Liebster Blog Award

A huge thank-you goes out to Endless Edits who nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award! Please check out her site! I was actually nominated for the award a few years ago when I was on Blogspot, but I’m happy that my new and improved blog has been nominated as well!

There are a few rules for accepting the Liebster Award, they are: thank your nominator and link back to their website, answer your nominator’s questions, leave 11 facts about yourself, nominate 5 or more blogs with under 200 followers and give them 11 questions to answer.

So, here are the 11 questions that E.E. posed to me:

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Editing Services Now Available!

It’s hard to believe that this is my 100th post for The Cat’s Cradle. So, after some consideration, I decided to make a special announcement:

I am now offering editing services! I’ve always liked editing. It’s like polishing a gem, smoothing rough edges and cutting the facets. And I love taking a rough work and helping another writer improve upon it. Taking an unbiased view of your own work can be difficult, especially if you’ve been immersed in its world for months, even years. I am posting a list of the services I will offer below. I will also create an “Editing Services” page for easy future reference.

Qualifications:

I have a Bachelor’s of Arts in English and have been an amateur editor for the better part of ten years. I am also a reader, a fantasy writer, and librarian. I can guarantee high-quality, detail-oriented results delivered in a timely and courteous fashion. Any questions or points to be negotiated? Please contact me at kclements.editor@gmail.com.

Services offered:

Developmental Editing (big picture review on pacing, flow, strengths and weaknesses of the work as a whole, major structural changes suggested)
Line Editing (points out specific places where the manuscript is particularly strong or weak and suggests changes)
Proofreading/Copyediting (punctuation, spelling, grammar, word choice, sentence structure, continuity errors)

I edit fiction novels, novellas, and short stories, specializing in science fiction and fantasy. Movie or stage scripts will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Nonfiction and technical submissions will not be accepted. I retain the right to decline any project.

** Unless otherwise specified by the client, I focus on Developmental and Line editing when I receive an assignment. If a manuscript has few large flaws, then proofreading/copyediting may be included.

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New Days, New Design

Welcome to 2014! I have a couple of announcements for my first post of the New Year:

First, I decided to redesign my website. I liked the old one, but it felt a little too…bland. I wanted something a little more dynamic, but still professional, and I’ve always loved black…so here we are! It makes me want to dance and shout, “LOOK AT ALL THE PRETTY!” *ahem* Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new layout. I’ve also changed the page called “The Mariner Sequence” to “Novels” so I can list other projects that I’m working on. All the old links to that page have been updated. If any links are broken, let me know and I’ll fix them ASAP.

Second, from now on I will be posting a new entry every other Monday. I’ve been posting on Tuesdays for two years and that schedule just doesn’t work for me anymore. Since I’m already committed to posting a new chapter of fan fiction every other Monday, I thought I would just make Mondays my day to upload new material. As always, links to new entries will be posted on Twitter. (This post is just an announcement; a proper entry will be posted next Monday.)

Third, I’ve added a section to the About the Author page showcasing some pictures of my little feline helpers. I really am a crazy cat lady, and sometimes my baby boys can be so adorable trying to help me write. Who doesn’t love pictures of cats being cute?

Last, I’ve created a separate blog called the LeNoWriCha Logs. (Click here for a rundown of LeNoWriCha.) Each day I will post an update on my Logs, detailing how much I wrote, what daily level I achieved, a summary of what I wrote about, any editing I may have done, and any other special projects or writing-relating events that seem pertinent. A link to the LeNoWriCha Logs is now posted at the top of “My Sites” if you are interested.

Thank you once again for joining me this year!

2013: The Year in Review

Wow. It’s hard to believe today is the last day of 2013. Every year time seems to run faster, and I’m constantly reminded not to take a second for granted. There’s so much still to write, to read, to do…

But, before I get maudlin, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has come to The Cat’s Cradle to read, like, and comment on my entries. I hope that you’ve enjoyed them and maybe even learned something from them. Thanks to everyone who stuck with me through the transition from Blogspot to WordPress and to all the newcomers who found me once I got here!

While I’m rather glad that 2013 is over (it hasn’t been the best year for personal complications), I am astounded looking back at everything I have managed to accomplish. It’s too easy to get stuck in the trap of thinking of all the things you could have/should have/would have/meant to do but didn’t, and I hate that loop. So I’m going to remind myself of what I accomplished this year, and encourage you to do the same. It might not seem like you’re doing much in the daily grind, but it all mounts up after a while.

Continue reading “2013: The Year in Review” →

Sending a submission is like fighting the Empire…

…there’s always another Star Destroyer. The battle is never-ending. A victory for the Rebel Alliance, no matter how epic, doesn’t mean the end of the war. That’s a bit how I feel right now after finishing my 10,000-word submission for the Jim Henson Dark Crystal Author Quest. I feel like those cheering Rebels on Hoth right after they hear the announcement: “The first transport is away! The first transport is away!”

Yes, the first one made it through. And that feeling of victory when facing impossible odds is euphoric. But they have to try to get the rest through the blockade as well. And even if they make it off Hoth, the rest of the Empire is still out there, waiting for them.

This might not seem like a victory. After all, I’m just one among many. I have no idea what is going to happen next. Will my entry be considered? Accepted? Ultimately win or be rejected? I have no way of knowing. But I started writing my Dark Crystal entry 5 months ago. July 1, 2013, I used Camp NaNoWriMo to pound out half the novel. I kept writing all the way through September. October was sporadic writing followed by editing, then November was dedicated to my wonderful beta readers. Their feedback helped me chose what portion of the novel to send as my submission. I hit the “Submit Your Entry” button on November 30, exactly five months after starting this project.

