Finding the Write Moment

Writing Humor

2012-02-11T12:53:00.001-08:00

I think this goes for any genre, don't you?

Here I come grumpy post office lady

2012-01-31T18:37:00.000-08:00

I found the greatest challenge for the month of February. Write a letter a day. The only problem is that I have no stamps. That means I have to get out of my house and go out in public to get stamps from the grouchy postal worker that has a scowl down to a fine art. Go check out the website. Want to write me? Leave me a comment, I'll send you my address.
http://lettermo.com/

Take a tour of audible.com

2012-01-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

Remember when...

2012-01-19T16:23:00.000-08:00

I had an awesome flashback tonight. My 8 year old son received a typewriter from his grandfather. He walked in the door with it, sat it on the dining room table, put paper in there and promptly began to type his first novel. It's a horror story (yep, that's my boy!). After about three lines of pecking and pecking at the keys (we found out the "y" key doesn't work) he gave up on the typewriter and moved to his dad's computer. He began complaining about how all his letters were coming out as capitals. We went to check it out and saw that he was putting a hard return at the end of the line making the next word have a capital letter. I started grinning, that is exactly what I used to do when I made the jump from my beloved brother typewriter to that new shiny gadget they called a computer. I miss my typewriter but there is something awesome about the ease of typing on the computer. No white out. No messy ribbons. No sore fingers. You can write ANYTIME since there is no clickety clack of the keys.

Finding the Write Resolution

2011-12-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

I try to have separate resolutions when it comes to my writing versus personal resolutions. I was curious about what my writing resolution was last year because, honestly, by February I had forgotten I had one. This is what it was as written in last years blog post.

Instead of getting one of my children's books published I mean "get off my lazy butt and get busy!"

Now, I did get off my lazy butt and do more work but it wasn’t necessarily writing. I went to a writing conference (got to talk to an agent who was very helpful with one of my books), made a few more writing buddies, researched a little more markets and looked into make book trailers for authors (I’m a budding website designer). I have read more this year, venturing into different genres than I usually do and did come up with a few good ideas for future books.

SOOOOO….I guess I didn’t do too bad. I have been thinking of a new writing resolution and I think I’m going to keep the same one as last year. All in all, it wasn’t a bad writing year for me. How about you?

Top 10 Books Sales of the Year

2011-12-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

I just found this list on a blog. http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/nielsens-tops-of-2011-entertainment/

Top 10 Print Book Sales – Adult Non-Fiction
1 Heaven Is For Real Trade Paperback Todd Burpo Thomas Nelson Publishers 11/1/2010
2 Steve Jobs Hardcover Walter Isaacson Simon & Schuster 10/1/2011
3 Unbroken Hardcover Laura Hillenbrand Random House 11/1/2010
4 Killing Lincoln Hardcover Bill O’Reilly Henry Holt & Company 9/1/2011
5 Strengths Finder 2.0 Hardcover Tom Rath Gallup Press 2/1/2007
6 A Stolen Life Hardcover Jaycee Dugard Simon & Schuster 7/1/2011
7 Bossypants Hardcover Tina Fey Reagan Arthur Books 4/1/2011
8 The 17 Day Diet Hardcover Mike Moreno Free Press 3/1/2011
9 The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks Trade Paperback Rebecca Skloot Broadway Books 3/1/2011
10 In The Garden Of Beasts Hardcover Erik Larson Crown Publishing Group (Ny) 5/1/2011

Source: Nielsen

Data from January 3, 2011 – December 11, 2011. Nielsen BookScan’s U.S. Consumer Market Panel currently covers approximately 75% of retail sales and continues to grow. BookScan does not track sales from Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club.

Top 10 Print Book Sales – Adult Fiction Rank

1 The Help Trade Paperback Kathryn Stockett Berkley Publishing Group 4/1/2011
2 The Help Trade Paperback (Movie Tie-In Edition) Kathryn Stockett Berkley Publishing Group 6/1/2011
3 Water For Elephants Trade Paperback Sara Gruen Algonquin Books Of Chapel Hill 5/1/2007
4 Cutting For Stone Trade Paperback Abraham Verghese Vintage Books 1/1/2010
5 A Dance With Dragons Hardcover George R. R. Martin Bantam Books 7/1/2011
6 The Confession Mass Market Paperback John Grisham Dell Publishing Company 7/1/2011
7 The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Trade Paperback Stieg Larsson Vintage Books 6/1/2009
8 The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest Hardcover Stieg Larsson Knopf Publishing Group 5/1/2010
9 The Litigators Hardcover John Grisham Doubleday Books 10/1/2011
10 Room Trade Paperback Emma Donoghue Back Bay Books 5/1/2011

Source: Nielsen

Data from January 3, 2011 – December 11, 2011. Nielsen BookScan’s U.S. Consumer Market Panel currently covers approximately 75% of retail sales and continues to grow. BookScan does not track sales from Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club.

Top 10 Print Book Sales – Children and Young Adults Rank

1 The Hunger Games Trade Paperback Suzanne Collins Scholastic Press 7/1/2010
2 Cabin Fever Hardcover Jeff Kinney Abrams 11/1/2011
3 Catching Fire Hardcover Suzanne Collins Scholastic Press 9/1/2009
4 Inheritance Hardcover Christopher Paolini Alfred A. Knopf Books For Youn 11/1/2011
5 Mockingjay Hardcover Suzanne Collins Scholastic Press 8/1/2010
6 The Son Of Neptune Hardcover Rick Riordan Hyperion Books 10/1/2011
7 The Throne Of Fire Hardcover Rick Riordan Hyperion Books 5/1/2011
8 The Ugly Truth Hardcover Jeff Kinney Amulet Books 11/1/2010
9 The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book Hardcover Jeff Kinney Amulet Books 5/1/2011
10 Elf On The Shelf Hardcover Carol V. Aebersold Cca & B 12/1/2006

Source: Nielsen

Data from January 3, 2011 – December 11, 2011. Nielsen BookScan’s U.S. Consumer Market Panel currently covers approximately 75% of retail sales and continues to grow. BookScan does not track sales from Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club.

So...how did you do?

2011-12-01T13:50:00.001-08:00

November has come and gone and we are rounding the corner to Christmas and to 2012. How did you do on your NANOWRIMO novel adventure? Me, I logged in an embarrassing small amount of words. It made me wonder HOW writers go about writing and still living their lives? Do they have lives?

Novel Creations

2011-11-08T12:48:00.001-08:00

I was poking around in ETSY and found this great site I wanted to share with you. I'm putting the "To Kill a Mockingbird" purse on my wish list.

Novel Creations

National Novel Writing Month

2011-10-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

Anybody going to give it a try this year? This will be my third year. It is so much fun. My user name is 80squeen if you need a writing buddy. Please let me know if you are going to participate. It's so exciting to see your own word count go up each day. I did get one novel written and one almost written. They were crap but I wrote 50,000 words in one month. That was exciting and felt like an accomplishment since I can't seem to write 10 words a day lately...oh wait, I just did. WOHOO!

Who remembers this sweet sound?

2011-10-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

My very first love was my light blue Brother with self-correcting ribbon. Ahhhhh, sweet memories.

