And welcome to 2012, err 2013

A new year!
And the novel engine marches on.
I’m… maybe a week out from being finished with the first draft of my YA Romance book. Its sitting right about 108K. The manuscript scheduled to hit 120K by the time I type “The End”. I know the word count is far and above what most upstart YA writers do, but I’m expecting to cut about 20K out by the time I’ve edit it and another 20k will come out by the time it’s published. Talking with friends, they say larger books are becoming more expected in the YA genre. I hold on to the worry; I don’t believe a publisher would buy an oversized book of an unproven author. The cost of materials aren’t cheap. I keep going back and forth on it in my head.
Even as ‘Oil and Water’ goes onto a shelf to marinate, I have a stack of ideas that want to be written, and I need to start looking over the manuscript ‘Devil n’ Jack’. All these things fight for my writing time, I’m grumpy that I can’t give them all a slice! Ah well.

In other news I’ve started laying the groundwork for a podcast for AoA Publishing, I’ve got the first few hours of recordings done! Now I need to go through and review raw recording so I can edit it into a 30 minute file people would want to listen to. It should be ready for download in about a month.

The other day I got an itch to make a top 10 page of things l like. I wanted to have it done before writing my blog, but it’s been a lot of work so far.  Formatting and thinking through everything I’d ever seen/read/listen to take a lot more time than you’d think. Once I have a bit more done I’ll let others take a good look. 
I was walking by a box of bagels today, and while it might seem like the most news worthy thing in my life, I bring it up because of the logo on the side. It confused the hell out of me.

 Blazing Bagels
“Best Bagels East of New York”

When I saw it, the first thing I thought was; “What kind of company would say: ‘If you go here, you can find better bagels than us!’”
Company ideas that come to mind:

Second Best Pillow Company

We we’ll save your neck, but that shoulder is still going to hurt like hell.

 OR

Pittsburgh Cheesesteak

Not quite Philly, but it’s good!

Oh list goes on and becomes ever more inappropriate as I think about it. Maybe a post for my other blog. :)
Then a second thought came to me; I realized in that moment, I live on the West Coast… Now, I know we live in a global market. But this seems a little off, it’s a long way east for New York to Seattle. Do they only distribute east in an attempt to compete directly with New York for Bagel supremacy?
Ah well…

What I’m reading:
Started book three of Ice and Fire! Woo! It’s a damn thick book for sure!

Violence: A Writer’s Guide by Rory Miller – An author I’ve become friends with after a night of drinking with him.  That night, I learned I’m not worthy when it comes to wring violence. So after my editor (who was also there for drinks) bought me his first book I sat down and read it cover to cover in like 3 hours. And a few weeks later I’m reading it a second time sopping up all the information I can for Dinatech book 3.  The formatting of the book needs work. But the content is worth more than gold if you are looking to write violence in a story. I hope to help Rory with formatting for his next book.

What I’m listening to:
Cray Button by Family Force 5 – I’m getting into a lot of dance music. It might be time to breakout the polyester pants, big collared shirts, and platform shoes… and burn them on my way to the club. This was a song I hear over a year ago and didn’t really think much of it at the time. Now I’m all up in that. -_-

Express Yourself by Labrinth – Another dance song and part of the Windows 8 ads. I enjoyed it enough to buy it. What can say for myself? NOTHING sometimes I have no taste.
Last time I left you with a music video and I’m going to do that again.
 Personally, I’m in love with this video, I’d liked the song, but when put into context with what I’d call a short story, Taylor Swift may have made one of my favorite music videos.

Next time we talk, my manuscript will be done!
Robert