Tag Archives: writing

My day

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What a day! The time is 10:32 p.m. as I begin to write this, and I’m just now becoming coherent. It was a long day, waking up at 4:00 in the morning so I could make it to work. Why is it when I have to wake up that early, my body and my brain conspire against me and decide not to let me sleep? By the time I made it home, a little after 4:00 this afternoon, I had time for a quick snack, then I crashed. I didn’t wake up until 8:30.

Now that I’m awake, and I will be until God knows when, I guess I should try to do something a little productive. I posted my last review for The Ship, which I published last week, on Amazon and Goodreads. At least I got something accomplished. Now I need a new book to read.

I had been approached to do another review, but I’m still waiting to get a copy of the book. I’ve been waiting a month now. If I don’t get it, I’ll find another book next week. There are always authors wanting to get their books read and peer-reviewed, so that won’t be an issue. I’ve found several authors on Goodreads looking for reviewers. Maybe I’ll dedicate some time tomorrow to find someone new.

It’s getting late. I should try to work on my NaNoWriMo short story. I haven’t touched that in a week. Yikes! I need to get back to it. I seem to allow everything else in my life distract me from writing. I hope it gets better soon. If it continues to rain tomorrow, I should have not problem sitting down and typing out a decent word count for a change. I need to do that tonight.

Have a great night, and if you have a book in need of a reviewer, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My email is joe@joehinojosa.com. Catchy email, isn’t it? Hope to hear from you and good night!

On this holiday weekend…

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Happy 4th of July! Yes, in spite of the fact that I work at a retail store, on that is open today, I somehow managed to get the day off! I’m not going to complain. I’m elated to have a day to relax at home, spend some time with family, and just be an all out bum.

Actually, I did do a little work today. I cooked the obligatory holiday meal. I braised some ribs in the oven, though I lit the grill to cook out some chicken breasts and sausages. That, with coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and some avocado rounded out our small feast. I’m stuffed. I really want a nap.

Instead I’m writing. My story for NaNoWriMo is taking shape, though it is slowly doing so. I should be more diligent in writing, but I can’t. That’s why the low word goal. I may have to up the goal to 25K words, but I’ll decide that later, and I may do that for myself and leave the set goal at 10K. I’m not even sure I can change it.

On a more serious note, I want to take some time and do a quick Public Service Announcement. Please take care this 4th of July weekend. Remember that traffic with be heavier than usual, so please, please, please keep an eye out for other drivers, and please don’t drink and drive.

The reason I bring this up, last night I went to Plainview to grab a few things from Walmart. As I drove home, I passed a horrifying scene on the access road to I-27. At the on ramp, I saw two vehicles that had been in a front-end collision. I could not count the number of first responders on the scene, but the flashing lights only hinted at the severity of the accident.

A hospital helicopter landed moments before I passed the scene, undoubtedly to fly the more severely injured to Lubbock. Helpless in the situation, all I could do was say a quick prayer for the victims of the crash, and selfishly hope that I didn’t know the victims of the car crash. My prayers were answered, sort of.

I found out later last night that one person had been pronounced dead at the scene. This morning I found out that the deceased was the older sister of a classmate of mine from high school. How do you process this? I’m glad I wasn’t affected but sorry you were? I felt my heart sink because someone I knew ages ago would be experiencing a terrible ordeal this holiday weekend.

So while I may have had a delicious meal this evening, and while I may have spent the time with family, I know of at least on family impacted by a devastating event. I’m sure scores of others with share in the misfortune before this weekend is over.

Please take care while having fun. Spend time with family and friends. Shoot off fireworks and illuminate the night sky. Most of all, just be safe.

Impossible standards

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Welcome to day 2 of Camp NaNoWriMo! How are you doing? I’m up to 1023 words, though I have yet to write today. I plan to write a bit after I’m done with my brief update.

I’m not far enough in to make any judgments, but It’s hard not to be judgmental about my own writing. It’s CRAP!!! Okay, probably not, but what I find so damn frustrating about writing is having a clear idea of what I want to say and then failing to do so. Again, I haven’t written enough to feel that way, but I already do, of course. Am I alone in feeling this way?

