AbbyGabs in April

Here we are, a brand new shiny month. This year is flying by already, and I've got so much stuff to look forward to in the coming months. April is a big one, and I thought you might like to know what's coming down the pike for me, my family, and my blog. So here's a peek at the first few weeks of my calendar for this month.

April 1, 2013:
Day one of Camp NaNoWriMo--the online support system for budding writers is at it again, and I'm jumping in with both feet.  And as usual, the 50,000 word count goal in 30 days is plenty enough to get my competitive juices flowing. I've managed to do it twice...and I happened to bang out a my very first novel by participating in NaNo 2011 and 2012.

source

The real beauty behind Camp Nano is that, while you can start a brand new project, you're also encouraged to take that thirty days and do pretty much whatever you want to do (involving writing, of course.) Edit a past project, write poetry/blogs/short stories, work on a timeline for your next big idea---the point of Camp NaNo isn't just to write a new work. It's to write. Period. The End. That's All Folks.

I'm really jazzed about Camp, especially since I've not been writing nearly as much lately as I'm used to, and I'm missing it fiercely. So, I'm going to stoke my inner campfire, blow the dust off of my very first novel and edit the crap out of it every single day in April, in hopes that by the time I'm finished, it will be 100% publishable material.

You guys know the drill--I'll still be posting here as regularly as I can manage. I plan to set aside one day a week to write several blogs, and they'll all be scheduled to post while I'm doping up on coffee and popping aspirin to battle my keyboard-hunch back pain. And with you cheering me on, anything is possible! Hi ho, Hi ho, it's off to Camp we go!

April 3, 2013:
Appointment with my OB and fertility specialist.

I'm scared and excited and worried and nauseous and thrilled, all at the same time. We've waited years for this opportunity, and I'm *trying* to be hopeful that we will receive some helpful answers to solve our fertility problems. And since I cried all over you guys a couple of weeks ago in a blog about that very subject, it seemed only natural that I tell you about this latest development in our journey to become parents.

Don't worry, I'll keep you in the loop. Especially if there are hormone replacement drugs involved. Because they make me a little crazy, and more prone to film video blogs involving tears, snot, and smeared mascara. So stay tuned, friends. Stay tuned.


April 7, 2013:
The Inaugural Tournament of the Incredibly Excellent Wii Bowling League.

Yes, you read that correctly.

My ingenious husband finally figured out a way to cram our tiny apartment to the brim with practically every person we know within a thirty-mile radius---and all in the name of bowling. He created a Wii Bowling League, and we are having the first tournament at our house this weekend.

source

There will be brackets, bowling-themed food, fierce competition, and trophies. (Yes, he bought trophies. Just like the one pictured above.) It's going to be epic, and we are hoping to turn it into a regular thing. Once we weed out the serious competitors from those more interested in the bowling ball cupcakes (yes, that would be me you're picturing with chocolate crumbs on her chin) we may just invent team names and create bowling shirts (which I will have to beg for, because I'll be the one losing on purpose so I can sit in the kitchen and chat with my friends between turns.) Don't worry, readers...there will be a full blog with pictures after the event. It's going to rock.

Sometime Mid-April:
I'm moving.

Not me, personally, but my blog. 

That's right, I'm making the leap from Blogger to Word Press. 

source--and also not the website I'm using to navigate my move. That's HERE.

It's been a long time coming, and I've been thinking about it, and planning for it, since the beginning of the year. I've finally convinced myself that I can do it without the help of a paid professional (although I'm considering asking my doctor for a prescription in Xanax). With the support of blogger friends who have done it before, a father-in-law who I'm convinced could fix the internet if it was completely broken, and pep talks with some of my favorite Word Press bloggers, I'm ready to make the leap.

If you'd like to send assistance in the form of tequila, email me and I'll send my mailing address.

April 10, 2013:
Abby hosts Dinner Club for the first time.

