Something's Missing

Current Project: TEMPTED (Eternal Guardians Book #3)
Status: Chapter Four

We’ve all been there. You hear about an awesome new book. It’s getting tons of media blitz. You see it all over the blogosphere, on Facebook, you hear about it on Twitter. You see it displayed prominently at the bookstore, in grocery stores, on the end aisle at Target. You think you’re missing out by NOT reading it, so you pick up a copy. And then you’re left scratching your head.

Writers are not the best critics. Probably because we see things through a writer’s perspective. We know about voice and language, point of view, plot and pacing. We also instinctively know when a story is good and when it’s not. So sometimes – knowing all that we know – it’s a surprise to pick up a book and enjoy it. And then realize…something’s still missing.

I started reading a new book last week that I was eagerly anticipating. I enjoyed the plot and characters, the world and conflict. The story itself was good. But I walked away from that book thinking it could have been better. I scratched my head over this for a long time. As a writer, my instinct is to try to figure out what didn’t work so I don’t repeat the mistake. And after thinking about it way more than I should have, I realized the problem I had with this book wasn’t the story, it was that I never felt like I understood the characters to the degree that I rooted for them one way or the other.

That’s a pretty major element in writing. Drawing your reader in so they cheer and root for your characters. So they cry and yell and angst with them, as well. Pulling a reader in so they become part of the story rather than an observer is key, but it isn’t always easy. And if you aren’t doing it, then I guarantee your books will never be considered great reads.

So how do you do it? I’m by no means an expert, but here are tips I’ve picked up over time:

1. You – the writer – put yourself in the scene. A wise writer once told me in order to make a love scene believable and not something that sounds like it was part of a sex-ed manual, you have to put yourself in that room with your characters. You have to become a part of the scene yourself. You can’t sit back and describe what’s happening like you’re making a shopping list. That advice has stuck with me, and it carries over into my other scenes, not just my love scenes.

2. You use deep POV. Sometimes this is tricky – you can walk a fine line between being TOO deep in a character's head and not being deep enough. Too many thoughts and ponderings slow pace, (and make readers roll their eyes at the angst) but not enough leave readers (like me) wishing I understood the characters’ thinking more. A good balance is no more than two short paragraphs (preferably 3-4 sentences) in a character's thoughts before you toss in action or dialogue to balance the scene.

3. You explain the things that need explaining and you ignore everything else. I recently read a paranormal that left me so confused by page 50 I had no idea what was going on. The author didn’t explain the terms and tools and words that were unique to that book’s world enough for me to feel like I was part of the scene. And what she did spend time explaining seemed trivial and not needed. If it doesn't matter to the story, cut it. If it does, you better make sure your reader understands how and why.

4. You write to the middle. I have friends who are professionals who talk over my head. I know writers who do the same. A novel is not the time to prove you have a stellar vocabulary. If your reader needs a dictionary by her side to read your book, then you’re not writing to the middle. You’re writing to the extreme. And trust me, you will lose readers.

5. You think things through or–gasp!—plot, so that YOU know your world well enough to explain it and your characters. This seems like a no-brainer, but when I’m judging contests, the #1 thing that pushes a writer from great to mediocre is when you read something and know the author doesn’t have a handle on their world. Their descriptions aren’t detailed, things don’t seem to make sense, they contradict themselves. Nothing bumps a reader out of a book more than confusion.

How about you? What bumps you out of a book? I’m not talking about the common errors new writers make. I’m talking about the things that keep an already GOOD book from being GREAT.

The Winds of Change?

Current Project: Argh!!
Status: In a Quandary

Sorry for the late post. I've been having a minor writing crisis (as well as stressing over other things not worth exploring at this juncture).

Sometimes I wonder if my subconscious is trying to tell me something.

Last week I started working on the project I've targeted as wanting to finish this year and (hopefully) submit to the Golden Heart in November. I've been mulling over the story since the end of NaNoWriMo. I like the changes I've made to it and that I'm giving myself room to let things happen--I'm trying not to have such a tight control over the plot as to stifle my urge to actually, you know, write. I'm beginning to wonder, though, if the enforced layoff during December was either too long or too short.

Why? Because when I started writing last night what came out of my fingers was a completely different story--1,350 words worth of another story in about 35 minutes. I thought I was just goofing around, extending a throw-away paragraph I wrote last summer and warming up in preparation for starting in on my planned work. But somewhere in those 1,350 words, an entire world blossomed in my head along with five main characters, all with their own agendas: a heroine bent on getting the only justice available in a broken world; a reluctant hero who keeps getting ripped out of time and across dimensions against his will and who just wants to find a way home permanently; a villain who has the power to remake the world for the better, but who likes it just fine the way it is; and the last TechMage, who just wants to be left alone.

This story has an almost irresistible immediacy that's pulling at me to keep going. That's why I think the layoff I had from the other story was either too long or too short. Too long, because the story cooled for me. I'm finding it hard to generate the enthusiasm I had at the end of November. Too short, because maybe with more time away, it'll feel fresh and interesting again (hmmm, can something be both too long and too short??).

To make a long story short (too late!), I'm going to trust my gut and keep working on this new story. I figure if I stall out, I can always go back and work on my original story. Maybe even go back and forth until they're both finished. All I know is if I don't keep making some kind of forward progress, I'll find myself stalled out on both of them. I promised myself that I wouldn't let that happen this year.

So, how's it going with you?

My Favorite Topic- Research

Current Project:Spirit of the Lake
Status: Researching and writing

I'm on my usual topic-research. Alice mentioned in the Saturday check-in she was researching Montana for her next books, and I am continually researching history for my books or occupations(if I'm working on a contemporary).

And the how much research/history is too much is always a topic on historical loops. I've skimmed and gleaned info from two books so far for accuracy on Nez Perce birthing and pregnancy. I have one more to go through to make sure I haven't missed anything. How much will go in the book, I don't know at this point, but it is helping me to discover the forward momentum of the story. The heroine from the beginning of the book is pregnant. The birth of this baby is what will bring down the villain at the end. So the book timeline is nine months. Which brings me around to researching the Nez Perce movements in that 9 month time span.

Have you ever had a book where the condition of the heroine was a major factor in the story? Or had a specific timeline that helped move the plot forward?

SATURDAY CHECK-IN

Current Project: Montana Books
Status: Wow, there's a lot to do!

Hey, everyone, it's a beautiful (okay, dreary) January day outside, perfect for snuggling up to your computer. Come on, you know you want to, your fingers are tingling, right? Okay, so maybe that's from the cold, but I say put it to good use and get those digits moving. That'll warm up your hands, your hands will warm up your arms, your story will warm up your heart or your gut and presto, pretty soon you are glowing inside and out with a feeling of completion and accomplishment. As for your toes? Cozy slippers.

Pep talk delivered.

