Hello! Who is here? Introductions

Hi El. I'm in Lake Charles, LA. There are several from this area planning to participate. We're members of the Bayou Writers' Group. Are you familiar with us? We're having a one day conference on November 15th. Would love to have you. Check out our speakers at http://www.bayouwriters.blogspot.com

Last year I got 100 pages of a mystery. I just sat down and started writing with no plan. This year, I've already got my contemporary romance planned. Hope I can finish it but will be satisfied with a good strong start. :)
jess

Sorry about the bad link:

http://www.bayouwritersgroup.blogspot.com

Welcome to NaNoWriMo 2008!! This is going to be a great year. It's the 10th anniversary, so we have to make a splash here in Louisiana, don't we?

Let's start thinking of ways to get exposure in our areas. Since our region is spread all over the state, it will take some serious efforts by all of us to get noticed.

So, my question is "What's your idea to tell people about NaNo?"

Two years ago I wore a chicken suit and wrote my book in a store window. It got lots of media coverage, but the sweating made writing somewhat uncomfortable. I also noticed that my entire book included references to steamy, sweaty, etc., and it wasn't even a romance...

Ideas?

Anybody else want to start a subdivision of the Elsewhere region and be an ML? Or do you prefer to be a part of our "The Elsewheres are out there" region???

I can hardly wait!

Christee
TheRubberChicken
La Elsewhere ML

Hello, Rubber Chicken.

My exposure to nano will be internet since I'm home most of the day. I have several boards I post on that I'm going to give a message. There has already been talk on a few of them, but I'll keep it in their face somehow.

I like being part of the elsewheres :), so I think I'll hang out here.

Jessy, thanks for the link on the get together. I'll check that out.

EL

I'm glad you're staying with us!

I have to admit -- I love being the mysterious, invisible group that defies definition or boundaries. Elsewhere -- It just sounds good...

We'll be sure to do some virtual write-ins and we'll challenge the other regions to word wars ... and with some good-natured taunting and name-calling...

Jessy -- thanks for the link! The November 15th conference might be a great way to help some of our southern elsewheres get together during NaNO.

Christee
TheRubberChicken
LA Elsewhere ML

Hi Rubber Chicken, I remember seeing pictures of you in your chicken suit sitting in that window. LOL You're braver than I am.

We announced NaNoWriMo at our September BWG meeting and we'll do it again this coming Saturday at our Oct. meeting. Also, I'm a member of a Beaumont, TX writing group so I'll push it there too. .. and also on my writing loops..

Every NaNoWriMo participant is invited to our BWG meetings on the first Saturday of each month at the library on Kirby street in downtown Lake Charles from 10-12.
jess

Hey guys! This is my first year writing. I, too am at home most of the day. I am surprised that Shreveport/Bossier wasn't on the list. We are usually on these types of things as we are one of the bigger cities. I'll have to see what comes of it up here. I am excited to do this.

Hi everyone!

I'm definitely back for another year of NaNo and I'm barely going to make it through October. Love the month, but it takes so long to get to November 1st!

Anyway, I'm in the Lake Charles area again this year and can't wait to get started!

Hey, tmgray...do we know each other? Are you a member of Bayou Writers or have you visited our meetings? We have one this Saturday at the downtown library. I wish you'd pop in. 10-12 And the group always goes to eat afterwards. We'd love to have you.

Jess
http://www.bayouwritersgroup.blogspot.com
http://www.jessyferguson.blogspot.com

Hi again Jessy!

We met in the forums last year, but I've never been to the Bayou Writers' group. Instead I met up with a separate LC group of about four or five others. I'm not sure if any of them are members of BW, but I'm thinking we were just a rogue LC NaNo group!

I remember you from last year, but gee whillikers, I might want to join YOUR rogue group. LOL

Always know you're all welcome at BWG. And I hope you can make our conference in November.
http://www.bayouwritersgroup.blogspot.com

Hey -- here's some great news for all you folks in the Shreveport area.

