your fictional characters for 24 hours, who would you choose to be? Why? And what would you do that day? I think I would pick Laney from Facade because Adrian owns my heart. I would listen while he wrote and recited poetry for me all day. 

• In what way is your story unique compared to other books in this genre? I think the tie to Virginia Woolf. Also Virginia's ongoing story she has within the book, if that makes sense. Her little snippets that start some of her chapters. 

• What part of the story was the most fun to write? The most challenging? I loved writing the growth with Ryder and Virginia. That was hard at the same time because I needed so much to get it right. 

• Which of your characters is most like you? Virginia, all the way. 

• Tell us something we’d be surprised to learn about you. I'm pretty shy. It's much easier not to come off that way online. 

• What other interests do you have outside of writing? Reading. LOL. Movies, I used to scrapbook a lot too. 

• Do you have a nervous habit when writing?  A guilty pleasure when writing?  (example: chew a pen to death or have a stack of Hershey’s kisses while you write) I like to write at the bookstore, does that count? I seem to get more work done there. 

Thanks for coming along, Nyrae.  Always good to see you.  Now, let's find out a little about your latest book.

Blurb:

When “crazy” runs in your family and your namesake is known for walking into a river with a pocket full of rocks, a girl kind of wants to avoid tempting fate at all costs. For Virginia Nichols, the only way to dodge that bullet is to be perfect at everything: school, student council, life. Too bad it’s all a lie, and underneath the perfection...Virginia is lost.

Ryder Blackstock knows a thing or two about being born into fate. The talents passed down from his father aren't exactly normal; instead of learning how to throw a fastball, he was taught to hot-wire a car like a pro and pick any pocket in sight. He’s got criminal blood, just like his old man. And as soon as he turns eighteen, he’ll be living life on the run with his dad.

When Ryder and Virginia meet on the beach, it seems they couldn't be more different. Soon they discover they’re both trapped in their lives—Virginia denying her fate, Ryder embracing his. Like the rocks in Virginia Woolf’s pockets, the weight of their destinies will pull them under. But being together brings out pieces of themselves they didn't know existed—pieces that make them want to take fate into their own hands and rewrite their destinies...if it’s not too late.

"Whenever I read Nyrae Dawn, I am reminded that words are her art, and she wields her paintbrush with all the skill of Rembrandt. The tender romance of Ryder and Virginia is palpable on the page, and the story sings with all the complexities of the interwoven plot. I read late into the night to finish this one, and once again, Nyrae has managed a masterpiece. LOVED." ~ USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Courtney Cole

"The Weight of Destiny unfolds like a storm. It is dark and electric and incredibly romantic. I lost and found myself. The characters are so vivid, so alive, you'll forget anything but them exists." ~ David James author of Between the Stars and Sky

"The Weight of Destiny is YA at its absolute finest. Nyrae Dawn flawlessly brought two seemingly broken characters to life and showed everyone deserves a second chance at love and life. This breathtaking storytelling will blow you away." ~ USA Today Bestselling Author Tiffany King

"The Weight of Destiny is art at its best, Ryder and Virginia canvasses on which the good and bad of life and love unfold in brilliant, true color." ~ Author Jamie Manning

Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Weight-Destiny-Misfits-Book-ebook/dp/B00OGMSNUM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1415575164&sr=1-1&keywords=the+weight+of+destiny

Excerpt:

“You’re strong and beautiful.”

She chuckles softly and shakes her head.

“It’s just a different kind of strength. You are who you are, and you don’t care what people think. You don’t care that you’re sober at a party where everyone is drinking. You don’t give a shit if you’re the girl who leaves to do her homework, because it’s important to you.”

“Is it still strength if the reason behind it is fear?” She sounds like she’s drifting away, her voice getting softer and softer. I need to reel her back in, keep her close, so I roll to my side, lean my head into my hand and let my elbow prop me up. With my other hand, I brush her cheek with my thumb.

“I don’t know. You’re the smart one. Regardless, I know you’re strong.” Because I know she’s dealing with more than I’ve seen; I just don’t have a clear picture of what it is.

“We’re still different, though, so why me?”

