Lovin’ The Writer’s Life

Another New Year and a new path

2012-01-01T17:21:00.003-06:00

Wow! Can you believe that it's 2012? It seems like yesterday everyone was freaking out about Y2K and we were celebrating the beginning of a new millennium. And here we are twelve years later and other than the fact that we've all gotten older, not a lot has changed in the grand scheme of things. The government is still too big, the environment is still a mess, the nations are still at war, the prisons are still too full, and I am still not published.

The last one is my own fault, no disputing that. I've been lazy and undisciplined about my writing, fearful of submitting, anxious about rejection, and overall uncertain about my direction and writing style.

However...I've had a breakthrough in recent weeks and I believe I need to take a step in a new direction. I truely feel that I'm being led to write faith based fiction/romance. I believe that God wants to use my writing as a way to reach people, to help and heal hurting people. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to dig up a book I started writing a few years ago- one that I truely love but felt somethingw as missing- and rewrite it with God and faith as the golden thread. I feel that is what is missing from the story and with that added I believe I'll be able to submit it with confidence.

So here's to a new year, a new path, new lessons to learn and a whole new outlook. I don't have any resolutions for the new year, just some hopes and dreams that I long to see fulfilled. What are your plans for 2012? Do you have some resolutions? Have you made promises to yourself or someone else?

Conflict block!

2011-10-05T13:06:00.004-05:00

So, I've been studying the craft of writing the last few days, trying to make my own writing better. I entered a chapter into a writing contest and now that I'm getting some feedback on that chapter, I'm trying to think of ways to improve this particular story but I'm blocked! I need some better conflict, more action, to figure out what my character's motivation is. And it's tough! I thought this story would more or less write itself but now that I'm actually getting it down on 'paper' it's taking more effort than I anticipated because there's not much conflict.

What will keep my Hero and heroine apart? What is the conflict? What is their driving motivation? What are their goals and how will they go about achieving them?

I'm currently reading a couple of craft books that are helping some. One by Jack M. Bickham called The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them- is very helpful and has helped me see some other weaknesses my current WIP has and how to fix them. One is the lack of meaningful conflict. So I need to flesh out what really matters to these 'people' and make my story deeper. But gosh that's hard.

I suppose, though, that anything that comes easily isn't worth having. A book that is agonized over is one worth writing and reading.

The other book that I've found tremendously helpful is Kate Walker's 12 Point Guide for Writing Romance. Kate is brilliant! Now, if only I could send her my WIP and ask her to create some conflict for me....;)

Alright, I better get back to work. I think I'll have an inquisition with my characters and make them open up to me. Wish me luck!

And if you feel like reading my entry for the writing contest, go here: http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/Entries/628-A-New-Mom-For-Abbie/Chapter-One

Pluggin' along

2011-09-03T13:26:00.002-05:00

Howdy y'all! I don't really have anything to blog about today but I wanted to stop in and at least post a tiny bit of good news. I finally, finally, finally finished the first draft of Logan's Song. It's a story I've been working on for quite a long time and a story I love but couldn't seem to find an ending to. (Maybe I just wanted it to go on forever) Anyhow, my wonderful critique partner has it now and is doing a once, or twice, over on it before sending it back to me for edits and another go through to get it polished up enough to submit to the publisher. I know it has a ways to go but at least it's finally in it's completed first draft form :D Yay!!

And now, on to another work and hopefully this one won't take me so long to finish :)

Encouragement is so good for the soul

2011-07-22T10:20:00.002-05:00

My husband isn't a reader. He can read, but he prefers to read automotive magazines and how to books. In nearly 20 years of marriage I've never seen him pick up a novel or read a book for pleasure because it's just not his thing. He's never taken much interest in my writing- he humors me for the most part. I don't think he thinks I'll ever really get anything published because I tend to get bored easily and give up on things without finishing them.

But the whole point of this blog post is encouragement so something must have happened to change things, right? Of course :)

I'm spending my days out in hubby's shop answering phones, scheduling appointments, doing paperwork, filing taxes, etc. In my 'spare' time I've been writing. Well, hubby came into the office for a break yesterday and sat down at my desk where I had my current work in progress up on the screen. He started reading at page 14 then scrolled up to page one and read the whole thing. This is a romance novel mind you so that he even bothered to read page 14 was shock enough but that he actually was intrigued enough to start at page one and read everything I'd written was mind blowing.

Now here's the good part. When he finished reading, he said to me, "You're really good. I can actually picture these things in my head. You're descriptive without being overly so."

Wow! That made my day! It's like he's finally taking what I love to do seriously. He knows I can do it. He knows I have the heart for it and I was so encouraged by that. It's amazing how a few words from someone who hasn't really supported you in something can make a world of difference, give you a second wind and help you press on.

So, as soon as this blog is published, I'm back at it, pounding the keys, weaving my story to bring alive this world in my head so others can enjoy it too.

Tell me, what kind of encouragement have you gotten lately? What would you like to be encouraged in more?

I'd rather live in a book!

2011-06-28T13:18:00.002-05:00

I know many people read to escape real life and I have to admit, I often do. It's so much easier to deal with someone elses problems in a book than it is to deal with the problems that seem to bombard us day after day and living with 4 teenagers and trying to run a business there is never a lack of stress or issues to deal with.

Lately it seems that I try to find uplifting books, ones that are empowering, make me feel stronger so I can deal with all the junk life is throwing at me these days. Books like Jane Porter's 'She's Gone Country' or 'Mrs. Perfect' are great examples. Jane knows how to weave a story around life's ups and downs and make them managable and wonderful and valuable in spite of how hard they are. It's a beautiful thing when an author can do that.

So this week I picked up a book by an author I've never read, Jane Feather, and thus far I'm captivated by the heroine's gumption, how she sacrifices so much to solve a problem in her life yet comes out so strong in the end. Do I do that in real life? I'm not sure, I guess because I'm so caught up in the problems that it's hard to tell how I'm dealing with it until it's over and by that time I don't want to look back because I'm getting ready for the next blow, so to speak. I guess I should pay more attention to what I'm learning through life's issues so I'll know better how to deal with them next time...not to mention how to better write about them in my own books.

Do you read to escape? What are your favorite types of escape stories when life is really stressing you out?

And just in case you're interested, the Jane Feather book I spoke of is called, "Rushed To The Altar"

Today I'm in the Amazon Rainforest...

2011-02-28T14:20:00.003-06:00

Have you ever read a book that you really, really enjoyed then years later tried to recall the title/author of that book and been unable to do so? Back when I was in middle school and struggling to, more or less, teach myself to read, I picked up a book in the public library. It was a big thick book and with a little bit of fear I checked it out, determined to read it cover to cover.

And I did it. I devoured all 360 pages of that book in less than two weeks. That might not seem like much of a feat but considering that I was- as a 8th grader- reading at about a 2nd grade level, it was quite an accomplishment for me. I read that book and I loved it. It was one of the first books that I truely enjoyed and it opened up for me a love for books and words and reading. My reading level improved very quickly after that.

Because I enjoyed this book so much, I wanted my daughters to read it but I, for the life of me, couldn't remember the name or author of the book. I searched Ebay, Amazon.com, public library sites, and finally I mentioned to someone that I was trying to remember this book and they blurted out the title and author! I was sooo excited. I went on Ebay and found a few copies but they were going for quite a bit more than I was willing to pay for a book- up around $40/copy. Ouch! So I went to www.paperbackswap.com and put the book on my wishlist. Last week I was notified that the book was just listed and did I want it?

OF COURSE I wanted it! It arrived today in near perfect condition and I'm settling in for a good read of an old favorite.

And in case anyone is interested the book is called Savage Journey by Allan W. Eckert. It was published in 1979 and it's about a 13 year old girl who travels to the jungle with her archaeologist father. Her father dies in a freak accident and the girl is forced to find her way back to civilization on her own. Powerful imagery, a wonderful, frightening, bittersweet adventure.

So, with that said, what book(s) have made an unforgetable impact on your life?

Another New Year

2011-01-05T20:44:00.002-06:00

It's another new year, another new decade even. But more than that it's another new day. Every single day is another new day. While I realize that new days are far more common than new years, I believe that if we treat each one as a gift, we'll be far happier and get way more done. My resolution for this year is to cherish each day as it comes, to pack as much living into every 24 hour period as I can, to make as many wonderful memories with my kids as possible so that when they've moved away and I'm left alone with just my husband, I can look back on these days and know that I lived them fully. So that when my kids tell their own kids about their childhood, they can remember it fondly, they can tell their children that their parents were good parents who invested in their childhood and created joy and learning and memories.

So many New Year's Resolutions are forgotten by week 2- or sooner- but I can't afford to forget this one. My children are teenagers and I know they won't be living in my home, under my roof, for a whole lot longer. It seems like yesterday they were tiny babies, then they were starting kindergarden, and now I have one in college, two in high school and one in middle school. Where has the time gone? If the last 19 years has gone by this quickly, the next 5 will be gone in a blink and I'll have an empty nest.

Now, don't get me wrong, there are times (usually when I'm washing 8 loads of laundry a day or picking up some discarded project or another) when I think I can't wait for my nest to be empty and tidy finally. But then I have to wonder, how will I deal with the quiet all the time? What will I do with those hours I now spend cleaning and doing laundry? Will I end up being one of those annoying old ladies my kids will hate having around because I'm bored and demanding to be included in their everyday lives? Gosh I hope not. I will have to find things to entertain myself with but in the meantime, while my children are still here and I have loads of laundry to do and clutter to pick up, I resolve to enjoy it and try so very hard not to take these final years with my kids for granted.

What are your resolutions this year?

Who says Time Travel is impossible?

2010-11-21T14:41:00.006-06:00

I just finished a book recently called Confessions of a Jane Austin Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler. I enjoyed the read, in fact it left me feeling like I actually wanted to find some Jane Austin books to read as I've never picked one up. But what it also made me realize was that through books we can time travel! Through this book I was able to spend a couple of days in Regency era England and it was quite delightful. Of all the historical type books I read, I think Regency era is probably my favorite. For example, Julia Quinn is the Mistress of Regency Romance. I have all of her books and adore them. I truely feel like I'm part of the story with my feet truely in England in a long ago time.

Civil war stories are also among my favorites. I recently picked up a new copy of one of my favorite reads from when I was in high school. The Last Silk Dress by Ann Rinaldi is a book I read over and over when I was a kid and I just finished it last week and was once again transported back in time to the tumultuous 1860's. What a wonderful adventure!

Just because we aren't going physically through time, doesn't mean we can't travel back- or forth- in time through literature. Pick up a book and go visit sometime new or sometime old and familiar.

Love At First Sight

2010-10-22T16:34:00.002-05:00

Here's a poem I wrote a few years ago about those wonderful feelings, those amazing, confusing, crazy feelings of young love.

Endless are the ties that bind.
Love that makes a heart go blind.
Whispered words on which we dined,
In hopes they’d be returned in kind.

Feasting ‘till we fill our mind.
Leave the weary world behind.
Seek the way in which to find
The love for whom we’ve always pined.

My heart for you, has been refined.
My life, with you, is redesigned.
You’re the heart and I’m the rind,
And thus our lives are now entwined.

© By Danielle M. Peck 4/20/2005

Poetry

2010-09-12T19:50:00.002-05:00

This evening, while my husband watched a movie I didn't care to watch, I began thinking back on where my love of writing came from, when it began and it led me to pull out the file folder containing the poetry I wrote years ago, some of it decades ago- makes me sound old, hu? That I could have written something decades ago? Anyway, some of it is pretty rough, some of it is total rubbish, others aren't too bad at all and if I lined it up from earliest to latest the growth would be obvious.

Some of these poems force me to remember times in my life that were really bad, because they're full of anger, pain and tremendous dispair. It kind of awed me that I could write something that could evoke such feeling so many years after putting pen to paper...and I began to wonder if I could do the same with fiction work. Can I create characters that will grip my readers? Can I create scenes that will transport someone from here to there? Will I be able to produce a plot that is gripping and emotional from beginning to end?

