I can't believe it's December already! Wow, time flies. I'm really looking forward to Christmas though. Are you? Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I'm always amazed (and impressed) by the folks who can remain relaxed enough to not shop until the last minute. I get way too panicky if I don't have my gifts set at least a couple weeks ahead of the big day. Haha.
The fact that December has arrived also means it's the end of an intensive writing month. NaNoWriMo is done for another year and I couldn't feel happier about how it turned out. I not only hit my 50K word goal, but I also finished the sci-fi/western novel I started in the spring. That book is titled Race to Novus, which I've spoken about before. I've shared the vision board for my book at the bottom of the page, so you can see what's been rolling around my head the last month. Psssst... In future newsletters (once I get that feature up and running) I plan to share some exclusive sneak peaks from the novel with my subscribers, so stay tuned. :)
Now, if you're wondering what the heck NaNoWriMo is, it stands for National Novel Writing Month, which happens in November. There are also two Camp NaNoWriMo months (one in spring and one in summer), but the one in November seems to get more attention. So in order to participate, you can sign up by creating your own profile. For the entire month you track how much you write each day, with the goal of drafting 50K of a novel. Or you can do another writing project. Friends of mine tackled writing a series of short stories instead. Really, it's whatever you want to work on. The emphasis is on being creative and getting words on the page, in whatever form works best. :)
So, if you enjoy writing and all of that sounds really interesting to you, I encourage you to visit Nanowrimo.org and check it out.
MOVIE RECOMMENDATION
Since I drafted a science fiction novel this month, I thought it would be fun and fitting to share a science fiction movie recommendation, instead of a book recommendation. If you happen to follow me on Twitter (@raclarkewrites), then you've likely been seeing my movie picks already.
I've been doing one for most days of the month and it's been really fun. I am a bit of a movie nerd. Here's a fun fact about me: my very first job was at a convenience store/movie rental shop down the block from my childhood home. Anyway, feel free to scroll back on Twitter and check them out. Without further ado, I present Serenity.
This is one of my top favourite science fiction movies. If you are a fan of the television show Firefly then you'll understand the appeal of this movie, since it's based in the same world with the same characters. To me, this movie has it all. Sharp visual appeal, dynamic and quirky characters (with great acting), and an engaging, action-packed premise. It even has a touch of romance, which I personally love. If you enjoy a solid mix of tension and humour, then this is definitely one for you.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT RACE TO NOVUS
Here's the vision board I promised to show you. This novel has been a passion project of mine ever since I wrote a short story back in 2020 for a wonderful prompted writing contest called The Writer's Games (by The Writer's Workout). The story and characters came alive, captivating me, and I knew immediately there was so much more tale to tell. To get a feel for the vibe of the story, think Hidalgo meets Firefly. As a lover of horses since childhood (yep, there's a horse in my novel), of science fiction, and westerns, I made a commitment to make it happen. Then after visiting a workshop called Futurescapes in Spring of 2021, I met an agent there who lit a fire under my butt. She encouraged me to keep writing this novel, that she would keep reading, and that I should send it to her when it was done. That was all I needed to hear. They say when the story you desperately want to read isn't written yet, then write it yourself? Well, that's exactly what I did.
If you're interested to read a sneak peak into the premise of Race to Novus, here you go:
Finnley Rucker travels with to a newly colonized planet in the hopes of winning some free land by racing through a mysteriously uncharted part of the planet called the Sweep. She's looking to make a fresh start, but what she finds instead, might be more than her saddlebags can hold.
Does this sound like something you'd like to read? Let me know in the comments!
OTHER EXCITING NEWS
I can't put this post out in the world without providing a recent and very exciting update. The first book in my children's chapter book series, The Big Ol' Bike has officially been named a FINALIST for the Females of Fiction Award held by HIndi's Libraries, in the early reading category. Cue the happy dancing.
The winner will be decided on December 15, 2021, so please send me all the lucky vibes you can spare! I feel so honoured that they saw something special in my book. It's a blessing and I'm over the moon thankful. And even if I don't win, it's still a huge win!
The story of Hindi's Library is pretty amazing, and I admire all the valuable things for children and literacy as a whole. Make sure to visit their website and learn more about them by clicking here: hindislibraries.org.
And if you haven't picked up your own copy of The Big Ol' Bike for your children, grandchildren, neices/nephews, etc... you can find it here. With Christmas being right around the corner, it makes a great stocking stuffer. ;)
Lastly, I'd like to send a special shout out to my husband and two amazing little boys (though they'd never let you call them that. They're big boys. Haha.) who provided constant support and patience with my frazzled moments throughout this crazy writing month. Love you guys.
Well, that's about it for me! Thanks for reading and following along with me on this crazy writing journey. It means a lot, and I can't wait to share more exciting things yet to come.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Rachael Clarke
2021-12-01