Bacon! or Why I'm Not a Vegetarian

When my husband suggested we take a completely unplanned weekend trip to Asheville, NC, I thought about all of the work I had to do for about two minutes, then I came to my senses and started packing.

Saturday morning, we ate breakfast at Tupelo Honey Cafe. They open at 9 - which I thought was very weird for a place that serves breakfast, but my husband's response was, "It's Asheville." We spoke to the host at 9:12 and were seated at the last open table. The next couple who walked in were given an estimated 25 minute wait. Man, were we glad we had change ready to feed the parking meter and got in Tupelo's door before those guys!

Service was fast and friendly. Our coffees were delivered with 2 GIANT biscuits and homemade blueberry jam - and of course, Tupelo honey. Had this been a normal Saturday morning and not a vacation Saturday morning, the biscuits and jam would have made a great breakfast. But it was vacation, so we ordered the Sweet Potato Pancake (which was ginormous) - fabulously seasoned with cinnamon and topped with the perfect amount of pecans and powdered sugar; and the Country Breakfast - for which I only have three words - Maple Peppered Bacon. Sure it came with 2 eggs (I assume they were good since my husband didn't share) and Goat Cheese Grits (very creamy) but the bacon was off the charts - even ranking off the normal bacon chart.

Granted, the photo is mostly of the pancake, but by the time the blog-worthiness of the bacon crossed my mind, there was no more bacon to photograph. And I promise, I only ate a quarter of this pancake.

If you ever visit Asheville, check out Tupelo Honey Cafe on College Street. But get there early - or, early by Asheville standards. :-)
 

More Great News!

Double Trick won FIRST PLACE in the Lone Star! And.... all three final judges requested more!

Fun fact - my La La sister Jaye Garland (007) called me with the results right after the announcements and I happened to be at a First Coast Romance Writers board meeting (the snacking portion of the meeting) so I was surrounded by friends. Best way to start a budget meeting ever. Just sayin'. 

Just a few days prior, I learned that Double Trick was also a finalist in the Beacon - FCRW's annual contest. I am so freaking excited about all of the good things that are happening right now. 

It's hard to balance riding the wave of woots! with the responsibility of the work (and, um, my day job), but I'm getting my fair share of tough love. Alyssa Day, Lena Diaz, Valerie Bowman, Madeline Martin, and Sheila Athens keep me accountable.
I am so thankful for all of my writing sisters. :-)

Ava

Double Trick = Double WOOT!

What is a WOOT!, anyway? It's a shout of joy, a more civilized form of SQUEE!

Double Trick was named a FINALIST for the 2012 Northwest Houston RWA's LONE STAR contest!

My La La La sister Jaye Garland (aka 007, the reasons of which will not be divulged here) is a member of NWH and she called last Sunday to share to wonderful news - but I had to keep it under wraps for a little while. Now I'm free to spread the news and SQUEE from the rooftops!

I mean, WOOT!

Happy Writing,

Ava

Great Things...

Double Trick is a WINNER!

Thank you so much to the coordinators and judges of Valley Forge Romance Writers. I am so proud to call the Sheila my first WIN!

Now I'm polishing the manuscript to make it super shiny for the editors who have requested it!

(Yes, I think this news is worthy of all the exclamation points)

Also, check out this cool logo designed by Julia Williams (found her on Etsy - JWilliams creative). I love, love, love it!


Break's over - back to revising :-)

Happy Writing -
Ava

WOOT!

My work in progress, Double Trick, is on the contest circuit and I just learned that it's a Finalist in the Vally Forge Sheila!

I received great feedback from the first round judges and am now revising before it goes to the final round judge / editor at Berkley. So exciting!

I choose which contests I'm going to enter based on final round judges and contest reputation. Coming up are The Maggies, The Lone Star, and The Golden Pen.

Wish me luck!

Research...

