Renae's Writespot

Whitney Awards, Book Review, and More

2012-02-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

At this time of year, judges are voraciously reading finalist entries in The Whitney Awards. LDS Authors whose books have been nominated then whittled down to five of the best in a genre are now competing for the coveted top spot. Or, in the case of the 2010 entries, a tie. Winners will be announced in early May at the conclusion of the LDStorymaker Conference. Today I will review a YA Speculative Whitney finalist whose cover was also a Reader's Choice Best Genre Cover winner in a contest last week through LDS Publisher: Variant by Robison Wells.

The book blurb: Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the ruled equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

With a flavor reminiscent of Hunger Games, Wells creates a believable story of survival hidden within the familiarity of our own world, but Maxfield Academy is anything but safe and familiar. In the words of Wells, it's a "modern-day, real-world, with a sci-fi twist". I personally like that better than most way-out fantasy or sci-fi books.

The characters are intriguing and unpredictable. Both character and plot causes Benson Fisher not to trust anyone but himself. This page turner kept me guessing. Book #1 leaves us with a few questions answered and new ones sparked in cliff-hanging circumstances. Can’t wait for Feedback, the next and final installment.

Variant is surprisingly clean with maybe three or four swear words, less violence than Hunger Games, and no sex. I highly recommend it for young adult and adult male and female readers.

To Honor a Special Friend

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today I honor someone whom I will never forget in guiding my writing journey and to all those online and in person friendships that were created through the world of writers. Happy Valentine's Day!

I started writing a novel after reading one that struck me as being something within my capabilities. Just give me a computer and enough time and the ideas I find exciting can turn into publish-worthy pages. Ignorance is bliss. Rejections came but I had proved to myself I could complete such a project and my skills should only improve with practice.

After I had started a second novel, I moved to a new area and met a friend who also wrote. She encouraged me to join her critique group. What an eye-opener! She and another woman did their best to find good things to say about my writing while guiding me through reasons why a sentence or paragraph needed changes or why a character felt flat. I quickly learned and improved both through writing and critiquing. The process of growth felt exhilarating.

This woman and I developed an unlikely friendship. She has a busy household full of children and my caboose was heading to college. She's a bit high-energy and I’m more organized and low-key. But we needed one another to improve, to fulfill our dreams.

Though I credit her with my real start to writing, showing patience and believing in me, there came a point where my friend grew frustrated with her lack of success.

“Why spend so much time when nothing comes of it?” she asked.

The answer was evident. “Because you love it.”

An artist needs another artist to buoy them up, give encouragement, praise when deserved and give helpful criticism as needed. Our husbands may be supportive, but they really don’t understand our drive and all that it takes to do what we do. Only other passionate writers can fill those shoes of support through the ups and downs of going after our dreams. I am grateful to have such a friends in my life. Here's to my critique group--Melissa, Shannon, Rich, and Brock. Love you guys!
And now I'd like to share this special friend's entry in my alliteration contest:
Melanie Martineau meandered merrily, moving magic marbles over her milky mandibles. Madness marred the machinery of her mind as she marked Mary Malcom's mansion on a map. Maybe she'd make a magpie munch on the mannerless Mary's marshmallows. Moreover, maybe a mallet to the martyr's magnolia tree might make the manager of her meat-market melt...like the malevolent witch of Oz. Moving her magnet of a mirror, Melanie munched on mildewed macaroni. A marvelous mouth-watering meal, and mentally measured the miles to Mary's mansion. Muah ha ha ha! -- by Melissa Cunningham
To learn more about the contest and winner, click here
Who inspires you?

Book Review and Alliteration Entry

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the next five weeks I will be posting entries to my alliteration contest one at a time, along with my regular post. So look for Matthew Tandy's great submission below. First, I have a book review for anyone interested in learning to make better decisions for their financial future. In other words, this book is for adults of all ages.

The 124 page book is RetirementQuest: Make Better Decisions by John Hauserman. The back cover states the book's purpose as showing how to get unbiased advice and avoiding costly mistakes."If you want to build a secure financial future, this is the book that will help show you how." I agree that this novice-friendly book is an aid and covers these purposes, but not meant to be all inclusive. It is a good starting place.
Mr. Hauserman begins by pointing out how there is a greater need for financial planning to meet one's goals than ever before. People live longer now and investments needs a vigilant eye. Mr. Hauserman goes through information step-by-step with understandable examples and explained graphs or charts. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to read this book, though for me, it did take a quiet atmosphere and slow reading to absorb the information. The book is orderly and logical with certain points bolded or highlighted with a side bar for emphasis.
The introductory chapters gave me the feel of relevance for most reader's situations. I found the section toward the end where history affected spending trends and philosophies especially interesting. Some of the middle made me want to turn investing over into the hands of one more competent. This acceptable avenue could find you seeking Hauserman's or another's services or at least checking out the free interactive financial map on his website. Books like this one are important to read because ultimately, we are all responsible for our own financial decisions.
If you would like to order a copy of this book, go to: http://www.amazon.com/RetirementQuest-Better-Decisions-John-Hauserman/dp/0983021708/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327988186&sr=8-1 You can also visit the author's website here: http://retirementquest.com/home.aspx
Check last week's post or scroll down for the winning entry to my alliteration contest. Here's another great submission by Matthew Tandy:
Two tanned tee tolling Tandy's tangoed tremulously towards tight tightropes taped to towers. Taking time, teetering, tottering, teasing, together to topward tiers. Tonight, tangoing Tandy's Tatianna, Thomas, tempered terrifying, terminal tittering, toes turned tactically, teeth terrific, talking tall tales, tender truths, tavern tales.

Alliteration Contest Entries and Winner!

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

This Alliteration Contest was full of fun, fantastic features to make your Monday meaningful. Entries included (in order of appearance):

The misadventures of Melanie Martineau who munched on mildewed macaroni (ew!) by Melissa Cunningham

Matthew Tandy’s two tanned tightrope tango-ers that teetered topward

Audacious alligators with artistic animal arms by Wendy Swore

Lisa Asanuma’s wicked, wild, witty witches with their wily wares

Carolyn Frank’s book review for the story She Sells Sea Shells (whose sappy sequels should stay secret)

Silly Sally Smith and her sloppy sweet shop whose snacks spawned sporadic seizures by Shelly Brown.

Talk about a mouthful! And an earful.

All the stories made some kind of sense, stretched vocabulary skills, and some didn’t have a single non-alliteration filler word. They did an excellent job! (Two thumbs up/clapping) While I hoped for 10 entries to make judging worthwhile, I’m still going to award a sweet snack of Idle Isle Toffee Balls to none other than (drumroll):

Shelly Brown!

Her entry not only made me laugh, was the longest at over 100 words, but told a story with a beginning, middle, and end. I am impressed! I’ll soon share Shelly’s submission:

Silly Sally Smith sells sixty sloppy sweet snacks. Sally savvily serves sweet snacks side by side Samuel Stonehenge's Salad, Sandwich, and Salsa Shop. Saucy Samuel Stonehenge says salads, sandwiches, and salsa support sturdy sustenance and Sally Smith's sweet snacks spawn sporadic seizures. Sally Smith saw Samuel Stonehenge's sentiments as short-sighted speculation and sassily said so. Samuel Stondehenge was smitten by Sally Smith's strong, snappy, spirited slant. "She's smart," Samuel surmised. Suspisious, Sally sulked to the sweet snack shop sullenly. Silently, Samuel slinked into the sweet snack shop, said 'sorry' with a sunflower spray, shopped- scoring seven sticky sweet snacks, stole a smile, smirked self-satisfied, and split. Sally seemed softened to Samuel's sumptuous salads, satisfactory sandwiches, and spicy salsa, and seemingly someday might settle for Samuel's spousal schemes. Someday.

Alliteration Aptitude Contest - Say What?

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ready for some fun? Let's beat the winter blues and play around with words, or should I say letters. It's purely a fun exercise that just might stretch your vocabulary. We could make it a CONTEST if ten or more willingly participate. All you have to do is put together a sentence or string of sentences that start with the same letter and make sense. Readers hear the same sound over and over. Other uses of alliteration can be found with vowels or syllables that sound alike, but we'll concentrate on the easiest method--the first letter.
The following example is one my dad and his dad made up together for a high school assignment way back when. He memorized it and randomly repeats it .
Slim Summerville slowly sauntered seaward. Several sailors suddenly seeing Slim's subconscious surroundings slyly stole Slim's shorts, socks, shoes, shirt.
Pretty cool, eh? I decided to add on to it with:
Suddenly, sleepless songbirds sang silly songs singularly seeking secure streets showing serenity.
My dad and grandfather came up with 19 words. I added a dozen more for a total of 31! Can you beat that? Can you make me laugh or groan? Let's set up some Contest Rules:
1. Make sure you are a follower on my blog. Standard stuff.
2. Put together a sentence or more that makes sense using first letter alliteration. Filler words are okay but they don't count. Be willing to let me post my favorites on my blog Monday January 30. Don't forget to come back to read them!
3. Send your name and entry to renaemackley@gmail.com by Saturday January 28, 2012 at 10 PM Mountain Standard Time.
4. If there are at least ten entries, I will publish the longest, funniest, worst, etc. of my choice. The overall Grand Prize winner will receive a prize--possibly something to do with quality chocolate.
So tell your friends and have fun with it! I can't wait to read them!

The Year's Best . . . Opinions?