The Shreveport Barnes & Noble is going to be a major supporter of NaNoWriMo this year. There will be weekly write-ins and even pre-write-in workshops! I'll be doing one on either November 8 or 29th and the rest are being done by authors from the local writing groups.

The workshops will be on each Saturday at 10 am, followed by a two hour write-in. Cool huh!!!???

I'll post the calendar of events once they get everything confirmed.

And you've seen that our buddies in Lake Charles are active and excited.

Look for dates and locations of Central Louisiana write-ins to be confirmed in the next week.

And Baton Rouge, we love ya -- and we're looking forward to many happy word wars!!!!

Yee haw! Here we go!!!

Christee

Hi! I had posted before the site went down. I'm Michelle and I'm in the Shreveport area, but getting ready to move to Germany. My hubby is also doing the NaNoWriMo with me. We'll be in the process of moving in November, but we still plan to try. I'm glad to see the info about the B&N - I'll have to hit some of those up before we leave the city.

I look forward to getting to know you all! Happy noveling!

Hi everyone!!

Some of you may remember me from last year. Didn't get to 50,000, but this is a new year and a new beginning! A little bit about me... hmm, let's see.

I'm now a college sophomore at Nicholls State. I'll probably be swamped during the month of November with papers and observations and the like, but that won't stop me from writing my heart out for nanowrimo! I also want to share with the group some exciting news that I got today. Some may remember that I'd been diagnosed with cancer last year, and had just finished chemo when November 2007 rolled around. This past February, the cancer came back and I've been getting chemo since.

BUT! I finished chemo last month, and I took a cat scan Wednesday, October 1. And I just found out this morning that it came back clean and clear of ANY spots. So I'm officially (and hopefully, permanently) cancerfree. I just wanted to let you guys know that, because this news seems to follow me around every nanowrimo. And also because I'm so incredibly happy about that news! Hee!

Anywho, I'm really looking forward to writing again this year.

I'm thinking of making some flyers for nanowrimo (using my brand new MS Publisher that I indugled myself in buying) and putting them up on some bulletin boards at my college. Sound like a good idea??

Awesome! Thanks for the info Christee. That is great news. I will have to bug my hubby to go those weekends that he doesn't have call. Michelle, good luck with your move. Are you all at Barksdale? My husband's parents worked at a church near Ramstien in Germany for about six or seven years. It is beautiful over there. You will get there just in time for the Christmas markets. Take the train to Koln and Trier and visit their Christmas Markets. They are awesome! And be sure to order the Kinder Gluvien (kind of like a spiced cider. The "kinder" means it is the alcohol free kind." There are all kinds of beautiful castles to explore as well. You'll love it over there.

Robyn, I think it was. Sorry! I'll learn names quickly! (I need to figure out how to look at previous posts while writing my own post......) YEA!!!! Congrats on being in remission. That is awesome! My sil, who was my suite mate in college and how I met my husband, has been in remission for about four to five years now. How wonderful for you to have that behind you! Huge Hugs!!!

Edit to fix a name!

That is GREAT news!!!

Congratulations! I was just so darn impressed that you were doing NaNo last year with all you had been through, and I couldn't be happier for you.

Hey -- flyers would be a great idea! I have some really cool ones they sent to me for write-ins and explanations of NaNoWriMo. Want me to forward them to you?

Congratulations again!!!
Christee

Hi Aurorablack - yes, we're at Barksdale. We've been here for the last 6 years, and we are beyond thrilled to be getting out of here. My hubby's dad was army and he lived in Heidleberg for 4 years as a child, and he is excited to be going back. I definitely would like to hit up the Christmas Markets, and someone told me about the Gluvien, and I look forward to trying it! There's so much to do and see - I plan to make the most of the next 4 years.

Here's to being cancer free!!!! That is wonderful news, indeed.

