It's a New Year!

Anyone who regularly reads this blog knows just how crazy my last 12 - 18 months have been. Being told my son needed a bone marrow transplant pretty much threw everything askance since August of 2012. However, now the light is starting to show at the end of the tunnel. As of January 1, he was 8 months post transplant, and doing AMAZINGLY well. All of his doctors seem very pleased with his progress, and while we have a follow-up planned in Seattle, when we return from that, he should return to treatment with his regular hematologist for Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome.

Even though clinic appointments are far too regular still, with no end in sight until mid-late spring, that light at the end of the tunnel is starting to shine a glimmer on the future.

While I'm not going to guarantee I'll be posting here regularly--even pre-transplant, it was beginning to be a gamble--I'll post as much as I'm able to. But, this is what my goals are for this year where my writing is concerned:

1. Write five days a week for at least an hour. To accomplish this, I'm going to try institutiting an early-morning writing time. Between appointments, and the fact I'm a stay-at-home mom (and my daughter will be starting homeschool Kindergarten sometime this year), early mornings are about the only time I can guarantee I'll have uninterrupted time, five days a week. I instituted this early morning time on the 30th of December, and so far, I've gotten up four of the five days, and wrote/edited for three of the four.
2. Publish. This one should go without saying, but I have a very aggressive goal to publish several short stories/novellas/novels this year. I'm not going to specify my exact number (partially because I'm not 100% certain of the exact number, but also because I don't want to have life happen and not be able to follow through), but when I say it's aggressive, it is. A body at rest tends to stay at rest, and a body in motion tends to stay in motion. I'm trying to put myself into motion so that it becomes just part of it that I'm constantly writing, editing, and publishing. Listening to the Self-Publishing Podcast since May of 2013, and reading "Write. Publish. Repeat." (by the same guys behind SPP) in December really motivated me. I can do this. It just takes momentum to get started.
3. Set a production schedule. The only way I can stay on track is to know what I expect myself to do. Listening to Joanna Penn's The Creative Penn podcast (also started around the same time as I started listening to SPP--I think I learned of one from the other) has helped me see that a production schedule will help me stay on track and on purpose. I'm apt to take rabbit trails, and distractions are very easy, so knowing I've GOT to work on this project rather than that one may help keep me on track. I say may because who knows. ;)

I have other goals, like getting my feet in order where I can begin exercising again (I was told I had a very bad case of plantar fasciitis in my arches in December, so I haven't been walking the dog at all) and sticking to a gluten-free diet (I've lost about 5 pounds since Thanksgiving just by going gluten-free, and 99% dairy free!) But, I'm really mostly focused the writing goals. Hopefully, on January 1, 2015, I'll be able to look back at 2014 with a smile.

How about you? Do you have any new goals you want to accomplish in 2014, writing-related or not?

Until next time,

Liberty

P.S., if you haven't done so already, be sure to pick up a copy of CSI Effect! 

Goals Make the World Go 'Round

I disappeared again.

Sorry about that.

But, it was for a good cause. About the time I did my last post, I had started in on a short story--and I blew through 21,000 words in about 3 weeks, including having two days straight where I wrote 4,500+ words (one of those cleared more than 6,000!) I've been working very hard on the project, hence the absence. My focus was just really intense there for a couple weeks.

Photo by Kazarelth

As I've been moving forward in these writing goals, I'm really finding how much I'm solidifying my long-term goals. I'm pretty sure I mentioned when I got back that I'd shifted my goal towards self-publishing in the next 18 months. It's hit home that that number has now dwindled to 15 months!!! That means I have a lot of work ahead of me.

So, I've also been getting some critique partners reading, thinking about others I'd want to ask to read some of my projects, and building up the nerve to ask them. (I do have that problem--I lack the nerve a lot of the time to simply ask for help!)

And, I've also been thinking about how to handle certain aspects like cover design. I do not have any formal training as a designer, but I love to play around with programs. (Several years ago, I asked my husband for a home design program for my birthday. I love opening it up now and then and playing around with it, even though I'll probably never be able to design a house that we'd actually live in!) So, I did spend a significant amount of time playing around with GIMP to design some mock-ups. That's been a lot of fun, and I'm improving my skills. Not sure if I'll ever be able to do a full-blown cover without Photoshop and a couple of classes at my local junior college (which I am contemplating for writing and non-writing reasons, like being able to get student-priced tickets to the opera!) But, I can at least make mock-ups and point someone else in the right direction!

A lot of this has been pushed by the fact that one of my acquaintances locally who works in the hematology office where my son goes is a self-published author... and he has his next book releasing in a couple of weeks. That, and all of the self-publishing podcasts I've been listening to lately. All of this has really motivated me, and I'm practically chomping at the bit to get something, anything up on Amazon.

Even though I'm eager to do so, I know I need to wait. My stories are not ready yet. They need to be polished. I'll get there, and maybe sooner than the 15 months I'm targeting now (maybe as soon as next spring!)

In the meantime, keep watching this space for updates.

Until next time... well, you know. ;)

Welcome Back! -- an Update and a Re-Evaluation

Tap, tap, tap! Does this thing still work??

Ahem.

Yes, I'm back after a much extended break. So, let me catch you up on what's happened in since I did a serious post back in January.

My little man +121 after transplant, feeling great!

In early February, we were told that we were ready for transplant, and March 1 found my husband and I driving from Kansas City to Seattle, WA, where we proceeded with my son's bone marrow transplant. It  was slated to happen the last week in March, but he got a virus (which he wasn't symptomatic for!) and forced a delay until May 1. From May 1 until July 23, we were outpatient for only 2 weeks, 14 hours! My little boy kept getting sick for various reasons, so we never got more than a week and a few hours out the two times we were outpatient.

However.

He has done AMAZINGLY well, and we were able to leave on his day +101 to come home!! We arrived home on August 12, which ended up being a bit of a whirlwind for us. We got home at 12:45 AM, rushed to make an appointment with our KC BMT doctor, then went to see my grandmother who was dying... and who passed away while we were with her.

I am so glad I got to come home and see her one last time.