Just got back from a long weekend in the Great Smoky Mountains. Quick rundown of happenings:

• Unintentionally hiked 5 miles through Athens, GA, looking for a Jittery Joe's.  Afterward, my husband named my new GPS "Maddie", in honor of Madeline Martin. 
• Zip Line tour - AWESOME. Loved every minute. 
• Rented a nice little cabin and explored the Gatlinburg area.
• Drove 15 miles to find a Starbucks. Luckily, they were open. And luckily, we had the foresight to be in the car that time. 
• Ate some pancakes. 
• Beat my husband in 4 rounds of mini golf, by a total of 8 points. He hammered me on 1 round. We tied twice. Not that we're competitive or anything. 
• Ate some pancakes.
• Watched a couple of bears eating leaves out of a tree about thirty feet above the road. 
• Hiked 3 hours over steep grade and a bunch of rocks. AWESOME. Loved every minute. Even Scott said he only thought about being on his bike twice, but the thoughts were fleeting. 
• While on the hike, ran into a guy who was trying to convince his girlfriend he was Survivor Man. "If you're ever lost in the woods. what you find under a rock may or may not help you." Uh, thanks?
• Slept really, really well.
• Ate some pancakes. Seriously, Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge is like the pancake capital of the world. 

Mama and Baby Bear
(Mama is in the tree on the right)

Moving On....

I did it.

I sent my last submission of Dark Water last night. I've entered the manuscript in contests, exchanged with critique partners, revised, revised, revised, and queried agents and editors. I've gotten great feedback, but where it counts, I've been told that it's just not quite right for the market. From this point on, it's all about new stuff.

Writing is kind of like being on one of those climbing walls. Sometimes it's tough to find the right hand-hold. Sometimes you have to sweat and struggle to just not fall off, even though every part of you is shaking with effort. But you always have to LET GO and reach for the next thing or you'll never get to the top.

I bought myself a new white board yesterday and wrote my goals so I could see it and ask myself, "What have you done TODAY to meet these goals?" 

Keep your eyes on the prize!

Happy writing,

Ava

Props to the Honey Badger

A few things about my friend Madeline Martin (author of fabulous Scottish Highlander romances):

• She's absolutely beautiful and stylish, but it's nicely balanced by her clumsiness and self-deprecating humor;
• She's quick to offer a smile and encouragement, even when she's probably thinking, "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard."
• She balances her virtual Red Pen critiques with :-) and LoLs, so I feel like my manuscript is happy to be bleeding to death;
• She points out major details missed in a scene... because I've gotten distracted by the hot hero;
• All those wildly inappropriate thoughts that jump into my head? I can say them to Madeline, because she's thinking them, too;
• She gives "creative" driving directions after an evening of celebration (still better than Siri, in my opinion);
• She's up for almost any adventure;
• She writes a fabulous blog : www.madelinemartin.com.  Not every day you find a site that discusses the historical significance of penis enlargement AND beheading, right?
• And finally - She's my Mud Run Buddy - Team Dirty Writers AKA Team Honey Badger and Combat Barbie AKA Team Spider Monkey and Baby Bear.

OK - that last one was a sneaky segue. 2012 MS Society Muck Ruckus is coming soon - check back for photos!

Want to sponsor Team Dirty Writers?
Click here to make a donation.

:-)

Ava

Moonlight in the Garden of.... Decatur

October brings Moonlight & Magnolias, a weekend writers' conference sponsored by Georgia Romance Writers. Fabulous, as always! Sally Kilpatrick, Anna Stefl and all of the volunteers who devoted much sweat and tears (maybe blood, but I didn't hear any stories of that) absolutely ROCKED. Editor and Agent appointments went well, inspiring me to work on the series that's been a little nugget in my mind for the last year or so.

It was great to spend a weekend immersed in writing, and to catch up on some much-needed Girl Time. My La La La sisters codenamed Honey Badger, Wicked Awesome and Wild Thang were a balm to my Muse. :-)

Also, huge congrats to my FCRW Chaptermates Heather Nickodem and Vanessa Kelly on their shiny new MAGGIE AWARDS!