Back in January, two of our favorite couples contacted us and asked if we'd be interested in joining a dinner club. For those fuzzy on the details, it works like this: the host couple comes up with the theme and provides the entree. Couples two and three are in charge of the appetizer course and the dessert course, respectively. 

Truth: it's a great excuse to get together with our friends not once, but twice, to eat great food, drink great wine, and enjoy each other's company.

Most people, while in the planning stages of this event, would be focused more on coming up with a menu that will be pleasing to the palate, but will allow them to act as hostess and spend more time with their guests.

You read the part above about my "competitive juices" though, right?

I'm feeling very...."Barefoot Contessa" about our first club where I'm in charge of the culinary experience. As in...I have to rock this, and rock it hard.

Abby rockin' the kitchen, circa 2010.

I'm not looking to intimidate our friends and make them worry about the contents of their spice racks before the next dinner...much. I'm just looking for everything to be so awesome that we're still talking about "that first dinner club at Abby's house" five years from now.

And maybe, just maybe, I'm holding out hope for a gold ribbon of cooking genius. 

So that's what's going on with me, friends and neighbors. No huge announcements, just lots of little stuff to look forward to. What's going on in your neck of the woods? (Be forewarned: if it sounds like a good time I might just crash your party.)

Milestones: The "HOLY CRAP I WROTE A NOVEL" Edition

On Saturday afternoon, January26, 2013, at approximately 3:45 in the afternoon, I completed my very first novel.




I asked for real Champagne and a chocolate fountain, too, but I didn't get them.

Allow me to be forthcoming when I say that, while the bare bones of the novel are finished, there is still a ton of editing to be done. So, I'm not headed to the presses just yet. 

However, I have, in my possession, two-hundred and seventy-four pages that are MINE, ALL MINE.

The smell of new paper, fresh ink, and potential rejection is a heady elixir, my friends.

Now comes the time of nit-picking, of finding all the missed commas and typos, of fixing timeline issues and capitalizing the word "Twitter" eleventy-hundred times. Now is the time of rewording wordy sentences and reworking flawed characters. It is the time of red ink and highlighters. 

(It may just be my favorite part.)

Let me back pedal and tell you a little bit about this book. I started writing it in November of 2011, in association with my first NaNoWriMo experience. For about twenty-five days, I pounded out a little over 60,000 words. And as it turned out, it was a story I was totally in love with.  However, with the sudden death of my grandfather, along with the holidays and other life events, the novel got shoved into a tiny corner on my hard drive, and I didn't look at it again until November of 2012. That's when I picked up where I'd left off, and pounded out another 50,000 words for NaNo 2012.

By the time the dust had cleared, I had about three-fourths of a completed novel, a clear direction, a main character I totally identified with, and her heart throb--a character based on Donnie Wahlberg.

Put your eyebrows away. You know you aren't surprised.

In case you're curious, here's a little synopsis about the book I'm calling "#TheContest."

Lena went to all the right schools, followed all the right paths, and shook all the right hands. And yet, 8 years out of New York University, she still finds herself in a dead-end job, working out of a tiny cubicle, with nothing to look forward in her immediate future. The only thing that gets her through each soul-sucking, boring day is her infatuation with The Beantown Boys, the popular boy band from her childhood. 

She's been in love with Derrick Walsh, the band's "bad boy," since she was 10 years old. Her childhood was spent writing love letters to the fan club, in hopes that somehow, her celebrity crush would read the words she wrote to him, so earnestly, in purple crayon. With the invention of social media--Twitter especially--Lena found a whole new way to connect with her favorite group. And in the past few weeks, the band has been hinting at some major announcement. Their biggest fans--Lena and her best friend, Greg, included--are all a flutter. 

Lena never suspects, on a random Tuesday in November, that her life is about to take a rapid turn from cubicles and coffee runs to road trips and potential romance. And it all boils down to one Twitter contest, a girl's undying love for a boy, and the opportunity of a lifetime. 