___________

So, whirlwind 5 1/2 months means no writing, right? 

Nope. 

While I didn't do near as much writing as I'd hoped to do in those five and a half months, I did more than I think many people expected I would. I finished the third draft on my suspense-in-the-future book, Reprisal, and moved further along with the first draft of my police procedural with a Sci-Fi-y twist, Dead Before Arrival. I also began drafting a short story that will be a prequel to Beyond Dead and Dead Before Arrival--and am actively brainstorming ideas for a series of shorts that could very well lead up to the publication of both books, plus the third book in the trilogy, which I've yet to name or do more with than have a few ideas for scenes that could or should happen in them. 

Which brings me to the re-evaluation phase of this post.

Something in me snapped last fall where publishing is concerned. Most of you who regularly read this blog will remember I've said repeatedly that I'm only interested in getting an agent and going the traditional route. I'm not sure what changed, but something has. Maybe it's watching so many of my friends succeed in self-publishing, maybe it's the further success of e-books, or the fact they're now outselling physical books, but I've been re-evaluating what my desires are for publishing.

Over the last several months, I've been listening to podcasts like Self-Publishing Podcast and Joanna Penn's The Creative Penn with regularity--maybe even being on the brink of being a bit obsessive about it.  In the many hours of listening while driving or doing house chores, the things the hosts and their guests have said struck a chord with me, and I'm beginning to see how it's possible for lil' ol' me to be successful in self-publishing. I've got a few hang-ups I'm working through, but thankfully, I've got friends whom I can pick the brains of. 

Currently, I'm formulating a plan to begin publishing in the next 18 months--maybe even sooner. We'll have to see how that goes. I'm starting to chomp at the bit in order to make this happen, so if I can keep up that level of enthusiasm and have things come together, you may be seeing my name in print very soon!

As for this blog, I'm going to keep trying to plug away at it, though as I think I've said in the past, it's going to encompass more of what interests me besides writing, so you may hear about kitchen disasters, anecdotes about my kids, or whatever else floats my boat. I'm also considering doing a non-fiction book about my experiences during transplant, although I'm not really sure about the direction of the project yet.

Until next time,

Hypno-what?

I ran across a word in the Dictionary.com app on my phone last week that intrigued me, not so much because it was a new concept, but because I'd never knew there was an actual definition to something I experience frequently.

The word?

Hypnopompic.

Definition: Pertaining to the semiconscious state prior to complete wakefulness.

I, by nature, am not a morning person. About once or twice a year before kids was how often I was out of bed on a weekend before my husband. And, truth be told, I love to linger in bed whenever possible--even with a preschooler and toddler in the house. So, I have a pretty lengthy hypnopompic period almost daily.

An interesting thing happens, however, when that period intersects with the alarm going off on a weekday.

I am also a self-admitted news junkie. Despite multiple efforts by TMOTH to dissuade me, my bedside radio is tuned not to music, but to a news-talk station--the one I typically listen to for several hours a day before switching to a different one to catch a different program. And what do you hear on a news-talk station at 6:30 in the morning? News, of course!

Now, usually, this doesn't cause too many problems. I learn about what's gone on in the world before I get out of bed, what the traffic's like (for my husband, since I'm a stay-at-home-mom), and what the weather is supposed to be like... provided I'm awake enough, of course.

When I am in a deeper hypnopompic state, however, there's no telling what could happen. Sometimes, my dreams are just a bit crazier than normal and I dream of people I know--all of which are usually vivid and just crazy enough for me to remember for hours, sometimes days or weeks later. Or, they can take the course that happened this past week.

Photo by DavidsonScott15

Crime is, living in a big city, not unheard of. Heck, being a mystery writer, I thrive on hearing about crazy crime scenarios on a daily basis. Last week had an interesting incident, however. A police chase on the opposite side of town from me, which resulted in a cop shooting and killing someone who was wanted on an arrest warrant. But, just imagine what hearing about this happening--repeatedly, because it was happening near-realtime to my alarm going off--would do to a brain not quite awake?

All of a sudden, I'm in the MIDST of a standoff and shooting, complete with car chases, lots of cops, and seedy areas of town. (Although, the incident didn't happen in a horrible part of Kansas City, it's still not the best.)

How's that a way to wake up again? To me, it's a little startling. But, things like this, and even more far-fetched incidents are regular play in my brain during the hypnopompic state.

Two questions this week:
First, are there any new words you've learned which have special meaning once you learn them?
Second, have you ever had anything bizarre happen during your own hypnopompic states? Please share here (for both questions) or blog about them and post links. :)


And, yes, for the record, since I disclosed my own alarm time, I will acknowledge that I wrote this blog post a few days in advance for publication today. While I love all of my readers, I'm barely coherent before about 9 AM, so I usually save you from that lack of coherency. Usually, but not always. ;)

Until next time,

A-C-C-O-U-N-T-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y

I'm having one of those mornings where I really don't know what to write about. After having a six-week lapse in blog posts in September & October, I'm hesitant to just let myself have a week off. Having a self-made deadline is both good and bad... I can give myself a pass--oh, you've had so much going on, take the week off!--or I can hold myself accountable, which is, admittedly, much more difficult.

I find I give myself a pass a lot... and with so much going on, it's no wonder. But, I need to stop doing it. I made a commitment to write a blog post once a week, by Monday, a few years ago. Most of that time, I've done pretty well... Lately, not so much.

Sure, a lot of my brain power right now is being taken up with debating the merits of a non-malignant bone marrow transplant with my son. What's left has been shifted into writing a project that really shouldn't be getting written right now. Out of all that time, I have 30 minutes or 45 to write a blog post, but when I'm sapped, who wants that?

Despite what's going on, though, I made a commitment. If I were to have a book deal, I'm sure my editor wouldn't say something like, "Oh, Liberty, we know you've got a lot going on right now. Just get us your manuscript anytime you wish. We'll still be here."

Yeah, fat chance of that one happening.

I'd be out of a contract and have a bad name in the industry faster than you could whistle Dixie.