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

I spent time looking up different lists for theTop Books and Movies of 2011. We all like to see rankings, right? My hopeincluded finding fabulous information to pass along about the best plots andfresh ideas to inspire you and me. Not gonna happen—at least not in the way Iimagined. Want to know why?

There is no single Top Ten List to analyze. There's multiple lists and they don't agree. Some lists arebased on sales at individual stores, some by category, or an editor’s choice. Everybody’slist is different. That’s because we each have our own world of favorites.

What inspires me might mean diddlysquat to you and viceversa. That is, until I tell you what the story/movie is about and somethingpiques your interest. So, I’ll keep sharing a few book reviews and writingideas and one of these days you might say, “Wow. I’m going to have to readthat.” Or something might spark an idea or just make you smile and be glad youstopped by. (I’m sure glad you did!)
So, in your world of favorites, what do you like to read or write? Do you spend all your time in one genre or branch out? I've been learning to branch out more this past year. Had to see what all the hype was over Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games. Well-written, intriguing, thought-provoking, and a different type of read for me. It ended up as a top favorite. That's what hype and opinions can do. Got any predictions for this year's favorites?

A Tale of Two Pillows

2012-01-09T06:00:00.019-07:00

This photo shows two pillows I recently made and gave as gifts. The one on the right is pieced, has piped edges, a rosette, and I designed it to open in the back for washing or re-stuffing. It took a lot longer to make than I thought it would but I love how it turned out. The pillow on the left was much simpler and took less time to make. It's nice enough, but I don't love it. Writing can be like that.

Good writing usually takes longer. You've got to put in the time and it always takes longer than you thought it would. We add specially touches through revisions because we have the attitude of not settling for less. We learn something that can make it better and use it. We put in hard work to make it perfect and end up with a beautiful product. Voila!

This example follows the four steps to success that I posted last week. (Scroll down to view.)
ATTITUDE + TIME + HARD WORK + KNOWLEDGE = SUCCESS
Now get out there and show the world some success!

Just Four Steps to Succeed

2012-01-02T06:00:00.015-07:00

Call it a New Year’s goal if you like. I’m calling it a choice. I’m choosing that this will be a successful writing year. Easier to say than do. A hundred things will compete against me. Some days those other things will win out. That’s life. But I can start fresh each day with a “secret” arsenal of successful habits.

ATTITUDE + TIME + HARD WORK + KNOWLEDGE = SUCCESS!
1. Attitude enhances your chance for success. Give yourself a pep talk. Post inspirational thoughts or award certificates near your computer. Use a reward system or whatever works for you. Somebody is going to write a great paragraph or page today. Why not YOU?
2. Successfully manage your time. We don’t find or set aside time. We manage it by prioritizing and scheduling. Ask yourself, “What matters most for today?” Stick to that plan as much as possible, even on days when writing comes lower on the list. Have no regrets—tomorrow is another day. Just make today the best that you can.
3. Plan on hard work. Recognize that almost everything takes longer or includes more effort than originally anticipated. So why do we do what we do? Just write for the love of it and know that even prep work or crappy writing has benefits. If you look at your typed page and find one sentence or paragraph worth keeping, you have achieved a measure of success. And who knows? The creative flood gates might have just been opened.
4. The more you learn, the more you realize how much you don’t know. True, but whatever knowledge we attain gives us power—the power to succeed. Each new piece of information we put into practice adds to our recipe for success. We gather the ingredients a little at a time and realize that, unlike a piece to a puzzle, there is an infinite number of ways to improve our craft and feel better about what we accomplish. Learn something new to implement through classes, how-to books, critique groups, and published examples.
How can/do these steps work for you?

Cold River Book Review

2011-12-29T06:00:00.047-07:00

Warm up winter reading with Liz Adair's romantic suspense, Cold River.
From the back cover:

Mandy Steenburg thinks her doctorate in education has prepared her to run any school district - until she tangles with the moonshine-making, coon-dog-owning denizens of a tiny district in Pacific Northwest timber country. She's determined to make a difference, but the local populace still looks to the former superintendent for leadership. When Mandy lands in the middle of an old feud and someone keeps trying to kill her, instinct tells her to run. And though she has to literally swim through perilous waters, she finds a reason to stay and chance the odds.

The plot for this book holds general appeal because we get to watch someone who thinks she's going to take on a challenge and come out making a difference for those over whom she has charge. Haven't we all hoped for something similar? Of course it isn't that easy but we want Mandy to succeed. Her tenacity had me rooting for Mandy, even though she occasionally reacted as cold as her reception in Limestone. The politics within the town and school board took me into an interesting world. And the setting! I wanted to be there. Adair adds interesting characters and writing that skillfully flowed. I did wish for a bit more suspense but found it an enjoyable, clean read with a satisfying end.

You can purchase Cold River HERE OR Visit Liz Adair's blog HERE

Right Brain, Left Brain Rehashed

2011-12-26T06:00:00.020-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! On Thursday I will post a review of Liz Adair's Cold River so y'all be sure to come back for that. Today my brain is going to take a holiday so I'll give a repost of my first blog post ever that you might even find comment-worthy. Hope you enjoy it.

I followed some writers’ comments showing variance in their answers to such questions as “Do you listen to music when you write?” or “How do you get the creative juices to flow?” Someone gives a tip that I really like and another time I think I would never try that. We are all so different and that is a beautiful thing. We need to find out what works and doesn’t work for us and balance that with a willingness to try something new that could potentially enhance our craft.
This got me to thinking that maybe there is no right way to write. Maybe it’s a Right Brain/Left Brain thing.
I've heard that a first draft should flow by letting whatever you are thinking come as fast as it can. Editing and cleanup comes later. Just get it down. Okay. Am I doing that when I type a couple paragraphs that seem to flow, but then I stop and reread them before I can go on with the next flowing sequence? I'm not spending time figuring out a better word or structure, but if something glares at me I will fix it right then. It feels creative to improve upon it. When I get to the end of reading the section I've written, I’m ready to go again. But only for a section. I don’t understand someone who can write the whole thing from start to finish without going back over what they've written. It’s as if my left brain's organization and structure wants to keep inserting herself into my right brain’s creative flow. Is this normal? Perhaps it is for me. Perhaps it’s only lack of experience.
Try this for fun: Clasp your hands together with fingers interlocking. Which thumb is on top? Now fold your arms. Which arm crosses on top? Chances are they are the same. Right thumb or arm on top leans toward being left brained and vice versa. I should say here that everyone uses both sides of the brain but that we have a tendency toward favoring one side to some degree. The amount of favoring can change, especially before adulthood.
Out of curiosity, I took a couple online brain quizzes. The shortest one pegged me as right-brained. Laugh out loud! I really do enjoy the editing process as much as the writing, music distracts me, and I look at a scene sequentially in parts that make up a whole. Very left-brained. Another had me almost totally left-brained and another put me as 58% left to 42% right. Go figure.
In reality, it takes a mixture of left- and right-brained thinking to be a writer. Upfront, one can see the imagination it takes to dream up the story. Underneath, logic is used to figure out the path a character would take or which word is best. The trick is to play our strengths and become a more balanced thinker in the weak areas while we use our whole brains to write. That is when what we write becomes truly satisfying.
Do you agree? So, which side dominates for you and how does it affect your writing?

Holiday Wishes

2011-12-19T06:00:00.003-07:00

However you celebrate this season, here's my list to wish you a happy holiday. Enjoy!

Making the most of memories

Everyone you love around you

Reading the scripture story of Christ’s birth

Resting after rushing around

Yummy treats to share

Choirs singing carols

Hope for the upcoming year

Readying the tree with decorations

Iridescent lighting

Snow football or making snowmen

Traditions of cookies and hot chocolate

Mistletoe kisses

Asking what Santa might bring

Special feelings through service

Book Review

2011-12-12T06:00:00.028-07:00

Rod Miller's The Assassination of Governor Boggs is a fascinating read.

From the back cover: After an attempted assassination, Governor Lilburn Boggs couldn't prove who'd taken a shot at him, leaving the identity of his assailant a mystery. Twenty-five years later and after the passing of Gov. Boggs, Detective Calvin Pogue has been hired by the Boggs family to open this cold case and find out the truth about the assassin. From Missouri to California and into the heart of the Utah Territory, Detective Pogue relentlessly seeks clues that lead him to the legendary Mormon gunman Porter Rockwell--who still isn't making things easy for anyone! Join Detective Pogue as he steps into this hair-raising mystery and tracks down Gov. Bogg's enemies and friends to a finale you won't believe.
This historical novel is not a quick, easy read. Miller packed so much information into these pages that it took considerable focus. The purpose of teaching Mormon and political history during the time frame through story form hits its mark with so many spoonfuls of fact and opinion that lead the reader to draw his own (though somewhat slanted) conclusion. The investigative nature of the book lends itself well to fact-finding events.
What I liked: The historical elements, of course. I enjoyed the contrast of Rockwell's rough storytelling woven between the proper detective's fact-finding. Miller's writing added the flavor of the times and occasional verb inventions taken from nouns. Pogue stiff-legged his way somewhere, thumbed his button into place, or paged through his notebook.
What I didn't like: The unsettling feeling of murder condoned by righteous indignation or by church leadership. The times were definitely different, but it's hard to wrap my head around this concept. If you like happy-ever-after endings, you'll find some trouble here--though more to the fault of history than the author. There was also a place or two where it felt like a fact info dump, but was easily forgiven. Overall, I believe many readers, especially western and history buffs, would enjoy this novel.
Here is the purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/Assassination-Governor-Boggs-Rod-Miller/dp/1599558637/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322631107&sr=8-1

Genres—deciding where to fit

2011-12-05T06:00:00.003-07:00

I used to think my historicalnovel, The Seventh City, targeted theadult audience. Hardly any sixteen-year-old young adult stories included widows dealingwith mature themes. Then I got some feedback that the voice of my story feltYA. My next project, Perception, starsa high school senior. Maybe I am a YAauthor. I’m setting out to ascertain what young adult includes. Obviously itmeans more than wizards, vampires, and high school crushes. It’s time to startreading younger, learn the YA secret language, and figure out the guidelines.