That's the general idea of the book. A jacket-cover insert, if you will.

So, if we're keeping score here, I have a completed first draft, a title, a jacket cover insert, and a dedication page (already written but not to be shared here.) So, if I'm doing my math correctly, all that leaves is finding a publisher.

Ahem.

It's not purple crayon, but it's still a love letter, readers. I swear.

An Abby Gabs Video Blog

If you can't see the video, point your browser here: http://youtu.be/Y9TT3c6l2OU

Just Be Enough: Silencing My Inner-Doubter

My fingers fly across the keys. Words spring up on the page, black against stark white. I can hear the dialogue in my brain--the characters' voices clearer than my own. I type and type, the story unfolding before me in a way I've never experienced before.

I don't just feel like a writer. I am a writer.

The scene comes to an end, and like a sprinter, I stop and breathe and try to regain my center. The story I'm telling lives within me -- I am just a conduit. The cursor blinks at me, awaiting my command. I instinctively check my word count. Thirty-three thousand, eight hundred and twenty nine words. The number delights me, and I sit back in amazement, momentarily stupefied.

Where did this come from? Is this the feeling that's been trapped inside of me for so many years, begging to be released? The high that comes with a 75-page-and-counting manuscript is more than addictive.

My mind wanders. I begin thinking about the steps I will take once my novel is finished. I should start doing research on local publishing houses, I think. I already have two friends who have offered to read my book, another to edit it. I'll need to print out a few copies to keep on hand. I wonder if I know anyone who can help me break into the business. 

I imagine myself as a Published Author. My heart begins to pound in my chest, my mouth goes dry.

Trying to regain some focus, I scroll up, read the passage I've just finished. I strike words from the page, second-guessing what came so naturally only a few minutes before. Doubt creeps in. The voice inside my head speaks over those of my characters. 

"No one else in the world would be interested in this subject matter."

"Do you know how many people dream of being an author and never make it?"

"Don't expect to win a Pulitzer with this stuff. You are no Toni Morrison!"

The cursor continues to blink at me, although now I feel as if it's staring at me judgmentally, waiting for the next bit of garbage I'll instruct it to include. The confidence I felt a few minutes ago has been totally derailed by my self-doubt.

My husband peeks over my shoulder, notes the page number, and beams. "Seventy-five whole pages? Babe, that's so awesome! I'm so proud of you!"

The clouds of uncertainty begin to part, and I wonder what this all looks like from his point of view. I realize that he sees me reaching for my dream, doing what I love, following my passion. I think to myself, "published or not, you're WRITING. And you're HAPPY."

The cursor winks at me again. I close out the sound of my inner-doubter and tune in to my characters' voices again. I take a deep breath, place my fingers on the keys, and let the words come. I'll second guess myself tomorrow. Today, I am a writer.

Every MONDAY join us… 
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Be part of carrying the weight of confidence and share our mission
to empower, inspire, and remind women, parents and children
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NaNoWriMo Update, And Things I'm Learning in the Process of Writing My First Novel

Alright, sports fans. For those of you at home keeping score, I hit a major milestone with NaNoWriMo yesterday. I officially hit the halfway point!

All I have to say about that is WOO HOO!


I really don't want to jinx myself by boasting about how well it's going (far better than I originally anticipated!!) but, according to my NaNo dashboard, I'm right on schedule.

Keep in mind, I haven't written anything today, so that date should change by the end of the day. Because once I publish this blog, I plan to really dig in and write until around 4:30. Because I'm an addict, that's why. 


I expected to be exhilarated, and possibly daunted, by this process. I also expected to hit plateaus, and to write some stuff that could only be classified as poo. What I DIDN'T expect was to learn some major lessons about myself, as both a writer and a person. I thought I'd share some of those lessons here with you today.