Today my goal is to come up with a country for my heroine, a Montana ranch for my heroes, and a political situation to keep everyone jumping. I watched Cliffhanger (a movie) last night as it was on TV and it said it was filmed in the Rockies. I learned zip about Montana although it surprised me all those people could tramp around at the top of all those mountains without every really getting wet or falling into snow up to their armpits. Lots of rocks, I guess...

How are you doing on your goals? And if checking in here is one of them, be sure to say hi!

PROMISES TO OURSELVES

Current Project: Promotion of A VALENTINE'S ANTHOLOGY
Status: Gaining momentum!

I am so impressed by the renewed energy and enthusiasm in our group the past few weeks. A friend of mine asked if I felt like she did that 2010 is going to be the "first of many wonderful years ahead of us?" My answer was a resounding "yes!" I stepped into 2010 feeling a natural flow of harmony with the Universe. Perhaps others are feeling that too. 

For whatever reasons, our group seems to be moving confidently into a wonderful year--some with written goals and and others with simply a dream in their heads.

As we move through the days and weeks and months of 2010, how do we stay motivated to reach these dreams and goals? There are as many different ways as there are writing styles. Here are a few ways I've seen:

--Some people are motivated by external forces. Elisabeth has mentioned there's nothing like a deadline to keep her at the keyboard. 

--Others have a driving internal need to keep these promises to themselves. Paty is one of the most highly self-motivated writers I've seen. She sets goals and then just goes. Life "stuff" may come up, but she seems to deal with it and then refocuses back on her goals until they are reached.

--Bethany sets weekly mini-goals and amazes me at how much she accomplishes, in spite of teaching, a toddler, and a very nauseous and exhausting first trimester of pregnancy.  

--Still others reward themselves for reaching a goal. Our new chapter officers have dangled the carrot of prizes and surprises at the end of the year to all who reach their stated annual goals.  

At the February chapter meeting, Paty and I will co-lead a session on using storybards as a tool to stay focused on your dreams and goals. 

In the meantime, please share your ways of keeping on track with your goals and pursuing your dreams. How do you keep these promises to yourself?

MOMENTS

Current Project: Books
Status: changing Wyoming to Montana -- maybe

I am writing today about why we read some books ten times. Why we watch movies more than once. Why we watch TV series shows over and over again. If you do none of these things, I guess this isn't your blog. But if you do these things, you know what I'm talking about.

I figured this out tonight while I was watching a StarTrek TNG rerun and it all came to life when several characters got together to recreate a situation. I suddenly understood that I loved that episode for that one scene, that moment. And then it occurred to me that's how it is with almost everything I reread or re-watch. I'm waiting for a moment. Maybe two or three. It doesn't matter, the end result is I am waiting for something, anticipating, enjoying the build-up.

So, what does this say about me -- or you? In the Star Trek instance, the characters were all together, pooling information, sharing, figuring out what they'd seen and remembered and putting it together to reach a conclusion -- aha. A puzzle. That's the real attraction for me in this situation -- puzzles.

So, extrapolate. I like puzzles. I put them in my books. They are not exactly second nature for me, but I dearly love them.

How about other situations? Why in the world do I re-watch Sweethome Alabama, for instance? What moment is the aha moment for me? It's the beach. It's when she finally figures out what she wants and goes to the beach and stands there in a thunderstorm in her wedding gown to tell him it's him she loves. It's so romantic! Puzzles and romance...

And yet it's not really the beach, it's the culmination of self discovery and a declaration to the heavens above that she knows her path.

And so it goes. And if I understand or strive to understand, what it is I covet about the the fiction moments I love, then isn't that a key for my own work? Something to trigger my own imagination or to alert me to what I need to work on? Or want to include? Can I (or you) interpret the moments we covet, the moments we anticipate and remember forever and yearn to revisit, into our own work?

To the point that when we plot a book, we can recall those situations that attract us and re-create them IN SPIRIT within our own stories. Love a puzzle? Then incorporate puzzles (mysteries, intrigue, unsolved emotional issues). Adore deep, dark secrets? There you go, fit them in. Lust after adventure? Send your characters on a quest. One aspect of romance appeals to you more than any other? Identify it (use the moments you've earmarked from other medias or books you reread multiple times, and figure out what about that moment triggers your emotions. You can trust that if it triggered your emotions, it will trigger the emotions of others as well and, hello, that's what this is all about, eliciting responses.

No, I am not suggesting anyone steal or plagiarize or compromise their own story or vision. I'm suggesting you identify what attracts you and internalize it into your own work.

Have you done this? Does it make sense to you?

MOMENTS

Current Project: Books
Status: changing Wyoming to Montana -- maybe

I am writing today about why we read books ten times. Why we watch movies more than once. Why we watch TV series shows over and over again. If you do none of these things, I guess this isn't your blog. But if you do these things, you know what I'm talking about.

I figured this out tonight while I was watching a StarTrek TNG rerun and it all came to life when several characters got together to recreate a situation. I suddenly understood that I loved that show for that moment. And then it occurred to me that's how it is with almost everything I reread or re-watch. I'm waiting for a moment. Maybe two or three. It doesn't matter, I'm repeating this situation for this particular moment(s).

So, what does this say about me -- or you? I thought about this one instance tonight. The characters were all together, pooling information, sharing, figuring out what they'd seen and remembered and putting it together to reach a conclusion -- aha. A puzzle. That's the real attraction for me in this situation -- puzzles.

So, extrapolate. I like puzzles. I put them in my books. They are not exactly second nature for me, but I dearly love them.

How about other situations? Why in the world do I re-watch Sweethome Alabama, for instance? What moment is the aha moment for me? It's the beach. It's when she finally figures out what she wants and goes to the beach and stands there in a thunderstorm in her wedding gown to tell him it's him she loves. It's so romantic! Puzzles and romance...

Lord of the Rings? Not the movies, the books? It's the adventure. It's the sense of going...somewhere...traveling...adventure...

And so it goes. And if I understand or strive to understand, what it is I covet about the the fiction moments I love, then isn't that a key for my own work? Something to trigger my own imagination or to alert me to what I need to work on? Or want to include? Can I (or you) interpret the moments we covet, the moments we anticipate and remember forever and yearn to revisit, into our own work?

To the point that when we plot a book, we can recall those situations that attract us and re-create them IN SPIRIT within our own stories. Love a puzzle? Then incorporate puzzles (mysteries, intrigue, unsolved emotional issues). Adore deep, dark secrets? There you go, fit them in. Lust after adventure? Send your characters on a quest. One aspect of romance appeals to you more than any other? Identify it (use the Momentsyou've earmarked from other medias or books you reread multiple times, and figure out what about that moment triggers your emotions. You can trust if it triggered your emotions, it triggers other people's emotions as well and hello, that's what this is all about, eliciting responses.

No, I am not suggesting anyone steal or plagiarize or compromise their own story or vision. I'm suggesting you identify what attracts you and internalize it into your own work.

Have you done this? Does it make sense to you?