Whatever the genre, peopleread for entertainment and escapism. Readers want to be taken away from theirown life or world. This doesn’t necessarily mean fantasy or sci-fi, but couldbe why they are so popular. Genres and subgenres have evolved with time and we are seeing the product of creative imagination.

What do you like toread and why? And if you write YA, maybe you could leave a guideline or tip for me. I'd love to read your comments.

A Bonus Book Review?

2011-11-28T06:00:00.013-07:00

I didn't do so well on my revision goals last week. Sickness, holiday with family visitors--need I say more? It was too ambitious for me to revise 75,000 words in a month with all the going-ons so I'm going to give it another month, and I'm not going to feel badly about it. I'll just keep chipping away . . . Did you make your nanowrimo goals? How do you feel about it?
I did make time to read *smiling* Maria Hoagland's debut novel, Nourish and Strengthen. First, the back cover blurb:
After losing forty pounds, Chloe Taylor is finally happy with her body. What she doesn't realize is that she's not the one in control. When Chloe is called as the Primary president, she discovers that managing the highs and lows of a chronic illness may be easier than the ups and downs associated with family, friends, and church callings. Consumed by her won challenges, Chloe fails to recognize the issues her friends are facing and is in danger of losing their friendship. As Chloe sstrives to develop Christ-like love for herself and those around her, she learns that outer appearances are fare less important than inner peace and spiritual strength. But is she strong enough to face her most difficult trial yet?
This LDS women's fiction novel was different from my typical reading choice so I had to gear myself into the mode of women with real-life issues and the fact that Chloe was going to talk about diabetes over and over again. It's an easy enough transition if you allow it. Hoagland could have been writing an auto-biography for all I know, with the detail and day-to-day reality in first-person. I thought she did an excellent job at keeping the scenes succinct and using nice description. Once the point was made, Hoagland moved on. She adds nice touches of description that do double duty to paint emotion into her visuals. And, of course, I learned a lot more about diabetes. There was even an aha moment when Chloe made me recognize something in myself that could have remained undiscovered. I got a bonus in the form of some self-helps to put into practice. Thanks, Maria, and good job! Even if others don't gain what I did, it's a thought-provoking read.
You can find out more about Maria or order her book at one of the following:

blog: http://mariahoagland.blogspot.com/

Createspace for paperback: https://www.createspace.com/3647471

Smashwords for all eBook: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/93675

Amazon for Kindle and paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Nourish-Strengthen-Novel-Maria-Hoagland/dp/0615535615/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322271517&sr=8-1

Plotting 101: The "Secret" Formula

2011-11-21T06:00:00.017-07:00

So, you’ve got anidea for a story you want to write. Now what? Do you need an organized,detailed outline or can you write by the seat of your pants? It’s beensuccessfully done in both extremes and points in between. The answer is yes—aslong as you know the formula. There are many who will tell you methods they’vedevised or used, and searching these out proves beneficial to many. At theleast, you’re armed with more information. At the most, you may find one that fitsyou perfectly. The main thing is to get it all out on paper. Revisions willcome later and there is much to learn to turn your work into the kind ofquality of which to be proud. Now back to this not so secret formula.

In any good piece of fiction, certain elementsmust exist that the reader expects in order not to be disappointed. What itboils down to is having a main character with a goal and high stakes. That’sthe formula. Of course, this includes a few obstacles placed between the MC andhis/her goal and high enough stakes to make that character do what it takes tosucceed, but we often wonder if he/she will because the danger is real.

Each scene has a structuresimilar to the above and should be a story in its own right, according to KirtHickman in Revising Fiction. A sceneshould contain: 1) A hook that draws the reader into the scene, 2) A goal forthe characters to accomplish, 3) An obstacle between the characters and theirgoal, 4) Action performed by the characters to overcome the obstacle, 5) Somereaction in response to the characters’ action, and 6) A problem leading intothe next scene.
Ingermanson's Snowflake Method works from a one sentencesummary of the novel in fifteen words or less and expands from there. This concise summary is similar to a query letter that reveals what the MC's goal is, what stands in his way, and what will happen if he doesn't succeed (motivation). Same formula.

Okay, thatshould get you started. I’d love to hear how your work in progress is comingalong. Happy writing.

Book Review and Goal Update

2011-11-14T06:00:00.031-07:00

My Nanowrimo goal is to carefully revise my novel, The Seventh City. Seven chapters/22,000 words are completed at this point. 30% there. Gotta step it up.

Here’s my reflectionon Stephanie Black’s latest LDS Suspense, RearviewMirror. Back cover blurb:

On a rainy night eight years ago, Fiona Claridge lost control of her car and crashed, injuring herself and killing her roommate, Mia Hardy. Now, she strives to keep the painful past at bay by staying burrowed beneath the demands of her job as a college professor in a small New England town. But when someone starts leaving her gift-wrapped boxes containing malicious remainders of Mia's death, Fiona's guilt and grief come flooding back.
She assumes her stalker is Kimberly Bailey, a disgruntled student, and enlists the help of fellow professor James Hampton. But when Fiona encounters the angry wife of an old flame, it becomes clear her student isn't the only one with an eye for revenge. Cruel messages escalate to danger, then murder. As past and present become horribly entangled, Fiona struggles to unravel the truth about a determined killer--before she becomes the next victim.
What I thought:

Black delivers thesuspense from page one via the lives of interesting, imperfect characters—enoughto keep you guessing who-dunnit. As details unfold, each character revealsreasons for targeting or protecting Fiona in a must read on manner. An excitingclimax fulfilled my expectations (even though the title implied to me that theworst would happen in her car). A hint of romance rounded out the story, but the love interest seemed overly cautious. Even Fiona had her own understandablyneurotic behavior, giving me the feeling that every character could have beenin a soap-opera. I had to push that feeling aside occasionally and just let thesuspense build.

I liked how most characters’s involvement, great or small, ledto other choices that ultimately caught up to them. What goes around comesaround and nobody’s secrets remain hidden forever. Another good book to put on your wish list. Click on BOOKS I'VE READ on my sidebar to see my Goodreads ratings and previous reads.

Getting Started Writing

2011-11-07T06:00:00.002-07:00

A friend asked for advice about getting started writing. Whew—whereto begin. So much to learn, yet so many helps. This topic seems appropriate forNational Novel Writing Month. Many are frantically setting their fingers tokeyboards in efforts to reach 50,000 words in a month. They deserve applauseand encouragement, but don’t forget they each had to start somewhere. Mypersonal NaNoWriMo goal is to completely revise my novel. Now back to my friendand other beginners. I’m offering a few starter tips:

1. Write. Set aside (find doesn’t work) time to write every day (if possible) or weekends.Anything worth doing takes practice. It can be in a journal or scene by scene towardyour future masterpiece.

2. Read with a writer’s eye. Mark oranalyze passages you love or hate, figuring out why. Notice the effects ofusing dialogue or narrative, or why you became emotionally invested in acharacter.

3. Join a critique group. The right groupcan give you motivation, new ideas for where your story might go, andinstruction along the way. My group trained me until I became an equal. Theywere my single biggest push toward improvement. Connect with a non-relative or groupthat will show you the ropes and give helpful feedback. Seek a happy medium withboth praise and specific suggestions/constructive criticism.

4. Learn. After some experience, you’ll likelybenefit from classes, conferences, or how-to books. You’ll either know whatspecific areas need your focus or you’ll enjoy soaking up anything andeverything to make you a better writer.

Please check backfor more writing tips. Next Monday I’m posting a book review for StephanieBlack’s latest book Rearview Mirror.The week after that I’ll feature beginning plot ideas. There are some necessaryelements all beginners should know so don’t miss out!

Scary Stories

2011-10-31T06:00:00.020-06:00

Freak me out!!! Do you love scary stories?

There’s a wide gamut from ‘round the campfirechills that end in “Boo!” or eerie mind teasers to chain saw gore. I admit thatI don’t care for the latter, but who doesn’t like to be scared sometimes—even justa little bit? The relief afterward feels soooo good. This tension and releaseelement is a tool to master in any genre of writing. You don’t have to write Horrorto make your readers hope and fear for the life of your main character. That’splain, good writing!

If you’re looking for a good scary story thatstill lets you sleep at night, I’d like to recommend the Dan Wells series I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and IDon’t Want to Kill You. It starts out with fifteen year-old sociopath JohnCleaver (love the last name—it reminds me of what J.K. Rowling does with hercharacter names) explaining his job in the family mortuary and his detachmentto relationships. I found the first hundred pages interesting but not hooking.Another reader promised me it would be worthwhile to continue. She was right.The story gets better from there and so does the writing. Admittedly, I skippedthe middle book because the third one landed in my hands instead. It capturedme from the beginning but I found the ending to be amazing—full of twists andthrills with a sacrifice that reflected Christ archetypes and turned the tide forJohn’s normalcy. Loved the ending!