And, on the publishing front, if you follow my Facebook page, you know I did hear back from the agent who asked for my partial. "Too dark for a cozy" is about what it amounts to. So, in addition to writing this novel which really shouldn't be getting on the page right now and weighing the benefits of a BMT on my son with the negatives, I've got to make sense of what to do next.

One of my critters thinks my novel's not ready... which I can sort of see... but what to do with it? Still, I have this agent, a fairly well-respected agent as near as I can tell, who expressed that I have some good writing. What do I do with that?

I'm not sure I'm willing to let things calm down enough to give myself breathing room to contemplate it. I need to keep moving forward, even if it's millimeter by millimeter, rather than by leaps and bounds. I'm not willing to come to a standstill (which I sort of feel I'm at now), or, worse, move backwards.

Which is why I do feel like I need to keep blogging--to keep my brain active, and not let myself fall behind.

Maybe it won't make a lick of difference, but for now, I need that accountability.

And, it may not hurt to have a place to vent.

Until next time,

Always with the Questions...

"What do you write?"

My husband and I were in a doctor's appointment with a doctor who may potentially perform our son's bone marrow transplant. He had asked me if I would be the primary caregiver while in the hospital. "Yes," I reply. "I'm a stay at home mom and a writer."

That's when I got THE QUESTION.

I've gotten it over the years, so the reply has started to just roll off my tongue.

"Murder mysteries, book reviews, and the occasional sci-fi," I say with a smile.

The doctor and transplant coordinator laugh, and the doctor says, "Well maybe while you are here, you will get an idea on something to write!"

Sadly, I thought later on as we left for the parking garage, he's probably not far from the truth, especially given my propensity for hating doctors and hospitals in general, and this situation in particular. And, I tend to have a running list in my head of things that will be useful down the road where stories are concerned.

But, then, you never know where that one little detail may come in handly. So, it's good to stay on your toes.

So, will a scenario with a murdered doctor in a children's hospital come up in my writing? You never know... Most of the time, I don't always know where my brain is headed. :)

----------------------

By the way, if you're in the United States, don't forget to vote tomorrow. And, if you're a Republican, a new law passed by Congress gives you the right to vote twice, three times if you're in Chicago. ;) j/k

Until next time,

Liberty

Growing On Up: 5 Lessons on Writing Learned in the Garden

I started a garden this year.

It was sort of a last minute thing, and I really didn't prepare like I should have, but despite it all, it's been fun to see my plants grow... a few taller than TMOTH and myself (and TMOTH is 6'4"/1.93 meters tall!!)

My garden at the beginning of  the year

My previous gardening experiences have left much to be desired. I grew up with a large garden in our backyard, where my mom would (sometimes) plant a ton of tomatoes, and occasionally other things like corn, peppers, and melons. But, since I married TMOTH, I've mostly had a black thumb. I can't start seeds to save me, and many plants I've bought at the store die.

This year, I was actually successful (at least up to now!) Eight tomato plants, five sweet pepper plants, and one lonely chili pepper plant. Oh, and an ever-expanding patch of oregano.

Of course, my water bill has been going up thanks to the huge drought Kansas is in... *sigh*

TMOTH was adamant--he wasn't going to tend to my garden for me. I have a tendency to not go outside at ALL when it gets hot. So, having a small garden seemed reasonable.

And, I'm kind of glad I started small.

So far as I write this, my city has had 20 days in excess of 100° Fahrenheit. We've had less than 4" of rain since June 1, 2012. Normally, we'd have had about three times that by now. I've had to be out pretty much every day to water, occasionally twice, or my plants start wilting.

Homegrown, home-canned tomato sauce

Because of the extreme heat, I've forgone any trips of any lengths of time. My plants would be dead or close to it, I fear, if left for four days (and yes, I know I should get a water timer, but that hasn't happened yet.)

Of course, all this has led to some fruitful results. I've picked a few peppers so far, but even more tomatoes. And, I'm flexing my canning muscles. So far, I've canned my own tomato sauce, and am hoping to soon have enough tomatoes again I can do my own salsa, too.

In the midst of it all, I've learned quite a few lessons, some that I can translate into writing lessons.

1. Plan Ahead -- My decision to do a garden was made hastily. If I'd started working on it earlier, I could have had much more space cleared, and hence, more plants/more produce. As a writing lesson, this is translated to outlining. I'm not a firm believer in outlining, but it's growing on me. Especially given this experience.
   
   
2. Give Me Space -- You can probably see that my first picture, I had things planted kind of close. I was ill prepared for how well my plants would grow, since my previous attempts at growing tomatoes and the like had produced straggly-looking plants. Writing lesson: don't jump right into editing. Let your writing sit for a while.
   
   



A Mariana's Peace Tomato from my garden -- not a Roma!

3. Do Your Research... or Not -- I bought 8 tomato plants from a local grower. I'd been adamant--I wanted Roma Tomatoes, the kind best suited for canning sauce. The grower told me she'd give me some Roma's, but she also had a different kind of Roma called a Mariana's Peace. So, I bought four of each. Well, the Roma's grew like I knew they should, but when the Mariana's Peace started to get big, I knew I'd been sold a bill of goods. These weren't Roma's, but beefsteaks! After I'd harvested quite a few of the tomatoes, I researched them--something I should have done right off the bat. However, I was pleased to learn they're an heirloom variety, have a lot of meat to them, great flavor, and seem to have mixed well with the Roma's. Writing lesson: I'm not huge on research, never really have been. Being a pantser, I rely on intuitive or stored knowledge, occasionally a blog by Lee Lofland, Wikipedia searches, or my small writer's reference library in my bedroom/office. Really have to stop doing that. I've had to rewrite more scenes because I later learn of major inaccuracies. Which is why I'm contemplating asking a couple of my legislator friends to allowing me to shadow them come January--despite the fact I've been a legislative intern twice--since I've got two new ideas for novels that would involve a legislative setting. I need to be a bit more disciplined about research.
   
