Tasks and Advice

The first week of January is as good a time as any to create new routines and improvements. A few of my author friends have teamed up to help each other with their New Year resolutions. They each picked a topic where they need advice and support but instead of searching for answers – are offering advice on the topics inspired by each other.

This is a great way to begin the year because by helping others, we help ourselves!

Spread the word, THE RESOLUTION TOUR – January 1 – 9, 2013, is off to a tremendous start.  If any of these resolutions below sound familiar, you might want to check them out:

Maggie Jaimeson – Take a Vacation

Jessa Slade – Get Organized

Paty Jager – Volunteerism

Linda Mercury – Creating a Literary (or Creative) Life

Jenna Bayley-Burke – Eat Healthier

Cassiel Knight – No More Procrastination

Cathryn Cade – Take Time for those OTHER Creative Passions

Susan Lute – Reduce Stress: Find and Follow Your Bliss

Jamie Brazil - Shrink My Closet

If any of the above topics are on your agenda – hop around their blogs for the next week and see what they have to say for each other. The advice we give is often the advice we most need to hear.  

I have never been a New Year Resolution girl as January is always too busy, Plus I got that wicked FLU that wiped me out for almost a week.  I’ll assess what I want to accomplish for the year ahead sometime in February.  There’s still tasks to assess from the fiscal year cliffhanger, wedding wrap-ups and photos, holiday cards and decorations, home and business taxes, calendars to close out, and NEW TOYS to enjoy.

However, I do have a new routine that is totally aligned with my dreams and desires. I’ve brought all my music CD’s to the top shelf right inside the door of my office. My first task is now choosing the mood music of moment. I highly recommend it!

Parallel Lives Lead to Lasting Friendship

In February 2009 I was new to blogging and used the word “synchronicity” in a post. I got a comment from Rob MacGregor that he didn’t see the synchronicity and he wondered why I used that word. He and his wife had recently started a blog on synchronicity because they were writing a book on the topic. Our online relationship has continued and since I was blogging to develop my Author Persona it was influenced by that first contact with Rob & Trish.

Morgan and I were barely acquainted in 2009 when we both attended a workshop on marketing for authors. We both had such a visceral reaction to the presentation we could read the other’s anger from across the room. So we hooked up and decided we’d put together a marketing presentation that was valid. We started meeting monthly and soon presented a short overview of marketing basics to our writing chapter. Attendees (many published authors) were stunned that this was such new information and requested a more in-depth workshop.

As we continued to develop our Author Marketing 101 message we learned the need was great and we should bring a business focus to our workshop so it could be more easily promoted to lots of other chapters and authors. Morgan and I also came to learn we shared a lot of things!

We are both from Cleveland, Ohio and now live in Portland, Oregon because of our professional focus – in the electronics industry. Our approach to business is rooted in the core value of helping others and giving freely. We share an “open hand” approach to life, but we aren’t afraid to close our hand if we feel abused or misused. Both of us were raised in households filled with faith, but also are willing to question and be open to energies and God’s infinite possibilities. Introspective and energy work are critical components of who we are and how we choose to travel through this plane of existence. Our stars complement each other, almost perfectly – kinda scary.

So in March of 2012, Morgan and I have been amazed at how our AM101-Author Persona message is expanding in only a year and has become so fun for us, and beneficial to our author friends. We were at an intimate writer conference in WA and chatting in a parking lot with a literary agent from NJ. She ruffled through the draft of our workbook and stated, “This looks very professional. You two need to build your platform.”

This is so obvious that Morgan and I are stunned. It’s a combination “Aha!”  “Of Course!” AND “How the (expletive) do we do that?” A platform is a Marketing 101 concept required for any professional service business. Our message is that a platform does not apply to Novelists –  they need an Author Persona. But a Platform does apply to us regarding our AM101 message about the Author Persona being the dynamic core of a novelist’s marketing plan.

Morgan and I had created a free blogspot site where we put our 7 primary AM101 points into static pages to reside forever available in cyber space. But we weren’t doing anything with that blog, it was just an electronic handout for our workshop.

