How I Write-- An Open Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

I've been a very good writer this year (at least I think I was). I know you're busy preparing all the toys for the good boys and girls but I thought I'd send in my requests:

1. a clone-- what better way to be more productive? The real me will stay at home and just concentrate on writing while my clone goes out and works or does the housework.


2. a vitural reality system or holodeck-- because it's expensive to travel to do my research and the internet only goes so far to help me. Some things you just need to experience for yourself in order to evoke the right feeling and emotion in the writing.


3. a time turner pocket watch like the one Hermione has in Harry Potter (note, this isn't the same one but it's a steampunk version and cool!)-- because those deadlines can creep up fast and I want to put out the best product possible. I promise I wouldn't abuse this ability too much.


4. a replicator from Star Trek-- so that I don't have to worry about cooking. All I'd have to do is punch in what I want and the food item is synthesized. No matter what I'm craving, it's there at the press of a button. Yes, I could pick up the phone and call for delivery, but this is cooler and faster and gives you more options.


5. an endless supply of Coca Cola and chocolate (although other candy may be substituted)-- I need my energy fix. How else am I going to tempt the muse out and bribe it for its secrets?


6. a cat wrangler-- seriously, how many times do I need to get up off the couch a day to get the cats off the counter or to stop knocking my books from the bookshelves, or jumping up and knocking boxes down? I can assure you, that's precious time spent away from my book.

As you can see, my list isn't all that demanding. Just a few little items that would make this writer immensely happy.

Sincerely,
Alexia Reed

Check out my friends' sites to see what they want for Christmas: Danie Ford Emma G. Delaney Kimberly Farris Kristen Koster

How I Write-- Handling the Holidays

With the holidays' coming up, we're focusing this week on our holiday plans such as-- what are you cooking? Or planning to/looking forward to eating the most if you're not cooking? And how are you planning on balancing your writing with your real life obligations? Or are you not writing?

While my accountability group is probably going to focus on Thanksgiving, since US turkey day is coming up, I'm going to look into the future to Christmas since I've already celebrated Thanksgiving.

Christmas time is a blur of activity. On the 23rd I hope to be on the train, headed for home. It's a 8- 10 hour ride I'll most likely spend reading , listening to music and snacking on my own version of trail mix (sour patch kids, chocolate and caramel popcorn). I may do some writing. It all depends on how much room I have. By the time I get home, it'll be late at night. As what happens every year, we'll finish off our shopping on the 24th. It's not like I can bring a lot back with me. I'm hoping this year to order things online and have them shipped to my parents (and pray they don't decide to peek).

I probably won't be doing much in the ways of baking. My mom will have done most of it before I got there. The tree will probably already be up as well. It usually is when I get there. I may write, if I have the time, but I'll also be focusing on the gifts and finishing them off for the family.

Christmas day, it depends. We wake and then open the gifts around 9-10. Sometimes breakfast is before. Sometimes not. We'll all sit on the floor or on chairs around the tree, take a few pics of the family then someone hands out a gift per person and work the way through. After clean up, calls are made to the rest of the family and that can take some time. Christmas is a writing day wash for me. Especially if we're doing dinner at my aunt and uncle's place. I'm not going to lug my computer with there.

Sometimes we don't go out for Boxing Day. I really hope we do this year though, because I'm looking to get a new camera and the sale would be nice. Again, no writing is done this day. By the 27th things start to slow down enough that I could consider getting out the laptop, however, by the 1st, I'll be back on a train.

I'll try to write what I can, but it's a very difficult week. Considering I have a writing pact with a friend, I really do need to. The pact is to finish the story we're currently working on by Jan 1st or we have to pay the other person $100 for books.

For more on what everyone else is doing on the holidays, check out their sites: Danie Ford Emma G. Delaney Kimberly Farris Kristen Koster