Memory Trigger Train

Yes, I know it's Monday. Consider this a special edition!

So last night, I was scrolling Facebook and Brian Littrell shared a video someone had of him doing "You Alone." (His Instagram and Facebook are linked, so I didn't get to actually listen until I saw his Instagram a few minutes later.) This gave me all the feels.

I used to have all his solo stuff. I had it all digitally and most of the physical albums they were on. This post of his made me cry. Because I remembered literally the day before the fire picking up his Welcome Home album, holding it in my hand, and then putting it back on the nightstand. I was debating putting it in my car. I opted not to. Oh, how I should have! The next day, it was gone! I have been trying and trying to find this album, new in package for months now. It's not in my price point. I don't want to drop mad cash for someone's used. I want it new. Amazon is just not my friend right now. Neither is eBay.

Anyway, this morning, I see a second post from him where he seems to be indicating someone was post-jacking or making his post more than what it was. It was simply him saying he got what he needed at that moment from his own song. Yeah, got that. Well, that brought back another memory. Yet another one that makes me cry.

This is back in 2007. I saw Brian solo when he was the main act with ONE album out. Yeah, record execs are funny like that, but I didn't care. I also got to see Brandon Heath. The show seriously wasn't that long. But no one cared. I was in the THIRD ROW! He was literally close enough for me to throw something at. (I didn't.) It was so moving that night. There's one moment that sticks in my mind. He sang a cover. (Yeah, rare, I know.) But more so than that, was the fact that he was overcome during that song. So much so he couldn't get the words out. Now if you've been following this man as long as I have, you know that just DOES NOT HAPPEN. Even in 2013 when he was struggling with his voice, he still got the words out, even if it wasn't the way he wanted. This was a moment. One of those moments that happen because there's a tug at your heart. So what was the song: Tim McGraw's "Don't Take the Girl." Go Google the lyrics if you don't know the song and I think you can figure out the moment he lost it.

I can't listen to that song now. Not because of that. But because I BECAME that moment that Brian lost it in that song, almost six years ago. Six years ago on Thursday, my daughter was born at 28 weeks. Six years ago on Thursday, I had lost half my blood volume. Six years ago on Thursday, had we waited another ten minutes, we both probably wouldn't be here.

So why this memory trigger train? I don't know. All I know is that God obviously knew I needed that. And He KNEW, as he always has.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

-- Jeremiah 29:11

WriYe Blog Circle: Editing

Theme: Editing

It's March. That means in the writing circles I run, it's usually NaNoEdMo or Editing Month! For me, it usually doesn't mean anything. Except for this year, I guess.

Describe your editing process. What is your biggest challenge in editing?

My editing process doesn't usually exist. I don't edit. I don't ever really intend to publish, so what's the point? For the most part, I'm a pretty good speller and spell check does reasonably well. The biggest thing I have been doing lately is revising. I've either been digging up old ideas and either completely redoing them or pulling the "good stuff" out and filling in the rest.

But, there is one thing I have been doing just this past week. I found a story I really wanted to work on. It is a BSB/CSI crossover I did back oh something like eight or nine years ago. I found it in my email as a verification file. The only problem was that I had scrambled it. Thankfully it was a very simple letter-to-letter code to crack. I took things like the letter "e" and turned them into "x" and the letter "t" and turned them into "z" and such. There was only one problem with unscrambling it: sometimes there really was a letter x or z or whatever other letters I used that needed to be there. So it made things a little strange. On top of that, when I spell checked the whole thing, it missed some words. Thankfully where I stopped decoding and decided to call it a day, I am pretty much able to figure out what was being said. Also on the first page, I have like three huge holes of where I have partial scenes written. Like they were literally just pieces. So what I decided to do was print out all 14 pages and just go line by line. I'm about 2 pages in, so that's not bad for the first day! And I've still got some time to figure out the timeline, the outline and more. I've actually got to refigure who the killer is and the whole plot as I basically just have the first act figured out for ONE of the stories. Usually, these CSI things have two or three stories running through them.

So that is basically my editing/revision process. It usually doesn't exist, except when it has to. This BSB/CSI crossover I am hoping to use for CampNaNo in April.

Fans

So this FanGirl Friday is about the latest video that the Backstreet Boys dropped. They are doing these minute long videos. They've done each of the guys and this week, they did one about the fans.

At about :38, Brian starts talking. He mentions how when a fan waves a certain way, he does it back so that they know he sees them. I about cried when I heard that. He did that to me on the Black and Blue tour. In fact, it'll be 18 years ago this weekend. I saw that tour three times. For the third night, I knew exactly where I wanted my seats to be: the first-row balcony. I managed to secure I think third-row balcony. During the three songs they did on the mini-stage at the back, literally right in front of me it seemed, I got tired of what I was doing and started applauding in sign language. And low and behold, Brian did it back! It was the best moment of my life, up to that point. It's about as close as I've gotten to meet him. I've seen him up close: the third row at a solo show. I've seen him on the floor of the casino. But him "seeing" me was incredible. It's something I'll never forget.

WHAT?!?!?!?!

I wasn't planning on doing a FanGirl Friday this week, except a couple things happened.

One: Nick about made me cry! So Wednesday, they teased on their Social Media that there was "something coming on YouTube." (When you went to the link that's where it took you.) Okay, so yesterday morning, of course, after I get home from dropping the kids off, my phone pings that they had uploaded a new video.

And Nick says something about a moment of peace and I'm all teary. Yeah, that's what they've given me over the past 3 months: peace. Thanks guys!