But as I was initiating my Author Persona back in 2009, my connection with the MacGregors was because they were blogging to build their platform and write their book. Hence, in May of this year, Morgan and I started blogging 3x a week and that’s when synchronicities seemed to happen every week as we would be inspired for a new post, or recruit a Guest Post. Our workbook will now have better examples and be a greater benefit to authors. We’ll be working on it again after the new year.

Because Morgan and I pay attention to synchronicities beyond the potential for a good parking space, we appreciate being able to see layers of synchronicities that build on each other. And that – to me – is a HUGE deal because though synchronicity is flavored with magic and mystery, it’s also the foundation for what is practical and good business.

And now, our Author Marketing 101 message is just what Trish and Rob need now they are Indie publishing their extensive back list of novels. And I’m thrilled they came to me for advice on their marketing.

The Next Big Thing – Week 13

My Author Friends are playing a Tag game and while I’m not sure what it’s all about, I’ll play along. Delle Jacobs tagged me to answer the following questions:

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing

1. What is the working title of your book?   Mismanage

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?   A marine construction, father-son company, and researching property management jobs.

3. What genre does your book fall under?   Contemporary Romance

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?   Hayden Christensen & Zooey Deschanel

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?   Competitors on a construction bid try stealing each others secrets to win the bid and keep bigger secrets of their own.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?   Targeted for Indie publishers.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?  Three months

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?  I’ve been reading out-of-genre but the movie “How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days” is comparable.

9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?   Brainstorming a romance between a Cancer woman and an Aquarius man (a daughter and her fiance!)

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?  There’s a paternity suit, historic and green construction, motorcycles, Tai Chi, and some crystal therapy.

That’s it for me. Now I tag 5 other authors as listed below.

***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress) ***

Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them. It’s that simple.

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing
1. What is the working title of your book?
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
3. What genre does your book fall under?
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

TAG You’re it!! You’re blogs need to go up Sept. 12th or when you have an opening on your blog. Make sure you name it The Next Big Thing Week 14. Have fun!

C. Morgan Kennedy   Lisa Nowak   Melia Alexandra   Jamie Brazil   Pat Lichen

Snoopy dancing

Does everyone have the image? Good, now it’s time for a webbit tour! I was reminded that I hadn’t done one for a while. My webbit tours are a collection of links to different websites that interested me today. So here goes:

The first is one of those “restricted ones” so you can skip it, but it is an interview with a new author friend who I have yet to read but is definitely on my TBR list – that is To Be Read but Matt associates the acronym with  Typical Brain Ridiculousness. So check out  M. L. Buchman at his own website, which is not restricted.  :D

Next up, another writer friend Marc Acito has a great post exploring the question, “Why Bother Writing?” and yes, many of us need to revisit our answer to this craft.

For a some heart stopping True Stories check out Mike Perry’s Heart Saving Coincidences.

And for my final Valentines Gift to you, hop on over to SynchroSecrets where The MacGregors share the history of Charles M. Shultz, the creator of Peanuts and the immortal Snoopy with his happy dance.

JAK thru time

I recovered from the flu and was able to attend the dinner party with Jayne Ann Krentz (Amanda Quick & Jane Castle) and 23 of my writing friends. Then we crossed the mall parking lot for her book signing event at Powell’s Books.

Renee - Jane - Marti

Renee and Marti are awesome booksellers and love promoting local authors! So when they host an event, our writers groups shows up.

I met Jayne at the RWA conference in Reno in 2005.  We chatted for almost half an hour while both waiting in a quiet lobby for the next session of workshops. I had recently returned to romancelandia and Jayne is one of the queens in the industry. She also promotes her reputation as an authority on killing and rebuilding your career.

As one of the keynote speakers Jayne revealed she still gets rejected by editors, which she prefers to having readers refuse to buy her books because they were too different than previous ones. That’s how she killed her career more than once and even changing her name didn’t help. However, as history has proved, her previous names and books have found new markets and avid fans who are happy to read all her names.

Since Jayne is a writer, her talks at reader signings are about being a writer. I’ve recapped:

Jayne’s 5 Tips to becoming a better writer:

1. Recognize your own writing voice.  Chose your genre to fit your voice, and it is usually what you love to read. Be aware that you are writing to a specific genre/audience.