What scary stories have you loved?

How Many Times Before I'm Through?

2011-10-24T06:00:00.003-06:00

What’s your favorite revision method? (I’m talking about thenear-final draft revisions where a critique group or alpha readers has alreadygiven their two cents.) There’s hundreds of ways and I’m in the thick of itright now. I’d love to hear your tips and comments, your successes and horrorstories.

Do you color codethings to see how action or dialogue is spaced or which character is giving thepoint of view? I’m a visual person but it sounds like a lot of work. Perhaps itis worth it. How many votes out there like color coding?

Maybe you start witha search engine to filter all those naughty little words that creep in verysuddenly. You know—was, that, very, suddenly. Getting rid of those critters cando a lot to clean up before the next reading.

Checklists are valuablefor thoroughness. It’s a nice feel to check off each detail but there’s so dangmany of them and they suggest you comb through focusing on one at a time. I’d getsick of reading each scene one hundred times. *Sigh*

It takes agreat deal of work but I want to get it as right as possible. There’s no way I’mgoing to put my work out there for the public eye unless I’ve given it my best.On the other hand, I can’t spend half my life on one manuscript. They say itgets easier the more you do it . . . . Time to get back to work.

Good Words

2011-10-17T06:00:00.015-06:00

My son is home recovering from surgery. It was a shock to him to feel weak and recognize that healing will take some time. It got me thinking about this instantly gratified generation. We want fast food, fast internet, the fast lane. In reality, many times the saying is true about good things coming to those who wait. Such it is with the writing craft.
Getting published takes time and hard work. Staying positive goes a long way whether one is recovering from surgery or writing setbacks. What can we do along the mountainous road to keep our chins up and our fingers flying? Many things. Recognize that there's always gonna be another mountain, even after one is published. Find joy in the journey. Think of how far you've come, how much you've grown, the goals you've accomplished. Celebrate every thousand words with a little chocolate. You get the idea. Find what works for you.
Now that I'm doing revisions, I see a lot of mistakes. But it only means I've learned something. Finding weak verbs, those thought words, that telling instead of showing. That's progress, right? Growth. Encouragement. Patience. Those are good words. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

Award-Winning Entry

2011-10-10T06:00:00.019-06:00

Thrilled to receive notification of First Place for the second time this year, I am including an excerpt from the winning entry for my post today. The complete chapter won first place in contests for both the 2011 LDStorymakers and League of Utah Writers (LUW) conferences. I am honored to share this with you and hope you enjoy reading it.

THE SEVENTH CITY

Chapter One

About 90 B.C.
Princess Karlinah hid a secret that could kill her. It felt as if it were buried in the pit of her queasy stomach. She quickly lowered her head as she approached her father-in-law where he glowered upon his throne. His scowl mirrored her husband’s while she fought with him last night. Shaking off the image, she bent her knees to the tiled floor and bowed. She rose when invited, keeping her gaze just below the king’s eyes. “You sent for me, great one?”
The Lamanite king of the land of Jerusalem dipped his feathered headdress in reply and sent back the servants waving palm fronds. He stood and motioned Karlinah forward.
Karlinah trembled. Dread filled her as awareness of the private nature and seriousness of the conversation increased. He meant to accuse her, she just knew it. She struggled to push her feet forward, took two slow breaths, and looked at him.
“There is no easy way to say this.” His matter-of-fact voice belied the gravity of his words. “My son is dead. Murdered.”
“Murdered?” Karlinah echoed, eyebrows raised. What a strong word to describe what had happened to her new husband. But she would never get the chance to explain. Regretting that the word slipped, she covered her mouth with her hand. It might have sounded like a confession for how nervous she must look. A quivering gasp escaped her lungs as Karlinah locked eyes with his. Had she betrayed herself?

More about The Seventh City:
A secret. A death. A spirited, sixteen year-old widow. For the young, Mayan princess it was either kill or be killed. Then a Nephite missionary comes to preach about repentance. Can Karlinah gain acceptance and remarry without revealing her secret?
I am currently revising the rest of the manuscript in preparation for submitting.

Picking Books and a Review

2011-10-03T06:00:00.012-06:00

I found Eyes Like Mine by Julie Wright (2009) a satisfying, heart-warming read that I would recommend. Liz King, a current teen with multiple struggles, doesn’t know what to do with Constance, a young pioneer woman with a family connection who appears to have traveled through time to help her. The more Constance tries to solve Liz’s problems so she can go back to find her husband and baby, the more she seems to do the wrong things. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop, what would happen with the boy next door, a bit of pioneer history and genealogy thrown in the mix, and unexpected turns. No slumps. Just good, tight writing in an enjoyable feel-good story. Want to know what rating I gave this book? Was the review enough to entice? You can click on Renae’s Reads on the sidebar to take you to my Goodreads ratings and see what I’ve been reading. So, here’s my question on which to comment: How do you pick a book to read? Do you rely on word of mouth or reviews, reader ratings, best-seller lists, the book or author that everyone seems to be talking about or what is on the library shelves? I’ve used several of the above at various times. We may not always concur with the recommendations, but it’s a good place to start. Happy reading this month!

Getting Real with Dialogue

2011-09-26T06:00:00.013-06:00

Foul language is, well, foul. I don’t need it and I don’t think my readers will miss it—even if my male main character is a typical high school senior. Someone out there just rolled their eyes. A valid point. A writer needs to get real. Real emotions, real problems, real solutions. What about real dialogue? My critique group just discussed this. Apparently some swear words are more acceptable than others and what you grew up with is an influencing factor. Is it possible to write real dialogue without swearing? (Keep in mind that I’m aiming to please myself since I’ll never please everyone.) The MC, Josh, is a good kid with values, but he’s starting to run into some rough characters with grand theft auto on their minds. Can a writer show enough details and emotion through things like description and tension that the reader gets it without vulgar word choice? This writer is attempting to find out. Reality Zone is dead ahead. I’d love to hear what you think.

Simple Fixes → Big Improvements

2011-09-19T06:00:00.016-06:00

The right word choice can tighten up your writing and make it flow. A recent reminder of this struck me as I went through some rewrites. Using more words than needed is a common mistake—but also an easy fix. Here are some examples:

Food started to sound good to me. → Food sounded good to me.
I pretended to look at something else. → I looked elsewhere.
She was going to be next. → She would be next.
I didn’t want to risk being seen. → I couldn’t risk being seen.

Each of these examples has something in common besides being shortened. The little word “to” following the first verb weakens the next verb that I’d rather emphasize. I don’t want a character to merely “begin to" do something. I want her to do it. This improves the drama and pacing of the writing. Make use of your Find and Replace Box to catch these simple errors. Type a space before and after ( to ) so you don't get every word containing those two letters. Beleive me, there will be enough of them without finding things you don't want.

Counting Your Blessings

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

The word rejection mingled with blessings and heroes into a melting pot I’m calling “Counting your blessings”.

A few weeks ago I heard from my first choice publisher that after five months of consideration, my novel, The Seventh City, didn’t fit their current publishing needs. Official rejection! Maybe I had to tell myself to breathe again, but the world did not stop. I’m telling myself that they have more Book of Mormon fiction than they need rather than that my hard work wasn’t good enough. I still have a “get out of the slush pile free” perk to two more publishers for winning a first chapter contest. Perhaps that is why the world didn’t crash in on me. But, dang it, I know it means more work before resubmitting. *Sigh*.

Looking back, there have been a lot of good things on which to reflect instead of moping over rejection. My writing has improved by leaps and bounds, thanks to a wonderful critique group, fabulous conferences, and persistence. That last one especially is my advice to those who love writing and don’t mind a little hard work. One day we will be published!

Thinking on that fateful day for America ten years ago, where would we be if we didn’t recover from the tragedy that struck? What would be the result of not banding together in unity for renewed love of country and the importance of family? My personal rejection story may be unworthy in comparison, but it is mine. Periods of mourning vary in each instance, but eventually we have to move on. It is the same with writing or anything else we love to pursue. Seek creditable feedback, continue learning the craft, keep at it, and count your blessings!

I’m thankful for the heroes who put their lives on the line, for the dignity of suffering families who recovered, for those who saved others, who cleaned up the damage, who donated money, who prayed, who . . .

I'm Celebrating!