Preparing for a Writers Conference

2011-10-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

I will be attending the Gulf Coast Writers Association's 2nd annual writing conference this weekend. I feel so unprepared it's not funny. I have been researching "how to be prepared for a writers conference" and I thought I'd share with you some of the tips and advice I found.

What to bring to the conference:
•Copy of any books you have published
•Business Cards
•Bag for carrying your items
•Paper and pens
•A small snack
•Proposals
•Summary of your work in 3 sentences or less

Some advice:
•Study the conference brochure and know who people are and be familiar with the places they work. If you have an interview know that person as much as you can along with the place they work at.

•Resist the impulse to share the story of why (or for whom) you wrote the book unless you are specifically asked. It's clear that some writers allow themselves to be clouded by their emotional attachment to their story.

Here are a few questions and answers I found on About.com:Fiction Writing that were helpful.
AC: What can a writer do to make you want to see his or her work?
ED: Prepare your materials -- cover letter and manuscript -- carefully and professionally. Conduct yourself professionally. Be knowledgeable about the genre, market, and/or age group you're writing for. If possible, familiarize yourself with the editor's house -- since each company or imprint has a different style. Some publishers make for a better fit than others so don't try to force your work into a home where it won't fit in. If you write something original and distinctive, an editor will want to read more!

AC: Do you have advice on how to follow up in a professional manner?
ED: If an editor has agreed to consider your work, you may ask him or her for a rough time frame for when you can expect a response. You may also ask him/her whether you may follow up with a note or an e-mail -- but never a phone call! I repeat -- never call an editor to follow up on the status of your submission. A brief note or an e-mail is much more professional. (A thank you note is a welcome and subtle reminder that you're eager for a response!) Do allow sufficient time to pass. A few weeks or less after a conference is not enough time for an editor to get through conference submissions; editors are, after all, editing projects that are already signed up, and these are their first priority!

Good luck to all of you attending writing conferences this year. I will be sure to give you all the information and advice I learn this weekend.

We all have our limits

2011-09-21T17:32:00.001-07:00

One Page a Day

2011-09-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

I recently found a great website called Novel Rocket. Here is a video from the creator of Novel Rocket, Gina Holmes, about getting started and some tips she learned along the way. She talks about writers conferences and I will have a great video she made about that later.

p.s. Anybody know about the spacing in fiction writing?

Fishing for a good book

2011-08-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

In a recent article in The Writer, Sept 2010, author, Antonya Nelson said, “A good first line doesn’t just invite the reader to read; it invites the writer to write.” So true, isn’t it?

Have you read (or written) any of these books lately?

Hook, Line and Sinker
Great start, middle keeps you wanting more, ending makes you think about it for weeks after you finished the book. These books are the ones you keep on your bookshelf to read again.

Hook, Line and Stinker
Starts off great, good in the middle and bombs at the end

Hook, Yawn and Sleeper
Starts out good and then starts to drag. By the end of the book you are wanting somebody to give you back all the time you wasted on reading this book.

I'm going to be honest and admit that the last draft I wrote was just dull in the middle. I had the beginning and decent ending but a boring middle. I've read advice that when that happens you throw a wrench into the story. Shake it up again because if you're bored writing it then the reader is definitely going to be bored reading it.

Southern Writers New Magazine

2011-08-13T07:38:00.000-07:00

Grab your sweet tea and head on over to Southern Writers Magazine for a new magazine written by and for southern writers and those that just like to visit. They have a blog, articles and a list of conferences. It looks promising and is just another possible way to get your work out there.

Good-Bye Summer

2011-08-02T15:55:00.001-07:00

Well, in my little corner of the world the summer is coming to an end and school is starting. UGH. This was my summer of reading. I read a ton of books and they were in all different genres. I’ve never really branched out like that before but I’m certainly glad I did. I found some great new books, found some cool new authors and got re-energized in my writing. I also have a writing conference coming up in October that I’m pretty excited about it. If you are down south it is “Souther Expression” the Gulf Coast Writers Association Annual Writing Conference. http://www.gcwriters.org/ I also have begun to think about what I want to write for NANOWRIMO in November. Can’t wait for that this year!

Inspiration

2011-07-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

I get inspiration to write in the weirdest places. I had a great idea one day while I was vacuuming. Last night while I was reading a book I got loads of ideas. I guess the book wasn’t really that good because it let my mind drift to other things. I’m not going to stop reading it though – bring on those ideas! I get a lot of ideas while I’m walking on the treadmill. So much that I have to keep a notepad nearby and write while I walk….which is not an easy feet for me since I’ve been told I can’t chew gum and walk at the same time. Mowing the yard is another place I seem to get ideas. When do your ideas hit you? I guess as writers we are doomed to forever carry pad and pencil with us everywhere we go.

Diary of a Writer

2011-07-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

I have been hit lately with lots of "aha" moments while reading fiction books and non-fiction books on writing. In Stephen King's book On Writing he says to write the truth. (I would say truthfully but he says NO ADVERBS ALLOWED.) In Chuck Palahniuk's book Diary (which is awesome, by the way) a character states, "Peter used to say, an artist's job is to pay attention, collect, organize, archive, preserve, then write a report. Document. Make your presentation. The job of an artist is just not to forget." This character is a painter but doesn't the statement ring true of being a writer? We are always observing and listening to other people. Taking note of inflections and weird ticks, storing those little tidbits away to use in an upcoming story. If not, then you need to be. Write the truth about the world as your character sees it, which most of the time is the way you see it. Readers can smell phoney and they simply will close the book and put it in the pile of books to sell in the next garage sale.

What are we doing to our children?

2011-06-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

This is another winner from the book trailers category. This one is super cute and could be used as a public service announcement.

What Are We Doing To Our Children?: It’s A Book – Lane Smith

Best and Worst Big House Book Trailers

2011-06-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

The Best - Best Big House: Packing for Mars – Mary Roach

The Worst - Worst Big House: Savages – Don Winslow

Winner - Best Small House Book Trailer

2011-06-19T08:25:00.001-07:00

Tree of Codes by Jonathan Safran Foer - Public Reactions from Visual Editions on Vimeo.

Best Small House: Tree of Codes – Jonathan Safran Foer

I have to admit, it really makes me want to go see what's in that book!

Compare it to the worst small house book trailer

Worst Small / No House: Pirates: The Midnight Passage – James R. Hannibal

I can see their point. The pirates need a little acting practice but still, I have to say it looks better than some I've seen. What do you think?

Best Book Trailer Nominee

2011-06-13T13:57:00.000-07:00

Well, this is proof that a great book trailer is one of the best marketing tools these days because I am running out tonight and buying this book! This is one of the best book trailer (small house) nominess for the 2011 Moby Awards.

Best Thrillers of the Year 2011

2011-06-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

I got this off the great website GALLEYCAT. If you go to the site they offer free samples of all the novels.

Last week the International Thriller Writers revealed the 2011 Thriller Awards nominees.