Moments

Current Project: Montana - Wyoming Project
Status: Obviously, up in the air

Kindle Quandary

Current Project: Romantic Suspense
Status: Still out of sync from holidays

My mother gave me a Kindle for Christmas. I gave it back.

I felt horrible when I did it, but I'd felt worse knowing she'd spent a lot of money on something I'd never use. And yes, it was returnable.

Am I the only person who doesn't want one? I held the white plastic rectangle in my hands for a while, asking myself if this was how I wanted to read books, and the answer was a definite NO. I love my books. I love to see the unique covers stacked on my shelves. I run my finger along the spines, pausing on some, skipping others, remembering the story and how it made me feel. I don't think it'd be the same on a kindle. Somehow the above picture doesn't hold the same appeal as reading a thick paperback on the beach. (Must be an Oregon beach. Looks cold.)

I've read blogs and reviews by people who are wild about the technology, but it simply never appealed to me. I do like the idea of downloading a book the minute I hear about it and have that urge to read it. I've downloaded a few books to my computer, but doesn't have the same feel as curling up with a print novel. I know the Kindle has been wonderful for some. A lot of agents and editors use it for their work. Easier to pack around than five fulls.

Some claim this is the future for all books, and we'll eventually move away from paper completely. In Rachelle Gardner's blog yesterday, she mentions technologies for interactive books and magazines such as embedded links, video pop-ups, and choose-your-own ending. I like the idea of the first two technologies for non-fiction, but I don't believe they'll be popular for adult fiction, although my kids would love it in their books.

To me, a print novel is completely interactive inside my brain. I create my own images of characters and locations; I insert myself in the roles and talk with the heroes. I curl back the pages and dog ear the corners. I occasionally place a sticky note when an author has amazed me with their writing. I've embrace a lot of new technologies, but the electronic readers simply don't resonate with me.

Anyone have a e-reader? Do you love it? Who wants to buy one?

Goals, goals and more goals

Current Project: Derby book
Status: Ch-ch-chuggin' along

Yes, this is another post on goals. I know several of us have done that lately, but this time of year it's hard to avoid. Don't you think? I know it will help me increase my motivation by posting my goals to the world. Hello-ello-ello-ello. The world of the internet is so vast!

My GREAT BIG GOAL OF 2010 (yes, it deserves all caps because this is going to be a good year, folks), is divided into four connected parts.

1) Finish the roller derby book by the end of July, well, preferably middle of July. I'll be heading to Scotland (still can't believe it!!!!) at the end of the month, until a few weeks into August. That will give me about a month to think about the book, take a break from it, and return home to edit the heck out of it.

2) Edit the book in September to get it in tip-top shape. I tend to not do a lot of editing as I go, so a whole month sounds reasonable to me. But if I'm ahead of the game, I may edit chunks of the book as I go, maybe a few chapters or something. Also during September, I need to revisit my agent wish list. Things have changed in the past couple of years since I was seriously doing agent research.

3) Send out queries in October to agents and editors who will accept them. If nothing else, I'll *finally* get PRO status.

4) Sign up for the Golden Heart contest in November. I think I'll be out of town for the Golden Rose and won't have the MS polished by then, bummed to miss out on the feedback opportunity. But I think it's time I give the Golden Heart a go.

I guess I'll add a fifth part of the goal - continue blogging on my personal blog throughout the year so when I begin querying, I will have re-established my Web presence. That's the bear about the name change, I already had a fairly established Web presence for an unpub as Lisa Pulliam - had talked to a lot of people anyway. Sort of starting fresh, but that's a good thing. :)

Out of all the goals people have been sharing on here, and sharing on the loop - I'd love to hear which goal you think is going to be most difficult for you. Clearly, for me it's finishing the book because I obviously struggle with that :)

SATURDAY CHECK-IN

Current Project: Three book series set in Wyoming
Status: plotting

After reading a couple of times this week that people intend to use the Saturday check-in to help keep themselves on track, I felt doubly ashamed I forgot to do it last week. But as they say, "I'm baaacckk---"

At this point, I'm cautiously optimistic about the books swirling around in my brain. While it seems I've been gone from writing a long time, it's actually less that seven weeks -- still seems forever. It's good to be inching my way back.

The meeting I missed this week had to do with goal setting and people have been coming forward with theirs. I'll do mine here and invite anyone who wants to to either state or restate theirs to do so now. That way they'd all be in one spot and maybe they'd encourage each other!!!

Mine: Finish and submit a proposal by the first of March. This means a fully realized backstory to act as an umbrella for all three books, a fleshed out first book with three chapters and a synopsis as well as a partial short synopsis for each of the two subsequent books. I've spoken with my editor and if it all comes together, that would mean I would write the first book by summer, the second book in the fall and the third book in the winter. That's the plan. All I have to do now is think Wyoming...

Your turn.

Fear

Current Project: TEMPTED Proposal, book 3, Eternal Guardians
Status: Chapter two

And here I thought I was doing so good at all my blogging responsibilities. Ack! I blame my lateness today on release/promo brain.

I'm rather tapped out on blog topics. Two plus weeks of blogging will do that for you, but one thing I've discovered with the release of this recent book - STOLEN SEDUCTION - is that no matter what stage you're at in your writing career, every writer is plagued with fear of one kind or another.

I'm always afraid when I blog that I won't have anything of interest to say. That readers will get offended, that my voice won't resonate the way it does in my books. When a book releases, I'm sure it's going to flop, that readers will hate it, that it will be the last of my career. And when I start a book (as I'm doing now) I'm always convinced it is the crappies thing I've ever written and the stupiest idea on the planet.

But you know what? 9 times out of 10 I'm wrong. Readers respond to my blogs. Whether that's because they like what they read or want a prize or enjoy my books, I don't know, but they respond. When a book releases I get a flood of emails from readers telling me how much they're enjoying my series and how fast they flew through my story. And when writing a book, I always, always hate it at one time or another. At some point I just need to get over that and realize, yeah, that's my pattern. Deal with it and move on.

Fear is a wicked thing, isn't it? It sits there on your shoulder, watching every word you type. It whispers in your ear (mine likes the phrase, "you suck!"), it calls to you in the middle of the night. And I'm fairly certain it plants itself at the post office so you have an excuse NOT to mail that proposal to your dream agent or editor.

How do you get past it? You face it, head on. Acknowledge it, yell at it, give it a name (dumbass works for me), but then ignore it. Ignoring it is the key. It's the only way you're going to ever put enough distance between your fears and your goals so you can finally move forward.

Fear, ironically, is a lot like my children. If I stopped and hovered every time they called, "Mom!" I'd never get anything done.

Ha!

I never thought of it that way. Fear = Gremlins. Go figure.

Okay, it's a new year, a new month and the Portland RCRW girls are doing the Sven's 70 Days of Sweat. Who's in it with me? 1000K words per day for 70 days. That's it. Anyone game? Kick that fear to the curb and join me.

