quote: Heavenly Father's been at it for quite a while and he STILL hasn't reached the happy ending yet!
Hmmm, maybe I should do what he's done and throw in a couple of prophecies and call it good.
"And verily, it shall come to pass that Carly Simmons will be struck down in the fullness of her iniquity, and even her daughters shall repent in sackcloth and ashes and receive their inheritance at mine hand. And Brandon Grayson shall arise from the dust and be a man. In those days, Maria and Brian shall cleave unto one another in happiness, and their joy shall be full."
posted
Here's hoping Danna makes it back at, oh, say, age 25 (well, earlier would certainly be nice, but age 25 would fit well within the experience of someone I know with very similar life patterns to Danna, albeit male ).
Posts: 1885 | Registered: Aug 2005
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Just found the site. I'm looking at doing something similar. My book is already finished and I want to post it one chapter/week online for free. I've been thinking about how to do it and I'm excited to see how you posted yours.
Posts: 6 | Registered: Oct 2009
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Janey, I thought of you when I read this post on agent Kristen Nelson's blog. Some interesting things to consider and fairly encouraging, I thought. Wish I could have met you at LDS Storymakers, but not this year. Congratulations on your newest little (or not so little!) boy.
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Bluestocking, thanks for the link to that blog discussion. That was right on point for what I've done.
At this point, I'm thinking I'm going to leave the entire book online. It isn't structured or written like a traditional novel, and fixing the ending is going to mean making it longer, not shorter. Realistically, no print publisher is going to pick it up. At least people have read it. I've been writing for so long, and not having anyone read anything I write, that just having readers was a step in the right direction. Maybe people who have read my online novel will be more likely to buy a future novel on paper.
And sorry it took me so long to thank you for the link - I haven't been online as reliably in the past couple months, and just saw your post. Thanks for thinking of me. I hope things are going well with your agent. Has your agent started submitting to publishers?
Posts: 4767 | Registered: Jun 2004
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I have to teach a lesson to the beehives on chastity this week, and all I can think of are all the pitfalls I could fall into. Not saying enough. Saying too much. Hurting girls who have already been hurt. Trying too hard not to hurt anybody and inadvertently leading the girls to believe that unchastity is no big deal.
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My personal feeling is that it is most important to make it clear that:
1) Intimacy is God-given, an essential part of our Heavenly Father's plan (quotes from President Packer in the procreation lesson make this very clear)therefore it is not dirty, or shameful, or bad in and of itself;
2)There are 2 purposes for such intimacy: to create children, and to build bonds of love and companionship between a husband and wife.
When we understand that those are the 2 purposes of this gift given to us by Father in Heaven, then it is easier to understand why use of this gift in any other way is wrong. We simply weigh the behavior against what we know we have permission to use it for.
3) Be ready to answer hard questions...like what is fornication? What is masturbation? Because they will probably ask. Definitions for these are in the lesson manual (assuming you are doing the "sacred power of procreation" lesson from Manual 2 that I think you are) as well as other hard questions like, "But what if you really love each other and are going to get married someday?" There is a terrific article called "Tough Questions, Tough Answers" by Elder Richard G. Scott on the church website that has straight forward thoughts on things like that.
3) Point them to the Bishop for help and support for cases of sin and also victimization, with a reminder that Christ can heal all wounds if they will allow Him to do so.
Good Luck! I hope it goes well and that you feel guided as to what and how to teach your young women.
Posts: 4330 | Registered: Jan 2003
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The article I mentioned above by Elder Scott is called, "Serious Questions, Serious Answers" and I highly, highly reccommend it.
Posts: 4330 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
Holy cow, Janey, I have no idea how I missed your reply in June. I've been trying to come up with a good adjective to describe what my mind has become in the last two years--something nicer than "ditzy". Scattered? Flighty? Capricious? Mercurial? (Yes, those last ones came straight from my deskside thesaurus.)
I'm glad the link was useful. And I think you're instincts are sound about your book. Very few published authors ever publish their first or even third full manuscripts. I know I have several so-called "drawer novels". I count them among the million words of practice some writers say you have to have
And my agent submitted my story to eighteen editors last spring. Seventeen said no. Although most of them not so bluntly . . . I did finally ask to see their comments and they weren't as soul-destroying as I feared they would be. Mostly it reinforced emotionally what I knew intellectually--that finding both an agent and an editor is not just about a technically good story or even flawless writing. It's about making that indefinable "I love this" connection between a person and a story. (And, of course, something that hits what a publishing house might need at a given moment.) At least they all said that I'm clearly a good writer. I can keep going with that.
The 18th editor has not yet said no. My agent called me the end of July and said this editor really loved the story and the characters and the writing--but thought there was a section that needed work. If I wanted to rewrite it, the editor would love to look at it again. So I spent the first three weeks of August significantly rewriting three chapters and sent it back.