2. Know your own core story. The themes remain the same  independent of the fictional landscape. Themes with heroic flavors, like courage and relationships, are more important than character archetypes or time frames. One of her rejected novels was a futuristic on a different planet. But since it was a marriage of convenience story she shifted everything but the setting into a historical saga, that’s how “Amanda Quick” was born.

3. Know your market. Always consider how the reader finds your books. Write to the audience. Bad cops and snarky P.I.’s are okay for an audience in the USA but are not welcome in England.

4. The book proposal must include the genre and read like a back cover blurb. The industry has changed and authors have more options than banging on the gates around the agencies and publishing houses. But a book is still about connection with an audience and if you can’t explain your story, why would a reader care to open the page?

5. The most important advice for aspiring writers: Join a good writers group and become an active participant in writer organizations as it is a business.

Unfortunately, Jayne could only shrug to the question, “How do you get inspired with new story ideas?” Ideas are just there for her.

She writes from 6am until noon everyday and is vocal about it being exhausting work. She always feels the book she just sent off to her editor as being the worst one she’s ever written, this seems to be common among authors but she explained why,

“It’s because we’ve been through the book so many times, in so many ways, for so many months, that it’s not fresh and new to us. But we have to trust that initial excitement for the story we had during the first writing.”

Since I had personal chatting time Jayne when I first returned to romancelandia and now again on my second return… I see this as a good sign. She’s a marker in time, like bookends, for my aspirations to be a romance novelist. She’s excited regarding the changes in the industry since 2005 and the opportunities for authors.

Strangely enough, I found Jayne’s Arcane Series at the library and have stopped searching out other authors and continue to read through the series. I even drafted a blog post and thought I saved it. But a search on her name through my blog and my documents only revealed one mention.

On 2/18/11, I answered the following workshop exercise question:  Name three authors living or dead you would want to have dinner with: Only three?

Jayne Ann Krentz was #1.

webbit tour

Lots happening in my life seems to be a recurring theme and I’m processing a lot of life/death/new home/new job/holiday/family/ events and responsibilities this month.   So instead of attempting a coherent post it’s better if I do a webbit tour of blogs I like.  It’s been a while!

After my last post, one of the first I read was Seth Godin’s post The World’s Worst Boss.   This is one of the big lessons it’s taken me ten years to learn, to be my own best boss.  I like the synchronicity of his words explaining this concept even if Seth tends to be a bit pithy.

In Mike Perry’s post today about reincarnation studies, I laughed at how the professor of psychology debunks those who had past life experiences as:  “…They tend to be very imaginative, articulate and interesting people.”

That statement alone, from a respected professional, encourages me to not seek out those who are rational, inarticulate and boring.  Mike also has a cool Richard Bach post.  This story about the random antique airplane part where and when it was needed is well known in the world of aviators.

Deb Cooke’s post Radio Silence explains the truth behind the life of a professional novelist.  It’s really boring to talk about writing a book until there is a book and this has been my personal lament for years.  If only I could get the conflict and drama out of my life and into my books I’d have something to talk about! 

In don’t pet me I’m writing, Tawna has a list of five potential gifts for writers.  Hint!  Hint!  Of course I’d rather get the taut fanny over the fancy underpants as a present but writers over 50 take what they can get.

Trish and Rob MacGregor posted about the new TV reality show Gold Rush which we watched because Ed has a lot of connections with the family involved and the Sandy River Airpark.  I wasn’t overly impressed with the show but the Alaska scenery is pretty awesome and there’s no connection to a folksy woman or her tea-party politics.

I could include lots more webbits but I have that LIFE thing going on so instead I’ll just direct you to my sidebar links.

I’m currently reading Paty Jager’s Spirit of the Mountain.

catching up

Lots of cool stuff from my author friends!

Elizabeth Boyle is now a MANGA author!  Her historical romances are appearing as Japanese comic books. 

Jessa Slade got an upgraded hotel room at the RWA national conference in Disneyland and she played in the sand for her birthday.

