Friday, September 21, 2012

My Eclectic Writing Style #1



I have decided to do a blog post series of how I write. It is very uniquely me. I will call this series, "My Eclectic Writing Style."

Why am I writing it? 

In order to inspire other writers who are unique and are searching for their way of writing. And to share with you how I have made my dream come true over and over again. It's quite a blessing and I want to show how dreams can come true--through lots of prayer (particularly listening to the Lord), hard work, and a whole lotta faith. Anyone can make their dreams come true--repeatedly. 

I have a very unusual writing style. However, it is precisely that style which have led me to writing over 100 books in 10 years. (Yes. Novels of 80,000 words or more. Over 100.) I say this not to brag or impress, but as a fact so you know my style works--for me. 

Note: I said write. I did not say edit or publish. I have written over 100 books. (But, I have only had 27 ready for a publisher. The rest sit there--waiting for me to pick them up again one day, when and if the time is right.)

Another Note: I did not say how many books I stopped writing. There have been a couple hundred at least--not including the over 100 I just mentioned. I am not entirely sure of that number. 

So, what is My Eclectic Writing Style? How have I written so many books? How have I made my dream come true? 

MY ECLECTIC WRITING STYLE

Welcome to my story.

I will start with my present writing project, ROANOKE 1584-1590: THE FAMILY TREEZ OF THE USA SERIES, BOOK 1, and will tell you how I am writing it so you can get a feel. I will take you on the journey with me. I will also reflect on the past and share you what I have learned to do and not to do along the way. 

Every dream starts with a series of goals, which make the dream come true. The same is true with writing a novel.

Goal #1: My Main Goal
To write a story.

Goal #2:
To write the story God wants me to share, so He is given glory.

Goal #3:
To write a story and share it with others--in an effort to help them escape from the world for a little while.

Those are my three main goals. They really are that simple. 

Note: I did not say publish yet.

I never write with the intention of being published. Never. If it happens along the way, great. But, it is not my goal. Why? If it was, I would be prideful and think my writing deserved to be published. And, it becomes a matter of ME, MY writing, MY writing to be seen. No. That is not me at all. Rather, I write to bring God glory. This is my main intent. It is my main goal. 

If I write a story, I write to bring Him glory. If it does not get published, that is fine. It is about Him, not about me.

(Note: Please do not think for a moment I am criticizing anyone else who has published books. No. Not at all. It was their time and was part of their journey. Good for them! I also am not saying they are prideful. I was talking about me, myself, and I--no one else. I had no hidden meaning. Does this make sense?)

If I write a story, and it does not get published, it is the story I need to write as part of the process of preparing me to publish. I KNOW God wants me to be published. I have self-published a few books, but have let others go. The others were part of the process.

Every book I have written has brought me to today and the book I am writing now. This is always my focus. I would not be able to write the book today, if not for all the previous books. 

Goal 4:
Enjoy the process--and make memories.

Every time I write a book, I KNOW how blessed I am. There are so many whose dream is to write ONE. Hence, I make sure to enjoy the entire process of writing a book. It is a rare gem and I cherish and treasure the process. 

This is another reason why I am writing this book. I want to encourage the person who has never written one and wants to do so.

Also, I want to write this blog post series for the one who has written at least part of a book, or maybe several, but have not been published yet. 

So, what are your main goals? Why do you write?

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA



Roanoke Writing Status



Goal for 9/21/2012: 10,000 words
Read Word Count for 9/21/2012: 10630 of 210000 words
On track--and a little ahead

Download Roanoke



It is that time again. I just downloaded,

ROANOKE 1584-1590: THE FAMILY TREEZ OF THE USA SERIES, BOOK 1.

Feel free to download the latest version of it for free at my bookstore on Smashwords. (See the link below.)

Enjoy!


Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA

Roanoke 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA, Book 1 DESCRIPTION



This is a temporary description of the book, " Roanoke 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA, Book 1." I will write a much better one later. But, here is a foretaste:

DESCRIPTION
Three cousins make it their dream to explore the world. Their dream morphed into starting a new colony in America. Raleigh, Grenville, and Arundell see it happen as Stafford seeks asylum. This is the story of a dream and the lives of four men, their women, and family. 

This story is about Roanoke (in what would later be called Virginia) 1584-1590.

The Family Treez of the USA Series is a saga of a real-life, American, Christian family traced from about 1388 to today. 

Every family tree intersects--and has a destiny, a story to tell, and a purpose. every person, family, and lineage. 

