The Purse

The Holiday season is upon us, again. It's funny how just when you recover from last years holiday crap another one is here sucking you dry again. I am not a Scrooge, I've seen several of the movies and I am nothing like that old miser. I love Christmas actually. The lights, the cheery songs, the laughter of family, who could ask for more?

Sadly these days people just are not satisfied with a warm hug and good meal. You actually have to purchase stuff with your hard earned money. This is what gets me, you put a whole heap of thought and consideration into a gift & they act all grateful. Ask them 6 months after Christmas what they got and I bet half of them can't remember what they got.

Me personally I remember. To me I am impressed that someone cared enough to even think of spending their livelihood on me instead of buying groceries or paying a bill. That is truly special. The gift that made me smile, and still does, is the purse my dad gave me. He's a 51 year old tool & die engineer who is an avid coon hunter, huntsman, fisher, and 6 days out of the week is covered in grease for at least 10 hours a day. He's a manly man and he went into an upscale shop & bought me a purple & silver zebra stripped purse with a giraffe wallet. I could just see him stomping into the shop in his heavy duty steel toed boots with a smear of black engine grease on his forehead looking at all the purses and bags. That is priceless.

So this year instead of buying someone junk that they will forget about get them something that will stick in their memory and their heart. It doesn't have to be expensive or the latest whatever. If you have a friend that always wanted to go to Paris get them a mouse pad with some Paris sights on it, or if they have a child a gift card to a movie & the promise of a sitter would be perfect. Are they an avid runner maybe they could use some new tunes to run to, a burnt CD would be great. Simple things make the best gifts.

My Excuses

I have not posted in a looong time. Summer has came and gone; winter is upon us. I had a busy summer filled with relations visiting from out of state, kids staying over for sleep overs, and my anxiety over my son's year in kindergarten, and for the first time in 2 years dealing with a new teacher that was not his pre-k teacher. That is a on going challenge, but after several meetings and game plan tweaks I think we have things down. It's like I can breathe for the first time since August 1st. Any parent stresses over a new school year, but for us it's different because he has Sensory issues. Meaning that he is VERY sensitive to loud noises, certain textures, smells, even the chance that his schedule could be changed or disrupted is a cause for upset. It's been a challenge for me and my husband to help him through this, but to throw in a teacher, who he spends 7 hours a day with, who hasn't a clue about what's what and that's a recipe for disaster.
Also we are expecting our 3rd child in May 2011. Call me Fertile Myrtle. I wasn't even trying and I still got an "A" in conception! GOOOO SPERMANATER! Were all excited, and we will have some MAJOR changes. Were currently in the process of house shopping, and car shopping. The car is easy, the new house not so much. First we have to make the choice if we are going to stay in the same area or move closer to my family. Which has a whole slew of subtexts, if we move will it disrupt his therapy? Will our oldest son be okay with leaving his friends for new ones? Is the school there paced the same as our current one? See crazy subtexts that give me a headache.
And then there's the most awful part; my laptop screen cracked! Yep, it's like trying to Google through squid ink. I will admit it, I cried. It happened on my birthday, and I had a broken toe. It was a stinky birthday this year. I still haven't gotten it fixed because HP wants the insane amount of $450 to replace the screen. I could by a new one for that amount! So I am also laptop shopping. Lots & lots of shopping. I hate shopping. I must be the only female on the planet that thinks that.
I know your wanting to know about my writing. Well, I have wrote a short story, and I have had the itch to work on my book, but it's in my shot laptop. I know it's an awful excuse, but it's true! I have read a few good books lately. I loved Stephen King's "Bag of Bones", and Charles Dickinson's "The Widow's Adventure's" I had read some flops too, and they were so bad I cannot recall their names.
I hope to keep posting as long as my sweet hubby will let me borrow is laptop. I have some ideas brewing about some new posts that should be interesting. Happy Thanksgiving!

New in Publishing

I haven't posted anything about what is going on in the publishing aspect in a while. I realize that this single post will not cover everything that I have lapsed on, but I have found some interesting tidbits that made me go, "Hmmmmm." this morning.


If you don't know who John Grisham is I'm not sure if I can explain how BIG of a writer he is here in the States and across the world. Almost every single book he has written has been on the Best Seller List. One of his most famous books "THE FIRM", published almost 20 years ago, has been pitched as a TV SERIES to FOX,NBC, FX, A&E, TNT, and other channels. NO word on if any of them have snapped up the pitched series, but it has been put out there. This is not a new avenue of publishing for his works, he has had SEVERAL movies and TV series based on some of his other works. "THE FIRM" was actually pitched as a TV SERIES several years ago but was dropped before a pilot was made. Also in news of John Grisham he has 2 new books being released soon. 'Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer' will be released on MAY 25, 10 and it is written for younger readers.In October 'The Confession,' will be released.


Touchstone Fireside bought the U.S., Canadian and open market rights to the former GUNS & ROSES bassist Duff McKagan memoir. McKagan is the Co-Founder of the band and he spent 13 years with the band. The memoirs covers the time he spent with the band Guns & Roses, his battle with being sober, and of course life after G&R. No news yet as to what they will do with the memoir, but it will be interesting all the same.

I hope these tid-bits made you go "Hmmm," like I did. Till next week!

Help is needed now

Water has begun to recede in some areas, in others water is still 6-7 feet in depth. Water conservation has been key the past few days, even in counties that were not as flooded as Nashville. Some residents have begun clean up, which is a massive undertaking. On the news last night I saw people literary ripping the walls out of their homes, carpet removed, every stick of furniture heaped up their yards in an effort to dry it out.
In Clarksville the damage on Riverside Dr. and surrounding neighborhoods is extensive. For me that is strangest part to watch because I used to work over there at Convergy's, which is located next door to the Kicker's night club. It's strange to see the Wendy's, the tire shop, the River Walk, and all the other businesses under water. When I worked in that area there had been sever storms that had flooded the River Walk and made driving on the road beside it a bit dodgy, but there has never been anything this bad as far as I can remember. Now I did hope that I would get a call saying that I couldn't go in for my shift because the river has taken it's vengeance out on my place of work, I mean really who hasn't hoped that after a bad day?
What is needed now to help recover what was lost is donations. Yep, money and time. I myself am donating baby clothes and a few baby items that I have left over from when my boys were little. I have an extra set of booster seats also that I am going to donate. They need tools for clean up, like rubber gloves, hand sanitizer, bottled water, food, clothing, diapers, baby formula, bedding, rakes, shovels, water pumps, wet vacuums, buckets and money. If your reading this and want to help Middle Tennessee recover and help people who have NOTHING left please go to http://www.cfmt.org/index.php, which is the Community foundation for Middle Tennessee. Also all Kroger's across Middle Tennessee are taking donations of NON-PERISHABLE GOODS. Help is needed now, next week and the weeks after that to ensure that people can regroup their lives and hopefully put this tragic event behind us. Please help!
Here are some photos of the flood.
This is a shot of Downtown Nashville


This is the Gaylord Opryland Resort Hotel, a few wings of it.