Polly is promoting yawning, Kaylin has a new joke on her blog, and wow, Mike Perry mentioned my blog in his.  Obviously his blog was one of my priorities. 

Along the same theme, at the synchronicity blog there is a new intent to search for positive stories in the global news.   I’m all for that since my blog is about my journey to create happy endings in fun romance novels.

the working writer

Follow up with Jessa Slade and her bad-bad-hero issues.  Novelists know they are playing with fire when they introduce a secondary character, it may be really hard to keep that character in check as they develop of life of their own beyond the authors intent.  Sometimes these characters, who are designed to fulfill a role in one story, refuse to be tamed and begin to flex and grow.  The author will then have to deal with this character in the future as readers may not be pleased with a brutal demise.

Tess Gerritsen intended to kill off Det. Jane Rizzoli when she first appeared, instead Jane is now a series player and soon to be a TV icon with Dr. Maura Isles.

In other news, I’m attending a workshop presented by Jessica Morrell on Saturday and know I need to learn more about Bullies, Bastards & Bitches in fiction.  However, I cringed at Ms. Morrell’s blog post today:  “As a writer, even if you’re writing novels, you need about five pockets of warmth to launch your career.“  Without those pockets, writers need a day-job.  For myself, I’ve had such a variety of day-jobs that I know what types fuel my creative energy instead of just providing creature comforts to my life.

My sprained ankle is improving and I’m using this physically limited time wisely.  I’ve been reading lots of books and contemplating my writing career.     But, the message that is coming to me through articles, poems and other venues, is about the importance of friends.

Which means -  my friends are my pockets of comfort.  Friends are untamed with a life of their own and friends fuel my creative energy.  It’s time to stop worrying about when, where, how and what-should-be my focus as a working writer.  Instead I’ll relax and delight in the WHO are in my life.  How fun!

a techno choir

This is too cool!  I love how the internet is showing its potential for being so much more than a place to share information.  Eric Whitacre created a global choir!

Check out how they did it.

Enjoy!

The big event

Saturday was our annual RCRW Readers Luncheon.  This event is to personally connect authors and readers.  Over 200 attendees from WA to CA assembled in Portland, OR to celebrate the world of romance, and support our local literacy organization. This was the 10th and last luncheon, I’ve attended the past eight.  This was our last because it’s become too big and we’ll reassess for smaller venues, more often, through our partnerships with Borders and Powell’s bookstores.

Our featured speaker, Jane Porter, is my favorite contemporary woman’s fiction author.  Jane is sitting, Lucy Monroe is in pink.  Lucy was the featured speaker in 2009.  Both of these women are active promoters of literacy, couples counseling, empowering women, stopping domestic violence and much more.

RCRW donates proceeds from our basket raffle to the Portland Literacy Council.  Last year our donations funded GED scholarships for more than 20 individuals.

The woman in black is one of the recipients of a GED scholarship RCRW sponsored, and she is now taking college classes.  The woman in white manages the GED scholarship grants and feels like “mom” to each adult she mentors through the tests.

The lady on the left is the director of the Portland Literacy Council.

There were many group shots at the luncheon and with the enthusiasm so high, some of us (me) forget to take our reading glasses off for the picture.  Featured are:  Kristina McMorris, Delilah Marvelle, me, Kaylin McFarrin, Mary Lou Wilson and Mae Pen in front.

One of the awesome reader appreciation aspects of this luncheon are the raffle baskets.  Proceeds from the sale of tickets for these baskets, full of books and all sorts of goodies, is what is donated to PLC.  This year there were 95 baskets to win, which made the odds pretty good for the 200 attendees.  Yet, each year there is someone that wins at least 3 baskets.  This year it was me.

I hoped to win a basket because I haven’t added new authors or categories to my to-be-read pile in a few years and was ready for something new to read.  From those 3 baskets I now have about 60 novels – half of which are marketed as steamy, erotic, and hot.  Could there be a message here for me?   LOL!  I won’t know until I start reading.

Good times ahead!