Imagine a life without books . . .

Current Project:NMMNG
Status: Finding my mojo

Last night was my first night of teaching for the winter term, and I'm still recovering. The first day is always exhausting and exhilarating. Somehow, I have to find a way to make 20 odd strangers feel excited about the prospect of writing something each week for the next 10 weeks and striving to do their best. I also have to make them feel comfortable with each other and excited about what we will be reading. It's a tall order. I always open with the eons-old "go around in a circle and tell me your goals" routine. I hate this necessity, so I try to change up how we break the ice each term with silly questions in addition to the name/major/goal questions. I like asking what the last thing was that they wrote or read, and it is always amazing to me how many just don't read. Not don't read fiction, or don't read print books, but just don't read period.

One of my returning students reported that the last thing he read was the last homework assignment for me in November. I know he's an avid sports buff, so I pressed him a little more than I would a newbie. No sports page? No Sports Illustrated? "Nope. It's all on TV." He's a tremendously bright guy, so the lack of reading just baffles me. Another student is a huge music and gaming buff, but he reports that "so much online doesn't need reading anymore." It's enough to make me want to stick my head in the sand and chant "plenty of YA readers, plenty of YA readers, plenty of YA readers . . . "

However, one student reported that she is not usually a reader at all and last read a book in high school, but then a few months ago, she was home with a new baby, and someone gave her copies of the Twilight books. She was hooked and read all four and sounded genuinely excited about the novel we're reading this term. Just like that, non-reader to reader--thank you, Twilight franchise. I can guarantee that she has a better chance of getting a good grade in my class just by having read more than most of the other students in the last year. The more students read, the better they tend to write.

I try to pick fail-safe books for my students--ones that I think the majority of them will love. I try to pick books that are quick reads that hook them and make them want to keep reading. I save the dense, literary tomes for upper level courses and go straight for award-winning popular fiction that combines great writing with an exciting story. In other words, I have them reading the sort of books that most of us want to write, in a variety of different genres.

