Hello! - Introduce Yourselves!

This will be my first attempt at NaNoWriMo. I'll be doing something that for years I've been saying "One of these days I'm going to write all this stuff down." Well. I guess the day (or 30 days) is about to arrive!

My book is "101 (or so) Things You Can Say to Me That Will Really Gripe My Butt". It's a collection of things we say redundantly, incorrectly, insincerely, or maybe just in a way that ticks me off.

The newest one to add to the list: I can't make a donation to the site right now because it "doesn't recognize my user name." I'm freakin' logged in! How can it not recognize me? You already have! I'm right here!

Hallos, I'm Megan.

This will be my second year participating in NaNo and instead of writing off the top of my head like I did last year, this year I'm going to be working on a rewrite for a novel I want to complete (and continue on to the next book in its series). Hopefully I'll get as much out of working on it this year as I did last year and not only meet the 50k goal but maybe even finish. Or get close at the least.

Eagerly looking forward to the start of next month and I will be working madly on completing world lore until then.

"All I want to do is live my life without having to fear for someone killing me because of what I am. I can't help what my parents made me." - Tristol Baxlell

Hi! I'm Jeri, living in Nettleton. I'm actually Megan's roommate, so hopefully we can encourage each other!

I've been writing NaNo since 2002, but last year was the first year I actually broke the limit, though I've been awful close twice before. My story this year is a steampunk fantasy called Seeing - book one of The Dreamer Saga, a collection of stories about people who use the dream world to see the present, past, future, or who can even reshape the world from the imaginings of their dreams. I've been working on the world for this book for several years, and I finally feel I'm ready to start working on actually writing it.

Also, in 2006 I was a minor liaison for the Tupelo area, and I look forward to being able to give the same services this year as I did back then. Even now I'm preparing a brainstorming get-together for this month for the Tupelo area NaNo folks, so anyone from the area who is interested, keep and eye out for my announcement!

"The world is afraid of what they don't understand. That makes me one of the most intimidating women on the planet." ~ Elia Sindra, Captain of the Naiya

Howdy! I'm Angie in Hattiesburg and this is my very first attempt at NaNo. I've only ever completed a handful of small fanfics so I'm not sure how I'm going to pull this off other than treating it like every day is an "OMG English essay due the next morning!!" day.

I'm not entirely sure what I'll be writing other than it will definitely be of the sci-fi variety to satisfy the overwhelmingly geeky side of me. I'd actually really like to do a graphic novel, but I figure that would be easier if I had the novel portion done to draw the graphic portion from. Before Nov. 1 rolls around, I'm going to also attempt a 24-Hour Comic that ties into what ideas I've been kicking around for the novel as a means of inspiration.

So, yeah... I'm approaching this with equal parts trepidation, excitement and disbelief that I signed myself up for this.

410 words on the page today, 410 words on the page....
You type away, let the muses play
411 words on the page..........

Hello. I'm Valerie in Hattiesburg. The story I want to write will be about a post-Katrina South Mississippi family. I'm thinking it'll be a funny novel of manners with some tragedy thrown in. We'll see what it really becomes.

I'm arranging for a meeting place at a local coffee shop here in Hattiesburg where those of us in this area can meet. Angie, are you interested? We can make this fun and lend each other support.

Let's go!

Hi Varlerie! I'd love to meet up with other NaNo writers in the area! As long as it falls on a Friday or Saturday night I should be able to be there.

410 words on the page today, 410 words on the page....
You type away, let the muses play
411 words on the page..........

Hi everyone! I'm Brooke and I live both in Panola and Tate county (I go back and forth) in the Sardis and Senatobia area. My recent accomplishments are graduating from Northwest MS Community College (fall of 08), and giving birth to my beautiful daughter Lillian (May 14th, '09). I actually gave birth to her the day before the graduation ceremony, so sadly I wasn't able to go -- but hey, that's life! I tried NaNo last year but didn't get far at all since I had so much college mess going on and I was in my first trimester. After having accomplished the aforementioned goals I decided to try NaNo again this year and try to add that to my accomplishments as well.

I'm really looking forward to it! I'm also trying to convince my long-term boyfriend to join in on the fun, since lately we've been writing together and batting ideas back and forth -- we're each other's muse. :)

Here's to having a good November and an excellent rest of the year, guys! Happy writing! <3

NaNo '08 - Blackholes & Revelations (Abandoned)
NaNo '09 - Monsters Among Us (Here's hoping!)

Hello! I'm Katie, and I'm in Oxford.