Jessica and Ella’s Pink Lady

I’ve been following this amazing journey since around Thanksgiving.  Jessica Watson, the youngest to sail around the world non-stop.  She and Ella’s Pink Lady are almost at their final destination.  I love amazing stories by real people but this one has fascinated me for months on two levels.

The first level is sort of intellectual and inspiring because so many of us can follow this journey.  Through technology we can experience any part of this epic adventure, by point-n-click.   Not only that, but hundreds of people feel connected with Jessica while she’s in the middle of the ocean!  Each post on her blog receives hundreds of comments.

The greater delight I have is in Jessica, as she consistently posts about her adventure.  She already had the skill and passion for being at one with the sea prior to launch.  Yet through squalls and stillness, mechanical and electrical issues, sunsets and dawns, day after day for months within the world of Ella’s Pink Lady, her enthusiasm remains excellent.  It’s in her voice.  What she writes on her blog.  Her honesty.  Her delight in nature.  Her spirit of adventure thrives as she faces challenges with confidence.

My first sailing adventure was about when Jessica was beginning her journey.  It was awesome but it was only a few hours on a river and I watched in awe as others knew what to do.

Jessica and Ella’s Pink Lady is an epic adventure that I’m sure will make an amazing book and movie because her voice is genuine.   I’m also sure that Jessica will forever be more at home on the ocean than she will be with the limelight of fame awaiting her at the dock.  I’m also thrilled at the potential that Jessica’s story can remain forever current in cyberspace, to inspire many who may not know anything about her until they get a link.

Share the link!

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_blog/Official_Jessica_Watson_Blog/

an artist date

Saturday’s workshop speaker was Lucy Monroe, an amazing woman, speaker and writer.  She had spinal surgery on Tuesday for a herniated disc that the doctor stated was more than huge.   Her husband and daughter helped her attend our meeting.  She was allowed to sit and speak to us though she wasn’t on pain meds because they make her nauseous.  Inspired yet?  How about if I told you she was engaging, made us laugh often, and made us take notes like we hadn’t in years.  The topic of her talk?

Recovering from Burnout.

She was sharing what she’s learned as a creative type, an artist with words, a storyteller.  Lucy will probably take her own advice and recover from surgery to inspire us even more.

Lucy also shared a lot more, like how to avoid Burnout.    This needs to be repeated often to the creative type personality.  Take a break, refill your well, make an artist’s date with yourself.  A few hours a week, just you, doing something that feels good.

Mine was a trip to the Oregon coast on Sunday.  I had a specific agenda to justify the two hour drive west.  Ed came along for the drive.  We checked out the hotel room my sisters and I will share in June for our 3rd sister’s weekend.  The first was in 1999, the second in 2007.  I’m thrilled it’s only been three years!  I can’t explain how a weekend with my sisters refills the well of my personal essence.  It’s not taking a break from life, it’s reconnecting with that essence within.  Ten years ago, I would not have understood, or realized I would find it with my sisters.  We are so different!

That’s why I had to drive to the coast to see the potential hotel room we would share.  I had to experience the view and walk the path from our room to the conference location.  I was the one who chose the venue, the primary destination, the initial gathering.  Oh, the gathering.  I’m a redhead, Rose is a brunette, and Sharon is more blond.  Like the Witches of Eastwick!

This reminds me of – the power of three – I’ll post about that tomorrow.

Until then, here’s the current title and tag line for my memoir:

THE WILL TO LOVE – true stories of a sittin’ mom and her family; from grade school to weddings, through funerals and feuds, with self-control and chocolate.

What do you think about that?

take a chance

Here’s a writer’s challenge where everyone wins.  Read an award-winning book, post a well written review, and you’re entered for a chance to win $$ – plus -  all proceeds from the purchase of Flaherty’s Crossing are being donated for cancer research.

This is a KEEPER book for me, as a writer, Flaherty’s Crossing is an example of good writing, strong storytelling, and is a well crafted novel.  It’s currently available only in electronic format.

I’ve read a few ebooks where flipping physical pages wasn’t part of the experience.  I’ve learned that when the story is awesome, I don’t care how I read it.  So, take a chance.  Try an ebook, this is one I recommend as an awesome story.  Everyone wins.