And wondering this I am motivated to try. I know that my characters mean something to me but I want so badly for them to mean something to someone else as well. I want to touch someone and bring about strong feelings with my words on paper, to help them feel something they would otherwise not have felt; joy, laughter, sadness, angst, anger, love, excitement, anticipation, and in the end, fulfillment.

So tell me, readers, what kind of emotions to you like to feel when you're engrossed in a story? What makes you feel? What kind of characters evoke strong responses from you?

In the near future I may post some of my poetry on here, just for fun, so be watching for it :)

Studying?...at my age?

2010-08-27T15:06:00.003-05:00

They say you're never too old to learn something new...I'm not sure who 'They' is but it's probably true. I am, however, having to learn how to study and learn again. It's been 18 years since I've been in school so my study muscles have gotten a bit lazy.

What am I studying, you ask? Well, I've decided that I need to study the art of writing. I'm obviously not getting very far on my own so I'm leaning on the knowledge of those who have actually gotten published in hopes of learning where I've gotten off track so I can finish this book and submit it.

Right now I'm reading the book "Writing Romance" by Vanessa Grant and thus far it's been very helpful. I've learned a few things about what editors and publishers want to see in a romance novel, how to get started and some great ideas about plotting. Publishing is a tremendously competetive marketplace and not just anyone can make it. I'm hoping that I can be one of the ones who can. I watch my dear friend Jane Porter: http://www.janeporter.com/ release book after wonderful book and travel the world on book tours and I'm so anxious to have a little bit of that for myself...but Jane has something I don't have- drive! She is sooo amazingly driven and so talented. Her books grab her readers and hang on tight but she has to work to make that happen. Writing isn't all play and no work, it's hard and it takes weeks and sometimes months to come up with an idea and see it from 'Chapter One' to 'The End'.

The point of this week's blog entry is that you truely are never too old to learn something new. Keep your mind challenged and active and it will see you through a long and wonderous life. Study things you don't understand, master a new skill, and for the love of Pete...READ!!!

My love story

2010-08-22T19:19:00.004-05:00

Hello again my faithful followers. As I'm in the business of writing about love, let me tell you my love story...in a nutshell.

Today is my mine and my husband's 18th wedding anniversary. It is also the 20th anniversary of the day we met. I was 16, he was 19. I was contemplating taking my own life and he rode in on his big white horse...actually it was a 1976 Ford Mustang and yes, it was white...and saved me from myself. He was my best friend for a little over a year before we started dating and ten months after that we were married. A year later our son was born and the rest is history.

Our love was built on the solid foundation of friendship. Even today we can talk about anything, love spending time together and encourage each other in our various dreams and goals. We've had hard times and will probably have some in the future too but we cling together through those times and make it through each and every one. I can't imagine having to face those times alone.

So here's to you, my wonderful husband...HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

My Non-New-Year's-Resolution

2010-08-15T09:47:00.002-05:00

Today is August 15, not January 1 but today I'm making a new resolution. I've been lazy and procrastinating about my writing but I had a wake up call this week...my computer got a virus and I lost everything- pictures, music, and all of my writing. :( It was a devastating loss. I had a little of my writing backed up on my flash drive but it was all older, unedited stuff.

So here's my resolution: I resolve to start and finish a book by the end of this year- get it ready for submission- and submit it before I start anything else. Work on one story at a time instead of 8 and actually finish something for a change. I also resolve to update my blog more regularly. Facebook is taking up too much of my time and I have to think of Facebook as a reward for finishing my daily tasks, I can't let it monopolize my time like it has been.

So there we go, time to prioritize and get with the program so I can make this dream of publication come true.

Do you have any dreams or goals you've been putting off? Tell me about them and tell me how you're going to make those dreams come true.

Spring is on it's way....

2010-03-02T06:56:00.002-06:00

You wouldn't know it by looking outside right now but it's coming. It's supposed to be nearly 60 here this weekend but today it's quite blustery and gray. I'm sitting in my favorite spot by the living room window watching the birds in my yard pecking at the seed I leave dumped in piles all over the lawn. This morning we have cardinals- male and female- mourning doves, a downy woodpecker, a couple of blue jays and some others that I don't yet know the names of. I love the birds and watching them brings me such joy.

Writing is slow but progressing. I'm trying very hard to get one of my favorite stories finished. It's been a work in progress for two years and it's time I got it done. Here's a little synopsis: Logan (inspired by Toby Keith) is a country music star who is worn out and a bit discouraged. He decides to go on vacation to his favorite childhood spot in the Florida Keys. Katherine, recently jilted, was supposed to be traveling to the Keys with her fiance but ends up there alone. A celeb smitten hotel clerk mistakenly rents Katherine's room to Logan and the two are thrown together for what promises to be a delightful vacation for both.

I love this story and I'm not really sure why it's taken me so long to finish it. My biggest hurdle so far has been bridging the first part to the end. I have 150 pages written and then I jumped ahead to the end...and now I need to bridge the gap. Or maybe I need to get rid of the ending and just move on from page 150 so it's not so much about a bridge as just finishing the story.

I don't know, right now I'm reading what I have to reaquaint myself with the story. I'm sure inspiration will come to me sometime between page 1 and 150.

Do you ever write out of order or do you write linear? I tend to be linear because for me it keeps things straight in my mind but with this story I got stuck and jumped ahead to the next scene...but now I'm still stuck so I'm gonna back up and keep being linear :)

Out with the old...

2009-12-31T12:20:00.002-06:00

2009 is on its way out- already gone in some parts of the world- and many people are saying, "Good Ridance!"

Yes, it's been a rough year for the vast majority of the planet's occupants and most days there is little good new reported in the headlines, but surely there have been some good things that have happened over the last 12 months. In spite of the rotten economy, lousy job market, strange weather, and crazy political junk going on, I've managed to think of a few wonderful things that have happened to me this year.

1. In April we settled hubby's accident claim and were able to pay off ALL of our debt.
2. In June I got my very first ever brand spanking new car- a 2009 Jeep Wrangler.
3. In August we packed up and moved from Washington to Kentucky and bought our first home.
4. My children have settled in wonderfully, and are doing amazing in school.
5. We are all healthy and have, so far, managed to avoid the dreaded Swine Flu.
6. Our first Christmas in our new home was wonderful and so blessed.

I know there are more but I'm going to stop there. We have been blessed this year in spite of all the negative things that have managed to bring many in this country to their knees and, in my opinion, on our knees is where we need to be more often.

So, what kind of good things have happened for you this year (2009)? And what do you hope for in the year to come?

The promise of a new story

2009-11-01T19:07:00.002-06:00

Hello all!

November 1st and the beginning of NaNoWriMo brought good productive things. More than 2000 words today and a story that promises to be super fun to write. I can't give away the details but picture The Bachelor with only one woman contestant chosen by the world and she doesn't know it until she's already won...has promise...right?

I love starting a new book because there are so many possibilities, so much adventure just waiting to be discovered, love just waiting to happen.

To those of you who read my blog and are fellow writers, what is your favorite part of starting a new book? To those of you who are readers, what is your favorite part of opening a new book to read?

Leave me a comment and I'll pick someone random to send a book to.

Moving & Writing & Missing Files

2009-10-13T11:30:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone! Many of you already know this but I'm making it public and official- my family packed up and moved across country this summer! We left Whidbey Island, Washington and bought our very first house in Western Kentucky. I'm so relieved to finally have that bit of drama behind us. What a trip...maybe someday I'll write about it but for now it's best left in the dredges of my memory.

Writing is picking up. I'm gearing up for NaNoWriMo which starts on November 1. 50,000 words in 30 days. I've been taking notes and brainstorming on the story I'm going to work on.

I've been working on a book the last few weeks, working out some kinks and getting the storyline back on track. I went to work on it yesterday and the file is gone. The main file it was in is still there along with the synopsis, pictures, notes, etc...but the writing is gone and I don't know what happened to it. I know I saved it because I've been working on it for weeks.

Thankfully I printed it out and have a hard copy of it but retyping it all in is going to be a pain in the rear.

Anyway, I'm reading "What Happens In London" right now- another Julia Quinn masterpiece. She is quickly working her way up in ranks of my favorite authors. Up there with Jane Porter, Francine Rivers, and Karen Kingsbury.

We'll start painting our house here soon, the interior. Everything is white right now and now that I actually own the place I'm going to use COLOR!! The kitchen is going to be 2 different shades of orange that I think will look amazing with the white washed cabinets. That's where I'm starting first. I'll post some before and after pics when I'm finished.

Three cheers for Julia Quinn!

2009-09-15T14:33:00.000-05:00

I'm trying very hard to get through my TRB pile- it's substantial, in fact, it's enormous. There are well over 200 books on various shelves throughout my house that I haven't gotten to yet. Well yesterday I finished up another Julia Quinn masterpiece. The Duke and I. A story of accidental love- two people who fein a relationship to keep the community matchmakers at bay- yes it's one that's been told before- but this one was told in such a wonderfully magical way that I can't help but give a hearty shout out to one of my favorite authors of regency romance. Julia, you amaze me! Your stories steal my heart and make me laugh, cry, and finish with a blissful sigh.

This book is published by Avon and it's an older book- 2001 I think- but so worth finding and I am definitely putting it on my Keeper shelf...also substantial.

What have you, my faithful readers, read lately that left you feeling completely satisfied?

Surrounded by inspiration!

2009-08-20T20:06:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Yes, it's me, the long lost writer come to visit. And yes, I can actually call myself a writer this week because I've actually been...WRITING! My goodness it's amazing how much I've missed being able to write everyday. Since my husband's accident last year things have been so crazy that a few days is all I've been able to squeeze out. Well we're settling into our new home- our very own, bought and paid for, I have the deed to my house, home. The boxes are unpacked for the most part, the kids have started back to school and are settling in pretty well, the place is coming together quite nicely if I do say so myself.

And this being the case, it seems like everywhere I look I see something that inspires me to write. A powerful thunderstorm, an amazing sunset, a breed of bird I've never seen before...it all serves to feed my mind and make me want to create something just as powerful, just as amazing, just as new and beautiful. I'm looking at my old work with new eyes and getting excited about those stories again, hoping I can breathe life into them again and make them into something wonderful.

Today I'm confined to my chair with an icepack on my lower back because I've spent the last two days putting up jars and jars of applebutter and salsa made from the ingredients our pastor brought over just days after we got here. My back is aching fiercely and it's a perfect excuse to take it easy and rest and let my mind work instead of my body. So that's what I'm doing. I have two word documents open, a new story and an old one- one I'm taking notes on, one I'm reading through and doing some editing on and hopefully soon I'll have at least one completed manuscript that I can send to a publisher for consideration!

Wonderful thoughts for you all. Have a blessed end to your summer.

Danielle

For a very good cause

2009-05-01T14:47:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! I know it's been forever since I've been here. Sorry about my prolonged absence and I promise to try harder to visit more often. The reason I'm writing today is to promote an amazing charity auction and encourage you to at least go look at what's being auctioned. There are some super amazing things on the block- stuff like trips, baskets of books, electronics, etc. Among those donating the wonderful items are Jane Porter, Shellie Stevens, Nora Roberts, and so many others.

And the cause? Well all the proceeds go to Diabetes research and the whole thing is put on by one of our favorite authors, Brenda Novak. Her son is diabetic so this auction is very dear to her heart. Please go have a look and if you're able, bid on something. You won't be disappointed by the offerings, I promise.

http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Home.taf

Walkin' In A Winter Wonderland

2008-12-21T13:32:00.000-06:00

Hello Everyone! I'm sorry for not updating as often as I should and I have no excuse for why I haven't. I'm posting some pictures that I took around my house just this morning. We had 4 inches of snow on the ground yesterday and during the night...we got another 5-6 inches. Needless to say the kids are having a blast.