As a Writer, I Have Learned That:
* Being a blog author only fuels my creativity, and my confidence.  I've been writing Abby Gabs now for almost a year. When I sat down and created this blog, I made a promise to myself that I was going to try and post at least 5 times a week. And that on days when I woke up and couldn't think of something to write, I would put on my thinking cap and come up with something worth writing. Granted, sometimes it's just plain silliness. Other times, my posts have been completely selfish--100% about me. But, in the midst of daily posts, I feel like I've written a few that I can really be proud of--ones that really define who I am as a writer, as a woman, and as a wife. With my creativity sparked on an (almost) daily basis, it becomes less difficult to "get into the groove" when I sit down to write my book each day. And the confidence from having a small, but loyal, readership keeps me motivated. 


* Google is an invaluable tool. I can't tell you how many times I've turned to my favorite search engine throughout the first part of this process. Considering the fact that I live in rural South Carolina, consider PayLess Shoesource to be premiere shopping, and am stuck in a career that's less than illustrious, I need a lot of information to fuel my main character. That's where Google comes in. What kind of dress would a sophisticated business woman wear to a fancy dinner out? If a high-roller were to show up at a restaurant and order Champagne, what label would he choose? What are the most popular wine bars in Manhattan right now?

Oh Google, you complete me.

I'm using my imagination where it counts, believe me. But some things you just can't dream up. Thanks to Google, my main character is thriving in a believable environment in New York City--a place I've only visited once. Thanks, Google. I'll include you in my "people to thank" section.


* I can hear my own voice through my character. What I mean is, she's kooky, witty, sarcastic, self-critical, and less than confidant. She struggles with all the same things I do: image and weight issues, discontentment with her career, always doubting her next move. She thrives when she's allowed to use her creativity; she shuts down when she feels caged when her creativity isn't needed, or wanted. She is me. Only younger and single, with better clothes and a small apartment in Manhattan. You know...just small differences.


* I write in a linear fashion. From what I understand, this isn't the norm. Most people jump around in the story, writing scenes as they pop into their heads. I don't do that. I started at the beginning, and other than one little blip on the radar, I've written the story in chronological order.

Not to say that I haven't come up with ideas for future scenes, and jotted down a few notes to jog my memory when I actually get there. But I'm writing my story the way I'd want to read it. No shuffling necessary. Which will make December (editing month) that much easier. I hope.


I think the most interesting lesson I've learned throughout this process, though, is one I've learned as a person. And it is, simply, this:


Apparently, size does matter.

Sixty pages of manuscript. And it's still growing.

Focused Friday

I've got so much catching up to do. I've been slack with my writing for the past day or two. I'm falling behind, according to my NaNoWriMo Dashboard, and so today, I'm focusing on crossing the 20,000 word line.


Well, except for when I'm focusing on other things. Like writing this blog. Or creating this image in Photoshop:

What can I say? I have to get inspiration from somewhere, right?


"Write on!"


Word count at time of publishing this very brief blog: 18,030.

A Spider Encounter, A NaNoWriMo Update, A Novel Blurb, And Yet Another Poll

Wow, that's a really long title. But don't worry, readers. I will deliver on what I have promised.


Last night, after several hours of writing, I decided it was finally time to save, quit, and head to bed. I sauntered into my bathroom to brush my teeth. Halfway through applying the toothpaste to the toothbrush, I got the uncanny sense that someone was watching me. Glancing around, I noticed that the bathroom was still empty of all felines, so I knew that my audience wasn't furry, or friendly.


Yes, I'm going there.


My spider-sense was tingling.


And not the kind that tells me that there's an armed gunman holding up a bank teller on Main Street in Gotham.


But the kind that tells me there's a creepy crawly somewhere within 10 feet of me.


Determined not to be run out of my own bathroom, I continued to brush my teeth while scanning the corners for any lurkers. And that's when I see it...tucked into a corner on the ceiling.

Those are his "I'm Going To Kill You" eyes.

Now granted, this wasn't a very big spider. In fact, without my glasses on and while squinting, it was barely bigger than an ant.


