Deanna Roy

Six-Time USA Today Bestselling Author

Nov 20, 2007

The Hard Press Toward a NaNoWriMo Finish

Deanna / NaNoWriMo /

We’re 2/3 of the way through National Novel Writing Month, and I have crossed the 30,000 word mark with my middle grade novel Jinnie Wishmaker.

I hosted three Write-Ins last weekend, which netted me about 4,500 words. Not quite on pace, but each were fun in their own way.

On Friday we had kids over to watch movies while parents wrote. (They LOVED watching the Jiffy Pop expand!) Saturday I hosted the now-infamous Margarita Write In. And Sunday we enjoyed beautiful weather for the NaNo in Nature.

Unfortunately, last night I came to the end of my planned outline. I don’t know where to go next! I need some hard-core thinking time to figure out what the story means, where it should go, and what I want it to say. Not easy!

I’ve been researching the lengths of books geared toward the 8-12 set. It seems the Harry Potter series has helped to redefine the genre, with longer more complex books still being marketed toward these young readers.

But overall, I’d still put myself in the Roald Dahl camp, something fun and only mildly complex, with one main character and a few fleshed-out minors, only a handful of adults mentioned, and something like 150 pages of text. I’m at 100 pages at the moment, so 2/3 of the way works out pretty well for where I am. I should find myself on Nov. 30 with a finished middle grade novel first draft!

I’m having a great time shooting, and I’ve met some wonderful new moms (and dads!) who are bringing their kids for the first time. It’s been a really easy, low-stress season–and I’m actually, at this moment, totally caught up on my orders!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

The Trail to Rom Com Land

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Seizures, daughters, and books that matter

In the life of an epilepsy mom, the longest minute of your life is the one when your child stops breathing. I’ve been through it more than once. I’ve seen Elizabeth turn completely blue on the floor of a restaurant. I’ve dried her off, shivering, after seizing in a downpour at Disneyland. I’ve snatched her(…)
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Forever Christmas, my rainbow baby book, has arrived

It’s here! My mission to help grieving moms through story has come to its conclusion! The rainbow baby is often the end of the grief journey, even though losing a child to miscarriage or stillbirth or infant death is forever part of your life story, one that will create feelings of sorrow at unexpected moments(…)