“Dear Lucky Agent” Contest

Writers share information and so I’m sharing this Guide to Literary Agents Editor’s Blog to all my writer friends.   It’s also a permanent link here under “Writer Business” because I was delighted at the diversity of topics and opportunities presented for all types of writers.

A friend sent me the link to the “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest:  Memoir and Narrative Nonfiction and I noticed they run different types of contests, for all types of writing and styles.  I wonder why I haven’t found this blog before now, or maybe I did but the topic of the day didn’t catch my eye, or it was before I subscribed to my fav blogs through Google Reader.

In honor of today’s date I’m going to 1-2-3-go and enter this contest. 

writing is work

I met my storyboarding goal today and felt almost as much thrill writing The End on those 7 pages as at the end of 300 pages.   I chose a book off my pile, How I Met my Countess, as my celebration of conquering PLOT.  Within the first pages I realized the next journey (and why I love Elizabeth’s books) STYLE.    Story is conflict & drama, characters and transformation – that’s PLOT and can be really flat and boring without STYLE.

Last night I read Lauren’s post on Copyright Does Not Mean “Right to Copy”.   This made me contemplate the whole business of written words.  Truly!  Would we have movies and news, recipes and songs, jokes and menus, contracts and laws, if they weren’t written then revised?   Then – when the words are presented to readers – it is intellectual property that is being shared and should be treated with the respect of any property owned or created by someone, or any intellectual achievement, especially in the digital world where including a link is so easy.

I personally have major issues with that schizophrenic intellectual called Anonymous.  As a writer, I have no desire to be invisible or anonymous though by virtue of the career choice, I spend many days silent and alone with nothing but written words that can’t carry a tune with a harmonica.

Part 2 of Why you really don’t want to be published was posted today by The Intern.  The comments truly grant greater insight into the mindset of an author.  I have attended many conferences which have a workshop called “The Elevator Pitch” but The Intern has revealed it is a magic elevator and implodes on exit.

Even all this advice on how much work it takes to be a writer, or how disastrous life is after publication, many still dream about writing that book.  For them, this is great advice, Is your “But” to big? by  John Gibbs.

Now, even though I’m a writer, I’m also a science and technology nut and had to check TED tonight and was rewarded with this inspiring presentation of maps and stamps and the universe by  Charles Fleischer insists:  All things are Moleeds.  Now that’s the beauty of intellectual property!

there be dragons

Two weeks ago I was introduced to a new world of repentant demons and was in awe at the world building, pacing and how utterly human these immortals are as they prowl the streets of Chicago.

This week – another first book of a series Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke introduced me to dragons.  Oh wow!  A 700 year old dragon (Pyr) with his own booth at a craft fair in Ann Arbor, and he’s wearing a Hawaiian shirt and straw hat for camouflage.  Seriously, this book is awesome, and the heroine is an Accountant!  

Again, I am in awe at the magic and power of mythical creatures who are walking the streets these days, drinking lattes in lawn chairs one minute, and sprouting wings to do battle in the skies spewing dragon fire, the next.  It’s crafted so well it’s a compelling and believable story.  The imagery is clean and vibrant, the conversations sparkle, and the prophesy is mysterious and ambivalent.

I never got into reading Paranormal Romances with vampires and werewolves, but totally recommend Jessa’s repentant demons and Deborah’s dragons.  I already have book 2  – Kiss of Fury on my to-be-read pile and look forward to reading it.  But not yet, I have some contemporaries and historicals to read next because as this article states, romance readers are promiscuous.

Happy reading!

success

Deborah Cooke was a keynote speaker at the conference I attended two weeks ago.  A wander through her trophy room at Château Delacroix reveals this woman has succeeded as an author, under three different names.

Her motivational speech was about personal success as a goal, not recognition according to others, money, or lists.  I told her later, this engaging speech felt like it was directed at me.   Here’s what I learned from Deb’s speech:

Success is a process and builds through many levels.  Success is dependent on the point-of-view and who is measuring the result of your success.  So keep it personal.