2011-09-05T05:00:00.000-06:00

I'm celebrating several things this week. First, I'm announcing my two winners in the Awesome August Blog Hop.
Chris has chosen to receive Wrong Number by Rachelle Christensen and
Squiggles will receive Matched by Ally Condie.
Okay, maybe they are celebrating the win more than I am, but I'm happy for them. Congratulations!
Second, this week is the one year anniversary of my blog and I expect to get my 100th follower. Will it be you?
Third, I survived my first week as an empty nester. My baby is off to college. A few mixed feelings here, but overall it's a good thing. I hope he has some great experiences like I did. Those were the days, weren't they? Still, I wouldn't go back.
Fourth, the feedback about "something you like about other blogs" was terrific and I'm looking to implement some changes soon. Want to know what people liked and my response? I've combined them into categories. Keep in mind that my theme is Meaningful Mondays so not every alliteration title will work (but the idea might).
1. Reviews (8 comments). Book Reviews, a search index tab to find them, photos showing covers of my reading bookcase and what's in my mailbox, and lesser known or older book reviews. I've reviewed a few books here and wish authors would send me more. Sounds like I need to put my Goodreads reviews on my blog. Hope I can figure out how to do the search tab. I'll check into this.
2. Guests (4). Author interview, features, or guest posts. I've done a couple of these and see no reason not to continue. It adds a little variety.
3. Themes (4). Tuesday Teaser shares a few lined from your current read, Flash fiction Friday, Six sentence Saturday, Wordless Wednesday--post a photo, Wordful Wednesday explains the story behind the photo. I'll rename and use some of these.
4. Questions (3). Answering random questions or lists to get to know me, used as a contest entry, or to open a topic for discussion. Randomness is objective, but I like to pose questions and answer a few. See my post on seven random things about me.
3. Links (1). To reading the first chapter of a book. I'd love to do this with my own, once I'm published. Great way to see if it hooks you and to advertise.
5. Contests (1). Use Googleform or Rafflecopter widgets for contest entries. Good idea. Ya learn somethin' new every day.
7. Widgets (1). WIP counter. Check that one off.
So, did I get your favorite on the list? Leave a comment to add to my list and watch for yours in the future. OR tell me what you are celebrating.
Happy Labor Day!

Awesome August Blog Hop

2011-08-28T23:32:00.000-06:00

The winner of Stephanie Humphries new book, Double Deceit, is:
Amydee Fawcett
Congratulations!
Another round of fun giveaways starts today.

Welcome to the Awesome August Blog Hop, where bloggers from all over the Internet have come together to throw a summertime party!

Every blog on this hop is offering a fun prize, and entering is quick and easy. Simply follow the instructions on each blog, leave a comment, and bop right along to the next blog. You can win multiple times, so be sure to check out all the participating blogs!

On my blog, two entrants can win one of four like-new books. The first winner will receive first choice of books, and second will choose next. I have read and enjoyed each of these and hope you will too.

They are, alphabetically: (Sorry, the images are not working.)
Matched by Ally Condie
Secret Sisters by Tristi Pinkston
The Fourth Nephite by Jeffery Savage
Wrong Number by Rachelle Christensen

To enter:
1. Become a follower of my blog.

2. Leave me a comment explaining one favorite idea you enjoy from other blogs. (I will later consider incorporating those that work for me.) If your e-mail isn't available through your profile, I'll need you to leave that, too - I can't tell you if you've won if I can't contact you! If you have trouble leaving a comment, leave it at renaemackley AT gmail.com

This blog hop runs through Wednesday night at midnight, so be sure to enter before then! The winner will be notified by e-mail.

Now that you've entered my contest, come meet all my other blog friends and see what fun things they are offering!

Awesome August Blog Hop Participants

1. Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author
2. Karen Hoover
3. Michael Young
4. Kristy Tate
5. cindy Hogan
6. Julie Bellon
7. Margot Hovley
8. Laurie Lewis
9. Mandi Slack
10. Melanie Jacobson
11. Joyce DiPastena
12. Renae Mackley

13. Debbi Weitzell
14. Donna Hatch
15. Carolyn Frank
16. Marsha Ward
17. Stacy Coles
18. Bonnie Harris
19. Danyelle Ferguson aka Queen of the Clan
20. Diony George
21. Lisa Asanuma
22. Susan Dayley
23. Christine Bryant @ Day Dreamer
24. Stephanie Humphreys

25. Ranee` Clark
26. Tamera Westhoff
27. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
28. Heather Justesen
29. Rebecca Talley
30. Jennifer Hurst
31. Aimee Brown
32. Cheryl Christensen
33. Rachelle Christensen
34. Imaginary Reads
35. Andrea Pearson

Learn more about Awesome August Blog Hop here.
View More Awesome August Blog Hop Participants
Get The Code

Double Deceit Blog Tour

2011-08-22T06:00:00.022-06:00

If you enjoy clean Romantic Suspense, get your hands on a copy of Stephanie Humphrey's Double Deceit. My review is below, and you can Win my gently used copy through a random drawing from all appropriate comments this week who are followers. It's that easy! Leave a comment and make sure you're a follower between now and midnight Saturday. I'll post the winner Monday August 29. Stephanie Humphreys is also having an easy contest (see below). Her book kept me intrigued and guessing throughout the plot turns.
Back Cover Blurb:

Someone is watching . . .

As a young widow, all Elaina Bryant wants is a fresh start. Determined to put ten painful years behind her, she returns to her hometown and moves in with her sister, Natalie. Elaina soon accepts a job working at a small bookstore owned by the handsome Ryan Hill and his mother. Despite her reluctance to become romantically involved with anyone, she is drawn to Ryan and finds herself falling in love.

But someone isn’t happy with Elaina’s new life and is watching her every move. Her tormenter seems determined to destroy her sanity and her future, but Elaina can’t convince anyone the threat is real. Natalie is preoccupied with her own blossoming romance, and their friend Peter, a police officer, seems to believe the threat has been manufactured in Elaina’s own mind as a result of her guilt and grief.

Now Elaina’s plans for a new start are crashing down around her. She knows she will have to find the answers before she can overcome the past and enjoy love and happiness again. But how can she protect those she loves when she doesn’t know whom to trust?

My Review:
Looking at the book, I first thought it had a great title and intriguing cover and back blurb. I was wary of the too perfect main character with excessive makeup but quickly warmed to her as I started reading.
Elaina, the MC, comes with her own set of insecurities and flaws, including a failed marriage. There were interesting supporting characters with their own stories. I liked how Humphreys simultaneously showed Elania's character growth while trying to fight becoming crazy. Contrasting this was a likeable sister, Natalie, who became insensitive and self-absorbed due to a new boyfriend's attention. I knew not to like Chad though Elaina struggled to lend sisterly support. That was good tension. Friend Peter made me angry when he showed his spineless side, but there were reasons for it. Nearly-perfect love interest, Ryan, played it right most of the time. Ryan's mother possessed a quirkiness that was refreshing. These characters elicited reader emotions that pulled me into the story.
The plot developed nicely. There were places of tension and rest from it, all building to a suspenseful climax. Non-LDS readers should have no trouble understanding content or enjoying this book. Humphreys' managed to hold my interest and keep me guessing.
Visit Humphreys at http://shumphreys.blogspot.com and enter the great contest she has going on.

Having Fun on the Road to Publication

2011-08-15T06:00:00.015-06:00

Say Hello to Hannah Holt, children's book author and illustrator with a "lightbulb" vision. If there's a child in your life, head over to her free-reading section and activities for kids (starting in September). Let's get to know Hannah.

Renae: Lightbulb Books. What a great title. Did it just 'pop into your head'?
Hannah: Ha, ha! Yes. You might say I had a lightbulb moment. I wanted a name that reflected my goal of igniting imagination and discovery. "Lightbulb Books" seemed to capture that spirit.

Renae: I read the three books in your free reading library and they are great. Do you produce them as e-books or self publish as printed books? If not,why?
Hannah: No, I don't produce them as either e-books or printed books. As an experiment, I produced a limited printing of one of my books. I earned a few hundred dollars; however, I could see that it would take a significant amount of time and capital to make a career in self-publishing. It's not for me. I'd rather spend my time writing.

Renae: Wouldn't we all! Those of you with success in this area, please share your secrets and strategies. Contact me at renaemackley at gmail dot com for a blog interview. Hannah, tell us about your writing journey. Have you submitted to traditional publishers?
Hannah: Two Christmases ago I created a comic book for a family member as a gift. I loved the process and so began my writing addiction. Since that time, I've submitted my work to a few “big five” editors, and I've had requests for additional material. However, only nibbles so far.

Renae: Good luck on that! I know you are accomplished in many areas from an Engineering degree to a full-time mother. How does writing fit into your life?
Hannah: Ha! Very carefully. Even so, I don't always stay in balance. I try to follow this priority chain for my writing. 1) Journaling: If nothing else, I write in my journal. 2) Critique Group Deadline: My goal is to bring new pages for my current work in progress to each meeting (once or twice a month). 3) Blogging: As time permits.

Renae: Priorities are important. What are your future plans or goals?
Hannah: I'm excited about a new series coming to my blog this September called "The Creation Station." Every Tuesday, I feature a hands-on activity for children ages 2-6. The first post shows children how to turn vegetables into Martians. It's going to be fantastic fun.
In the longer term, I plan to continue writing picture books and the occasional chapter book. With four children in my home ages five and under, my time is definitely not my own right now. So, I'm anticipating a slow journey to publication, and that's OK.

Renae: I'm sure those twin babies keep you hopping. Tell me about your illustrating.
Hannah: Most of the illustrating I do these days is digital. I prefer illustrating the old fashion way (with paint and pencil); however, digital illustrating fits my schedule better. Paint dries when it will, not when it's convenient. It's easier to press pause in the middle of digital illustrating. Some day when my life is less hectic (it will be less hectic someday, right?), I hope to return to more organic illustrating.

Renae: Great attitude. Anything else you'd like to share about yourself?
Hannah: Yes! I love being a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). They have lots of helpful resources and networking opportunities for children's writers. Check them out at www.scbwi.org.