Flood

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. The flood waters in Tennessee are spreading, meaning the rivers and creeks are beyond full and the ground is super saturated so the water is creeping wherever it can. We have counties that have received RECORD breaking amounts of rainfall measuring between 18-22 inches. I know for myself we have pumped about a foot (12 inches) of water out of our basement and we live on a hill. Today things are drying up for us, the sun is shining and the yard is drying out, bit MANY, MANY people are not so lucky.
Gaylord Opryland Hotel resort is currently under about 6 feet of water, Briley parkway is closed, those who live in the Opryland area are under water from the Cumberland River. It's terrifying. LP Field is flooded, the water is currently creeping up 2nd Ave. to 3rd Ave. People have been helping with water rescues by donating boats, canoes, life jackets, water, clothes, shoes, food and of course time and trying to comfort those who have lost EVERYTHING. This is Southern Hospitality at it's best.
I am feeling a mix of emotions currently. I have heard some good news from my best friend. She got in touch with her family in Coble, their homes are safe even though their yards is flooded. They have no power in Hickman, no clean water, and slowly their phones are being turned on. This afternoon around 1 PM Hickman County issued a Boil Water Order. The news media is of course focused on Nashville and Franklin because that is where the money is. Opryland and Franklin are big money earners for the state. They keep showing photos of the Bass Pro Shop, the Imax, and other shops underwater, yet we have almost no coverage of the other counties. I have seen 1 photo of Hickman County, and a few from Maury County. I that there was more information about these other counties.
Clarksville has finally been in the news. Riverfont is flooded. If you are familiar with Clarksville it is flooded over the road where Mary's Music is located at. The river is creeping up the hill towards Auistin Peay, and hopefully it will not reach the college. Everyone is waiting for for the rivers to crest and for the water to recede.
My question is where is the media?? This has been an on going tragic event for the past 3 days and yet hardly any media coverage other than local news can be found. I am sure the other states that were hit hard by this storm are feeling the same way. The media is more focused on other things like gossip. What has our country been reduced to?

I am still waiting on some photos of local areas. Hopefully soon I will have some to post.

Flooding in Tennessee

It's wet, really wet here in Dickson Tennessee. It has been raining for 2 days, and boy has it rained. In Tennessee we had received RECORD breaking amounts of rain. Almost all of Nashville, Franklin, Maury County, Hickman County, Davidson County and most of Middle Tennessee are covered by FEET of water. We haven't received such large amounts of rain in 31 YEARS!
It's scary to be honest. I have called and texted friends and family to ensure that everyone is accounted for and is okay. Everyone seems to be making it with minor flooding issues. One of my aunts who lives in Southeastern Nashville has reported that the first floor of her house is under water, and that includes her driveway, yard and her street. She is staying at her in-laws until the water begins to receded.
My brother who lives and works on a farm in Maury County near the Natchez Trace Parkway has suffered major issues. Fields are flooded, they had to relocate an entire nursery barn so the calves would not drown, a $140,000 tractor is submerged up to it's cab in flood water in what was a freshly plowed field, cows have been moved to higher ground due to flooding. So far they still are counting 506 head of cattle, which is what they started out with before the rains began.
The most terrifying part is that my best friends family lives in Coble TN, which is in the middle of no where to put it nicely. It's a small community that has SEVERAL creeks running through it and is not too far from the Duck River. It is a low laying area, and the homes are older, most of them were built in the 1930's with newer double wide trailer homes. The only way to access the homes on HWY 50 is by boat, there is no electricity, no phones, no radio contact. They are essentially unreachable in a record breaking flood.
I an worried about their safety. I know that my best friend's brother has several small children under the age of 7 years old, and the community of Coble is made up of elderly, and young people with children. The news teams that are covering this of course are stuck just as the rest of us are, and so that leaves us wondering about our loved ones who do not live in Nashville, or Franklin. All we can do is hope and pray that they are surviving the flood.
In Dickson the main roads seem to be serviceable, there are of course flooded areas and down power lines, but my husband has ventured to the local movie rental shop and back in one piece. He did go by Buckner Park and of course the lake there is over-full. The parking areas and tennis courts are underwater, which is odd to see.
My parents live in Lyles and a local church near there home is underwater and the road to the church is gone. Not simply underwater, but gone. These are terrible times. We are in a state of emergency due to flooding. Stranded travelers, homes and shops underwater, power outages, downed trees, and not to mention road closures are what we are dealing with at the moment. It's all so surreal.
I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll have some photos of the flooding to post, and that we will have some kind of info about the people in Coble. Now that we have had all of this rain we are seriously considering purchasing a snorkel for our Jeeps. Be safe everyone!

FLOODING TIPS
DO NOT CROSS A FLOODED AREA IN A CAR, SUV OR TRUCK. Water can rise quicker than expected and can sweep you and your car into much deeper water.

IF YOU ARE GOING OUT KEEP A LIFE JACKET IN YOUR CAR. Think of your car as a boat with wheels on it. Better to be safe than sorry.

IF YOUR YARD IS FLOODING AND IT IS GETTING CLOSER TO YOUR HOUSE MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS A LIFE JACKET AND MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. Higher ground could be a roof top, a hill, a tree, a neighbor's home. Just get away from the water.

USE COMMON SENSE. IF YOU THINK THE SITUATION IS DANGEROUS THEN IT IS. FIND ANOTHER ROUTE IF TRAVELING, be helpful to other travelers, meaning if the way you just came from is flooded tell them before they get to the dangerous section of road.

IF YOUR CAR GETS MIRED IN FLOOD WATERS ROLL YOUR WINDOW DOWN AND CRAWL THROUGH IT BEFORE THE WATER REACHES WINDOW HEIGHT! It is easier to roll down a window than to open a car door against water pressure and water currents. If you need to climb of top of your car's roof to signal for help and make sure to put your life jacket on!

STAY AT A SAFE PLACE. DO NOT GO OUT UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. The less you are out on flooded roads the less of a chance you have of getting stuck or worse.

WARNING! WARNING!

I am on a roll. 2 posts within the same week! I knew I could do it!
I have to say that my favorite part of having this blog is my flag counter on the bottom of my page. I check it and my guest book often. I do NOT care for people who sneak in advertising in my guest book. I LOVE reading what folks write in it because it can give me insight into my readers. If I wanted commercials I would watch NBC or some other TV channel. So be warned, if you leave a advertisment in my guest book your comment will be DELETED!
Please sign my guest book or leave me a comment. I LOVE them. If you are a writer, or just a fan of my blog let me know! Writing can be a lonely venture, but only if you allow it to be so.

Grow, Growing, Grown

I know that when I began this blog around a year ago I had hoped to discover something about myself. And I have surprisingly. It's strange to think that a blog could give you some insight into yourself while you are intending the posts to be read by others.
I'm not sure how I can explain it. It's been a learning session for sure. I have discovered that I have issues with people who have their own blogs but do not keep up with it or even worse they mis-use words in the their post and have spelling and grammar mistakes. I can't read something that is chocked full of mistakes, I can't suppress my need to correct it. It's that way with books here lately too. If I'm reading a book and discover a typo, misprint or some other mistake I can't finish the book. I haven't bought any books in a while because of this, and I have only been re-reading books in my personal collection that I know are error free. I guess editing all those pages of manuscript has ruined me for life. It's even gotten to the point that when one of the teachers at my kid's school sent home a quick note I cringed because she misspelled a word, then corrected it by striking it out, then re-wrote the word next to the scribbled out mess of a word.
Since I have this terrible OCD word thing going on I haven't wrote a word for my book. I would be tempted to rip it apart and essentially ruin what is best about my work. I would despise myself if ripped it's soul out.
So in essence I have grown as person, as a writer and perhaps I have turned myself into a word processor on legs. That's sexy huh?