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


Happy Friday

Happy Friday!

I wanted to show you some more pictures of my writing space and writing companions (and inspiration). 

This is Sinan (pronounced See-naw-n). Is he paperweight, supervisor, wise guy, muse, or curious cat? Maybe a little of each.


Should I take a hint about my writing today? (This is Zack.)



This is another angle of my writing space and you can see the turtle tank. (Shelly is being a goof and if you look really hard, you can see Harry.) 


Those are all of our 4-legged kids. We do not have any 2-legged yet. 

The cat is still perched on the corner of my desk. Now that there is room for him to sit, thanks to my paperless method, he seems quite content. Hopefully he won't play with the cursor or walk across my keyboard. 

Have a blessed weekend! 


Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA



Thursday, September 20, 2012

Writing Etc. Etc. Etc.: What does the ideal writer look like?


Take some time to think, and write in your journal or writing notebook, your answer to this question:
~ What does the ideal writer look like? Take some time to answer this question. 
~ Then ask this question: How can I do that, given the priorities I have in my life? 
~ Finally, apply. Do it. 

The Writing Etc. Etc. Etc. blog posts are to take you from wanting to write, to planning, to writing, to finishing a first draft of a manuscript, to editing, to publishing. Also, it is to help you if you want to do NaNoWriMo this year.  

TIP: Please make sure to go back and do these blog posts in order. They have a specific order to help you go from A to Z. Either use the search engine or look at the labels for "WRITING ETC. ETC. ETC." 

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.) 

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


Writing Status



Roanoke 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1
Writing & Editing
7821 words out of 210,000

Jamestown 1607-???: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 2
Planning
0 words out of 210,000

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


Paperless Writing


Well... I have done it. 

I have gone paperless with regards to my writing. 

I never thought I would. But, I have. 

Why have I gone paperless? 
Here is a hint: It is not to save trees. Trees are a renewable resource. I recycle all paper and paper products, sure. But, this is not why.
1 Because I can. I figured out how to do so.
2 I want to save and re-save everything over the internet so all of my writing is permanent and can never be lost, stolen, destroyed through acts of God (hurricanes, tornadoes, fires), lost by movers and never recovered, damaged by spilling of a drink, or anything else like that. 
3 It is cleaner and less cluttered.
4 I carry less with me now. It is easier on my back and body.
5 I am trying to downsize everything and get rid of stuff that takes up room. This is it.

I am still rather shocked by it, truth be known. 

So, this is all I ever need to write:


By the way, yes... When at home, I use two monitors. One has the internet and my Kindle on it (split-screened). The other monitor has my Kingsoft Writer document of my entire novel open on it. (Since I have stopped using Microsoft products.) Two monitors save me a great deal of time. That way, I am not clicking constantly between so many screens. Also, on the internet and Amazon Kindle monitor, I put pictures on it to inspire my writing. 

(Images Credit: Stacy Duplease 20 September 2012.)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com


Ever have one of those days? What about weeks? What about months?: Writing with distractions


NOTE: This blog post is for readers and writers

Yeah... That's where I am at. The last 30 days have been something else. They have not been bad. I have just had a great deal on my plate and even more distractions.

I have a brand new schedule, which I must keep, if I plan on getting a novel of 210,000 words written, edited, and ready to publish for profit between now and 08 February 2013. That is when I am going to a writing conference. (No pressure, mind you.)

I do not know about you, but whenever I have a deadline, the distractions come pouring in and this month and week is no exception. My main distraction the last two weeks has been sleep. Or, maybe I should be more specific, the lack thereof. Some of it has been tossing and turning. Some of it has been my beagle waking and drinking a gallon of water so he then has to go outside because he drank too much, some of his has been prayer, some of it has been for worrying (then I remember that God's got whatever I am worrying about, some of it has been excitement over getting a new Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 4G tablet, and some of it has been--I cannot get this book out of my mind.

Well, my distraction today has been a lack of sleep. Again. 

I just had to take a two hour nap so I can function, let alone write. (I keep wondering if God is trying to prepare my husband and I for when we have  a baby one day--at our ages!) 

So... How do I get caught up after missing four hours of writing? (2 hours were spent trying to battle it out and failing.) I start to write like a madwoman. I do so free writing and essentially write like I do for NaNoWriMo. 

Aye. I am STILL so sleepy! 