However, there are two very distinct reasons why this spider freaked me out beyond reason. Number one: It was on the ceiling. Which means at any given moment, it could drop down on me unawares and land somewhere on my body. Like, in my hair. *shudder* And Number two: I was home alone. As in, sans husband. As in, there was no one at home to rescue me from the arrant arachnid taking up residence in my bathroom.


So I did the only logical thing there was to do. I closed the door and spat my toothpaste into the kitchen sink. I stuffed a towel under the door so the little bugger couldn't escape. And I left my husband a note to vanquish the evil beastie.


I will not be bested by an eight-legged  insect.

*****

In other news, my novel writing for NaNoWriMo is going smashingly well. I crossed the 10,000 word mark last night, and I'm just plowing right along. I'm feeling really confident about the quantity of the words I've written, and I've got to say, I'm feeling pretty good about the quality as well. 

Of course, I'm still in the stage of writing the part of the book I'd envisioned all along.

Who knows what will happen when I get beyond that point. Seriously, who knows? Anybody? Would you be interested in cluing me in?

However, I do have a slight problem. I'm having a bit of a novel identity crisis. 

There are several genres to choose from when it comes to classifying your novel on the NaNo website, and I'm flip flopping between Chick Lit and Mainstream Fiction. Or possibly Humor. 

I originally planned to go with Chick Lit, but when I checked into the forums, a lot of the authors there were describing books that sounded like a cross between romance and erotica. And while my tale may include a bit of flirtation, I don't forsee a major romance involved in the plot. At least not in the FIRST 50,000 words. (Maybe something sexy will happen later. We'll see.) 

That being said, the mainstream fiction forum is all over the place. There seems to be a bit of everything over there, and it feels a little like I'd get lost in the shuffle.

So, I'm going to ask for your help again, readers. Below, I'm going to entice you with a blurb from my novel, working title "Lena and the Boys," and let you decide how I should categorize it. 

*****

Synopsis: 

Lena went to all the right schools, followed all the right paths, and shook all the right hands. And yet, 8 years out of New York University, she still finds herself in a dead-end job, working out of a tiny cubicle, with nothing to look forward to each day. The only thing that gets her through is her infatuation with The Beantown Boys, the boy band from her childhood. She's been in love with Derrick Walsh, the band's "bad boy," since she was 10 years old. And when she finds him on Twitter, it's only a matter of time before 10 minutes of internet time a day turn into hours of stalking. In the past few weeks, the band has been hinting at some major announcement, and their biggest fans are all a flutter. Lena has no idea, when she enters her cubicle on a random Thursday afternoon, that her life is about to change in a major way--and all because of a contest on her favorite social networking site.

Brief Excerpt: 

The bright pink page of Perez Hilton’s internet tabloid popped onto Lena's computer screen. At the top read the headline “The Beantown Boys Summer Reunion: True or False?” Below it was a fuzzy picture of Derrick, Corey, Chris and Zac sitting around a table in one of the many Manhattan street-side cafes. Lena scanned the article.

Could it be?

Is it true?

Are The Beantown Boys finally going to make millions of middle-aged women’s dreams come true?

The scuttlebutt about the internet is yes. The BBoys of 1989 fame are looking to make a comeback. 

And they’re hoping the throngs of teenage girls that followed them around twenty-some years ago are going to be just willing to find babysitters, take vacation days, and leave their husbands at home to follow them around the world again.

According to a recent Tweet from Derrick Walsh: “BBoy Sisters are in for the biggest XMAS gift, ever! Stay tuned for deets, my sweets! Word!”

It could be the December we’ll always remember, girls. As Derrick says, stay tuned! The big announcement is coming today, at noon. Look for a video posted by none other than Derrick himself! Twitter, here we come!

