I have been very fortunate to win a few contests in my life. Most of the time, though, I lose out. I never play the lottery. I know better. I rarely enter sweepstakes. Have you ever known someone who's actually won?

But tonight, I "won" NaNoWriMo. I conquered that 50,000 word mountain in 29 days, and it feels great! I'm honored and excited to be counted among those who have actually finished this goal. I have several friends who have done so, and I say, "Hats off to you!"

I think a contest like this is awesome. You have to actually do the work to win. And it pays off! I may not have a publishable manuscript at this time, but I have a solid foundation. I know the direction of the story and places I can tweak to make stronger. And because of this, I win.

I recently read a blog post by someone who said they hated NaNoWriMo because it made writers feel inadequate when they don't accomplish the goal. I understand that, to be sure. I had a year or two where my inspiration took a nose dive and I was left with 20,000 words of junk. But when you can press on and make it across that finish line, it's such a rush!

To those of you out there who tried, but didn't make it to 50,000, let me just say this - don't feel inadequate. You're awesome! It just wasn't your year. Life has this crazy idea that it trumps writing, and it's okay to pay more attention to life. But please, please keep writing! The world needs your stories! Your voice!

To those of you who are rejoicing with me tonight...or will be tomorrow, congratulations! You've done it! Now, take some time off. Let your manuscript rest for a few days. Maybe even a couple of weeks. When you're up for revising, go back with fresh eyes. It's a lot more fun that way!

It's almost sad to see NaNoWriMo come to a close. But only 11 months to go before we get to do it all again! And contest season is coming up  - Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award is just around the corner! And of course, there's always queries...

Best wishes!!

My three-year-old is sitting on the floor, taking in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I just recently introduced my kids to the classic tale. My oldest is reading it at school. He possesses the copy of the book I had as a kid. On Friday nights, we enjoy Pizza and a Movie Night. Two weeks in a row, we watched Charlie followed by Willie.

Now, I've had a love/hate relationship with this story for the longest time. My childhood was filled with multiple viewings of the Gene Wilder version. He is my favorite Wonka, after all. But now, I can barely watch that film. As an adult, I've developed a "fear" of the Oompa Loompas.

Don't ask me why. I know it's crazy. But I swear, those white-pantsed, red-faced, green-haired goblins grow fangs and eat children when grown-ups aren't watching. They are evil little creatures!

The ones in the newer version, all played by the same actor, don't seem to bother me as much. But there's still something about them that creep me out.

I've gone through the book to try to regain the endearing love that the rest of the world carries for these poor little things. But alas, their disturbing little ditty pits itself in my head and causes me to shiver. I just can't find anything redeeming about them.

So I endure Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka as a compromise with my kids who love to chant along with the Oompa Loompas about the tragic upraising of the bratty children who visit the factory. Thankfully, they are sensitive to their crazy mama. But I think it's mostly because I've taught them that in order to make the movies truly enjoyable, one must partake of a handful of chocolate.

A few Hershey's Kisses are a lot cheaper than therapy.

I have a few things share. It's been a while since I've blogged, but not because I haven't wanted to! I've been busy with momming, work, and other such things.

So first, you'll notice the new logo for The Crown's Call. I've been working with a graphic designer to come up with some fun things like this. Well, fun for me. It's not meant to be jovial. It's a serious marketing device. But I'm a freak for business cards and advertising tools, so there you have it. This design has changed several times, but this is the final one. I'm quite happy with it.

I've also been working on Once Upon a Heist for NaNoWriMo. I wanted to get a completed first draft by year's end. NaNoWriMo is a great driving force toward that. I'm currently sitting at just over 13,000 words. The story has truly evolved, and I'm excited where it's going. It's fun and silly, but I've discovered a way to add in a quest and give more depth to the characters. I can't wait to share this one with the world!

One last thing--I'll be participating in a book signing/sale with other local female authors on November 22nd. I hope you'll come out for it! So far, I still only have Asylum available, but it's a good story. It would make a great gift for you and your loved ones for Christmas! I'll even personalize it for you!

Be sure to check back for more updates soon.