Renae: Thanks, Hannah. She's also worth checking out at http://www.lightbulbbooks.com/

Sometimes Life Gets in the Way

2011-08-08T06:00:00.016-06:00

We've all been there. Life choices get in the way of our writing. That's how this week has been for me. The reasons don't matter. The frustrating part is that ideas are flowing, the motivation is there. I recently returned from the site of where my WIP is set and I've been antsy to get writing ever since. All I've been able to do is write most of one scene. Not what I had in mind. So how do we handle minor setbacks? Here's a few thoughts. If you could share yours, I'd appreciate it.
1. Keep it all in perspective. Other things are important too. What time lacks in one week will pick up extra in another. Unless your on publishers deadline, there's always tomorrow.
2. Keep a little notebook handy to jot down a few notes that you don't want to lose before you can get to the computer. You won't have to spend time trying to remember later.
3. Use those times standing in line or whatever to mentally go over spots that need thinking through. Use your dead time as brain time.
4. Take care of yourself. Get the rest, exercise, good foods that you need to keep you going for those long days when you might not get to write until late or to start early the next morning. Be aware of your body's bio-rhythms and your best times of productivity, what kind of breaks help or hurt you.
5. Learn to prioritize, condense, dovetail or multi-task better. Cut out things that waste time.
6. Remember that getting started is often the hardest part. Reread a few lines or paragraphs to get back into the mode and mood you are striving for and take it from there.
7. Here's a tricky one for me: Sometimes you have to choose to spend time writing over using social media excessively. Don't be a hermit, but you don't have to touch base with every writer friend every day.
Good luck with your writing goals this week! I'm cheering for you!

Being There In Person

2011-08-01T06:00:00.004-06:00

There's nothing like being there yourself for a writer to get the flavor of a story's setting. I just returned from a vacation in San Diego County, where my current work in progress is set, and it opened my eyes to new facts and useful details. I've swapped one city for another that fits better for where the MC lives. Look out, keyboard, my fingers want to fly!
I still might need something later on that I didn't capture by camera, notebook, or memory, and it's unlikely I'll get back there again soon. Even if you've never traveled to the location you're writing about, there are several research tools to help. Find an Internet or magazine photo that is a good representation of what you want to describe and tape it near your monitor. Check out Google Earth for both overhead shots and street views of real locations. Talk with someone who lives there. Then again, you might find places in your writing where the imagination is adequate enough to get it right.
I read Rachelle Christensen's Wrong Number last year after having been to the ice caves that she describes in that book. When my perception of the place matched her descriptions, my mind's eye candy became even more delicious, more stimulating. That's what we're striving for.
How do you make a setting or description come alive?

Cool Stuff Happenin'

2011-07-31T06:00:00.026-06:00

And some day it will be my turn! Meanwhile, I'm pleased to let someone who has been a help to me and is a great person, announce upcoming events and information on my blog. If you've never read one of Tristi's books, you should definately give them a look. She has quite a variety.

Author Tristi Pinkston is excited to announce the release of the third novel in her Secret Sisters Mysteries series.

Titled Hang ‘em High, this novel takes place on a dude ranch in Montana. When Ida Mae’s son invites her to come for a visit, of course she brings Arlette and Tansy along with her. They are expecting to spend the week looking at horses, avoiding the cows, and making amends in Ida Mae’s relationship with her son. What they don’t expect is to be stuck on the ranch in the middle of a blizzard and to be thrust headlong into the middle of a mystery.

***

Help Tristi celebrate her new novel in two ways. First, come participate in the two-week-long blog contest, where you can win a book nearly every single day! All the details are up on Tristi’s blog.

Second, come to the book launch!

You are invited to an

August Authorama!

Saturday, August 13th

Pioneer Book, 858 S. State, Orem

12 – 4 pm

Games, prizes, balloons, face painting,

and Dutch oven cobbler

prepared by world champion cook

Keith Fisher.

Authors Tristi Pinkston, J. Lloyd Morgan, Cindy Hogan,

Nichole Giles, and Heather Justesen

will all be there to sign books.

This is one book launch event

you will not want to miss!

Homework takes a Vacation

2011-07-25T06:00:00.026-06:00

Write what you know. It’s good advice, but sometimes the muse takes you elsewhere. We ride the journey with research replacing experience. Hopefully it’s enough.

I completed a historical novel set in ancient Mesoamerica. There was no way for me to literally go back in time to grab the details. Research was imperative, but I could also get creative. For example, I invented a fruit that was eaten.

Directly contrasting this is my current work in progress, set in modern San Diego County. Again, research is imperative. If I don’t get a localism right, someone will call me on it. That’s partly why I picked this setting. I get to visit there this very week! I’m off to sunny California and excited to absorb the sites and sounds, culture and language. A camera and notebook are must haves. Plus, when I’m through writing, I have YA nieces and nephews who can comb through those details. Tip: Have you checked out Google Earth in the street view? Awesomesauce.

Sometimes we pick a setting for the exotic/rugged/secluded/whatever qualities it has. I picked this area for familiarity. When it doesn’t really matter which city you pick, make life easier. Write what you know.

Settings let you visualize and get the flavor of an area but they also need to fit your story. Both of these photos were taken in San Diego County. The setting you pick makes a big difference. Where is your story set?

Summer Reading

2011-07-18T06:00:00.011-06:00

Readers seem to find summer a great time to fit in that book they've wanted to read. Maybe school is out and a teen can finally choose something not required. Vacation travel accomodates the urge for something to do in the car, waiting at the airport or laying on that sunny beach. Perhaps it's too hot out to do much more than lounge on the couch with a good book. Whatever the reason, we'll take it!
There have been several tempting choices for me, but right now the funds are limited and I'm resorting to library and friend lending, so some of my top picks will have to wait. I've enjoyed audio books as well as actual reading, but I've yet to experience the e-book format. I'm currently focusing on Utah authors.
Here's what I've been reading and what I think about them:
Imprints by Rachele Ann Nunes - Loved the atypical MC and overall story, kept my interest enough to ride through a slight middle sag. I'd recommend it.
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull - Thought I'd see what all the fuss was about even though I'm not big into MG fantasy. I loved it. Not too over-the-top or juvenile. A good story for all ages.
On Second Thought by Robison Wells - An enjoyable read with some suspense at the end.
Cold As Ice and Methods of Madness by Stephanie Black - Good suspense stories for my current WIP. I actually liked the latter book a bit more than the former.
Shelter from the Storm #4 by Anita Stansfield - I tried this author years ago and couldn't get into that much romance but thought I'd check this popular author out again. I find myself enjoying it so far, at about half-way through, even without realizing I'd jumped into a series. The musician MC appeals to me. Tastes change, authors switch styles or genres. You just never know.
Double Deceit by Stephanie Humphries - Coming out next month. I am reviewing it and will give my blog review on August 22.
Tip: Take home several picks from the library at once so you can discard one for another as needed.
What summer reads are you enjoying?

Perception - Writing Journey #1

2011-07-11T06:00:00.003-06:00

Are we having fun yet? Definately.

Today I thought I’d give an update on my WIP (work in progress). I recently started a novel totally different from anything I’ve written before. Perception is different in that it’s YA instead of Adult, the MC is a boy, it's modern instead of historical, and suspense rather than scriptural-based. The change felt freeing and exhilarating, conducive to a great start with ideas flowing. After about 10,000 words, some of that faded a bit. Some days it takes an extra turn of the spigot to get the next scene to flow at the previous rate. Not that I’m worried, mind you. I just have to work a little harder. Nothing wrong with that.

The idea for Perception came from a news story I just happened to catch and thought I could twist into a great plot. I instantly fell in love with the possibilities and thought I knew where the story would head. Between parts of it that want to write themselves and suggestions from my critique group, I’m uncertain which of two or three main directions to go. Hopefully, discovery is part of the fun. I’ll let you know in another 10-20,000 words if I'm still saying 'definately'.

My previous project, The Seventh City, a Book of Mormon Historical Fiction which took first place in the historical category of 2011 LDStorymakers first chapter contest, is in its fourth month of review with my first-choice publisher. They said it would take 4-6 months so here’s hoping for a positive response soon. Cross your fingers for me. Its untitled sequel has run into some problems that I presently don’t wish to spend time fixing until I know its sister has a home with a publisher.

There you have it. So, how is your WIP going?

Writing While Picking Peas

2011-07-04T06:00:00.012-06:00

Happy Birthday, America! Everybody have fun and be safe while celebrating.
When the peas are ready for picking, I'm out there--hopefully early in the morning or evening when the heat is tolerable. Next, the beans will start calling my name. I love the freshness but gardens demand a lot time. And the family thinks they need to eat and have clean clothes to wear. The list goes on.
Sometimes we have to squeeze in that reading or writing in other ways. Planning out the next scene or the details of a new character is a great thing to do during menial tasks like picking peas. Yes, my mind wanders off-track here and there, but if I can get just one good idea to use, it's progress.

Another thing I like to do, especially while working in the kitchen, is to listen to audio books from the library. If nobody is around talking to me, I can double my reading time with the push of a button. A plus to audio books is that I find books I wouldn't be exposed to otherwise.
Summer is a fun and busy time. Make sure to take a book with you in the car for those long trips and look for other ways to sneak reading or writing time in there. I've included the recipe for a great summer salad using peas. Serve with garlic french bread for an easy meal. Peas are great in a sauce on pasta. Slip them into other recipes where you think it's appropriate.
What do you do to make time to write? Or how do you celebrate summer reading?
Sarah's Salad from Lion House Recipes
1 head iceberg lettuce (or favorite)
3 strips bacon
1/2 10-ounce package frozen peas (or 1 cup garden fresh)
1/4 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese or 2 1/2 ounces cut in strips
2/3 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 salad dressing
Wash and drain lettuce. Dry thorougly. Dice bacon and saute until crisp; drain on paper towel. Run hot water over frozen peas and drain. (Skip this step for fresh peas.) Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces into salad bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, and pepper. Add peas, cheese, onion, mayonnaise, and salad dressing. (These ingredients may be layered, if desired, with the mayonnaise spread on last. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.) Chill. Toss when ready to serve and garnish with bacon. Makes 8 servings.