Words get trapped in my throat. I can tell her it’s because of what I said—she’s beautiful and strong. I can tell her it’s because sometimes the loneliness in her eyes mirrors mine, only I didn’t know it was there before her. Maybe it’s to prove I won’t screw up with a girl like her the way Luke thinks I will. There are a million possibilities, not all of them good. The only thing that manages to come out is, “Because the weight isn’t as heavy when I’m with you.”

Her breath hitches. I let my fingers gently glide against her neck, her throat. When she speaks, I feel the words vibrate through my fingertips. It’s a crazy-wild feeling, and I want it to keep going, want to touch all her words.

 “The weight of what?” she asks.

I don’t know… I shrug. “Of everything.”

But it’s not my words that settle into my chest. It’s hers. Virginia shakes her head and answers her own question. “Of destiny.”

Weekly Goals 17-11-14

This week it's all about catching up.  I'm about 9K behind in NaNo because I had 6 days where I had to revise for my agent instead of working on my new story.  But I'm back with the NaNo book now, and pumping to try and get back on track.

I was made redundant at work yesterday, so I should have more spare time to write before the end of the month.  I have it worked out in my head how I'll manage to hit the 50K by the 30th, but whether I actually manage to make the plan work or not is another question entirely.

You'll probably find me at the library a lot this week.

What are your goals for the week?

Celebrate the Small Things 14-11-14

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. Head on over there to join up! 

So, what am I celebrating this week?






I managed to finish my revisions for my agent relatively quickly.  So my MS, along with some ideas of where I might be able to make significant cuts to it, were sent off on Thursday night.  I also sent her STUMPED to read, so now I'm sitting here biting my nails while I wait to see what she thinks of it.

Having finished the revisions, I dove back into my NaNo book yesterday and managed to whack out over 4K in a single sitting.  A couple more days like that, and I'll be back on track for finishing by November 30th. Fingers crossed I can find the time and energy for more 4-5K days.

It's been a hard week at work, so I'm celebrating it being over.

What are you celebrating this week?

Weekly Goals 10-11-14

My goal this week is just to get through it.  Some pretty bad stuff has happened at my day job today, so that's going to have to take the majority of my focus right now.

That said, I'm totally committed to getting the last tweaks to The Sidewalk's Regrets finished and back to my agent by Wednesday or so.

And after that's done, I want to try to get back on track with my new NaNo book.  I figure by Wednesday I'll be about 5 days behind, so I'll need to rack up a few 3K days to catch up.  Shouldn't be too hard, right?

What are your goals for the week?

Celebrate the Small Things 7-11-14

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. Head on over there to join up! 

So, what am I celebrating this week?






I hit 10K in NaNo last night.  Not amazing, but I didn't get started until Sunday night because I worked all of last weekend.  So I'm calling that a win.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), I got notes from my agent this morning, so I need to drop my NaNo project for a few days to work through the few things that need fixing up in that book.  They're not huge things, so I'm hoping to get through them in a couple of days and then pick up the NaNo book again by Wednesday next week at the latest.  It may be too late to catch up, but I'll give it a shot.

Not much else to celebrate this week though.  It's been a long one, and not a lot of fun.  I won't go into the details because it's all too depressing.

What are you celebrating this week?

Weekly Goals 3-11-14

My goals are simple this week: just write.

Three days into NaNo and I'm sitting on a word count of 5450.  Not great, but considering I didn't actually start my book until after I finished work last night, I'm taking it.  I won't get much done tomorrow, if anything, because I'm working all day and night, so I'm glad I have a little bit of a buffer.

I hope to hit 10K by Friday....

Is anything I'm writing good? Well, that's debatable.  I always find it takes a little while to settle in and find a new character's voice.  I'm there with that now, but I feel like I may have waffled a little in the story to find it.  I've just started Chapter 4, and I haven't hit my first big plot point yet.  I'd be concerned, but for this story to have the emotional impact I want it to, I need all five key players to be introduced before throwing a spanner into the works.  So I figure it's okay not to hit that plot point until Chapter 6 or 7.

And it's a first draft anyway.  A zero draft, really.  Word vomit onto the page.  I'll carve the real story out of the dried up vomit later.

What are your goals for the week?  Are you NaNoing?  How is it going for you?