I have been doing something very weird with “Gimme Shelter” (my novella – working title, of course – for Lori Foster’s next charitable collection to benefit a local animal shelter) that I’ve never done before.

I’m writing on the Neo, but then when I add new text to the Word document for “Gimme Shelter”, I’ve just been adding it all in the same file.  Granted, the story only needs to be about 100 pages long, so that’s half to a three-quarters shorter than most of the projects I work on.

But still, I am a very linear, chapter-by-chapter girl.  I write in order.  I look forward to finishing a chapter & clearing seeing that I’ve finished a chapter so I can move on to the next.  Part of the fun is even beginning a new file for the next chapter.

This time, though, I’m just writing & writing & writing, & when I get a chunk done, I toss it on the pile, then go back to writing.  Scenes are broken up by pound signs (#), but I honestly have no idea yet where my chapters will end & begin.

On the one hand, this has been fun.  With only 100 pages to fill, it’s made it a little easier to track my progress…& also see both the words & pages stacking up in a way I don’t when I begin every new chapter with Page 1.

On the other, it’s a little awkward not to know exactly where my chapters start or end.  I mean, what if my scenes don’t line up?  What if the perfect chapter ending comes after 20 pages in one place & only 6 pages in another?  Eep! :peekaboo

But I’m not going to worry about it yet.  With luck, when I go back through to edit, everything will fall into place perfectly.  I’ll discover that I’m secretly a genius & subconsciously managed to write every scene at just the right length so that they all fit into equal-size chapters.

Oh, yeah, it’s gonna happen. :letitsnow

Happy Sunday!  So we’re six days in to 2013—how’s the New Year going for everyone so far?  Fabulous, I hope!

This week, I AM HAPPY that I had all of the windows in my office replaced last summer & also some insulation added inside the walls.  My office has always been frigidly cold, but even though I often had to wear gloves to type (which wasn’t easy), I was kind of used to it.  But this past week, when the temperature has been in the teens & single digits, my office has been pretty much the same temperature as the rest of the house.  It’s a shocker every time I walk out here & don’t give a “Brr, it’s cold” shiver.  I still run the space heater every once in a while to get the chill off, but it’s a hugely noticeable difference.  Fingers crossed this will also help to save on my heating bill!

I AM HAPPY that I’ve started reviewing & proofing “Gimme Shelter” & it’s holding together beautifully.  Okay, what I really want to say is that it’s so good, it’s squee-worthy, but since that’s just my possibly biased opinion, I’ll stick with “holding together.” :wink   I can’t wait to get it turned in & see what the editor (a new one for me! :prettylights ) thinks.

And I AM HAPPY that I finally got around to watching Despicable Me & How to Train Your Dragon.  I  know, I know—I’m always so far behind.  But they were wonderful.  I especially loved Despicable Me, even if it made me really want my own gaggle of Minions.

And Toothless (in Dragon) reminded me so much of my little Pekoe (aka Little Mister Interstate, rescued off I-80)—they’re both black, sweet as a button, & have the same eyes!

How about you?  What have you been up to that’s made you happy this week, or what news do you have that you’d like to share?  ‘Cause we wanna hear it! :letitsnow

Now to announce the winner of this week’s Free Book Friday giveaway—Bridegroom by Linda Lael Miller…

:prettylights CrystalGB!!! :prettylights

Congratulations, Crystal! :cheers Please contact me with your full name & mailing information, & I’ll get your book out to you as soon as I can!

Is this how you spent your New Year’s?

Hey, better like this than with him. :ahhh