Kickoff Meetings...

I like that idea... I'm in Brattleboro, so anywhere with easy access to 91 would work for me.

Jeanne Marie

I'm taking November first off from work and shooting to get way ahead the first night to day. last year I spent the whole month behind because I worked a lot the first week. so a kick off would rock. any 24-hour places around?

I'm psyched that November 1 falls on a Sunday, which is one of my days off work. I don't have much of night life, so don't know any 24-hour places (except CVS in Greenfield, but we can't sit and write there).

Anyone in the area of Lenox?

there's a 24-hour diner in Hadley. not terribly convenient for some, but would be for people in the the UMass area.

Really? What is the name of it? I work in Amherst, so the diner might come in handy for me for more than just Nano.

I've penciled in the 1st to do something somewhere.

I don't know if this is the same 24-hr diner previously mentioned, but the Route 9 Diner is on the north side of rte 9, a little east of the intersection with 116.

I'm not doing any 12:01 am stuff, but if others are interested and close by, Mocha Maya's in Shelburne Falls is a great place to write. Anyone want to do a 11/1 daytime writeup?

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I know Route 9 diner! I wasn't aware (or maybe forgot) that they are open 24-hours. Do they have a place to plug in a laptop? My battery doesn't last more than an hour or two anymore, and I don't see it in my budget to get a new one by November.

I would consider Shelburne Falls. Does Mocha Maya's have a place to plug in a laptop? (I could provide a power strip for multiple users.)

By the way, wherever I meet people, I'm much more interested in daytime or evening hours. I'm not all that functional at 12 am most days.

Shelburne Falls works for me... daytime on Nov. 1 is great (since it's a Sunday). I'm in Brattleboro.

Jeanne Marie

OK, let me talk to the folks at Mocha Maya's, I'm sure they'll be cool with it. They do have a Celtic music jam in the late AM, so probably sometime in the afternoon would be best. And yes, they have power outlets.

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Hello to the Western Massachusetts NaNoWriMo authors. I am including you into this offer I posted in my Houston Region because I'm from Ludlow, Ma. and I have a very large network of friends from the Western Mass region with my Facebook profile.

http://www.facebook.com/fuzzywashere (Join Me and find out..)

October 13th, 7:36AM CDT

Good Morning!

My name is Francis and I live outside of Houston, in Tomball. Honestly, I'm not going to meet any of you in person.

But that's ok because I have a plan to be able to connect with you whenever you want. I'm online, 'I mean I AM ONLINE'. If you are reading this some time in between 7:30AM and 3:00PM Monday through Friday, then you can reach me. I will talk with you about our Nanowrimo books. I will even host video chats directly from my home office if you like.

Be ready to talk to a real person, not someone who needs to be your friend to make this work. I'm real ya'll. I talk (type) a lot, and I'm not here to make nice or sell you something. I place this here because you can stop reading if you need someone to hold your hand, I hate that.

Did I tell you that this is my first Nanowrimo novel? 'It is."

I'm reading about how much you want to meet up. I actually do too. I read how many of you have restrictions keeping you from a place or time or motivation. I have those too. Here's you chance to meet then.

Your first contact with me will be through awewriter@gmail.com I'm here, send me something and find out. Let's talk about our novels, put some structure together, bounce it to me and I'll bounce it back. If you do, I may just organize a video meeting or live feed from the office here in Tomball.

That's my offer, I'd like for a few of you to take me up on it.

Francis

"Carne Vale" Flesh Abandonded or "Elusive Lover"

(Possible Structures)

Growing up in a world without fate the boy becomes a man while running away from his past. The only way out of town was with the help from a friend, too bad he picked the wrong friends. Damian can't stop killing after the carnival leaves. It's not because his father was a carny, it's because his father died a carny.

Fate plays tricks with even the strongest of men, too bad Damian couldn't keep his own personal demons from taking control of his life. Lust, trust, and murder in small town New England repeat itself until the end of the carnival season.

As soon as Damian realized the life of a carny had more pleasures than hell, he takes the role of carny boss just a little too far. Greenhorns always get the worst jobs, and in small town New England there are plenty of them to go around. Even the women love this carny too much. Each town has another heart broken and loses a soul to the carny boss who has none

'That's what I'm working with folks', email me and lets talk about yours.

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("Did I say that out loud?")
facebook.com/fuzzywashere

There's a 24-hour diner/truck stop in Whately, right off of 91 (exit 25).

