Jackson Events

Sounds like the perfect date for a kick-off.

Nell

Maybe this weekend I'll get my lazy act together and set up a location. ;-D (Restaurant or coffee shop, restaurant or coffee shop... hmmmmmmm...)

Co-ML for Mississippi

You might check into the Koinonia Coffee House at 136 S. Adams St. I just went there for the Jackson chapter of the Mississippi Writers Guild and its spacious and welcoming (I think). Also, they have good food and coffee.

Nell

That might be a great place for a write-in, but is probably a bit far to ask most people to go on a Friday evening, since the majority of people who've shown interest seem to be on the Madison/Brandon/Flowood/Pearl side. But I'll give them a call this weekend and ask if we might descend on them some Saturday during November. :-D I've never been there - I'll have to check it out! Thanks for the heads-up!

Co-ML for Mississippi

I kind of think the coffee house might be a better place for the kick off, but Jumbo Chinese Restaurant in Brandon would be a good place for write ins. It is nice and quiet, they have plenty of nice sized tables for writing. Most of their business is take out so that is why the place is so quiet and most of the tables and chairs are usually available.

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'll add that one to the list of potential places. Thanks! I definitely need a restaurant for the end party, if nothing else.

I'm not against a coffee house generally for a kick-off, just about the distance with that one. I'm hoping to start at about 6 on that Friday, but I don't get home until after 5, so I'm not sure I could do that, and it would be quite a drive after work/school for the majority of people considering where they seem to be living, that's all. Cups is on the list of possibilities. We're also (my husband and I) considering just booking some space at the Mazzio's out in Flowood (or Brandon, or... wherever that particular area is; the one off Lakeland in that grey area between the two!), because they're always ultra nice there and should be able to accomodate as many people as might come without any problem.

I should be able to give a definite in the next couple of days. We're making phone calls and asking around. (Slight delay because our heating went out over the weekend and we spent a lot of time dealing with that instead of doing what I'd rather be doing...)

Oh, and I should mention now that everyone should bring some quarters (or dollars, if you prefer) to the kick-off - for the rally, everyone's name goes in automatically for the grand prize, but I'm going to ask for donations for the others. All the money goes to OLL. :-)

Edit: Let's have a vote. I don't want to overrule the majority.

Should we have the kick-off at a restaurant or a coffee house?

Let the masses decide! :-D

Co-ML for Mississippi

Ah! MiaBella's in Byram is a nice place.

You know, any place you come up with is fine with me. I'd just like to say Thanks up front for going to all the trouble to set things up. You (and others) mentioned write-ins. Can you tell me more about that? They sound like a great idea...like I could benefit from one a day. If people want to write during the day (because they don't work during the day) that would be great for me. Evenings I get very tied up...not literally.
Jan

Nell

There's no way I can organize write-ins every day, unfortunately, because I do work 8-4:30. ;-) But if you or someone else wants to try to get daily somethings going, go for it! And I'll be glad to post it here. As for write-ins generally, they'll just be an hour or two - however long people want - where we can both discuss ideas and write, hopefully the presence of fellow scribblers helping motivate each and every one of us who attends.

I'm going to be organizing write-ins for Saturdays. Our first write-in - for November 7 - will likely be at the military park in Vicksburg, if the weather holds out. And hopefully it will...! But of course, if you want to come to that one, you'll probably need to keep in mind limited laptop battery life, and/or plan to write by hand just for that day. (Unless you're a glutton for punishment, like myself, who always writes by hand...) If someone wants to organize something else in Jackson for that day, since some people might not be able to get to Vicksburg, that's fine.

Meanwhile, the kick-off party this Friday will be at the Mazzio's off Lakeland/25 (in Brandon). Going with them because I know they need the business, they're very friendly, and they shouldn't mind us being there for a couple of hours that night.

So unless you hear otherwise (and I'll update the first post later - I'm at work): Jackson-area Kick-Off Party is Friday, October 30, 6PM-8PM, at Mazzio's in Brandon.

And don't forget, we're having a rally with some great writing-related prizes! Everyone can automatically go in for the grand prize, but if you want to enter for the others, entries are 25 cents apiece, all money going to the OLL. So bring a few dollars for a chance to win something!

