Friday, February 21, 2014

Celebrate the Small Things: First Drafts, Weekends, and True Detective


I haven't participated in this hop for a few weeks now because I've been kind of zoned out when it comes to blogging, but it's nice to jump back in and do a little celebrating. As always, this hop is hosted by Vikki at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author. If you'd like to sign up and join the hop, visit Vikki's page here.

My celebrations for this week:

1. I finished the first draft of my Polar Night prequel novella! I know it needs a ton of work like all first drafts do but it felt great to get the basic story down. Since it ties in to the sequel I am planning it was fun to get those pieces in place. I've got the draft printed out and am looking forward to sitting down and scribbling all over it this weekend.

2. I am off work today and have a three day weekend. Yay!

3. I have a new entry in my list of tv obsessions:  HBO's True Detective. I absolutely love this show and think everything about it - the writing, acting, directing, cinematography, etc. - is phenomenal. I've never been a  fan of Matthew McConnaughey but wow has that changed. I wouldn't be surprised if he takes home both the Oscar and the Emmy this year. I love, love, love this show.

4. I had a great dinner out with a friend this week and managed to control myself and say no to getting a dessert. I've been so sluggish this winter I didn't want to make a total pig of myself so I was pleased I was able to resist the temptation to wolf down all the chocolate in the restaurant. That doesn't happen very often. :D

Hope everyone has a great weekend! :)




50 comments:

  1. Congratulations on getting the first draft done. Enjoy your three day weekend going over it.

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  2. Congratulations, Jule, on accomplishing that first draft milestone, a Major Big Deal! Know what you mean about feeling sluggish during this challenging winter . . . just looking at photos in Food & Wine makes me want to devour the page. Hmm, will give that show a second thought . . . enjoy your well-deserved break!

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  3. Good for you on the first draft and not wolfing down all the chocolate. :)

    I have got to watch True Detective - I've heard so much about it, and I've always been a big fan of Matthew McConnaughey. Check out the movie "Mud" to see more of how good an actor he is.

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  4. Enjoy your 3 day weekend!
    Well done not having dessert, I can never resist.


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  5. Definitely great things to celebrate! Congrats on getting your first draft done! And have fun on your three-day weekend!

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  6. Yay for completed sloppy first drafts!

    Enjoy your three day weekend too. :)

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  7. Congrats on the work on your book. True Detectives sounds like a good show. Enjoy your long weekend.

    MJ, A to Z Challenge Co-Host
    Writing Tips
    Effectively Human
    Lots of Crochet Stitches


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  8. Awesome things to celebrate, Julie. Well done on getting the first draft done. Yeah!

    And I totally agree about True Detective. My hubs and I are all over that. The performances and script are beyond anything else of it's genre.

    I have more trouble dealing with savoury items like bread before the main meal than dessert after it. But well done on saying no! I rarely do :)

    shahwharton.com

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  9. Congrats on the first draft! Have a great weekend :-)

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  10. Glad you finished your draft and that you didn't pig out. My favorite desert is Chili's lava cake. Haven't had any in about 7 years. It's sooo bad for you but mighty tasty.

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  11. Always good to get that first draft done, congrats. Enjoy your long weekend.

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  12. Woohoo! Huge congrats on getting your novella draft done! I know how exhausting that is, and I'm so happy you managed to accomplish it.Good luck on the revisions! (And some desert every once in a while isn't bad... lol)

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  13. Completing a first draft is always an awesome thing to celebrate.

    And I've heard such amazing things about True Detective. Makes me wish I had HBO. But I won't until April when Game of Thrones returns.

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  14. @Alex, thanks!

    @Kittie, yeah, I know the feeling about wanting to devour the food photos LOL. Thanks.

    @Madeline, it's amazing! And if you already like Matthew M I definitely think you will love it.

    @Laura, I think this was the first time I ever did LOL

    @Cherie, thanks!

    @LG, I will, thanks.

    @MJ, thank you, I appreciate it!

    @Shah, oh yeah, the bread is a killer for me too. And I agree completely about True Detective.

    @Annalisa, thank you!

    @Shelly, I've never had that but I'm sure I would love it. :D

    @Suzanne, it is, thanks!

    @Lexa, LOL, the every once in a while part is the hard thing for me LOL. Thanks!

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  15. @MJ, I totally can't wait for GoT to return! My main tv obsession LOL. You should try to catch True Detective On Demand when you get HBO back. :)

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  16. Congratulations on your first draft. Don't forget to celebrate this weekend ;-)

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  17. Huzzah for first draft completage! =) And I hear you on the chocolate, I'm dieting right now. Do you like yogurt? Yoplait has a great chocolate-flavored yogurt, in their Whips selection. It's like a fluffy mousse!

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  18. @Vanessa, I won't, thanks!

    @Leandra, oh, I love yogurt but I don't think I've tried that one. Sounds yummy!

