NaNoWriMo is a No-No for Me

Today kicks off NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, a 30-day challenge to write a book – any kind of book, 50,000 words in length – during the month of November.

It sounds kind of crazy, but it’s actually genius because it is possible to write the first draft – we’re not talking final copy here, folks – of a novel - 50,000 words - in 30 days - if you’re driven enough to tap out the average 1,666 words required per day no matter the cost: lost sleep, missed work, an angry partner, unwashed children. You get it: this is hard work that takes sacrifice. But it can be done, and thousands of people do it every year.

I attempted this challenge a couple of times with great aspirations and elaborate plans. I didn’t get too far, and that’s not because I lost interest, dried up, or gave up – it was because of Repetitive Strain injuries, RSI’s, a group of ridiculously painful and difficult to treat maladies that plague writers and other computer users everywhere.

My RSI’s resulted from an inappropriate computer work station at my job, leaving me with thoracic outlet syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, a touchy shoulder, and chronic headaches, and included chronic neck, arm, and hand pain, poor range of motion, and fatigue. It didn’t matter how driven I was to keep up with the 1,666 word count per day, or how deeply I’d carved out the precious time each day needed to meet that goal. My body could not handle it, and so ended my NaNoWriMo challenge each time, not even a week completed.

Yet all was not lost, as I had experienced that thrill common to all writers of being immersed in the story, having it pour out of you, knowing you're on the path to something great. It’s exhilarating. It’s exhausting. And it’s not to be missed. This challenge can pump you up to achieve it. It gave me the motivation to continue on in my own fashion, sometimes putting down 2,000 words, sometimes a couple of hundred, most times none. I ended up with the roots of a novel – Swim Season - soon to be published.

So, whether or not you think you can take on or complete a challenge like NaNoWriMo, it’s always important to simply start. You may surprise yourself and end up with a workable manuscript that one day may see the light of someone’s Kindle, or you might become infused with the drive to continue on at whatever pace you can maintain.

To all those embarking on NaNoWriMo, I’ll think about you every time I sit down at my keyboard and start tapping out those words.

SwimSeason.pubslush.com

Swim Season Pubslush Campaign to Launch October 31

In my latest novel Swim Season, the new girl on the team challenges a longstanding school record attached to a $50,000 scholarship. The whole story is fiction inspired by my daughter who has been swimming competitively for 8 years. My goal was to write a story about the whole high school swimming experience, to show others who may not be as familiar with the sport how much fun it is and how hard these kids work. I started it four years ago and will soon have a completed manuscript. Now it’s time to figure out how to make the book available to readers, and that’s why I'm launching a pre-publication campaign through Pubslush beginning October 31.

Pubslush is a marketing platform much like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, but dedicated exclusively to books. As stated on its website, Pubslush was founded by mother and daughter entrepreneurs, Hellen and Amanda Barbara, who were inspired to create a more democratic publishing process after learning about the struggles of authors like J.K. Rowling, whose bestselling series was rejected by the 12 publishers to which it was initially sent. 

Here's an excellent article about this new company dedicated to improving literacy and serving as a link between authors and readers.

Pubslush offers crowdfunding and pre-orders, and a way for me to test the waters, build an audience, and provide start-up funds necessary to publish, distribute, and promote Swim Season. You can help by becoming a supporter, starting with as little as one dollar. There are lots of great incentives, including free books.

Please take a moment to check out my Pubslush page SwimSeason.pubslush.com, then join my team. Remember - the campaign goes live on Friday, October 31. Thanks for your support.

"Swim Season" Video Now Live on YouTube

What inspired me to write a novel about girls varsity swimming? Who is Aerin Keane? How do I plan to publish, market,and promote this book?

I recently released a YouTube video about my novel-in-progress "Swim Season," produced by my talented young friend Anthony Lorino.  We got together one gorgeous July day with a camera amid some beautiful scenery in Orange County, New York and I answered these questions and more.  

"Adventures in Publishing: How to Independently Publish Your Own Book" October 28, in Newburgh

Once again I will offer a two-hour workshop on independent publishing at SUNY Orange, this time on the Newburgh Campus. Please join me on Tuesday, October 28 from 7 pm - 9 pm when I share my Adventures in Publishing and show you how I published my first novel in print, digital, and audiobook. Topics I'll cover include: changes in the publishing industry over the last ten years, including electronic publishing; the trend toward independent publishing and its growing acceptance among readers; why authors might choose to go this route rather than seek traditional publishing, and the pros and cons of each; as well as the work involved in publishing and marketing your own book. This class will be of interest to anyone thinking about publishing a book, whether it's a novel, poetry, memoir, family history, cookbook, etc. To register please visit Adventures in Publishing.  Cost: $19.

Swim Season Cover Reveal!