I had Hodgkin's Disease in 1994. Had radiation and surgery. now cancer free. So I understand how happy that news can be.

Hello everyone. This is my first year doing this! I am from the DeRidder area So Western Louisiana. I don't really know what o say other than I am happy to meet all of you and look forward to spending November with you all.

Hello Everyone,

This will be my sixth year participating in this event. I have no clue on what my book will be about. I have been mulling over ideas but nothing has caught my interest yet. I will use the next four weeks to toss ideas about then choose.

I am from Natchitoches, La. and have been enjoying writing stories for the last 24 years I have not published yet but in order to do that, I need to complete something and submit it. It seems that I like to create the stories but dislike the editing and correcting of them.

I belong to the North Louisiana StoryTellers and Authors of Romance or NOLA STARs in Bossier City. Actually, I somehow got roped into being the president of the group.

I look forward to my upcoming adventure in writing and plan to attend some of those write-ins in Shreveport. I also look forward to some of those writing challenges.

Clark-Stone

Hi, this is my first year participating in NaNoWriMo, and I also have no idea yet, though I'm sure I have a little time to decide :) I'm up in Shreveport.

renatria

Hi! I live in Lafayette but work Fridays-Sundays in Lake Charles, so I may be dropping in on some events here.

Good luck everybody!

Aurorablack, thank you! I’ve been having the best weekend, being stress/worry-free and getting excited for Nano. And that’s wonderful about your sil. I hope there comes a day where every type of cancer or disease has a cure!

TheRubberChicken, thank you too! I’m truly looking forward to this November, with no x-rays or blood work looming overhead. And yes, that’d be wonderful. My email address is Robynbug613 at aol dot com

elegantlion, yes, here’s to us being free of that demon! So glad to hear you’re doing great. :-D

I wish everyone here good luck! I still haven’t got a clue of what I’ll be writing. I've still got writing assignments that I need to do for class before I start plotting for Nanowrimo. I think procrastination will be the thing I'll have to fight off this November. I'm the worst at keeping deadlines... And yet, I'm going to attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. *facepalm*

Hey, everyone! I'm back. Still living in Natchitoches and still going back and forth to Shreveport all the time. I think it's great that the Shreveport B&N is supporting us...That'll give me something to do and might help me to write some more. Maybe those of us in the area could get together for wars or something.

The past year has been good. Not a lot has happened writing wise, but I did get married this past June. That was a lot of fun. I'm still in school and next month is going to be a little busy for me, but I'll get through it.

Hey Witchy Robyn! Congrats on the wedding!

I'm so very happy and sad at the same time! Lake Charles has finally been declared its own region, so we're no longer in the amazing 'Elsewhere' group! I still plan to check in from time to time to see what everyone's up to just b/c I've been a part of Elsewhere since I started NaNoWriMo!

A huge congratulations to Lake Charles and their ML Trolligans for their brand spanking new region!!!

And now, how about some word wars??

Remember, those of you in that area can now set Lake Charles as your home region -- but you can always still stay subscribed to the Elsewhere region for conversation and, of course, a little good natured taunting!!!

Welcome Lake Chuckers!!

Christee
TheRubberChicken

ML - The Truth is Elsewhere

Hi everyone! I'm Steph, from Alexandria. This is going to be my first NaNo (at least first that I've been serious about finishing), thanks to a little prompting from a friend in CT, who I'll be spending the first writing week with. Looking forward to meeting people and doing some writing :D

Like RubberChicken said, Lake Charles now has it's own region. So if you're in the LAKE CHARLES area (Sulphur, Vinton, Westlake, Moss Bluff, Carlyss, DeQuincy) add Lake Charles as one of your regions. That way you can attend our Rock-Awesome kickoff party.

WooHoo Lake Charles! How awesome for you guys.

Steph, Alex is great! My husband and I went to Louisiana College. It's great around there.

Oh and guess what? I finally have a plot! Yippee!!!