As many of you may know, I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) last year, and I plan to do so until one year I actually finish my novel! I can’t believe it’s been a year already since I actually attempted sci-fi. (What was I thinking?!!) In fact, I still have the notebook I filled with ideas and crazy facts about my main character’s home planet. (Again, what on earth was I thinking?? All my sense that year must have been stolen from me by aliens or something – ha, ha!) But this year, I’m sticking to what I’m good at. I feel confident with it, I love my characters, I’m comfortable with the perspective I’m going to try – I have a feeling this one isn’t going to be thrown in the trash.

My main character’s name is Flora Catherine. (I fell in love with it as soon as I found it on my favorite baby name website! Ha ha!) I’m thinking that for short, I can call her Flora Cate, though. It’s set in the late 1960’s, and I’m totally in love with the setting, too! (Small town in Georgia I haven’t really decided on a name yet – where everyone knows everyone’s business), and she’s growing up without a mother (died three years before, of an illness I also haven’t decided of yet!) and with her father who aspires to become a famous inventor. He’d never let go of the death of Flora’s mother, Amelia, and really always had his head in the clouds. Don’t worry, though, it’s not too melodramatic, I promise you! Later Kimberly comes along (if it’s set in the 1960’s I’ve got to have hippies, right??) and of course Timothy, and Tabitha, and… ooh, I forgot Mrs. Lacey! My point is, I’m really, really excited about it all.

Oops, I forgot to even tell you the name! To Love and be Loved. After All or Nothing and Waiting for Tomorrow didn’t completely stick with me, I finally found a title that does stick with me. And I love it, too! I’m in love with the whole idea. I’m in love with my sort-of-strange but definitely lovable and (hopefully) memorable cast of characters, I love the plot and (duh!), the climax! I’m prepping for NaNoWriMo in more ways than one. This year, I’m going to beat my word count goal and finally finish something worth writing, and, I hope, reading.

I have to say I’ve never been this excited about something I’m writing before. True, there’s “Amanda, age Almost Eight” from second grade, and “The Milky Way Farm” from fourth, but this one… this one is going to be even better. I’m in love it even better. I’m sooooo excited and I have butterflies in my tummy… I just can’t wait.