Slowing down 'teh storiez'

Hi everyone,

Those lucky folks who are subscribed to my Randitty Newsletter know that I planned to post several new exciting stories, a webcomic about fashionista cats and dazzle you all with more Xena: Warrior Princess-style writing tips in 2014.

And, if you're a long-time reader, having followed my blog since before the newsletter, then you also know that sometimes my plans get completely derailed by bouts of I-need-to-finish-my-novel-now-oh-my-zombie-Jesus-ness!!*

Phobos Xo Robobos on hiatus

Sigh... I think I am going to try my hand at posting bedtime stories once a week on Thursday nights at least... and then there will be the sporadic post about books I'm reading and inspiring writer experiences... and writer bitching too... Of course I have to do that.

But, mainly, I wanted to convey to you all that I won't be posting updates of Phobos Xo Robobos like I wanted. The next major story update on this blog won't be 'till June or so.

Whaa--? Wha' happened?**

In the middle of a nostalgic turn (turn? We've been watching too much Downton Abbey) regarding that precious novel manuscript about the talking horses that I've been dreaming about writing since I was a girl, I realized that it's not okay to begin working on a novel right after college and then still be struggling to finish it, um... eight years later? After I finished panicking, I got pissed. Some of you writers out there know that feeling, I think. Well, you'd better. (I best not be the only one!)

There have been plenty of other successful writing projects over the years, though. Damsel: Once upon a time when I was Catholic... is another unpublished manuscript. So are Aisha, the Celestial War, and Carnivory: The art of eating one's self. Mi'raah is an adaptation of a fourth novel in progress that I have lying around on my laptop. And then, there's a fifth novel that some of my old writer group friends might remember: Godkillers that I've never mentioned on the blog. (You guys remember, right? That leather-clad Rebecca, the reluctant goddess and the atheist emperor?) Each of these stories is hundreds of pages long and completely unique in tone and subject matter. All have been waiting in fourths, in halves or setting around like swiss cheese with holes between scenes and future chapters waiting for me to fill them in... but not until I finish the horse story first. I've been living like that forever.

Well, alright. Just one bedtime story, okay?

So, you know, in all seriousness — not cool, dude. I'll try my best to post the lovely bed time stories on Thursday nights, but I can't stand the wait on my novel any longer. Updating ye olde Randitty blog with more really involved novellas is going to get pushed to the wayside until this summer, while I continue to balance my nine-to-five and then the second shift I usually pull most days after work to focus on just my novel.

I know it isn't the happiest news, but then again, it's exciting, too, isn't it? I'm finally going to finish! And then, you can read about the horses and become obsessed with them as I have and then we can cackle maniacally together, our crooked fingers clawing the air, and then get out of breath and realize how silly we look, and then laugh even harder and have to sit down, and then feel bad about maybe getting too old for these things, wonder about picking up an exercise class or eating more organic food, and why is it so hard to meet nice guys — that always randomly comes up in conversation with my girlfriends, and isn't Justin Timberlake still sooo awesome? I'm glad he retook his place in normal conversational references as the 'rightful Justin' (not that weird Bieber fellow), then suddenly you check your watch and... bam! You're 30. What the hell happened, I was supposed to finish that novel by now? Welp, here I go...

Please wish me luck,

Janica

* A Futurama reference.
**A Mighty Wind reference.