   
4. Deal With Your Circumstances -- I had no idea I was going to deal with a drought like we'd had. Even though I follow Gary Lezak who came up with the LRC (Lezak's Recurring Cycle) which is a weather theory I believe has a great deal of scientific merit, I didn't see us having a drought as extreme as we've had. I figured it'd be hot--we had a mild winter, more rain than snow, and I think I was wearing shorts as early as February. So I was prepared for the heat. But, I've had to be out every day, usually in temps nearing 100°, and that's not something I'm used to. I actually hate the heat. But because I saw my little tomatoes growing, and had visions of maybe supplementing our food sources in a significant manner, I was out there, watering, tending, trimming, and harvesting, even if I was tired, hot, sweaty, or sick. Writing Lesson: Your circumstances are your circumstances. Deal with them as best as you can. If your schedule is unpredictable, fit in 10 minutes of writing between appointments.
   
   



My tomatoes quickly became overgrown.

5. Learn From Your Mistakes --  I desperately needed to have about twice as much space for my tomatoes as I ended up having. I can access them only from the perimeter, otherwise, I have to crane my neck and sometimes reach in blind to find my ripe red fruit. Next year will be different. Come fall, probably in October, I plan to Round-Up a significant part of the yard (probably much to our landlord's chagrin!) and add compost to all our areas that I'm clearing after a couple of weeks of killing off the weeds and crabgrass. I hope to have twice as many tomato plants next year, maybe even three times as many, spread over at least four times the amount of space. Writing Lesson: As I detailed in last week's post, I made the hard choice to give up on my project "Homebody". It was a tough decision, but one that needed to happen. While I'd hesitate to call "Homebody" a mistake, I definitely learned from it. Maybe I'll detail some of the lessons learned in a future blog post.

Question for you: What lessons have you learned about writing from your outside activities?

Until next time,

Tough Decisions, or, I'm Not a Quitter--Honest!

Being a writer means making lots of choices. Why did Uncle Melvin kill off Cousin Carl? How will Detective Haskins discover the killer? Why did Sarah run off with Luigi? And on and on...

One of the toughest things about being a writer is knowing when to quit. Not necessarily for the day, but when is the story done. Or when it's not done, and there's nothing you can do at this point in your life to make it done.

by Astroboy_71

I'm facing one of those times right now.

For the last 6 1/2 years, I've been working on a novel project. It's had a lot of names, but right now, it's "Homebody". This novel predates my children being born, and the two main characters actually predate my marriage.

Over the last year or so, I've struggled with the book. I'm on like the 7th draft or some crazy thing, and I keep feeling like I'm circling around when it could be considered done, but just not quite there. Those who have read it say the same thing. But I can't figure out what's wrong with it, not now at least. For a while, I thought it was done: I submitted it to agents, and have received a few nice, even encouraging replies, but nothing that would have me thinking I'm almost there.

In a last-ditch effort, I asked Texas Momma (aka Linda Yezak) to take a look at it this spring. Between all her battles, she read a few chapters, but life happened and she had to return it, mostly unread, but with a few very helpful suggestions.

Then, last week, I got that niggling feeling again, like it was time to let it go.

I've had that feeling off and on for a while. I'm not sure why, but after it came back stronger than ever, I decided I'd e-mail Texas Momma about it. Even though I asked, I wasn't quite prepared for the blunt reply:

"Give up on Homebody. Save the personalities for another book, if you'd like, but I'd quit on it."

My stomach clenched reading those words. This book has become so much a part of my identity the last several years. How can I just give it up? It's almost like abandoning one of my children at the grocery store.

One thing you should learn early on as a writer is to kill your darlings. In other words, that turn of phrase you think is so clever, or that scene that you love but doesn't necessarily fit with the rest of the book. Perhaps it's the same way with this book--it's become my darling in many ways.

When I first started it, I was a completely different person than I am today. I had different goals, different aspirations, different worries. And, writing... and rewriting Homebody was cathartic in many ways. In the past six years, I've started work on several other projects, most of which I've finished, one or two I haven't for whatever reason--my creative juices ran out, I lost interest, etc.

Homebody wasn't the first novel I wrote. No, that disgraceful thing happened back in my teens. I pray it never again sees the light of day. A couple more came in between, both before and after a hiatus in my last semester of college into the first year of married life. Perhaps Homebody is that transition for me--the one I needed to get out, but isn't yet worthy of being published. Perhaps the next one or two books I've got on my plate will be it. I hope so.

For now, I must say goodbye to this story. Thank you for helping me grow as a writer. I'm sorry I had to use you to do it, that you never reached your full potential, that I wasn't the writer you needed me to be. Just know that even though you will remain on my flash drive, and I may never open you again, you've been valuable. I will always have fond memories of writing you.

As for my characters, Amanda O'Flannigan and Richard "Rick" Pierce, I think they'll be around again. Almost as soon as I made the decision that it was time to cut it loose, I got a new idea which would be perfectly suited (I think) for them. And, Homebody definitely allowed me to come up with a great deal of back-story for these two. I hope it comes to fruition, mostly because I love both of these characters dearly. I'm not quite ready to quit on them, even if I have to quit on one of their stories.

For the time being, I'm going to get back to work on "Reprisal". I'm mid-way through the 3rd draft, and it's lingered far too long as I've had two children, done NaNo, and tried to get that OTHER book done. I'll try to post monthly reports, even if they're brief, on how that's going. Once I've completed the 3rd draft, I'm going to go back to my 2009 NaNo project, "Beyond Dead". It's very short--just barely over the 50K minimum to win NaNo, and ideally I'd prefer it around 80K. That's a lot of words to add! But, one thing at a time.

If you're a writer, how do you gauge when it's time to cut a story loose permanently and stop working on it? Have you ever had to do it? Did you mourn for the story and/or characters as I feel I'm doing a bit of now?

Happy trails,

Mind Ramblings

I realized last week on Monday mid-day that I didn't do a post. And, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what to talk about.

So, I stared at my computer, decided to ignore it, then for the next couple of days, felt guilty about it...

*sigh*

So here I am, not really sure what to write about still. I hate days like this.

The problem is, I have a lot to say. My opinions are wide and varied.

But, sometimes, I feel that since I'm a writer from home, and a stay-at-home mom to boot, I don't have much to say.