Best Hard Cover Novel:

Michael Connelly – THE REVERSAL (Little Brown)
Jeffery Deaver – EDGE: A NOVEL (Simon & Schuster)
Brian Freeman – THE BURYING PLACE (Minatour)
Mo Hayder – SKIN (Grove)
John Sanford – BAD BLOOD (Putnam)

Best Paperback Original:

Robert Gregory Browne – DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN (St. Martin’s)
Max Allan Collins and Matthew Clemens – YOU CAN’T STOP ME (Pinnacle)
J.T. Ellison – THE COLD ROOM (Mira)
Shane Gericke – TORN APART (Pinnacle)
Jon Trace – THE VENICE CONSPIRACY (Hachette Digital) (no excerpt available)

Best First Novel:

Carla Buckley – THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE (Random House)
Paul Doiron – THE POACHER’S SON (Minatour)
Reece Hirsch – THE INSIDER (Berkley)
Thomas Kaufman – DRINK THE TEA (Minatour)
Chevy Stevens – STILL MISSING (St. Martin’s)

Best Short Story:

Mike Carey – “Second Wind” (THE NEW DEAD, St. Martin’s)
Michael Connelly – “Blue on Black” (Strand Magazine)
Richard Helms – “The Gods for Vengeance Cry” (Dell Magazine)
Harley Jane Kozak – “Madeeda” (Crimes By Midnight)
Nicolas Kaufman – “Chasing the Dragon” (ChiZine Magazine)
Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins – “Long Time Dead” (Strand Magazine)

How a blog helps a writer

2011-05-28T10:03:00.001-07:00

I sometimes wonder why blogs are so important to writers. In my case, it helps me with my creativity, keeps me writing and puts me in contact with other writers. Last night at the bookstore a really big reason was revealed to me. We were at the store looking for a book for my little guy and I came across the book “Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow”. (And another little thing I noticed about books is that I pick up the book for the title first and then cover art but a kid looks at the cover art first.) I saw the author was Nathan Bransford. “I know this guy!” I blurted out. My family looked at me like I had two heads but that was all it took. I knew that guy and I was going to buy this book. When I got in my car I started talking about the book and realized that I didn’t really “know” Nathan Bransford, I just follow his blog. But that proved to me that blogs work. They create reader loyalty and they let the blog readers into a little part of your life so they feel they know you. What do you think?

Here is the link to my good friend Nathan's blog - http://blog.nathanbransford.com/

Another great find

2011-04-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

I found a funny flowchart at Kate Hart on how to get your novel published.

CHECK THIS OUT

I should...

2011-04-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Can't believe I have had this blog this long and totally neglected to put a link to one of my all time favs over there on the right column. I Should Be Writing. Mur Lafferty's website is just a part of Mur's universe. She also has an awesome Writing Podcast (free, by the way) on iTunes. If you haven't listened to that, I would recommend it. She is a science fiction writer but all writers can relate to her ups and downs and struggles throughout her writing life.

To get a taste of I Should Be Writing I have a video podcast about book trailers. If you've ever tried to make one or thinking of it, you'll appreciate this.

I can do zombies...

2011-03-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

So have you ever had anyone say to you, "Gee, you are the writer, why don't you just write up your husbands resume for him?"

Er, no? Okay, well that happened to me because my husband was looking for a job a while back. Even HE said the same thing, "You're the writer, you can do a better job than me." People don't understand that there is a difference, I mean if my husband was a vampire or werewolf hunter, killed zombies or was a mad scientist I could really rock his resume but he's not. And I'm not a technically great writer, I admit it, I grew up in Mississippi. My grammar sucks! (just like the vampires I write about)

Moral of the story: Don't ask me to write a resume unless you want a little fiction flair in there.

Great video to watch

2011-03-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

Here is a cool video I found on Hulu.com. It is a talk on creativity by Amy Tan. It's a little over 20 minutes but I think you'll find it's worth it.

Amy Tan on Creativity

Fun Contest

2011-02-23T19:11:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! There is a fun contest on Janet Reid's blog. Go check it out and let me know if you entered it. I'd love to read your post.

The Classics

2011-01-31T15:19:00.001-08:00

Have you read "Dracula"? I am reading it now, almost through with it, and I'm blown away by the writing. Even though I know what is going to happen I am still on the edge of my seat. (Yeh, it's a little slow in the beginning but I can easily overlook that.) I've read "To Kill a Mockingbird" and it instantly became my favorite book of all time. So, what other classics do I NEED to read? What book stands the test of time and has such great writing it gives you goosebumps?

I've been in a jam

2011-01-23T15:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry everyone, I have been stuck lately. I promise I'll be back soon though. One of my new years resolutions is to get my children's books published and I plan on taking you on that journey with me. I also know a fellow writer who has scored a contract and I'd like to share her story with you. STAY TUNED.

Question of the Week

2010-12-30T08:57:00.000-08:00

I am puzzled. It might be that I haven't drank my coffee or that I was up way, way, way past my bedtime writing (YAY FOR ME!!). I receive a lot of emails telling me about contests and I got one yesterday about a short story contest. The guidelines say that you have to have your story mailed off by Jan. 15th. This got me wondering if people write a bunch of short stories (or poems or whatever) and then try to find contest to enter OR do they write the short story (or poems or whatever) when they find out about the contest. ????

Times are a-changing

2010-12-28T05:58:00.000-08:00

It's time for a change! I just read a great post at Rants & Ramblings about New Years Resolutions. I had already started my "to-do" list for 2011 and Rachelle Gardner is right! Look behind the resolution and see what you really mean by a resolution. So instead of exercising I'm going to "get healthy". Instead of getting one of my childrens books published I mean "get off my lazy butt and get busy!". Ah, I feel much better now. What are your resolutions and what is the real meaning behind them?

Merry Christmas

2010-12-21T18:32:00.000-08:00

Just Curious

2010-12-20T16:59:00.000-08:00

To Nook or not to Nook...that is my question. My husband bought me an early Christmas present his year, surprise, it is the Nook. I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to get my hands (and eyes) on it. Downloaded "Dracula" and started reading immediately. I wonder how The Nook (and like devices) will effect the book industry. Will it strengthen it by making books readily available ANYWHERE? Will it hurt the public library system which I'm a huge supporter of. Will it sell more Novellas? What do you think?

How about a little cheese with my whine...

2010-11-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

or better yet, I'll take some wine with my whine. Sorry guys, I just read my post and I sound like a big whiner. Next time just give me a big blogger slap. I sat down and read over some short stories I had started working on and wrote a little in them and thought to myself, "what the heck are you complaining about? These are great little stories; get your butt writing." And I did. I actually added about 1,000 words to my word count on Nanowrimo. (get to it, Ana, you can do it too.)

Remember - blogger slap!

ps. just found this post from The New Author - Don't Worry and Just Write

Zippity Doo Dah

2010-11-13T05:43:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's my official word count on NanoWrimo. What is going on? Well, I can give you a list of excuses and things that I've had to do besides writing but you would just roll your eyes. I have always posted about putting your butt in the chair and write and I'm not taking my own advice, am I? Staring at the zero word count got me thinking about other writers. Does Stephen King go a day without writing? How about the authors that crank out a book or two a year? I wake up in the middle of the night wondering if that ZERO mean that I really don't want to write? No, I want to write, I need to write. Anybody else have any advice or similar stories?

