Five Things on Friday
Charlotte Rains Dixon  

Five on Friday: In Between Storms

After the storm
After the storm

We’ve been battening down the hatches here. One storm blew through yesterday, with much rain and some wind, and another is coming tomorrow–the remnants of a Pacific typhoon. The last time this happened was back in 1962, Portland’s infamous Columbus Day storm, and it was a doozie.  I’m in my element with all of this because I love me a good stormy day, although I get nervous when it gets too stormy.

Anyhoo.  Here’s what’s going on:

What I’m Reading: Casimir Bridge, by Darren D. Beyer.  Darren contacted me after seeing another review I wrote on Amazon and asked if I’d read his book. I’m a sucker for a good science-fiction novel, and hadn’t read one for awhile so I said yes. I’m enjoying it.  Check out his website if you’re interested in space-related stuff, like I am. (If I were younger, I would so sign up to go to Mars.)

What I’m Watching: This is Us, a new TV series. I’d seen the ads for this and finally decided to check it out. I loved it–very inventive storytelling. Really, you should watch it from the first episode, because of the way things loop around and surprise you.

What I’m Reading Online: Lots of good stuff coming out in advance of Nanowrimo (and because there’s always good stuff online):

Hook your reader early

Money and the writer.  Read the links she cites, too.

Nanowrimo Prep. I’m a HUGE believer in doing some prep work for your novel.

What I’m Writing: Speaking of Nanowrimo, I’m doing it this year. I have a fun romance novel I want to write. I’ve got all the pieces of it prepped (see above) and I’m ready to go come November 1. Meanwhile, I’m finishing up a novella I started this summer.  I’ve spent the last couple of morning work sessions re-reading it. The plot has holes big enough to steer a train through, but I like the idea of it and I love the characters. So I’m telling myself all I have to do is finish the draft (I’m maybe 30-50 pages away).

Where I’m Going Next Year: The Let’s Go Write workshop will be held in Collioure, France in September, 2017. You can join us! Collioure is a lovely seaside town full of cafes and shops, and the mountains which rise up behind the town offer plenty of hiking among vineyards and fields.  Stay tuned for more info, but I’m also developing a list of interested writers. If you’re into it, drop me an email!

That’s it, that’s what’s going on with me? What about you? What are you reading? What are you writing?

(Part Three of What it Takes to Be a Writer will continue next week.)

Carry on.

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