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Writing Etc. Etc. Etc.: Dream Writing: A Writing Prompt



Writers,

WRITING PROMPT
If you could write the perfect, ideal, closest book to your heart, what would it be?
Take some time to write about this in your writing notebook or journal. 
Be specific.
Dream big.
Take several days to write what the perfect writing piece/book would be. Use your imagination. Be creative. Be daring.

AFTERWARD/APPLICATION/DO IT
Then, write the book. This is what you are supposed to be writing. Are you?

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online )

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


Recommended Authors or Genre Specific Resources



This is a blog roll list of blogs and authors that I read. I will update it from time to time.

*** Note: If you have a suggestion for me to add, please email me or attach a comment at the end of this blog post. ***

American Patriots Series
http://americanpatriotseries.blogspot.com/

Colonial Quills (Historical Fiction)
http://colonialquills.blogspot.com/

Love Inspired Authors
http://www.loveinspiredauthors.com/

Tracie Peterson
http://www.traciepeterson.com/

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online)



Recommended Writing Resources



Every now and then, I am going to put together a list for you of sites I recommend to help you/us write fiction novels, no matter the genre.

*** Note: If you have any suggestions, attach a comment at the end of this blog post or send me an email. I would love to add any suggestions you might have. ***

ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers)

Kristen Lamb's Blog

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

Seriously Write

Writer Unboxed

Writing 4 Success

(Clipart/Photo Credit: Micorsoft Images Online)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


Writing Etc. Etc. Etc.: Blog Posts for Writers



Welcome to a blog post series, which will be never-ending, for the craft and art of writing.

I realize the phrase, "Etc. Etc. Etc." is redundant. However, this comes from my childhood and how I wrote a book called, Etc. Etc. Etc. This phrase now signifies to me anything regarding writing. Hence, this is a Writer's Corner. A Writing Page. Writing Advice. Writing Tips. Writing Thoughts. Writing Prompts. Writing Tidbits. Writing Suggestions. A Writing How-To. 

So, you see, Writing Etc. Etc. Etc. fits now--just like it did almost three decades ago. 

Are you a writer? Look for the "Writing Etc. Etc. Etc." in the labels, or put it in the search field on this blog, and find the rest of the blog posts in the series. This is the second blog post in the series. In time, I will turn these into a book so they are easier to read and find. I will put the book in my store.

I ask again, are you a writer? Do you want to be?

If you are, or dream of being, welcome.

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


My Writing Story: I'm a Woman Ahead of Her Time



I have been writing fiction for well over three decades. When I was a girl, it was my dream to be a writer. I even won an award and had my writing published in the "Rocky Mountain News" when I was a girl. The only problem was, I did not know how to voice it. Then, later I learned how rare it was for a writer to get published, so I decided to find a career so I could eat and pay rent. 

Then, in 2002, I determined to start to pursue the opportunity of writing full time. I decided to write and get published so I could support myself--and eat and pay the rent. 

I wrote several full-length novels. None of them felt right to me or like they were ready to be published. So, I did not pursue it. I wrote every day, but did not get in the position where I could support myself with writing. In 2006, I even started to go to writers conferences (Christian Writers Guild/Writing for the Soul and Write His Answer). 

In 2009, I stopped working full-time so I could write full-time, thanks to my husband. 

I have written well over 100 full-length novels. (I am not kidding.) However, not one of them have been published. Most of them were not the right novels to pursue and have published. IT did not feel right and I could not imagine spending years with them. And those I pursued, and presented at Writers Conferences, were meant with the exact same critique. All 5 times. I am years ahead of the Christian writing market. They were sure if I wanted to present it to the ABA, I would be published. However, I wanted to go the CBA route--the Christian route. 

Then, one year, after presenting three books of the same criticism to a publisher year after year, he was frank with me. He told me to self-publish. That was in the day that was frowned upon. He suggested I do this and wait for the Christian writing/publishing community to catch up to my writing. So, that is what I have done. 

Now, with that being said, I tried to write even more books. I tried multiple genres. None of them felt right to me. 

Then, I moved to Virginia, fell in love with the history here, and decided to look again at historical fiction. It fit somehow.

Then, I found out about my family treez and how my family came from this area in 1607. This was the final piece of the puzzle as to figuring out what genre to write. 

I even thought it worked so well, and felt so right, that I should try to go the publishing idea through the CBA. I experimented and tried to get my books to fit into their guidelines. Again, I realize I am a writer ahead of my time. I have tried multiple approached for the family treez American inspirational historical fiction and none of them have fit until today. I am bucking the system. I will self-publish and will develop a platform in time large enough that it will not matter if the CBA catches up with me--or I am doing well enough on my own it does not matter. 

