My Writing Space, The Progress of Book 1, and a 56 Day Writing Marathon

MY WRITING SPACE
Recently, my husband and I ought new furniture for my study/office, where I sped all day doing Bible study and writing. I was in desperate need for some organization and smaller furniture to take up less space in the room, but still be functional. So, Ikea came to the rescue and fulfilled both of those requirements. (This is only part of my work space. I will share more photos later, by the way.)

MY WRITING PROGRESS OF BOOK 1
I still have no idea of a title for Book 1 of Land of Risina Series. Then again, the idea is so new I'm not surprised. I've started to do some of an outline, some planning, and some writing and have 23 pages, 3,496 words so far.

56 DAYS OF A WRITING MARATHON
Starting Saturday, I'm am going on a writing marathon, where I plan on writing at least 3,000 words per day for 56 days, for a total of 168,000 words minimum. Usually, I write about 2,000 words per day.

Also, I plan on writing at least twelve hours a day. So, I may get a great deal more written than I anticipate. We shall see.

EXERCISE 
Also, during those 56 days, I plan on increasing my workout. I am a runner, something I took up just a couple of years ago, after over three decades of only running in order to avoid getting hit by upcoming traffic or if I didn't want to get drenched by rain. Once a week, I run a 10k, but it hasn't been consistent. I do it once to twice a month. I would like to run more than that. Moreover, my minimum run is a 5k and I want to increase that to five miles a day, three days a week and 10 or more miles once a week. Ideally, my long run will be a half marathon, then a marathon. But, I need to get serious about working up to those distances. So, I plan on doing this the next 60 days or so--in order to establish a habit. From there, I will continue it and try to keep increasing my distance.

WRITING IS A SOLITARY ACTIVITY
As a writer, it's easy to get lazy and not keep in shape like we should. That's why I am adding to my writing marathon more physical running. It's my desire to lose weight and get in better shape than I've been in a long time, if not ever.

As a writer, it's essential to have a balanced life. The next 56 days will be part of that. I will also be doing two to three Bible studies at that time as well.

Now, back to writing.

(Top Image Credit: Stacy Duplease 2014. Middle and Bottom Image Credit: Microsoft images online 2009-2014.)

What to Expect From This Blog

This is a writing blog about a new fantasy series I am writing that's based on an allegory of the Book of Daniel. It's my intent to share my writing story as well as the writing of this series. Hence, it's about my writing life.

This blog will also be about reading fantasy (speculative fiction) and watching fantasy movies and television.

This blog will also be about faith, politics, and the news of today--for the Book of Daniel tells of what is happening today and in the future, as well as the past.

I would love to make this an interactive blog. Therefore, feel free to post questions, comments, suggestions for story-line, etc. You can add a comment at the end of any blog post, use the contact form on the left side of this blog--about one-third of the way down on the page, or you can send me an email.

Welcome.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 2014.)

Thank You, U.S. Military

Thank God for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. For my freedom. For your freedom. For our freedom.

They didn't have to. But, they did. They know the price of freedom. Peace doesn't simply exist because we will it or say it should. Peace happens, sometimes through a show of force--for freedom. And sometimes peace can happen because the entirety of a nation chooses to live by the will of God, not for self. (How rare. But, isn't this truly peace? We will not know this, though until Jesus Christ returns, but should strive for this today and tomorrow.)

Thank God people believed in our nation and the foundations our forefathers envisioned... Our military and their families. Past, present, and future.

Thank you for those serving now. You don't have to, but you believe in the U.S. Constitution enough to defend her. I pray you will continue to take this seriously every day and are forever mindful of this. (I pray we as a nation do this as well.)

What the U.S. military does is often ignored, often despised, often taken for granted. So many say they support the military and really don't. But, we can change this today and make it a daily point to pray for them and think of them. We can also make sure we vote correctly (and actually vote) so they get the support they need.

May we remember our military, and what they sacrifice and have for our freedom... so we can continue on with life as normal while theirs is anything but.

People have died on our behalf. And people are willing to now. How humbling. I sure don't deserve it. But, they have and will do it anyway.

Thank God.

God bless the USA and our U.S. military. We would not have the lifestyle we have today if not for them.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 2008-2014)

Welcome

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Welcome to a new blog of an epic fantasy series.