I think because we are all readers and we are surrounded by other readers, sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the vast non-reading population. But how many of them, like my student above, are simply waiting for the right book? My hope springs eternal each term that somehow, someway, I can get the right book to the right student at the right time.

~~~

Your turn: Pretend your non-reader best friend/husband/parent/child is stuck in bed and the TV is broken. Heck, pretend there is a power outage. What book would you bring to him or her? Beyond Harry Potter and Twilight, what books have you seen make readers out of die-hard non-readers? Have you ever given the right book at the right time to someone who isn't usually a reader? Do tell.

(Re-)Gaining Momentum

Current Project: Post NaNo Project
Status: Revving Up!

New Year. New or re-newed writing goals. This is the time of year I try to step outside myself and look at my writing habits and ask, "How's that working for you?"

Things couldn't have been crazier for me in the last few weeks. Most of my time has been consumed by my husband's recovery from knee replacement surgery. It isn't that he's helpless, just that at the moment all of the household chores, including everything he usually does (and that's a lot) fall to me while he's recuperating. Add to that, my job is counting down to the final, final decision (will the new company want me to stay on after the buyout?). Suddenly all my good intentions to keep the momentum from NaNoWriMo going have fallen by the wayside.

It's time to rev up my writing engine, so to speak. This is the year I plan to kick my writing up to the next level and complete at least one book (more than one, if possible). That won't happen, though, if I don't start writing daily. One thing participating in NaNoWriMo taught me is that I have to write daily--or close to it--or I lose all my momentum. I'm simply not tempermentally suited to be a "weekend writer."

I've already publicly stated my goals in my personal blog. Still, I think I'll restate them here as well.

Writing Goals for 2010

1. Write Every Day
2. Update my weekly progress on the Saturday Check-in on this blog
3. Blog about my progress and my trials and tribulations on my personal blog at least 3 to 4 times per week.
4. Reassess my goals on a monthly basis

These may get adjusted after our Chapter meeting this week on goal setting. If so, I'll update them in my next blog post here.

So, how are you doing?

Rambling about Writing

Current Project:Spirit of the Lake
Status: Page 104
It's the beginning of the year, the holidays are over, and I've been wracking my brain for a blog topic. Every time I hit on one I have a deja vu moment of a comment someone made on a past blog along that topic.

~Sigh~ I could talk about resolutions, but I'm not a resolution person. I write like I live- day to day with a big picture plan that I'm headed toward. Which makes some people dizzy and others nod their head. I'm not a list maker except for groceries and where I need to go in town. On the same token, I'm always early and always have projects done on time.

I believe in putting out 110% at whatever I'm doing whether it's cleaning a toilet or writing a story. However, I'm not a detail person. But if someone points out something I'm amiss about, I'll work twice as hard to fix it.

Something I've noticed, there are certain times of the month, whether they are moon driven or my own cycle driven, I'm not sure. But there are times when the words and ideas flow and I can't believe the words are mine. And then there are the down days when I force every sentence and word or worse can't figure out where the story is going.

Many blame it on a muse, but I'm a firm believer it is your own scrambled inner workings that have a hand in the problem.

This weekend was wonderful, my dh and I had a date night, he left me to doodle on the computer during the day, and I found the words flowing from my fingertips and glowing. Now the week before the holidays when everything was finished and all I had to do was write and wait to travel to our daughter's, I had to dig deep and force the ideas and words. I was not rushed or harried, yet the flow wasn't there.

I've discovered even though you may write every day that doesn't mean every day will be an easy writing day. All the factors and some that are not even of your control can seep in causing havoc with what you thought would be a good writing day.

Have you noticed a cycle in your writing? Are there certain events that make you more creative and others that stifle your creativity?

Happy New Year! Happy dreaming!

Posted by: Genene Valleau

Current Project: Nine-book series
Status: Steady progress

Lisa's post on Monday touched on something that resonated with me: EVERY member of our RWA chapter is special and unique, as is the role they play in our chapter. 

Some members have the drive and energy to be officers. Others make presentations or offer their thoughts on the blog. Still others come to meetings occasionally and then quietly go back to their lives. 

We all have one thing in common: the dream of writing. 

Yet even the dream of writing takes different forms: New York Times bestseller, a steady income from electronic books, finishing a manuscript, or just trying out the dream of writing to see if it fits.  

The economic upheaval, raising children, family emergencies, full-time jobs or the need to find a  job, as well as a variety of other situations have forced many people to prioritize how they will spend their resources and their time. 

For some chapter members, that may mean writing will play a smaller role in their lives for now. Others have followed different dreams, while some of our members have renewed their commitment to writing and are even more productive. 

At this time of year when many people make resolutions, it occurred to me that perhaps we should make dreams first. 

Some of you may already do this. Do you think about what you want your life to be? Do your goals and resolutions support your dreams?

I think a new storyboard will be added to my wall--one that includes visual reminders of my dreams for the upcoming year. 

Happy New Year! Happy dreaming!

MADAME FATE

TIme is ticking away, my friends. The sand in the hour glass grows sparse. Soon it will be New Years and 2009 will gasp its last breath as 2010 fills its lungs for the first time.

What does this mean to Madame Fate? It means it's time for a little crystal ball gazing. Don't try to resist, the rules are few and simple.

A. Find a question from those posted below: In 2010, will I ...

1. Experience an amazing night of passion?
2. Write with sheer abandon and unbridled joy?
3. Hit the bestseller list?
4. Turn a corner and run into my one true love?
5. Win accolades and awards?
6. Cast off the shadows of yesterday and run amok?
7. Have literary agents calling night and day?
8. Be the center of a seven digit bidding war?


B. Pick a number between one and eight. Edit: Between one and NINE (choose nine for a good vibe) That number represents the answer to your question. No fair peeking. No fair discarding it if it isn't what you want to hear! And -- no peeking!


C. Gaze into the crystal ball. Concentrate on your question. Do you hear a faint humming noise? Good. That's the sound of fate spinning your destiny. Loose yourself in the sapphire depths of the crystal ball while the stars align.





D. Repeat your chosen question, remind yourself of the number that will represent destiny's response, scroll down and gasp with amazement as 2010 unrolls in front of your eyes...



1. Patience, Grasshopper. You must wait your turn...
2. No, but you will inherit 43 Pekinese dogs...
3. Anything is possible if you send Madame Fate one thousand dollars...
4. Absolutely (although there will be a little jail time involved...)
5. On the first day of the seventh month after a nice bagel with cream cheese...
6. Yes, if your Sherpa guide is willing...
7. Possibly, but watch where you step, it's knee deep in places...
8. The crystal ball is cloudy. Yes, no, flip a coin. Heads=yes. Tails=no.
9. Yes. You will get your hearts desire. You will live long, be happy, and prosper. You will be a best seller and never lose your girlish good looks. Everyone in the world should be as lucky as you are!

Madame Fate would love knowing how the crystal ball treated you. To avoid alerting potential victims, er, customers, please don't reveal numbers in your responses. Now go forth and make magic!

Word Counts

Current Project: Romantic Suspense
Status: Slow

Well, I didn't get much done in the way of writing this month. Not a big surprise. December is traditionally a bad month for me. Getting ready for the holidays, the kids home from school, and getting prepared for January birthdays really eat into my word count. I can't imagine having a deadline this month. (Elisabeth!) I'd develop an ulcer. That is the one advantage to being unpublished. Writing deadlines are only set by myself.

In the RWR this month, I noticed a couple articles devoted to being productive. I swear I've heard or read every suggestion under the sun for increasing production and staying motivated, but this type of article still catches my eye, and I find myself reading intently, searching for those elusive golden nuggets that will hike my word count.

NaNoWriMo is probably the most widely know number booster. A ton of people take this concept and add new twists. Like 70 Days of Sweat. Write 70,000 words in 70 days and check in on a blog for posting word counts and getting advice. That doesn't sound too bad. 1,000 words a day? No problem. Hopefully the kids won't get sick. Or I won't get sick. (or sepsis) Or someone at work gets sick and I have to cover for them.

