Welcome!

I live slightly east of Durham in a small town on the lake called Cobourg. This was the closest home region I could find so here I am biting my fingernails, itching to start writing. I am a newcomer, my sister joined last year from Edmonton.

Over the past few years I have written two books, yet unpublished—sigh—but as I'm compelled to write I will delve into my third narrative. I'm intrigued to change my style from a plodding two-baby-steps-forward-three-giant-leaps-back-to-edit style to a full-steam-ahead-take-no-prisoners kind of writing. Attempting this with a full time job to boot should be electrifying. My new laptop will be handy so I can sneak it everywhere.

My story begins as a small town newspaper columnist discovers her boyfriend has disappeared with the dancer who popped out of a cake at a stag. She decides to move to the big city but becomes obsessed with finding her ex.

Ready to start filling up the coffeepot and pounding the keyboard!
DeeDee

Hey there, I'm a first timer from Oshawa. Should be interesting juggling my many hats, as a husband, father of two young kids and overall procrastinator.

I'm writing a sci-fi novel that's been bouncing around my skull for about a year now...my only hope is that it turns out as well as I hoped originally, once all is said and done.

Best of luck everyone.

J.

My imaginary friend thinks I have mental problems.

Oshawa horror writer here and editor of online e-zine 13Human Souls. Working on a novel based on a short story I started writing many years ago. Format has changed and so have the characters but the idea is the same. Hooker does bad things and JC like carpenter guy is really bad for her.

Hope to get to meet you ladies and gents. Take care, Martin.

Write horror from the heart, where all the darkest things grow

Hi DeeDee, and welcome from the west.
Say, are you a member of WCDR? That's the Writers Circle of Durham Region. It's pretty big.
I'm in Oshawa but I'm the WiR in Pickering. R u up for a get-together with other nanowrimo writers -- in Pickering?
atb

Martin Avery, WiR at PPL

We are Chris Charabaruk, a collective of cells and random non-organic matter, as well as starter (but never finisher) of sci-fi and fantasy shorts, and designer of games that are never actually made. As for what we are writing, well, we'll figure that out when it's written. :p

Chris Charabaruk

I am Jenny and I am a first time wrimo. I too live in the lush metropolis of Cobourg and have no idea what I'm writing. I've even started it and am 2 pages in and still have no idea what I'm writing. I guess the story will tell itself! : ) Good luck everyone!

Jenny : )

Hi Marty -
No, I am not a member of WCDR. And yes, I am up for get-together and I'm not picky as to where.
dd

Can she write a novel in 30 days or less? Yes! Can she write a dime-store detective novel in present tense and in the hard-boiled detective style, using a character who had his tongue cut out by Axis spies during the war? Sure!

Can she figure out how to reply to these emails without looking in the FAQ? No!

If anyone needs a little encouragement, I'll trade you for an ounce or two of brains! Jeez, I'm feeling dumb today.

Don't worry Margo, this is a bit of a difficult site to figure at first but after a week or two, you'll have it figured out. Keep the words coming, keep at that pace and after thirty days you'll be well over the mark. Whip's a crackin' guys and gals so let's push the word counts. In case you're wondering I'm the sadistic enabler.

Write horror from the heart, where all the darkest things grow

Hi Marty,
Judy B. from the WCDR here! Nice to see a familiar "face" doing NaNo.
I'm working on a new romance novel. I just recorded my word count of 11500 tonight, so I'm off to a good start. Now to maintain the momentum.

To find out about Judy's books and read excerpts and reviews, visit her website www.judybagshaw.com

Hey! This group has a good aura! I like the vibe! Maybe we should all get together at the library in Pickering sometime .... What do you think? A nanowrimo get-together. We could write together or just meet to compare notes. What are you guys up for?! Want to suggest a date?

Martin Avery, WiR at PPL

I'd have to check my calendar, but some Saturday or Sunday this month would be great for that. Perhaps the 10th?

Chris Charabaruk

In addition to a little get-together we should have a celebratory after party at the end of the month to unwind from the endless days and nights of November. Sound like a good idea?

Write horror from the heart, where all the darkest things grow

I vote December 8th or 9th! It's my Grandparents' 60th anniversary that weekend, so I'll already have a fabulous excuse for the drive in from Montreal.

Excellent idea to celebrate at the completion. I was stuck at a family function all weekend without internet. But I did discover I can write while listening to familial arguments and discussions. Today I am soaking in some silence as I took the day off work to delve into my plot. Answering the phone, showering, eating all seem unnecessary. But yes, bring on the coffee!

Brandon - I admire your ability to persevere by locking yourself in the bathroom.

It's my Fortress of Solitude. The lock is kind of crappy though, so often I end up with my wife standing with her back leaned against the counter and talking to me about how her nipples hurt from breastfeeding. I truly sympathize but have you ever tried to relax and get your mind off of the task at hand while someone talks to you about another painful biological function. I think most guys can relate to this, since wives do it all the time to their guys but if a guy is even in the bathroom to shave his face when it's time to for a woman to make flushing preparations he gets a scalding burn of comments about privacy. But alas, it's my own fault for not replacing the lock because the next paragraph in the book was too good to miss out on.

