Hello, Bloggies.

It’s been awhile. But now I’m back! …from outer space…

Well, maybe not from outer space, but there’ve been more than a few moments these past few months where I felt father spaced out. I definitely needed the blog break, that’s for sure.

But after more than a few “why aren’t you posting anymore?!” comments (by which I mean three, one of which was from my mother… thanks Mom), I’ve decided it’s time to start writing here again.

I mean, I’d planned to re-launch in September anyway. Really. Honest. *flutters eyelashes*

In the meantime, it’s been a busy summer, and yes, I’ve still been writing (have YOU?!). I took one of Brian Henry’s critique courses, which was a good experience, and it spurred me to go back and take another look at some of my untouched-for-years material. Here’s what I’ve been up to:

• Rewriting NaNo 2009 project (YA Urban Fantasy) from scratch – ongoing since last spring, 50% done… fixing this one is like trying to hold onto a bag full of weasels while having hot nails slid under your fingernails… I love this concept and the characters, but DANG, it’s a BLOODY MESS to try to get right.
• Line editing NaNo 2010 project (YA Contemporary Fantasy) – 90-95% done, so close to going to betas I can taste it…
• New writing project, that I started this summer after a particularly trying week in which I needed to release some rather visceral emotions… it’s a YA Fantasy / Dark Fairy Tale.
• Ongoing: Abyss & Apex (www.abyssapexzine.com) reading periods (May, August)
• New: www.NintendoFire.com news articles

And after I presented the first few chapters of the new project for critique at several workshops, I felt very strongly that I should focus on that for awhile, and that’s what I’ve been doing these past few months. In the middle of that, however, I had a health issue crop up that ate most of my energy and time for about a month or so. I’d intended to reboot the blog at that point, but when you’re sapped and feeling like garbage, it’s hard to do anything other than go one day at a time and find ways to cope.

But NEVER FEAR. All is well. Okay, not ALL, but MOST is BETTER which is good enough for now.

I should also mention… I’ve been handwriting the new project, which is VERY CLOSE TO FINISHED. By which I mean the first draft, which is actually the second draft, if you count typing it up as an editing pass… which I do, since I make changes and move things around along the way.

Handwriting the whole stinkin’ novel.

ARRRGH. What was I thinking?!?!

Heh. Oh, the things we do when our muses tell us to…

But enough about me.

What have you been working on?! …and have you ever handwritten a novel? o_O