How about writing 5,000 words a day until the book is done? No days off. Ack. That suggestion made me stop in the center of the article and get my Haagen-Dazs out of the freezer. That is out of my league...but imagine having a rough draft done in 20 days. Write a book in three weeks. I can see the appeal. And the stress and ulcer would be over in three weeks.

Has anyone tried Write or Die? writeordie.drwicked.com Three levels of consequences keep you typing. If you stop writing before your preset condtions have been met, there are gentle pop up reminders for the first level, annoying sounds for the second, or during the third level your writing starts unwriting. (!!)

Other suggestions include getting away from the Internet, Twitter, Facebook, cell phones, TV, and family. I've found my most productive hours to be at Starbucks. I like that mine charges for Internet and I'm too cheap to pay. I tune out the bad music and the weekday 11:00 senior citizen gathering and just type. I like a pace of 2,000 words a day. That seems to be where I'm comfortable.

Do I dare ask for New Years goals? Is it too early? How about just tell me what daily word count you're comfortable with and what is the most you've written in one day. I won't mention the author in the RWR who wrote 26,000 in one weekend.

Eternal gratitude

Current Project: Derby book
Status: Coming along

I'll be honest. At first I couldn't think of a single topic for this blog post. I'm taking this week off from work and my focus is on cleaning my apartment, getting rid of stuff - and basically finally getting each room in working order. It's pathetic that hasn't been done yet and I'm approaching a year of living here.

So as I made a list of cleaning supplies to buy, my thoughts were thinking about the chapter. And it dawned on me like a lightening bolt, my last day as President of this fabulous group is Thursday! If I were on AIM instant messenger, I'd insert the emoticon of the face shaking from side to side in surprise. Wow I can't believe how fast this year has gone by!

What started as having no idea what to blog about became the biggest "duh" ever. Since this is my last blog post as El Presidente, I just want to take a moment to thank everyone for making this such a wonderful year. I'd like to particularly thank our officers, who have worked their tushies off to make things run smoothly. From planning online workshop presenters to managing the registration for those to putting out amazing hot sheets to providing advice from being on the Executive Board for years. These ladies have been a tremendous asset to this group. Thank you Elisabeth, Barbara, Debbie and Becky. You are wonderful!

And thank you to each and every member who have made this chapter special, indispensable, and a heck of a lot of fun! This group of amazing writers is what makes volunteering a worthwhile and exciting venture. I'm sure that all of the officers would agree with that :)

This is a short and sweet blog post, but it needed to be posted! Thank you to our members, our bloggers, our blog commenters, our lurkers and our officers for making this chapter great :)

SATURDAY CHECK-IN

Current Project: Nothing!
Status: Ack!

Did everyone survive Christmas? As the week before New Years begins, are you gearing up to reschedule your time, reopen projects set aside for the holidays, re-commit to writing?

This is the first holiday in years where I haven't had a deadline although there is a book on my desk waiting to be edited even as we speak. The edits are due in NY on Wednesday. I hadn't realized that until just now. Oops, better get to work.

Your turn...

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Oooops . . .

Current Project: NMMNG
Status:stalled

Day before Christmas Eve, and all through the blog not a creature was stirring because Bethany forgot. Happy Christmas Eve everyone! We took Tavy to see Santa yesterday, and it made me think about how much I love Christmas stories with children in them. I always reach for the category books this time of year because I can count on them. Any good Christmas reads come your way this year?

Current Project: Post NaNo Project
Status: Stalled at the moment (but it's only temporary!)

Good grief! I just realized that today was my day to blog! My apologies for being so very late. I've been distracted for the last two weeks with my husband's knee replacement surgery and subsequent at home recovery. He's doing very well, but I'm about worn to a frazzle. ;-) The good news is that he's able to do more and more for himself every day, including already being able to walk without a crutch while at home (and with a single crutch when outside). The bad news is I've lost all track of days -- Friday is Christmas? Really? Gah!

Since I'm so late, I'll save the fantabulous post I had prepared (sheeyeah right!) for another time. Instead, I'll just say that if you or your loved ones are traveling this holiday season, I wish you safe journeys. My next post won't be until after the New Year, so I'll take this opportunity to say

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

and I'll see you all on the flip side...

Sights and sounds of Christmas

Current Project:Bridled Heart
Status:revisions

I'm looking forward to being with our daughters and their families on Christmas day. And the best part we will all be at my oldest daughter's house so I only have to take time this week to make the goodies we'll take. The presents are wrapped, and she'll have to clean her house! LOL

I'm going to piggy back off of Alice's Saturday Checkin post.

What scent, sound, tactile, and taste do you associate with Christmas?

For me it's the tang of evergreen when you drag the tree in the house and it brushes the doorway, furniture, and drops needles on the floor that get stomped on and crushed, making the scent even more vibrant. The sound of ripping gift wrap, squeals and shouts of the kids as they unwrap gifts they've been dreaming of since November. The weight and solidness of my grandmother's rolling pin as I roll out the sugar cookies and gingerbread men. Candy canes and peppermint ice cream are my Christmas indulgences. The sugary, minty combination on my tongue takes me back to childhood Christmases. My mom always had candy canes hanging on the tree and we(she and I) would have one a day and by Christmas morning there were very few left on the tree.

Now take one of your characters either past or present and have them walk into a house or room and experience those four senses.
I'll add my character later today.

SATURDAY CHECK-IN

Current Project: Same Old, same old
Status: ditto

Do you realize by this time next week, Christmas will be all but over? Presents will be unwrapped and at least a few of us will be standing in line at the return desk of a department store. The refrigerator will be full of left overs, family will be on their way home, a toy or two will be broken or missing parts. We'll have memories we don't have today and the focus will suddenly shift to the new year and resolutions and plans.

How about a Christmas memory from the past? Do you have one to share? Mine is from last year. It was a trying time. The dh and I drove in to Albany to see my mother and got all the way into the nursing home before realizing we'd ignored signs pinned up all over the place that there was a epidemic of flu cases and all visitors were banned from the building. Our visit was cut short. My mother was despondent, we felt guilty, all the family was snowed in up in Portland. We drove home and up into the hills behind Brownsville, looking for snow. We found it and stopped for a walk. As we stood at a gate, we both saw a tiny chipmunk scamper across the snowy, crystallized road and disappear into the bushes. We looked at each other and smiled. That was the most memorable thing about that day and the image is still clear. My point? Memories come at unexpected times and in unexpected wrappings and sometimes even a very small thing can turn the tide of emotions from melancholy to grateful.

I hope your writing projects are filling your life with Ho Ho Ho and that somewhere in all the bustle, a little magic falls.

IN THE FLOW...

Current Project: Nine-book series
Status: Flowing nicely :)

In the flow. In the groove. In the zone.

These are all expressions used when everything is going right. For writers, this means when the words are flowing onto the page, the characters are cooperating impeccably, and the plot unfolds in a magical sequence with just the right pacing and enough unexpected twists to create a page-turning story.

I have to admit the flow of my nine-book series has had some calm waters. However, a short discussion with a character or two soon gets words moving again. Since my other books came more slowly, I find this new flow delightful!

More challenging is that I want to work on these stories all the time. However, my kids and grandkids want to see me sometimes, and I occasionally need to sleep, and I have work to do to pay for the kibble in my doggies' bowls. Oh yeah, and Christmas is almost here, with all its preparations.

In spite of the interruptions, I've been able to keep steady forward progress on this series. I would love to have rough outlines of all of the stories done by the end of the year. What a wonderful holiday gift that would be!

How about you? Have you been "in the flow"? Did it last an entire book? How did you deal with interruptions?

Magic

Current Project: NONE
Status: QUO

Writing a book is a lot like learning a magic trick. Like levitating the cat or pulling a bunny out of the hat. It's slight of hand, smoke and mirrors, but it's also truth or it should be. When the lights go on, when the last page is read, there should be something left, a takeaway, something that lingers and enriches or amuses or provokes.

That's the real magic.

When I send in a completed manuscript, I also fill out pages or art fact sheets and they include five questions. One of the questions is "What's the takeaway?"