All are welcome, from the Jackson area or not. If you can make it, come along!

(If you need more detailed directions, just ask!)

Write-in locations, I'm still making lists.

Co-ML for Mississippi

Sounds great.

I'll try and be there! :)

"Control the things you can control, maggot. Let everything else take a flying f**** at you, and if you must go down, go down with your guns blazing."--Cort, 'The Dark Tower'

"We deal in lead."--Steve McQueen, 'The Magnificent Seven'

Alas, Jeri and I will not be able to make it to the kick-off like we had planned. :( Lack of enough money and needing to complete our beginning NaNo preparations have waylaid us.

Next year 'tho, by God, we will be there. NEXT YEAR. *shakes fist*

"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

I will be there with my spouse and two wiggle little creatures in tow!
I am excited to meet everyone. Just checking, it is the Mazzio's on the corner of Lakeland Drive and Grants Ferry near Castlewoods, right?

~DreamArc~

www.DreamArc.com

That's the one!

I've got a table reserved at the moment for 10-12, but it shouldn't be hard to accommodate as many as come, so anyone who wants to bring friends/spouses/kids/random street people, feel free - we'll find a place for everyone. My husband and I will be there probably right around 6, depending on how nice the traffic is (I don't get home from work until 5, so we'll probably be 5:20-5:30 leaving). If anyone gets there earlier and wants to go ahead and have a seat, the table's reserved for Miller.

And don't forget to bring a few dollars for the raffle/OLL!

See everyone there!

Co-ML for Mississippi

Great to see all of you who managed to make it Friday! Hope you had fun.

Sorry I haven't posted again here sooner; due to the high traffic, I was able to get on the website some this weekend, but the forums wouldn't work at all. Stupid time-outs... But for the moment, it's working. Yay. But anyway...

Tentatively, first write-in will be next Saturday, probably at the military park in Vicksburg, since they're currently saying the weather should be amazing for that. But I'm going to keep an eye/ear on the weather forecasts this week, and I'll try to announce Wednesday/Thursday-ish something "official," so keep an eye out.

Co-ML for Mississippi

Since this is my first time ever doing NaNoWriMo....what's a write-in? I would really enjoy connecting with other aspiring writers, but have no clue what a write-in is.

thanks, L.

Linda B. from MS

Basically, it's just a few hours of getting together somewhere communal with laptops/notebooks to write as a group. It offers both incentive to keep going - ZOMG LOOK HOW MUCH HE'S GOT MUST WRITE MUST WRITE MUST WRITE - and a chance to relax/commiserate/moan-and-groan with fellow suffere- er, writers. It's a chance to meet others in the area who are involved, talk about how it's going, and have some fun when the going gets particularly tough.

If you want to come along, you won't be the only one newly participating in NaNo - at the kick-off on Friday, only one person besides myself had done NaNo before, so you'll be in good company!

I will say now, while I'm thinking about it - I will not be able to participate in a write-in the weekend after Thanksgiving. I'll be out of state. I'll be happy to have something arranged for people who do want to do something, but since a lot of people will be traveling around that time, it might be better to just let that weekend rest and get everyone back together for the party at the end. Anyone who's just desperate to have a write-in that particular weekend here in Jackson, let me know; otherwise, I'm going to let that one go.

Co-ML for Mississippi

I hate that I didn't get to make it to the kickoff, especially since I live about 4 miles away, but I didn't check the forums until Halloween night.

I you have something scheduled, please post it here. I'd love to make it to a write-in this year.

Don't worry, it will all be here. It's not an insider's club by any stretch of the imagination. ;-) Sorry you missed the kick-off, but we would love to see you at the write-ins!

At the moment, this weekend's location is still TBC, but I'm not sure I can do Vicksburg just yet because my car needs an oil change and I don't know when I can do that except on Saturday. Boooo...

Co-ML for Mississippi

Are there any write-ins scheduled soon? I'm not so good on weekends, but...

Nell

Unfortunately, with my schedule, I'm pretty much restricted to only weekends - unless Fridays are good for you?