And, that's where I'm at now.

Maybe I should just talk about how much I loved "The Avengers". That's a trending topic. :) My husband and I went to see it opening day--in 3D no less--and loved it. Especially the scene at the end of the movie credits where NO ONE SAYS A WORD.

Four words: Joss. Whedon. Is. Brilliant.

I don't know for sure if I'd ever seen anything by Mr. Whedon prior to being coerced into seeing "Firefly" and "Serenity" last year. But, I think I'm a fan now. Between the misfits on "Serenity" and all my favorite super heroes (especially Tony Stark), I honestly can say I love his work. Yeah, I probably need to go see some of his other stuff. That'll come. I'll get obsessive before too much longer, and cherry-pick from his listing on IMDB.com what to borrow from the library near me.

In the meantime, if anyone has any suggested viewing selections of Whedon's previous work, post them here. ;)

And, Oh! Did you see the "Castle" finale? I'll be rewatching that one again over the summer... probably several times (along with the two prior to it, especially the one with Adam Baldwin.) I was thinking this morning as I got up how much a young Nathan Fillion (from Firefly era) would've made a great choice to play the role of Rick in my novel "Homebody". Now, he'd actually probably be a good choice for Mark from my project "Beyond Dead"... at least then, he'd actually be able to play a real cop!

Until next time,

Craziness

It's been a bit of a crazy couple weeks.

First, we found out that I'd been published--yea! :)

Then, our little guy came down with a mysterious ailment that we're still not 100% sure what it was--acted fine, but ho-boy, was his skin broke out! Every day for about a week, I was on the phone to one or more doctors offices.

In the middle of this, our daughter came down with a 102° fever for some inexplicable reason. Ugh...

A friend called that day... said another friend of ours has stomach cancer which has spread...

Five hours after that, I learn an old friend of my mom's had passed away, someone I've known for the better part of my life, and still run into his wife and daughters periodically.

And, if that weren't enough, my grandfather, who is 91, went into the hospital with pneumonia.

Ay-yi-yi.

I'm not writing this as a woe-is-me piece. Just venting.

But, it's been a long couple of weeks.

Texas Momma has been encouraging me to work on my novel to tweak it up a bit, so I managed to get a bit of that worked on. Actually made it to my favorite coffeehouse to do so! And, I bit the bullet and asked Texas Momma if she'd look at the whole novel... Hopefully in the near future, that'll happen.

I had hoped things had calmed down, but oh no... The tornadoes in Kansas this weekend? Damaged the facility where my dad works. Haven't heard when he'll be able to go back, but the pictures coming out of Wichita are kinda scary--thank God no one was hurt! I can't count how many times I've been in that area, and to see some of the pictures... really tugs.

God has kept me sane the last few weeks, just barely. (It's been a tough job!) Probably what's been most helpful is the fact I've been reading in II Samuel and I Chronicles about the trials of David the last few weeks. If he could get through all kinds of junk happening, so can I. Sure, I don't have to slay a giant, or stay on the run from my father-in-law who wants to kill me, but I can keep things together because God's with me. He's in control.

And, that's what's most important.


Until next time,

A Punch In the Gut

Everyone needs a punch in the gut once in a while. Whether it's physical or mental, something that brings you back to reality is never a bad thing.

I got my own slap in the face last week. I was lamenting (okay, I was whining) to a writer friend that even though I'd "improved" my query, and done some tweaking to my first pages of my novel, that I was still only getting form rejections to the agents I was sending to.

She offered to take a look at my query (both old and newly revised) as well as my first five pages.

Now, this writer friend is kinda like my Texas momma, and I've told her so on several occasions. We laugh and joke, and I know without a doubt that if we ever have the chance to meet, after the initial awkwardness, we'd have the same relationship offline as we do on.

So when the first line of her reply was, "Get out the rifle, you're gonna wanna shoot me", my heart sank.

What do you mean my story isn't ready yet? Really? I've been querying and making a fool of myself--again?

Basically, in all my editing, I've managed to leave some B.I.G. beginner errors in my novel... which is probably why I'm not getting any nibbles.

Seeing as my TX Momma is published, and works as an editorial assist to a small press AND her lit agent, I'm inclined to take her advice.

So, here's to hunkering down--again--and doing another MAJOR pass on "Homebody"... and hopefully, I'll get it right this time.


Until next time,


Liberty

News!

We have some news!

Last week was the source of some good news... and some bad news...

But, we like good news here. So, I'll just share the good news today. The bad news... it can wait. Besides, it's not horrible, life-altering news, it's just the kind we don't like very well. ;)

Ahem.

As many of you know, I decided to join the Team PYP challenge back in July. (Sadly, I've learned that Mrs. Woychik will not be continuing Team PYP into next year, and has shortened this year from a full year to 9 months... :( ) Anyway. I've been working on my myriad of projects for this and other duties, and I'm starting to see some success.

A week or so ago, in Miss Snark's First Victim Secret Agent contest, the Secret Agent told me she'd probably read beyond the first 250 words if my story were in her slush. (Pssst! It is! I submitted to her during the contest, not knowing it was her!) So, that was encouraging.

But, the best news of all came on St. Patrick's Day.

Now, I'm not superstitious or anything... and while I'm Irish, let's just say my roots to Colonial America are fresher than those that lead to the Emerald Isle.

But, St. Patrick's Day evening, I'm doing what every young writer does incessantly--checking their e-mail. I didn't think I'd have anything, but lo-and-behold, there's something new in my inbox. (I keep a separate e-mail account for all things writerly, just so I don't lose things of importance.)

I click on it.

It opens up, slowly. (Yeah, thinking about leaving Yahoo! after all the issues I'm having, but I digress.)

"We would be pleased to include your story "Family Reunions Are Murder" in OMDB!"

How about them apples?! OMDB! is short for "Over My Dead Body!" and is an online magazine for, you guessed it, murder-related stories. I don't know when I'll be published--yet!--but I'm sure it'll be relatively soon. I'll be sure to let everyone know when it's up. :)

Until next time,

Hectic

When did life get so hectic? I mean, really?