I’m overreacting. I should let go and let the story evolve as it will, but I can’t. I want it to be the way I mean it to be! Also, I want to write a perfect copy, one that needs no proofreading or editing. Perhaps another sign of my lunacy?

By the time I write my final line, I’m sure I’ll be simultaneously elated and horrified by the results of my labor. I’ll feel pride that I wrote this particular work while feeling ashamed that I haven’t lived up to my impossible standards. Surly, you understand. It’ll be fine. I just have to remember to type away and worry about cleaning up my writing once I’m done.

Before I get off for the night, I just want to add that I finished The Ship, by Allan Krummenacker, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you. I urge you to check out my review for The Bridge, before my next review goes live on Monday.

Camp NaNo is about to begin

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2014-Participant-Twitter-Header-2Camp NaNoWriMo opens up in about 12 hours and I’ll admit to feeling some apprehension. I’m not going to pretend that apprehension is a bad thing. No, I believe it will be a good motivator to prove to myself that I can still do some significant writing. I really hate to fail.

I started participating back in November of 2011 and I killed it. I’ve participated every year since then, and I’ve won every time, if for no other reason than to say I did. I haven’t been as fortunate with Camp NaNo. I’ve tried only a couple of times, failing miserably with my goals. This time around, I have set a modest goal of ten-thousand words. That’s doable, right?

I think it is. If I can’t even do that, how can I claim to be a writer? I know I can do 50-60K in a month, so I’m certain I’ll surpass my goal. I’m not planning on writing a novel, but we will see as we go along. I’m looking at a short story about a woman whose cheating husband is facing death, and her prospects for true love after two decades of neglect.

I have things to say about fidelity and faithlessness, of betrayals and pain, but mostly of reconciling one’s self with the past. I hope to talk about forgiving the unfaithful partner as well as forgiving yourself.

It’s probably too ambitious for a short story, but I’m not dead set on keeping it so short. It’ll be as long as it needs to be to fulfill my objective, thought I don’t see it going past 25K. Again, we will see how it goes.\

That’s enough out of me for now. I’ll let you know how it goes. For those of you who are joining me, good luck! See you on the other side!

 

Camp Nano – 2 days until it begins

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I didn’t mean to do it, but I signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo. Great plan! I don’t have a computer yet, so let’s sign up to write something. Brilliant! Fantastic! What the hell am I thinking!!!!!

Okay, it’s not really that bad. My goal is a very modest 10K words, a short story that has been brewing in my mind for several months. I want to write it down and get it out of my head. Really, it’s a simple exercise to get my brain focused on writing again. I’ve let my dream fall to the wayside this year. Shame on me.

I need a writing goal to motivate me again, something before the main event in November. I haven’t mentioned it in a long time, but I would like to be back in the DFW area by the time November hits. That’s been my goal every year since I came back to my hometown almost 2 years ago. I’ve accomplished a life goal in earing my degree, and I’m about done on my most recent personal goal. I think it’s time to look towards the future and make plans to get on with my life.

Which is a scary thing, if you ask me. Things in my life aren’t great, but they are stable. I desire a stable life, but not like this. I want more out of my life, and the only way to earn it is to upset my stability for the hope of something better. It’ll be a calculated risk, but one we all have to do on occasion to grow and to progress in life.

My truck is almost done. It’s insured now, and I lack a few minor repairs before I take it to get inspected. I should start working on my resume and begin to actively look for jobs again. I had considered going back to school to get my teaching certificate, but the longer I thought about it, the more I became convinced teaching  would be a mistake, at least for me.

So I’m a man with a degree and not much else, trying to find his way through life. Looking at my successes and my failures, the business world is not a good fit for me, but I have to ask, what is? Is writing my future? I’m not convinced I really have a talent for writing.

Nevertheless, my short-term goal is to write a short story next month, and to polish my resume. By the end of the year, I want to have a real job, my own place where I can live, and write, in peace. I don’t know what will happen, but I think it’s time to get my life back on track.

I guess only time will tell…