Here's the hill my children sled down all day long. It starts in our front yard and goes beside the house, down into the trees in the backyard. They'd stay out there all day long if I'd let them but they have to come in and warm up occasionally.

They were supposed to go to school last week but they made it to Tuesday and the schools were closed because of the weather. We've never had this much snow here and temps down in the single digets...that's unheard of here. I woke up in the early morning a couple of days ago and it was 1 degree.

Here's our house from the road. As much as I hate the snow- which those of you who know me well know that I really hate the snow- I can admit that it's pretty. I especially like the way the trees look.

And speaking of trees, I love how the snow looks on this bush. It just does neat things with the branches.

For those of you who want to know how the writing is going...it's going very slowly right now. My muse doesn't appear to like the cold and the word factory has shut down. I sit and stare at the last sentence I wrote and at the end of an hour it's still the last sentence I wrote. Sheesh! I think maybe my crit partners need to sic the rhino on me...or maybe Chauncy the chainsaw...

Okay, okay! I'm writing!

Merry Christmas!!

It's that time again!!!

2008-10-19T21:33:00.000-05:00

Okay everyone, it's time again for every writer to get him/herself a comfy chair, stock up on your favorite writerly snacks, tell the family you're unaccessable for the entire month of November because NaNoWriMo is right around the corner!!

That's right, you heard me right. Many authors feel adreneline surge into their blood at the mere mention of NaNo. 50,000 words in a month. Their brains start sifting through long ignored plots and story ideas for THE ONE! The one that will finally get their undevided attention for a whole writing intensive month.

So, get your supplies, inform the family so they can make preparations for your absence and don't look back.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this right of passage, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Here's the website: http://www.nanowrimo.org/ Join in the fun!!

It's contest time....finally!

2008-10-15T18:15:00.000-05:00

Okay folks, I know I promised a contest many months ago with the prize being an autographed copy of Jane Porter's latest 5Spot book, Mrs. Perfect. I promised this contest just a few days shy of my husband being involved in a serious motorcycle accident and this week he has gone back to work! Exciting news! So, to celebrate this milestone and follow up on my promise, it's contest time!!

The contest is this: The first person to tell me how many books Jane Porter has had published wins. Post your answer as a comment.

Good luck!

EDITED FOR CLARITY SINCE THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONFUSION AMONG READERS (MYSELF INCLUDED): THE PUBLICATION'S I'M REFERRING TO ARE SINGLE TITLES AND AMERICAN RELEASED CATEGORY TITLES.

I apologize in advance...

2008-09-29T18:16:00.000-05:00

Okay, as most of my readers know, I'm not one to bring politics to my blog. I think there are enough politics out there already but this whole situation with the Wall Street bail out gone awry I felt like I really needed to put my $.02 in.

This whole situation was caused by greedy banks not willing to work with homeowners to help them save their homes. Now the banks are left with no revenue coming in and a crap load of empty houses on their hands. Why are these houses still empty? Because the banks still refuse to try to work things out so that people can get the loans they need to get their homes back or get into a new home.

If the banks would have just worked a bit harder to refinance people, dropped their interest rates as the Feds did, then they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. In my honest opinion, the House of Reps did the right thing today by putting a kibosh on the 700Billion dollar rescue plan. I think that if the government rescues anyone, it should be the American homeowners that are in trouble because of money grubbing banks.

Okay, I'm done and getting off my soap box. If you don't agree with my way of thinking, post a comment and tell me why I'm wrong. If you agree...feel free to post a comment and back me up :)

I Am Woman...Hear Me Roar!

2008-09-08T17:04:00.000-05:00

As I struggled to make it through this summer with even the tiniest bit of my sanity in tact, I used my spare time to read...a lot. Reading was my escape when I wasn't taking care of my injured husband and my out of school children. There were times when I thought for sure I was going to go insane but, alas, school has returned to session and my husband is walking again and things are returning to some semblance of normalcy in my world.

In the midst of doctors appointments and play dates I learned a few things about myself this summer. I learned that I am stronger than I ever thought I could be. I learned that when I think I can't go any further, I always find another bit of strength to get me through. The main character, Taylor, in Jane Porter's book Mrs. Perfect taught me that no matter how vulnerable and alone we feel in times of strife and hardship, women are so much stronger than we are often times given credit for.

Right now I'm trying to finish a book that I'm writing in hopes of pitching to an editor or agent at an upcoming conference I'm attending. The thought of it fills me with abject terror because I've never done anything like this before. My writing has always been such a personal part of me and to lay it all out face to face before a total stranger, gives me hives. But, that bit of truth being shared, I'm going to do it because I am strong and I've worked too hard to let this wonderful opportunity pass me by.

When you're feeling down, when you're at the end of your rope with a yawning canyon stretching endlessly below you, tie a knot and hang on with all your might because you CAN do it. You can get through whatever difficult situation you're in the midst of and you can come out on the other side stronger than you ever imagined.

One Step At A Time

2008-08-24T22:56:00.000-05:00

It has been 14 weeks since my husband's accident and as of this past Wednesday he is able to walk again. It's amazing how wonderful that simple accomplishment is. It's been three and a half months since I've seen him verticle under his own power and it's such sweet victory to see it now. It'll still be awhile before he's back to work full time but like the title of this post says, we're taking things one step at a time.

And for another bit of good news, no I didn't get 'the call', it's even better than that.....School starts back up in less than two weeks!!! LOL. This summer- what little bit of summer we've actually had- has been one of the longest of my life and I'm very ready for a little six hour mini vacation each day while the kids are in school.

Writing hasn't happened much lately simply because of the drain on my time and creativity. I have to get back to it though because I'll be attending the Emerald City Writer's Conference in October and I need to have something ready by then. So here I sit at my nice clean desk...blogging. Hehehe, my priorities are so skewed.

And that being said, I'm going to publish this and get to work. I just wanted to update all my writing buddies on what's been happening here. Thanks again to all of you who've sent such wonderful encouraging messages during this difficult time. Things are looking up and we'll be back up and RUNNING soon.

Cleanliness is next to...creativity!

2008-07-12T16:09:00.001-05:00

I couldn't quite figure out why my muse has been so absent lately but I figured it out yesterday. As I sat amongst the disaster I call my writing center, I got so frusterated by the mess that I went to the thrift store and purchased a nice little book shelf and got to work cleaning up the mess. The pictures on the left show the before and the pictures on the right show the after. Once it was tidied up and organized, my muse popped back into the picture with a relieved sigh and said, "Let's get to work." And work we did. I was able to pound out a good 2000 words last night before my brain shut down from exhaustion.

So, if your muse has suddenly vanished, maybe she's tired of working in a mess...clean up your work space and see how productive you become :)

Surgery two is complete

2008-06-02T21:47:00.000-05:00

Well, James went for an appointment Wednesday with the foot doctor and Dr. Binerschke admitted him to the hospital for surgery. The surgery took place on Friday and took nearly eight hours to complete. My poor husband was so groggy and in so much pain when he came back from recovery that it broke my heart. I wanted so badly to be strong for him but I broke down and sobbed. It crushed me to see him like that with all the tubes and wires and bandages...and he hurt so bad. They gave him a nerve block in his upper thigh to keep his leg numb for a couple of days but it started wearing off way sooner than that and the first night was miserable for him.

So after five days in the hospital we are home as of this afternoon. The surgery went well and everything should be on the mend now. The heel bone was so crushed that the doctor had to use donor bone from a cadaver to rebuild the heel. It sounded kind of creepy when he first said it was a possibility but now that the surgery has gone so well, I don't care where the bone came from, just so long as it works.

Anyway, I just wanted to give everyone an update and let you know how things are going. Hopefully we'll be able to get back on a regular schedule and life will fall into something of a normal pattern for the next few months. 'Normal' being relative of course :)

Thank you to everyone who has prayed and sent good wishes our way. Your support and kindness means the world to me.

I know I haven't been around much lately....

2008-05-21T23:14:00.001-05:00

But I have a really good reason for it. My husband was riding his motorcycle home from work when a driver ran a red light and broadsided him, sending him 30 feet through the air where he landed on his back. His left foot was crushed between his motorcycle and the car's bumper and when he landed on his back his T12 vertebrae suffered a serious fracture. He's home now but he's pretty banged up and has a number of surgeries ahead of him in the near future. It's been an exhausting few days for all of us here. For my readers who are inclinded to pray, please do, and I thank you so much for it :)

We'll be okay, we always bounce back thanks to God, but it's going to be a trial. It's going to be rough not having any real income for the next 6-12 months. I'd get a job but he needs so much care right now that I really can't. I know eventually that we'll get some sort of financial settlement from all of this to help pay all these medical bills but for now, it's going to be really difficult.

The hardest part for me, I think, has been the loss of my strongest support system at a time when I really need it. My husband is everything to me and at the end of a long day, his big bear hugs keep me going. Now that he's flat on his back all the time, his hugs are no longer possible. We take a shower together every single night and that simple action is something I look forward to all day, it's not sexual at all, just a few minutes for us to connect and be alone, to shut the world out and let us reconnect...and now that's gone. I feel kind of alone even surrounded by so many people who love and care for us because the one person I draw so much strength from is hurt and I can't do anything to make it better. It breaks my heart when I have to kiss him goodnight in the hospital bed we have set up at home and go to bed myself in our big bed. I cry every night because it's just not right. My heart tells me that something is so very wrong with that and I hate that it has to be that way. I hate not being able to reach over and touch him if I wake up in the night, I hate that I can't snuggle up beside him and feel his arms around me. This is the saddest I've been in so very long and my heart just hurts so bad.

Needless to say, my writing has come to a screeching halt. My brain is so tired from all the stress of the last few days that I couldn't conjure up a creative thought if someone handed me one. That said, I'm going to publish this post and go to bed because three hours from now comes very quickly :)

See Jane Party!

2008-05-07T10:17:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, all day, I anticipated an event, a wonderful event, the likes of which I had never had the opportunity to attend before. A couple of weeks ago I was invited by Jane Porter- author extrordinaire- to attend the release party for her latest 5 Spot book called Mrs. Perfect. I've read the book already and it is amazing. It it a story of the strength of women and at the same time, the softness and vulnerability of the same women. The book touched my heart and made me realize that I, too, am stronger than I realize.

So, here are some pictures I took of the event, not all of them are wonderful quality but I was so excited to be included that I was shaking a bit. I met some really great people besides Jane, including author Susanna Carr, Sound Relations CEO Leena Hyat, Kari Andersen- founder of www.momsmakingmoneyfromhome.com. Jennifer Stewart, a member of Jane's website and aspiring author herself was also among those I had dinner and much fun with.

Jane was gracious and beyond sweet. She spoke of her desire to see all kids having great opportunities for their futures. She supports an organization called Page Ahead; they supply books for low income children and instill in them a love of reading and books. Jane is very passionate about this program and her heart was clearly on her sleeve as she spoke about it. If anyone is interested in helping support this very worth cause, the web address is http://www.pageahead.org/. You can find more information there.

After listening to Jane speak about her books and writing, among other things, she signed books, chatted with people and then we all headed over to Ooba Tooba's for drinks and more fun. The evening was a blast and, in spite of getting home in the wee hours of morning, I am so glad I was able to attend. I knew Jane was cool after having spoken with her many times online, but after meeting her in person and getting to chat with her over dinner, she is even more cool than I imagined. She is very sweet and her writing talent is amazing. If you get the chance to pick up one- or more- of her books, please do. You will not be disappointed. You can find the titles of her books on her website: http://www.janeporter.com/

And as an added bonus for those of you who read my blog regularly, I'll be giving away an autographed copy of Jane's latest 5Spot release, Mrs. Perfect, sometime in the very near future. So keep watching and don't miss out!

Jane Porter has a new book coming out!!!