Between the fact that I've been spending a ton of waking hours working on writing projects, it seems everything else has been pushed to the wayside, up to and including normal housewife duties. TMOTH often asks what I managed to get done in any given day, and I give him a blank stare. How can I say that most of what I did involved editing, writing, outlining, etc.?

Oh well.

This week probably won't be much different. However, there is one thing this week that'll get me away from the computer.

First, two writing-related things happen this week.

The fabulous Jeannie Campbell, AKA, The Character Therapist, is going to have my male lead in my next publishable novel on the couch. I'm so excited! Back in October, she had Tamryn, my female lead, on the couch, so I'm really interested to see what she says about the hero and how they'll interact together. Bridger's couch time is slated for tomorrow, so be sure to check it out.

Thursday is to be the latest day at which I'll learn whether Homebody made the first cut for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. I'm hopeful, but I don't know what kind of competition I'm up against, either. Well, I take that back. I do know TWO of the novelists I'm up against--two of the members of my local critique group have also submitted. This part of the contest is all about pitch, which I'm a bit more confident about than the actual novel, just for the simple fact that I've had some recent critiques from a new critter that have already drastically revamped the first few chapters of the story. Oh boy.

And, finally, Friday... our little boy has his bone marrow biopsy, provided he doesn't get sick. He gave TMOTH and me a cold in the last week, so hopefully, we don't give it back!

I don't know if I'll give an update until next Monday about any of this, but we'll see.

Until next time,

Liberty

Where You Write

I think I'm in a minority where writing is concerned.

I've trained myself to write anywhere. And, I do mean ANYWHERE.

Most writers I talk to have one, maybe two places where they tend to write. At a desk, maybe at their kitchen table.

While I've got no desk currently (we got rid of it prior to moving last year--thank goodness, it was a pretty heavy desk, and huge, too!) I do a lot of my writing at my dining room table. It allows me a good ear to hear my kids as they play and nap. I'm close to the kitchen if I'm cooking something (although, I do sometimes forget that I have something on the stove or in the oven... and that's when the smoke detector goes off!) If I print a draft, it's easy to get up and pull it off my printer, which, because of the size of our apartment, currently sits on top of a filing cabinet (out of little hands' reach) in the corner of our dining room. And, if someone comes to the door, I'm right there to hear the knock and answer.

But, while about half of my writing goes on at my table right now, I've found I'm just as productive--and sometimes more productive--in other places. In no particular order, here are some places I write:

Lake Kanopolis in Kansas... a place I could work at!

• The Couch
• The Recliner
• In bed
• In the front seat of the car while my husband is driving.
• The driver's seat (while in park, of course!)
• At a picnic table
• At a coffee shop
• At a library
• During a political meeting or two (probably when I should have been paying attention, too!)
• On a boat
• On a beach

My current favorite spot is in bed, but I don't do that unless I'm actually ready to go to bed, and just waiting on TMOTH. But, if there are nights where TMOTH falls asleep in the recliner or on the couch, I can work for a while into the wee hours of the morning.

Where you write doesn't matter--as long as it's a place you're comfortable with, and where you have the things you need at your disposal. I'd be the first to admit that some of the places I write--the beach for instance--aren't the most productive, and I may only get a little editing done or write a few paragraphs.

I think it can be advantageous for a writer to be able to write anywhere, especially if they're frequently on the go or have constant interruptions. As I write this post, I've gotten up three times to check on cooking, tend to my potty-training daughter, and get my son up from his nap. The dog has been growling at strange noises in the apartment building, the TV is on with The Sound of Music (which I've been singing along with!), and the radio is on four feet from me with the talk radio station.

My question for you today:
Where do you write? Do you have to have one location devoted to writing, or are you more like me--you bounce from location to location with ease?

Until next time,

Take Some Time To Breathe

This is a part of the monthly ChristianWriters.com blog chain. This month's topic is "Fresh Air."

"All good writing is like swimming underwater and holding your breath."
— F. Scott Fitzgerald

I feel like I just came up for air... again. 

Last week, I finished some massive edits on Homebody, edits that had me seriously changing one of the storylines. I think (hope, pray) the edits make sense and actually make a stronger story. It's with one of my fellow CWer critters right now. I guess we'll see.

Photo by MaHidoodi

Whenever I finish a project, I feel like I've just come up from air after being underwater too long. With Homebody, it's been something where I've been coming back up for air over the last 5 or so years, only to be forced back under again. Then, I escape my captor, grab a breath, then get caught again. Sometimes, other captors grab me, giving Homebody a necessary break, but it's always something. I have to be working on something.

As much as I love the feeling of being able to say "It's done... for now," I feel restless without a project to work on. When I was younger, I'd just switch hobbies for a while. That's when I usually made something with some yarn and crochet hooks. Now, I feel completely unproductive unless I've got something to write. I sometimes wonder if I'll ever be able to crochet or sew again without feeling guilty about not writing. My craft storage box--where I keep a collection of crochet hooks, patterns, and candle-making supplies--hasn't been touched in well over a year. 

I've already taken my gasp of breath and dived into the rewrite of my futuristic mystery/sci-fi Cora's Song--which is going to get renamed, to what, I'm not sure. Maybe I'll take suggestions.

But, I digress.

As much as I appreciate the ability for some artists to take lengthy breaks between projects, I'm not sure I could ever be one of them. Sure, I'm a sporadic writer right now. It kinda goes with the territory of having a 10-month old and an active preschooler. But, I can see myself being one of those über-productive writers who spend 6 - 8 hours a day writing, and publishing 4 - 6 books a year. I read an article about Nora Roberts a while back. This reflects some of her habits. Totally inspired me.

Until that happens and the kids are a little older, I'll keep at it, taking a quick burst of fresh air between projects, and diving back into it.

Today's Question: Do you take time to "breathe" between writing projects? If so, how long do you take?

Until next time,

Confession Time

I have a confession to make today.

I, a woman who desires little more than to see her books in print form and to sign with an agent, has yet to attend any conference with any literary agents in attendance.

