Lifethread: A Book about Life and Friendship

Hot Curries & Cold Beer: Lifethread: A Book about Life and Friendship: "In my sacred writing space office, I have a special shelf for Keepers. These are books I read over and over again, by authors I admire. Mos..."

Life Changes

Sorry, I've been MIA for a bit, but I've been busy changing my life.

In this economy when most people around me are thanking their lucky stars to have a job, any job, with regular paychecks and health-insurance, I resigned from mine.

Why? Because of Eva.

Eva was a petite,dynamic woman with the energy of the Energizer Bunny and a twinkle in her eye. I met her about four years ago in a writing class I was teaching. She wanted to write. I loved having her in the class --she was enthusiastic and inquisitive, did the work, and showed up for every session.On the last day, as we said goodbye, I told her to keep writing. She laughed her trademark laugh and said, "I'll probably wait until after I retire."

Well, she retired and actually helped me get the job. She'd already retired as a teacher, and now she hung up her hat as a nutrition educator. I wished her well and told her to buckle down and write. Unfortunately, her mother who'd been ill all along took a turn for the worse and Eva transformed into a full-time care-taker.

This January Eva's mother died. When I saw her, I gave her a big hug, offered her my sympathies. I made a silent wish for her: Now, now she would write.

Two weeks later she got diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer. And earlier this month, Eva died. Even though I knew her only a short while, Eva managed to touch my heart and bring change into my life.

Thanks to her, I had one of the best day jobs ever. I got to teach people about food and how to cook. Not only did I have fun at work, but at the end of the day I knew I was helping people improve their lives. I have had enough jobs where I wrote fluff to make a product sound like the greatest thing since sliced bread, or a news story to boost the publisher's pal. They paid the bills, but left me empty.

So, why leave my great day job? Because even in passing, Eva managed to touch me and bring about a change. She made me think.

Yes, I enjoyed the job, but did I want to retire from it? No.

If you asked me what was the one thing I wanted to do in life, the answer would be to write. The elementary school me, the college me, the today me would all answer the same way. For the longest time, I've wanted to write and be a writer. Not write a bit on the side, but be a full-time, wholly-committed, creative writer.

So, yes, the money was good, the health insurance a blessing. But the cost was most of my waking hours spent not writing. Some of the other costs were missing out on kids' programs that conflicted with work, travelling, spending time with my parents.

So, while lots of people are digging in their heels to hold on to their jobs, I walked away from mine.Because "someday" sometimes just doesn't come.

I know my decision doesn't make sense to a lot of people,and that's okay. I arrived at my decision through much thought & reflection, and, yes, after many discussions with the Cowboy. It wasn't an easy decision, but it's the right one for me.

The key now is to live life well, and use the time I've gained.

Drowning in Lemonade

You know the saying - when life gives you lemons? I have a whole orchard full of lemon trees... When I look back on the events of the past couple of years, I am truly amazed. On the one hand I have published a novel and a novella. I've expanded my horizons both as an author and in my pays-the-bills career. I have met many wonderful people and discovered new friends. While other areas of my life have gone so far downhill I have to tunnel to find them! And, lately, my writing has suffered. It would be easy to give up and hang it all up. Instead, I tell myself things are finally looking better. I've planted a little sugar cane to sweeten the juice and am determined to restore my faith in humanity and, more importantly, my faith in myself. To borrow a famous phrase: "I'll be back!"

Happy New Year & Writing!

Here's a quote I found and wanted to share:

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Perfect right? Well, I think every day is a new chapter. :)

With that in mind, I just signed up for the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood's Winter Writing Festival...an on-line writing spree that you can customize to your needs and pace. Sounds wonderful, right? For more info check out http://rsswwf.com/

For example I have committed to: Writing a new scene OR Revising 2 pages per day to earn my points because I am in midst of writing a new book and revising a short story. I want both those projects done.

And checkout the neet logo I get to use :)

Cooking Up A Character

My first-ever guest-blogging opportunity *Fiction Groupie*: Cooking Up a Character.

Characterization explained in cooking terms for the foodie writer out there. Warning: the post will probably leave you hungry.

