139,750 words...too much?

So while waiting for my editing buddy to finish my latest WIP I'm looking at a story I wrote last year but shelved. I like my story, characters and all that but the ending was flat. I absolutely hate cop-out endings in books. Like when you read a great book, a real page turner and then the ending is a WTF moment. Like what were they thinking? Where's the climax? The promised drama? The OMG ending?
So in that other story I hated that I didn't have a better ending so I shelved it.
For a year.
And now I have it! I'm real excited about my ending now and I open up the old story and realize it's over 500 pages. Ayyaakk! Could any newbie possibly interest an agent in a 500 page book?
Ugh! Now I'm going back through this story that I love with some mental scissors.
This ever happen to you?

Finding an Agent

Ok, the Wip is whipped and turned over to wonderful person who catches all my crap to give a last look. I've got another Wip in the works but right now i don't feel like working on it. I think I need a brief respite from living in that other world.
So I've been agent surfing.
:)
I visit quite a few agent blogs and thought I had a "Dream Agent" list in my head but now as I start to reread their wants and guidelines I'm beginning to waver.
This particular Wip is a little different from what I've written in the past. It's a paranormal romance involving angels. Very hard to find that on an agent's wish list so I'm looking for those who handle both paranormal and romance. I've got a list of six so far. I want to query seven at a time because that's my lucky number. The number three has also been lucky so maybe I'll do seven agents and three pub houses?
(I'm thinking Wild Rose Press might bite on this one)
Now I've come to the point where I'm building my dream agent in my head and here's what I've come up with:
1. Must represent paranormal romance but also thrillers.
2. Must be on east coast, preferably NYC area. (so we can meet one day!)
3. Must have experience. Some kind of decent track record.
4. I think I'd work better with a woman. I think they'd understand romance books better. Are there any men agents who sell a lot of romance. They also have a better chance of understanding my sometimes weird sense of humor.
5. Must at least slip me an email every now and then letting me know whats going on. I don't need love notes but a quicky will do.
6. Can tell me up front of how they will sell my book. I'm a newbie, I need details!
I think that's it so far...any other suggestions?
If you're agented, how did you find them and are they your dream agent?

Her Sanctuary: A review

I was wandering around over at Wild Rose Press a couple of weeks ago and came across this book by Toni Anderson.
One of the things I like about Wild Rose Press is the way they set up their lines. Each genre is a different kind of Rose. Her Sanctuary is from the Crimson Rose Line which means its Romantic Suspense...my favorite read!
Her Sanctuary looks like its the first book from this author and I'm very impressed. A lot of times I read books and my hands itch to edit but with this book I wanted a highlighter so I could go back and read the wonderful way this author put her words together. The word "poetic" came to mind in her beautiful descriptions and turn of phrase.
The book blurb from Wild Rose Press: Running for her life, ex-FBI agent Elizabeth Ward escapes to Montana with a new identity. She craves peace and solitude, but instead finds handsome rancher, Nat Sullivan. Nat is trying to hold his ailing family together, while struggling to keep the ranch from bankruptcy. The last thing he needs is a beautiful stranger reminding him there is more to life than work. But Elizabeth isn't what she seems. And when a murderer and rapist track her down to the remote ranch, they all find out about the power of revenge. Revenge or Redemption. Which would you choose?
This book was so good I carried it around with me so I could read every spare minute! Elizabeth's back story was carefully woven in and my heart went out to her. The handsome rancher was just as real and I think I'm in love with him. :)
Definately a great read!

Guitar Mama?

Our house has lots of instruments. Piano, French Horn, Trumpet, Sax, Violin, Banjo, two electric Guitars, one Classical and three other Guitars (but I'm not sure what they're called.)
I can't play any of them. However, I suddenly have the urge to learn.
My daughter is teaching me the basics but the one thing I'm not liking is the fact that I have to generate callouses on my finger tips. Can anyone tell me why they haven't invented something to put on your finger tips so you can play without pain???
That's the hardest part. And you have to cut your nails.
I don't want to do that but ... I will. I keep looking at them, thinking how nice they look, even, long enough, and I have to chop them off. :(
I also keep looking at the Guitars scattered around the family room. The one I play is on the coffee table. It's black and shiny. I love picking it up and running through the few cords I've been shown. (My nails still get in the way but ... soon...)
Anyone out there starting an instrument? How's it going?
Do you think there's hope at my age?
Also any help with the callous issue would be appreciated.

60,000...YAY!

Whew! Sixty thousand words-done!
This was for the Mayke It Happen challenge by Liberty State Fiction Writers. The challenge was to write 60K by May 31st.
For awhile I wasn't sure I was going to finish. The usual issues were there, family time, work responsibilities, that little devil who sits on my shoulder telling me to goof off....
A friend at Liberty State Writers told me that she sets aside 20 minutes to write. I asked what she could accomplish in just 20 minutes? She said it gets her going. So I thought about this for awhile and decided to give it a try. There were plenty of times I'd think that I didn't have enough time to write anything but 20 minutes? I have that. Before work 20 minutes is 20 minutes, no more, no less. But after work those 20 minutes could morph into hours. It was like a kick start with no commitment.
Anyway, it's done. Yippieee!
Now I have to reread, rewrite and get it out somewhere.
Ahhhhhh,,,,it feels so good to finish.

Going Crazy Trying to Mayke it Happen!

I'm up to 54500 words. I have to make 60,000 by the end of the month. I had a bit of a sludge time, semi-stalled, but pushed through it. Now I have to finish so there's not much in my life but writing. And it's all in my head now just itching to get it down on paper.
One thing I need right now is a desk. There are notes all over the place, index cards, printed pages and scribbles that I keep refering back to. I do have that desk, its a big desk/workbench. I love it but it's also the catch-all for paperwork in this house. Do I take the time to clean it off, which will lead to filing, organizing and finding a home for all the left over crap....or just push on. After all cleaning off that pile of stuff will use up precious writing time. And my writing time is precious, I value every moment I get to sit at the keyboard.
Today I hid in my bedroom with Edgar, my laptop, and it was a constant stream of interuptions. Now I have a dinner date with old friends so I'm about to pull my self together and head out...more writing time lost.
Do you ever go crazy trying to find precious time to write?
Ever accept a challenge to make a word count?

Finding Your Rhythm

I joined the Mayke It Happen challenge through Liberty Writers and pushed off about 20,000 works quick and easy then...stalled.
I saw Anna DeStefano speak and one of the things she said was that she pushes right through a new story to the end. I tried, really tried, but it's just not doing it for me.
So Caridad Pinero said she nails the first two or three chapters first and then moves on. I went back and did that and it helped alot.
One of the other things I took from Anna was that she prints it all out and puts it in a binder. Then uses postit notes to mark POV and things she wants to work on. This idea I love! Aside from the editing feature it also give me the ability to go back and look things up. Thanks Anna!
I have another writer friend, and soon to be published author, who is also in law school. How she finds the time to write I'll never know! However if she can do it do I have any chance at a valid excuse? She says she writes in twenty minute clips. So I've been doing that. Of course, those 20 mins often stretch into more but it gets me going.
Even after years of writing I'm still finding my rhythm. In all this searching I think what's helped me most is other writers. I've never met a group of people like this before. They go out of their way to help other writers. I find this amazing.
What about you? How did you find your writing rhythm?