Tuesday, January 4, 2011

New Year’s Resolutions/To-Do List

Yes, I want to lose weight. But I still want to eat lots of candy at the same time. Somehow, I don’t think I’ll be buying any bikinis despite my four-mile runs or fridge full of fruits or veggies. Temptation, thy name is Peppermint Patty and I curse your sweetness.

What else? For writing, I would like to add a prologue to my first book and tweak the opening chapters. They were rewritten last fall and still feel a little raw. I don’t think the first five to ten pages are strong enough for an outstanding query package. A prologue would be nice because chapter one opens with a minor character. I don’t like that. The book should really start with the main character, don’t you think? There’s something dark and disturbing in my MC’s past that would suit.

The second book needs to continue! I’m reading Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour for the first time in about fifteen years and absolutely loving it. The parts that chronicle the witch family’s history from the 1600’s to the present are superb—exactly how you’d want a historical novel to go—enough detail to capture the period, but nothing slowing down the pace and a dialog that fits without being awkward. Delicious!

As for the house, clutter beware! I’m vowing to rid my house of the overwhelming amount of crap that we never use. Yes, it’s the same vow I’ve made for three years running, but this time I mean it. Really.

As for me, I’d like to learn how to play Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata (1st movement) on our piano. Yes, I’m completely serious. I love that song. It runs through my head whenever I get stressed or depressed. Sadly, this is the resolution least likely to happen.

Finally, I need to stop using so many damned adverbs. And exclamation points!

So what’s on your plate of resolutions?

Well, crud. Now I have to figure out how to add images again now that Picapp is changed. Curse my blondness when it comes to computers!

4 comments:

  1. I love Moonlight Sonata. It's my favorite song ever. I only have a weak-ace keyboard though. One day I will spend six months on the piano, to master.

    I don't make resolutions. I make to do lists. I DO. I don't promise. I don't try to make goals. I do or I don't. I will do a lot this year but that's for another blog post. ;P

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  2. Adverbs. Ha. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don't.

    Good luck on the resolutions!

    And I totally don't see the Tonya Harding similarity. I do, however, see mine with Sarah Palin. Sigh.

    ~JD

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  3. Ahhh.. I want to get back to the gym and start eating better as well!

    And I have the same problem with the adverbs... my current WiP is positively riddled with them ;)

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  4. Hannah, good luck with your piano aspirations. I haven't read sheet music in over twenty years.

    Justine, if you saw me in my rollerblades at a younger age, the resemblance would be easier to see.

    Writing Nut--I think adverbs get a bad rap, but less is better, probably. ;)

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