How am I ahead of my time and the market today? How many 600-page inspirational historical fiction books have you read? Case and point. There is a need in mainstream publishing for the historical fiction like I am writing. Need I mention Ken Follet, Philippa Gregory, John Jakes, Jeff Shaara, Herman Wouk, and Newt Gingrich? They are all proof that this lengthy saga or epic of historical fiction sells. 

Never mind how it is about my family. 

I am going to pursue this with everything I have. I believe in what I am writing--and have determined to write THE FAMILY TREEZ OF THE USA SERIES until I am so old I can longer type.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com


Download Book 1



I decided to download the latest version of:

ROANOKE 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1

I am too excited not to share it with you. 

Total Word Count: 7006 of 210000.

I will download the latest again on Friday at the latest.

Enjoy and Blessings,


Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA



The Writing of Roanoke 1584-1590 (News and Info)



Status of Roanoke 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1: 
Writing. (Not planning, plotting, editing, or final publishing.)
Word Count: 6665 of 210,000 words (I started writing this book on 17 September 2012, Monday.)
Word Count Goal for 19 Sep. 2012: 5000 words
So, I am ahead with my writing. So far. (Whew.)

The Writing of This Book
There is something magical about going to a time different than our own. I do not care if it is time-traveling to the past or future. It is a different era and that brings a touch of imagination. Writing ROANOKE 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1 is magical as well. But, it is also mind-boggling.
When I think that I am writing about actual family, it is pretty difficult to fully grasp. It makes the history take on a deeper meaning.
Then, to think of my patriotism and love of the United states of America, then add this lens of family history, and I am even more patriotic. I was patriotic before I learned about my family. Quite, actually. But, add the family dimension and it has grown a million-fold. 
I cannot look at anything in this country without feeling even more passionate than previously.
Writing this book has kindled even more of a passion for this great nation.
It has also added to a passion of history. I still cannot believe how little of a passion I had for history prior to moving here to Virginia. History was always my weakest subjects in school. My father sure tried to make me informed, though. He was successful in that endeavor. I learned far more about history from him than I did in all my 20 years of schooling combined. But, it was here in Virginia, in July 2011 that kindled my passion for U.S. history. To walk where America was founded, here in this part of Virginia, is humbling. Mind-boggling. Remarkable. Touching. Meaningful. To know that just up the street, so to speak, was where Cornwallis had Gates surrender to George Washington in the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War... To think that, sure, there were smaller battles after that for the next couple of years, but it was at Yorktown that we turned the tide of the war, is amazing. And, I had a family member who was a Colonel who was there at the surrender--at Surrender Field... It blows me away.
Therefore, knowing about my family history makes me more passionate about, well, all of it--and surely writing about it.
I have always loved to play the "Imagine Game," where I imagine what it was like to be these historical figures, doing what they did, at the time they did, and what they experienced, thought, and felt. Writing this book on Roanoke is no different. Except, it is personal as well as part of my patriotic act.
I want to write my family's story to help all of us learn about the true history of the United States of America, without even realizing it. That is my goal for this series. 
Can you imagine? I am sure trying. Hence, I write. 

Can You Imagine?
The story I am writing about Roanoke is about what happened before, during, and after the voyages to Roanoke. It's about the colony that was not lost and the colony that was. I am trying, and will try, to delve far more than any other book, about what it was like to be those who planned for the establishment of the first permanent English colony in North America--and what they went through with the great expectations before going to Roanoke, then finding out about the troubles of the colony, and not being able to get to the colony for three years. Then, when they got there, they discovered the colony was lost. There was no trace of them. Then, because of a storm, having to leave before you can do more of a search... Can you imagine? 
That is what this book is about.
It is the story of three men who dreamed of Roanoke, their families, and the temporarily lost dream. It's about how they got out of bed, and continuing with life, in the morning knowing about the lost colony. 
Can you imagine? I am sure trying. Hence, I write. 
And, what a story it is to tell!

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com


News about Roanoke 1584-1590: Download



I have downloaded this book to my Smashwords store below:

"Roanoke 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1"

You can download it for FREE in pretty much any format you desire. Just click on the link below that says BOOKSTORE. 

There is a reason it is free. It's just like everything else that is free. Free actually costs you something. This is no different; I will not deny. It is free because it is ROUGH. Quite rough. This is the first draft of the book. If you can read it for content and not quality, then I hope you enjoy the story.