NaNoWriMo is just around the corner - jump in and WRITE!

Ava

Eyes Bigger Than Your Belly

Have you ever been to a buffet, inhaled the scents, eyes darting from selection to selection, mouth watering from the mere thought of succulant meat or perfectly-seasoned veggies or bread - glorious bread! - sitting on your tongue? Then you picked up on oversized plate and filled it with a little bit of each of the buffet's offerings, started your meal with the gooey baked mac and cheese, but before your plate was half empty, you realized you couldn't eat another bite? Not even dessert?

Me too.

Follow the metaphor - January is a time when goals are set and we're gung ho about meeting them, out of the gate running. For me, the first part of the year is also the time my clients require more of my attention (the IRS is picky about its deadlines!) and I make plans for athletic endeavors. Like a triathlon April 16, one day after tax day, 12 days after the 90 Day Challenge wraps up.

Not a single one of the tasks on my goal list required an hour or two before I could call it complete. They all required weeks, months even, of attention, training, and discipline. Some things fell through the cracks...

So, back on the wagon for me. I owe someone pages for tomorrow. Better get to it.

Have you stayed on track for your New Year's goals? Climb back on that horse, baby. Never give up.

Happy Writing!

Ava

Refilling the Well

We're 25 days into the 90 Day Writing Challenge and I have written 19K words on Big Dixie.

I think I fall more on the side of Pantsers vs Plotters, so the word count was a big surprise. But it also took my focus off the WRITING and shifted to simply stringing words together on a page. Essentially, I was over 70 pages into a 400 page novel and I had no idea where it was going, or more importantly, WHY it was going there.

So, accepting responsibility for my own career, my own manuscript, my own time, I freely admit, I chose not to write. For two days.

But I didn't abandon Big Dixie. I took the time away from my computer to figure out who my characters are and why they want what they want, and what's standing in their way (basics, yes, but hey, PANTSER here). I've figured out weaknesses of the scenes already written, so I know what I can toss and what I should keep. I've discovered how my Hero reacts the first time he meets my Heroine, and how to make that initial spark more of a zing.

I have not given up on the challenge. I'll write tonight, for at least 2 hours with the girls at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood. And I'll write tomorrow. But I don't want to write a 100K word manuscript simply to brag about the word count - I want the words to count. (See what I did there?)

Happy Writing (or Well-Filling, whatever the case may be)!

Ava

Hair Trauma and Why It's Good For Us

Last night's topic of discussion for the LaLaLa Sisters (fabulous group of fabulous writers) was hair and the embarrassments inflicted upon us by well-meaning mothers or sight-impaired beauticians.

After the Sears Perm Debacle (3rd grade - and really, the hair was only half the problem), the mullet (4th grade) and the nickname "Tilted Head" (5th grade), my mom pretty much let me do what I wanted with my hair as long as it wasn't hanging in my face.

It may not sound like much. I mean, we all have a bad hair cut at least once in our lives, but you must understand that THIS 3rd/5th grader was very image conscious (because she was already into boys) and it didn't help that my mother - dear, sweet Mother - laughed about the perm EVEN THEN. We still can't talk about it over meals.

I think hair trauma builds character. In real life, it teaches us that pride has no place, and even if every one tells you you're the cutest child they've ever seen and compliments your lovely, chestnut brown hair, five minutes in Rose Anne's chair can nip that in the bud.

In fiction, it adds a sympathetic element to your characterization, a layer of insecurity or grit or compassion that takes hold and somehow alters their lives. For Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, bad hair is yet another external conflict to overcome. For Big Dixie's Kaylen Murphy, bad hair in middle school was just one more reason to hide behind her big brother and build a pattern she'd spend the rest of her life trying to break free of.

What life experiences are mirrored in your characters? Good or bad?

Happy Writing!

Ava  

Progress

I'm 17 days into the 90 Day Challenge, and I'm prod to say that I've written EVERY DAY since January 2. Yes, it's only 17 days, but I'm building the discipline of not waiting for my muse to tap me on the shoulder before I get off the couch and sit at my desk.