Food & Writing Blog SOS Modern Spice giveaway!

Hi all,

I finally got brave and set up a personal blog focused on food and writing. Since I'm technologically clueless...feeling kind of nervous. I'd really appreciate if you could visit it and give me feedback.

In appreciation, I'll be giving away Monica Bhide's new book Modern Spice. To win you have to leave a comment with your e-mail. I'll draw a random winner at the end of the Thanksgiving weekend!

The URL is http://www.hotcurriesandcoldbeer.com/

Thanks & Happy Thanksgiving!

75 Christian Authors * One Amazing Online Event

The Christian Review of Books in conjunction with CrossPurposes Bookstore is excited to announce the first annual Christmas Book Signing Bash.

Beginning on the day after Thanksgiving and lasting ten days (26 November - 7 December), this book signing will be an unprecedented online event. 75 of today's favorite Christian Authors have come together to answer questions, chat with their readers, and offer signed copies of their books - all without leaving the comforts of home and hearth!

Readers can search by author, title, or genre at the Christian Review of Books (http://www.christianreviewofbooks.com/) and then follow the purchase links to CrossPurposes Bookstore (http://www.crosspurposesbooks.com/) and buy autographed copies of each book featured. The authors will sign the books and ship them to the customers.

For a full list of participating authors, visit the CRoB.

NaNoWriMo

Earlier this week I typed my two favorite words: The End.

It was better than wild monkey sex with chocolate sauce. After many tears of frustration, many hours of hard work , the third revision of my completed manuscript was done. This time around I kept writing guru Donald Maass’ words in mind, “Revision is an opportunity to re-imagine your story.”

So that’s what I did. Yes, I looked for the easy fixes like grammar and word choices, yes I deleted entire sentences and paragraphs. But more than that I took a hard look at my characters and settings, each scene and thought about how could I make them more. More dimensional, more interesting, more functional to the story. The basics were down and having the skeleton (the draft) really helped. I knew who the characters were, what the inciting incident was, what the central issue was and how the book ended. But now I explored what exactly I wanted from each scene. What emotions did I want to evoke in the reader. I started with the biggies: the beginning, the hero-heroine meet, the climax, the conclusion. I compared what I had on paper with what I had in my head. Took notes and worked to make the two merge.

Now, I have a longer, richer story. Thirty-two chapters and 86,700 words that I’m truly satisfied with. It’s not a story that’s going to change the world or win a Pulitzer, but it’s a good story. It’s the story that had been haunting me, it’s a story I can be proud of. Until now, I’d start on another project, but then get sucked back in by this completed manuscript. I fussed around, unsatisfied, fixing a sentence here and there, knowing it didn’t work, but not having the courage to take a closer look, go for true change. But this time, I’m happy. It’s done. I’m done with it.

I’ve already started a new notebook for my next project. Here I’m jotting down all kinds of ideas that come to me regarding the story, the characters, and the plot. I’ve closed my eyes and visualized the MC and the setting, done some rough drawings, added color. I’ve worked out a rough synopsis. The back cover blurb is written. As is the three sentence pitch and the elevator pitch. With my other story, I did all this after the story was written, but I decided to try and add a little bit of order this time around. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a pantser, but now I’ve some bones to work with, a sense of direction.

I’m gearing up for November. Notebook in hand I’m going to participate in NaNoWriMo and launch into my new WIP. Any of you NaNoing this year? Do you do a lot of prep work or start cold turkey? Any tips for having a good NaNo experience? Any and all help will be appreciated!

New Opportunity

Hi writing friends!

Fiction groupie is giving away an agent crit from Suzie Townsend and other cool prizes. Go check it out at Fiction Groupie:

New Opportunities

July has brought two new opportunities.

1. I'm writing a weekly food column for my local news paper. It's called The Family Table and also a some feature articles with a food angle. Yes, food and writing, my two passions in one job. I'm floating on cloud nine. :)

2. I've agreed to write a monthly post at Romance Magicians, a group blog for my Southern Magic RWA chapter. My first post is about my training as a writer. If interested please check it out...and leave a comment so I know somebody is reading :)

Bonus opportunity: Getting myself a tweeter account....