This will be my first time participating in NaNoWriMo. I'm not sure what story I'm going to write as of now. I'm hoping to decide and have my story plotted out in the next week or two. I have about 15 ideas saved to my laptop but I haven't picked which one to develop yet. I've narrowed it down to two or three, I just have to figure out which one is more complete in my head, I guess. I primarily tend to write Young Adult fiction, but I'm thinking for NaNoWriMo, I might try to do something a little different. We'll see!

Besides writing, my hobbies include reading (constantly) and photography. I'm also addicted to Twitter--there are a lot of great authors to follow and learn from that tweet regularly.

If you'd like, you're more than welcome to come to the brainstorming session I'm planning. Due to unavoidable things like getting my wisdom teeth taken out and having drill, it's now for sure going to be some time on the 23 through the 25th, in the evening. Whichever of those dates it'll be is the only uncertainty right now, as I'm likely about to start working, and I don't know my times for that far ahead, if I have to work that week at all.

"The world is afraid of what they don't understand. That makes me one of the most intimidating women on the planet." ~ Elia Sindra, Captain of the Naiya

Jeri,
Thanks for the invitation, even though your area may be a little too far for me (unless I can come up with a good work excuse to be up that way!).

By the way, I noticed we have a mutual Facebook friend, Lacey Bishop.

Haha. Y'know, I've never actually met her. We're friends thanks to Geocaching. I've found a handful of her caches, actually. How do you know her?

"The world is afraid of what they don't understand. That makes me one of the most intimidating women on the planet." ~ Elia Sindra, Captain of the Naiya

Through geocaching also. By the way, my 2010 novel. will be geocaching based. (nothing like planning early, huh?)

My name is Jessica and I'm from the Jackson area too (Pearl). This will be my second attempt at nanowrimo. The last time I tried I realized that there were things I needed to rethink and rework in my plot before I continued. I think I might be ready to try again. This novel is a young adult fantasy novel, that came out of a science fiction short story, another whimsical world I created and a fantasy setting that I started working on ten years ago. It just sort of came together and evolved after that.

I may be a little like Jane Yolen in the way it takes me so long to complete a story. The story has to simmer a while before it is done. (I had to throw in a cooking comparison. I love to cook.)

I have dreamed in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind.
- Emily Bronte

I'm Bronwyn and I currently live in Jackson but go to school in Ridgeland. I write a lot (it's one of my favorite things to do), so obviously I had to do NaNo this year (for the first time...and I'm kind of scared...haha).

I'm 17 and I'm a senior in high school and my NaNo novel for this year is...I havent really worked out the details or the characters much yet, but I know it's going to be about Argentina during the Dirty War (so at least I have a setting and a conflict).

What school are you going to, if you don't mind my asking? I've been trying to get some of the schools interested in helping out, but so far, no replies. Lean on your teachers...! (Particularly English.) ;-)

(But only if you're comfortable pushing for more interest, of course.)

Co-ML for Mississippi

Oh no, I don't mind you asking (these regional forums are private except for those in the region, aren't they?)

I go to St. Andrews and we have a pretty strong English department, so I'll definitely see what I can do :)

They are private, yep. Just us Mississippians here.

And thanks! I'd really appreciate it. (I actually went to St. Andrews from kindergarten-third grade, back in the day.) Let them know they can contact me if they need any kind of official information - greatbritannia[at]gmail[dot]com.

Co-ML for Mississippi

My name is Mary, I'm a high school senior. I live in Brookhaven, and I attend Mississippi School of the Arts. Typical, I am a literary arts major. This is my third year doing NANO. I completed my novel with just over 50,000 words. This year I'm doing NANO so that I can complete a novel idea I've had all summer. Since I have a competitive attitude I have to have some drive. SInce this is not part of my senior focus, I don't feel the need to do it. So even if I don't reach the goal, I'll have a great start to my novel.

I don't have a title for my story yet. Inspiration will hit me sooner or later.

I'm looking forward to November 1st.

Sorry my introduction is so boring.

Mary.

Mary Pollitz

Hello my name is Kristi. I'm a senior in high school. I like soda and being mean to my first friend Mary, who is also doing NaNoWriMo. I go to school in Brookhaven. Sometimes I write things. Sometimes they are good. Sometimes, not so much. I don't have much of an attention span, so I'm hoping I don't flake out on doing this cause I would love to finish. Wish me luck.:)

Are you folks in Brookhaven interested in attending events? Would you be able to make it to Hattiesburg for them? Or here to Jackson?