The Writing Life

2010-11-04T09:12:00.001-07:00

It's Here!

2010-11-01T10:20:00.001-07:00

I woke up in a panic this morning when I realized today was the day to start my novel. I have signed up, added new writing buddies, decided what I'm going to write...now all I need to do is put my butt in the chair for an hour a day and WRITE. Good luck to everyone else that signed up. I'll be sure to post my progress or non-progress here.

It's Looming

2010-10-20T10:59:00.001-07:00

Guess what is coming in November. Nanowrimo. Yes, it’s that time of the year when we try to write a 50,000 word novel in just one month. I have done this two years in a row now and have had a great time. It has taught me a lot about which writing style works best for me. One of my biggest problems was “to outline or not to outline”. I found I work best with an outline but know many writers who don’t. We are all as unique as our writing and ideas. If you haven’t tried it before I would suggest you give Nanowrimo a try this year. My user name is 80squeen if you want a writing buddy. It’s always fun to see what everyone’s word count is. Good luck everyone!

I love my short, shorts but they give me a headache

2010-10-07T07:02:00.001-07:00

I have found a new love. Short stories. I have been consumed with them lately neglecting everything but my bath, my wine and my books of short stories. What a great discovery. I have tried reading them before and did not get far. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just the “right time” for me. I seem to go through phases. I have written several short stories and have made it a goal to understand the inner workings of the short story. Talk about difficult. Imagine editing your story down to its mere bones and then edit some more and still have great characters. Gees! One of my problems is to know when to quit. I have a great short story written and I love it so much but should I expand it or keep it a short? Would it lose its effectiveness if I develop it further? Then, there is the question of, after I get it written, where should I submit it? There are many places that publish short stories, which one will be a good fit for mine? ARGH, it hurts my brain; why couldn’t I have been born an accountant?!

And the winner is...

2010-09-30T11:59:00.001-07:00

80smom! Congrats to you! I will be sending you a black hat with holes on the side so you can slide your favorite pen or pencil in. That way you will always have something to write with when you get those ideas from out of the blue. Now we have to work on where to keep paper at. Congrats again and thank you to all who sent in their ideas.

ONE MORE WEEK!

2010-09-23T04:28:00.000-07:00

Okay guys, there is only one more week to the hat contest. C'mon, I know you creative types can come up with a hat idea. Just post your idea in the comment section. Good luck!!!

Put your thinking cap on

2010-09-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

CONTEST CONTEST CONTEST CONTEST CONTEST

As some of you know, I have a knit hat business. I do art/craft shows during the fall and sell them all year round on ETSY. I have been working on my inventory for this fall and have come up with some cool new designs. I love to create different hats, not the kind you will find at your local super store.

I am going to run a contest on this blog. I would like for you to come up with an idea for a hat that is doable and something a writer would want to wear. I have one I like to wear when it’s cooler and I sit down to write. It’s part of my “routine”…so are my goddess of creativity socks. (I look like a hot mess when I write, I’m sure.) If I pick your design idea I will knit the hat and send it to you for free. The winner is picked by me and I can't ship anywhere outside the U.S. (sorry) Good luck everyone. Can't wait to hear your ideas!!

Time for a walk

2010-09-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

I did what I was told to do (be sure to tell my mom this!). I planted my butt in the chair, commonly known as BIC, and wrote. I wrote, I knitted, I worked on websites and I worked on homework…all while my butt was in a chair. Now let me give you a little hint if you are like me and try the BIC way of getting things written – TAKE FREQUENT WALKS. If you happen to see a frazzled looking woman in her 40s, limping and favoring one leg, wearing 80s t-shirts, Converse and watching everything but where she is going – that would be me. So when they tell you to put your butt in the chair and write, take their advice, it really works. But make sure you also take advice from this hobbling writer and get up every once in a while and walk around.

Sleeping on the job

2010-08-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

I ask you...is there any other profession that will wake you up in the middle of the night and make you scramble to jot down your thoughts before you forget them? How many best selling ideas have I ignored (and lost) because I've been too tired to get up and write them down? They'll be there in the morning, I tell myself. Nope, that's not how this 40+ year old brain operates these days. So I'm up writing down my thoughts at midnight. Got two great little paragraphs written and then POOF I'm out of ideas. Okay, so I woke up for two great paragraphs and now I have a blog post. I guess I can call it a night now...as soon as I'm done playing some online games and check FaceBook.

A happy ending

2010-08-05T07:08:00.000-07:00

I know this video has NOTHING to do with writing but it is so cool I had to post it. What would you do at the end? My first reaction was to throw the thing back - I mean those whales are huge and they're in a small boat!

I found a great blog!

2010-07-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to pass along a great blog I just found. It has a lot of useful information and is beautifully designed. Go check it out when you can.

Jody Hedlund

A World Without Writers

2010-07-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a video for inspiration.

2010-07-13T06:03:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Paige at Paradise Valley 2...Hell's Mountain for my cool award. As I told her, I have never been accused of being full of substance, only junk food. The rule is that I have to sum up my blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience in 5 words. So, my 5 words are:

writing
creativity
friendship
inspiration
knowledge

A funny blog

2010-07-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, I just found this funny blog from an ill-tempered editor and it is hilarious. Go check it out. It makes you realize how dumb you can sound to an editor.
Slushpile Hell

Designing Question

2010-06-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I am going back to college to get my bachelors degree in web design. I really want to focus on a few niches in my designs and, of course, writer's webpages will be one of them. Patricia Cornwell has an awesome website. I was wondering if any of you had any favorite writer's webpages and what sort of things you would like to see on your own webpage.

What exactly are they rejecting?

2010-06-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

I received a rejection letter in the mail for my childrens book. It wasn't the end of the world; it just reminded me of the day I walked the query out to the mailbox and how happy it made me. I plan on sending more queries out now. You know, the hard thing is not knowing whether they rejected your query or your story. Anybody have any advice or stories about query writing? I swear I think writing a query is harder than writing the book. I have looked online to see what "good query letters" look like. Any suggestions?

Puttin' one foot in front of the other

2010-06-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

I am celebrating today. I finally walked my query out to the mailbox and put the flag up! It took me weeks to do this. I kept putting it off and putting it off. Excuses, excuses. What the heck am I so afraid of? Rejection? Gees, I survived high school, I should be able to face anything. I found myself a nervous wreck though. I had to throw away numerous envelopes because I kept misspelling words I shouldn't, my writing was too sloppy, the lines were too crooked and finally when I have the envelope perfected...I put the stamps on the bottom of the envelope instead of the top. So as I proudly walked my query out to the mailbox (hey neighbors, don't you know what I have in my hand? The next big thing!!) this song came to my mind. Hope you have a great day and don't forget to put your one foot in front of the other.

Still here...

2010-05-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone. It's been a hectic month with one of my kids graduating from kindergarten (yes, they have those for kindergarteners. It is crazy!) and I'm working on a query letter for a childrens book I wrote. So keep on checking back. I'll be back soon.

Kicking myself in the lazy pants!