Yesterday I drove my husband to a doctor's appointment on post. He'd been having shortness of breath and coughing so much. Monday he spent most of the day in bed. So he agreed and called yesterday morning for an appointment with his Internal Medicine doctor. He saw a different doctor, his is on vacation, and this doctor was concerned about a possible pulmonary embolism. He talked to my husband, Jim was 62 yesterday too, and examined him. Then he sent him to ER via X-ray for a chest X-ray. After spending most of the afternoon and evening at the ER they decided to transfer him. I had to choose BAMC in San Antonio-3 hours away, or Temple, TX with Scott & White hospital-only 30 minutes away. I chose the closer civilian hospital. He was having problems with either his creatine or cretin level being too high. They were saying "creatine" so I don't know what is what but it is at 3 and it is too high. He had high hopes he'd being coming home today the doctor told him this morning after his blood work and the renal ultrasound he'd be able to leave. Then she came back this afternoon and told him she'd really like to keep him one more day. I had a meltdown coming home.

Happy July!

July came in with gifts. The first tomato from my garden. Isn't it beautiful? And a new meet and greet between my hero and heroine. And yes, it's hot :) Four chapters rewritten and revised. Moving forward.

Good Intentions

For those of you who suffer,
I keep you in my prayers
For those of you who celebrate,
Good fortune I will share
For those of you who wait in vain,
I will complete that task,
Unless I owe you money
In which case once more ask
I read your tales of joy and woe
As often as I can
I wish I had more time to write
It always is my plan!
But life soon overwhelms me and
I’m easily distracted
By work and home and other chores
That always are protracted
So know I often think of you
And YOU is everyone
That I have ever cared about
And hope that –

Sorry, gotta go.

Fantasy is Dangerous

I came across this really cool take on fantasy and had to share...

I learned things look different by the light of a dragon’s fire. Ordinary things become extraordinary; common problems change shape and become either unusually interesting or utterly insignificant. You really see things, sometimes for the first time. And you don’t forget them when you close the book. That, of course, is what makes fantasy dangerous. – Patricia C. Wrede, author.

Writers Retreats Are Good For The Soul

I just returned from Deborah LeBlanc's Pen To Press Retreat in New Orleans. Wowza. My master class was with author CJ Lyons, not only a wonderful author, but also an amazing teacher, joyful foodie and just a great, down-to-earth person. While I learned a lot from her, the most important thing to me was: the black moment is not the end. It's always followed by resolution. Then a new story.

That little nugget can be applied to any given WIP, finished manuscript, a writing career and life itself. Personally, it helped me know myself as a writer and what I want. It helped reignite my passion for storytelling, for the first book and beyond. And that understanding is priceless.

Earlier this year, I also went to TWRP retreat in the Texas Hill Country. That was amazing too because it drove home the message: writers write. Don't get me wrong: we went dancing, fossil hunting, attended craft-related talks, but also for hours people (including me) would just pull out their lap tops and start typing. Imagine a roomful of people, just typing. Uninterrupted soft clicks of keys and creativity. Amazing.

Yes both retreats cost money and time, meant work while others played, but the best part was connecting with other creative souls and getting re-energized. Writing is a tough business, and it can wear you out. This year I have treated myself to two wonderful gatherings and my soul needed it.

The end result: butt in chair, writing. And enjoying every minute.