Anyways, back to the completion celebration, I think we should pick a nice pub somewhere and have an informal gathering where we can congratulate each other with the writer's favorite thing -- a pat on the back -- and then it would allow us to talk about what were the hardest things, or the stories themselves and all with alcohol and dry seasoned fries at our disposal. It should be in the evening after anybodies kiddies are off to bed and daytime jobs are at an end. Besides if you want me to be awake, it will have to be at night.

I know a great place in Oshawa called the Thirsty Monk, it entirely compliments the writer mentality, after all they have a large Bhudda statue and you can rub his belly. Did I mention they serve alcohol. Now I'm starting to sound like Hemmingway, time to go.

Write horror from the heart, where all the darkest things grow

Writing in the bathroom...Well, they do say the first draft is always crap. (Sorry - couldn't resist.)

Thirsty Monk...that's downtown? Celina, I think? And if you're saying a weekend in December, Buddha-baby, here I come!

Maybe by then I'll have had a little sleep. Ever have a character keep you up at night because he just WON'T SHUT UP? I haven't slept more than four hours a night since Halloween. I don't know how new parents can do it. I'm starting to see trolls under the cars outside...

I think a post-NaNo celebration sounds like a spiffy idea. :)

I also like the suggestion of the Monk...not only do they have alcohol of various types, but the food is half decent as well... :)

If a date is finalized, be sure to let me know and I'll try and keep it free from family obligation.

J.

My imaginary friend thinks I have mental problems.

Okay, so it sounds like Monk is good - at least for people inside the Region (and to those who will make the drive to the Shwa). What about those peeps in Coburg? Can you make it?

BTW - how are we going to recognize each other? I mean, so far in our group, we have a house, a film negative, and the back of my head.

I had an idea. It'll probably sound like a stupid idea when I'm fully awake again, but I'll pitch it anyhow. What if you wear a hat that best suits a character from your novel? As people come in, they see a table full of weird hats and they know they're in the right place.

I've heard of this mythical place called the Shwa. Count in this Cobourg peep.

I haven't been there in a year, since the whole pregancy thing anyways, but I could probably go in and speak the manager about setting up some tables reserved for us. We can have something put on the table to mark it out. I figure the 'shwa is a bit of a halfway point between the Pickering people and the Cobourg people. I'll look at a calendar tonight and open a couple of dates up for discussion.

Sorry Margo, I only wear one hat really, (unless I'm fishing then I have a special one for that) and that's my blue fedora and unfortunately it didn't fit with any of my characters in this story. I do have a character that you would like in another story -- a mystery -- that you would probably like. He's an apple pie loving private detective, who smokes a lot and drinks cold apple cider out of a moonshine jug.

But "Sin In Skin" is populated by a raven-haired tattooed stripper, an over-weight trucker and a clean cut hard working Carpenter. I haven't figured out who's my favorite but they have all had their own surprises for me. Unusually I've started this one off slow, normally I'm a big bang theory writer. Starts off with a bang spreads out and rests for a moment before coming back in for another explosion. For some reason this plot has asked me to be more subtle at the beginning.

So how many others are interested in a Thirsty Monk after party? Marty what about you?

Write horror from the heart, where all the darkest things grow

No worries, B! After seven glorious hours of sleep for the first time in November, I'm feeling a little more coherent, and I realize the hat thing might not work for everybody. Heaven help us if we have someone writing a book in space...

And I've got to check on the family calendar, too. I can't remember when the ancestors have their 60th...First weekend of December or second. That's the make or break for me coming to Monk. If I all happens on one weekend, groovy.

Oh my goodness. I had no idea we had our own regional forum. Shut the front door! And our own Municipal Liason too.

What is up, Marty!?

Anyway, I'm writing a YA story about a girl who thinks she belongs with one guy but meets someone entirely new.

http://tehwritestuff.livejournal.com has everything.

I am really excited that we have our own regional forum!

Uh, I look forward to meeting all Durham WriMos!

(PS. Who wants to carpool? LOL)

We can have the auditorium at the Pickering Public Library on November 9th and some later dates.
November 23rd, the 29th, or the 30th

Who's in? And when?!

Martin Avery, WiR at PPL

Hello nanowrimo Durham writers,
In my attempts to jump start my brain I spotted your forum.
I wonder if you mind if I become a 'shirt-tail' member?
I am not a Canadian, sorry. However I am a Durham (by birth) living in Germany banging away at my computer.
I don't bite, promise!

Remembering Dad...
Spooninglaughter

Actually, we encouraging biting, as long as the marks are easily concealable; however the drawing of blood must only be performed between two consenting adults.

Welcome aboard, better late than never, tell us what you're working on, and if you can make the flight, you're invited for beer in Oshawa on December the 8th. (I think it's the 8th). It's nice to know that I'm no longer the farthest member from the forum!

Whereabouts in Germany are you?

Margo

Imagine my surprise when i came across a Durham Region network thingy. :P I hail from Pickering, tend to come up with plenty of ideas to write but never really get around to writing them (or if i do, never finishing them) and i'm writing a journal type normal kinda of story. Much like princess diaries but a boy version (and he's no prince lol XD)

Hai to all!