Back on the horse again

It am the fist to admit that it has been a while since I have updated anything to my blog. I have been so busy with my kids, school projects, my husband's traveling for work to a trade show, and of course my hobby which is croheting. I have been knee deep in yarn for the past couple of months to be honest. I am hosting a booth at the Tennsco "relay for life Steele Hoping for a cure" yard sale/bake sale on Sat. April 24,2010. I have partnered up with my brother who has his own candle making business in the hopes of raising some money for this cause. I have even baked 70 cupcakes for the bake sale. 100% of the bake sale proceeds goes to the cause.
I haven't written anything for my book in a while. I swear I could a set of extra hands and a few more hours in the day. It's not that I have forgotten about my writing, it's quite the opposite. I think on my characters and plot lines everyday. I have even wrote down a few good ideas for other books also, a few of them are children's books. It's just that I have too many irons in the fire so to speak. So I have been taking one day at a time. If that day allows me some extra time to write in my journal so be it, if I have time to plan out the next stage for my book then I do it. It's just that I haven't quite enough time to tend to everything. I hate to say that I have moved some things to the back burner, but I have. Sometimes in the course of life you have to do that to be able to move froward.
So in my advice if this happens to you don't be discouraged. Once the tide has ebbed some get back into the flow. It's just like riding a bike, the grammar, the spelling, and skill are all there for you. You just need to put them to work!

I'm still busy like a bee so I'm not 100% sure about my posting schedule. I'm going to start back at once a week and go from there since I am dedicated to so many things. Feel free to check out older posts and leave me a comment if there is anything you would like me to post about. I can't for sure say I can answer request , but I can try. When in doubt Google it! ( I recommend reading my posts from '09's Venom Week, and the biting bugs since warm weather is here!)

If you are in the Dickson TN area come see me at my booth at the Tennsco Community Center (near Magic Wheels) from 8am-4pm. It's rain or shine!! Till next week!

When did Monday get here???

This past weekend I did nothing that was writing related, well I take that back I did walk past a book store in a mall and I also read A LOT of price tags. Yep, I went shopping and dancing with some of my girlfriends. That's my version of making time for the writer for the week. My legs are still tired, my feet are feeling a bit recovered and I am sporting sore muscles that I haven't used since the last time I went and shook my booty all night long.
Now that Monday has slipped up on me like a ninja monkey in the night looking for my banana stash I am wondering if I will get any "official" manuscript work done today. I seriously doubt that I can include the scrubbing that I did to my kitchen as book progress unless of course I want to burn my pages over an open natural gas flame. Which will end in me having to re-clean it due to ashes from the burnt offering to my muse. It's a Monday what can I say.

Making time for the Writer

Writing can be lonely and all consuming. As a writer you can spend hours and hours of your life haunched over a laptop or in my case a clipboard with a stack of loose leaf paper. You are consumed by the need to just tweek that chapter a little bit more, to do a spell check one more time, to make sure that phrase is worded just right so you can live with yourself. It's an ugly web we weave.
I read in one "how-to" writer book last year that we simply need to concentrate on our work and stay focused on that alone. The book actually recommenced to let things go, work till the paint peels off the walls and then you deal with life after your writing is done. To me that is not going to happen. Am I supposed to tell my five year old to wait a few years for that cup of water? Do I simply move my bed to be closer to my work station? No.
I know it is so easy to be wrapped up in your book/work and to let the world simply fall away. In doing that you loose connections with your family, friends, peers and of course yourself. Sometimes you simply have to "kick out" the people in your head and put yourself first. So that I am not consumed by my book I have special days. Thursday is nail night. I take the time to paint my nails and hang out with my husband after we tuck the kids into bed. I try to stick to this every week so that way I can connect to the people that mean the most to me and I don't forget WHY I wanted to write in the first place.
If you simply set aside a few nights or hours a week for "you" time it will help you feel more in touch with those around you and you can still get your work done. It doesn't have to be anything major. A bowling night once a month, a video game night once every couple of weeks, maybe you call a friend every Monday morning just to talk ( I do that one!), or you can simply snuggle up with a loved one and watch some TV.
What's important is that you still have a life after your book is finished and that you haven't lost yourself. Your characters are important, but when they start to take you over it's time to slack off and find yourself. What else this time off gives you is a chance to experience life. If it makes you feel better think of it as field research. Get out there and experience things. After you have had some time to yourself settle back in and work. You will be amazed how just a few simple hours away from things can change the way you think and feel. Pages will zip by and your characters will stand up and take notice. After all you are the one in charge, not them.

A Rant

Since the Olympics have officially kicked off I have been glued to the TV. I love watching the skiing and of course skating. If your wondering I do NOT always support team USA, there are actually a bunch of athletes out there that are excellent from other countries. I do feel bad for the nations that have one one person there competing. I think they should get a medal regardless. I can tell that I am sooo a mom while I am watching because I will hear about an athlete that has several medals from past competitions and I'll think, "Man, they should share the glory with someone else. Give someone else a turn to win." So I am addicted to the Olympics for the next couple of weeks.


I have a rant. Yep, I bought a new flavor of Pebbles cereal. It's "Cupcake Pebbles", it's got a cute box and smells awesome when you open the box. The taste is what's wrong. It tastes like they forgot to add something. It's bland. To me it tastes like they were making the normal fruity pebbles and ran out of the fruit, and they needed to produce a product due to a quota and said, "Screw it! Well sell this stuff as a new flavor!" My kids love it for some reason, which is good because I wont be eating any more of it, but I felt slighted.

In my eyes the Flintstones have went downhill. I simply adored the Old School Flintstones cartoons. My dad got me hooked on them when I was a kid because it was one of his favorite cartoons. The Flintstones are a major part of TV history. Fred and Wilma were the first couple on TV to be shown in bed together instead of in separate twin beds.

To me the Flintstones downhill slide began when they had Bam-Bam and Pebbles all grown up. I mean really do we need to watch a cartoon about a goody-too shoes girl and her all too helpful boyfriend who isn't too swift but can lift uber heavy crap? I can do without it to be honest.
I mean really did Barney and Betty need to adopt a kid? Was that even a necessary plot line? Just because Fred and Wilma had one doesn't mean everyone on the block has to have a kid. That would be like me getting a Viper and then everyone on my road going out and getting a Viper too. Overkill.
Why can't people leave something alone when it's good and the formula works? If they are going to mess with Fruity Pebbles they might as well go ahead and give the poor Trix rabbit some stupid yogurt and a bowl of Trix cereal so he can move on with his life.

Okay, there's my rant. If your wondering about the weather here it's sunny out. The snow is melting and all the ice on the roof is melting quickly so it sounds like it's raining out. The sky is blue and the temp. is above freezing! Were having a heatwave! If it wasn't so muddy out I could lay out in my lawn chair and enjoy the weather. It's a sad fact that my yard is so muddy I could go muddin' in it.
If you have a rant about Flintstones or another cartoon please leave it as a comment. Also feel free to sign my guest book. I love to hear from my readers!

Here's a little something to make to snow day seem well less snowy.



This Video brings back memories of the times I have been muddin'. Nothing is quite like it, and for those out there that didn't know it this is how Moster Trucks got their start. One guy with a mud hole and a tuck with a garage. Amzing how things evolve.

Snow

SNOW! It's snowing again and I am feeling a bit lazy while I watch the slow decent of the beautifully delicate flakes. It's hypnotizing really. The falling flakes can lure you into simply being content by watching their fall to the earth. I honestly can't remember a year when we got so much snow. Last week we got snow and now it's snowing again. This is year for the record books as far as Middle Tennessee is concerned. My hubby who lived in Wyoming for a year thinks all of this snow is small stuff. Yeah, it may not be feet of snow like they get in Jackson Hole WY, but for us it might as well be. In Nashville they have 5 snow trucks, that's including the salt trucks. Too funny! Miles and miles of roads to cover in salt and they only have 5 trucks. So for me to say that we are not really prepared for this much snow is really and understatement.
We have made a snowman, been sledding, had snow ball fights, made more snow angels than I can count and of course made snow creme! Now, I know what your thinking, "Snow Creme? What's that?" I am going to share a family recipe for a winter treat that is a HUGE family favorite. I have fond memories of my mom making it for me and my brother when we was growing up. We didn't look foreword to making snowmen, but to mom's Snow Creme.

