Yes, Virginia, There Is a NaNoWriMo

November is just around the bend, and I can feel my excitement growing. Did you know that November is National Novel Writing Month? In fact, there is an official NaNoWriMo challenge. Write a novel (or 50,000 words of one) between November 1 and 30 to win the challenge.  Basically, it's like early Christmas for writers, and at the end, we're gifted with a shiny new draft to polish.

You needn't be a novelist to join. In fact, you can participate even if you haven't written a story since grade school. Anyone, at any skill level, is encouraged to take part.  My 11-year-old will be NaNoing--and she wrote her first NaNo story at the tender age of 6. The point is to celebrate fiction, and to enjoy the sheer fun of a challenge that hundreds of thousands of people will do simultaneously across six continents.

This is my 10th year since I first joined NaNo. (Although only my 9th attempt, as I took last year off). Hopefully, it will be my 9th "win" as well. Kata Sutra, Crystal's Cowboys, Nature's Bounty, and Peter and the Wolf are just some of the titles that began as NaNo projects.

Here on the blog, I'll be posting word counts as well as my personal favorite lines written each day throughout the challenge. So even if you decide not to participate yourself, you can still take part in the fun!

My 2015 NaNoWriMo Project:

I'll be using NaNo to propel me through writing a short story series I'm pretty stoked about. The Sons of Herne series is a set of eight steamy fantasy tales, each set around a pagan sabbat and the god who oversees it. The series will ultimately be offered as a bundled set, but the individual stories will be released throughout the year in conjunction with the sabbat holidays. 

Okay, this isn't exactly a "novel", which is the point of the challenge. But the total word count will easily exceed 50k of fiction, and I really, REALLY want to write this series. I need to write it. I've already completed two tales and a rough outline for the remainder, and I'm very excited to bring the rest to life.

So I hope you'll come by the blog throughout November to see my progress--and favorite lines--for this awesome new series. To get you ready, here are some favorite lines that I posted during NaNos past:

Past NaNo Favorite Lines: (Content warning: The last two lines contain explicit language)


“The wolf Peter’s eyes glowed with moon fire, and his snout twitched with interest while he sniffed the air.” -Peter and the Wolf

“Wanna open your eyes for me, pal? I need to make sure they’re still in their sockets.” -Crystal's Cowboys

“What an image he made, collared wild like her own personal slave, with his eyes glittering, his body shining with sweat and his manhood dangling long and inviting between parted thighs. David gave a whole new meaning to her idea of a cave man.” -Disarming Cowboys

“I should have tied those balloons to your nuts and floated you off over the ocean.” -Nature's Bounty

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J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.