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Boy can I get lost…

Erin T. Whalen1 Comment

I have to say WOW, I just looked at my blog and saw the last time I wrote was August 28th and on that day I told you I would post a sketch the next day! So sorry. I can really get side tracked. I am writing like crazy this month and very happy about that. It seems I never want to go on the internet now because I am so into my writing which is a great thing because as any writer knows its usually the opposite. When it flows, it flows right? Gotta hold your hands under the faucet and catch every drop of creativity that is coming out! I have now put my bed in my art studio so I can absorb my project, it helps to see all of my sketches and notes posted everywhere before I go to bed and first thing when i wake up and its great, I don’t have to go far to get back to the drawing board! I just wake up, meander into the kitchen to grab my cup o’ coffee and head back to my lair. It’s wonderful when the writing flows. As a matter of fact, I don’t believe there is anything I can compare it too and only those that have experienced it can understand, all the rest just get to enjoy the literature that’s born from it.

~Erin~

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Back into it!

Erin T. Whalen1 Comment

I am happy to say as the weather cools, my writing brain is sparking up. I fall right into the writing zone when September comes around. I am writing at full speed now and even doing some sketching for it. I will be posting a picture of my artwork tomorrow. It’s on my big computer and right now I’m only on the laptop. Talk to you tomorrow!

Erin

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Publication Date for Novel Extended to 2011

Erin T. WhalenLeave a comment

Today I write with sad news….  my novel will not be complete as I had hoped by October. You see, this being the first long piece I have ever written I underestimated the amount of work i would need to put into it. That’s not to say I am not having a great time with it, but only to say that I want it to be the best it can be. I am extending the publication date to 2011. I feel it needs more work and I believe you will be so happy with the results.

I want to thank you for your patience and understanding.

artists · books · daily · erin · In the writing zone · novel · Uncategorized · whalen · Writer's Block · Writing studio

Moving on ahead…

Erin T. WhalenLeave a comment

Hello again. I am happy to say that I am BACK in the writing zone! Oh boy that was not a fun bout of ‘the block’. I am also happy to say that I am moving to a perfect apartment. It is over looking a pond. What a perfect way to get up and write and write every day, right? My writer’s dream has come true (and perhaps it removed my writer’s block as well.) I am so excited to set up my new writing studio near the window that overlooks the pond. I will post pictures as soon as I move into the new home!

artists · erin · erinesque · In the writing zone · Nest · novel · Uncategorized · whalen · Writer's Block

Sometimes you need to stop and look

Erin T. Whalen2 Comments

I was working on putting up a sign on the outside of a building the other day and heard something in the bushes. This picture just goes to show you how important it is to stop and observe and DEFINITELY always have a camera on hand! Isn’t it sweet?

I have to admit, I am blocked. I haven’t been able to write a word in quite a while. It really hasn’t been that long but it seems like forever to me. You see, I have never believed in writer’s block (or at least never experienced it for myself) I am really experiencing it now. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with my oldest child getting married and leaving the nest – no pun intended 😉 I want to reassure my readers that I am working very hard to get through it. I am filling my non-writing time with photo taking, drawing, and capturing ideas in my writing idea notebook so when writing does come back to me, I will be armed and ready with lots of material.

Oh yes, and for all those writers out there who I never believed really had writer’s block, I DEEPLY apologize. It certainly is real.

Until next posting… Erin.

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My Evil Clown

Erin T. Whalen1 Comment

My latest creation for my novel. I used my big drawing pad for this one too and I have to say, I love the ‘kraft’ paper look of it. It looks dirty and will fit right in with my ‘trashy’ novel. You will see where I am going with this soon don’t worry 😉

I finally used real drawing pencils to shade and I found it is much easier. The set I used are called Mars Lumograph by Staedtler. There are 12 of them – 6B 5B 4B 3B 2B B HB F H 2H 3H 4H. I never realized what a difference the hardness of the graphite makes. I love it when I pick up a product that has been around forever and finally use it then say WOW at the potential it unlocks for me. It’s one of those a-ha moments. I will continue to upload artwork from my ‘trashy’ novel. Hoping for some feedback though! Any silent lurkers out there please feel free to comment. I share with you to hear your opinions. Thanks for helping me out!