Snow Creme is like ice cream to be honest. It's quicker to make than ice cream and it's a seasonal treat because you only get it when it snows. Here's a few simple rules that apply to Snow Creme. Number 1: DON'T USE YELLOW OR BROWN SNOW! Number 2: DON'T USE SNOW FROM THE FIRST SNOWFALL OF THE SEASON (this is because the first snow of the season catches all the pollen, dirt, smog and whatever else is in the atmosphere and you so do not want to eat that) Number 3: USE ONLY FRESH SNOWFALL( don't use snow after a couple of days after it fell.)

Now that you know the rules here's the recipe.

1 Big bowl of fresh snow (I sit out a large plastic bowl on my deck when it starts to snow that way I can ensure the snow is clean. If your car has been washed recently you can use snow off the hood too if it's still clean) Keep in mind that you will need a lot of snow!

Whole or 2% milk
Vanilla or another flavoring in liquid form (think an extract)
Plain granulated sugar

In a separate large bowl scoop out snow till the bowl is half full. Add milk in small amounts till the snow turns into slush. I add mine by the 1/2 cup while I stir with a large spoon. You may need to add more snow from your "collection" bowl to get a good constancy, it's okay if the slush has lumps.(Kids can help out!) After the snow is slush I add sugar and flavoring to taste. Start out small with the flavoring, it's always easier to add flavoring to the mix than to remove it if the flavor is too strong. It's okay if your extract has color, like a brown vanilla, it will not alter the color of the creme.
Then your done! It can be eaten right away or you can freeze it if you want your snow creme to be harder like ice cream instead of a slushy.

I usually put mine in individual servings (no hogging the snow creme!) and freeze them. If you want to add an extra treat you can add gummy bears or worms and bury them in the middle of the serving before you freeze it. This mix can be poured into Popsicle molds also. You can also add food coloring to make it fun to eat.
The main thing is to get the kids in the kitchen and have fun! This is an easy recipe that doesn't require sharp tools or a hot stove. It's kid friendly!

I hope this treat makes your snow day! Not only can you play in the snow but you can eat it too!

Here are a few PICS I took of the snow last week. I have yet to venture outdoors today, hey it's 23 degrees out! Chilly!

I, the murder

Writing can be a complex job. There are heaps of things to keep in mind while you dip into your creative well. We all want to write a story that will inspire our readers, we want to hook them into the story so that they can't put the book down and are eager for more when they read the last page. We all want to inspire those feelings in our readers. I ask you what about the writer?
To me the writer should not "force" the words out or struggle with the story. If you are struggling with the story it's not right one for you. You should be able to write your story with ease, the words should flow from your mind like wine from the bottle.
I have been nit picking my story to death. Yes, it had a horrid death where every sentence was properly executed and the characters were as stiff as boards, they resembled the cardboard cut-outs in the movie store window in my mind's eye. My nit picking and poking sucked all the wonderfully brilliant quirks out of my characters. It's a sad piece of work at the moment. Yes the manuscript is so clean of errors that it squeaks, but in truth my pages lost their essence because I could not leave it alone.
Yes, I am going to correct this, but not now. Those pages make me sad, I accidentally killed a small part of me in my effort to make it perfect. I have learned that perfection is not always what you need to strive for in a story. I can see all of my wonderful characters lined up for their turn at a well used, gore crusted guillotine waiting for their moment under the blade. Gruesome, but true. How much more I can strip from them? Nothing. They are bare bones naked and they are empty shells of what they used to be.
In order to make myself more confident as a writer and as a person I have decided to get back to my roots so to speak. I think every writer should do this if you are struggling with a story. Think back to what stories thrilled you when you were growing up. What stories did you read and re-read until the cover of the book was worn and the spine creased so badly that it would no longer remain closed without the aide of rubber-band? That is the story that you should be writing. Whatever genre that had you hooked at the age of 12 or 13 and made you want to write in the first place is the type of novel you should write.
Start small if you feeling nervous about it. A short story is an awesome way to begin. If you feel comfortable with it then you can expand it later. I am doing this myself. I have a story burning in me that is screaming to be let out, and I just realized that it has been doing so for a long time. I am excited about it, and I want to jump into the middle of it right now, but common sense is telling me to slow down, take a breath and to savor the moment. Consider this new project therapy for the other characters that I have slain with my proper grammar and sentence structure.

Background Narration

Everybody is a twitter about the new ipad released by Apple. I think it's cool and we'll leave it at that. I can't afford it so there's no need for me to go into it's merits which I am sure you have heard all about unless you have been living under a rock.
I have been coping with snow. Yes, coping with snow. I have two boys running amuck around my house since they haven't been to school since last thursday. A snow day is cool, but 4 snow days in a row gets weary. There's only so many things we can do in the snow, and it takes us longer to get dressed than we are actually outside because everyone gets cold quickly. Twenty minutes to get on snow gear= 15 minutes outside

This week has been messed up also because my dear sweet hubby had to travel to Nothern Kentucky for his job on Monday which resulted in him spending the night in a empty, creepy hotel before it was opened to the public. Empty hotel=spooky hotel
I don't believe it would of been so awful if he could of turned on a tv or even a radio, but they didn't have those set up yet and his ipod was dead.

So that leads me to today's post on writing. Have you ever watched a movie where in an intense scene there was no background music or noise, there was only silence. The silences intenifies the scene, as if sounds wouldn't dare intrude on such a "heavy" scene. In writing usually when we pen a scene we try to provide the background for the reader, an example would be:
"As Faye picked up her ringing phone the turned the volume down on the t.v. as a Price is Right re-run came on the screen."

So the reader knows she was watching t.v. and they can also visualize Bob Barker calling someone down and the crowd clapping wildly as she answers the phone. Take away the tv from the sentence and we can make it intense.

"As Faye walked through her front door the silence of the house was shattered by the ringing of her home phone."

How we use background narration is key in how the moment comes through to the readers. It leaves us the writers plenty of room to make the scene go as we please. Was Faye having a normal day? Did her home phone ring off the hook under normal conditions? Where is entering the house? Is she expecting a call? Background narration is just as important as the rest of the scene, and if we set up the background sounds and silences poorly it does influence the reader's view of the scene.
As a writer it's our job to ensure that the reader "sees" the entire scene. We need to ensure to encompass off the details. It doesn't matter if it's just a single sentence or a full on detailed paragraph the reader needs to know that is going on around the character(s).
If you having trouble with a scene or a section try reading it and if you find it has holes in it that need to be filled try adding background. It will widen your scene and make the pages seem fuller and more detailed. Dialouge is great, but a book cannot be written just with it alone. If your having issues with narration simply go outside and sit. Take a pen and paper with you and write what goes on around you. How is the weather? Are there people nearby? If so what is your impression of them? Is the traffic heavy? Use your senses. What do you hear, smell, touch and see? All of that is narration.
Background narration is the easiest thing in the world that you can do to help your chapters "pop" off the page for your readers.

Blog, blogging, blogged

I have had several people ask me about blogging. I am thrilled that I may have inspired someone to want to start blogging. That is awesome. Blogging is challenge that is for sure. Somedays I draw a blank on what to blog about, and other days I can think of a billion topics but don't have the time. Heres's a quick how to guide to blogging for those that are interested.

First thing is to think of a name for your blog. Mine is "THE FEATHERED QUILL" because I like quills they speak of times past and the romance of writing also they are a writer's tool. Being that I am a writer I figured that fit me and my blog pretty well. Now this name doesn't have to be profound of speak volumes, it's just a name and most blogging sites will allow you to change it later if you need to.

