Gotta Loooove Book Trailers!

I know I do. I'm really excited for New Year's Resolution to be released. The book started out as a sparkly romance (as my critique group described it) and is now a romantic thriller... very far from the way it had started. Anyway, here is the book trailer!

Nanowrimo? I must be crazy!

No, really! I must be crazy to sign up for Nanowrimo this year! Let me tell you how busy I am... I'm in paralegal school, plan a big move sometime in late November, and have just started a new job. Now this? I must've gone nuts.

But I've participated every year since 2003 so why should this year be different? If you don't know what Nanowrimo is, let me give you the details.... you sign up at www.nanowrimo.org . The purpose is to write 50,000 words in 30 days during the month of November.

Jesse's Brother (published with Lyrical Press) was a Nanowrimo project. I also won Nanwriomo with New Year's Resolution (coming soon from Captiva Press)! Crazy as it sounds (and no matter how much I'm convinced that I am nuts), Nanowrimo does jumpstart the creative process to get me writing. I need this right now so I'm game even if I don't win this year. Putting in my best effort counts, huh?

Besides, doing Nanowrimo will give me something to blog about during November so check in here starting next Wednesday to see how I am doing with the word count while juggling the balls of life along with it.

Who else is doing Nanowrimo?

Talk to you soon,

Wendy Ely

New Cover!!

I had to blog about my new cover! I wrote this book for Nanowrimo the year before last and didn't really like it at first. The first version was a light romantic suspense that my critique partners called "spakley". After rewriting it six times last year, I LOOOOVE it! As you can see by the cover, it's not anything light anymore. No blurbs available yet, but the estimated release date is Spring of this year from Captiva Press.

I promise to post blurbs soon :)

Talk to you soon,

Wendy Ely

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Glitter Pictures

Happy New Year to all our wonderful friends! I hope 2010 brings you much joy and happiness!

I’ve been giving a lot of thinking to what my New Year’s resolutions will be. It really is tough to come up with appropriate goals that aren’t too light or too heavy to try to obtain. Of course, the way things have been going with my writing lately, I’m not sure they could be too light, but I want to set good goals.

2009 was a bad year for me as far as my writing goes. I don’t feel like I really accomplished anything. I want that to change in 2010. So, for now, here are my goals for this year…

• I want to write at least one full length novel
• I want to sub at least twice
• I would like to participate in the mentor program from Romance Divas
• I would like to write and submit a YA novel
• I would like to have more time to devote to my writing
• I would like to move to another area of the country, at least for a while

I guess, this is my list for now. Hopefully, I’ll be able to stick with it.

I’ve been trying to focus on certain areas of my writing that need improvement lately, one area at a time. Right now, I’m working on characterization. I’ve really been enjoying digging into this one aspect so far. In the past, I’ve come up with characters that I’ve really liked, but I’m trying to take it a step farther. I’m trying to make them unique, more unique than I have. It’s been fun examining all the different possibilities out there.

There are many different things I have plans to work on, but I think it’s best for me to just try to overcome one obstacle at a time. I can do my best to master that aspect before I move on to another. I hope this will help me to improve without overwhelming myself. At least, that’s the plan for now.

So, tell me, what are your plans for the new year? Have you made a list of goals or resolutions?

My last post...

of the year 2009! Is it just me or has the year just flown by?

We had a wonderful Christmas but boy am I glad it's over. The two kids and I celebrated the holiday at home. We had fun doing our already made up traditions plus making some new ones. The kids were at war over Santa. Daughter says Santa isn't real but son insists he is. Even though they are just 13 months apart in age, it seems like 13 years.

I recieved two gifts for Christmas this year. The first one came on Christmas Eve. A contract for my full length novel titled New Year's Resolution. Great time to get a contract for it, huh? It's with another publisher and the expected release date is spring 2010.

My other gift was something my daughter bought with her own money and meant the world to me even though it probably seems silly to everyone else. We were watching tv one night and a commercial came on for some really expensive chocolate. I said, "I'd love to try that." Daughter asked why I didn't buy any. "I said, "Because it costs too much. I could never spend that much on candy for myself." This happened about a month or so before Christmas. Anyway, my daughter bought me the chocolate. It was the first gift I had gotten from the kids that they had spent their own money on and my daughter had really listened to me that night. My kids are great!

We don't plan on anything crazy for New Year's Eve. We'll be having pizza and punch while watching the count down on tv. Daughter has stayed up with me for the past two years. Son doesn't make it yet but he says he will this time lol. We'll see.

Do you make New Year's resolution? I made two writing goals for the new year.

#1. Have two books released (check!).

#2. Coauthor a paranormal with critique partner.

So what are your resolutions and holiday plans?

Talk to you soon and cheers to the new year,

Wendy Ely