2010-04-23T07:10:00.001-07:00

Have you ever gotten really excited about a great idea for your next novel, something you haven't seen before anywhere, then the next day you walk into the bookstore and see your idea sitting on the "New Releases" shelf? That happened to me yesterday as I was on my way to a little league baseball game. We were driving to the ballfield and my husband tells me he found a great new audio book called One Second After by William R. Forstchen.
"What's it about?" I ask.
My husband then tells me about how a bomb goes off and the country loses electricity and how everyone has to cope. My jaw dropped down to the floor.
"That's almost exactly what I wrote for NanoWrimo a couple of years ago!" I yelled.
He shrugs. "Well, it's a great book, you should read it."
I don't need to read it; it's in my head. I almost wrote it. Now, I'm not saying my story was exactly like this one, I'm just saying the premise is the same - how we would react if we all lost electricity and the effects afterwards. Kudos for Mr. Forstchen for writing this book and getting it printed. It's more than what I did. I am so mad at myself for being so darn lazy! Maybe this was the kick in the pants I needed to make myself FINISH WHAT I START!

How has the internet affected you as a writer?

2010-04-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

The final days of my first semester back to college are winding down. Among the last of my final projects is a research paper about how the internet has affected writers. Included in this research paper is how the internet has helped writers. I have included topics on the Kindle, ebooks, book trailers on youtube, author websites, getting to know your readers, getting to know other writers, and instant feedback from readers. Have I missed anything? I am curious about what your thoughts are on the internet and how it has affected writers. Is it a good thing or bad? Me personally, I would never trade in my paperback books for a Kindle. I like the feel of the book in my hand. I don't care much for reading something on the internet; it's too "sterile" or something. I can't quite put my finger on it. Wait, that might be ther reason I don't like to read off the computer. Okay, I have just figured out my own wierdness.

A Very Good Short Story

2010-04-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jean for the great email.

I chickened out

2010-04-07T12:19:00.001-07:00

Yep, the first of April came and went and I didn't sign up for ScriptFrenzy this year. I wanted to but things got in the way such as life, school, that rollerskating accident (ouch!),kids, school, housework, work, blah, blah, blah. Just excuses, I know. Professionals write and they also have a life too. I need to quit finding excuses and do more writing; I need to take more chances. Okay, so I am going to put it out there right now - I am going to submit a short story to a contest for my local writers association.

...so what am I still doing here? I need to get my butt in gear and write!

Rekindling an old flame

2010-03-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

A few posts ago I told you about a dream which gave me one sentence that inspired me to write a story. I wasn’t sure what the sentence meant at the time. A week later I had another dream that tied things together for me. (Thank you dream muse!) The problem with this is that the story I dreamt is in a genre that I have not tried to write. It was a dream about space, traveling to another planet to be exact. So, being the ever prepared Girlscout/Brownie I once was, I went to the bookstore and, with the intention of buying one space fantasy sci-fi novel, I brought home THREE.

Today I began reading the first one and I couldn’t stop reading it. I had forgotten how much I LOVE this stuff! The first book that I fell completely head over heels in love with was Alan Dean Fosters Glory Lane. So off I go to read some more about mysterious planets, treacherous space travel and menacing space invaders. You know what they say; you never forget your first love.

Eat Pray Love movie trailer

2010-03-20T17:17:00.001-07:00

Here's hoping the movie does the book justice.

Old Chinese Proverb

2010-03-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Had to share this funny email I just received. Thank you Lucky!

Confucius say,

"If you are in a book store and cannot find the book for which you search, you are obviously in the.....

Some Smart Advertising

2010-03-03T07:16:00.001-08:00

As I was driving down the road I spotted a billboard for a book. I’ve never seen a billboard advertising a book. Keep in mind though, I’m not in a big city so this is big stuff for me. Normally I would not be interested in the book that was advertised but I had to go check out the website that was on the billboard. Next thing I know I was in the bookstore purchasing the book. I figure, if it’s good enough to be on a billboard AND have its own website then it must be a really good book. My dad read it and gave it a bad review. (This book is right up his alley too.) I was disappointed. How could something not be good when it’s on a billboard?

Ah, they got me, didn’t they?

So now I’m wondering if it is worth it. I certainly wouldn’t rush out and buy another book that this author wrote because of my disappointment (or my dads) in the first book. I feel duped by the billboard. But is that really fair to the author? He was just doing some smart advertising. Is it fair to hold that against him? I’ve read some duds from some of my favorite authors but that didn’t stop me from buying his/her latest book. Why should this be any different? Maybe I just have billboard envy.

In my opinion, this was a great idea for advertising. Have you seen any other new ways of advertising a book?

If you dream it...

2010-02-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

Ever had one of those dreams when you wake up and know you have to write it down? I did. It was a doozie. This golem-type “thing” pulled me close and whispered something in my ear. I woke up and wrote that something down and then fell back to sleep. The next morning I happen to see my chicken scratch on a piece of ripped, coffee stained paper. It was just one sentence but a pretty darn, good one. I still can’t figure out what it means but I’m sure when I do I’ll have one heck of a great story.

My 2008 Nanowrimo novel was based on a dream. It was another strange dream but was very hard to get all the details worked out since it was kind of “out there”. I ended up making a timeline and character sheets and really had to work hard on making it make any sense at all because just like my thoughts, my dream was all over the place. It was easy (compared to my 2009 Nano novel which was NOT based on a dream) because I had a visual to refer back to. It was one of those dreams that you don’t forget in the morning. So when I came to a block I could just think back on the dream and then visualize how it would play out.

What's scary to me about this whole dream thing is that I swear I don’t remember waking up and writing that sentence down. It makes me wonder about how many other great ideas I have dreamt and never wrote down.

Writing Contest

2010-02-11T07:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a contest by a fellow blogger, The New Author. You'll find his link over there on the right. He is having his second annual writing competition and it starts in March. This gives you plenty of time to polish off that short story or poem you've been working on. Here is a link to the page on his blog that gives all the details. Go check it out. The 2nd Annual New Author Writing Contest

Just Do It

2010-02-04T11:15:00.001-08:00

I love this youtube video (thanks William Kenower). I posted it on here so I can keep going back and watching it. It really inspires me I hope it helps inspire you too.

Expository Writing

2010-01-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

Expository writing is a type of writing that is used to explain, describe, give information or inform.

Why do I have this on my post today? Simple, I am starting college (again) and tonight is my first class which happens to be expository writing. I am pretty excited about it and hoping it will boost my writing creativity. It's been a long time since I've taken a writing class...or any class for that matter. I hope I get a lot out of this class (my hopes are high) and I hope there are some cute guys in the class. Hey, I might be old but I'm not dead!!