January is crazy for my day job - all of my clients have the same Jan 31 deadline, in addition to the normal weekly business. I generally work from 6 am to 9 pm, stopping to eat (when I remember) and speak to my husband when he walks in the door. Not this year.

The first thought in my head in the morning for the first week was this: When Mr. Ava Milone leaves for work, I'm going to get one more hour of sleep.

The second thought in my head was: If I go back to sleep, my writing time is out the door. Then I have to write on my calendar, "Today I chose not to write." Ick.

Two hours, on a timer, every morning. If I miss it in the morning, I make time in the evening, after dinner. Weekends included. And 17 days into the challenge, I've got over 15000 words of my first draft.

Progress. It's a good thing.

How are your 2011 goals shaping up?

Happy Writing!

Ava

Math

My goal for today is to set my goals for 2011. Not just set them, but break them down into daily / weekly / monthly goals so I can nibble away at them until they're done rather than staring at an overwhelming project.

I want to finish Big Dixie by the time I go to Nationals at the end of June. That means I need to complete draft one, The Discovery Draft (a much nicer name than others may give it), by the end of April. I write Single Title, so I need 80-100K words. That's in the range of 350 to 400 pages. I've written page ONE. (Speaking of nibble...)

Starting January 2, I am participating in Kelly L. Stone's 90 Day Writing Challenge. Set a daily goal, do it for 90 days straight. Build a habit. Finish a book.

Simple math, write 1000 words a day and you've got 90K words when it's finished. Hmmm. Ever sit down to write and stare at a blinking cursor for an hour or so? Because some days the well has run dry and others, my cup runneth over, I'm setting 10 day goals, word count-wise. My daily goal will be based on a clock.

90 Day Writing Challenge Goals:

Devote 2 hours every day to writing (research, learning craft, or actual writing).
Every 10 days, I will have 10,000 new words on virtual paper. 
I will make this a daily priority, as my goals are not as important to any one else as they are to me.
If I fall short one day, I will get back into it the next day with renewed focus.

If you'd like to join the 90 Day Challenge, visit Kelly's website http://authorkellylstone.com/ or visit the 90 Day Writing Challenge on FaceBook.

Happy Writing!

Ava

Accountability

Early December for me is like the calm before the storm. It's time to evaluate and set goals for the upcoming year, because if I don't set my focus now, the craziness of my day job will overwhelm me January through April 15th. I'll grab whatever writing time I can and when I look back it will be like I was on one of those supermarket game shows where people just reach for anything and everything they can get their hands on, only to realize they've missed the prize.

I have a goal of finishing a manuscript between now and April 15th. Which means I also have the goal to START said manuscript sometime between now and April 15.

Two of my writing groups, the LaLaLa Sisters and the GIAMx5, are great for keeping each other on track. We're supposed to post our goals for next year and break them down into manageable, bite-sized daily / weekly / monthly goals. This is what I need to make things happen.... I will admit to being that kid who waited until Sunday night to tackle Monday morning's Science Fair project.

What are your goals for 2011? How do you stay focused?

Happy Writing!
Ava

Epiphany

In October, I attended Moonlight and Magnolias, a fabulous conference hosted by Georgia Romance Writers. Day 2 was a Michael Hauge workshop which changed the way I thought about my writing goals.

Publication is one of those far-of goals for a lot of writers, the thing we want more than anything else, to see our name (or pseudonym) in print on a book jacket on a shelf at the local B&N. Sitting down to WRITE the dang book is hard, but finishing the manuscript is only the beginning. The writer has to turn into a seller - a promoter of our work to garner the interest of an agent or editor, enticing them to say, "Yes. I want that."

Mr. Hauge posed this question, a fill in the blank. "I will do whatever it takes to sell my novel, just don't ask me to _________________."