Second pick a site to host your blog. You can google "blogging sites" and you will get heaps of results. I chose blogger because it doesn't require me to have webmaster skills and it's fairly easy to use and set up. Plus it's free. I'm all about the free. If your unsure if you want to go with a certain site check out some of the blogs that they host and see if they are what you are looking for in a host. What does their pages look like? How are they set up? Was the site easy to find? Are the blogs easy to manuver through? Think of all of this as you check out the different hosting sites, and if you need to make a list of important aspects that you want from your host.

Third set it up. For mine I set up an e-mail address just for my blog. That was all of my blog notifcations go into a single place and I don't have to filter through my personal e-mail to check it. I highly recommend this. Then if someone hacks your blog all they get is your blog e-mail and not your personal e-mail that may have your bank statements, cell phone statements and other important e-mails will not be affected. I thought the picking of the design was the best part. Make sure that whatever design you go with is easy on the eyes and is easy to read. You don't want to use a design that is fussy with a font that nobody can read or hard to navigate through. Simple is always the best.

Fourth blog. Blog about whatever floats your boat. If your a mechanic you could have a auto care tip blog. A teacher could set up a blog about how parents could help their children obtain their children's educational goals. A knitter could start a blog about knitting. The world is your oyster! Keep in mind that people sometimes don't have heaps of time to read blogs so keep it simple and short. You don't want to overwhelm a person with minor details that consume paragraphs. If your covering a topic that requires a lot of space, like say your a teacher and your blogging about how to start teaching a child how to read which may take quite a bit of writing to accomplish, simply split that single long blog into segments and parts. That way the reader has time to enjoy the article and advice and they are not overwhelmed.

Fifth keep it up. Blogging takes time. It takes time to build a readership, for people to find your blog and for you to get the hang of it. I've been blogging for 9 months and I am still building it up. Tell your friends and family about your blog, use facebook, Myspace and twitter to spread the word about your blog. Use all of your resources that you have to promote your blog. If your a writer consider this a test drive for promoting your book.

Sixth have fun with it! I added gadets like my Best Seller tool on the bottom of the page and my flag counter. There are tons of gadets out there for blogs and heaps of stuff on the web to discover. Keep in mind if you are not thrilled with your blog then more than likely neither is your reader. Make it fun and it will not seem like a task but more like a hobby. Keep things simple and clean; meaning to check your spelling and grammer. Also a tip I have is to give your readers plenty of options for subscribing and following your blog. The easier it is for them the more they are going to read your blog.

If your thinking on starting a blog I hope this helps. If it does leave me a comment and let me know! I love hearing from people! If you already have a blog and have some more tips to share post them in a comment.

What a week!

I bet your wondering what I have been doing this week since I haven't blogged once. I have had a frustrating couple of days to tell the truth. I actually think it all started last week, and the knowledge that a few bad days from one week can run into the next is terrifying. To be truthful this past weekend didn't even feel like a weekend because my husband worked a full day on Saturday so it felt like a normal weekday and not a weekend. It's funny how that works. I feel like I'm missing a day when I'm not.
I have been working on my manuscript everyday. That means that I have read it and checked it for things that need changes and of course mistakes like typing errors. I have a bad habit of typing slower than I think which results in my work having missed words. It can make reading a chapter a pain and of course my editing a longer process. The only thing I can think of that's at fault for this habit is my fingers. If I could only type faster, but I think that would require a third hand. I doubt I am going to mutate anytime soon so I am stuck filling in missing words. The editing process can be frustrating and can leave you feeling overwhelmed, or at least I do when I see the tower of pages piled up on my clipboard.
That's the start of my week, feeling frustrated because of edits and because my weekend was messed up. Now lets team that with car frustration and frustration at my husband and you have my week summed up.


When I was driving my boys to school on Monday my car was driving poorly. It felt like my car was wobbling, no joke, my entire car wobbled while I was driving. I knew something was up so after I dropped my boys off at school I checked my tires. I was expecting a low tire or something of that nature. Nope, I had a busted belt in my rear passenger tire. Wires were sticking out like mad ( I actually pricked my fingers on them!) and I had actual rubber missing from my tire!


The first thing I did was call my husband at work to get his help. Should I drive it? Is my spare usable? Where is our car jack? If I can't drive it how will I pick the kids up from school? That's a lot of questions. His response was not what I was seeking, he said "Get over it." Huh? Get over what? This is not an emotional issue, this is an actual physical issue that has safety issues wrapped up in it. I was so mad I could of spit. Get over it my ass. A long story short I borrowed my family's spare care till I could get my tire to a shop to be replaced. Since my husband has been working some wonky hours this week my dad came over to remove my tire last night and to take it to the shop for me. Awfully sweet of him huh?
Well, usually my dad is spot on. He is one of the most brilliant people I know. If something is broke he can fix it, if you need something built he can design it and build it. He's great with numbers and complex math (he got me through algebra II in high school) and he has a way with all mechanical things most people only dream of having. So I thought that him removing a tire would be a quick process, a breeze like when we put brakes on it back in the spring. Nope. Apparently my lug nuts really liked where they were at and decided to stay on. We tried 3 different tire irons and lubricating the offending lug nut, but it all was for naught. My dad is usually a cool level headed guy, he's a fairly laid back fellow and I have only seen his temper displayed a few times. Now given those few times were scary as hell. Trust me you do not want to witness it or be the person that inspired it.
So when he marched to his truck and started digging in his tool box after 45 minutes of battling with the lug nut I knew that poor little stubborn lug nut was about to meet it's maker.
One socket, and large piece of thick steel chauffeured that lug nut to auto parts heaven. My dad placed the socket on the lug nut then whacked it 4 times with the steel and the lug nut broke. I don't mean it cracked and that was it, oh no, this lug nut splintered into pieces. I'm not sure what was more frightening the fact that my dad pretty much shattered a lug nut that was made to withstand torque or that he was completely silent while he did it. No grunting as he swung the steel, no cheer of relief when the lug nut met it's demise. Only silence until he placed the steel and socket back into his truck's tool box. Yep, he was pissed. I hate to say it but I think my bad week bled off onto my dad. Is a bad week contagious? Can it be spread like a bad cold? I think so, this incident is my proof.


One trip to the local tire place and one trip to the auto parts store later I had a tire replaced. I'm still driving the family's spare car because I don't think it's safe to drive with a missing lug nut with my bad luck running rampant this week even though my dad insists that he has drove with only 3 lug nuts before. We had to special order me a replacement lug nut because it's a special size. In order to assure that I will never have to worry about driving a lug nut short again I ordered several extras.
My dad's temper eased before he left for the tire shop. One hug was all it took and he was back to being my sweet brillant dad that I would give my kidney to if he needed it. Which is wonderful. I hate to see him in a mood and I was hoping that it would transfer my bad luck back to me.
So that leads me to today. So far my bad luck hasn't shown itself. I am hoping that it's over. Also on a good note through all of this frustration and drama I somehow managed to complete my manuscript edits. Yep, I am done with the hard part. Now all I have to do is input the changes into my laptop and print it out and read it.
There's today's lesson. Even though life will happen, and it always will, you still need to make time to work on your book. Even if it's just for 30 minutes a day that's something. If your going to be somewhere idle for a bit, like say your waiting in the car rider line at school take your manuscript with you to work on. Some work is better than no work. Life will happen and your novel still requires your time and effort. A good writer writes about life, and excellent one writes with life.

Killer Nashville

This is the third convention/workshop that I am spotlighting. This one is held in Nashville TN, Music City, on August 20-22 2010. This covention is realitvily new this will be it's 5th year. "Killer Nashville" is a convention for mystery, thriller and crime litature, but they have something for almost every genre out there.

Killer Nashville offers writers several different events to attend; These include lectures, mini-workshops, book signings, booths to sell your books at, and of course panels of writers talking about their craft and their books.