Feel-Good Moments are the Best

2011-06-27T06:00:00.031-06:00

Like most things, a writer's world is full of ups and downs. When a friend comes along to sweeten the pot by giving me an award just to say she cares and wishes me all the best, those are the moments that keep us going. Brenda Sills just awarded me the Sweet Blog Award. Yipee! Brenda has a great blog already and she just started. Check it out at http://www.brendasills.blogspot.com/

Now I get to tell you 7 random things about myself: (Gulp! Feeling exposed.)

1. Get ready to ooh and aah. Soooo cute. I just had grandbabies number 12 and 13 within 24 hours of each other. Grandmothering is the best. The oldest is only six. We had four boys born in the same year! And my youngest of six children just graduated from HS so we're not through yet! (Sorry--I couldn't get the picture to turn.)

2. Best weight-loss tip: long hours of physical labor. I learned to use power tools that I never imagined using while building our house. Wish the weight would have stayed off once life returned to normal. Here's the mosaic tile mural I created on a wet bar backsplash. I cut all the pieces with a tile saw.

3. My passion for writing exploded once we were settled in our new home. Finding a great critique group made all the difference in the world. Before that, music composition was how I spent my free time. I took a music composition class for non-majors at BYU (very intimidating). From then on it was learn by trail and error. Several of my works have been performed in our church choir, among other places. Music (many kinds) brings me joy.

4. I had a double wedding (technically back-to-back) with my sister who is one year and one day older than I. We never forget one another's anniversary or birthday.

5. I graduated from BYU with a BS in Clothing and Textiles. They don't even have that major listed today. Yes, I can sew but I don't do it much anymore. Moving on to other things.

6. I don't watch much TV but we do get Netflix movies. One TV show I like is Chopped. I've entered a few cooking contests and won a laptop computer when they were brand new. It was a tiny thing that printed on a roll of tape. The model was outdated by the time it arrived in the mail. The recipe was a cookie using Triscuit crackers. I was this close *pressing fingers together* to winning the grand prize of $10,000. Oh well!

7. I've traveled to 15 countries. 11 of them were in a single trip with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir when my husband sang with them. We spent our thirtieth anniversary in Italy with my sister and brother-in-law (mentioned above). I'd love to write a story set in Florence or Venice sometime.

Thanks for stopping by and getting to know me better. Thanks again to Brenda Sills. She got me a couple new followers. Now it's time to pass this award along to five blogging buddies who's blogs you'll want to check out and follow:

Angie Lofthouse- www.notesfromthewritingchair.blogspot.com

Rebecca Clayson - www.becinbrig.blogspot.com
Tamara Passey - www.whyigetup.blogspot.com

Kathleen Brebes - www.asuccorforwriting.blogspot.com

Carolyn Frank - www.franklycreative.blogspot.com
Congratulations, Friends!

To claim your award:

1. Copy and paste the award to your blog.

2. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.
3. Share seven random facts about yourself.
4. Pass the award along to 5 deserving blogging buddies.

5. Contact those buddies to congratulate them.

A Love-Hate Thing

2011-06-20T06:00:00.008-06:00

Computers drive me crazy sometimes. And yet I don’t think I’d be a writer without them. I realize there are benefits to writing long-hand, but revisions would become a nightmare. I would get writer’s cramp for sure! Yes, I’m thankful for the dang things. I just hate learning how to fix things the hard way.

Current problem: I can’t comment on my own blog and some other (but not all) blogs. It’s been reported that some haven’t been able to comment on mine but a few comments have appeared. I am anonymous! What’s the deal? Anybody have ideas for me? We tried clearing the history cache without seeing a change. Help!

True Emotion

2011-06-13T06:00:00.006-06:00

This promises to be a momentous week for me and my family. Grandbabies number twelve and thirteen are scheduled to arrive. Separate sets of parents—not twins. Talk about excitement! I can almost smell sweet baby scents and practically feel buttery, soft skin under my fingers by just thinking about it. These events will encompass a gamut of emotions from the wonder of holding a sweet bundle in my arms to the sorrow of letting one of them return to his Heavenly Father. That’s right. One of these grandsons has a serious heart condition that would require multiple surgeries to prolong his chance for more time on this earth. Emotions I’ve never experienced will likely course through my body within the next few weeks.

Two choices were presented to the couple once the diagnosis was made and after much pondering and prayer, they have elected not to go through with the first surgery. Human judgments have and will be passed on them for this course of action. It’s part of what people do because emotion drives them. In the end, the only factors of importance deal with coming to the same peaceful conclusion between husband, wife, and God. All other emotions that might be hurled at them are legitimate feelings even while the choice is not for others to make. When faced with the same situation a different time, there could be an equally right, opposite conclusion.

Just as there are no blanket judgments right for any given situation, there are no emotions that can be easily dismissed without a catalyst or cause. This is as true in real life as it is for our fictional characters. Characters should feel real emotions—good and bad, proper or not—according to their personalities and experiences. Writers strive for readers to feel an emotional connection with their characters. Readers will pass judgment as to whether this was accomplished based on their own frame of reference and experience. This may be why I connect to a character that you do not and vice versa. We don’t all love the same books or characters, but the overall popular ones are those characters who show emotion that rings true with each reaction.

I can’t help but think that each of our emotional experiences not only helps us feel deeper empathy for real life people but can help us connect with fictional characters we read about or bring to life through our written words.

Milestones--Are You Graduating?

2011-06-06T06:00:00.011-06:00

My baby graduated from High School and LDS Seminary this past week. Another milestone in the journey. Hoorah! A proud moment indeed for all concerned. I'm sure you can relate.
Soon he will be off to college and I will graduate into the realm of old people--empty nesters. Whoa. I'm not quite ready to call myself old, even if I'm a grandma, my body has it's own complaints, and grey hairs are springing up. But it got me thinking: What am I really graduating from? Can I say that I have passed a milestone of my own? Have I continued learning and refining my writing craft, followed through with some goals?
I doubt any of us can say we are hundred percenters. It's a process. It takes continual (but not constant) effort. We don't want to burn out, we want to shine. Take it one milestone at a time. My next writing goal is to get something ready to send off to the LUW contest. What milestones are you reaching?

Conflict and the Mechanism of Story, Part 2

2011-05-30T06:00:00.003-06:00

Clint Johnson—Conflict and the Mechanism of Story Part 2

Conflict is the high-grade fuel of a story, the drama, the reaction of resistance, not just tension.

Dramatic Conflict needs: 1) Need. Character needs something, a motivation. This need breaks the character from routines of life and creates action. Tip: We don’t want real life, we want an assimilation of real life. 2) Opposition. Opposition to the above need must be equal to or greater than the need itself. 3) Action. What the character does, says, thinks, to overcome the opposition. This includes internal and external action.

How your character responds to your plot=the real story. What do they want for themselves and others?

Central needs for youths: Individuality with community or trying to become someone he/she is please with that others can accept while there is opposition.

Nonfiction: The perception of a need, not creating one. Use the point of view in which you can be honest; this is your point of view for someone else’s story. Show why they might have done something. Use Need, Opposition, Action in non-fiction too.

Like a person with chronic pain, we adjust or adapt. In order for it to feel like things are getting worse (rather than adapting to the crisis or pain), conflict has to increase at a significant rate/pace. There are little breathing places of relief along the way before the next stomach punch.

The main character has a need that motivates them into action. If the need isn’t achieved, what will happen? What is at stake?

1) External/Public Stakes: Social, often large scale, plot driven, world ending.

2) Internal/Private Stakes: Poignant, individual, self-worth.

Weave both external and internal together. A stake affecting multiple people will intensify it. (Having to diffuse the bomb before the building explodes.) A stake affecting a significant person will broaden, complicate it. (Having to diffuse the bomb in the building where your wife works.) How far you push depends on the story/genre you want to tell. Take your characters into places the reader didn’t want to go. Comedy takes pain. Love characters for their flaws. Happiness has to be earned or it is resented. Endings can be win, lose, or draw.

Clint had us think of a story idea we wanted to write. Then he asked us to 1. think of an internal stake for the MC and, 2. how can you intensify it? Conflict it of major importance to a story and something I've struggled with. I hope these tips help you as well as me.

Conflict and the Mechanism of Story

2011-05-23T06:00:00.014-06:00

LDStorymakers Conference Notes #2:

Clint Johnson—Conflict and the Mechanism of Story Part 1

Writing is primarily a craft/skill that can be learned. If you work hard enough, you will be published. Writers need two dominant skill sets: 1) Language—learned by exposure, and 2) Narrative/Story—universal human language. Take conscious control over your own creative process.

Components of Writing were compared to an engine. You need more than a spark plug. You need all the parts put together. Think of the story as a whole and conflict is the fuel. Conflict is the most essential component. We want high grade fuel.

Components:

1. Conflict forces action. Characters don’t want to break routines or risk failure. Conflict forces them to act or go away from routine.

