Welcome to the website of writer Erin Boatkicker

Erin Boatkicker is a young writer with grand fantasies of using a handful of words to change someone’s life. She’s constantly busy and sometimes even surprises herself by how much time she can find to write. She’s a university student majoring, unsurprisingly, in creative writing, as well as working two jobs, learning to drive a car, planning a wedding, and dealing with her crazy but mostly lovable family. Right now, she's put all her other writing projects on hold and is focusing entirely on Only Make Believe, a novel she started for NaNoWriMo 2010. She hopes to have the first draft finished before November 2011.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

I'm Absolutely Terrified!

So let me be honest. I'm absolutely freaking terrified of writing this book.

For one thing, NaNoWriMo, though super exciting, is also just a Li'l bit scary. That's a lot of words, in not a lot of time.....


For another thing it's horror. 
Let me tell you a story about when I was in 3rd grade. It was around Halloween, and we had an assignment: write a scary story. I wrote it. It's title was A Little Girl's Horror. I worked so hard on it, and was so proud of it, that I brought it in to school early, and showed it to my classmates! Apparently, scaring your classmates in 3rd grade is rather frowned upon. I got in trouble, and was even made to see a therapist. I haven't written any "scary" story since then. Not one. Since I was.... about 88 or 9.  I turn 20 during NaNo.

I'm scared that I wont be good at it anymore. I'm scared that once again, people will get angry at me. I'm scared that once again, people will question my mental health. And I'm scared that once again, people will be disappointed in me. My mother was so upset by my story. When I was 8 or 9, her opinion meant a lot to me. Her opinion still means a lot to me. Right now, my relationship with my mother is strained, at best, but still, her approval means a lot to me.

And then there's just the accuracy-problem. My book deals with a condition called Selective Mutism. I was never a Selective Mute. I have never known a selective mute. In fact, until I read a memoir about a women who specialized in selective mutism, I had never even heard of the problem. I've read a bunch of books now, an scoured the internet for information. But some of my information may not be right, because I don't have first-hand knowledge of the condition. Even more of my knowledge my be wrong, because I choose to disregard it. Because it doesn't fit with my story. Plus my Selectively Mute character is my antagonist. She's my horror-monster. My bad guy. I don't want to offend anyone who has dealt with or knows someone who dealt with Selective Mutism.

I guess this is mostly just a rant.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

NaNoWriMo: Part 2

First things first. If you NaNo, add me here. Now, the more fun stuff

Welllllllll I talked Chelsea into participating. I'm glad to have someone I know IRL in this with me. Of course, I have all the amazing writers from Accentuate, who I love to bits, but as much as I love them, I love my IRL friends too. I think everyone should do NaNo. Yeah.

So, I think I should give you a little information on Only Make Believe, because really, I've shared it all with the rest of the internet, why not my blog readers?

(Unrelated: speaking of blog readers, I live for comments. Give me some love? I'm totally not above begging.)

I've drawn out these GORGEOUS character profiles. The have pictures of the characters, and small, not-overly-detailed, but substantial, list of things about them. I have a horrible habit of forgetting what my characters look like, so I also added a few small details about their appearances (things you cant tell by looking at the pictures)..... and I drew them by hand, and have a broken scanner. Perhaps tomorrow I'll line them up pretty to take pictures of them, but I feel silly taking a picture of them.

 In the mean time, I'll tell you a little about the story itself.

It's supposed to be horror. I haven't written anything even remotely scary since I was in 3rd grade.
Time now to write a scary story. Hope I can do it.
Since I'm lazy, I'll just post my synopsis here

Sarah Marsdon is excited to be back in school, teaching a second grade class, after three years in the 5th grade. What she hadn't counted on was a selectively mute student, Katie. Why hadn't anyone warned her? Katie appears to talk to her cousin Chris, also in Sarah’s class, but hardly even acknowledge anyone else. Katie is bright, that much is obvious, but so unbelievably withdrawn. Sarah attempts several times to reach out to the family, but they don’t answer the phones, don’t respond to the notes, and never seem to pick the children up or drop them off.
For Sarah, the questions and confusions of dealing with this difficult and confusing child become even worse when Katie starts talking. From one day to the next, she isn’t consistent in attitude, speech, and suddenly, not even school work.

 __________________________


Oh and I realllllyyyyyyy want this. Perhaps if I win the Lottery.... which wont happen because I don't play the lottery... but perhaps if I decide to play the lottery, and win it.

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More