...Still just trying to get an idea of what kind of numbers we're looking at for particular parts of the state.

(And for those in Jackson or the surrounding area, I'll hopefully be able to let you know next week where we're going to have the kick-off party and write-ins. That's this weekend's project. Along with eating junk at the fair. Because once a year, I should let myself eat fried junk, right? Right. I wouldn't want those elephants to sacrifice their ears for nothing.)

Co-ML for Mississippi

Hi! I'm Danielle, I live in Brandon (Reservoir Brandon, not Other Brandon!) and I'm a wife and a SAHM to a little boy who will be two in November.

I have an English degree from Ole Miss and took Barry Hannah's writing classes while there. He told me I should be a writer, and I'm kicking myself for not believing him.

I was a middle and high school English teacher for a while, and then taught lower grades before quitting to be a full-time mom. I don't know if I'll ever return to teaching, but I'd maybe like to be an assistant in a kindergarten class when my son starts school. I used to write like a fiend, mostly short stories and various types of journalism, but work and now family stopped all that.

I'd be interested in getting together with other writers in the Jackson area, either just for NaNo, or on a permanent basis as a writers' group designed to encourage each other, keep each other accountable, and give feedback on work. I have no illusions of ever getting published, but this is something I need to do for me. Perhaps there are others like me?

Hi Katie! I'm Michelle in Oxford too! I have a 15 yo son who wants to do NaNoWriMo again this year. He started last year, but didn't finish. I wonder if there will be any others on here from Oxford! I'm not very good on computers so I'm hoping that this works... I don't know about any get togethers with others in the area, but that would be fun!

Anyway, I am a homeschool mom to 2 kids-my day job...actually that would be my evening job too as I drive them to their activities. Anyway, just wanted to say hi. I wonder if there are any others around here....
Michelle

Writing, the art of communicating thoughts to the mind through the eye, is the greatest invention of the world. ~Abraham Lincoln

Hi All! I posted back to Katie and it ended up on the bottom so I decided I would now say 'hi' to all the rest of you. Don't think I will post anything else about myself and bore you all....not sure what my story will be this year, but I didn't have any ideas last year and made it. (Barely-by like 400 words. Shhhhh don't tell! :)

Anyway, just wanted to add that I am SO excited to see all the high schoolers on here!! Seriously! Super cool!

later!
Michelle

Writing, the art of communicating thoughts to the mind through the eye, is the greatest invention of the world. ~Abraham Lincoln

Michelle - the "official" stuff for your general area will be in Tupelo (JeriKit is getting stuff planned there) or Desoto Co. At least for this year, the areas are going to be pretty broad, because there's still so little interest around here for NaNo. So hopefully you'll be able to make it over to one of those - Tupelo's only about 45 minutes away, which I know might not be greatly convenient, but could be worse...! (I had to make that commute every day for awhile. At least they finally four-laned the whole way... ;-) ) Keep an eye on the Tupelo events thread.

(And Danielle, I'd certainly be interested in a Jackson-area writing group!)

Co-ML for Mississippi

Hi! I'm Sarah, many-time NaNo participant with zero wins. I started participating in 2005 and have come back every year since. I'm not really bitter about continuously losing, because I write slowly and NaNo always forces me to write more than I would anyway. November has become my most prolific month of the year. And one year I made it to 45K! :)

I thought about giving it a rest for this year because school has me SO busy, but... I would miss it too much if I didn't at least try. I love the community here almost as much as I love the kick in the butt NaNo gives me to actually make me write. I'm currently a senior at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, working on a creative writing degree with a minor in theatre. If this NaNo turns out any good, it can definitely go in the portfolio I have to put together next semester for my degree, so hey! It's kinda like I'm not even taking a break from schoolwork, right?

I'm going to get back on a story I had intended to write last year, which fell flat and got replaced by a fanfic idea. It's far-future science fiction, maybe a little more science fantasy (not hard SF, anyway), set on an almost unrecognizable Earth. Seven major city-states remain habitable, each one containing an ancient teleporter. Technology has regressed somewhat and it's the best people can do to maintain the teleporters that link the cities, providing the essential trade routes and transportation. As far as people know, the world outside the city-states is ravaged and deadly. Because they teleport between cities, though, they no longer have any sense of where the cities are in the world, how much distance lies between them or what the land is like.

The book opens when one city's teleporter fails. Incoming ports still work but outgoing have ceased completely. After the panic subsides, a team is sent to the failed city to find out what happened with the understanding that if they can't fix the teleporter on the other side, they can't get home except by going the long way - outside the cities, over the surface of the Earth that no one has laid eyes on for centuries.