I'll pause while you pick yourself off the floor.

There's a bunch of reasons I haven't made it to any of these. The two primary ones: time and money.

In fact, the last time I went to any conference related to writing was probably at least ten years ago.

Now, I've been to multiple shorter events, usually Sisters in Crime talks, and an occasional book signing.

But to go to a convention, or even a weekend seminar? Hasn't really happened. At least not in person. I did attend parts of the Muse Convention online last year, just before the health mess with my son started getting rolling.

I've wanted to go to Bouchercon for years. This year, it's in St. Louis--which would be a very affordable train ride via Amtrak across the state of Missouri for me. But, I've also heard Bouchercon is more for readers rather than writers. *sigh* What's a girl to do?

I think ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) is also having their conference in St. Louis this year, just a couple weeks later. While I'd fit in theologically, my stories... well, they really won't fit with the ACFW or CBA "guidelines." Hmmm...

Getting TMOTH to sign off on any convention at this point is also pretty iffy, given our son's state and the "mommy" factor--he about panics whenever I leave him, even with Daddy for an hour or two.

Maybe a convention isn't in the cards this year.

But, I do know that I can't afford to keep ignoring this aspect of the writing game.

Today's Question: Have you ever attended a conference? If so, which one(s)? What did you find most beneficial? If you haven't attended a conference, what's holding you back?

Until next time,

Traveling on the Writer's Journey

Photo by: Ed Coyle Photography on Flickr

This month with the ChristianWriters.com blog chain, the topic is "The Journey." It could be any type of journey, but I thought I'd share a bit of my writer's journey.

I remember writing stories as early as around 2nd Grade. My favorite TV show at the time was Disney's Rescue Rangers. I was fascinated by the main characters: two chipmunks and two mice, especially the female mouse, Gadget. I even named a hamster after her. *grin*

My stories weren't sophisticated by any means. Although, looking back, I have found that some of my obsessions were clear even at that early age. (I have a hard time writing a novel-length story without a female side character being pregnant. Go figure that one out.) I was also already obsessed with right and wrong, even though my introduction to the mystery genre wouldn't happen until I was ten.

Enter: Nancy Drew and her cohorts, the Hardy Boys.

Sidenote: I still have a crush on Ned Nickerson and Frank Hardy.  Though, admittedly, I think I've got it worse for Tony Stark these days... Don't tell TMOTH. ;)


After reading almost every book in the multiple series I could get my hands on, I decided to try my hand at writing again--mostly because it was pretty much the only thing I would read and the publisher wasn't putting them out fast enough.

Long story short: started writing fan fiction, which eventually evolved into writing my own stories with new characters (although there were a lot of similarities to Nancy, Frank and Joe, as well as people in my own life.) Finished writing a novel, thought it was terrific. Sent it out to a couple of publishers (including some of the bigger ones.)

Ohhhhh Boy.

I ran across the notebook with some of that original draft in it a few years ago.

I am so glad I got rejected! Talk about embarrassing.

I was so blessed as a writer to start going to a Sister's in Crime chapter near my hometown in my late teens. And, though it was extremely painful, I attended the critique group that met separately almost religiously (until I met TMOTH, that is.) The ladies in the group were tough, yet kind, and really helped me see where I could mature as a writer. I still remember being so angry, mostly with myself, the first time I got an honest critique. It was very painful, but words I needed to hear.

That first group pointed out my flaws, and encouraged me to keep working. Slowly but surely, I improved.

But, then I moved away and got married.

For about a two-year period around the time I was dating, then after I married TMOTH, I did little to no writing, despite the fact I held a journalism degree. Slowly, I started writing again. I wrote one novel which I'm not sure will ever see the light of day to get the blood flowing again. Started a few more, then I caught an idea that wouldn't let go. Off I went, writing.

And writing.

And rewriting.

And having a baby or two.

And editing.

And tweaking.

And getting critiqued.

And editing some more.

And adding new scenes.

And now, that story is Homebody. Which I'm hoping to start getting into agents' hands this summer or early fall.

There's something to be said for those early attempts--and my first critique group. I wouldn't be half the writer I am today without early encouragement and constructive criticism. I've given out some tough critiques to people before, so I know it's not easy to give out hard words that need to be heard, but am I forever grateful to the five women who took time to help mold me into the writer I am today. So, thank you: Anne, Lori, Laurie, Janet and Nancy. I don't know where you are today as I lost touch after I got married, but I hope you have all gotten closer to your publishing dreams.

Photo by: Laurentzziu on Flickr

Before I go, let me remind you to check out everyone's posts this month:

• 5/1: Keith Wallis, wordsculptures
• 5/4: Chris Vonada, I'm Just Thinkin'
• 5/5: Jan Christiansen, Refreshed By the Word
• 5/6: Scott Fields, Dead Man Writing
• 5/7: Cindee Snider Re, Breathe Deeply
• 5/8: Traci Bonney, Tracings
• 5/10: Janna Dyck, Writing for Life
• 5/13: Chris Henderson, TheWriteChris
• 5/14: Nona King, Word Obsession
• 5/16: Liberty Speidel, Word Wanderings
• 5/18: Victor Travison, Lightwalker's View
• 5/19: Tracy Krauss, Expression Express
• 5/20: Carol Peterson, From Carol's Quill
• 5/21: Edward Lewis, Sowing the Seeds
• 5/23: Debra Ann Elliott, Writing with Debra
• 5/24: Lynn Mosher, Heading Home
• 5/25: Chris Perdue: The Bible Stop
• 5/26: Sarah Grace Write-Minded
• 5/30: Sheila Hollinghead, A Spring of Living Water

Until next time,

Hiking = Writing

Yesterday, Sunday, TMOTH and I took my daughter, son, and Labrador Retriever for a hike at a nearby lake.

A photo from a trail I frequent... yes, this *is* Kansas!

Upon reflection, I learned a lot on that hike... about writing.

The trail we chose started out flat, across grass in a wide-open field. As we approached the woods, it got muddy, then rocky, and had a steep slope down to the lake. Once on the shore, we trudged over driftwood, rocks, and, again, mud until we decided to turn around and head back the way we came.