2008-04-18T11:40:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone, Jane Porter's new book, Mrs. Perfect, hits shelves on May 5th. It's the follow up to Odd Mom Out and both books- I can tell you from already having read them- are amazing! Jane is so creative and has such a great gift with words. I would recommend these books to anyone who loves to read. Make sure you read them in order. You have enough time to get Odd Mom Out and get it read before Mrs. Perfect hits the book stores. So hurry up and go get it :)

You can also visit Jane's Website at http://www.janeporter.com/ for more information.

So much for spring

2008-03-28T16:47:00.000-05:00

This is an image of my backyard...right now! Apparently Mother Nature doesn't care that it'll be April in three days. It's cold and snowing- has been snowing all day long- and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

What does this have to do with writing? Not a thing. I just wanted to share a little of my winter wonderland- not that it's wonderful because it's not. I'd much rather be soaking up some rays on a Hawaiian beach or anywhere warm. But it's not to be, I'm stuck here in the Puget Sound, surrounded by ice and snow. I just made the desktop image on my laptop a sunny tropical island with a palm tree so I can have an easier time of dreaming that I was anywhere but here LOL!

Over the river and through the woods....

2008-03-20T16:43:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I'm not going through the woods but I'm sure I'll fly over many rivers before I land. I had a new experience on Tuesday. I purchased my very first airline ticket and in June I'm going on my very first trip all by myself. I've flown before but never had the pleasure of actually buying the ticket so I shopped around online and found the best deal on Travelocity.com.

After the purchase was complete I sat staring at my printed itenerary, unable to believe that I was really actually going. The ticket is bought and paid for...there's no turning back. You wouldn't believe the insanely strong feeling I had to go pack my suitcase even though the trip is still 11 weeks away. 11 weeks, 77 days...that feels like forever.

Where am I going, you ask?

My very dearest friend lives in Western Kentucky. I haven't seen her in almost 6 years. She's had a baby since then and that baby is going to be 5 next month. How sad that I missed out on all of that. So, I will be flying out of SeaTac airport at the crack of dawn, landing in Atlanta Georgia several hours later, catching my connecting flight and landing in Nashville, TN where my dear friend will be picking me up so I can spend a week with her and her family.

I'm so keyed up about this trip that I'm finding it difficult to write because I want so badly to do something that will bring June about more quickly. I can't focus on much and while on one hand that's frustrating, on the other hand...there are 5 more fingers! Seriously though, how do you handle extreme anticipation? What do you do to get through the days until "THE DAY" is actually here?

13 Little Blue Envelopes

2008-02-26T20:54:00.000-06:00

I started, and finished, this book today and I have to say that it was one of the most engaging and genuinely fun books I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time. I truely enjoyed it and plan on putting it on my 'To Be Read Again' shelf because there is so much culture in this book that I could read it again and probably find things I missed the first time around.

Maureen Johnson is a master wordsmith.

Here's the blurb from the back:

Would you follow the directions?

Would you travel around the world?

Would you open the envelopes one by one?

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1000 and instructions to buy a plan ticket.

In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.

The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny to find a starving artist.

Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwrite/thief/bloke-about-town called Keith go to Scotland together with somewhat disasterous- thought utterly romantic- results. But will she ever see him again?

Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of 13 little blue envelopes.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun adventurous read.

WOOHOO!!!!

2008-02-03T21:34:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'm not a football fan, it's just not a game that interests me, but I watched the Superbowl today and enjoyed it. I was rooting for the Giants and cheered as they battled their way up and kept the Patriots at bay. They played a wonderful game and deserve the victory they scored. Go Giants!! You guys rock.

The Liar's Diary- A novel by Patry Francis

2008-01-29T11:05:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laurie Connors
A Plume Paperback Plume Publicity
212-366-2222
laurie.connors@us.penguingroup.com

THE LIAR’S DIARY

A Novel
By Patry Francis

“The new questions and revelations just keep coming…Readers will be heartily rewarded.”—Ladies’ Home Journal

When new music teacher Ali Mather enters Jeanne Cross’s quiet suburban life, she brings a jolt of energy that Jeanne never expected. Ali has a magnetic personality and looks to match, drawing attention from all quarters. Nonetheless, Jeanne and Ali develop a friendship based on their mutual vulnerabilities THE LIAR’S DIARY (Plume / February 2008 / ISBN 978-0-452-28915-4 / $14.00) is the story of Ali and Jeanne’s friendship, and the secrets they both keep.

Jeanne’s secrets are kept to herself; like her son’s poor report card and husband’s lack of interest in their marriage. Ali’s secrets are kept in her diary, which holds the key to something dark: her fear that someone has been entering her house when she is not at home. While their secrets bring Jeanne and Ali together, it is this secret that will drive them apart. Jeanne finds herself torn between her family and her dear friend in order to protect the people she loves.

A chilling tour of troubled minds, THE LIAR’S DIARY questions just how far you’ll go for your family and what dark truths you’d be willing to admit—even to yourself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patry Francis is a three-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize whose work has appeared in the Tampa Review, Colorado Review, Ontario Review, and the American Poetry Review. She is also the author of the popular blogs, simplywait.blogspot.com and waitresspoems.blogspot.com. This is her first novel. Please visit her website at http://www.patryfrancis.com/.

Praise for THE LIAR’S DIARY:

“Twists and turns but never lets go.”—Jacquelyn Mitchard, bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean

“A quirky, well-written and well-constructed mystery with an edge.”—Publishers Weekly

“Outright chilling.”—New York Daily News

“Genuinely creepy…The unlikely friendship between a small-town school secretary and a flamboyant teacher proves deadly in this psychological murder mystery.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A twisting ride full of dangerous curves and jaw-dropping surprises. This is one of my favorite reads of the year!”—Tess Gerristen, bestselling author of The Mephisto Club

“Francis draws and tense and moody picture of the perfect home and family being peeled back secret by secret…Four Stars.”—Romantic Times

THE LIAR’S DIARY
By Patry Francis
Plume Paperbacks / February 2008 / $14.00
ISBN: 978-0-452-28915-4
Readers Guide available at http://www.penguin.com/

For more information or to schedule an interview with Patry Francis, please contact Laurie Connors, Plume Publicity
212-366-2222 / laurie.connors@us.penguingroup.com

There was also a great little audio clip that went with this promotion but blogger is having issues uploading it so I can't put it up. I do hope, though, that you'll get this book!

The world's loss

2008-01-25T21:38:00.000-06:00

Heath Ledger- an amazing young actor with so much left to give- has left us, the whole world, grieving and shell shocked. No one could have expected such a tragedy and Heath's family will be a long time in finding a way to move on without him. I loved 10 Things I Hate About You and A Knight's Tale; Heath was a wonderful actor and brought amazing life to the screen. My heart breaks for his little girl who will have to grow up without her Daddy, for his sister who has lost her soul mate, for his parents who have lost their beloved son. This loss is monumental and will be felt the world over forever.

You will be missed, Heath, and may you rest in peace.

Heath Ledger

April 4, 1979-January 22, 2008

Lovin' It Indeed

2008-01-18T21:02:00.000-06:00

Hello my faithful readers...I know you're out there :) and I appreciate each and every one of you. My muse, my inspiration, has returned full force and I wrote about 9000 words in three days. A story that I'd set on the back burner is now almost finished- the first draft anyway- and I'm so happy. I've made it my goal to send the completed first draft to my crit partners by February first and polish it up to send it to Harlequin by March first. A month ago I had nothing even remotely ready to go but now things are really looking up. It's such a wonderful feeling.

So, okay, I know I'm rambling. I guess the whole point of my sharing is to encourage those of you out there who might be struggling with writer's block. You can break through it! Keep writing!

Two In One

2008-01-14T11:08:00.000-06:00

I've read a couple of books lately that left me wanting more when I turned the last page. The first being The Tycoon's Bride by Michelle Reid. The storyline was wonderful and it was packed with emotional and sexual tension. The characters were believable and had you cheering for them from the very beginning, even the hard as nails Andreas. Good job, Michelle!

The Greek's Royal Mistress was the second book I enjoyed this week and holy smoke. This is a steamy, passionate read that is loaded with sexual tension as well as a wonderful battle of wills that keeps hero and heroine dancing around each other like sparring partners. Chantal and Demetrius are two powerful magnets doing everything they can to stay apart but it simply isn't to be. :) I'd have to say, Jane, that of all of your Presents books I've read, this one is my favorite.

Both of these books are older so you probably won't find them in bookstores unless they have a used section but I found both of them on Amazon.com if you're interested. The Tycoon's Bride was released in May 2000 and The Greek's Royal Mistress was released in October 2004. I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I did.

What if...

2008-01-05T22:36:00.000-06:00

What if a playboy pilot and a stuffy stewardess crashland on a deserted island while transporting several children to the U.S. from Cuba?

or

What if a woman, running from an abusive relationship, poses as the expected nanny for a famous country singer?

I attended a writers retreat in November and the gracious host, Bob Mayer, taught that when writing, there needed to be a core question that more or less outlined the entire book in one sentence. What is the point of this, you ask? Well, when you're writing the story and you get stuck or need a boost of inspiration, look at your core question and remember what your original idea for the story was.

The two examples above are core sentences for two of the stories I'm working on right now. If I changed those sentences at all, they would no longer line up with the stories I've written because each part of the sentence is an important part of the story.

So, fellow writers, what is the core sentence, original idea for the story you're writing now? If you changed the sentence, would your story have to change too?

Why?

2007-12-11T15:22:00.000-06:00

This isn't a writing related post, I just felt the need to vent. I was reading the news today- I know, I probably shouldn't do that- but I was overwhelmed by the stupidity of celebs these days. Why do they do the stupid things they do right in public? Why does Daniel Baldwin feel the need to snort his earnings up his nose? Why does Lindsay Lohan think it's okay to drink like a fish and get behind the wheel of a car? And don't even get me started on Britney Spears. What is it, besides privacy, that these people don't have that makes them feel like they need to break the law all the time? And why do we, Joe Average, keep supporting these people who get away with things that a judge would throw the book at us for? Why do we still read about Britney Spears' latest public display of stupidity? Why pay good money for her CDs when she's just going to blow it on drugs, alcohol and shoes that cost more than most of us make in a year?

We, the people, are the reason these people continue to break the law and get away with it. I mean, seriously, if you and I had done what Lindsay Lohan did we would have spent way more than 84 minutes in jail. Why is it okay for them to drink and drive, steal, and do drugs but not the rest of us? And why do they want to?

I realize that the life of a celebrity isn't an easy one to live but they all chose that profession. They chose to sing, act, dance, put themselves into the public eye and in doing so they chose to be hounded by photogs and never left alone. That was their choice, right? I don't agree with the way the Paparazzi go about getting the pics they need to pay their bills but I really don't agree with people who are in a position to be role models to our nation's children pulling the kind of stunts these people are pulling and getting away with it. What's wrong with this world?

Okay, I'm done ranting. :o)

I have SPACE!!

2007-11-27T18:07:00.001-06:00

You heard me right, I said I have space. My very own space to do whatever I want in. Hubby and I decided to clean our room- quite a task because it's a huge room that tends to be a catch-all for stuff that no one knows what to do with. So we cleaned and low and behold we have clean surfaces and empty spots on the walls.

So, back to my space and how it came about; Hubby has this desk in the bedroom that sits at the foot of the bed. It's a good size surface and has drawers and a power supply and big lights over it. Hubby used it to work on his Remote Control cars but he's started using the kitchen table for that because the kitchen table is bigger. So he figured he'd just get rid of the desk but then I started thinking- this is never a good thing. Not only am I a writer but I'm an avid scrapbooker and I haven't been doing much of that since I have nowhere to really set my things up and work on my albums. Sure I could use the kitchen table but then I have to pick everything up and put it all away come dinner time so I just don't get it out.

Thus my brilliant idea. I asked Hubby if he was really set on taking the desk out of our room and he looked at me skeptically. (I'm the one that's been complaining that the desk takes up too much space in our room so his skepticism is understandable) "Noooo." He replies. "Why?"