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  19. Woo HOO! Congrats on getting that first draft done. If I were you, I'd celebrate with a big ooey gooey dessert... Oh, wait! No, never mind. You're celebrating NOT having dessert. Good for you, kiddo. I'm of the age where I sometimes start with dessert, just in case I don't make it to the end of the meal...

    Have a terrific weekend. Happy editing!

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  20. @Susan, LOL LOL, you kill me. Thanks and I hope you have a great weekend too.

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  21. Enjoy your long weekend. And congratulations on finishing that first draft! Wooohooo!!! :D

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  22. Ahhh sweet satisfaction of getting a draft done and having time with friends. Lots of smiles there.

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  23. Way to go in finishing the first draft! I'm so ready to celebrate that myself but I feel like it's waaaay out of reach right now! Enjoy your 3 day weekend!

    Tina @ Life is Good
    A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014

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  24. Enjoy your 3 day weekend! And well done on saying no to dessert that doesn't happen often with me ha ha!

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  25. Chocolate is hard to resist. I wish restaurants would offer low-sugar versions (without artificial sugar). Enjoy your weekend!

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  26. @SK, thank you!

    @Julie, there were, thanks. :)

    @Tina, thank you! I hope your goal for your draft is much closer than you think, I bet it is.

    @Vikki, it doesn't with me either, first time for everything LOL.

    @Sharon, that would definitely be nice. Thanks!

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  27. All things worth celebrating.

    I already was a Matthew McConnaughey fan so True Detective is blowing me away.

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  28. You must feel good having reached the end of your first draft. I know I would have celebrated with the chocolate. I can't resist it when there's nothing to celebrate!

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  29. Congrats on getting the first draft done. And yay for a three day weekend! :) I've been hearing a lot of great things about True Detective. I need to check it out. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  30. Wow, you have so many great things to celebrate this week! That's especially exciting about the Polar Night prequel. Congrats! :D

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  31. Congrats on completing your first draft of the prequel! I also like True Blood. I still haven't watched last weeks episode, but can't wait to catch up. I agree that Matthew deserves an Emmy nomination. Woody is also very good.

    Julie

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  32. @LD, it blows me away too, I just can't get over how good it is on every level.

    @Fanny, LOL, that's usually how I am too!

    @Christine, thanks and I hope you have a good weekend too.

    @Heather, thanks so much.

    @Julie, the latest episode was probably my fave yet, I think you'll love it. And I agree, Woody Harrelson is fantastic too. The acting is so good all around.

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  33. Yay on your first draft. Now the tedious work. I hardly ever refuse chocolate or dessert, a big problem of mine. You must have great will power. Have a nice weekend!

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  34. I used to be a Matthew McConaughy fan in his early days, but then he got to be such a turn-off. Same thing all the time, and I think a lot of people were getting sick of it. Just his "I'm all that" attitude. But, this seems to be his comeback year. I've never seen the detective show, though.

    M.L. Swift, Writer

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  35. YAY congrats on getting the first draft done. :) True detective...I'll have to check that one out. I sorta love Matthew ;)
    Happy Sunday!

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  36. @Cathy, this was probably the first time I've ever had will power of any kind LOL. Hope your weekend is going well.

    @Michael, that's exactly how I felt about him, but his acting in this show just blows me away.

    @Cecilia, thanks and Happy Sunday to you too. :)

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  37. Way to go on the novella draft, Julie -- that's a great feeling of accomplishment.

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  38. sounds like a great week! i was curious about true detective, will have to check it out.

    game of thrones starts soon!! yay!

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  39. @Tara, I can't wait for Game of Thrones!

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  40. Congrats on completing first draft! I know how good that feels.

    I wasn't a Matthew McConnaughey fan early on, but I've come to really like a lot of his more recent work.

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  41. Congrats on completing your first draft!! Good luck with the polishing process.
    I'll have to go looking for the True Detective.

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  42. Congrats! I've never seen True Detective. I don't have HBO--but if it comes to Netflix, I'll check it out!

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  43. Congrats on knocking out that first draft!

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  44. so good to have dinner out with friends...next time I won't stare through the window drooling...and good luck with writing your first draft on the prequel!

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  45. @Carol, that's exactly how I feel about McConnaughey. Thanks!

    @Lynda, thank you!

    @Stephanie, it's definitely worth checking out.

    @Tara, thanks!

    @Tammy, LOL. Thanks!

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  46. If it hadn't been for the blog hop I don't know when I would have met you. Your novels sound amazing!

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  47. Taking time off to energize is so smart! Good for you and welcome back. Great news about that prequel. I'm sending you a *Woot!

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  48. @Catherine, oh, thank you so much! It's great to meet you!

    @Lee, thanks for the Woot! :D

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  49. Well done Julie on getting the Polar Night prequel done ... so pleased for you ..

    Then your three day weekend .. nothing like it!

    Nearly another one now .. enjoy - cheers Hilary

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