The flat, open part of the hike reminded me of how I usually start out on a writing project: good initial progress, seeing a portion of where I'm going, but not clearly the whole trail (even when I've outlined.) I usually hit some point where I've got a good feel for where I'm headed, but the writing gets rocky, and I slow down, carefully finding my next step.

Then, I get to the middle. Fits and starts, I'll progress in quick bursts, then find something I have to climb over, go under, or around. (In the actual hike yesterday, this was difficult since my son was in a carrier, pulling me off balance!) My daughter taught me a few things in this portion, as she forced us to take breaks (allowing for reflection, possible changes, or redirection in my writing analogy) and look at bobbers, shells, rocks, or throwing sticks and stones into the water.

Sometimes, in these sections of my writing, I get hurt, as I did on the hike (it wasn't bad--a scrape on my shin when my foot slipped as I was climbing over a large, fallen tree.) I have to backtrack, rethink what I'm doing. Often, these instances happen when I'm editing. On my most recent edit of Homebody, I had several major changes, some of which I'm still tweaking. When I started writing this story, now going on five years ago, I wouldn't have imagined some of these types of twists in my story.

On the way back up the hill, I'm starting to pick up steam. While I'm watching my footing carefully, I know I'm headed for the climax: I'm about to write "The End" soon. I may have to take a breather now and again--after all, it is a steep climb!--I'm moving steadily upward, and know how far I've got to go.

Then, I crest that hill.

I can see the end!

For me, this is often the fastest part of the hike--and the writing. Renewed energy hits. Frequently, I can write a 30 or 40 page section in first draft mode in a single evening, especially the closer to the climax I get.

Then I reach the car--or write my last lines. Relief! My characters are out of danger, my feet can rest (and I can get another cool bottle of water from the cooler and turn on the A/C!)

Do you have a favorite analogy on how you write? How has that taught you about your writing?

Also, I want to extend my hearty congratulations to Linda Yezak, who guest posted for me last summer, on the publication of her debut novel, Give the Lady a Ride. I can't wait to get it (hopefully on my Kindle!) and read it!

Until next time,

Why It's Important to Read Other Blogs

Due to couple of technical glitches on my end of things, this post apparently didn't run on Monday as I'd intended. Enjoy!

________________

If you're like me, you watch your fair share of crime dramas on TV. I love Bones, Castle, and NCIS immensely.

But, if I'm not careful, I can allow them to color what I interpret as correct where police procedure is concerned.

This is why it's important that I--and you as a writer--read non-fiction, whether in blog form or in book form.

I love Lee Lofland's book, Police Procedure and Investigation, and his blog, The Graveyard Shift. With Castle in particular, he blogs about what the writers/actors did wrong where police procedure is concerned, and praises them when they get it correct. By reading this blog, I learn a lot, and that colors my view of other shows when I watch them. TMOTH is probably getting a little tired of hearing me go "They wouldn't really do that in real life" or "Oh, boy, I can't wait to see what Lee Lofland has to say about that tomorrow."

The same holds true for reading blogs by writers and agents. Lately, with having a little one in and out of the hospital, and being a busy mom, I don't have a lot of time to read lengthy books on the topic of writing. Truth be told, since I got my Kindle a couple months ago, I haven't cracked open a real book other than review copies for Christian Children's Book Review. So, for the writer in me, blogs are the best way to stay current with my craft.

I almost always try to stay up with three blogs a week: AuthorCulture, Wordplay, and Rants & Ramblings. If I have time, I usually like to check in with several others, but these are the ones I'll read while eating breakfast or lunch, or if I have a quick ten minutes where the kids are being good.

Sure, the four I've mentioned today are probably not the most comprehensive, although I feel they're pretty good. Heck, Rants & Ramblings has been on the Writer's Digest list of best sites for writers several years in a row. But, the important thing for me is that I stay connected. If I were to say "Chuck it. I've got too many irons in the fire. I'll pick my writing back up when the baby's better," I'd lose my grip on the market, on what's good writing, on my passion for doing what I want to do.

By staying active on the blogs, I'm also keeping my name out there. I don't comment on every post, but I comment frequently enough. And that, as a writer desiring to be published, is an important thing.

So, you tell me: What blogs do you make sure you read frequently? Maybe I'll have to add a few more to my "must read" list.

Until next time,

Living Research

How many times have you been in the middle of something major in your life, and thought to yourself, "Gee, this would make an interesting story"? How often do you act on that and go sit down and write your story?

While I'm no memoirist, and have actually yet to read a memoir (I've got one on my Kindle--I think,) there are times when odd things happen to me and I think it would may make an interesting addition to a story, or a story in and of itself.

With my son having been in and out of the hospital so much in the last few months (we had #4 admission last week), I find myself pondering what I've learned by being at the hospital.

Let's get one thing straight: I absolutely HATE hospitals. Up until I was 25, I'd never been admitted to one. The only reason why I ever have been is due to having babies (or complications thereof). I avoided hospitals like the plague.

Maybe not the best strategy for a mystery writer. Look at all the research I missed out on.

My son's condition doesn't necessarily mean that my experiences lend themselves to mystery writing. He's hardly been rushed to the hospital, a victim of a stabbing, shooting, poisoning (and let's hope he never is!) But, the anxiety of not knowing what's going on, the waiting, hoping that my son will get better... that's something I can draw on as a writer. Even though I try to take everything one day--sometimes one hour--at a time, and I don't worry in the traditional sense of the word, I understand.

He's never been in serious enough condition that his life is hanging by a thread, but I can understand better now how the parents of a child with leukemia may feel. And, even though I have no plans anytime in the future to write about something of that nature as a topic (at least, not in a novel format), I do feel that the experiences I've had as of late will make me a better writer.

When you get right down to it, all writers draw on their own experiences. You have to. Especially when you're writing fiction. Fiction is about an experience, whether bad, good, or ugly.


You tell me: what was the last real life experience you used to draw on for your writing? It may only be related by a smidge, but did it help you write a more believable scene?

Until next time,