Erin

art · books · erin · illustrator · novel · sketch · Uncategorized · whalen

Great Weekend

Erin T. WhalenLeave a comment

I enjoyed a wonderful weekend with my best friend Stacey. We took the train from Providence RI to New York City and saw the play WICKED. It is by far the best performance I have ever seen and I have seen alot. I did see this show before at PPAC in Providence and it was excellent too. The energy is unbelievable in this show! If you haven’t seen WICKED yet its time you did!!!

I did get a new character sketched on the way to NY and I absolutely LOVE him. He appears in my novel and is being written in today. I know I said this novel would be ready to be released in October of this year but because of the turn the story took, I am needing more time. I hope you are not too disappointed if you have been waiting for it but believe me, it is going to be well worth the wait.

Thanks for your support and patience.

Erin

books · charlies · erin · head · In the writing zone · Uncategorized · whalen

The Ever-Changing Novel

Erin T. Whalen1 Comment

Once again my novel has morphed into something I never expected. I outline and plan and write and then BANG – my story takes me in a different direction. Not a bad thing though, because the story is taking on a deeper meaning for me. I have learned one thing while writing this book, well actually I’ve learned many things 🙂 but the one thing I learned that I am talking about here is how many levels the author can go into a book. The best I can explain it is like a deep hypnosis where you start with one thought and you go deeper into the trance and go down to another thought. While doing all of this you learn so many things about yourself and the issues you are dealing with. It is such an amazing process and that is why it takes so long.

Sometimes you hit a place you never knew existed and you just have to explore it. You can’t ignore it and go back to your original outline. Your story is telling you something, leading you somewhere that NEEDS to be explored and like any good writer – you put on your explorer hat (you know the kind with the little light on the top) and go deeper into the dark to see what your story is telling you. I think the best way to describe writing a story to all the readers out there is that the writer is the first to FIND the story, explore it, take notes along the way, and come back to tell about it.

We don’t make the stories up, we find them and explore them, then come back and report on them. The next time someone asks me what I do for a living, I am going to tell them I am an explorer.

I have to go back to my expedition now… I will report back to you a little later.

Erin

art · artists · erin · illustrator · In the writing zone · sketch · whalen

Mother’s Day

Erin T. Whalen2 Comments

It’s Mothers’ Day – a very happy one it was. I spent the day with 6 of my kids – my 7th was nowhere to be found. He didn’t even call which makes me sad but at the same time I know he is preparing for a big move to Idaho and planning a wedding as well so of course I can forgive the forgotten phone call. He is 21 and no longer depends on me but that never stops a Mom from thinking about her child every day. When the kids are little all we can think of (we being artist/mothers) is when will I ever get the time to write or draw or paint? Funny – now that my little ones are getting older I find I am sitting at the drawing table unable to focus because I am wondering where they are and if they are all right. Seems to me its a lot easier when they are running around making noise while I work. Yeah, now that I think of it, I can create much easier with my kids under foot. Just yesterday I was sketching and all my littler ones were running in and out of the house. I drew at my art table while watching them out the picture window and when they ran inside to give me an acorn I just smiled and placed it on my tabletop. It added to the value of my writing and brought  a whole new level of meaning to it. I really enjoyed my weekend creating with my kids running around me and I am going to enjoy it for as long as I possibly can because I know it doesn’t last forever, it didn’t with my first born.

To all those mother/artists out there, enjoy your creative times with the chatter in the background while you can… you will miss that precious chatter. I know I will.

Erin

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Day 2 & 3 of Novel Retreat

Erin T. WhalenLeave a comment

I got on a roll and stayed up pretty much all night last night. Its nice when that happens because I know I am where I need be when I get in this zone however, I do have one complaint. It seems the more the novel begins to come together for me the more anxious I get and it gets to a point where I am so anxious, I can’t write. I am not too sure if any other writers experience this sort of thing but I would love any feedback if you do. My feelings go from excitement to horrible anxiety and I stop working.

With that said, I got the entire outline put back together from where I left off last and am now ready to write some pages. I know it took an awful long time to get organized and to the point where I can write but please realize I did have some distractions in the middle of it all. Although my children are on vacation with their dad this week they are still only down the street from me and I have been carting toys and whatnot back and forth at their requests. Also, I have started walking 2 and a half miles per day so that happened as well. Considering all that has been going on in between, I have gotten quite a bit done. I am now at the point where I can just open up my laptop and write.

I think its time I did just that so I will bid you farewell for now.

Erin