>Trying times, fought-for words.

Posted on October 19, 2008 by Annie Rayburn/Carol Burnside

>I’m a writer. Writer’s write.

I have to keep reminding myself with that little mantra these days, what with life interfering on a daily basis. Do you ever feel the same, like life is full of evil little gremlins, derailing your goals?

My routine has been off kilter for awihle. I’m a homebody. I love my house, my office space, sitting in the same places to write day after day. I thrive on routine. So you might understand why the goals of selling our house, finding another place to live and moving again has a negative effect on my writing life.

I feel like I’ve been pulled in different directions for ages, knowing the move was probable (hubby applied for and got a promotion) but unable to go forward with any plans until it was a sure thing. We did do some work on the house in anticipation of a favorable outcome.

Finally, we got move orders and put our house up for sale. Then came the open house and leaving the house for showings. Those may continue, who knows? But we do have an offer we’re considering and the actual pack/load/move process could happen much quicker than we anticipated. We’ll know more on Tuesday.

In all this, I’m trying to keep writing a book I’d like finished by Nov. 7th at the latest. Between now and then, I have two trips scheduled.

This week I managed to write about 19 pages when I wanted at least 35. Any tricks for keeping the momentum going in a manuscript? I could use them.

Posted in Goals, Here at home, Sunday Summary | Tagged , | 1 Comment

>HUF a winner

Posted on October 17, 2008 by Annie Rayburn/Carol Burnside

>Yay!!!

My manuscript, Her Unexpected Family, won the Contemporary Series category of the Reveal Your Inner Vixen contest.

Currently for HUF:
Winner, 2008 Picture This
Winner, 2008 Reveal Your Inner Vixen
Finalist, 2008 Put Your Heart in a Book

(I’ll find out the results of the PYHIAB contest on the 25th.)

Too cool, huh?

Posted in Contests | Tagged | 4 Comments

>Is it in the air?

Posted on October 15, 2008 by Annie Rayburn/Carol Burnside

>In my last post I mentioned a fellow chapter mate who’d sold.

This week I have news of another writing friend who got THE CALL. Lynn Raye Harris, who won the Presents contest, has sold her winning manuscript to the Presents line. Go, Lynn! Two more authors to add to my buy list. 🙂 I see my TBR pile growing in the future.

With all the talk of a depressed economy, some conversations I’ve had recently have turned toward how this will affect editors buying new authors. I’m happy to see new sales are still occuring. Maybe there’s hope for me, yet.

Posted in Good Wishes, VIPs | Tagged | 2 Comments