Monday, March 26, 2012

Fairy Houses & Finishing Up

I don't know about you guys, but this year is flying for me. Spring broke in the Midwest about two weeks ago (to everyone's surprise), and my daughters learned a new activity: building Fairy Houses.

When we moved here last summer, Catherine and several of her friends from our previous home in Baldwin County, Ala., invented this thing called Fairy World. They all meet there at night while they're sleeping and play and have adventures, and when they talk on the phone, they discuss what they did. It's how they pretend to still be together. 

The Mom in me gets very sentimental about that little game. These girls have been friends since they were three years old, and last June, they said good-bye to each other as we moved 850 miles away. It was tough.

And now we're here, the girls are making new friends, and some of those new friends have taught them to make Fairy Houses. They gather assorted objects from the yard--flowers, feathers, rocks, shells, sticks--find a safe nook at the base of a tree or on a ledge, and assemble it all into a "house."

They spend hours doing it, and they're lovely! Now they say that's where they meet for their play-dates. Le sigh.

Some fairies live here.
In other news, if you've been following, you know I spent this month doing the 30K in 30 Days challenge with the lovely and talented Janet Johnson (link) of the Hacky Sack Club.

I'm at 57,200 on my south Mississippi sci-fi, and I'm feeling good about bringing that one home. I know my characters, I know what's about to happen, and I know the end.

Complication: Today marks Day 1 of my daughters' two-week spring break (yes, you read that right). I've been pushing to get my WIP to that point where it's sailing to the end because I'm worried how all this togetherness is going to affect my writing schedule.

How am I handling this? Janet and I are renewing the 30K challenge for April. If you'd like to join, hop on! It's an honor-system challenge. If you miss a day writing 1K, you have to post an embarrassing video (or story) on your blog. Easy peasy! And it works.

As for burying the lede, I'm going out on subs again in April. Wish me luck, kids. I have no idea what to expect.
Others live here.

My plan is not to think about it. I'll be working on JACKSON and hoping I'm a skilled enough writer to accomplish what's in my head for the climax and conclusion.

And one of the weeks, we'll be headed south to visit all those little fairies we left behind.

Good luck to my bleeps doing the A-Z Challenge (link) and those rock stars who've made it to the quarter-finals in the ABNA (link)! Three great bloggy friends are there, and one's my super-awesome critter Tami-Hart Johnson (link).

April is the cruelest month, according to Eliot, but my yard looks about as far from a Waste Land as you can get. I say let's break with tradition this year. The weather's already setting records. Let's get some fairy dust and make it magical. It's working for the girls.

Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3


37 comments:

S.A. Larsenッ said...

That's some impressive wordage in 30 days. Awesome!! Best of luck during the editing process.

I love what your daughter and her friends have done. Bonds like that last forever. :D

Laura Pauling said...

The year has flown for me too! When my daughter was younger she loved making fairy houses. It's fun, it's outside, it's creative! Can't beat that! Good luck getting that novel done and being on submission! How exciting!

Adrienne said...

Good luck on going on submission!! And on finishing your novel! I love those fairy houses. They're gorgeous! I'll have to show my daughters.

Unknown said...

Fairy houses - I used to do that! Good luck on the novel!

Old Kitty said...

Awwwww my brother and I used to create kingdoms and empires in our garden out of matchsticks and twigs and bits of leaves! So yay for your daughters' and their friends' fairy houses!! Lovely!

Good luck with your writerly challenges - I look forward to another clip of you juggling other stuff than the cat! LOL! Oh I'm KIDDING!!! Of course you will rise to the challenge and surpass it!! Oh go on - I did enjoy that fun clip! LOL!

YAY to the ABNA-ers!!!!

Have a great week too! Take care
x

Bish Denham said...

Sounds like you're doing well with the writing. I build cairns, and I think the fairy houses are a natural extension. I'm going to have make some.

Matthew MacNish said...

I have 12k on something new, but there's no way I'll get to 30 in 30, since it's already taken me two weeks to get to 12.

Good luck!

Carolyn Abiad said...

Love the fairy houses! My niece used to look for gnomes between my plants, especially under the mushrooms. (It's a Flemish thing, I was told.) Plant some ferns for your fairies!

Good luck with the word challenge. I can't join you this time, but maybe in the fall.

Faith E. Hough said...

I love the fairy houses! Very sweet.
Good luck with the 30K!

Pat Hatt said...

Congrats on surely beating the 30K, the fairy land idea sounds like a nice way for them to keep in touch and the fairy houses just adds to it.

Lydia Kang said...

That's a great challenge--30k in 30 days. When I'm doing a draft I often aim for 10k a week. But I usually don't hit it!

Tracy Jo said...

Okay...I am IN LOVE with the fairy houses and fairy land. How great!! I just love kids imagination and what a cool way for the girls to stick together. Congrats on your sci-fi...sounds like it has totally come together! I might just hop on for April. Why not, go all in along with A-Zing. Ha! Have an awesome Spring break with the girls!!! Hugs!

Meredith said...

I so want to build a fairy house now! When my niece is old enough, I'll definitely do that with her. How cute! Good luck on submission!!!

AMOffenwanger said...

Those fairy houses are awesome. It's a very short hop, skip & jump from those to full-blown fiction-writing.

30K in 30days- that's sort of like a modified NaNoWriMo?

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Leigh .. totally agree - fairy houses = what bliss. Good luck with all the projects .. and as for the ABNA quarterfinalists - I hope our blogging friends keep on getting through ..