Stay tuned. 

More information to follow this week.

~ Stacy Duplease

Christian, Patriot, Writer, Journalkeeper

The Way I Write: My Writing Space

What do I do for a living? I am a writer.

Writing is a business, is an art, is a craft, is work, is a passion, is something I have to constantly work at and improve my skills. Consequently, I am constantly morphing my craft. I am always seeking a way to do it better. This includes my writing space.

My writing space has to be portable. I have to be able to take it anywhere on a moment's notice. Literally. It needs to be that I can pick up right where I left off--without having to get in the right frame of mind--because I always have my work space and I always have the right frame of mind.

How is possible to always have the right (or shall I say "write") frame of mind for writing? I get it through the habit of my workspace.

Attach pictures of my latest traveling/portable workspace. I tend to carry too much with me and I am always trying to find a way to streamline this portable writing space.

Picture this, though. I always have my Amazon Kindle Fire with me. Period. End of story. I also always have a charger with me. As it so happens, my cell phone and the Fire take the same plug. Whew.

Now, I have two 3-ring binders that are the canvas type with a zipper with a shoulder belt or a handhold so I can carry it like a messenger's bag or like a brief case. I have a bright purple and a red one. Eventually, I might need to get a third case because this book will be that huge. Sigh. But, we are not going to go there yet. Right now, I am using just the purple one.

I always type up my writing. That way, I can save it online so it is permanent. Paper tends to get lost through movers, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires. (I will tell you that story later.) I then print out each page as it is typed--provided I am at home and can print it. Otherwise, I save it multiple ways until I can print it.

Right now, the book is roughly 14,000 words and is 57 pages long.

I always have coffee and a glass of water as I write.

I am a sticky flag queen so I can easily find material in my binder. In my binder, I include research for the book.

I also always have red, blue, purple, and black ink pens for editing. I am a pen snob and only Paper Mate Profile Pens will do.

Should I mention how school supply time is my favorite time of year? (Speaking of, I  need to get a new box of 20# bond white, 8.5 x 11 this weekend. I am almost out of paper. We shall see how long this lasts with writing a telephone book size book.) I just got 2 more ink cartridges for my printer today.

Why am I sharing all of this with you? Just to give you an idea of what my business of writing looks like. It helps you to identify me and what I do--and just to tell you something a little different.

Have a good evening.

(Photos by Stacy Duplease.)

Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez Etc

Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezetc.blogspot.com

Email: familytreezetc@gmail.com
Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction   

Emotional Olympics, London, and Camp NaNoWriMo: Etc. Etc. Etc. (Misc. Thoughts)

Is it just me, or does any one else shed a lot of tears during the Olympics?

Last night was quite emotional--between women's gymnastics team competition getting the gold to the 800 Men's relay in swimming. Never mind all of the other moments. How impressive and moving.

I get just as emotional for those who do not win, by the way.

Never mind how much I love seeing London when they break away to a commercial and when they come back from commercial. It's the very setting for the first book I am writing in my historical novel. Therefore, that moves me and inspires me as well. The things I am researching, I can see from today's perspective and it helps me put things into context. It helps that my husband is a studier of history, so he knows London. But, he's also been there. So, we can pause the screen and he points the sites out to me. I find this quite helpful.

Just a couple of thoughts for today... Now, I need to get back to the London in my book.

Total word count so far: 12,896.

Oh! And I am going to do Camp NaNoWriMo for August. You can find me here: http://www.campnanowrimo.org/campers/familytreezetc/novels/american-origins-part-1

I will do a new blog post about this so you know what I am talking about here, if you do not.

Have a blessed day.

(Photo is by Stacy Duplease.)
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Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez

Email: familytreezetc@gmail.com
Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction   

Welcome

Welcome to my newest blog.

--

~ Stacy Duplease

Author of Historical Fiction (of Virginia and the U.S.)

of Remembering Your Present, LLC

Latest Book: "Yorktown's Dawning"

Latest Historical Fiction Series: "The Chronicles of the Siege of Yorktown"

Check me out on Facebook under my name. Also, check me out on twitter @hisfiction

Email: hisfiction@gmail.com