"Well, I was thinking that it would make a great scrapbook station." (And writing desk when I want to get away from the kids) This last part I didn't vocalize but it was there in my head.

So here I sit at my newly cleaned desk that has nothing more than my laptop on it at the moment but the drawers are chock full of scrapbook supplies that I can now find and use whenever I want!

This is very exciting for me, as I'm sure you can tell, and I wanted to share this wonderful fortune with you all. In a house with four children, uncluttered space is a rare commodity.

What's in a name?

2007-11-18T13:57:00.000-06:00

Today was the final day of the writer's retreat that I attended with Bob Mayer. It was an amazing experience and well worth the money spent. The information I gleaned was invaluable and I believe I've learned more in the last four days than I've learned all year.

We discussed, among other things, pen names. I had sort of unofficially decided to use Marie Peck as my pen name because Danielle Peck is already taken by a delightful country western singer. But Bob suggested that I use my name, Danielle Peck, as my screen name because it could be benificial and looked better on a book cover than Marie...Sooo, what do you all think about using pen names?

An Amazing thing happened yesterday...

2007-11-09T09:24:00.000-06:00

A dear friend of mine who happens to live in Australia, emailed me with some information about a writer's workshop that takes place right here on my little island. I looked up the info and contacted the author who is hosting the event- his name is Bob Mayer- and got to talking with him about it. At first the finances just weren't there for me to go but now they are and my wonderful husband is insisting that I go. I'm so excited. Writing is my dream job and to be able to get input and knowledge from a New York Times best selling author is going to be so amazing. I can't wait for next Thursday to arrive. It's four days, here on Whidbey Island at the Saratoga Inn in Langley. What a beautiful place for a workshop!

So, my To Do list, in order for me to be ready to go, includes the following:

Write a cover letter
Write a synopsis for City Nanny, Country Singer
Polish first 20 pages of manuscript
Send all of above to my wonderful crit partners for a final polishing and do any and all necessary edits.

And you can all be sure that I'll be posting some of the wonderful information I glean from this experience! If anyone wants more information on Bob Mayer, just click on the title of this blog post and it'll take you to his website.

Another year draws to a close

2007-11-01T15:02:00.000-05:00

Today is November 1st. The year is 5/6 over already. People over the world are starting their NaNoWriMo challenge. The United States will celebrate Thanksgiving in three short weeks, Christmas 4 weeks after that and a week later it will be 2008. Then it will be time to put into motion New Year's resolutions, force ourselves to remember that it's 2008 when we write a check or some other document that requires the date.

So what will be your goals for the new year? Do you need to eat less and exercise more? Organize your home? Finish a book you're writing, start a new book, find an agent? Learn a new skill? Take up a new hobby or maybe finish that closet full of crafts you started and set aside?

As I look at that list, I find it kind of funny that most of those apply to me! I need to do most of those things, all but the start a new book and find an agent ones.

So tell me, what are some New Year's Resolutions that you're considering?

It's all about the dialog

2007-10-22T22:20:00.000-05:00

Come over to Princesses Of The Pen to see what The Royals have to say about Dialog. http://www.princessesofthepen.blogspot.com/

70 Days of Sweat, update 1

2007-10-21T22:02:00.000-05:00

How's it going, you ask? Well, if you're hoping to hear that I've written 1500 words a day since October 15, you're going to be sadly disappointed because I've barely been able to write even a third of that. Last night was my daughter's 12 birthday so that was a complete bust even though I did try. I took a shower once the house was quiet and sat down to write, only to fall asleep sitting up because I was so worn out. The rest of the week was just plain hectic. I have managed to get about 1500 words done during the week...much less than I'd hoped to accomplished.

I have learned something, however, from this experience so far and that is this: Even when I'm not at my computer, I find myself thinking much more about what I should be writing which means that when I sit down to write, I actually have something to write about. That's a good thing. Instead of staring at the blinking cursor just hoping for the muse to strike, I'm keeping that muse active throughout the day by engaging it, coming up with sub plots and scenes that would be perfect for this novella that I'm working on. That's a very good thing. I'm not ignoring my Muse then expecting her to show up when I'm ready to work. I have to nurture her and keep her actively on my side so that when I'm ready to work, she's already warmed up and ready too.

What do you all do to get psyched up to write? To prepare your brain and fingers to get down to the business of being creative?

Follow Me once more...

2007-10-16T16:17:00.000-05:00

I'm blogging over at Princesses Of The Pen today so come on over and see what my fellow princesses and I have to say about Settings.

http://www.princessesofthepen.blogspot.com

Seventy Days Of Sweat

2007-10-10T09:19:00.000-05:00

Yeah sweating for 70 days doesn't sound at all attractive but it holds great appeal to me because I've found myself in a terrible rut where my writing is concerned. So this challenge- write 750-1500 words a day for 70 days beginning October 15- sounds like just what I need to get my head back on the right track. The challenge actually lasts for 93 days because, unlike NaNoWriMo, you actually get some free days if you have things that come up and you are unable to write at all or as much as you need to. That's a nice perk and considering I have four children with very busy schedules, I'll probably need every one of those extra 23 days.

So, if any of you would like to join me in the 70 days of Sweat, click on the title of this blogpost and it'll take you to the official site where you can sign up.

or you can go here: http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/

It's Tuesday again...

2007-10-09T09:12:00.001-05:00

So follow me over to Princesses of the Pen to see what we have to say about creating a world. Whether it's a realistic world such as the one we live in today, a world of yesterday, tomorrow or one that's entirely fantasy and will never exist in the real world, our written worlds must be nurtured and cultivated until our readers have no questions about the reality of what they're reading.

So come join us: http://www.princessesofthepen.blogspot.com/

I've been tagged...again

2007-09-29T23:47:00.000-05:00

My writing partner in crime, Bronwyn Storm, has tagged me with the following question: "What is the most common grammar error you make?"

I'm hard pressed to pick just one so here goes:

1. Using commas where I should use semi colons and using too many of both.

2. Using the words 'then' and 'that' too often

3. Mixing up 'who's' and 'whose'

4. Run on sentences

5. Incomplete sentences

and I think I'll stop there =)

I'll tag Elle, Kristen & Anna

Thursday Thirteen # 8

2007-09-27T13:40:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things I love about Little Kids

1….Unconditional Love

2....Pure laughter that shows glimpses of their souls

3....Unapologetic honesty

4....Mount Everest sized imaginations

5....Innocense

6....Their whole world is so small and they are perfectly content with that.

7....They don't understand why the dishes need to be washed and why mommys and daddys can't play all day like they do.

8....The idea of school is so exciting and they can't wait to go

9....Helping clean up is fun

10....They don't know that mommy can't sing.

11....Dogs are supposed to be green in a coloring book.

12....Everything is a mysterious and exciting adventure

13....They are so angelic when they sleep.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Setting is everything...

2007-09-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

A story I'm working on has been taking the life out of me lately.

The rough draft is due and I've been procrastinating on even looking at it. Two days ago I figured out why.

The setting was off.

I had the story set in France and I just wasn't loving it. It wasn't working for me so I put it aside and stopped working on it. The ideas refused to come.

So now I've decided to move the setting to a totally different place and the ideas are rolling in faster than I can write them down. It's all about the setting so if you're working on something and it's refusing to move, maybe the setting is all wrong and literally needs to be moved.

Maybe your story is set in a tropical hide away and maybe it needs to be set in a desert instead. A city might need to be in the country, a mountain setting might work better in a valley.

2007-09-20T07:49:00.000-05:00

Thirteen of my favorite foods

1…. Sushi- I love sushi, all kinds- California rolls, tuna, shrimp, salmon, eel…it’s all so tasty

2....Steak, but only if it’s really tender and still a touch pink in the middle

3....Roast chicken with garlic…lots and lots of garlic

4....Tossed salad with romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, real bacon bits, cheese and either ranch dressing or Asian sesame.

5....Homemade mac-n-cheese

6....Chicken & Dumplings, that’s comfort food for sure.

7....Teriyaki chicken with my mom’s special recipe teriyaki sauce

8....Bulgogi- for anyone who is unfamiliar with this dish, it’s strips of beef- I use London Broil- marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, fresh ground ginger, fresh crushed garlic and sesame oil. BBQ to desired doneness and serve with rice…So very yummy.

9....Fresh fruit- All kinds, apples, oranges, peaches, plums, melons, grapes… I love fruit.

10....Dark Chocolate as long as there are no walnuts in it. Other nuts
are fine, just not walnuts

11....Crab- We live on an island and go crabbing in the summer. It’s delicious and I could sit and crack crab for days and never get tired of eating it.

12....Lasagna without ricotta cheese

13....Authentic German Brats with sauerkraut

Follow Me...

2007-09-17T17:49:00.000-05:00

I'm blogging over at Princesses Of The Pen tomorrow where we're talking about Key Scenes this week. Come get the perspective of the five princesses and their evil step mother as we make our way through the publishing world.

http://www.princessesofthepen.blogspot.com

Fairy Tales & Reality

2007-09-15T22:51:00.000-05:00

I'm supposed to be working on a story, one that's due like right now but here's the reality of it...I'm not. I'm here, updating my blog, reading the news, playing games, helping my children make their first email addresses...anything but writing what I'm supposed to be writing.

The fairytale would have me doing final edits by now; final edits on a perfectly penned work of art. Something that people would be reading generations from now; something wonderful enough to win some kind of award.

So why can't the fairytale and reality be one and the same? Why is it that I'm having such a hard time focusing on this one story? Maybe I'm afraid that my writing won't measure up. Maybe I'm reluctant to hear someone say, "This isn't what I was hoping for."

And now that I've done my whining for the day, I'll get off of here and get back to writing.

Do any of you fellow writers have days like this? How do you get passed it?

Thursday Thirteen #6

2007-09-13T10:10:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Interesting Things In The United States

My 13 favorite books/Series:

1. The Mark of The Lion Series by Francine Rivers

2. Hollywood Husband, Contract Wife by Jane Porter

3. The Earth Children Series by Jean M Auel

4. Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter

5. The Diamond of The Rockies Series by Kirsten Heitzmann

6. Make Believe Mom by Elaine Grant

7. Roots by Alex Haley

8. Chateau of Flowers: Lily Of The Valley by Margaret Rome

9. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell

10. Scarlett by Alexandria Ripley

11. The Left Behind Series by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins

12. The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury & Gary Smalley

13. The Firstborn Series by Karen Kingsbury

I chose the books I did based on their personal merits and how they affected me when I read them. Each of these books/series is on my to keep forever shelf and I read them over and over when I can’t seem to make myself read something new. They’re like old friends and I know I can lose myself in them as easily the tenth time as I did the first.

Come visit me...

2007-09-11T09:11:00.000-05:00

I'm blogging over at Princesses of The Pen today so come see what the mischevious prinesses have to say about Back Story this week. Part of my message today was also a memorial for September 11 because today's the day. Come check it out. Just click on the title of this post and it'll send you shooting through cyber space to the wacky world of the five princesses and their evil stepmother.

Thursday Thirteen #5

2007-09-06T09:52:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Interesting Things In The United States

1…. 1,525,000,000 miles of phone wire is currently strung across this country.

2....166,875,000,000 pieces of mail are delivered each year in the U.S.

3....315 entries in Webster’s Dictionary are misspelled

4....A ten gallon hat barely holds six pints

5....Toothpicks are the object most often choked on by Americans

6....About 70% of Americans who go to college do it just to make more money. [The rest of us are avoiding reality for four more years.]

7....All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.

8....Almost a quarter of the land area of Los Angeles is taken up by automobiles.

9....Barbie's measurements if she were life size: 39-23-33

10....David Prowse was the guy in the Darth Vader suit in Star Wars. He spoke all of Vader's lines, and didn't know that he was going to be dubbed over by James Earl Jones until he saw the screening of the movie.

11....Fortune cookies were actually invented in America, in 1918, by Charles Jung.

