new blog

I know, I have an old and warm blog already created, but that one is about my life. I wanted a new blog for my writing, so I've created this one.

I'm writing my first novel. No, that's not wholly true. It may in fact be my first FINISHED novel, but it's not my first attempt. I must have started writing books when I was twelve, or maybe ten, but even in my most serious of moments could never get past chapter one. This one, this beautiful, sad tale, is so far six chapters long. And they're not tiny chapters, either. (Or at least I don't think they are.) How many words, that's important I'm told. Well, at the moment I have 11,687 words. For the lay-men who don't write books - that's 50 pages. (In courier, mind you.) On average, it's 250 words a page.

Ah, such technical detail! Tell me, Amber, what's your book about?!

Well.... it's about these people: http://www.teara.govt.nz/newzealanders/maorinewzealanders/moriori/en

The Moriori of the Chatham Islands. But really, that's just the setting, and it's about Rohana, a young woman who has to face the brutal world without her family. She witnesses the impact of colonialism - and not just European, but Maori colonialism as well. So it's an historical young adult novel set in 1835.

The story came to me when I was reading the prologue to _Guns, Germs, and Steel_. I had to start writing that night, and I never did get to chapter one in that book. I've been working on it since October, then changed from third to first person in December and had to re-write the first few chapters. It's moving along now at... well, at A pace. Not the pace I'd like. My goal at the start of January was 250 words a day, but then I changed it last week to 1,000 words a day, 5 days a week. The hard bit for me is finding the time to write. When I get a chance, I usually write at least 500 words at a whack.

The reason why I don't get to write as often as I'd like (which would really be several hours a day) is because I have a baby girl. So although I intend to write a bit on here as I go along and keep it strictly about my writing, I have a feeling I'll add in bits here and there about her growth and achievements. She's not penning sonnets yet, but she can crawl! (And so have ended the days of lazy parenting.) And naps are hard to come by. I'm so exhausted at getting her to sleep that when she DOES fall asleep, I lay right down next to her and dream a bit myself.

Ok. So. Now you know what this blog will be about. Nap-time writing (or "daddy-is-watching-the-baby writing").

Cheers!