Here's hoping to being able to make it to some of the Tupelo meetups! I have to get hold of transportation somehow, though, so it might not happen. It all depends.

2005: The Ragged Edge
2006: The War Prayer
2007: Theseus' Paradox
2008: Seven Cities
2009: The Solomon Map

Hello, I'm Polly from Gulfport.

My novel is a fantasy with some aesop imagery/twists in the mix. I think it'll be neat, I'm super excited and willing to meet up with anyone sometime.

Hi everyone! I'm Caitie Jo. I've been doing NaNo for a while (6th NaNo, won the past 2 years). I'm not too far from McComb/Brookhaven, and therefore not too far from Jackson. Hopefully I can get together with some of y'all this year.

Caitie Jo

“And what do zombies eat?” “Well I hear they eat grits.”

...it's a love story; it always is...

Hi Michelle! I don't know of anyone else participating, but maybe we'll add a few people before it kicks off. I didn't even KNOW about NaNoWriMo until September. I'd never heard of it. I have a friend that knows I write constantly, and she said, "So, since you write so much, are you doing NaNoWriMo?" And I said, "Huh???!?" So she sent me the link. I was interested immediately. Can't wait to see how I do for the first time!

Hi. I'm Jolie Cain. I'm down here on the coast. This will be my third year of NaNoWriMo. I finished in 06 and 08. Both of those books were epublished, and I'm really looking forward to this year's event. I have several ideas and am kind of waffling right now between about four, but it will absolutely be erotic romance. :)

Endangered Hearts, Liquid Silver Books,2007
Troubled Hearts, Liquid Silver Books, 2008
The Jealousy Plot, Liquid Silver Books, 2009
Felicia's Fling, Liquid Silver Books, Oct. 2009
www.joliecain.com

Greetings and Salutations!

Hello everyone, my name is Sophia Parham and I'm 22 years old. I currently live in Oxford, MS where I am a senior at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). I've been participating in Nano Wrimo since the year 2003 when the idea was first proposed to me by a classmate by the name of Kelsey. I was skeptical at first, but when Jeri pushed me to go with it and that we should do it together to encourage each other, I did. I've been doing Nano every year since, skipping only the year 2007. Last year, Nano Wrimo 2008, was the first time I was able to win. I came very class to winning Nano in 2004 and 2006. However, the buzz from last year's win has gotten me all pumped up and ready to tear through that "white tape" to the finish line.

Which is why I'm killing myself over my outline this month. I WILL have that wonderful multi page thing done no later than the week before November 1. I can't have my brain focused on anything else but Miyavi on October 30 I'm afraid. XD

Anyway, my story this time around is a comedy/action novel based around the male protagonist who suddenly finds out that he's a werewolf. My goals for this story is to completely and absolutely throw away any and all generic, boring (not to mention completely unappealing) cliches and create a world where the werewolves are seen as civilized, intelligent, and quite in control of their powers. However, the MC is none too happy finding out from his parents that not only are they werewolves, but so is he. XD It's a lot of information to take in during breakfast, but I'm sure he'll make it. I also hope to introduce impressionable characters that will make lasting impressions on the readers. I've also never written a genre where comedy was an actual focus of a genre. Action and Adventure, yes. Drama, yes. Horror, yes. Romance, ye--erm--kinda... But where comedy is part of the focus, not to mention that I'm targeting a young adult audience, well...it kinda freaks me out. :P

But, nevertheless, my friend Azuri and I are pushing each other to keep going. Hopefully my drive to win again this year will push me to get through the ever annual slump that likes to haunt me during the middle of week 3.

Well, that's it for me. If there are any in Oxford who wish to carpool down to Tupelo for the brainstorming sessions, kick off parties, and so on and so forth, let me know so we can meet up and discuss what times we can get there. Message me for contact information or just friend me on facebook. Be sure to include a message stating what your business is. XD I've been denying tons of friend requests lately from people who obviously don't know a thing about me. If you also would like to just meet up and discuss things together in the area, again, feel free to contact me and we can schedule a time and place to meet up as a group.

So yeah, that's it for me. Happy writing people!

2003: Another Arian
2004: Celestial Destiny
2005: Desert Shadow
2006: Chronicles of Arcadia: Book 1 ~ Liberating Howl
2008: It's Only Forever (72,000+/Ongoing)
2009: Aegis ( 0 )