I hate coming up with titles.

So my back went out again. Apparently it happens when 3 of your disks are falling apart. It's super painful to walk or sit or lay down or move, but it's nothing new for me. It seems to happen once a year now, in the summer, when it gets really warm. Maybe I should move to Alaska?? I think it's the humidity that does it.

Anyways, so I'm currently handicapped. I spend most of the day in bed, but I do get up to walk around every do often, since it helps a bit. Hopefully it won't last too long. Well, at least i hope the worst part goes away soon.

So I've discovered Microsoft Office OneNote. I've decided that it's the best program ever. It's what I'm using to keep all the info for my story, and I love it. I have like 18 different tabs in two notebooks, and each tab has like 12 pages. Sounds kinda complicated, but seriously, it makes it so much easier to keep things organized.

Also, I've now managed to come up with the storyline for the first book. I've got the main plot points, beginning to end. I've also got an idea of where the second book will go. I've also got a secondary main plot that I'm gonna introduce in the second book, though I still have to work some of that out. But I've got a good idea of how the whole thing will end.

But yeah, so I've got the main plot. I'm now working on the smaller details. They're pretty important. It's kinda hard to write a scene if I'm not sure if there should be a hospital type setting, a private office, or if a healer should just make house calls. Also, I'm debating making my character a little younger I have them at 18, but I think I might move that down to 16. I'm still undecided. It changes the beginning a little, though, so I guess I should decide soon.

I've also got a few of the scenes floating around in my head. But I guess I need to decide their ages first, because I've got scenarios for both running around. I think I will change it, though. I think that having them be 18 is too old, at least at the beginning. They'd be expected to be married or at least engaged, and I'm not sure how getting a job would work. So yeah, 16 it is. Old enough to be mature and adult and responsible, but young enough to be kids and live at home.

Anyways, so I'm gonna go watch a movie now. Or maybe go to sleep. Or maybe write. For some reason, I get the best ideas and do the best work in the middle of the night. So maybe I'll work on it a little and then go to sleep.

Anyways, bye bye.
~Susana

Everyone should get MuchMoreRetro.

So not much is new with the book. I mean, it's only been 24 hrs since I posted. Plus, I took a break from it and read a bit and started my laundry. And Ela came over, so I took a break and watched a movie. We watched Twister. Such a good movie. And we saw a countdown of the top 10 songs from a soundtrack. It was awesome. Seriously, we spent a good hour singing along to songs that are like 15 years old. It makes the music channel package on digital cable so worth the $7 a month.

I did change the map, though. There were some unnecessary land areas and one bay too many. So that had to change. I really should look into some sort of program that will let me make a digital map. It's a pain in the ass to draw a new one every time I change something. Plus, doing it digitally would allow me to also do a topographical map, which is way too much work for me to do by hand. Anyone know of any programs??

But holy shit, this takes a lot of work. Who would have thought that inventing a world is so time consuming?? Honestly, it gets a little complicated once I try to figure out all the different governments and laws and histories and tradition. But thankfully I managed to download the D&D Monster Manual. I was getting a little lost between all the mythical, fictional, and theological creatures that are out there in the Internet.

So I'm thinking of watching Supernatural. My brother has all the seasons, and I have season one sitting next to me. I kinda want to watch it, 'cause the guys are super hot, but I don't know if the show is any good. Should I watch it?? Maybe I should at least give the first disk a chance, see how it goes. Or at least one episode. I'll think about it.

Anyways, back to writing. Well, researching and creating. Not yet writing, really. But I have random pieces floating in my head, so I might just write them out and get them over with. I can always tweak them later if I need to. But then again, maybe I'm just scared to write it. I find researching comforting and safe, but if I write it, I kinda feel like I'm committed. Maybe I'm crazy?? Yeah, that's probably it.

Okie, bye bye.

~Susana

Aderin is where I live now.

So I'm writing a fantasy novel. I haven't really started writing it yet, but I've got a lot of the prep work done. It's taken quite a few days of almost non-stop work, but here's what I have so far:

• I've invented a world. It's called Aderin. Six races live on it. The elves live on Evinthal.
• I have a map for it. It's pretty.
• I have 16 characters so far, though most of them are not as developed as I'd like.
• I have the basic outline for both the main plot and the secondary plot.
• I've sorted out all the races and their general abilities.
• I have the family histories of my main characters.

There's still a million things I have to do, though. Finish the characters, finalize what life is like in their world, connect the smaller story ideas to the main one, and so on. I also have to plan out the end, because I plan to write more than one book. Also, I have to figure out how politics, commerce, education, medicine, laws, food, history, ans so many other things work for each race. And there's seven races. And come up with a few words in each of their languages, so I can use them throughout the story. And I need to come up with some creatures, both magical and non-magical.

And that's all before I start writing the actual story.

It's gonna take quite a bit of research. So much that I'm actually thinking of going to a library. The Internet is great and all, but I'd like a few more specialized books. I need to look into the middle ages, since I'm basing a lot of everyday life on it. I need a book on the medicinal uses of plants, since I'm definitely using that a lot. Also, medieval weapons are important, so I should look into those.

So far, the hardest has been coming up with names for my characters. You have no idea how hard it is to come up with names that don't sound like Mark or Steve. They have to be interesting sounding and not as common. Place names are also a pain in the ass. Holy shit, it's crazy to come up with names for cities, lakes, mountains, and forests. Thank god for websites and fantasy name generators!! Also, thank god that Nelson and Jack play fantasy games and suggested some names.

Funny enough, the map was the easiest. I just kinda took a paper and drew randomly. They I looked at it and just improved parts. Then I labeled it. It's not perfect or even set in stone yet, but working on it was definitely interesting.

I'm not even really sure if this book is gonna go anywhere. I may just write it and no one ever reads it. Maybe I type it and I never print it. But the way I figure it, I'm wasting my time doing nothing all day. So if this is a waste of time, at least I haven't wasted any more time than I would have if I wasn't writing it. And this way, at least I'm keeping busy and doing something interesting. Hopefully something will come of it.

Anyways, I'm off to read some more fan fiction and then work on my world some more. Seriously, I have so many ideas for it that I've been barely sleeping, just writing and researching and editing for it. It's pretty insane. I haven't even had time to talk to anyone, I've been so single-minded. I figured this was a good way to take a quick break from my story and update everyone at once so they don't think I've died. Well, everyone who reads this. I'm not sure who does, but if you do, now you know why I don't call.

Feel free to let me know if you have any ideas you want me to use, or some great character you want to see in it. Or maybe some names?? I'd appreciate those. Lots of those. Or if you feel you are an expert on the middle ages, magic, fantasy, or writing. I'm also looking for someone to bounce ideas off of, get some feedback, read what I write and let me know what they think. So if you fit that, feel free to volunteer your services.

And here is a question to ponder: if some elves have been twisted into something evil, and have been this way for thousands of years now, are they considered a different race?? And can they but rebel and be good, or are they doomed to be evil until they die??

Also, I'm currently obsessed with a Black Eyed Peas song, "I Gotta Feeling," and a Beyonce song, "Halo." Yes, I know, hell has frozen over. I'm as shocked as you are.

Okay, off now. Bye bye.

~Susana