For the Fans of mystery, crime litature and thriller novels this is a great chance for you to get your favorite book autographed, to meet those writers that make your blood pump, and to purchase new books. Jeffery Deaver is the guest of honor for this event and he will be included in a Q&A for the fans.
Authors slated to attend for fans:
■J.A. Jance
■Mary Saums
■Jennie Bentley
■Chester Campbell
■Philip Cioffari
■Cathy Pic kens
■Beverle Graves Myers
■Allan Ansorge
■Elizabeth Zelvin

For information about Killer Nashville go to http://killer-nashville.com/

Donate to Help Haiti

I have been watching the news and of course that includes the tragic news from Haiti's 7.0 earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010. What strikes me as the hardest part is the children who are suffering. Children in pain, dying and of course the parents that are trying their best to comfort and provide what their babies need in the ruins. It's enough to make you feel their pain and grief across the miles that separates us from them.

I know that the people there is doing their very best to aide those in need and to locate the ones that are lost. One things is abundantly clear and that is that they need more medical aide, more money to provide medical care, to help in rescue missions, to provide basic needs to those that have none. The easiest way to donate funds to help in this tragic hour of need for the people in Haiti is through the RED CROSS.

I encourage you to simply TEXT "HAITI" to 90999 and they will charge a $10.00 donation to your cell phone bill. It's that easy, a text. If every person donated $10.00 think of the things we could do to help those in need. Antibiotics for the sick, pain medication and medical care for those in need. Rescue missions for the lost and of course blankets, food, water and shelter for those that are without. After all it's only ten dollars, it's not that much.

Fantasy Writing Workshop

I hope that everyone had a good holiday yesterday and reflected some on Martin Luther King, Jr's message that he strove so hard to make known and a part of life for everyone. I spent the day cleaning, I know it's not quite what he wanted to inspire but all the same I did manage to get my son's room clean and organized. It only took me 6 hours to do so. They are messy boys.

This is my second post about conventions/workshops. Today I am covering the Fantasy Writing Workshop hosted by Odyssey. This year the workshop will be held from June 7- July 16 2010 at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. The workshop's early bird registration deadline is JANUARY 30, 2010 and regular dead line for registration is April 8, 2010.

I know that usually workshops are held over a weekend, but this one is a six week event. Every year the people that complete the workshop are called "graduates" and college credits are available upon request. This workshop is almost like summer school because you attend "class" 5 days a week for 4 hours in the morning and the rest of the time of each day is used for writing, critique of work and the completion of "homework".

This workshop is intense. If you want to attend this workshop you need to be prepared to hear about your weaknesses as a writer and be able to write new material while there, that includes short stories and novel chapters. I'm not going to lie, but this workshop is expensive, and you may be declined depending upon your application. I would recommend you THROUGHLY read all the info on this workshop before submitting an application. For more information on this workshop their web-site is http://www.sff.net/Odyssey/

Fiction New Releases for January

January is a chilly month when I want to spend my nights snuggled up in a quilt with a good book. If you are planning on doing the same here are a few good books you may have missed!


Mr.Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett
With his debut novel, Mr. Shivers, Southern writer Robert Jackson Bennett presents a pulpy, Great Depression horror story where a mysterious killer "trails death behind him." After his daughter is brutally murdered, a revenge-seeking Marcus Connelly leaves Memphis on a hunt across America's hobo camps and ghost towns for the grotesquely scarred, ghostly figure known as "Mr. Shivers." On his quest Connelly teams up with a scrappy band of hobos recovering from their own brushes with "the gray man," and the body count increases as they ride the rails tracking their target. Connelly's spiraling bloodlust begins to rival Shivers's, threatening to take more than just his family and friends away from him. Sprinkled with hobo folklore, Bennett's supernatural dust storm of a debut offers a killer premise and may remind readers of vintage Stephen King. --Brad Thomas Parsons
If you would like some insight on being published and the whirl of it all check out his blog at http://shufflingandmuttering.blogspot.com/ Mr.Shivers is available for purchase on Amazon.com for the price of $11.99 Hardcover and the paperback and kindle editions have yet to be released.



Bloodroot by Amy Greene
Bloodroot is that rare sort of family saga that feels intimate instead of epic. Set in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, it’s told largely in tandem voices that keep watchful eyes on Myra Lamb. She is a child of the mountain, tied to the land in ways that mystify and enchant those around her. There’s magic to Myra--perhaps because she has the remarkable blue eyes foretold by a nearly-forgotten family curse--but little fantasy to her life. Bloodroot is as much about the Lambs as it is about a place, one that becomes ever more vivid as generations form, break free, and knit back together. Its characters speak plainly but true, they are resilient and flawed and beautiful, and there's a near-instant empathy in reading their stories, which--even in their most visceral moments--are alluring and wonderful. --Anne Bartholomew
It's available on Amazon.com at the list price of $14.97 hardcopy, kindle $9.99 and it is also available on audio cd unabridged.



The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers by Thomas Mullen
Set against the bleak backdrop of Depression-era America, The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is the story of Jason and Whit Fireson, a fictional pair of bank-robbing siblings, and their flirtation with immortality. Famous for daring heists and impossible escapes, the brothers are regarded as either scourges or saviors by followers across the country, but after narrowly surviving a botched ambush, the duo is forced to rely on larger-than-life rumors if they hope to keep themselves (and their legacy) alive. With the American way of life seemingly on the brink of extinction, the dramatic exploits of the Firefly Gang are all that anyone can truly believe in. "Facts make only so much sense on their own," explains the narrator, "when they are laid bare...with nothing to animate them." With characters that practically beg for sepia tone treatments, author Thomas Mullen provides an exciting and provocative tale about the vagaries of justice and truth. --Dave Callanan
The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is set to be released on January 26, 2010 in hardcopy. Amazon.com has the pre-order price set at $15.60 for hardcopy.

I hope everyone has a happy Friday!

Tennessee Mountain Writers Confrence

This is my first confrence/workshop post.
The Tennessee Mountain Writers Confrence will be held on March 25-27 2010 in Oak Ridge, TN at the Double Tree Hotel. The registration deadline for the confrence is March 17, 2010. At this convention they will be hosting several contests for fiction, poetry,nonfiction, childern's litature, and inspirational. To be eligable to enter the contest one must NOT earn a living writing. That's right, this contest is for the amatuer adult writer that has a day job. They are also hosting a writing contest for students in High school. They are accepting essays, articles and short stories. The dead line for ALL contests is FEBUARY 1, 2010.

For full information on the workshops included, cost of attending, location directions, and to see who will be hosting the workshops durning the confrence go to their website at http://www.tmwi.org/Annual%20Conference/2010confpage.html

'Tis the season to prepare!

Workshop and conference time is nearly upon us. For writers this is a wonderful season to connect with and meet other writers. A workshop typically is one-two days and may concentrate one topic or cover several topics. Usually these topics are described in the flyer, or on the web site. Workshops can cover writing style, how to write a specif genre, and many other things. A convention is a large meeting of authors, agents, publishers, and booksellers. Pretty much anyone that has a job in publishing/writing can attend. Conventions can last a few days to a week. They usually have panels for speaking, mini-workshops, meet and greets and of course the chance to listen to authors speak about whatever.

Nearly all conventions and workshops require that you register in ADVANCE, and all have varying costs for registration. Read the information that is posted about the event carefully. Hotel accommodations may or may not included as well as food and always check to see if a type of transport is provided. The more you know about an event the better prepared you are and easier it is to have fun!

