So, my website (and the blog that goes with it) is in a bit of a mess because I sort of changed things around, and then didn't have time to put everything back where it belongs. That describes my approach to domestic stuff in RL, too... ;) Hence the sign up at the moment that says:



After much thought and fiddling around with templates, etc. I've decided that I will return to blogging over there once I've fixed things next week. Um... hopefully I really will get it fixed up okay next week. *shifty eyes*

However, I will make more of an effort to stop by LJ in the future. I'll also mirror anything super-important, and use LJ to make occasional locked/private entries.

Trying for the best of both worlds, here...

Have a great weekend! :)

Sometimes, what you think is a block to writing progress, isn't a block at all.

Sometimes, that so-called 'block' is not a wall but a ladder. Okay, so the ladder is very (very) tall, and you're not sure you can even see the top, let alone reach it... but it's a ladder, all the same.

Sometimes the wall is all In Your Head.

(Sometimes it's not, that's also true.)

Sometimes... Sometimes, it's important to realise that when you're stuck, you might actually be stuck for a reason.

A Very Good Reason.

Sometimes, that reason might not be immediately apparent.

Sometimes, you might find yourself blaming other things for your stuckness.

(Sometimes you will even believe it really is those other things that are at fault.)

Sometimes, you just have to sit back and take the time to figure out what the heck is going on.

Sometimes, you might need to give yourself a good talking to.

Sometimes you will have to push through regardless of the need to take a break.

Sometimes, you'll regret that. (The pushing through, I mean.)

Sometimes, it's important to realise that 'leveling up' is best left to video games and to Scott Pilgrim.

Sometimes 'leveling up' as a writer is not the right analogy.

Sometimes, writing is a lot more like going under...

Or, digging deep...

Or drowning.

Sometimes if you go under, dig deep enough, and manage to come up for air just in time - that's when you'll figure out that you were never actually stuck in the first place.

You were just waiting.

Three things that either caught my eye recently, or are helping me to procrastinate relax...

1) My two favourite comics - so far - from DC's huge relaunch are:

 
                       Batwoman #1                                                    Animal Man #1

Here's a preview of Batwoman... and one of Animal Man. Check them out and maybe you'll be tempted to pick up a comic to try. They are both seriously, seriously amazing.

2) Talking of comics, I couldn't resist the first issue of Buffy Season 9:


(Beautiful cover art by Jo Chen.)

3) Season 3 of The Vampire Diaries started last night. Did you watch it? (No spoilers in comments please, for those who haven't seen it yet!)


Hint: It was bloody brilliant. ;)

Lots to achieve before the end of the year, so I signed up for jonowrimo again. I'm glad I returned to LJ just in time! (Thanks, as usual, go to the lovely jbknowles for running her annual 'challenge'). Here's what I posted for my goals for the next 2.5 months:

I have a pretty big goal, but it's split between 3 projects. The TOTAL goal is 100,000 new words written by December 1st. It sounds a lot (it sounds huge to me, because I don't write as fast as I used to!), but I need those words. It breaks down (roughly) as:

1) 20,000 new words as part of a rewrite.
2) 10,000 new words for an MG proposal.
3) 70,000 new words for the first draft of a YA novel.

So... 100K in 11 weeks should be possible if I write about 10,000 words per week.

And, as I said in comments, it doesn't seem half as bad when you consider that's actually 2,000 words per day, 5 days per week. It even sounds sane when you look at it that way! ;)

At the moment I'm waiting on page proofs for The Wood Queen, and once I've gone through those (they're needed super-quickly this time because of getting the files to overseas publishers) I'll be able to focus properly on my main goals.

*brushes away cobwebs*

Because of some website maintence (which might take a while, knowing me), I will be blogging back over on LJ for the next month or so.* I've been keeping up with most of you, though - some of your blogs are in my Google Reader, some I get pinged whenever you update, and sometimes I get really wild and just read a few pages on my F-list...

Finally paid for my LJ account again, after months of looking at those adverts and getting irritated every time I visited.

So. I am busy, busy with copyedits and revisions while also trying to write the 3rd and final Iron Witch book.

How you doin'?

*Maybe I'll stick around here for longer. I miss the old place and the sense of community that is lacking elsewhere.

It's here!! :)

But I am over HERE talking about it on the Deadline Dames. I hope you'll join me - my day to post just happened to fall today (perfect!), and I'll be giving away some lovely Iron Witchy books...



I decided to post here as well as on my main blog because... well, I want to make sure my LJ buddies get a chance to enter the giveaway. Free books are free books, right? ;)

Thanks to all of my online friends for making my launch such a cool experience, and THANK YOU for the many wonderful reviews I'm seeing around the blogosphere already. I never know whether I should link to them or not, but I might link to a couple here and there - I'm so proud! People seem to be enjoying it so far, and that makes me happier than you could imagine.

I will say that Kirkus gave TIW a great review, for which I'm very grateful. I think you can only read the full text if you're a subscriber (until Feb 1st when it will go 'public' on the site), but here are a couple of highlights:

And what a plot! Complex in structure, it includes a secret society of alchemists whose motives are veiled, the mystery of Donna’s dad’s death and a budding romance ... The success of the story depends heavily upon the geographical contrast between small-town Ironbridge, Mass., and the dark forest that leads to the home of the wood elves. The suspense and tension built into the story lead to a smashing climax...

*beams with pride*



(x-posted from kazmahoney.com)

First of all: HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my LJ pals!! :)

Secondly... What better way to celebrate 2011 than to read the first couple of chapters of TIW? Hehe...

If you've been waiting to read some of The Iron Witch before you decide to part with your hard-earned cash at the end of January, the wait is over. ;)

Flux have done this awesome 'Book Excerpt' on their website where you can read the first two chapters - for free! You can check it out here. I hope you'll tell me what you think.

I'll see you on the other side - have a great evening and a fab start to the new year, wherever you are in the world!

I have great news to report! In light of the decision by Random House to release TIW earlier in the UK on 20th January 2011, I have just been told that Flux will also be bringing TIW forward to January!

Even though none of the publication date info will change on sites like Amazon, B&N or Borders, we are looking at The Iron Witch being in stores across the US by Tuesday, January 25th 2011. I'm seriously thrilled about this! We're back to just a few days difference between the two editions, and I hope that readers in the United States are as happy as I was to hear this from Flux today. Huzzah! :) This also means there's a good chance you'll see TIW floating around at ALA's 2011 Midwinter Conference in San Diego (January 7-11).

Once again, online stores will still say February 8th, but the book will come out 2 weeks earlier in the US. Don't worry, I'll remind you nearer the time... once or twice, maybe... ;)


(x-posted from kazmahoney.com)

After all the back and forth over it, I've finally decided to set up camp at my website, at least until the release of The Iron Witch (eeek!), so if anyone wants to read my blogging shenanigans that's where I'll be. You might want to pay particular attention in December as I have some cool holiday giveaways planned. *bribes you shamelessly*

Of course, there's also Twitter and Goodreads. And I will still comment on LJ when I can - you can't get rid of me that easily. ;)



There's a handy RSS feed over there if you want to add it to your Google Reader (or whatever you use to read blogs), and triciasullivan set up an LJ feed so you can read it on your friends page:

wonderwomankaz

A blog post in which Kaz rants about the lack of tolerance that still rears its ugly head... even among the so-called tolerant young people of London.

Also, to make up for being Angry Kaz - and to spread the word about a cool book - you can win a copy of this:



Go here:

How Beautiful the Ordinary


Comments closed here today, if you want to enter the giveaway please do so over there. Cheers!