Lena’s heart was pounding in her ears. She sat back heavily in her chair, glanced over shoulder at Greg, and grinned. “So Greg,” she asked. “What are your Christmas plans this year? Wanna take off for 2 weeks and buy up all the concert tickets we can afford?”

An evil grin crossed Greg’s face. “I’m sure Gram would understand if I told her I was going to miss her famous pumpkin pies for the chance to throw my $45 underwear on the stage at Chris Knox.”

They giggled conspiratorially. Mr. Cox cleared his throat somewhere from the depths of his office. Greg blanched. “I’d better get back to work. I’ve still got 3 more reports to finish. What do you say—lunch, noon, Davis Square?”

“Be there, or be square.” Lena said.

“Oh no you didn’t.”

“Oh yes. Yes I did.”

She turned to her computer screen and scrolled back up to the picture of the group sitting around the table. They looked happy. Excited, she decided. And Lena decided she was going to be excited, too. After all, what else was going to keep her mood elevated for the next 3 hours? ATP reports? She didn’t think so.

*****

And before you ask, I have no idea what ATP stands for. Something...important, I'm sure.

So now it's up to you, readers! Just one little click and you'll help me with my identity crises in no time! (No surgery required!)

Thanks in advance for your help. Again. I swear, if I ever get this novel published, I'll dedicate it to Abby Gabbers everywhere.

And So It Begins...

Zero. My word count is at zero.


After today, that is a number I do not wish to see again.


That's right, folks! It is officially November 1! Which means, NaNoWriMo officially started 10 hours ago! Which means, I'm officially behind in starting my very first novel! (For those who missed this post, NaNoWriMo is an online challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. No, I'm not crazy.) (Only because my straight jacket hasn't come yet.)

I'm having mixed emotions about this challenge at this particular moment. There's part of me that is calm, reserved, and ready to work. She looks like this:

I'm so clever, perhaps I'll write this novel with a PENCIL.

The over-thinking, over-planning, over-emotional part of me is freaking out because I didn't write much of an outline, I still haven't chosen a name for my main character, and I have no idea where I'm going to start my story. She looks something like this:

What the FRUIT have I gotten myself into??!?!?!?!??!

I'm banking on 3 very specific things to get me through the next 30 days. 1) Endless creativity. Or at least creativity in some form or fashion. 2) Guaranteed breaks for Castle. And 3) My good luck charm, which comes in the form of a hoody from Threadless.com.

Because we all know my affection for exclamation marks a plenty.

Don't worry, readers. I will still be posting my usual amount of blogs for your enjoyment for the next 30 days. Just don't be surprised if, by the end of the month, my blog posts read something like this sounds:






Patty!! Maybe I'll use Patty as my main character's name!!!


Anyway, I'm counting on you to keep me as accountable as possible throughout this challenge, so every day, I'll be posting my word count. Remember, I have to pound out 50,000 words total. So in order to accomplish that goal, I have to write about 1700 words a day. Which works out to be about 6 1/2 pages. That's not so hard, right?


* SOB *

= 0

The Best Ideas Happen In Bed.

I mentioned last week that I was going to spend my November writing a 50,000 word novel for NaNoWriMo.


I ordered my new straight jacket from eBay that same day. It still hasn't been delivered yet.

Huh. Looks like it might be a snug fit...

I had a lot of trepidation going into this process. I mean, I've wanted to be a writer since I was 6 (when all I had to do in order to be published was whip out my jumbo box of crayola fun and get crackin'.) There are so many parts of the process that scare the bejesus out of me--enough to have kept me from pursuing my dream for all these years.


One of my biggest hangups was worrying about coming up with a marketable idea. Sure, it's great fun to spend a year of your life pouring your heart and soul into something. But if that something isn't sellable, then what's the point? (That is, if your ultimate goal is to be published. Otherwise, who cares, right?) 


For years it has felt like that single hurdle was looming over me, blocking my path. And I have really short legs, so jumping over it was never really an option.


