Permanent Magic Writing Stardust!

What happens in Miami does NOT stay in Miami. 

I'll let the pictures tell their own story... Just know that I had a BLAST even with the rain/cold weather/humidity. Miami just made its way to my second favorite city (second to Seattle) in the US. Everyone is so chill... and friendly. Though the drinks are muy expensivo, they are also excellently made. Especially the strawberry mojitos. I drank twice my weight in those bad boys.

So, here are a few of the tamer pics of the trip :-) Enjoy!

For starters, this is what my room looks like when I begin the whole "getting ready to go out" process...

Lots of this:

Led to lots of this: (Me laughing and pointing and thinking I'm hysterical)

I made friends with the bartenders.

I had several rough mornings/afternoons, as I'm sure you can imagine...

But I sucked it up because we were in MIAMI

Sometimes my husband only loves me because he has to...

My shoes are green. Lucy's are striped. We love them with boyfriend jeans.

Clearly, I never miss up an opportunity to work on my russian... especially when hammered

There may or may not have been a whipped cream fight at the bar...

What happens when your bag is so heavy the airline forces you to pay $70 to check it? Your husband makes you mail a box of stuff home before flying back...

We were determined to get on the beach, NO MATTER WHAT. Stupid cold/rainy weather did not scare us away. (Yes that IS a copy of Wondrous Strange. I finished it on the sand and it is amazing.)

I love my husband :-)

Drink all day and see what happens...

Besties on Ocean Ave.

I am all for world peace.

Did you know that in South Beach, sobriety is NOT a mandatory condition for getting a tattoo?

Because I decided to get one. Yep. A star. On my finger. It's filled in... and I LOVE it. (Thankfully.)

I now have permanent magic writing stardust* in my fingers. (*Thanks to Alexandra for the post-tattoo magic stardust concept!)

Seriously. If you're ever wasted in South Beach and want a tattoo, I recommend Salvation Tattoo Lounge.

Because, after you get one... you'll feel all hardcore and stuff.

And, finally... THIS is what my face looked like when Shannon texted me that she'd won an award at the San Diego State University Annual Writer's Conference:

Okay, that's all. I mean, it's not ALL, but it's all I'm sharing ;-)

♥ me

It's on like Donkey Kong, Bia!

If you missed the original post about Saradise, CLICK HERE.

That's right... this is IT. From today until the last day of February, I am officially in Saradise mode. My days (and nights) are solely devoted to:

• Shattered revisions
• query perfecting
• synopsis writing
• CP reading

Oh, and continuing the outline/first draft of my new story if/when I have time.

I'm PUMPED. I haven't been motivated since I entered the whole laptop debacle. But I'm set up with my Mac (still unnamed, loved all the suggestions, am still thinking about it), my desk has been cleaned, my scene setting playlists are set up, and I'm stocked up with hot chocolate and marshmallows. Good. To. Go.

The best part is that I'm not alone--there's a group of us doing it, which is going to make progress even MORE successful, I can already tell! (PS if you're participating in Saradise, you should have recieved an e-mail from me today around 11:30! If you didn't--or if you want to be added--let me know.)

In other news, I would like to submit an official apology to Carol and Simon. Guys, I started a story for your contest and then completely forgot to finish/submit it in the excitement of packing for Miami.  I am so sorry! If/when you have your next contest, I pledge to enter it and promote it TONS for you!

This is a picture my friend Lucy shot of me throwing a tantrum when I realized, in Miami, what I'd forgotten to do:

I'm trying to catch up on blogs I missed while I was gone, but man it is HARD! If you wrote anything you want to make absolute sure I don't miss (or want to point me in the direction of someone else's awesome post) please leave me a link!!

And let me share this link with YOU! Alexandra switched her LJ to a blogger blog!  Make SURE to check her out and follow her! The Publication Follies of Alexandra Shostak

Off to celebrate Saradise! Tomorrow: Pics from Miami!!

♥ me

I'm In Miami Trick!

7 Days of

And... okay, let's be honest...

See you in a week!

♥ me

My First VLOG: How to Hit On a Writer

So, since I'll be gone for a week (to Miami, woohoo!) I thought it might be a good day to do my first VLOG. (Okay, and also because I'm in love with my mac* and the iMovie app is ridiculously fun to play with!)

