NaNoFail & LeAnn Rimes

It's official, folks. NaNoWriMo wiped the floor with me this year. It's the 21st day and my word count sits steadily at about 3500. It SHOULD be just over 35k. I'd need a miracle to catch up now.

I think my problem was, I just wasn't excited about my idea this year. For the last two years, I couldn't wait till November first to start writing. I was so excited I couldn't stand it. My ideas, my characters, were screaming to be written. This year...I had a couple of ideas whispering for my attention, but none of them fought hard enough for my ear. So instead of one idea with a ton of energy and strong characters, I had half-developed characters and lackluster ideas.

That's not to say the ideas themselves are lackluster. Just that I didn't have them fully-developed enough to really dig in on November first.

I'm not gonna lie. I'm bummed. I really wanted to win for the third year in a row. I wanted that Shiny New Idea to mold and shape throughout next year.

Ah, well. I can brush up my current novel and get it all pretty and shiny instead.

Anyway, if any of you are friends with me on Facebook or Twitter, you've already heard (and heard and heard and heard) about this. If not, then you're hearing now.

This passed Wednesday, we attended the LeAnn Rimes concert I received tickets for on my birthday way back in June. Now, if you know anything about me, you know that LeAnn Rimes is my absolute favorite singer, ever. I've been a fan since I was 12. We've practically grown up together. I've seen her in concert twice before, but this time I had FRONT ROW SEATS! I've never been that close at any show, ever. So you can imagine my excitement, right?

Anyway, we got to the venue and there was a booth outside that the local radio station had set up. Enter to win a meet and greet, the sign said. I entered, of course. I knew I wouldn't win. I never win. So my hopes weren't up. Dana also entered and then we found our seats.

Just before the opening act came on, Dana's phone rang and she took off to answer it. Ten minutes and lots of confusion later, she came back to get me, saying that we had won the meet and greet.

I'm still in disbelief. I'd met LeAnn once before, back in '05, but I didn't think it'd happen this year. Standing in that line to meet her, I was just like a teenager waiting to meet the Backstreet Boys or a preteen meeting Bieber. I could NOT contain my excitement.

Sadly, I don't have my picture yet - I have to call the venue this morning to get it. But it doesn't matter. LeAnn was very sweet and gave me a hug. She told me happy birthday and then mentioned our meet on stage.

The show was amazing. I was fascinated by the fact that I could hear her boots clicking on the stage, I was that close. Like, six feet away from LeAnn for the whole show. I'm still in disbelief. I mean, really?







So, what about you? How's your NaNo coming? Is there a singer you'd go all Bieber-fangirl to meet?

Checking In

I'm not sure how to function today. It's a beautiful Saturday afternoon and I'm not at work. I can count the number of times this has happened in the last couple years on one hand. I don't get Saturdays off. It's weird.

Granted, I have a reason for this Saturday off. A really great reason. I'm going to a concert tonight. Sugarland and Sara Bareilles.

Now, I love Sugarland. Jennifer Nettles is amazing. But I'm super stoked about Sara Bareilles. Anyone who's read my blog knows that. She's incredible and I can't wait to see her live. I just hope she does this song:


In other, non-fangirl news, I got the proof copy of my 2010 NaNoWriMo novel. Even though it's only a trophy for me, it's still so, so exciting to hold a book that I wrote in my hands!

I'll post some pictures of it on Monday. For now...what's wrong with this picture?