12....In 75% of American households, women manage the money and pay the bills.

13....In every episode of "Seinfeld" there is a Superman somewhere.

Princesses Of The Pen

2007-09-04T18:34:00.000-05:00

I'm blogging over at Princesses Of The Pen today. We've been talking about Catalyst vs Black Moment this week so come over and join us.

www.princessesofthepen.blogspot.com

I am married to a real life Prince Charming

2007-09-01T23:52:00.000-05:00

So, okay, I know this might come across as bragging but...my husband is the very best and most wonderful sweetie in the world! He sat me down today and asked me if I was really serious about writing for publication...to which I replied, "Absolutely."

I'd mentioned recently that I'd like to have a laptop computer and he asked me today, why. I gave him three reasons:

1. Because the laptop wouldn't be hooked up to the net and for me that's really distracting- it's too easy to mess around online when I should be writing.
2. If I'm not on the computer, the kids can use it more.
3. Mobility. On the ferry, waiting for the kids to finish up at misc activities, etc.

Well, apparently those were good enough reasons for him because he got online tonight and ordered me up a brand spankin' new HP Pavillion laptop computer while I was off at the mall with my daughters!! What a guy!

I knew before today that my husband was wonderful, today simply reenforces how much he loves me and wants me to pursue my dreams. He's such a love.

Thursday Thirteen #4

2007-08-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Hunky Men!

1….

2....

3....

4....

5....

6....

7....

8....

9....

10....

11....

12....

13....

Mmmmm! I don't think any other words are really necessary. Do you?

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. Elle Fredrix
2.(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Come Join me...

2007-08-28T10:36:00.000-05:00

I'll be over at Princesses Of The Pen blogging today. We're talking all week about Antagonists. Click on the title of this blog entry and it'll take you right there.

Feeling down...and being lifted up

2007-08-25T17:27:00.000-05:00

I was reading the second chapter of a friend's WIP and got so caught up in the story that I wanted to cry when there was no more to read. Her writing is so good, even in rough draft stage. I then went back to work on my own WIP and wanted to cry for an entirely different reason. I started comparing my work to hers and I just knew for sure that my work comes nowhere close to measuring up. I felt like a hack; someone pretending to be a writer; someone with no real possibility of being published...ever. This made me sad because writing is one of the only dreams I have left. I know this feeling down on myself has a lot to do with some of the junk that's going on in my life right now- I'm blue, worried, scared for my son. It all adds up to a bit of depression.

So, I expressed my feelings to my critique group and was rewarded with an only partially joking threat to turn Chauncy the Chainsaw on me, as well as encouragement and love that I knew I could find there. They are such wonderful people and when I'm feeling low and bad about my abilities, I know I can always count on them to make me laugh and feel better.

Having good friends in life in general is so important but I've come to realize that if I didn't have fellow writers as friends, these fellow writers specifically, I would probably put down my pen forever and not even try to follow my dream of being a published writer. If you don't have any writer friends to cheer you on, do yourself a favor and find some. You'll be amazed by how wonderful it is to know there are people out there willing to hold a chainsaw to your back as you run toward your dreams!

Thursday Thirteen #3

2007-08-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Thirteen things I love to hear my husband say:

1. “Honey, I got a bonus on my paycheck, why don’t you go shopping without the kids and get yourself something special.”

2. “I’ll do the dishes tonight, sweetie, you’ve had a hard day.”

3. “Go look in the driveway, honey, I bought you a new car.” (This one actually happened a couple of weeks ago and I almost fainted.)

4. “I arranged a sitter, we’re going out tonight.”

5. “I arranged for the kids to go to my mom’s house, we’re staying in tonight.”

6. “Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?”

7. “No, those pants make your butt look wonderful.”

8. “You couldn’t look fat if you tried.”

9.“Our kids are only as brilliant as they are because they take after you.”

10. “I washed all the laundry today and mopped the kitchen, cleaned all three bathrooms and scheduled a full hour of massage…they’re waiting for you now, I’ll watch the kids.”

11. “You look as young now as you did when we got married 15 years ago.”

12. “Honey, can I do anything to help you?”

And my favorite- I know I’m a sap-

13.“Honey, I’m home.”

Vacation...finally!

2007-08-12T23:44:00.000-05:00

I'm down in Southern Oregon at my parents' house on vacation for ten glorious days. The weather is beautiful and I don't have to do anything if I don't want to so I'll be spending my time reading, writing, and relaxing. Today we visited Crater Lake- oh my goodness it was so beautiful. We had a wonderful time and I'm ashamed that it's taken me so long to go back there- it's been at least twenty years. The weather was perfect for it and the kids had a great time.

Tomorrow I'm going to get some school shopping done for the kids because I don't have to pay sales tax here and I figure it's probably a good idea to get it done and save some $$ in the process. After that, I'll go visit my wonderful Grandmother. She's 82 and such a doll. I love to listen to her tell stories about her life when she was younger- partly because I get some great ideas for stories from it and partly because it's my history; it's where I came from.

Tuesday I'm meeting one of my best friends from high school for dinner. I miss her so much and I'm thrilled that I'll get to see her while I'm here.

Wednesday I'm going to the Josephine County Fair with my mom- that's our tradition for the past several years. We go to the fair, just the two of us and see one of the music shows that's playing as well as mosey around the exhibits. This year we're seeing the Charlie Daniel's Band and I can't wait.

Nothing planned for Thursday and Friday but Saturday, Sunday & Monday I'll be camping with my sister and her family at a great state park in Northern California. I haven't been camping in years so it should be a great deal of fun.

Tuesday the 21st I'll be heading home and Wednesday is my 15th Wedding anniversary so I'm hoping to do something special with hubby...My Prince Charming, My Knight In Shining Armour.

Anyway, I just wanted to let all of you, my loyal blog readers, what I'm up to this week. I hope you're all having some summer fun...or winter fun as my friends in Australia are having.

I'll write again when I get home and don't forget to visit the new blog that my critique buddies and I are co-authoring: www.princessesofthepen.blogspot.com

Thursday Thirteen

2007-08-09T08:59:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Memorable Things About the State's I've been to:

1. California- The Redwood Forest. My family used to camp at Jedediah Smith State Park every Labor Day Weekend.

2. Arizona- Scorpions, I visited my Aunt in Sedona and stepped outside her back door to watch the scorpions scatter

3. Nevada- Circus Circus- I loved watching the motorcycle riders in the big steel ball hanging from the ceiling.

4. Oregon- I was born there but I don’t remember that. I do, however, remember taking the jet boat rides down the Rogue River into Hells Gate Canyon. So much fun.

5. Washington- I live here now and love going to Seattle Center to see the Space Needle. Eating at the restaurant at the top is a fun experience.

6. Idaho- Couer D’Alene is such a fun quaint little town.

7. Montana- The sky that seems to never end. It’s so vast and uninterrupted. Guess that’s why they call it Big sky country.

8. Wyoming- Herds of Buffalo. They are such huge, amazing, curious animals

9. South Dakota- 1880 Town, Wall Drug, & Camping in The Badlands- I couldn’t pick just one thing for this state. We had a lot of fun here.

10. Wisconsin- Huge Dairy Farms. I’ve never seen so many cows in one place before.

11. Iowa- Corn fields that went on as far as the eye can see

12. Missouri- The Missouri River was so big.

13. Kentucky- That was our destination on our trip five years ago. We ended up in Barlow where I saw Fire Flies, Cardinals, Prairie dogs, & White tail deer. I toured soybean farms, tobacco plantations & an amazing quilt museum. Civil war battlegrounds, Mammoth caves. There is so much to love about that area of the country. I can’t wait to go back!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Elle Fredrix

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

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Princesses Of The Pen

2007-08-05T21:05:00.000-05:00

Come visit the newest blog on the block! Princesses of the Pen featuring the five princesses, Stacy Dawn, Bronwyn Storm, Johanna Riley, Jane Keegan, and myself, Marie Peck. Our Tiara’s are a little crooked…as is our views on writing, love, and life. Join a royally wild group of authors on our quests through the publishing world.

Visit us here: http://princessesofthepen.blogspot.com/

Ingredients of a successful Romance

2007-08-05T11:47:00.000-05:00

I picked up and dusted off a how to write book off my book shelf yesterday and came across a list of eleven 'ingredients' of a successful romance. The book is called: Writing Romance by Vanessa Grant. Click on the title of this blog post to go to her website.

1. A Story Question: A good novel begins by stirring a question in the readers mind. The nature of your story question is determined by the type of novel you're writing. The story question must remain the focus throughout the story and should never be comletely answered until the end of the story.

2. An Empowering Story: The best love stories are fantasies in which the deep emotional values of love, family, and partnership in marriage emerge victorious over lesser values.

3. Sympathetic Heroine: The reader wants to identify with the heroine, care about her, and believe in her. She needs fears, dreams, hopes, a personal history, and hang-ups. She should begin the story at a change or crisis point in her life.

4. A Hero She Can Love: Your hero must be a man your heroine can love. He should also have strengths, weaknesses, goals and dreams and he should also begin the story at a change or crisis point in his life.

5. An Interesting Initial Conflict Or Problem: Most good books begin with an immediate initial problem or conflict which keeps the reader turning pages until the core conflict develops.

6. An Emotionally Intense Core Conflict: As your hero and heroine come to know eachother, new obstacles to their happy ending must appear, or the original conflict must grow and change.

7. A Plot: To be interesting, the events in your romance novel must be important to your characters. In a successful romance novel, the story or plot develops logically and naturally from character and conflict.

8. Appropriate Sensuality: In a successful romance novel, the degree of sexual intimacy must be appropirate to the characters and the story. A love scene should reveal hero and heroine's feelings and excitement of their growing intimacy.

9. Archetypes: Throughout time, certain character types appear again and again in our myths and stories, based on pattern or archetypes.

10. Black Moment And Satisfying Resolution: As you read a good novel, the obstacles to happiness and fulfillment intensify as the story progresses. As you near the end of the book, you read a point where it seems impossible for hero and heroine to resolve their differences. This is the black moment.
The more emotionally intense a black moment is, the more satisfying the reader will find the resolution and victory that follows.

11. An Emotionally Satisfying Ending: When readers pick up a catagory romance they expect a happy ending. The ending must be emotionally satisfying, affirming the values of love and positive relationships.

So, as I read through this list of must haves, I started thinking about my current WIP and trying to figure out if I had all of these things. I have some of them but I don't think I have them all. I started asking myself questions about my hero & heroine's conflicts, trying to decide if they were strong enough to carry the story and if they will weave together seamlessly to form a solid storyline. I think it certainly needs work but in thinking these things through, more ideas have come to me, ideas that will make the story stronger and won't be all that difficult to add in.

It's amazing the things one can learn when you fall back on an old reliable source of information...How To Books!

Thursday Thirteen

2007-08-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things about The End of Summer

1. Back To School shopping- I love going back to school shopping for my kids. New clothes and the smell of new crayons and pencils.

2. The last camping trip- We always go on one final camping trip right before school starts. Kind of our last hoorah

3. Getting tons of mail from the schools wanting me to update the kids' information- Hey I did't say it was 13 All GOOD things about the end of summer.

4. Harvesting the vegetable garden- fresh zucchini, tomatoes, green beans, etc. Yummy.

5. Anticipating quiet days while the kids are in school- I sure miss my uninterrupted writing time.

6. Trees start changing colors- It's so pretty here when the leaves start to change. It's not quite happening here yet but it won't be long.

7. Cooler nights- makes it easier to sleep when it's not 85 degrees at ten o'clock pm

8. Birthday Season starts- We have birthday season here in our home because we have four birthdays in six weeks time. By the time it's over I'm worn out.

9. Hubby doesn't have to work so hard- He's an RV tech so the end of summer brings a sigh of relief for him. He's much less uptight in the fall and winter.

