Capturing Joy

My head is spinning with the many exciting events happening in the next few months.
On a personal note: Graduations. My boys are graduating from elementary school and junior high. My daughter will move onto upper elementary. How did this happen so fast? Next September, I will officially be a mother with children in the three school systems. According to certain friends, this is no easy task.

My year of teaching is coming to an end. I made the decision to leave one of my current schools and teach at my daughter's elementary school. This has been a dream for many, many years. I'm going from a fairly wealthy school to one which has, let's say, bigger challenges. To some, the move might seem crazy. But for me, exposing kids to the joy of creating art is worth any challenges that will surely pop up.

Next, is the US Gymnastic Championships. Really important this year. The top two athletes will automatically be placed on the upcoming Olympic Team. The remaining athletes will need to duke it out at the training camp. High drama, politics and serious dream-busting ensue. I'll be interested in the media-frenzy pitting "rivals" Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. Should be a super-fun summer for gymnastic fans!
You can bet I'll be taking notes for possible sequels to Greenwood Girls.


In 2 weeks, I'll officially begin "My Summer Writing Program."
This is my plan: Reserve three hours a day to writing at least five days per week. For all of you "real" writer's out there, this might seem fairly simple. And indeed it is. I just love putting it down on paper (so to speak).
I'm working on my YA novel about two rival sisters. It's an organic piece. Not sure where it's going. I have an idea of where I'd like it to go, but the thrill of allowing my characters to tell the story is just too strong. This is a first draft after all. Why not just go for it?
Thanks to my critique group, FarFlung Writers, I've gotten great feedback on the beginning of the story. This has really helped me cement in my mind my character's motivations, how and what perspective to use, plot lines, etc.

I'm really getting into the story, and after three years of William and Dree, I never thought I'd feel the same sort of creative passion for any other characters. I LOVE writing!
My goal is to have a completed first draft by the end of the summer. Strictly numbers: 50-60K words by September 1st.
(I'll keep my updates in the sidebar of my blog, in caes anyone wants to keep me on track.)

Finally, summer means traveling back home to Canada. Only five weeks this year, but it's five weeks of no internet, emails, working telephones, long lazy days for writing, swimming to the raft, water-skiing, copious amounts of red wine and Stella Artois, Rice Point Invitational Golf Tournament (have to defend my coral jacket), reunion with high school friends, lobster on the deck, and finally READING!