I'm excited to finally reveal the cover for Swim Season! I chose to reveal it today because this is the first day of my daughter Allison's 2014 swim season at Mount Saint Mary College. This is an exciting time for our family. Allie has been swimming competitively since 2006 and swim practice and swim meets are a big part of our lives. She's my inspiration for this novel, and she's been helping out along the way explaining the fine details of swimming.  She also helped pick out the cover photo. The deeper I get into this story and my heroine Aerin the more I see how much the girl on the cover is "her." Much thanks goes out to cover artist Heather McCorkle for all her hard work. I'd love to hear your comments. Please send them to  mariannesciucco@gmail.com.   

My latest word count is 60,488!  Last week I went on a  writing blitz and cranked out  over 2,000 words, finishing the scene at the football game. I also dug up more drama for Aerin and her teammates as "mean girl" Jordan's boyfriend is injured during the game, making Jordan meaner than usual.  This player's injury gives Aerin something to think about as she continues to downplay her abilities and competitiveness as a swimmer. The next big scene  is the dance, and I have a feeling that's  going to be fun to write.

Dream of publishing your own book?

With today's technology and the internet you can do this yourself and share your work with friends, family, and readers all over the world. Join me on Tuesday, September 23 from 7 pm - 9 pm at SUNY Orange Middletown campus where I will share my Adventures in Publishing and show you how I published my first novel in print, digital, and audiobook. Topics I'll cover include: changes in the publishing industry over the last ten years, including electronic publishing; the trend toward independent publishing and its growing acceptance among readers; why authors might choose to go this route rather than seek traditional publishing, and the pros and cons of each; as well as the work involved in publishing and marketing your own book. This class will be of interest to anyone thinking about publishing a book, whether it's a novel, poetry, memoir, family history, cookbook, etc. To register please visit Adventures in Publishing.  Cost: $19. Note: this class will repeat on Tuesday, October 28 on the SUNY Orange Newburgh campus.

Meet My Character Blog Hop Tour

Welcome to the Meet My Character Blog Hop Tour. First I'd like to thank author Jennifer Pitkin for inviting me to join her on this tour.  Here's a little bit about Jennifer.

Ever since she was a little girl on a farm in rural Iowa, Jennifer M. Pitkin's heart has been filled with wanderlust and adventure. She started writing at an early age, and has never stopped. After exploring Italy, Ethiopia and South Korea, Pitkin's desire to transport others to those places and to raise awareness of important humanitarian and social issues took hold in the form of her second novel, Watchmen for Morning. She received her Bachelor's Degree from Iowa State University and her Master's Degree from Pacific Oaks College. Her areas of both professional and personal interest and research include: adoption, global orphan care, Interpersonal Neurobiology, social justice and humanitarian aid work. Her adventures never stop as she raises her four small children with her beloved husband in Iowa. Pitkin will be releasing three more books within the next year - connect with her online to stay updated! Links: Facebook   Twitter   Website

Now, on to meet my character.

What is the name of your character?

Jack Harmon is the hero of my novel Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story. I’m in love with Jack in spite of our age difference because he is a true romantic hero, a real gentleman, a breed of man that is slowly dying out.  Let me explain.  Jack is 80 years old, and he’s the sole caregiver for his wife, Sara, who has Alzheimer’s. Theirs is the story of a disappearing generation, the World War II generation, where people stuck with their marriages through all of its ups and downs (often through sheer will and determination), unlike their children’s and grandchildren’s tendency to dissolve  marriages when situations change, calamity strikes, or boredom sets in.  In my work as a nurse, I've witnessed many men caring for their chronically and even hopelessly ill wives, and I appreciated their loving care and dutiful attention. I talked with them about their feelings and tried to bring some of that into Jack’s character. So often, when we think of caregivers we think of women – wives, mothers, daughters – and I wanted to explore the role of male as caregiver.

When and where is the story set?

Blue Hydrangeas is set in the fictional town of Falmouthport, on Cape Cod, in contemporary time. I chose this setting because I love the Cape, and although every town and village there is unique and lovely I created a fictional town so I could have complete control over it and make it what I needed it to be to meet the needs of my story.  I plan to visit Falmouthport again in subsequent books, including a sequel to Blue Hydrangeas, which will be the love story of Jack and Sara's grandson, Derek.

What should we know about your character?

Jack is a World War II vet, a medic, who worked as pharmaceuticals salesman and made some excellent investments that allowed him to buy Sara the house of her dreams.  In their retirement they operated it as a bed and breakfast called Blue Hydrangeas. He is devoted to his wife, her protector, her lover, and the keeper of her memories. He also suffers from heart disease, and sometimes puts his own health and well-being aside to meet Sara’s needs.  

What is his main conflict? What messes up his life?

Sara’s Alzheimer’s has messed up his life! They never saw it coming; there was no family history or any other indicator that his beautiful, talented artist wife would have this disease. His main conflict is keeping his promise to Sara that they will remain in their home no matter what the disease brings, although his son and most everyone else think otherwise.

What is the personal goal of your character?

Jack is determined to prevent Alzheimer’s from destroying his wife, their marriage and their life together.

Where can we read more about Jack?

I’ve done my best to make my Jack's story available to readers on many platforms: ereader, paperback, and audio.  You can find it by visiting My Book Store