If you are feeling stressed relax! You will be fine. This is a chance for you to meet new people, gain some experience, and to learn some interesting things while attending your workshop or convention. If you are feeling a bit shy and are wondering if you can drag a friend along feel free to! When I attended my first workshop I was so very nervous, and so I dragged my best friend with me. I did cover her expenses because I rock, but it was an eye opener for her as well. She is a college student and the workshop also gave her some insight into writing those pesky essays and papers! If you are attending a workshop at a college make sure to check if you can get credits for it towards college or school. Many do credit hours for attending!

Before you commit yourself to a weekend long workshop hosted by an author that you are unfamiliar with read some of their works before you commit yourself to attending. I did this and I discovered a wonderful story by Susan Gregg Gilmore and I was eager to meet her. It was a lifetime experience, and it did boost me up. Not every workshop that you will attend will work out like mine did, but it was a learning experience that I will always cherish.

I will be adding some new links to my sidewalk on the left for some conferences, workshops, and other helpful places on-line. Please check these out and some of my favorites I will be highlighting next week in my posts!

You are your own research

It's been a snowy weekend here in my small corner of Tennessee. It's a rare treat for us get any amount of snow. Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed going outside and freezing my butt off while watching my boys make snow angels, having snowball fights, and of course watching the birds visit our bird feeders that we made back in the fall. I am always amazed to see a red bird or a blue bird in the freezing temperatures feeding. My favorite bird so far this season is a fat red cardinal that tries to hog all the seeds, but the other birds are smaller and faster than he is, so they always manage to nip some seeds out before he can reach them. It's like watching a mini-war over sun flower seeds.

Life sometimes seems to be moving at light speed, or at least it does to me. One day I'm relaxing at home and the next I'm all over the place. It feels like I can't get enough done. Life does fly by and sometimes we can forget the simplest of experiences. An example, the first swim of the summer. It's something that I do every year, I spend most of the summer in a pool of some sort, but that first dip is always special. It means that my birthday is getting closer and that I know I will talk myself into attempting to getting a tan then I will realize that I don't tan well and that I burn.

In time the mind forgets and the heartbreak or love we felt fades. In order to keep these experiences and sensations fresh to my mind I write it all down in journal. This helps me remember what that first plunge of the summer was like, and how I felt when the first pumpkin plant in our garden began to grow. These experiences are life. Life is moving from one moment to the next, and in a way we are our own research. Is your character running with fear their their veins? I've been there and done that, so I simply have to pull from my own experiences to make the scene real and to accurately narrate the scene.

I recommend that ALL writers have a journal to write down in detail their life experiences. It doesn't have to be major, or fancy it's just for you. Write down in your journal as needed. I do mine everyday because I am forgetful. It can be as detailed as you need it to be, but in my experience the more detail the better. Then when you need to information it's there waiting for you to tap into it. Brilliant! Plus it saves you a google and a trip to the library.

New year = New Goals

2010 is here. Yep, it's official, were are beginning a new year of life and I say make this year your year! I know that sounds crazy, but hey I'm all about being crazy. To make this year a rocking year I have a few ideas to help you and your writer friends out.



Step 1: Make goals.
It doesn't matter if you have made a resolution or not for the new year, but make goals, milestones if you will. These need to be small, but lead up to something large, like an accomplishment. An example, by the end of every month you will mark you calendar with a huge red marker that states you will have "X" amount of chapters done (edited, read, or composed). Stick to your goal, and by the end of lets say November you'll have your book ready for final touches.


Step 2: Stick to your goals. Remind yourself or your friend about your or their goals. Set up reminders on your calender, phone, or simply ask them about their progress. This helps reinforce your overall goal, and gives them support that they need.


Step 3: Congratulate yourself or them when they complete a milestone. If they written 15 chapters in a month, and that was their goal, go out and celebrate! Have a drink, go to a movie, eat an entire pint of ice cream! That's right, be naughty! You deserve to let your hair down after such a feat!


Step 4: After completing ANY milestone regroup. Check your calendar and see what's next for your goal. You have too keep on the ball, and keep things going and moving forward. Stay on target. Your goals are reachable and if you break them up into small steps the work will not be so overwhelming or frustrating.

Now that's an easy plan! What is brilliant about this plan is that it works for EVERYTHING. It can work if your potty training your 3 year old, your financial plans, if your redecorating your house or of course writing a book. They key is to have a plan of action.
If you need to break it down into weekly goals you can. It's up to you, but remember not to overwhelm yourself. If you want to have your bedroom repainted, take small steps to get there. Set a date to paint then work backwards. One week go through your clothing (remember to donate!), the next week your books, the next week start packing things up that you want to keep, them move them the next, then move furniture, then cleaning, then at last paint! Then if you need to work out a plan for moving back into your newly painted bedroom.
I am using this plan to finish my book and to get busy with my queries. I have set a goal to start sending my queries out in May. I think that is reasonable, and it will give me plenty of time of get through the season of workshops and conventions without me feeling guilty about missing a milestone. I try to remember that life will happen no matter what milestone I have marked for completion. Who knows what this year will hold for me, but I and my milestone calender will be prepared to handle it all.

I would love to hear if you my lovely readers have any resolutions for the new year or goals for yourself!

Great Children's books

There were some great books for children out in 2009. There of course are heaps of cute books that tach different lessons but I mean really who has the time to go through them all? I have composed a list of great childrens books that you may have missed.


The Book that Eats People, by John Perry. It was released on August 11, 2009 and is illstrated by Mark Fearing. This book is cute, there is no other word for it. On it's pages it gives you hints for handleing. Do not read with a cookie in your pocket, or with sticky hands, etc. It does mention death, death by ravenous book.It has outstanding art, and is humorous. It can be purchased on Amazon.com for $10.87 for the hardback edition.



The Mysterious Benedict Society Trilogy by Trenton Lee Stewart. These books are recommened for grades 5-9, but if your first grader is tearing up chapter books like there's no tomarrow this is the set for your little one! This series of books involves finding clues, solving mysteries and of course saving the world from a madman. To me these books inspire children to read and of course learn that everything is not what it seems. All three books can be purchased on Amazon.com for the price of $23.91 paperback edition. Hardcover is avaibale and also Audio CD.


Horrible Harry and the Dead Letters by Suzy Kline. The "Horrible Harry" book series has been published since 1997 and there are lots of these little books. Harry has terriable days dealing with slime, to room 2 B. I recently purchased a 3 pack of these books for my 8 year old and he adores them! The art work in them are in his level, it reminds me of some of the drawings he brings home from school. There are enough in this series to keep them reading and wondering what will Harry's next adventure be.


Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey. This is a collection of books. There are quite a few in this series, I think all togther there is 12 or 13 of these if you include the diaper baby and the fun books 1 & 2. These books have monster toliets in them, crazy lunch ladies, a Professor Poopeypants as well as a whole slew of bad guys that Captain Underpants defeats. My sister-in-law gave my son his first 1-4 collection with the singing box and he loved them. He still loves them and he has read them over and over. The art on the inside of the books is comic book style, almost like a graphic novel for young readers. I highly recommend these books for anyone who has a young reader that craves longer books but with simple easy to read words.


The last one was for boys, so here's a collection for young girl readers. Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Conner are great for young girl readers from pre-k to 3rd grade. Nancy and her best freind Bree are fancy girls. They dress to the hilt, boas and heels, and crowns make up their wardrobe. They are girly girls that get into trouble. This is a great series if your little girl is timid about reading. They will be eager to see what Nancy's next adventure will be, and you will too. These books are easy readers that will not wear you out, but will leave you laughing at Fancy Nancy's antics.

Banned words

The Lake Superior State University comes out with a list of banned words each year and has done so for 35 years in a row. To me this is a list of phrases and words that have been over-used in the past year, and then again some of the words and phrases listed I have NEVER heard anyone use in a sentence, but all the same this school has banned them. I am sure that this is all in good fun, and I seriously doubt if they have ever expelled a student for letting one of these banned words fall off of their lips. Enjoy!