Writing resolution 2010

2009-12-31T08:33:00.001-08:00

I have been thinking and thinking about what I should make as my writing resolution. Obviously I need to write everyday and that has been on my list for years and years but I think I’ve come up with a new one. Here it is (drum roll please)…

1. Finish.

Yep, that’s my big resolution. Sound too simple? That one word could really sum up a lot of things needed in my life. Here is a typical day in my house. I vow to only work in the kitchen and get it clean, top to bottom. I find a dish towel that needs to be washed so I go throw it in the laundry room. The Windex is sitting on the dryer so I grab it and go clean some windows. I notice dirt on the window seal so I get the vacuum cleaner and suck all the dirt off the seal and then go ahead and vacuum the whole house while I have the vacuum out. Then the kids get home from school and I wonder where has my day gone? I started in the kitchen at 9am and now it is 3pm and the kitchen is not clean. The same chaos goes with my writing. I will be writing and get distracted by an idea and have to write that down and then that leads to something else and now I have to go online to do research on that idea (while it’s still fresh in my mind) and by the time that’s done I am not in the mindset to write in the original story so now I have two or three unfinished stories sitting in front of me. The End.

Merry Christmas Y'all

2009-12-24T06:04:00.000-08:00

What I learned from National Novel Writing Month 2009

2009-12-19T19:15:00.000-08:00

Every story I write is like a child; they are all different and have to be treated as such. I wrote using note cards for the book I published. Last year, for Nanowrimo, I used a timeline that was very effective in helping me write. It kept things (facts, names, happenings) organized and kept me moving forward. This year for Nano I didn’t use anything, I just sat down and wrote. That process didn’t work out so well for me but I think it’s okay. I learned through this experience and I think that is ultimately what Nanowrimo is about. I found some new writing buddies, have been inspired and inspired some others to follow their passion. I learned there is no wrong way or right way to write…there is only TO WRITE.

Frost Bite

2009-12-13T20:53:00.001-08:00

LOST GENERATION - great use of play on words

2009-12-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

Thankful for YOU reading this blog

2009-11-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know.

2009-11-20T11:40:00.001-08:00

I have fallen behind in my word count for Nanowrimo. It's not just by a little either. Will I catch up? I'm trying. I'm working every minute the kids are at school and sneaking out of the room for some privacy when they are home. I've consumed way too much coffee and eaten way too much junk food. I've fallen behind on my ETSY orders (check out the link to the right) and I don't remember if I've fed the cats today. Stay tuned to find out if I make it. It'll be a nail biter.

Just because I couldn't wait until Christmas!

2009-11-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

This book was screaming "BUY ME!" as I walked into the bookstore. I couldn't help it, I couldn't wait another month and a half for Christmas to get here. This would be my early Christmas present to myself. The book doesn't cost a lot, don't get me wrong, I have just made a vow to make a "wish list" for my family and not buy anything else until after the holidays.

What a great book this is! Even if you are not a huge Stephen King fan (which I am) you will appreciate this book. It gives you a glimpse of the "inside" of writing books. He has a final galley page from The Stand (my favorite King book) with notes written and words crossed out. It has manuscript pages from It (the scariest damn book I ever read) with copy editor's notes about layout and grammatical mistakes. Yes, even the master makes mistakes. Whew, there is still hope for me yet.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (gulp)

2009-11-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

Alright, I saw my first Christmas commercial on television the other day. This is WAY too soon to start, don't you think? I mean, I don't have my pumpkins and bats put away and I haven't even begun to think about making Thanksgiving dinner but yet they are forcing Christmas down my throat already. Well, I received this picture in an email titled "Creative Christmas Decorating on a Budget". I thought I would share it with you so it will give you plenty of time to plan for it.

NANOWRIMO begins

2009-11-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

Here we go everyone. It's the first day of Nanowrimo (National Writing Month) and it's time to sit my butt in the chair AND WRITE. I've already got my first sentence and a good idea of where I want the story to go. I toyed with the idea of writing the story from ending to beginning but I think I'll try it the old fashion way this time - beginning to end. Good luck to anyone who is trying it. Remember to add me to your buddy list. 80squeen

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T10:53:00.001-07:00

from my spooky, kooky family.

Are you participating in NANOWRIMO?

2009-10-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of the year again. No, I’m not talking about time for witches, pumpkins and vampires. I’m talking about writing a novel. I participated in NANOWRIMO last year (National Novel Writing Month) and loved it. Not only did I get 50,000 words closer to a completed novel but I also learned some valuable lessons about writing.
1. Write every day.
2. Do not edit as I write.
3. I CAN write during the holidays.
4. I am a better writer if I use an outline, timeline or storyboard.
5. Writing makes me feel good.
6. I can write anywhere.
7. It’s okay to write something I don’t like in the end. I hated the novel I wrote last year BUT I sat my butt down and wrote something which is an accomplishment in itself. That novel will never see a publisher but it did spark my creativity and determination to write.

www.nanowrimo.org

Let me know if you are participating in Nanowrimo this year. My user name is 80squeen. Please feel free to put me on your buddy list. Now comes the hard part of deciding which novel idea to write this year.

Taking a U-turn

2009-10-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the podcast, Writing Excuses Season 3 Episode 17 (off iTunes) which answered a question I had from my previous post, The Wrong Turn from June 9, 2009, about what to do when your character and/or story goes off in a totally different direction than you wanted. The podcasters suggested that you have either cast the wrong character or that you have become bored with your story. Another good point they made is that when your character starts doing something you are surprised about then it could be a problem with two or three chapters back. If that is the case you can go back and see if it is a fixable problem. Another bit of advice was to let your characters talk and see where it leads.

After I listened to the podcast I came to the conclusion that I had become bored with my story. I hate to admit it but that’s the reason. Since then I have changed the plot, changed the setting but kept the characters. This seems to be working out well. As I said in a previous post, I am working on creating more conflict in my story. Just by doing that I am finding that I have breathed new life into the characters, the plot and even the setting. It has got me excited about the story again.

Doing the happy dance

2009-10-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

WOHOO! I did it, I did it! I just submitted my entry to the 1977 song story contest I blogged about a few post below. Boy, did it feel great to hit that "send" button. I hope I win but I think I already have (I know, it sounds corny). Nanny nanny boo boo - I beat you procastination. I beat you fear of failure. I beat you distractions. My next challenge is NANOWRIMO.

Finding my chaos

2009-10-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

I watched a couple of movies (Lost in Austen, Inkheart) this past week about people being transported into books. Lost in Austen was about a girl who traded places with Elizabeth Bennet from her favorite book, Pride and Prejudice. That got me thinking about which book I love the most, so much that I would want to be transported into that “world”. I couldn’t think of one single book I have read

that I would love to go into that world. Why? Because all the books I love have chaos in their worlds. It, Jurassic Park, Gone With the Wind (who would want to wear those corsets?), World War Z, To Kill a Mockingbird (all the racial tensions and no air conditioning) or The Stand. I like things in my real world calm but none of my beloved books have tranquility in their world. It’s all chaos and conflicts. So, I admit it, my life would make one boring book. You won’t see a memoir of my life coming out soon in a bookstore near you. Nope, I’ll have to make up new worlds and live vicariously through my characters. That’s one of the treasures of being a writer. I can gallivant and cause bedlam wherever and whenever I want and then go make a cup of coffee and enjoy the peace and quiet of my safe, tranquil world (until the kids get home from school).

This brings me to my next challenge. After completing the short story for the contest I blogged about below and after coming up with an idea for the upcoming NANOWRIMO contest, I need to create pandemonium and conflicts into my current work in progress. I think I have stalled because I have gotten bored with the subject. (Which is a subject for my next blog entry – stay tuned.)