I always ponder this. I write popular fiction, not sweeping human drama or literary masterpieces. If books were paintings and an art gallery was mounting an exhibit, my work would not be on display in its own room, tours would not include it on their agenda. I might actually be one of the pictures in the brochure, toward the back, something to attract would be museum goers by providing bright colors, something to warm them up before they get to the heavy duty important work. And that's okay.

But there's still a takeaway or should be. In addition to bright colors, there should be a certain poignancy hidden in the action, lurking in the swirls, something that brings the picture back to life in an observer's mind long after they've turned the page or lifted their eyes to peruse the masters. I hope I am have not lost you in this art metaphor...

How much thought do you put into this when you write a book? Is it part of the plotting process or is it something you try to find later or do you never give it a single thought? Do you stop to ask yourself -- What is my book about? If you do ask yourself this question and you can come up with an answer, do you then reinforce it throughout the book to make your point?

Current Project: None
Status: Doing Nothing Brilliantly

If you think about it, writing a book is a lot like a magic trick. Like pulling a bunny out of a hat. Like making the Empire Building disappear. It's one part inspiration, one part imagination, ninety parts figuring and thinking and honing. That makes 92 parts, which means there are six parts left and those six parts are magic.

Holiday Traditions

Current Project: Romantic Suspense
Status: bit by bit

I can't write about writing this week. Too much holiday stuff going on. My writing has slowed recently because I have food on the brain. It's normal for this time of year. I start craving turkey dinners with all the accompaniments and cookies. Lots of cookies. Frosted sugar cookies in the shape of snowmen, thick and chewy oatmeal cookies with cranberries and white chocolate chips, sharp ginger cookies rolled in chunky sugar, and lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar. *sigh*

The kids have a list of holiday traditions they don't want to skip. Several cookie recipes of course, Chex mix, the Christmas tree farm with animals to pet, a trip to pick out their 2009 ornaments, toy shopping for Channel 8's toy drive, gold paint hand prints on the tree skirt which I label with names and the year, decorating gingerbread houses, decorating their own little trees in their bedrooms, a new box of Christmas crafts from Oriental Trading, and a trip to The Dollar Tree where I let them choose gifts for each other and family.

I once read in a parenting magazine that it is important to make a big deal out of the holidays for kids. I repeat this mantra in my head several times a year. At Easter when I'm cleaning up egg dye, on the Fourth of July when my youngest is moaning about sore feet from walking to the parade, and of course at Christmas when I'm wrestling with yards and yards of garland and lights. Sometimes I just want to throw up my hands, forget the traditions, and pour a stiff drink.

But all the hassle and mess has a purpose. My chest gets tight as I watch them decorate the tree and with each ornament they pull out of the box someone exclaims, "Remember this one?!" I fight to keep my eyes from watering as I watch them smile as they dump the new toys they chose into the donation bin. They're good kids and I pray I'm raising them right. I hope they cherish these years and create traditions with their own children in memory of their childhood.

Time to share traditions. Doesn't have to be Christmas, any holiday will do. And what do you fondly remember from your childhood holidays?

Castle + Nathan Fillion = Hour Well Spent

Current Project: Derby book
Status: First draft

I'm sorry this post is late. I'm home sick today and my calendar reminder to blog is on my work computer. Well, my cell phone too, but (I know, you're going to be shocked) I haven't really touched my cell phone yet today. I must be sick! :)

Like most people (I assume), sick days are filled with an excessive amount of television watching. I already watch too much TV, but sick days are even worse. Today, I'm going to finish catching up on this season's episodes of Castle. I bet you were wondering what TV had to do with writing! ;) For those of you who don't know, Castle is a television series about a NY Times bestselling mystery writer who decides to base a new series on a New York City detective. So he follows her around on cases, there's sexual tension, great banter, and hilarious antics. Nathan Fillion plays the writer, Richard Castle.



This show is hilarious. He helps solve their cases by bringing a fresh perspective. He steps back and thinks as a writer. What would make a better story? He often proposes crazy twists and turns in what may have happened in a case, and he is often right. This show is great for all writers, not just mystery writers. It's funny to watch the glimpses of the publishing industry and the writing process. He even has a weekly poker game with actual big-name authors like James Patterson. Those scenes are quite funny.

Watching this show has been a good reminder to step back and think about what would make a better story. Catching the killer red-handed isn't as interesting as someone being framed for the killing and finding out there's a secret love-child and a missing trust fund. These are the plot twists that writers toil over to make our books great. It's just interesting and funny to see this on a television show. I really recommend you watch Castle, it's hilarious!

Has anyone seen it? Any other shows or movies you like because how it portrays authors? I always think back to that Roseanne Barr movie where her husband leaves her for a romance author with a pink house.

Okay, time to kick my dog off my couch. I'm not sick or anything, I didn't plan on spending the day laying on the couch, trying to rest. Oy! So spoiled! :D

SATURDAY CHECK-IN

Current Project: still thinking
Status: ready to work

This check-in is a lot easier to write when I'm actually working. Without a project, ticking off the weeks seems fruitless. So, muse, wherever you are, come on back to me. Lest you think you're the only one giving any ground, I'm willing to meet you halfway. Name your price. More freedom to stretch your wings? Done. Less whining from me when the fruits of your imagination land us actual work? You got it. An apology for past transgressions? Consider it offered

Until such time as the muse deems I've suffered enough and comes home, I'm trying to enjoy the free time. I haven't wrapped Xmas gifts yet, but I've bought most of them, in fact it's a rare day where I don't go somewhere on some mission or the other. Despite the cold, the puppy from hell still needs walks. I've also watch daytime TV for the first time in quite awhile. Won't be sorry to give that up. Ditto house cleaning and laundry and all the rest. Why does idle time seem such an attractive commodity until you actually have it?

How are you doing?

Current Project: ENTWINED
Status: Climax

The holidays have got me by the throat. Between Christmas shopping, Christmas cards, Christmas decorating (which my kids are upset I haven't gotten to yet) and Christmas parties, I think I'm behind on everything else. So...apologies for this being late.

Since this post IS so late, instead of a normal blog I'm just going to remind those of you in the chapter that tonight is our annual Christmas Party & Awards Meeting. 6 PM at Becky's house. If you need directions, check the chapter loop. I'm bringing yummy lasagna and the BEST white elephant gift. (Ya'll will be praying you get my gift.)

For the rest of you...don't you wish you were part of our chapter? There's always time to join.

Happy Partying!

Let's Blow Something Up!

Current Project:NMMNG
Status: 40 pages and counting!

I had an epiphany a few weeks ago. I both love and hate when this happens--it is lovely, but darn it, it always, ALWAYS means more work for me. Pacing has always been a bugaboo of mine, and I realized that a big part of the problem is that I have too many scenes of people standing around talking with nothing external happening to increase the tension or provide interest. Sure, I provide plenty of witty dialogue and some internal angst, but I'm guilty of using too many scenes just to convey information and set up future scenes. This is different from information dumping--it's not backstory and the scene has a clear purpose and place in the storyline. However, it is a sin nevertheless because it lacks that little extra oomph needed to ensure that the reader not only wants to keep reading but NEEDS to do so.

Now, I'm NOT writing a "suspense" book by any means--this is a YA romantic comedy with a twist. However, I have come to realize that EVERY book on my keeper shelf has very few standing around talking scenes. Something else is always going on--both internally: a subtle subtext because the point of view character knows or does not know some critical piece of information that the other character (and reader) does, a hidden agenda, a major realization or conflict revealed, or externally: danger, complications, thwarted intentions, things to work through in the course of the conversation, external influences creating havoc, etc. In one of her reader/writer guides, Suzanne Brockmann gives the example of a needed conversation--should it take place in a hotel room or should it take place in the middle of a power outage in a subway? The subway wins every time because it adds the elements of if the needed information will be conveyed and how the characters will resolve the external complication. Of course, her books still have a certain percentage of "hotel room" scenes, but there is almost always something else going on in the background that takes them out of the ordinary and raises the stakes.