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The Legendary Novel Writing Challenge!

Whew! I somehow managed to survive Camp NaNoWriMo for July 2013. It took a lot of burning the midnight oil and frantic cramp-inducing typing on my part these last few days, but I made it! (Day 28 I spent all day, from 8:00am until 11:30pm writing. I got 8,876 words done in a single day! 20 pages! Heilige scheisse!) Just goes to show that the habits of college haven’t worn off yet; I still put everything off until the last minute.

This Camp NaNo was really stressful and I was way behind my word count for about 2 weeks. Trying to catch up once I feel behind was probably the biggest stressor, and even though NaNoWriMo always stresses that you get major kudos for trying, I still don’t like falling short of a goal I set for myself. My writing group can attest to my depression and complaining throughout the month.

However, a good thing did come from all the stress. Well, two good things, actually.

Continue reading “The Legendary Novel Writing Challenge!” →

Guilt, Measurements, and New Projects

Have you ever started something and then wondered why?

I’ve been feeling like that about writing. I’m one of those people who loves to have written, but often hates the actual process of writing. The times when writing feels smooth and effortless, when I actually feel happy and satisfied with my writing while actually writing are few and far between. I usually rely on favs, likes, and comments to keep my spirits up.

And there’s always punishment. I’m not Catholic, but sometimes it feels like I “got enough guilt to start my own religion.” It’s not fun, it’s not pretty, and I wish I wasn’t wired that way. I’ve used fear of punishment for failing to drive myself forward for years, and the worst demon is the one inside your head.

Needless to say, this is not the most healthy way to be productive. In fact, it’s becoming counter-productive since my energy levels are dropping and my life is more topsy-turvy than it’s ever been before. Being unsettled means that the delicate schedules I weld into place quickly fracture under life’s pressures, which only acts as further discouragement. I also have a bad habit of taking on too many projects when I’m feeling good, projects that I can’t always handle when I’m depressed, and when I have to cut back or don’t meet those goals, that only fuels the depression.

Continue reading “Guilt, Measurements, and New Projects” →

Just a Quick Update

I apologize, but I’m afraid there will not be a large entry this week due to the fact that I am very ill. I got to battle the unseasonal winter weather this past Saturday. My car died when I stopped to get gas on the way home, I had no coat, no gloves, and had to help my younger brother push my car out of the way for the duration of the storm.

When I returned home, my house was without electricity. No electricity means no heat, since I have been relying on electric heaters to warm my house until such time that my furnace could be fixed. I stayed the night at my parents’ house, and returned home the next day when the electricity returned. (Thank you, Storm Elf, for your lovely quilt. It is soooo warm!) And, yesterday morning, Shipley appeared to make my furnace all better. She’s purring like a kitten now.

However, my little escapades in the snow gave me a sore throat and fever, so I’ve been tucked in bed most of the day with an IV of Sunny D in my arm. Just my luck that National Novel Writing Month began today while my brain was all fizzled. So I’ve been struggling to make my word count between watching episodes of Babylon 5 and napping with a wet washcloth on my forehead and kittens covering my lap. And I did it! I wrote 1794 words today, and the daily goal is 1667! So, despite the fever, I’m off to a good start. Let’s hope I can keep it up.

So, I apologize for the mostly-non-writing-related entry this week, and crave your indulgence until next week when hopefully my brains will be a little less scrambled. Until then, write on, my fellow Wrimos! Write on!

A Quick Apology

I apologize, but I’m afraid that there will not be a more substantial blog entry this week. I was away at Otakon in Baltimore, Maryland this weekend and I’m still catching up on sleep and dealing with a severe case of Post Convention Depression. I’m very sorry to disappoint any of you who were looking forward to an entry this week, but I promise to make it up to you next week. Stay tuned!

(Here’s a consolation prize to show you what my brother and I were doing this weekend🙂

"Team Rocket is blasting off again!" — “Team Rocket is blasting off again!”

What is my purpose here?

Good question. I suppose, in order to answer that, we should progress logically through the five W’s and lone H. Shall we begin?

WHO ARE YOU?

My name is Kat Clements and I am a fantasy author-in-progress.

WHAT IS THIS?

This is my writer’s blog where I will post information about my current projects, what inspires me to write, my influences, various tricks of the trade that I’ve learned, and answering any questions fans or other passers-by might have. Each blog will have it’s own “theme” or a question that it will address.

WHEN DO YOU UPDATE?

Updates should occur every Tuesday evening between 8:30pm and 9:00pm Eastern Standard Time.

WHERE ARE YOU?

I’m an American writer (Pennsylvanian if you want to be more specific) and my blog will always be posted here on “The Cat’s Cradle.” Check out my list of sites along the right side of the page if you are interested in seeing some of my poetry, artwork, fan fiction, or cosplay.

HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?

Sheer force of personality. And fingers. Originally via Blogspot/Blogger from June 2011-March 2013. As of March 2013, I have officially switched over to using WordPress. (If you’re wondering how I write or how I get my work done, you’ll have to wait for that blog entry! It’s coming, I promise!)

WHY SHOULD BE READ THIS?

Well, if you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably one of three people:

A) You’re a friend of mine and wanted to show your support by reading my blog.

B) You’re a fan of me/my writing and are curious to find out more about me/my writing process/my stories.

C) You’re an internet surfer who happened to stumble across my blog and for some reason it interested you enough to keep reading. Welcome! (Who knows, you might learn something useful!)

Thank you very much for reading and I hope that you will enjoy my work!