And the editor went on maternity leave.
So while I wait for her to return to work (something I'm trying hard not to wish for, since I don't especially want a new mother to have to leave her baby soon) I'm finishing revisions on another YA historical that my agent likes and starting to think about turning a stand-alone alternate history that I adore into a trilogy at my agent's request. So I'm making myself work.
And then there's the little matter of college applications that need to be done in the next four to ten weeks for my oldest son . . .
Sigh.
(And if you want to email me, I'd love to ramble on about writing more--especially to hear about your thoughts and plans as your baby grows.)
Posts: 555 | Registered: May 2006
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Well, hi! I finally wrote a new ending for the novel so many of you were kind enough to read. If you go to my blog you can find the links to the new scene and then the new final chapters.
I'm uploading this at a friend's house while she watches my kids. You know, I miss you guys, but I don't really miss having the Internet at home. Getting rid of it made me a better mother, and I like spending time with my kids more than I did when I had the Internet.
We're doing quite well. We have hard days, but generally things are trending upwards. I know Daknife still hangs out here, and I decided he got the online friends in the divorce, so we'll just say life is pretty good and leave it at that. I hope he's still around here; you folks are a good influence.
I likely won't be back online any time soon. I have to either impose on a friend to watch my kids while I get online at her house, or find a babysitter when I go to the library to get online. Either way, I don't get much browsing time; just enough time to finish what I need to do and log off.
Love you, miss you, and hope you enjoy the new ending.
Posts: 4767 | Registered: Jun 2004
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I saw that you updated and came here to post. I'm glad you checked in. I miss having you here, but understand that it isn't the best thing for you now. *HUGS*
Posts: 5025 | Registered: Sep 2002
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I always looked forward to Mondays and Thursdays when your novel was still being published. Thank you for announcing the new ending on a Monday. It's kind of bittersweet to know that it's truly at an end, but it's great to hear from you.
Can I deduce anything from the fact that you left the internet about the same time that TAMN ended her SSB blog? Just curious! Posts: 2618 | Registered: Aug 2006
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Janey- as wise as you are, you are wrong about the part about DaKnife getting the online friends!
While I am not a Nauvoo spokesperson, I know I am not alone in saying we as a Nauvoo family care about both of you..both of you are our friends. We aren't like those who "take sides". I wish the best for both of you.
I think it is great you are enjoying your children, I hope as able you do check in to Nauvoo. I am sure your friends would be happy to share the computer w/you.
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Nita spoke for me. I consider both of you my online friends and will not and have not taken sides. Although I will say that you've both made it easy to not take sides what with neither of you speaking ill of the other.
I miss you, too. Please come back when you can. Posts: 4374 | Registered: Apr 2003
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There has been zero evidence of anyone picking sides here. Which is pretty remarkable, considering that this is Nauvoo after all. We've argued about virtually everything else.
If not having the Internet is best for your family, then good for you, but you would certainly be welcomed back to Nauvoo.
Posts: 3437 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I haven't finished reading the book - I'll have to go back and start over. But I have a friend who self-published using CreateSpace. The books are printed on demand when someone orders. She orders copies for herself and gets a discount when she does a book signing (where she sells the books at full price). The costs to get started are quite low. And if finances are a problem (when are they not when you have kids), maybe Kickstarter would be a way to raise money to get started.
Posts: 853 | Registered: Mar 2004
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This is great news! I wish her much success. When you see her, please tell her she is greatly missed here at Nauvoo.
Posts: 2618 | Registered: Aug 2006
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I've been thinking about this lately (especially with the writer's workshop stuff going on). I bought the book in September and read it shortly thereafter. I just finished reading it again (and posted a review on Amazon).
I really enjoyed it and will read it again. I would read a sequel - or anything else that Janey writes. Will there be anything else?
Posts: 853 | Registered: Mar 2004
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That looks interesting, and the Kindle price is reasonable. I'll probably get it when I get some money in my Amazon account.
Posts: 853 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I ration my Amazon account. When I have enough cash, I get a $25 gift certificate and apply it. Then I use that until it won't buy anything. I get the Doctor Who episodes on Amazon (they are available the day after they air) because I don't have cable, and this way I don't risk a torrent site (viruses? legal issues?) and can watch them as many times as I want, whenever I want (some shows are only available for a limited time on Hulu and similar sites). So when I refill my Amazon money, I'll buy the book.
I have a friend who has two books out through Amazon now. The paperback version is $13.95 each. One is available for Kindle at 99 cents (I think I'll suggest she raise it a little). The other isn't on Kindle yet. The price for paperback has a lot to do with the actual cost of production and how much the author wants to make on each book. The lower the cost, the lower the percent of the sale. So $11.95 is a reasonable price for paperback for an indie author.
Posts: 853 | Registered: Mar 2004
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