It took me weeks to figure out the answer. It's not a matter of giving up time or devoting the energy to write, it's not even networking, which I'm decent at as long as I can take breaks to recharge. I'm nervous when it comes to pitching and querying, but I know that if I don't do it, no one else will do it for me, so logic says self-promotion is a given. What then?

During my third round of revisions on Dark Water, in the midst of a love scene, when I was contemplating a word choice, it hit me: I'll do whatever it takes to sell my novel, just don't ask me to disappoint my mother.

Huh. The thought was at once freeing and disconcerting - I am, after all, an adult, and have been for several years. As much as I'm worried about my mother accepting her daughter as a romance author who allows the occasional F-bomb to sneak in (with purpose, not just for shock value, mind you), it also forces me to recognize that I can't spend my life trying to live up to the expectations that I believe others have of me.

I'm sure my mother is proud (she calls me Ava sometimes now, which is not the name she and my father bestowed upon me), maybe not because she's a fan of what I write, but because she's a fan of ME.

I got an email from someone the other day and her signature line said, "Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."

Now it's your turn, fellow writers, to fill in the blank. "I will do whatever it takes to sell / finish / promote my novel, just don't ask me to ____________________."

Happy Writing!

Ava

Taking a Breather

The craziness of November is finally passed - GH entry has been sent and first round judging of the Unpublished Beacon is complete. NaNoWriMo is also finished, but my eyes were bigger than my calendar and I had to cut something. Dark Water was slower to revise than I anticipated, and I didn't want to start something new. I still haven't started Big Dixie (officially), but I have made progress on finishing Dark Water business.

I sent in my GH entry with days to spare, but had a minor coronary when my package dropped of the tracking grid. Now it's posted as received, so I can breathe easy and hope the first round judges are impressed. I've also written a query letter and sent it to an agent who requested a full at the Moonlight & Magnolias conference. One more agent and an editor to go to get the requests caught up, then on to general querying of other top-choice agents. Fingers crossed that I find a good fit.

I'm working on my 2011 goals now and hope to get them posted before the week's out.

Happy writing!

Ava

By the numbers...

Previously titled Dark Side of Overachievers (how is that going to fit on a book cover?), Dark Water has undergone quite a metamorphosis in the last 11 months. My completed draft #2 (officially, version #7) is streaming though the laser printer right now. Line edits are the order of the day. FINALLY.

My 447 page, 90,024 word original draft was pared down to a 435 page, 87,736 word draft #2. Do the math - I cut 12 pages and 2,288 words. That's nearly 2300 words of fluff that had to be weeded out. I’m sure there’s more to come. Or go.

My critique partner Madeline (see photo at right) sends my chapters back to me with overused words highlighted (AND and SAID are the usual culprits). In an effort to fix that before she sees anymore copy, I used Word to do a find and highlight of a list of watch words. Here's what I found right before I printed the hardcopy:

And - 2104 times
Said - 425 times
Look - 223 times
Turn - 131 times
Smile - 116 times
Brow - 72 times
Shrug - 42 times
Laugh - 50 times
Serpentine - 1 time, though it came to mind often while I was composing. Weird.

Another milestone reached, onward to the next one.

NaNoWriMo stared yesterday without me. Time to play catch up.

Happy Writing!

Ava

Welcome to the New & Improved AvaMilone.com!

Finally, it's possible to subscribe to posts - get them delivered directly to your inbox rather than dealing with the drudgery of typing words into the address bar! :-)

I've spent the last several days listening to the Conference CD from RWA Nationals in Orlando, 2010. Seems like now's the time to get on the blogging bandwagon (and I swear to keep posts below 1000 words!), and if all goes well, all this stuff will be linked together: Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, plus whatever else becomes the new Can't Live Without.

Also - I'm trying out the SocialVibe widget. <<----- It's on the left sidebar. If you click on it and take a few short surveys, money is donated to Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization that helps promote economic independence for disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a support network, and career development tools. Let me know what you think of it (the widget).  

Look forward to hearing from you!

Happy Writing -

Ava