Enjoy the Spring holidays with the kids .. cheers Hilary

Melissa Sarno said...

Leigh, I'm officially obsessed with Fairy World and Fairy Houses. I want to play too!
I might need to get in on that 30K in 30 days situation. I am really struggling right now and this could be the kick in the pants I need.

Lisa Gail Green said...

I have no idea what you're talking about (she says as her daughter dances around the living room to music celebrating the beginning of spring break). LOL! Good luck! You can do it!

Ella said...

I'm impressed, that is quite a challenge! I bet you will do it~
My daughter and I use to make fairy houses down by the wharf. We went over on a more private type beach. Shells with water for the fairies and always flower umbrellas ;D
I miss it! Her cousin and great Aunt knew we were doing it and they always left an inspiring fairy gift!
So fun! Enjoy this time...
I hear you...hubby is off all this week and I'm feeling the pinch. I want to exercise and he is (in my way)...augh! I picked the wrong time to start, my Tour de Pants! I'm doing the best I can...


I'll be one of the peeps on the A-Z journey! Sending you luck and fairy wishes~ <3 555

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I'd love to join you in the challenge for April, but I think I'd over-commit with the A-Z challenge in April as well. And I'm so unorganised at the moment too. Eek!

M Pax said...

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your subs, Leigh. Toes, too. Great on your word count, and coming in near the end. That's fantastic.

I love the fairy houses. How cute. I will have to build one at the summit of Pine Mountain this summer.

I've been writing about 1,000 words a day. I hope to have my next story done soon.

Hopefully the writing will distract you.

DL Hammons said...

LUCK on the subs!!!! Beau coup positive vibes headed your way!! :)

Janet Johnson said...

I LOVE that your girls keep in touch with your friends that way! So sweet. :) And the houses have been fabulous. I'll try to stop stealing the flowers. ;)

This 30K in 30 days challenge has been awesome . . . to anyone considering it, it's the kick in the pants you need. Seriously!

And I'm way excited that you're on submission. So awesome! And nerve-wracking. Thank goodness for distractions. :)

Sarah said...

Oh, I love the idea of fairy houses! I think I'll try to get my kids interested in that. And good luck on sub! Such a harrowing time--so my hope for you is a quick sale and a lot of peace. Writing your new thing is just the antidote! I don't know how you do 1k per day, every day. I could never do that. I'd be posting a lot of embarrassing videos.

Julie Musil said...

Awww, fairy houses...that's so adorable! Hey, I'm impressed with what you've accomplished. Big time. And I have faith that you'll be able to bring it on home :)

Good luck on subs *fingers crossed*

Alina Klein said...

I LOVE fairy houses and I'm so impressed with your amazing word-count. You do have a crazy April in store, but I have no doubt you can juggle it all (except the cat). ;D Have safe travels!

LisaAnn said...

What beautiful fairy houses! And--wow! 30k in 30 days?? You are amazing! Good luck!! :)

LTM said...

@Laura--you are so right about the outside, creative, fun thing. And I love watching them concentrate on making little bedding, etc. You've had a busy year, too! Can't wait for that book release in May! :o)

@J--Yay! I'd never heard of fairy houses until we got here. I wondered if it was a "Midwest thing," but I'm seeing it's not. Either way, *lurv*~ :o)

@LGG--HA! Right? I know. As Carol Burnett said, "I'm so glad we had this time together..." ;p <3

Anonymous said...

I love the Fairy Houses! Got me all choked up, even. Kids are so adorable.

Good luck with the wordage and the subs!

Talli Roland said...

Wow, well done! I love it when books just go well like that! And that meeting in the Fairy Land? Too cute.

Anonymous said...

Good luck to you!

Love the fairy house idea--so cute!

J.L. Campbell said...

Man, it sounds like you have a lot going on. Hope you get through all you have planned.

Jennie Bailey said...

This year has definitely flown. I can't believe it's almost April! I love Fairy World - what a wonderful creation to keep them all together. There's a sweet story there. And I think that I just may join you for April. It's just what I need to get my latest WIP finished - it will give the motivation and the push that I need!

Creepy Query Girl said...

Awe, I love your girls imagination! And love the fairy houses. Congrats on almost finishing your draft and fingers are crossed for your new round of submissions!

LTM said...

@Liz--They really are the sweetest things. I've been so worried about the girls through the move, but they've just been sweet and fun and awesome. :o) <3

@LBD--Thanks, honey! I did, too. So glad we were introduced to this little tradition. :o)

RaShelle Workman said...

Fairy World sounds amazing! As for your south Mississippi sci-fi, I love the sound of that. =D

Theresa Milstein said...

Both of my kids have made fairy houses. There's a beautiful place by my dad in Maine. How nice to be little and have that imagination.

Melissa Sugar said...

Wow that's some major writing going on. There are so many things happening during the month of April. I want to do all of them, but my head is starting to spin like the girl in the Exorcist, just thinking about all of it. I think the A to Z challenge is enough for me, but I keep pushing myself. I hope I don't burn out.

I can't believe your kids have a two week spring break. One week was enough to send me back to work full time, LOL.

Thanks for visiting my blog & answering so many of my questions on my Random Questions post. I need your help, please. You suggested that I get the "floating comment box". You said it would make it easier so readers don't have to keep scrolling down. I'm all about trying to make my blog user friendly & easy for readers, but I have no idea what the floating comment box is. If you have time to explain it, please email me.

Or if any of you other helpful bloggers can point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it.

I see you won another prize on another blog. You are on a roll. Congratulations.