I will download the latest copy once a week, on Friday usually, and will let you know when it is available for download on this blog.

Enjoy!


Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA



My Journal



My Journal is my remembrance and my collection.
It is my closest confidant (apart from God and hubby/best friend).
My journal walks with me down paths no one else, but God, dare tread. 
It is my collection of everything life related--that I find important in the moment.
It is my memory.
It is how I process.
It is my writer's notebook.
It's where I do this thing called life.
It is where I keep record of each writing project, and bit of writing, I have ever done.
My journal is there when no one else is and can be trusted more than anyone else.
It is a daily partner.
It takes my yuck and does not hold it against me.
It allows me to be, well, me.
My journal is--me.
It is where I contemplate and ponder.
My journal is my conversation with the Lord.
It is my prayer journal.
It is my travel journal.
My journal is my reflections.
It is where I put my problems.
It is where I let things go.
My journal is where I transform pain and make it useful to me.
It is where I grow.
It is where I put my favorites. 
It is where I throw up on paper.
My journal has helped shape who I am.
It is my extension of my relationship with God. 

Where would I be without my journal? I shudder to think.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer
The Family Treez of the USA Series
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Blessings



How many blessings are you counting today?

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer of:
Inspirational American Historical Ancestry Fiction
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA


Writing Etc. Etc. Etc.: It's NaNoWriMo Planning Time




NaNoWriMo

I am planning on doing NaNoWriMo again this year, for the forth year in a row.
NaNoWriMo = National Novel Writing Month, by the way.
I use NaNoWriMo as a fun challenge for me to see if I can push it and get more done than normal, along with people all across the world. It is a wonderful way to close the year--as I stretch myself to do more than I have all year. Never mind how much I love the chats with other NaNo writers and
We are halfway through September and that means, we have 44 days until NaNoWriMo--including today.
Have you always wanted to write a novel?
NaNoWriMo is your chance.
If you are a fellow NaNo writer already, let me know. I would love to be in contact with you. If you are new to the NaNo thing, contact me as well. We are all in this together!
NaNoWriMo is in 45 days. Gulp. So, you know what time it is? It is time to:
1. Get signed-up for it here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and note. It is too early to put any of your novel information in the site. Just get familiar with it and be ready for it. On November 1st, you can put in all of your information. I will write instructions when the time is at hand.
2. Start planning what you are going to write. Are you going to start something new--or add 50,000 words to your project you are already working on?

(Photo Credit: Microsoft Image Online)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer of:
Inspirational American Historical Ancestry Romance Fiction
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com

Monday, September 17, 2012

Banner for Roanoke 1584-1590: The Family Treez of the USA Series, Book 1

Here is another banner:



Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer of:
Inspirational American Historical Ancestry Fiction
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com

My new banner



This is my new banner I will use from time to time, particularly with NaNoWriMo.
 (Image Credit: Stacy Duplease 17 September 2012.)
Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer of:
Inspirational American Historical Ancestry Fiction
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com



Etc. Etc. Etc.: Other Random Thoughts



* I am craving pumpkin. It must be the time of year.
 
* Today, I went to make my yearly: buy-new-clothes-since-you-have-some-clothes-a-decade-old shopping run. I try to do this every fall and spring. Today was my chance. I love Kohl's. What amazes me every year is how my tastes change. Granted, I can only buy what colors they have, but I did not anticipate liking Fall colors: dark orange (paprika), brown, green, dark purple, browns. It makes me sound like a 70's child. (Oh, wait. I am!)

* Also, I am used to being able to easily find long-sleeved tops at this time of year. I am a Colorado girl, after all. I have been on the hunt for weeks now. I finally found the ones I got at Kohl's. I've gotten the same brand and style shirt three years in a row now. (I love them.)
 
* I also had to buy a new bag large enough to carry my new Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch device. Granted, it will not get here until the end of November or beginning of December, but I still need to prepare, you know. (Hah!) The bag, also came from Kohl's. This is the only place I buy purses/bags. I love the RELIC line. They last forever. I am too cheap to buy FOSSIL. But, I want the bag to last. The bag, granted, looks less 70's than my new tops. It has some blue thrown in. Whew. But, it has all of the colors of the shirts I listed above.
 
* Is it after Thanksgiving yet? I am sorry. I am impatient and want my new Kindle HD. Sigh.
 
* I am on a hunt to find sugar free pumpkin syrup to add to my coffee. Hopefully that will be found sooner rather than later.
 