Good-bye prime time and hello writing time

2009-09-21T13:11:00.001-07:00

My children are mortified that I have canceled our digital television and bought an antenna instead. Besides the fact that it is saving me a ton of money each month it also cuts the distraction of watching television all day. Gone are the days of 300 channels to choose from and hello to 7 local channels. Hello primetime sitcoms and goodbye Home and Garden television, Food Network and my beloved Chiller network. Hello more money for groceries! Hello more time to write although it’s been there all this time so I really should say good bye to an excuse.

My husband and I were telling our oldest son about what television used to be like. This was like the t.v. I had in my room as a kid. It was color, the screen was itty, bitty and there was NO remote control. Yes, I had to get my lazy butt up off the bed to change a channel. Remember turning the knobs to adjust the color??!! It was fine, I lived.

What are the televisions of tomorrow going to look like? Are they going to make the new, fancy flat screens look like dinosaurs? Is smell-o-vision in the distant future? I know some writing is in mine!

Trying out something new

2009-09-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

I've seem to have hit a wall. I try to write every day and it really helps to keep the momentum going but my novel in progress has stalled. So, instead of beating myself up I have decided to try another route. Contests. I have never, sucessfully, written a short story so this is all new territory for me. (Oh wait, there was that one story in 6th grade about killer robots destroying the Earth that was pretty good.) Anybody out there have any advice? Is writing short stories a good idea to keep the writing momentum going or should I keep plugging away at a novel that has stalled? I figure a step back and some fresh air might do my novel some good. (Trust me, I'm not giving up on that novel.)

Here is the information about the contest I found. It looks fun. Let me know if you give it a try.

CONTEST:
READING WRITERS CONTEST
http://www.readingwriters.com/contest.htm
---
NO ENTRY FEE
Go back... back to 1977. Choose a song from that year.
Listen to the song. Create a 1977 story inspired by the song without using the actual lyrics in either the narrative or the dialogue. Grand prize $100, story
published in The VERB, judge's opinion. Length may be up to 1,000 words. Deadline October 15, 2009.

Our 4 Year Anniversary

2009-08-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

Four years ago today is the day that changed our lives forever. My family and I evacuated to a friends house in Pensacola, FL. (Thank you Jean and Ken!) We huddled around the t.v. and watched the devastating news about hurricane Katrina. I can not put into words (even though I should be able to) the feeling I had when I was finally allowed to go home and see just what the flood waters had done to my house; my house that had JUST been built and was not in a flood zone. I remember the stinch and the feeling that you were living a nightmare and hopefully would wake up soon. I remember waiting in line for water and food. I remember the horrible swarms of gnats and mosquitos. I remember the dead silence since there were no birds around to chirp or children to laugh out loud. I remember the mounds of my neighbor's personal belongings, furniture, appliances and memories littering the sides of the street. I remember the rage I felt as I sat on my porch and watched looters come and take things from those piles. Even though it was trash it was still painful to watch someone just take it. They would never know that the dresser they took was something that I got from my grandmother when she died. Nor would they know the table and chairs they were loading up in the back of their truck was the same table my family used to sit around and play cards on, eat our dinners and discuss how school had gone that day.

Today? Today we are almost back to normal. There are still signs of the storm and unfortunately I have grown numb to the sight. I am so grateful to all my friends and family who offered support during that time. I am proud of the way our community (and the MS Gulf Coast) lifted itself up by the boot straps and got things done. I am grateful to all the volunteers that came down and helped, it truely lifted our spirits. I am grateful to have witnessed such kindness from neighbors and strangers. It truely renewed my faith in the human heart.

My Precious.

2009-08-21T13:21:00.001-07:00

Reading my work to others is hard; handing it over for them to read it themselves is even harder. Why? Don’t I write so that others can read my stories and live in the new worlds I create? Yes, some people write for themselves but I’m not one of those people. I love to see the smile on someone’s face when they read something I have written. I love to hear them talk about my characters as if they are real people, which they are…in my head. There is a reason why God has given me an imagination and it’s not just to play with Leggos and Barbies by myself when I was a kid…it is to write - for people. I know it has everything to do with insecurity. I know that. But how does a writer get rid of that insecurity and fear of failure? How does anybody? Isn’t dealing with that fear the same with everything in life? You have to put yourself out there and try. See failure as just a stepping stone to the place you are heading towards. Blah, blah, blah, easier said than done, right? Maybe I am just afraid that someone is going to rip apart my precious story, find the flaws, hate the characters, close the book after the first chapter and never pick it up again. All I know is that I don’t want to be lying on my death bed and have regrets like never trying to succeed or knowing there’s a dusty manuscript somewhere that nobody has ever been able to read because I’m too scared. It’s time to let “my precious” go out into the world.

Reading, Writing and Math

2009-07-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

As a writer, you hope that your children will inherit your passion for books. My youngest one has but my teenager? No. His favorite saying when it’s time to read a book for school is “reading sucks”. This sends chills up my spine. A quick catastrophic thought crosses my ever anxious mind, what if EVERYONE thought reading sucked? I try to explain to him that reading is extremely important in almost everything you do. He looks at me like I’m a clueless 90 year old with an extra nose on my face and shuffles back to his room.

That made me remember the first time I publicly announced I wanted to be an author. It was in 5th grade, my teacher was harping on us kids to learn math. Math is not so important we thought. Who needs it? She then cleared her throat and said, “You will need math in every job that is out there. You have to learn math to live as an adult.” We scoffed. This woman was off her rocker. There were a few kids who shouted out jobs and she quickly informed them that math was indeed necessary for that job. I smiled, I knew I had her on this one. My career was going to be in WORDS not numbers. I smugly shouted out, “Well I’m going to be a writer. Besides counting all the millions of dollars I’m going to make there is no use for math to write a book.” She grinned, “Well then, how will you number the pages?” DANG, she had me.

**If you have young children the book pictured, Do Not Open This Book, is a great read. It will have both of you laughing.

Whatever will I do?

2009-07-05T19:04:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be one sad and lost puppy this week. I'm having my computer shipped off to God knows where and worked on. Whatever will I do?? No games, no internet surfing, no Facebook, no Email, no Microsoft Word! This means I will have to actually WRITE with pen and paper; my fingers might get a cramp. My brain works far too fast for my pen to keep up with and I'll lose all my great lines and scenes. Okay, okay, so I'm being a wee bit dramatic but I'm having anxiety nonetheless. I'm hoping this will be like my "no cable for 2 weeks" experiment and I will get much more writing and reading done without the distraction of the computer. I'll let you know next week!

My iPod makes me happy

2009-07-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I am in love with my iPod. If it had lips I would kiss it. At first it was a little intimidating learning how to use it, buy iTunes and learn how to create files. Then one day I discovered something magical…podcasts (insert a unicorn, fairy dust and a gospel choir here). According to Wikipedia a podcast is defined as a series of audio or video digital media files which is distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computers. Though the same content may also be made available by direct download or streaming, a podcast is distinguished from most other digital media formats by its ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically when new content is added. Like the term broadcast, podcast can refer either to the series of content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also called podcasting. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster.