10. My muse opens up a bit- I don't seem to be able to muster as much creativity when it's so warm.

11. Fair- The county fair and all the fun that brings

12. Less ferry traffic- I live on a small island in the Puget Sound and during the summer the ferry traffic is horrible with all the tourists. When the kids go back to school, the tourists taper off and it's pleasant to drive through town again.

13. Fewer bugs- 'nuff said.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Elle Fredrix

Okay, POV's are so....

2007-07-31T15:49:00.000-05:00

Okay, I guess I have very specific ideas about points of view and changing point of view in something that I'm reading. I mean, in my opinion- and that's all it is, my opinion- it should be easy to tell whose head I'm supposed to be in when I'm reading a story. Is it the hero or the heroine who is trying to decide what to do? Is it the hero or the heroine who is looking at a happy family with bittersweet longing? When an author isn't clear about whose POV is in the forefront, it's very confusing to the reader- to me anyway. I'm currently reading a book- the only specific info I'll give is that it's a Harlequin SuperRomance- and the author of this book head hops. The beginning of the chapter starts out in the heroine's POV and three paragraphs later- without any kind of definable break- we're in the hero's head.

So tell me, when reading a book, do you like head hopping or do you like to stay in one POV for a time so you can get to better know the character?
Do you like it when the POV change is obvious or not so obvious or completely hidden? Does it bother you when you're reading along and all of a sudden realize you are no longer in the POV you thought you were and you have to go back and figure out where it changed?

Daily Prompt # 5

2007-06-13T20:14:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted one of these in awhile so here you go:

Setting: In a sushi bar

First sentence: The first time I heard mention of...

Four words that must be used in your story:
Toe nails
Velvet
Gullible
Podunk

Write one paragraph or five. Post 'em here so I can read what you've come up with.

Summer's Here!!

2007-06-03T14:19:00.000-05:00

Yes indeed, the sun is shining and it's a blissful 87 degrees outside. The children and I are going to the lake in just a little bit and I'll sit in the shade and read while the children splash around in the water. Fortunately the lake is only a few yards from my house so the walk is short.

Then tomorrow its back to school for the munchkins and back to writing for me. I haven't written anything in a few days so it's time to get back to work. I'm working on a book that takes place in the town where I grew up. There are joys and challenges that go along with this work because I keep picturing the small town of my youth and in reality, that 'small' town no longer exists. But on the joyful side, many of the places I hung out in are still around so my characters will get to enjoy some of those same places as well.

Have any of you written anything that takes place in the town where you grew up? What have been some of the biggest joys and challenges you faced in doing so?

Head over heels.....and not in love

2007-05-29T12:44:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my daughter had a birthday party to attend so I delivered her to the bowling alley right on time. I was 'ordered' to return for her by 3:45 so I went home and got a few things done around the house until it was time to go. A few minutes before 3:45 my husband asked if he could accompany me and we could go in his Jeep. "Sure." I said, glad for the chance to be a passenger and have the wind blowing through my hair on such a beautiful day.

So, I climb up into the Jeep- this monster vehicle that requires a step for me to get into- and ride happily to the bowling alley, warmed by the sun, cooled by the breeze and enjoying my dear husband's company for a few minutes without kids.

We pull into the parking lot and hubby asks, "Do you want me to go in and get her?"

"Nah, I'll do it." I say, thinking that it'll be nice to see a few of my 'mom' friends for a minute while Cera gathers up her things. I throw one leg over the side of the Jeep and leap to the ground like I always do...but this time the unthinkable happens.

My shoe got caught on the door frame as I hurtled toward the ground and I was unable to stop myself from crashing to the pavement. I caught myself with my already troublesome left arm and felt something give way in my shoulder. I'm now scraped up and scabbed on the palms of both hands and up my left arm. My left thigh is quite bruised and I have to see a doctor this afternoon about my shoulder because I can no longer move my left arm away from my body without crying.

I can only imagine what I must have looked like falling from that Jeep. Had someone been video taping it, I might have won the grand prize on America's Funniest Home Videos.

The lesson in all of this...When your better half offers to climb down from Mount Everest to pick up the children from a party, let him do it!

Is a mortgage worth it?

2007-05-10T12:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, I've been absent around here because hubby and I decided to try and buy a house. We've been renting for 15 years and we thought it was time to buy. Man, what a stressful process. We've now decided to do a lease with option to buy the house that we're in. Our landlords have agreed and now we're just working out the details. The good thing is that the house we're in is perfect for us, big enough for all the kids and in a great neighborhood plus it's not going to cost us a huge fortune like most of the other houses on the island. Plus, the biggest bonus of all...We won't have to move!!! YAY!! I've moved 20 times in 15 years and I'm so glad not to have to do it again.

My writing? Well, it's really suffered here lately. I haven't written a word and I really miss it. I'm going to try, really really hard, today to get a few words written before the kids come home from school.

The Writer's Prayer

2007-04-18T14:55:00.000-05:00

I was browsing the web yesterday and came across this wonderful little prayer that I wanted to share with you all. So I got permission from the author and here it is:

The Writer's Prayer
Open my mind, Lord. Grant me the talent to

write with clarity and style, so my words go

down rich and smooth, like fine wine, and

leave my reader thirsty for more.

Open my heart, Lord. Grant me the

sensitivity to understand my characters--their

hopes, their wants, their dreams--and help

me to confer that empathy to my reader.

Open my soul, Lord, so I may be a channel

to wisdom and creativity from beyond my

Self. Stoke my imagination with vivid

imagery and vibrant perception.

But most of all, Lord, help me to know the

Truth, so my fiction is more honest than

actuality and reaches the depths of my

reader's soul.

Wrap these gifts with opportunity,

perseverance, and the strength to resist those

who insist it can't be done.
Amen.

The site has a lot of great info for writers. I was really impressed. Here's the address: http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/home.html

Book Review

2007-04-06T13:37:00.000-05:00

I read a steamy short story today that I thought was worth noting here on my blog. It's written by Sela Carsen- you can find her blog link listed in the side margin of my blog- and the story was entitled: The Virgin Courtesan.

This line:
He headed into his room to see if the water in his basin was cold enough to convince his brain to travel north again.
Made me laugh. I thought it was pefrectly stated. The tension was good and both characters were likable and well thought out. The villian made me cringe and I even felt a little bit nauseated by him so I'd have to say he was quite successfully written :o)
As much as I enjoyed it, I think that if the story had been longer, more drawn out, that would have definitely kept people reading. When they were talking about setting the villian up, making him jealous because she was taken by another man, I thought for sure there would be more to that. I was hoping for some sort of public display that would have Terullio scheming for revenge. It all ended sort of abruptly.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the story without a doubt and don't regret taking the time to read it and I would definitely recommend it to others.

If you're looking for a nice steamy read with a sweetly happy ending, this one is sure to be a pleaser. I only wish there had been more of it to read :o)

I've been tagged!

2007-04-03T10:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks Elle!

5 things you don't know about me:

1. I got married one month after I graduated from High School.
2. I love to burn candles, anytime of any day.
3. I've been to the airport 9 times in three months and haven't been on a plane in 12 years.
4. My least favorite chore is laundry
5. My favorite comfort food is homemade chicken & dumplings.

If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged..that is, of course, unless you've already been tagged.

Yes, I'm still here

2007-03-31T16:44:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I know it's been a little while since I've updated things here and I'm sorry about that. Just seems like when it rains it pours. Harlequin rejected my partial but gave some very good feedback about where I went wrong so I'll be working on that. Then my Grandma went in the hospital and that's kind of stressful. At least the weather here is finally starting to dry up a little. I actually see sunshine out the window! What a wonderous thing.

As for my writing efforts, I've decided to take a new tack. Instead of pantsing, I'm actually plotting. A couple of my CP's suggested a book called "First Draft In 30 Days" by Karen Wiesner and so far it's really good. The idea of the book is to do certain things each day using the guideline given and by the end of 30 days you'll have an outline so detailed and developed that it'll double as your first draft. So far it seems to be working. I have a lot of great info and it's making me think about things that I'd never really considered when writing- things like sub plots and such. So I'm not getting a lot of actual story writing done, more outline/plotting stuff.

Do any of you use a specific or modified method of planning for a book? Where did you learn your technique or is it something you developed based on your personal writing style?

Daily Prompt #4

2007-03-14T17:06:00.000-05:00

Set your timer for ten minutes and show me what you come up with. Post your results here or on your own blog- just make sure that you leave me a note here to let me know to go look at your blog :o)

Setting for your story:
In a big city traffic jam

Starting phrase for your story:
There was only one way

Four words you must include in your story:
Apples
CD
Paint
Cabin

YAY!! A not rejection!!

2007-03-08T20:49:00.000-06:00

I got an email from The Wild Rose Press today regarding my book His Daughter's Keeper. They want me to do some revisions then send it back to them. I was really excited when I read the email because I was afraid it was going to be a "We're sorry but we're not interested." but it wasn't, they are interested!! Yes, it could have been better, something like, "We love it exactly as it is and we want to buy it." but I realize that's asking too much. I'm okay with revisions.

Why English Teachers Die Young

2007-03-04T16:04:00.000-06:00

I got this in an email today and thought I'd share it. I got quite a giggle out of it.

Why English Teachers Die Young - actual analogies and metaphors found in high school essays.

1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.

2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.

3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse with out one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.

4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E.Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.

5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.

6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.

7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.

8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.

9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.

10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.

11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.

12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.

13. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.

14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.

16. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.

17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.

18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.

19. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.

20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil's, this plan just might work.

21. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.

22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.

23. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.

24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.

25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

26. She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.

Daily Prompt # 3

2007-03-02T12:21:00.000-06:00

Set your timer for ten minutes and write something using the guidelines below. When you're finished, post your results here as a comment or on your own blog and let me know about it so I can read it.

Setting for your story:

in a castle

Starting phrase for your story:

She always assumed that her umbrella would come in handy, she just didn't realize that

Four words you must include in your story:

Stubborn
Crispy
Super Hero
Delicate

Reply to Daily Prompt #2

2007-02-27T15:37:00.000-06:00

Okay, here's what I came up with in ten minutes for the Daily Prompt #2 exercise:

The star on top of the Christmas tree swayed as the little house shook and rocked with the force of the winds outside. Marcy grabbed her cell phone and a flashlight before running for the tiny hall closet in the center of the house. She knew she should’ve gone out into the storm shelter but it was too late now. She just hoped the gas main didn’t blow and send her and her house spiraling toward Oz; fried crispy in the process.
This tornado had come on quickly, very late in the season, and no one had anticipated the force with which it would strike the small town she’d lived in all her life. As she crouched in the closet she squeezed her eyes closed and tried to think of the good times; coming in first place playing her violin at the state competition in high school, supporting her school’s sports teams, spending countless hours gossiping with her best friends during slumber parties. They were all good times and she was terrified that they were about to end.
Marcy’s phone rang and she flipped it open and wanted to cry with relief when she heard her boyfriend’s voice on the other end.
“Sean, where are you? Are you okay? I can’t believe how crazy it is here…I’m scared.” Marcy cried.
“Hey Baby, don’t cry. Just get in the groove, yeah? It’s all good, baby.” Sean’s voice sounded strange and Marcy was startled by his lack of concern for her wellbeing.
“Sean, are you high? I’m in the middle of a tornado!”
“Wow, cool, baby.” Sean laughed, obviously not in his right mind.
Marcy flipped her phone shut and buried her face in her hands and cried. Her life was falling apart and she was sitting in a closet while the wind ripped her house apart...and then everything was quiet; deathly quiet.
Marcy knew then and there that this was a new beginning for her. She didn’t need Sean or his stupid choices making a mess of her life…Mother Nature was good enough at that all by herself.

Daily Prompt # 2

2007-02-22T13:07:00.000-06:00

Okay, here's Daily Prompt #2. Set your timer for ten minutes and write me a short story with the following parameters:

Setting for your story: during a tornado

Starting phrase for your story: The star

Four words you must include in your story:

Gas
Violin
Crispy
Groove

Post your results either here as a comment or on your own blog and tell me that you've posted it.