At the moment, the tentative location for the write-in on Saturday will be the Barnes & Noble in Ridgeland. I'm thinking of having it just after lunchtime, maybe 2-4 (or however long people want to stay). I'll have something definite up this evening or tomorrow. (I do very much apologize for the last-minute plans here, but my life remains in a bit of an unplanned state generally. ;-) If anyone is getting annoyed with the last-minute-ness, let me know, and I'll try to do better.) I'm still sorry we can't do it at the military park this particular week, but maybe next weekend would work for that. Just have to see.

If you or anyone else wants to get something going during the week, feel free to! :-)

Co-ML for Mississippi

Weekends are good for me since I work full-time. Is Saturday 2-4 at B&N in Ridgeland (is that the one at Renaissance?) a 'good' date? I'm having trouble getting onto the website at times, much less pulling up forums to check what's going on and would really appreciate at least 48 hours notice of a Jackson area event.

I'll check back Saturday morning around 10 a.m. (hopefully) to confirm....

I'm also heartbroken that my word count is not nearly as high as I *thought* it was. I was moving scenes around and apparently copy/pasted duplicates (I HATE the touch pad mouse!) at the end of my document, so my word count was artificially high....I discovered this last night and spent quite some time inserting 'write this scene' notes into various places. Tonight, I am playing catch up and estimate I am approx. 2500 words behind.....

this is my first year doing NaNoWriMo but already I begin to understand what that phrase 'the second week blues' really means......waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Linda B. from MS

I'll do my best to give at least 48 hours notice from this point on. :-) (You're not the only one having website problems, trust me, though I know it's frustrating, and I will try to remember that and get word up as early as possible about meetings. They're working on the site - it should be better next week, when the numbers have calmed down after the initial insanity is over! There've been quite a few evenings when I haven't been able to get it to work at all; it's pretty cooperative in the mornings...)

And yes, that's the right B&N, and yes, 2-4 on Saturday. Anyone who'd like to come is, as always, more than welcome. If there's not enough space for everyone, we'll figure something out. (Go over to Pepper's or something, maybe? We'll work it out if necessary.)

As for the word count, that sucks. :-( But you're still well within the safety area - don't lose hope! The month is young yet!

Co-ML for Mississippi

Dang, and I was thinking ya'll were coming to Vicksburg. Guess I'll drive out and hit the B&N in Ridgeland though. I've got a friend there I need to drop in and visit.

Looking forward to seeing you guys. If you're behind in the word count, just think of the weekend (and the write-in) as a great opportunity to catch up! :)

Happy writing all,

Jason

As mentioned earlier, my car needs a little check-up, so I don't want to lock myself in for a Vicksburg drive and then not be able to do it (get there on time/get there at all within the time allocated) because they can't get to the car quickly enough. That always seems to happen to me - I go in thinking it will be 15 minutes, and two hours later, I can finally leave. ;-) So I do wish we could do Vicksburg, and apologize that we can't, because I was looking forward to it, too.

See everyone on Saturday!

Co-ML for Mississippi

Just a reminder - 2-4 at B&N in Ridgeland (Renaissance) today. :-)

I'll certainly be there at least for the start, but whether I stay until the end depends on how I feel. I'm feeling some of the effects of that lovely swine flu vaccine. (Yes, I know the government is now watching me through the microchip they implanted. That's okay. They probaly deserve the entertainment. ;-) Anyway, 24 weeks pregnant, state epidemiologist recommends I get it, OB recommends it; I got it. And it has made me feel a little achy/tired/headachey/etc. So... we'll see. I'll do my best to make it through the whole two hours, and I'll definitely be there at the start! Wearing my NaNo sweatshirt [you can see it in the store] if it's not too hot.)

Co-ML for Mississippi

two of us are here in the coffee shop. Anyone else?

We have been found. If anyone else decides to join us, we're in the front corner by the coffee shop. Three computers, two longhanders.

Sorry I didn't have a sign - as I think I mentioned, I was going to print one, but no ink in the printer. Really need to remember to get that... ;-)

Glad to see everyone who made it, and apologies if we missed anyone!

Co-ML for Mississippi

It wa good to meet all of you this afternoon. I got almost 2k in before the laptop battery gave out. Maybe I can get a few more in tonight if I ignore all the other stuff around my house I am supposed to be doing :P

www.DreamArc.com

Is there going to be a write-in this weekend?

Theme Song for Novel: Wolfen One by Mercedes Lackey and Heather Alexander