On to two: I was at work last night and we were going over our day. I somehow wound up on Pinterest just scrolling. And what do I see but this:

I about fell out of my chair! See, here's the funny thing, if you haven't been following my writing posts (you should!), I started writing this novel back in November. I wasn't sure where it was going to go, but it turned into this Brian/Howie vampire erotica fic. I have never written anything close to that before in my life. I have no idea where it came from. And so when this picture pops up, yeah, I about curse out loud and fall over. Good thing I didn't because no one knew I was on Pinterest pinning the Boys. But now I have a "Sweet Rok" section on my Backstreet Board!

Oh, and number three: I'm learning "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" in ASL. It's actually really fun, though probably gonna kill me in the process.

And number four: HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!!! I've seen all the video, even from his wife. It was so cute! And he even thanked all the fans for the birthday love! This man has my heart!

WriYe Mid-Month Update

February Goals

Goals for February:

1. Write 10,000 words (16,500/10,000 words)
2. Read 2 books (1/2)
3. WriYe Blog Circle here

And the Challenges

1. New Moon Madness (155/900 words) FAIL!
2. 100 Word Consistency Challenge (19/28 days)
3. 300 Word Consistency Challenge (15/15 days)
4. Keeping Warm In February (FINISHED...WC: 9,490)
5. WriDay (2,513/2,500 words) WIN!
6. Full Moon Madness (1,024/1,000 words) WIN!
7. 5k Weekend (0,000/2,500 words)

Obviously, things are going well. I've got a ton of words and I've managed to win most challenges so far. The month has one more challenge in it, and hopefully, I can win that one as well.

Otherwise, I have to update my WIPs list for you too! Well, not really my WIPs. More like my FINISHED FICS!

Works in Progress

Untitled (NaNo 2018) -- Supernatural BSB FanFic LGBT Erotica

Starting WC: 51,595

Howie is the leader of a clan of Day Walkers, half-human, half-vampires who are tasked with enforcing vampire law in Las Vegas. His clan is composed of his adviser, Kevin; his tracker, Nick; his messenger, Alex; and Brian, his new pet. They've been together for twenty-five years and things are just now coming to light. Having taken Brian as his pet, Howie is beginning to realize just how broken he is. He also realizes that Brian needs to reclaim his power over his past. But there are demons in the way; demons that seem to be coming back to haunt them. As the lawbreakers, or Gentri, seem to be growing in numbers, the leader of the vampires, Carson, is growing impatient with his Day Walker clans. He orders more clans be brought in to help with the problem. One of the new clans, however, has ties to Brian that threatens to undo all the work Howie has done with him.

Finished Fics

Hush -- Realistic BSB FanFic

Final WC: 9,840

Having lost my voice before seeing the Backstreet Boys on tour, I just happen to run into Brian at Starbucks. He is on the first day of a week-long vocal rest and struggling with the realization of a postponement. We manage to help each other through our own personal struggles.

She's a Dream -- Realistic BSB FanFic

Final WC: 9,490

Brian did something completely insane after his divorce four years prior that wound up being a dream come true. He met a girl online who knew NOTHING about him. They've been married for three years and the pressure is on from all around for him to finally tell her who he really is as the group is getting ready to release a new album and possibly go on tour again. But how will she handle the fact that he's a celebrity when she can barely handle leaving the house?

WriYe Blog Circle: Romance

Theme: Romance

Is romance necessary in all fiction? Why or why not?

This is one of those questions that I find relatively easy to answer but difficult to defend. No, romance does not need to be in all fiction. Why not? Well, I'm not entirely sure on this, to be honest. I think it's probably because I come from a juvenile reading background. And then I also read a lot of YA. Unfortunately, a lot of YA is either romance or dystopian or both!

But no, you don't need to have romance in every story. I've written short stories that don't have romance in them. They turned out fine.

If you do have romance in your fiction, tell us about your favorite pairings. Why are they your favorite?

Well, I haven't looked back at a lot of my work from years gone by, but lately, I've been writing a lot of fanfiction. Honestly, my favorite pairing is with Brian Littrell and an original character. Yes, I live in a fantasy world. I enjoy it. Leave me alone! It's my favorite because, well, I either enjoy screwing with his "perfect" life or just having fun with his faults.

Oddly, I have done some slash pairings that surprise me. My NaNo novel for 2018 was a slash pairing of Howie and Brian. I totally wasn't expecting it, but it works for the story.

January and February Goals

January Goals

So this is the final update for January:

1. Write 10,000 words. (23,058/10,000 words)
2. Read 2 books. (1/2 books)
3. WriYe Blog Circle here

I also plan to participate in the following challenges:

1. WriDay (1,742/2,500 words) FAIL!
2. 100 Word Consistency (31/31 days) WIN!
3. New Moon Challenge (941/900 words) WIN!
4. Genre Stretch -- Dystopian (started)
5. Full Moon Madness (1,288/1,000 words) WIN!
6. 5k Weekend (2,516/2,500 words) WIN!

So that was January. It was pretty good. Here are my winner goodies:

February Goals

Now here are my goals for February:

1. Write 10,000 words (04,633/10,000 words)
2. Read 2 books (0/2)
3. WriYe Blog Circle

And the Challenges

1. New Moon Madness (155/900 words) FAIL!
2. 100 Word Consistency Challenge (06/28 days)
3. Keeping Warm In February (Started...WC: 1,565)

I'm sure there will be more challenges. So far things are going well for February. I'm 6 days in and I'm already almost halfway to my goal!