* I am re-reading the North and South Trilogy by John Jakes. (Love it!) He is, after all, the one I hope to write like, except in my own quirky and corny way. (Also, Herman Wouk and his WINDS OF WAR and WAR AND REMEMBRANCE, but of a different time-frame.)
 
* I guess I have babbled long enough and need to get writing.
 
Talk to you later.
 (Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)
 
Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer of:
Inspirational American Historical Ancestry Romance Fiction
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com



Why is it?


Why is it I get new ideas and visions in the middle of the night--where I am having to get up hours earlier than normal to make an airport run?
 
I'm just saying...
 
Ideas just come. They cannot be stopped. And, if you are sure it is God speaking to you, you do not look at the clock and tell him to get with you at a more convenient time, after all.
 
When God speaks, it is usually a good idea to listen and immediately respond. Starting with this blog post, I am doing precisely that. I am sure you will notice a slightly different blog now, along with a slightly different tone.
 
I have the clearest vision of my writing than I have ever had. I know what I must do now. There will be nothing to stop me. I will not get off course and will not change my books again. I have a plan for the next ten years. It is set in stone.
 
But, goodness, I am tired. I should sleep well after the Broncos Game tonight!
 (Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)
Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer of:
Inspirational American Historical Ancestry Romance Fiction
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com




My vision was too much

CONFESSIONS OF A EAGER AND CRAZY WRITERI have learned that I tend to get overly eager when I am excited to learn new things about my family treez.
 
How many people can say they have been here since 1607? And be able to trace it? And, what about multiple family members?
 
Am I bragging? No. Not at all. Every family, mine included, has made their fair share of mistakes. It's how we learn from them that I celebrate. We have lessons we can learn secondhand so we do not need to be doomed to repeat those historical lessons. Never mind how excited it makes me about this great nation--thanks to my family. And, I was already excited to be an American. What a way to learn the history of our country--than through the historical fiction of a real American family?
 
It's how we have been here since 1607 in Jamestown, and even through the Mayflower, that gets me excited. Never mind how I have at least 100 family members who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Never mind all the other wars in which America has fought.
 
It's this excitement that gets me into trouble. A lot of it. Heaps. Loads.
 
I wanted to write a series on: Jamestown, Plymouth, the American Revolutionary War,  the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, and World War II, never mind the stories of the several dozens of my family members who were beheaded or executed at the Tower of London. I wanted to write a book of each, then repeat to the second book of each series.
 
I realized that I made a mountain of not just a mole hill, but a 16'er. We do not have any sixteener mountains on earth, and that was what I started to create for myself. (Not good.)  If I would do the research required to do so, it would take me forever and that would mean less writing. That just is not acceptable. I think I have a responsibility as an author to write as much as possible for you, so you do not have to wait too long between books.
 
I also realized the best books for me to write are the phonebook-sized books. Again, it's to give you, the reader, the most bang for your reading delight and pleasure. After all, why do I write? To tell a tale? Who do I tell the tale to? YOU! Hence, you are very important to me.
 
Therefore, here is my new commitment.
 
I am stopping the book I have started to write. That will be part of the new Book 2 of this series.
 
THE FAMILY TREEZ OF THE USA SERIES starts in 1584. So, I am going to start there and write my books from 1584 to the present or so. They will be in order. It will be my lifetime commitment to you. I am in my late-thirties and hope to write about three books of 600 pages each per year--until I am too old to type.
 
Book 1 is now: ROANOKE: 1584-1590.
Book 2 will be: JAMESTOWN: 1607-????.
 
The series will focus on the saga of my family and their lives: marriages, war, faith, children, heartbreak, disaster, and living this thing called life.
 
I am starting to write this new book today and will write 2500 words per day, 5 days a week, and including vacation, I will have it finished around 29th of January 2013. I have to stick with this now. Period. After all, I am going to a writer's conference in February, the Writing for the Soul Conference in Colorado Springs, and MUST have this book to present. I will also have to edit as I go so I can have it ready.
 
The good news is you will be given a lot more to read for free! I will publish a new FREE copy every week, starting this Friday.
 
I have family who went to Roanoke and planned the venture, so I wanted to share their tale... And will answer a lot of what-if questions in a story. I hope you enjoy.
 
Again, the old book 1 will now become part of the new Book 2.
 
Welcome to ROANOKE: 1584-1590.
 
(Image credit: Microsoft Clipart Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Writer of:
Inspirational American Historical Ancestry Romance Fiction
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez USA
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezusa.blogspot.com