NOW Officially Unemployed

I'm no longer employed as of 11:30 pm last night when I walked back into the store to turn in my office key and lottery box key. Gulp! I spent fifteen years working at Athens Shell Foodmart and while there were times I hated it basically it was a great place to work and learn as I worked there. My shift ended at 11:00 I had received parting gifts of a digital key chain, the movie AVATAR, and little Reese's peanut butter cups in the bottom of the bag under the tissue. My boss, Ida, paid for the pizza I had planned to order for dinner my coworker had a coupon for low price. All my coworkers had signed the card and a sweet customer brought me cake from a bakery in Tyler. It is an Italian Cream Cake and good. So on my way out I made two trips to the car first I carried the pizza left overs and the cake. Then last I carried my purse, my always there giant mug of Diet Coke, and my gift bag. I had to hug my friend and coworker that I trained six years ago. We had fun people would walk out shaking their heads going you two are having entirely too much fun. So we joked that was why the boss separated us. But the truth was Denise took the overnight shift and I was on evenings with one early morning. I always joked if you ever put two on nights Denise and I work well together. Our boss, Ida, would laugh and say I can't do that you two are my best employees and have to put someone else with you. I'd go I know but would be fun to work together again. We closed at midnight when she hired Denise. Denise made the comment one time when another girl who had only been there a week left her a note demanding she do something. Denise said it wasn't like Ida or Kathy had told her to do it, after all they'd been there 100 years they could boss her around. No this was a new person. She promptly wadded up the note and threw it over her shoulder. The 100 years stuck. Denise told Ida with me leaving only person could boss her around now. And Ida said oh no you didn't as Denise said, "Now it's you 'cause you've been here a 100 years." Gotta love your coworkers that make you old in a sweet way.

Repeat after me - I CAN!

I have a sticky note on my monitor at work. “Attitude is everything.” I strive to make mine good and not bad. With a high-stress job and long hours it’s not always easy, but I’m determined to smile. My good humor is not always appreciated but misery spreads like wildfire.

Why are we so more receptive to negative thoughts and comments? Talent and creativity should not be wasted. Any author, aspiring or published, needs a network of supportive friends for days of self-doubt, rejection, and humiliation. Everyone should make a list of their accomplishments and put it on their bathroom mirror. At the top note: “I am a goddess and I can do ANYTHING.”

Inspiration --Tiger Eye

Books are what inspired me to write. Books that transported me, and made me feel a whole gamut of emotions from fear to tears and more. One such book was Marjorie M. Liu's "Tiger Eye." By the time I'd finished reading that book I'd traveled to a Chinese dirt market, fallen in love with Hari, cried over deaths and guilts. And I knew, I wanted to write stories, stories that touched others.

Tiger Eye is on my keeper shelf. From time to time, I'll take it down and read through it again. Even though I know the ending, I enjoy it every single time. When I get a rejection, I read it. When I'm stuck in my writing, I read it. And I always come away energized and inspired.

So, when I heard Passionfruit games is turning Tiger Eye into a game...well, of course I did the Snoopy dance, whooped and hollered. How cool will it be go active into my inspiration?

For more info on the game check out Passionfruit

Blessings

My mother says there are different sorts of blessings. A person can say the words to you. Or do some action that translates into a blessing for you. Or, according to her this is the best, bestow a subconscious blessing.

A subconscious blessing is in response to some action of yours. It can be a lightning smile that illuminates the face for a brief second or a sigh of happiness. It is a blessing from the heart, requiring no conscious thought or formal acknowledgement.

On Valentine's weekend I was involved with a group of volunteers to host the fifth annual Valentine's Lunch at the Soup Kitchen (a Peace Ambassadors of West Texas project). We decorated, cooked, served, washed dishes, cleaned. We also visited, danced and sang. Both the guests -- the homeless and working poor --and the volunteers (a diverse group in terms of age, race, religion, socio-economic status) had a blast. Yes, I was tired by the end of it all, but smiling. Smiling from the inside all the way to the outside.

The breaking of a dream, a rejection, unanswered queries are all minor when compared to hunger and poverty. Life continues at its own pace, all we can do is live as best as we can. So, I haven't published yet, but I've done some things I can be happy about. And I've been blessed.

Writing Insight from a Pro

Found a lovely piece of writing insight today from an author I admire greatly for her productivity, straight talk, and sheer stubborness:

"Every time you write, you go to a construction site in your head. The words are waiting there, like a couple truckloads of loose bricks. They're not going to build themselves into anything, no matter how often you talk to your hands or mouth-breathe or get in touch with your inner Tinkerbell. You pick up the bricks. You mortar them together on a page. You build a story out of them. And that's it. The sweaty, nerve-wracking, non-glittery, unglamorous, orc-free work of writing."

Check out Paperback Writer: Where's the Mothership?">Lynn Viehl's entire post for a good laugh, a healthy dose of common sense and some more insights.

Thanks Lynn, you keep inspiring me. :)