But now, with a deadline breathing down my neck, I've been forced to put all that aside. If I'm going to participate in this thing, and I really want to, I have to just suck it up and deal.


Turns out, it's been the best thing for me, as a writer. I came up with an idea that I thought would be fun to write. Something that would keep me engaged for the 30 days I have to bang out 50,000 (somewhat usable) words. And as it turns out, the more I flesh out the characters, and the story line, the more I think it might just be a marketable idea after all.


Hooray for me!


I'm not going to get into total specifics here on AbbyGabs until I have some decent stuff written. (Unless I get to November 2nd and realize that my straight jacket purchase was actually a pretty smart idea.) But here are a few small hints as to how my novel brainstorm is going.

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Yes, that's the Twitter bird. And yes, he will play a pivotal role in my little story. Intrigued yet?


Let me just say that a majority of these inspirations came to me while trying to fall asleep. I had that "Holy Crap Balls, what am I going to write about?" moment just as my head hit the pillow, and I lay there thinking about where I wanted my story to go.


In short, there will be hilarity, some soul-searching, a hunky leading man, a dream come true, and possibly a short visit to a tattoo parlor.


Sounds like chick-lit to me!

I Think I Need A Straight Jacket

I did something kinda crazy the other day.


Like, lock me in a rubber room, 'What the hell was she thinkin?" kinda crazy.


No I didn't ACTUALLY stalk Donnie Wahlberg, to the tune of a serious restraining order.


But I DID sign up to write a novel in a month.

WHAT did she just say?? (source)

That's right. I've pledged to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. And how did I come by this grandiose idea? I was introduced to a kooky little website called NaNoWriMo by friend and fellow blogger, Stephanie. At first the idea seemed absurd. Who can write 50,000 words in one month, maintain a blog, work a full-time job, and still remember to feed the cats?


In short, I can.


Or at least, I HOPE I can.


There are three simple rules to participating in NaNoWriMo:
1) Write a novel of 50,000 words or more.
2) No, you can't write the same word 50,000 times.
3) Submit to the NaNoWriMo word counter and if you have, indeed, written that many words then you WIN!

Although I'm a little fuzzy on the prize. I was hoping for a million dollars and a record deal, but I think I may be confusing NaNoWriMo with some reality show I saw once.


In truth, the only thing you win is bragging rights. 


But I think the self-confidence involved with banging out that many words in such a short time will be prize enough. That, paired with the knowledge that such a thing is possible, could eventually add up to a Real Life Abby Novel. Like, with a jacket cover and a 50% off sticker in the junk bin of your favorite local book store.


So, I've got a little less than 3 weeks to come up with an idea for a book, hash out my characters, maybe get a little outline action going, so that when November 1 rolls around, I can start banging out the next Pulitzer Prize winner my book.


These are the two ideas I'm kicking around right now:


1. A comedy starring a slightly pudgy but mostly adorable woman in her mid-twenties who has no boyfriend, a crappy job, and a dream to quit it all and follow her favorite boy band across the nation. Perhaps she'll risk it all to follow that dream...and perhaps her new reality isn't all it's cracked up to be. 


2. A not-so-funny book entailing a couple's struggle with cancer--what it means for their future, how it affects their desire to be parents, what it feels like to face mortality at such a young age. (The book has to be a novel, so it would be based on real life events.) With this idea I'd want to capture each and every moment from discovery to diagnosis to surgery--from the majorly momentous ones, to the mundane, tiny details that made up our lives in that month long hell.


I guess it all depends on whether I want to be laughing or crying while baking pumpkin pies.


Wait...who cries while baking pumpkin pies? Nobody, that's who.

Anyway, regardless of the outcome, I'm really excited to try my hand at this whole 'novel writing' business. It is, after all, my dream job. So wish me luck, readers!


(Side note: Also, readers, if you notice my blog sucking in the month of November, kick me in the pants and tell me to pay better attention to your needs. I'm nothing if not a giver.)