Today I felt success!  I’m back on target for my goal this month, to have my novel rewritten, polished and off to beta readers.   My struggle this week was to decrease 30+ pages of sparkling dialogue and wonderful descriptions into 10 pages or less.  I trimmed, tightened, moved scenes around, but still had tons of words to cut.  Then I remembered a question from a critique on an earlier scene, “how does this move the story forward?”  Duh.  The wit and twists were so fun to me!  But as a reader, would I really care?  Or would I want to get back to the story.

I changed the POV character and dumped a dozen pages into two paragraphs.  Success depended on the point of view. 

writer appreciation week

It seems like this week is lasting a lifetime.  But that’s because the new roof this house has needed for longer than the 12 years we’ve lived here, is in process.  Each swipe of the shovel above, has unearthed a horror to fix.  Today was one of those high-drama days, where in the midst of major noise, a grandson screaming in fear every time the saw ran outside, I also had to drop a doped up hubby at the dentist, for a root canal.

Hours later I picked up hubby, sleepy and stumbling, to sit in the car with the grandson who cried in spurts, because I put shoes on his feet.  The dental staff would not let me leave without handing over a check for a grand.  Then I’m home again and the roofers were calling it quits, the largest, highest roof, was too big of a hornets nest to tackle this late in the day.  Thank God I trust them, the man in charge is my grandson’s daddy.

But the drugs hubby had, also have an amnesiac effect, with their ‘invincible’ effect.  I had to coax him off a ladder, and later, down from the roof.  I’ve been there before, when days after major neck surgery, Ed was checking the garage roof, and missed the ladder steps….

Fortunately, one of my fav blogs is an agent who’s got great energy!  He’s designated this is Writer Appreciation Week.  Since I know, personally, that writers are a strange breed, it’s nice to know we can at least appreciate each other.  So here’s a copy of the comment I left, within hundreds, on his blog…

Thank you all my writer friends, who love to twist and turn the plots and words.  Who else understands when I say, I’m up a blazing tree, rocks are falling and the wolves are circling, how can I sprout wings?  What talent do I need, that I’ve forgotten, before I ended up here?

Thank you all authors who touched my heart, spirited me away to others worlds, then brought me back to earth with a gentle bump, a “Whew!” and another adventure to savor in my psyche.

And special thanks to my friend Candy, who dropped grocery bags full of genre romances on my doorstep.  So I could savor different worlds, relationships, families and talents, while sipping coffee and my toddlers played.  Those books waiting to be read made housework something fun to finish – with the reward of another story to savor.

good stories

Basic computer skills and a little e-savvy now opens the world to the curious.  The world of blog and social networks share stories and information.

As I am reading a week’s worth of the blogs I follow, I was introduced to a young mother, and literary agent, who is carrying to term, her best friend’s baby.    Then I learned there’s an amazing book about marriage, that’s already sold a million copies, and the publisher thinks is just getting started.  Hmm, might be good research for a romance novelist, since that career path also is lots of work and luck creating good relationships.  Yet, it is also a career considered to be good for readers health, now, or as good as Viagra.

I’ve also learned my favorite writer’s contest has extended the deadline for submissions, granting me the chance to submit.

Cruising so many posts reminds me I need to become more e-savvy and upgrade my website and blog with cool stuff.  But I also know, it’s all about the book, first and foremost, so it’s time to close the door on my writer’s cave and polish those  last two chapters of the memoir and the first three of my novel.  The techno stuff will wait until after Labor Day.  I won’t close that door too tight either, I have grandsons claiming my energy, by day, and know quieter days will come with the school year.   The road to publishing books takes years, boys are little charmers for only a few.

too fast

After a productive two days of rewrites and edits on my memoir, I decided to cruise the internet and check in on favorite blogs.  The message that came to me is there’s a lot of living going on – and a lot of energy spiraling forth.

Slow down a moment and contemplate some fascinating people at the Mesmer Project or wander through a specialty foods market.    Contemplate taking a volunteer excursion or wander your own spice racks.

It’s summer, and sometimes the most important thing to do is savor the day.

There is time to take a pause and consider, what I do is not who I am.  Are you an impostor?