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'07: Tall Heels (Lost 47k. Completed 51k.)
'08: Retribution (Won 51k. Completed 81k)
'09: Noli Me Calcare - Writing Blog

Cups of tea: 25... Coffee: 7... Characters killed: 1... Current chapter: 20..

I'm in Granville, a little east of you. Of course, that leaves us absolutely NOWHERE to meet in between!

:) Jen

I'm at Hampshire College; I'd love to have a kickoff at the Rt. 9 diner! Is that still happening, those of you who mentioned that?

EDIT: Also, rereading the thread, if someone can give me a ride up from the Amherst/Northampton/Hadley/Hampshire College area I could probably make it up to Shelburne Falls or such as well (presuming nothing happens here at the area schools, which seems likely to be the case).

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Ian McEwen
Amherst, MA (for college)
mcewen.ian@gmail.com

The last several years we've had the gatherings at Panera Bread in Hadley (old mountain farms mall complex). Free refills on soda, no judgment for staying for hours on end, and relatively easy access to power outlets.

- Ashavan

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I like Panera Bread. They have chai lattes. Now I am wondering if Mocha Maya's has chai lattes (and wondering why I've never gone there to see.) I am happily sipping a chai latte as I type this. It's sort of an addiction. (Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters on Route 2 has an assortment of teas, but I don't know about their hours or tolerance for people sitting down and writing for long periods of time.)

Switching gears a bit...

Last year we met at Panera Bread in Hadley on Monday evenings, which were good for me the first two weeks in November. This will hold true for me this year as well. The days I will be available (barring anything unforeseen) will be Sundays and Tuesdays, all day, but know that on Tuesdays, especially, most people will be available in the evenings. I'm not interested in all nighters, but I can always leave if it gets too late (and don't let that stop you from staying forever!).

I would be willing to drive as far south as Northampton and as far north as Brattleboro (but only one or the other in any week). And Shelburne Falls is always lovely. Although I tend to get lots of great ideas while driving, I don't think I want to cut into my writing time by driving too far.

We're on for Mocha Maya's!

KICKOFF MEETING
Mocha Maya's
47 Bridge Street, Shelburne Falls
Sunday, November 1
1 PM - ?

Mocha Maya's is a cafe serving organic fair trade coffee, espresso drinks, teas, hot chocolate and iced drinks (and maybe hot cider), and also baked goods. There is free wifi -- I will try to remember to bring a power strip so there will be sufficient outlets. There is on-street parking in front of the cafe, but if the tourists have taken it all, don't despair -- there is also a good-sided lot behind Keystone Market across the street.

See you in Shelburne Falls on November 1st!

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I would go to Panera Bread, especially in the evenings. I'm also up for weekday mornings, too, if anyone else is. My husband is also doing NaNoWriMo this year, so I think he's in for that, too. Just out of curiosity - we're in Easthampton, is anyone else?

Route 9 was my suggestion originally for the kickoff evening. I'd be down if anyone else was interested.

I'll be there!

Jeanne Marie;-)

I am in a wheelchair and pvta dependent. However, I would love to come to a party. I planned at Amherst Chinese last year.

I plan to spend a lot of time at Panera in Hadley. Rt. 9 diner is good for when Panera is closed, but is not a place to hang out without eating. Unless the place is empty, it would be really unfair to the waitresses. When it's the only place open, it tends not to be empty. There is no wifi at the diner. Rumor has it that there is one table that picks up the wifi from Stop & Shop. Barnes & Noble and Borders now have free wifi. B&N has Starbucks but very limited seating. There's a Borders in Holyoke.

I'm actually just over the border, in Connecticut, but anything in the Springfield area is pretty convenient. Or, most especially, East Longmeadow. Anyone from around there?

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Toni Andrews
"Angel of Mercy"- Nano, 2006 - Mira Books, May 2008

I'm in Northern CT too, right by Agawam/Springfield area. Western MA locations are very convenient for me, moreso than any of the CT options right now. I'll try to make it to the Kickoff meeting!

I'm in Lee!

As no one has actually convened a kick off meeting place and it's on Sun. (if it's going to happen at all), I have decided to agree to host a party at the Route 9 diner as some folks seemed interested in that. How does 6pm work for everyone? I know I said I wasn't going to do this (and I really, really wasn't) but since no one else actually opted to convene things here I am. Next year I swear someone else is doing this or it isn't happening. Sorry for ranting. I'm just a bit peeved.

Anyone planning one for a bit further south? Say, West Springfield/Agawam/Holyoke-ish?