Reply to Daily Prompt exercise...

2007-02-20T12:38:00.000-06:00

See the entry below for exercise directions. Here is what I came up with:

“I can’t believe you chose this—this hovel to hide in.” Becky hissed, trying not to breathe through her nose. The air was toxic, poison for sure and she just knew there were spiders crawling around in the barely lit space, waiting to pounce on her.
“I’m not the one that mouthed off to that guy and got him to chasing us.” Tim looked around, the muscles in his neck and shoulders moving smoothly under his skin as he tried to move in the cramped space.
“Okay, I’ll admit it, I should’ve been quiet and let you handle it but…an outhouse, Tim? An outhouse? You couldn’t have pushed me into a mud puddle or something? That would’ve been preferable to this.” Becky jerked her foot back when Tim stepped on it and she decided to give up and perched awkwardly on the edge of the ‘toilet’.
“It’s not an outhouse, it’s a port-a-potty, there’s a difference.” Tim insisted quietly as he leaned against the wall and hitched his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans.
Becky tried not to notice his long legs and how close he was. The air felt frightfully warm and close. She reached for an old magazine that had a thick strip of peeling red tape holding the binding together and used it to swat at a mosquito that was buzzing around her ear, annoying her more than Tim’s smug look.
“What? Why are you looking at me that way?”
“I knew you were gonna screw this thing up. I knew you wouldn’t be able to keep quiet and let me handle this. That’s why I called Deek for backup. He’ll be here any minute to rescue us.”
Becky frowned and wanted to punch Tim but he was right, she had blown it. Those goons outside hunting for them wouldn’t have gotten their dander up if she’d just kept her trap shut.
But there was no more time for thinking of that; Becky jumped to her feet at the sound of gunfire outside. With her standing, the space seemed too small again and she was painfully aware of her thighs pressed against Tim’s. When would this assignment be over so she could go on vacation and put some distance between herself and this infuriating, big headed, smart mouthed, know it all…incredibly sexy man?

Daily Prompt

2007-02-19T18:13:00.000-06:00

Okay, a new game. I'm gonna try and post these exercises here regularly and see what kind of fun stuff we can come up with.

Setting for your story:

in a port-a-potty

Starting phrase for your story:

I can't believe

Four words you must include in your story:

Mosquito
Red Tape
Annoying
Poison

Set your timer for ten minutes and write!

A little writing exercise...

2007-02-16T23:54:00.000-06:00

I found a website full of great creative writing exercises. Here’s one that I thought might be fun:

Fairy tales have happy endings. All of us know what happened in that mushy fairy tale, Cinderella. Yeah, it’s romantic, the prince actually finding Cinderella. They lived happily ever after but sometimes happy endings can be…boring. No zing, so predictable, so…happy. What if the shoe had fit one of the sisters? What would have happened then? Use your imagination here, be funny if you like, or serious, or be Alfred Hitchcock.

Write a new ending to the Cinderella story, this time with the shoe fitting one of the icky stepsisters. What would Prince Charming do? How would Cinderella react? What about the Fairy Godmother?

Post your ‘story’ here on my blog or on your own if you prefer. I can’t wait to read your results.

Do you ever....?

2007-02-13T18:19:00.000-06:00

Do you ever go to your stack or shelf of books and pass over the unread ones, reaching instead for one you've read before; maybe more than once?

I finished a book yesterday and today as I searched through the handful of brand new, never read volumes, my eyes fell instead on an old favorite; a story I've read ten times if I've read it once. It's a Harlequin Romance- hard bound- that was published in 1971 called Lily of the Valley, written by Margaret Rome. I love this story because it evokes all of the feelings I want to feel when I'm reading a romance- sadness, joy, anger, frustration, elation, and above all that warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach that keeps me turning page after page again and again.

Do you have a favorite story that you return to again and again when you're not in the mood to read something new? Or are you never not in the mood to read something new?

Gosh, two posts in one day... I'm a chatter box today :o)

I've been Tagged...again

2007-02-13T10:21:00.000-06:00

Okay Elle, 6-10 weird things about me...hmmm, I might have to think on that a bit :o)

1. I, too, am ambidexterous and since you listed that one, I can too.
2. I can't get comfortable in bed unless it's made when I get in. I know I'm gonna mess it up anyway, but it has to start out made.
3. Some people think I'm weird because I detest eggs and milk. I refuse to eat/drink either of them.
4. I can only wear 18k gold jewelery or I get a terrible rash.
5. My dream vacation is not someplace tropical and popular, rather it's the historical landmarks of the eastern U.S.
6. I'm allergic to cats but own two of them.
7. I hate leaving the little island I live on, even to go shopping on the mainland.

I can't think of anymore right now. Maybe I'll add to this when I get back from the hospital this afternoon.

Why Do I Write?

2007-02-12T14:29:00.000-06:00

As I sat here at my desk staring at the last sentance I wrote in my WIP and wondering where to go from there, I asked myself, "Self, why do I do this? What is the reason that I write?"

No, I don't suppose it's a life altering question but one that I had some difficulty answering- even to myself. What is it about writing that I enjoy so much? What do I hope to accomplish by writing the things that I do?

I guess it could be that my life is so dull that I have to live vicariously through my characters to find fulfilment. But then again, I have four children- two of which are teenagers, how dull could my life possibly be?

Is it possibly because I'm lacking romance in my real life that I have to generate it on paper- or computer screen as the case happens to be? That question was a quick and easy one to answer- No...I am definitely not lacking romance in my life...and that being the case, I thought that maybe because I have an abundance of love and romance in my life that I want to share it with readers who might read romance because they don't have enough or any in their lives.

Maybe.

I tried to go back and remember when it was that I first realized I loved writing and then it came to me. My love of the writen word started after a very tragic period in my life, around the age of twelve and I started writing poetry as a way of dealing with my feelings of anger and grief. It grew from there to include confusion and helplessness and eventually acceptance, happiness and love. Writing helped me work through my feelings and I've since discovered that writing about love from beginning to end is by far the most pleasant and enjoyable.

So that's why I write. Why do you write? What is your inspiration? Why do you write the genre that you do?

I'm here, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...yet

2007-02-09T20:20:00.000-06:00

One of my loyal readers- you know who you are :o)- emailed me because she hadn't seen me around lately. What a nice warm feeling that created in me, to know I was missed out here in my little corner of the WWW.

My aunt is back in the hospital with more complications from her surgery and I found out today that it was because of doctor error that she's got this terrible infection. I always thought that some surgical instrument getting left inside of someone happened to 'other' people. Well, it can happen to regular folks too. That's right, a surgical sponge was left inside of her and has caused a nasty infection. The poor dear, like she hasn't been through enough. Hopefully I'll get to pick her up from the hospital tomorrow; I hope so anyway.

To those of you who've been praying, thank you.

As for my writing, I actually opened my writing program and added about a thousand words to my WIP today. It's the first time in a couple of weeks that I've even looked at it. I missed it terribly- one more reason to get a laptop so that I can write when I'm away from home. I promised myself that as soon as I sold a book I was going to treat myself to a brand new laptop...that's pretty good motivation :o)

Music, Music everywhere

2007-01-26T12:07:00.000-06:00

I know Elle won't care since she hates country music, but I'm going to see George Straight, Ronny Milsap & Taylor Swift tomorrow at the Tacoma Dome. I'm quite excited about it. I saw Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in Seattle last August and that was really fun but this one promises to be really great. I'm going with my aunt, the one that just had open heart surgery in December, because she adores George Straight so I got the tickets and a hotel for the night and I'm taking her to Red Lobster for dinner- all of this for her birthday which was two days ago. I can't wait for tomorrow to come.

Anyway, just thought I'd share :o)

Back to writing!

Well, I did it...

2007-01-25T17:33:00.000-06:00

I sent off my partial manuscript to Harlequin today. It was lovingly packaged with rubberbands and a return envelope with postage and as I handed it over to the postmaster I felt a bit nauseaus and almost took it back...I almost changed my mind. It was almost like putting one of my children on an airplane or bus alone. It was a really hard thing to do...but I did it. The first three chapters of 'A Family for Madi' are no longer in my hands and there's no way to stop it from going to Canada and potentially getting rejected.

That's what it comes down to; I'm afraid that the editors won't love the story as much as I do and it's not because I wrote it. I love this story simply because it's one that needs to be told. It's a subject that doesn't get much attention and needs more exposure. Child abuse is far too common and it shouldn't happen at all.

But enough of that, I'm down off my soap box and trying not to chew my nails off as I worry about my 'baby' out there all alone.

I've been Tagged!

2007-01-24T23:35:00.000-06:00

I got tagged by Elle!

"Did you meet my first caseworker?" She pursed her lips.

"No, I guess you wouldn't have had any reason to. Well, she and Gary fell in love."

Kids By Christmas by Janice Kay Johnson.

Now I'm tagging Julie, Marcy Bassett-Kennedy, & Shara Jones- Consider yourselves tagged.

Rules of the game:

1. Grab the book closest to you
2. Turn to page 123 and find the 5th sentance.
3. Post the text of the next three sentances in your blog.
4. Include the title and author's name
5. Tag three people

I'm doing a Happy Dance!

2007-01-19T15:57:00.000-06:00

I just received a letter from Harlequin and they want the first three chapters of the book I'm working on!! I am so very excited because publishing with Harlequin is my dream, it's all I've ever wanted as far as my writing career so this is... WOW! I'm shaking.

Why? Why? Why?

2007-01-17T23:08:00.000-06:00

Why can't I write? Why can't I focus enough to get through these revisions? Is it because maybe I like my story the way it was before the problems got pointed out to me, these problems that have to be fixed? Yeah, I think that's the biggest part of it.

Revising a story that I love, changing it from what it was when it was born in my heart, is really difficult and because of that, my muse seems to have deserted me and I can't focus on the task at hand.

Anyway, I'm done whining about it, just wanted to fuss for a moment so I could get it out of my system and go back to staring at my still unrevised WIP.

Who keeps praying for snow?

2007-01-13T16:50:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's snowing here...again. We've had more snow this winter than the past five winters combined. The children have already missed 8 days of school because of snow and power outages, that's a record for us here and the kids are probably going to be in school until the middle of summer making up those days.

I suppose I could use the snow as inspiration considering my WIP has a lot of snow in it but I'm not finding the real snow to be terribly inspirational...it's more distracting than anything. I sit here at my desk watching the snow fall so peacefully, so quiet and unhurried as it piles up in the backyard, turning the world white and covering up all of the imperfections so that everything looks clean and soft. And still my WIP remains unrevised.

Okay, back to work. I'll close the blinds so that I can't see the snow and turn on my MP3 player so I can't hear the kids and get back to those revisions.

I just wish revisions were coming as steadily as the snow is.

I know it helps me grow but...

2007-01-08T21:33:00.000-06:00

I received a pretty harsh critique on the first chapter of a book I'm working on and, while I tell myself to expect such reactions from some people, it still kind of takes me by surprise and makes me feel less than I am. The thing is, she was right. Some of the things I'd written just didn't add up to reality but having them pointed out to me as harshly as they were made me feel small and a bit sad. I stewed about it for days until I finally gathered up my courage and asked the woman who'd given the critique for some help in making my story stronger by making it more realistic and since she is an expert in the field that I am writing about, I figured that she could help me better than most...and you know what? She was more than happy to help and I gained some very valuable information that will make my story better than ever.

So, while I was bothered and hurt initially, I grew from the experience and learned something that will help me be better than I am and the one thing I love to do most.

Request for full!!

2007-01-07T12:23:00.000-06:00

I got a request for my full ms from The Wild Rose Press this morning. I'm so excited. It's the first book I've ever written so it's pretty exciting that someone is interested in it after reading the first three chapters.

I sent it out right away via email and here's hoping that I hear some good news soon!!