Proud Parent

February 24, 2012February 24, 2012 Monica La Portaalternate reality novel, amazon reviews, indie author, indie publishing, just published, nanowrimo published workLeave a comment

The Priest got its first review. And it’s like watching your kid walk his first timid step. A mix of trepidation and exhilaration. Hoping that he’ll run soon but afraid he’ll get hurt, and you know you won’t be there to help him. Will he be strong enough?

The sixth novel I’ve written, The Priest is the first I published and it took me almost fifteen months to go from writing the story to pushing the button to release it into the wild, vast world outside my pc. There were frustrating moments, it was a long gestation for mere 54k words, but I never thought to quit. Now, 271k words later, The Ginecean Chronicles are complete, but my work is not done, yet. The second and third in the series will be published only when I’m sure I’ve done everything in my power to make my creations stand for themselves. So that the other kids at the playground won’t mock my babies.

Free Your Mind

December 1, 2011December 1, 2011 Monica La Portaartrage fantasy world, artrage painting, digital art, digital drawings, nanowrimo 2011, nanowrimo inspired art, wacom tablet exampleLeave a comment

And incredible things will happen. This is my tribute to Nanowrimo: a month of madness and true happiness.

Nanowrimo 2011

November 27, 2011November 27, 2011 Monica La Porta50k words in less than a month, nanowrimo 2011, nanowrimo project, novel written in one month, thanksgiving thoughtsLeave a comment

Today is the twenty-seventh day of November, Anno Domini 2011, and I’m officially done with my Nanowrimo challenge. I’m tired, my neck is stiff, the inflammation in my arm is flaring up. I ate too much, I cooked too little, and I am overall a mess. But, I am a satisfied, happy mess. This is my third Nano, and although not finishing wasn’t a possibility, I had several obstacles along the way. I was reminded time and again that freedom of writing is not granted, and that I’m addicted to it. Pax at War is 80k, 50k of them written in twenty-seven days in bursts of 3/4000 words at a time. Physical therapy, at some point four times a week, chronic pain, and other problems did their best to dampen my mood, but I sat and I wrote. Physical therapy will end, the chronic pain will lessen—or I’ll find a way to manage it, my mood will soar again, but Pax at War will be here forever to remind me that was worth suffering. I’m lucky that not only I don’t have anything disabling, but that my husband believes in what I do and let me do it. So, three days after Thanksgiving, I can repeat here what I said before family and friends: I’m grateful for my life. Now, back to writing.

Ode To My Public Library System, And Other Relevant Facts

December 1, 2010 Monica La Portaking county public library system, nanowrimo, nanowrimo project, washington state's cultureLeave a comment

I live in the most nurturing environment for an aspiring writer. Not only the Northwest is moody enough to evoke vampires and werewolves without having to wait for the darkness of the night. But when November comes even the King County Library System (my personal pusher when, as a self diagnosed ECReader, I need my book-fix) comes out to help nanowriters in distress. This year KCLS has organized seminars about the complex art of writing, editing, drawing cartoons, and even how to deal with zombies in your novel. I am ashamed to confess that I didn’t go to any of them. It wasn’t premeditated though. I did sign on a piece of paper all the dates I was most interested in. Then life, in the form of Thanksgiving’s dinner and adverse weather conditions, made me stay home. I know, it’s the adult equivalent of dog-ate-my-homework excuse, but what can I say? I am an adult, and I can’t use the same excuse twice. The moral of this tale is clear. I still don’t have zombies in my stories. Nevertheless they are all the rage right now, and I should have gone to at least that seminar. Next year I promise not to sleep during the whole month of November, so I can go to seminars during the day, and write at night. It sounds like a solid plan, especially if I get to sleep through October. Maybe I can even start now. Sleeping, I mean. Anyway, I did finish my 50,000 words’ novel, and I am proud to announce that as prequels go, I have to change names and facts in the sequel I am currently still writing. All in all, a big confusion inside my head. Maybe zombies didn’t make an apparition in my writing, but they ate my brain…food for thoughts?

I Nanowrimo, Therefore I Shall Not Write a Review Today

November 1, 2010 Monica La Portananowrimo, writing for the fun of it4 Comments

And there are good chances I won’t be able to do it for the rest of the month. I have a very good excuse though. It’s November, again ( if you are lucky you tend to experience this occurrence once a year). I have pledged my alliance to Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) for the second time, and I am ready to go and pour my 50,000 (awesome) words on virtual paper. Judging from the fact that I am unable to access the Nanowrimo’s web site from yesterday, I am not the only one embarking on this exciting journey. Hence, no amazing links to click on today. Happy writing to my fellow nanowriters, and a wonderful week to the rest of the world.