As you'll see in the VLOG, I was hit on yesterday--in the funniest way ever. I had to share, because honestly, if you ever want to pick up a writer, this guy had the right idea!

Please feel free to make fun of me.




So, in case you can't tell... I am having a flipping blast with iMovie, ha. I even finished my trailer for Shattered!! I'll post it when I get back from Miami.


Oh, and one more thing! So, for Saradise I saw in the comments that some of you (Valerie, Melissa, Shannon M., SarahJayne, Karen, and Heather) wanted to do it too!! If you send me your e-mail address, I'll start like, a support chain to send out daily motivation if you want :-)

I love the motivation that comes from starting a specific schedule like this!

♥ me

Last Chance!! DON'T MISS OUT!!

Carol and Simon's short story COSMIC COINCIDENCES contest ends on the 31st!! Look at all the fun(ny) scenarios you can choose to write about!!  Great prizes... Awesome hosts... you KNOW you wanna enter!! I still need to write my short story, but procrastination writing is one of my best skills, ha!

AND

Heather's Signed Book Giveaway ends on February 1st!! Don't miss out to win some awesome books :-) She hosts one of my most favorite blogs to stalk, so hurry on over there and make sure to tell her I sent you!!


Okay, that's all for today... Up tomorrow?  My first VLOG! dun dun DUNNNNNN

Saradise

Usually I celebrate the month of September as "Saradise". Yes, that's right... It's my birth month and I celebrate the entire 30 days.  Okay, not really--but I pretend to... and I do really call the month Saradise, I have for years. (My photography blog--very much in need of an update--is also called Simply Saradise.)

But, I've decided* to assign another meaning to the my word. From now on, whenever I say I'm in Saradise, I mean that I've outlined a chunk of time (days, weeks, etc) in my planner during which working on my WIP(s) will take top priority. I will write or revise every single day--for as many hours as I am able. And the first Saradise is coming very soon, because...

The month without my laptop blew. I mean, obviously you already know how I felt because I whined about it often. But I didn't write at all--well, I outlined the plot for my new WIP for a couple days, but that's IT. And I am seriously lacking the motivation to get back into things. I have amazing feedback for Shattered and I need to go through it all and revise, revise, revise! I need to perfect my query. I need to write my synopsis. I need to be ready to find. an. agent.

But to do all of that, I really need to light the proverbial fire under my ass! Enter Saradise. So here, my briends (another Sara word I'm trying out... I started with "b-friends" but it sounded too much like boyfriends, ha) I pledge to you that from February 8-28**, I will be in Saradise. During Saradise I will complete the aforementioned things and, if I'm able to finish, will continue to work on my new WIP.

The best part is that Carol and Alexandra are going to do it with me!! (Though they're, of course, not required to call it Saradise!) And if any of you find yourselves lacking the drive to write (or revise) these days, or you just feel like you could use a jumpstart--the more the merrier/motivational!

Saradise Countdown: 11 Days!!

Saradise
par-a-dise
[par-uh-dahys, -dahyz]  
/ˈpærəˌdaɪs, -ˌdaɪz/
.

-noun
1. a period of time in which Sara makes writing/revising her TOP priority: She barely came up for air during Saradise.
2. a state of intense WIP concentration: Don't bother calling, she's in Saradise right now--the only thing she'll answer is the question her MC asks in her head.
3. another name for the month of September: Nelson, don't forget to give your wife a present each of the 30 days of Saradise--and make the big one on the 16th!



♥ me


*I actually decided this after nano--because even though I was a nanorebel and didn't follow the rules, it was so effective to keep me on track! I thought I mentioned it in a post somewhere, but I can't find it... Oh well!
**I'm starting on Feb. 8 because I'll be in Miami for the first week of the month! 

Happy Feet... I Got Those Happy Feet

Wanna know how I feel? Skip to the 25 second mark in the video!

I'd write more today, but...

I'm

Too

Busy

Playing

On

MY

NEW

MACBOOK PRO!

Any suggestions for her name? She's gotta have one, she's just so special :-) I have a few in mind, but am going to give this matter serious consideration, so fabulous suggestions would be lovely!

♥ me