So, I’m 431 words away from half way done. Almost to 25,000 words. I hope I have 50,000 words in this story. I’m afraid I’ll get to 40,000 and have nothing else to say. I’ve just passed the “Boy gets girl” part so maybe I’ll be fine. Gotta get through the “black moment” or “Boy loses girl” part- I’ve got a grand plan for that, by the way. Then the “Boy wins girl back” part. So, maybe it’ll happen. Maybe.
The funny thing is that I’ve been having tons of issues with the work computer and the older lap top at home was humming along just fine. I wote 3110 words on my NaNo story on Friday night and boom, Sat morning. the dang compter would not come on. It has taken retirement with no notice. No, I’ll work for 2 weeks and then draw social security. Nothing. Just quit and walk out. Now, is that responsible? No. It is just not kosher. At all. I sure thought the one at the office would die first.
Thank God for my Alpha Smart. I’ve wrtten around 2800 words this morning on it. I can sit in my comfortable chair and write, not at the desk where the non-portable machine sits. Gotta upload the Alpha software to the desk top and load what I wrote today to this computer. Because I have learned, the hard way, I’m afraid. to have more than one copy of the story somewhere. If 2 is good, 4 is better. 
Enjoy this photo from Provance, France- isn’t it lovely? It was taken by Anna Bowkis on her vacation there.
So, I woke up today with a really random thought/question. We all know about the Alpha male- you know, the macho, bossy, too arrogant to care guy. We also write about the Beta male. The one that is caring, sensitive and treats the heroine well. So, is there an OMEGA male? The first two letter of the Greek Alphabet are Alpha and Beta. The last is Omega. So, what kind of guy is the Omega? And will we ever see a book with him as the hero?
So, do you see the Omega man (yes. I know there was a movie by that name) as the ultimate anti hero or as the uber-nerd?? Just askin’
Anyone else do soundtracks to your WIP? I like to have songs that pertain to the story and listen to them BEFORE the actual writing starts and get them in my head. Then, as I work, I listen to them to keep me in the mood of the novel. In Redemption for the Devil, since the main characters are Irish, I have Danny Boy as one of the songs. Also Wild Irish Rose. Then there’s Lonely Boy by Paul Anka. Stardust and Yelllow Bird because the story is in 1920. Because the the main action takes place on an ocean liner, Morning After, from The Poseidon Adventure was a must. I have a Pink song called Stop Falling. Two Back Street Boys songs: Bad Boy and Don’t Want to Lose You. YEAH, I KNOW- The Back Street Boys! But some of their stuff just fits. LOL!
I also have some Billy Joel Only the Good Die Young, Always a Woman and The Stranger. Tom Jones’ She’s Always a Woman. One by Three Dog night, and two by George Michael One More Try and Kissing a Fool.
These all contain some plot element. Some maybe only one sentence pertains but they all have meaning.
Any one else want to share their soundtrack?
Is the name of my hero in my latest novel titled “Redemption for the Devil” (the NaNoWriMo project) and he is finally “speaking” to me. I had planned to try to make this a Young Adult novel but the devil is using such language and blatant sexual comments, that I believe it will be too much for YA. Of course, how is YA divided? I think this story would be appropriate for an 18- 20 something year old. Not a middle schooler, for sure. So, can anyone tell me if there are divisions in YA? I mean, really, book 4 of the Twilight series was worse than I’m writing now.
Here is what Liam looks like in my head: 
Mine is sucking the life from me. I can’t do anything right. She has never been supportive of me and has never even told me that she loves me. She actually had the nerve to tell me last night that I didn’t show my younger son any love. What nerve. I’m stunned and don’t know to deal with her anymore. She likes to kick me when I’m down. I hope I’m not a mother like her. Any suggestions on how to handle her? How to distance myself from her so she can’t hurt me anymore?
NaNoWriMo started yesterday. I wrote 2899 words. One question I was asked was why I didn’t write one more word to make it an even 2900. Well, I didn’t because I have issues with doing things randomly and I thought leaving off at an odd number would take me out of my comfort zone. And it did. My NaNoWriMo story is partially set on the RMS Mauretania, a Cunard ship that sailed the Atlantic in the early 20th Century. Here is a picture of the ship: 
Romance on the high seas. Should be fun. One quote I plan to use is “I don’t know why they call them swells. They aren’t swell. They’re awful.” I will have to update this post with the guy’s name as I can’t recall it just now. I try to head my chapters with quotes and this one is reserved for the bad day at sea my characters are going to face.
EDITED to add: wrote at lunch and got 1501 more words done- so, there goes the random- now I have an even 4400. Stupid one word!
EDITED TO ADD QUOTE ATTRIBITION: Here is the real quote with author:
“I don’t know why they named them swells. There is nothing swell about them. They should have named them awfuls. Hugo Vihlen (American sailor 1932- )
My favorite holiday is Halloween. It is a time to have fun and let loose. I love all the decorations and apple cider. I lived in Virginia as a child and loved, loved the change in weather and the smell of autumn. It is a distinctive smell, one I’ll never forget. I miss the change in the air and the coolness.
I hear it is SUPPOSED to cool off here overnight. I hope so. Florida is so not the place for a lover of fall! But, here I am and here I’ll stay. Enjoy the friendly kitty- or is it a familiar? 
I’ve decided to start my own blog to go along with the Southern Sizzle Blog. This way I can yammer on anytime I want to without hogging the blog that I share with my mates on the way to being published in the romance genre. I have had such fun with them that I decided to play more. I plan to upload some of my short stories here for amusement. Here is a photo of one of my favorite actors that serves as inspiration for some of my writing. He is such a versatile actor that he can serve as the hero of many of my tales and never seem like the same man. 
Ramblings of a Writer 