Thank you.
I don't know what more I can say to express how grateful I am for your support and prayers. I suspect they're the reason my kid was accepted into secondary clinical trials. Some of you already know that he has cancer along with other, chronic disease complications. The medications he was on to control his Crohn's put him at greater risk for cancer--and yeah, well...he got cancer. Looking back on it I don't know if we'd have made the same decisions, but at the time "this" time felt very far off.
The last six months have been a long, emotionally draining black hole...and I just couldn't deal with it. Each time I tried to pull out of my downward spiral, my son would have a flare, go to Emergency, or need someone with him. I guess you can't call it standing vigil anymore, but I'm rediscovering a lot of my old regency and fantasy roots--and while it's not a death watch, it's darn straight "watching."
He was put on bridge medications because all of his earlier medications stopping working--funny how they tell you wonderful things about drugs until they simply stop working--and watching him laying there, like a famine victim, all skin and bones was killing me. He's putting on weight, thank God for prednisone, and temporarily in a holding pattern while we wait for August. The new medication--still two years out from being approved by the FDA--is supposed to have a 85 percent success rate. If the doctor hadn't been like a real-life version of House, I'd have hugged him. At very long last, someone with answers, brains, and the ability to translate that into viable options. I can see a light at the--not end, but beginning of the tunnel, and it's looking pretty good. Maybe not good for my writing, since the rest of my brain seems to be waking up and I'm back to messing with the transformational arc, but good for my kid, and that's what really matters.
To celebrate, and in apology--since I was in the middle of a lot of things when I went missing, I'm doing a free one day (although knowing me it'll be longer) workshop at Romance Divas. Troubleshooting Plot and Character Arc
Which is pretty much how to pinpoint the exact moment in your wip where the action starts--I know that sounds silly-obvious, but it isn't always--and where the conflict needs to be so the change can happen. Not in terms of external events, but internals that block your character. It's short--but focused, and works especially well if you already have a wip with something missing. You'll have to register, but registration is free and takes a day or two, so you might not want to wait until the last minute if you plan on attending. There are a lot of other things going on at the same time. Interactive fiction with mima (a fabulous writer), pitching opportunities, agents and editors, a workshop on mailchimp with Jeanette Murray in case you want to create a mailing list, and another on steamy (pg17+) emotions with Emily Ryan-Davis.
These are the available pitches and what they're looking for:
Ann Leveille of Ellora's Cave, start polishing your 200-250 word pitch.
Mallory Braus, Deb Nemeth, Gina Bernal, or Alissa Davis of Carina Press, get your 2-paragraph pitch ready now! These editors are interested in romance, urban fantasy, mystery and more.
Chelsey Emmelhainz of Avon Romance, fine-tune your 3-5 sentence pitch.
Boroughs Publishing Group, prepare to wow them with 250 words or less.
A Year in the Life of an Indie Romance Author with Cate Rowan & others (moderated by Amanda Brice, an intellectual property lawyer)
Spotlights on:
Crimson Romance
Boroughs Publishing Group
Avon Impulse
and if you're a woman and always wanted to ask a man something so personal and outrageous they'd have looked at you funny forever...
The Man's Perspective with David Bridger, with bonus Steamy Edition
David will answer anything, he's nice that way.
The link to forum registration is in the upper right hand corner (forum). I can't get the picture to center. It's the new blogger dashboard. *sigh*If I owe you something, and I owe many people many things, please bear with me as I work through the hundreds of emails in my inbox. I take my obligations very seriously, and I won't forget.
Hopefully I'll see you at RD. Bless you.
10 comments:
I'm glad to hear things seem to be looking up for your son. Here's hoping that the new medications live up to their promise.
I'm going to try to come for the workshop. I'll confess I'm confused though. I'm registered with the forum. Is there another registration for the workshop? If so, I can't find it.
I can't wait for your workshop!!!!!
Hi Kathryn! You and me both. The meds have such a long name I can't even remember it but it ends with "mib" so I know it's a biological. The potential is incredible. A chemo drug that only targets the disease and leaves the rest of your body alone. :)
No, there's no registration for any of the workshops. It's totally open to everyone who has forum access. When you get to the forum, just click on NGTCC on the main menu or in the upper right hand corner--"view new content" and everything will show up.
Don't forget to register for prizes. (you just enter your name in the thread and it's a random number drawing) I'm glad you'll be there. I finally found the last piece of the arc puzzle and I ran around in circles going, "YES! This is what I was missing. The way to focus the weight of a story."
I can't stop writing the workshop. It's a good thing.
I can't wait for you to see it!! My first RD workshop ever. Er...hm. lol, if anything--it'll be an acid test of how far I've come in the last five years. :)
I didn't know about your son's illness, Jodi. Don't know how I missed knowing until now. Hugs and prayers for both of you.
That's because I don't talk about it on RD or pretty much anywhere. :( I think only three divas, a few others and a couple of extended family knew until recently.
Thanks for your hugs and prayers. :) We appreciate it.
Jodi, I had no idea what you'd been up against these years. I'm terribly sorry, and will keep you in my prayers.
Ciar Cullen
Thank you for doing this workshop in the midst of all the real life stuff. Hope the new med will be exactly what he needs.
I'll continue praying. You're such a real person, Jodi; thanks for being that way (I know you exist, 'cause I met you). :o)
Still have a blue candle lit and burning, Jodi. Many blessings for you and your son. C.C.
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