1. Shovel-ready:There are several difinations for this term. One is being ready to bury. Ex. "My ipod is shovel-ready, I think I want a new one." Defintion number two is that a project is ready to go, meaning that all the permits have been obtained, workers are hired, plans have been set and you are basically ready to begin the work. The first use if the word is the banned defintion.

2.TRANSPARENT/TRANSPARENCY: This word is thought to be "hot" in the new year, but I doubt it. We all know that if something is transparent we can see through it, like a pane of glass is transparent. A second use of the word is to be free from pretense or deciet, or to be frank. This second useage is the one the are banning. I think it would be rather refreshing if things were more frank in certain areas but in reailty that will never happen.

3.CZAR: We all know this word. It has been used throughout the years to label all sorts of people in postions of power. We tend to forget that the use of the word Czar came from Russia in the form of tsar' meaning emperor or one of great power. Now days there are oil czar's, housing czars, car czars, drug czars, birth control czars, and of last year weatherization czar. I think they should come up with a different word for a person in power and retire czar, it is kind of an American Tradition to use this word. It's been in use since 1919 when they first called Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, appointed by team owners as commissioner-for-life as the "baseball czar".

4.Tweet: We all know this word. We all have used it in some form or variation of it ever since twitter came on-line. Merriam-Webster define it as a "chirping note". I'm not sure what we could replace it with, so it seems to me that those that are against this word will just have to grin and bear it until the Twitter becomes a thing of the past.

5.SEXTING: Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones. Now this is tricky. In some states if you are under the age of 21 and are caught "sexting" that means big trouble for you. This is a teenage thing, and it was a "hot" thing to do if you were under the age of 21. Kind of their version of living dangerously. To me this speaks volumes of being skanky, yep a 1990 word. If your married that's one thing, but if your 16 and your wanting to impress your new boyfriend a pic of your naughty bits wont do it. Your pic will end up being forwarded from one jerk to another jerk and before you know it everyone has seen your naughty bits. Not cool.

6.FRIEND AS A VERB: This should state "Friending", as in one Myspace or Facebook your friended someone. I have never used this term, but them again I typically speak in full sentences.

7.TEACHABLE MOMENT: This is another way of saying "a lesson", as in "there was a teachable moment there, but they didn't absorb it." Another defintion is an oppuinunity to make a point. Example, "I had a teachable moment but I held my tounge." For me this doesn't work. There are always moments where I have clairity and realize that I just taught my 5 year old a new word that I am going to regreat come monday when he's in pre-k. As for the other useage of the term has me boggled. I have never used it nor have I heard it used in that context. Usually when someone is making a point in a conversation they say "well I have a point", or something along those lines. That is just an odd useage for the term "teachable moment" and I am being transparent on this. (Ha, ha, just kidding)

8.IN THESE ECONOMIC TIMES…. : This phrase has been used and used till it's almost like kicking a dead horse. Yes,we all are aware that we are broke and are having to be on a fixed budget. I don't need to hear it from every single news caster on the 5 PM evening news. Trust me, I can read my bankstatement to see how hard these economic times are. I am so tired of people telling me I can't be wasteful, I can't afford to miss the cupons in the Sunday paper because of the savings I could have in this hard economic time. Blah, blah, blah. I have a plan to get by, do you?

9.STIMULUS: Usually when we hear this word lately it has another word tacked on to it, package. Yep, stimulus package. We all know that certain groups of people have recieved those handy packages of money that were given under the idea that they would stimulate spending or something along those lines. To be honest the only stimualting package I care to hear about is my husband's and of course I love to read about Erik's in the Sookie Stackhouse books.

10.TOXIC ASSETS : This term means a bad loan, or debt. Toxic assets makes me think that you have a barrel of toxic waste in your basement. Yuck. This is not a great term and I am all for doing away with it.

11.TOO BIG TO FAIL: We all know what this means. Like for instance Walmart is too big to fail. It's not that it is, it's just that people rely on it overly much so it wont. Nothing is too big to fail, or too big to suck. Let me just express how shocked I was to hear how bad the lastest and greatest from Dan Brown was in real life. It was one of the top selling books of 2009 and it sucked. Yep it made tons of money in sales, but I doubt if the next book will. Who knows it may sell even more simply because people have high hopes for the series. To me this phrase makes no sense, everything can fail.

12.CHILLAXIN': I hate this word personally. I have a certain sister-in-law that used it all summer. It seemed that this word was in every sentence she spoke. I think this word is shovel ready. (See I used it!)

13.OBAMA-prefix or roots: A few examples is : Obamanomics, Obamanation, Obamafication, Obamacare, Obamalicious, Obamaland. Yuck. That's all I have to say on that. Don't use these terms, they are grody. Slang is just slang anyway you put it.


Well, folks that's the list. This coming year will give us new words that will make us cringe and there will be words that we will adore. Remember to use any slang terms with care and please leave them out of your manuscrpits!

Repost! Inspiration

Happy New Year Y'all!! This will be a great year. I can feel it! I am still on vacation so enjoy this repost!

Inspiration comes in all forms. It can be from a beautifully moving song, a movie, or a wonderful piece of art. Many things are inspiration for us writers. Some say a pay check or even fame is enough inspiration. That is true on some level. For us writers to receive a pay check and fame someone has to like our writing enough to feel inclined to PAY US, which of course means that someone appreciates our skill and VALIDATES us as a writer. All that we are striving for is to know that someone sees how hard we have worked and it has moved them in some way. This is also true for many occupations, but writers and artists are known to CRAVE that validation to outrageous points.

In order for us to make the work that someone will "Ooh", and "Awe" over we are in constant need for inspiration, some type of muse. For me life and nature provide that. I adore nature scenes where the calm is almost touchable, but then I also love the photos that dare-devil photographers take in the middle of a hurricane of palm trees bent backwards with their leaves being blown harshly by 100 mph winds and rain drops pelting the scene and the camera with a force that makes the skin sting and the water to bounce like hail off of the ground. It's a moment forever frozen in time. That is what moves me to want to try to capture the beauty and fierceness of the moment with words.

My main thing is to keep motivated. I try to see beauty everyday, and it up to me to try to describe it. If you are having a hard time narrating a scene go for a walk and look around. People find their muse in the most unexpected places. Mine is not a constant. It's not like I have a single person or item that makes me want to write. I write because what I experience in my life is overwhelming and needs to be detailed. I want to preserve the memory onto paper so that future generations can read about my life and know that we made it through some tough times, but it was only a select few bad moments that were surrounded by love and laughter.

Writing is complex. That's what people who do not write will never understand. It's not just having the dedication or the commitment to write, but being able to OPEN yourself up to different experiences and being able compose a symphony based on those feelings. I strive to write down my experiences for the day every single day and what my emotions were and how I reacted to these experiences. Then I can go back if I am stuck in a scene. I'll remember, "Oh, yeah. I went through that!" and I can read how I felt when that happened. Inspiration is great but it alone cannot get a writer through the day sometimes we need a little help.

I am offering you my readers a little help today. This week in Tennessee is rainy, wet and a bit on the chilly side. Usually this time of year we have nearly 90 degree (Fahrenheit) days, and this week we have yet to peak above 65 degrees. Yep, it's a spooky week. Fog covers the landscape, creeks are overflowing, the ground is saturated with rain and mud puddles are everywhere. It's a beautiful week. To show you how beautiful this week has been I have spent my morning driving around the area where I live to take photos. All of these were taken by me in my car. I didn't get out a single time, but I did make some U Turns and stopped quite a bit. It was fun. I recommend you try it.

Happy Friday! (to enlarge any of the photos simply click on them)