"Raise the stakes" is my personal motto for this book. My last book had the motto "Go deeper. Deeper. DEEPER." It was a turning point in how I treat point-of-view, and while the book itself will probably spend forever under my bed, it was a success from that standpoint. So, I know that this motto is exactly what I need at this point in time. Of course, this means more work for me. I can't just place my characters in a room and let them talk all the time. I have to have other stuff happening, and frankly, that other stuff is exhausting and way more challenging than dialogue.

So I've been blowing stuff up--both literally and figuratively, and it IS fun. And of course, I want you to try it too. For those of you who have a work in progress, go right now and find a conversation that doesn't have much else happening. Blow something up. Give it something more. Report back, preferably posting your handiwork. For those who are between projects, I give you this very blah, yet vital dialogue. Blow something up. Raise the stakes. Give it that edge.

"Mick, I have something to tell you."
"What?"
"Well . . ."
"Come on, out with it."
"You're not going to like this."
"I'm a little busy here. Can you just spit it out already."
"I'm pregnant."
"What?"
"I'm pregnant."
"Congratulations. Who's the father?"

And Now For Something Completely Different...

Current Project: Post NaNo Project
Status: Just getting started!

In searching for a topic for today's blog post, I started thinking about the characters we create as writers. I'll do you all a favor and avoid describing the long, convoluted and somewhat tortuous path that led me here (though you might guess Monty Python was in there somewhere). And where is here, you ask? Why, it's Writing Characters Who Are Not Like Us, whether that means a different ethnicity, nationality, social class, sexual orientation or something else.

This can be a touchy subject, so don't worry, this isn't going to be a lecture about what writers should or shouldn't do (as if I'd presume!). Mostly, I'm wondering how other writers approach creating characters "not like them?" No one wants to create a character who comes across as a stereotype. So, if you don't know a Real Live Human Being (tm) of a similar background to your character, what do you do? Do you treat this as any other unknown factor in your story and do research? Or do you find yourself backing away from writing such characters out of fear of criticism?

I'll admit creating characters with backgrounds that differ wildly from what I know (i.e. from my own) can seem incredibly daunting at times. Seems a bit silly, though, when I remember that I write male POV all the time and I don't thnk twice about the fact that I am not now, nor have I ever been, a man. Yes, I know that's different, but isn't it somewhat similar? After all, I think nothing of researching the "guy" point of view to try to make my male characters as real as possible. Isn't that same approach valid for other characters, as well?

And now, for a quiz! Relax, it'll be fun (I hope). I'm always impressed by American writers who write British characters (and who do it well) in a British setting. Elizabeth George, Deborah Crombie and Martha Grimes are a few that come to mind. Of course, I wouldn't know if they got some of the details wrong, but these three seem to get high marks from British reviewers. Sometimes though, their characters will use an idiom or a bit of British slang that I'm unfamiliar with and stops me in my tracks until I look it up (and don't even get me started on Cockney rhyming slang). You can see what's coming, can't you? Yep, time to test your knowledge of British English!

Match the numbered word or phrase with the lettered definition. If you feel like it, post your guesses in the comments. I'll post the answers later tonight so you can see how you did. All of the words/phrases and definitions come from the book: Understanding British English, by Margaret E. Moore.

1. Braces
2. Near the knuckle
3. Parkin
4. Parson's nose
5. Swan
6. Davenport
7. Shop

a. drop-front desk with drawers
b. gingerbread made with oatmeal and molasses
c. suspenders
d. drift around idly
e. off color, somewhat indecent
f. betray, turn in to police
g. tail of a cooked fowl

Extra credit! Match the numbered Cockney rhyming slang with it's lettered English translation.

8. Adam and Eve
9. Mariah Carey
10. Nat King Cole
11. Butcher's Hook
12. Burt and Ernie

h. Journey
i. Dole (Welfare)
j. Look
k. Believe
l. Scary

Amusement Park Ride

Current Project:Bridled Hearts
Status: Revisions

A writer is on a continual roller coaster.

There are the days when you ride on a euphoric cloud of the words spilling from your brain and fingertips in melodic harmony. Stretching the characters, moving your emotions, and enriching the story. Then there are the days when you are lucky to get a page written whether from outside forces or your own internal locked creativity. Those days and sometimes weeks you struggle with self doubt, fear, and mock your stupidity at thinking you could be a writer let alone a published author.

Then something sparks within again, or someone hands you the key to unlock your doubts and fears. And you're riding on that amazing carpet that takes you to another world and lets you bring that world to life for others.

This past week reminds me of when I was thirteen and my younger brother dared me to get on an amusement ride with him. I don't have a constitution that deals well with things that whirl and twirl. But I wasn't going to back down and let my younger brother prove he was right. So we climbed on the ride, and about three spins in, I was feeling a bit green. I looked at my brother. He was pale, green, and looking ready to hurl. I yelled, "Sing a song." He started singing, "Baloney, baloney how I like baloney." I started laughing and we ended the ride neither one of us losing all the cotton candy and junk we'd eaten. And feeling triumphant.

Last week I sent a story to someone I'd never met to "beta read" my half of the sisters story. It was the other author's usual reader which I thought well and good they would see if the two stories mixed well. In all my years of writing and entering judged contests, I've never received so many scathing remarks, nor had my work so slashed apart. I was in shock before my CP's slapped me around. This came two days after I'd been notified that Miner in Petticoats was up for Western book of the year at Love Western Romances. Then on Saturday, I received a comment on my blog that a reader loved Perfectly Good Nanny and was thrilled I was able to find a place that would publish it.

I trashed the "beta reader" comments. Then I went back through the sisters story, making sure it was the best I could write, and shipped it to the other author today to incorporate with hers and send to the publisher who requested it.

If you don’t believe in yourself, you can't expect others to believe in you. Keep writing!

SATURDAY CHECK-IN/NANO UPDATE

Current Project:none
Status: quo

Another week has passed. It's been a strange week for me, all things considered. Today I'm getting a new lap top -- it's on the FedEx truck even as I type. I'm looking forward to it with trepidation as I'll have to figure out how to get it up and running myself.

A few ideas have been rambling round in my head so the cogitation continues.

How about you?

With or Without You

I just got off the phone with Genene. Her Internet is down and the service team isn't scheduled to come to her house to take a look-see until at least tomorrow. Contrary to the picture, she DID say she's being quite productive without the Internet distracting her. But she is going through withdrawls.

I know Kendra was recently without Internet, too. Paty routinely goes to eastern Oregon where she has no service. When my DSL goes down you'd think the world ended. So I'm curious...what CAN'T you live without? Imagine you are stranded on a desert island. What MUST you have in order to stay sane?

I'll start...

1. My laptop - When it's in the shop (my backup computer recently died), I feel lost. (And yeah, on MY desert island there are plug-ins!)
2. Internet - 'nuff said.
3. Tweezers - What can I say? I'm part Hungarian. We of the bushy-eyebrow people love our tweezers.
4. Books - I would die without something to read.
5. Diet Coke - yes, I've transferred my coffee addiction to a diet coke addiction. (Becky...shush!)

There's not much else I can't survive without. What about you?

Watching

Current Project:None
Status: thinking

There are a bunch of cats up there because the only thing I can think to write about after the last very eventful and very trying week is observation. It seems to me that's what a cat does. How often have I seen one of mine perched on some impossible ledge, just watching the world go by?

Novelists and other artistic types observe people and things and reinterpret them in their work. Even in the worst of times, part of us takes mental notes. I found myself doing this over and over. The details caught me, especially if when they were unique. I would sit there and wonder if I would have thought of all these things if I'd been writing this scene. Would I have understood the feelings correctly and portrayed them honestly? I committed them to memory without consciously deciding to do so.

Sometimes this tendency to observe life, even my own, from a distancing lens is a little disconcerting. Is this common to writers? Is it a protective device? Are you like this, too?

I'm suddenly in a kind of strange place. The responsibility for my mother's well being is over and I'm between books. It's like standing in the eye of a hurricane because my editor asked me to think about writing a series of three or four interconnected books for my next project. This is very exciting in a pleasant and almost distant way but soon enough an idea will sweep into my head and I'll be off again. Right now, I'm like a cat. Watching.