Here is a list of my favorite writing podcasts. If you have one not listed please tell me about it. If you do not have an iPod a lot of podcasts can be downloaded onto your computer from the podcasters website.

I Should Be Writing - http://isbw.murlafferty.com/
I Should Be Writing Video Podcast
Grammar Girl - http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
Word Nerds - http://thewordnerds.org/

If you need a little help...

2009-06-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

If you sit down at your desk to write and draw a blank here is a website I found that gives you prompts.

Prompt Generator

Writing at Starbucks

2009-06-15T19:26:00.000-07:00

Confession time...I've NEVER written in Starbucks. To be honest, we don't have a Starbucks nearby. I know, I know...where the heck do I live?! Mars.

The Wrong Turn

2009-06-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

After a year of working on the same story I have come to the conclusion that it’s all wrong. The other day I got the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that my cool, dark, voodoo story had turned into a Julia Roberts romantic comedy. When the heck did that happen? WHY did it happen? It took me months to get my characters developed in my mind and on paper. Then it took another month trying to come up with perfect names for the characters. It took another few months to work and re-work the outline (and then another few months to re-work the re-worked version). I purchased many reference books, read them all, highlighted and took notes. I perfected the first page and was quite happy with the first chapter. I kept writing and writing and thinking and jotting down plot ideas. I was moving the story along and then WHAM it hit me. This is NOT what I wanted to be writing. My characters had taken me down a different path. I love the characters, they are real to me since they’ve lived in my head and on paper for a year but they’ve steered me wrong. So what do I do? Do I change their personalities to fit my original idea? Do I just come up with new characters and use these for another story on down the line? Do I keep plugging away at a genre that I don’t want to write at this moment in time? I’m not sure who’s to blame, me or the characters. I knew I could vent to other writers, most people just don’t understand and look at me like I have two heads when I try to explain my predicament. Has anybody else been taken for a wrong turn? What was the outcome?

Stealing moments

2009-06-01T07:54:00.001-07:00

As if it wasn’t bad enough before, the kids are out of school now and I practically have to lock myself in the bathroom with my notebook telling everyone my stomach is upset just so I can get a little peace and quiet to write. I have to steal moments, no matter how short, to write. It never fails, I will get on a roll with a scene and someone needs a band-aid, something to drink or a bug needs to be squashed…it’s always something!

I’ve compiled a list of where and when I steal moments to write.

1. While my husband is watching a tv show I don’t want to watch.
2. While my kids are taking their showers.
3. If I wake up before anyone in the house. However, this has only happened once. My little one has a “mommy radar” built in and knows the minute I step my foot down on the bedroom floor. The minute he hears this he is on me like white on rice. I do realize that when we get older I will cherish the memories of watching cartoons and eating pop tarts with him.
4. If I’m awake after everyone is asleep.
5. While waiting in car rider line for my kids to get out of school.
6. While my little one is occupied with a television show or play dough.
7. If my husband runs an errand I get him to take the kids along. He’s a good husband, he knows that look in my eye when I need some quiet time.
8. While my husband drives us into town (which is 20 minutes away).
9. If I can convince my little one to take a nap then I have an hour to write – that is if I don’t fall asleep too.
10. When nobody is looking I will sneak off into the other room to write.

Writing Rituals and Routines

2009-05-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

I am a creature of habit and I write best when I follow a routine. Lately that routine has been obliterated by “end of school year” activities (hence the lack of blog posts, sorry.) Now the end is in sight and I’m ready to get back into my routine. I find that I write best during the morning hours and I must be sitting at my kitchen table. I also wear a pair of socks with the goddess of creativity on them (thanks Nicole). Hey, I’ll take all the help I can get. A cup of coffee with chocolate syrup in it is a must too. I have missed my familiar routine and I have definitely missed my mornings of writing. Something I just thought of, since I am a writer who does better with a routine then it makes sense that I do better with some sort of outline too. Hmmm…interesting. Does anybody have to have a routine that does not like to outline? I’m curious. What are some of your routines and rituals?

What would the world do without writers?

2009-05-06T12:31:00.000-07:00

BAD TIMING

2009-04-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

It never fails; I get a great idea for a story and write it down in my idea notebook so I can work on it later. I’m happy and everything is right in the world because I have a great idea, an original hook, something nobody has done in a while. I bop into a bookstore and there is my new, never thought of before idea laid out on the “New Releases” table. DANG! My latest tale of bad timing woes comes in the form of zombies. I have always been a horror book/movie freak. A while back I got a great idea for a zombie book. Last month I decided to dust off the idea and began work on the outline. I was excited about the idea of writing this story. Then this morning I see an article on MSN about how zombie movies and books are making a comeback. Son of a gun! I’m happy to see the zombie genre come back to life (pun intended) but I wish I had not procrastinated and started on my zombie book earlier, I could have gotten in on this wave of zombie-ness.

If you don’t get a chance to click on the link and read the article here is the synopsis of the new book Pride Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith .

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Can she vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you'd actually want to read.

According to the Sunday Times, Hollywood Studios are already fighting for the rights to this book. This just goes to show you that procrastinating does not pay off.

Just to Write

2009-04-14T06:09:00.001-07:00

Need some inspiration? Need a kick in the pants? Go to Just to Write and find writing prompts to help you get going.

Just to Write

The site has my book trailer up as a prompt to write about an adventure you have experienced. I commented that writing my book was an adventure. That was the fun part. Good grief, getting that thing published was a nightmare. I think I sucked down more Pepto Bismal during the publishing process than actually building our house.

Happy Easter Everyone

2009-04-11T17:08:00.001-07:00

Writing Websites

2009-04-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

I just received my new Writer’s Digest yesterday and I am excited about what’s inside (it’s like Christmas time when I get my writing mags in the mail). Not only is there an interview with one of my favorite writers, Stephen King, but there is an article on the 101 best websites for writers. I LOVE these lists. I get to waste a day going through the whole article/list to find some new jewels I can add to my bookmarks.

Facebook is listed and I admit I am addicted to Facebook but I don’t have a “writing” profile, mine is more for reconnecting with old friends although I do have my book trailer on my page and have connected with a few other writers this way.

The website www.nanowrimo.org is another top 101 website and one of my favorites. I competed in the NaNoWriMo contest in November last year and I actually completed it (50,000 words in a month). I didn’t get a good book out of the writing frenzy but it did teach me a lot about discipline and the importance of writing every day.

Because I hate reading long posts I’m going to break this post up over the next week or so you won’t be reading a novel.

In the meantime, tell me what is your favorite writing website?

This week I've gone to the dogs

2009-03-26T07:09:00.001-07:00

Okay everyone. I'm so sorry for the videos but I'm still recovering from a family visit followed by the worst sinus/head cold ever made. In the meantime, here are some hilarious videos of a sleepwalking and sleepbarking dog. I thought my dogs were funny when their little paws moved while they were sleeping but this dog is HILARIOUS! Oh, and this has nothing to do with writing, sorry. How many of us can write something good while we are sick? Does your writing come to a halt when you are not feeling well?