2. Action reveals character. These actions show who they are.

3. Revealed character facilitates reality. Characters do things that feel authentic, make the distance between reader and story narrow. Reader believes.

4. As disbelief is suspended, identification increases (identify with characters). Begin with an individual instead of something universal. The individual will go toward the universal and a broad audience can identify with it.

5. Transmission of emotions/meaning. We tell stories to figure out what they mean. Even data has to be interpreted. Lead the reader into a different place through one set of facts. Story = mechanism of meaning. This is how we are wired to think.

Don’t write for interest/theme sake. Write for emotion. Some people read for ideas more than emotion. Someone interested in your story idea will pick it up anyway. We read for a vicarious experience of emotions.
You might want to try this exercise Clint has us do. Start with a story idea you want to write about. 1. Identify a protagonist need. 2. Identify an opposition to that need. 3. Identify the initial action the protagonist will take. This is a good way to start your story. Good luck!

Refining Your Writing

2011-05-16T06:00:00.002-06:00

LDStorymakers Conference Notes #1:

This week I’ll share some thoughts from Angela Eschler of Eschler Editing on Refining Your Writing. Angela hit upon various topics of interest. I’m certain you’ll find something of interest too.

Conflict: Characters need goals—even little ones—in each scene. Action is interesting but the reader needs to wonder about the characters. The end of a scene should meet with disaster toward the goal. The character then has to do something else to accomplish the goal, moving the plot forward. Pacing slows when the reader loses track of whatever the character cares about/the goal is interrupted. The point of view should stay with the character needing the goal or the one who is preventing it. Page Turner Tip: End the chapter before the goal is met.

Setting: Incorporate the characters into the setting; give a sense of them in the description. You can use the setting as the voice of the characters and tell their emotions without saying it directly. A character stuck in a setting can add tension.

Hook: Anything that makes the reader want more, questioning, create tension, emotionally grabs the reader. The hook should hint at the plot problem together with emotions. It foreshadows more than one problem or theme. Quirky characters and settings are hooking. Take it deeper.

Endings: A little loss and a little triumph equal a satisfying ending. Earned endings are best.

Power of Language/Trimming: Can you cut 2-4 words from each sentence for economy? It should not change the info or meaning. Use Search and Find. Cut anything repetitive where you’ve used different words. Don’t spell out what can be told in other ways. Make certain that metaphors start with something familiar and are applied to the unfamiliar. If they don’t share insight, cut it.

Find a tidbit you liked? I'll share more next Monday. Thanks for stopping by.

First Chapter Contest Award

2011-05-09T06:00:00.005-06:00

Wow! Just came back from an awesome writer’s conference—LDStorymakers. You know what they say: The more you learn, the more you learn you don’t know. It’s a mixture of that and recognizing concepts I’m “getting”. Though harder to implement, I can recognize more of what needs work in my current project. Sometimes it’s overwhelming because it takes revision after revision . . . . I think it’s impossible to catch all those things in one sweep or even to write thinking of all the concepts in my head. Practice, practice.

Historical Winners-Me and Scott Lockwood

Drum roll please. There must be some things I’m getting right because I got great news when they announced the chapter contest winners. My Historical Fiction chapter won 1st Place in that category! It feels like all the effort was worth it. One of the biggest perks is that 3 LDS publishing companies will view my manuscript immediately instead of placing it in the slush pile of entries.

My best critic and supporter, Melissa Cunningham

Judgment Day. Four judges evaluated my submission and gave feedback. This is always a touchy subject for the entrants; it can really vary. Typically there is a harsh judge and an easy judge. This time the harshest judge left comments indicating his/her reasoning or train of thought that led to their rating. Thank you, whoever you are. Now I can make a better decision of what to fix because of those reasons and not wonder if the judge ate something disagreeable for breakfast.

Writing Tip: When we get feedback from a judge, a critique group, or even a friend, try to evaluate it in the perspective of what you have learned about the concept instead of emotional attachment to the writing. Can this feedback strengthen the writing?

Head Back next Monday for specific tips and information from a class or two.

Staying Positive

2011-05-02T06:00:00.001-06:00

I’m excited that the Storymakers conference is just around the corner. Conferences always pump me up and give me weeks of great tips to try out and blog about. If you’re going, I hope to meet you. If not, come on back here for some highlights I’ll be sharing.

This week I’ve been pondering on how important it is to stay positive about one’s writing. If writing is a passion in your life, it’s worth the bumpy road to keep at it. Do what you need to to look forward with hope. Believe in yourself! This might mean going to a conference. It might be something as simple as latching on to a compliment from a reader or an exciting new idea for your WIP. Take whatever boosts you to do your best and run with it.

The past two months have been extra busy for me. My substitute teaching job picked up two long term positions. Couple that with problems preventing my critique group from submitting or meeting and I found little time/motivation for writing. Desire was still there, but I felt something like a ‘middle sag’ to my story. I needed a boost.

Several things helped me overcome this and plow through it. But it wasn’t without a struggle. A respected fellow-writer agreed with me on some of the problems concerning my WIP. These are fixable, I had to tell myself. I still love my story. Staying positive was crucial. Then another author gave me some encouragement that minimized these problem areas. I realized that I shouldn’t let the first person block my goals. They didn’t have all the information needed to make this judgment anyway.

Finally, I gave a first-time reader a scene from this ‘sagging middle’ to critique and he said he was drawn into the story and almost forgot to be looking out for things. Woot! Just what I needed to zing me into further writing. I’m gonna remember this one until the next time I need a boost. With this upcoming conference, I’m sure that the next time won’t be very soon.

Pointing Out Character Relationships--Archery Anatomy

2011-04-25T14:05:00.005-06:00

I love it when a respected author gives me a suggestion that they personally use. This gives the idea credibility. Add the book I'm currently reading into the mix and it all comes to life. Okay, let me explain.
Lisa Mangum visited my area on a Utah Humanities Council sponsered presentation, speaking on "Finding Your Voice", or using your imagination in writing. She shared many good tips but today I will focus on a visual aid she used where she mapped out character relationships with two-way arrows. Starting with the main character (Abby) after getting her idea for The Hourglass Door, Lisa looked for a love-triangle relationship. Visualize the MC's name at the top pointing to her ho-hum boyfriend's name at one bottom corner and the exciting, new love interest that enters her life in the other corner. Got it?
Now the story needs more players. The MC needs a couple of girlfriends. two-way arrows connect these named characters. She also has family. More arrows. Perhaps a sister will have dialogue with a friend to whom the MC knows but never deals with. In this case, the arrow only goes from the sister to this friend, but not to the MC. The boyfriends also have companions or family that my enter into the story. As this happens, add them to the relationship storyboard. It is a way of visually seeing who connects with whom and the weight of each character. In Mangum's story, she didn't expect that one of Abby's girlfriends would connect with Dante's antagonist. When it happened, she drew another arrow. This led to Valerie having a greater part in the story than originally planned.
Good stories have complex relationships where characters feel strong emotions. Mappin it out is an aid to accomplish this.

This was fresh on my mind as I picked up my next reading choice. The story started with a couple on a date. Two names, one arrow. He takes her home and gets abducted. Arrow shoots off from the boy's name only toward an unnamed villian. Finding the villian takes a good chunk of the story. Little by little, we learn of the people the boy knew (more arrows) and the climate of those relationships. Police get involved. There are people the boy's father knew that could affect their involvement with this son. Arrows offshoot in various places and I could visualize it happening as each character was introduced. What makes the story interesting is the complexity of these relationships as they tie in with other people. Indirect arrows lead back to the kidnapped boy from four or five main contacts, some of which the boy didn't personally know. These relationships repeatedly focus on two or three main suspects before a new one comes to light. Complexity, you know? All to keep the reader guessing.
Whether or not you are a visual person like me, I think many writers can benefit from some type of storyboard showing character relationships. I'm going to try it. What do you like to use?

Giving Hope

2011-04-18T06:00:00.001-06:00

I've been listening to an audio-book, Before My Heart Stops by Paul Cardall, and can't help but feel his passion to give hope and encouragement to others, whatever their trials may be, through his words. It's an inspiring story for anyone but I picked it up especially because I have a prenatal grandson that will be born this summer with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He will have heart surgery within the first week of his life on earth.
Cardall's story is mostly told through blog entries. I don't know if he ever intended them to be compiled into a book, but he certainly wanted to let others know of his gratitude for every day of his life, the good and the bad, and of his faith in a God who is in charge of his destiny. Wouldn't it be great if I could inspire such goodness and hope to readers? Okay, so I don't have an extraordinary cause for my blog, or perhaps even my manuscript. But if I could touch one person for good--make them laugh or cry or feel something--then my efforts have not been wasted. If I could touch a thousand people. . .
May you find joy and inspiration in something you write or read today is my hope.
What kind of things inspire you?

Killer Story Ideas

2011-04-11T06:00:00.005-06:00

Okay, so first off I gotta mention that my top American Idol woman got kicked off. Pia's voice was amazing. I've seen some real growth from Alana and I like that Hailey takes chances. Both are good. It's time for a guy to go next. Maybe Casey or Jacob. I love that Casey plays the double bass, but while his singing is on key, it isn't melodious and his screeching is only cool so often. I wouldn't want to hear a whole record in one sitting. Stefano is a one-style man but with a more pleasing voice, so I like him better. Last week was the first week that I truly enjoyed Paul. Scotty put out something a little different too but not by much. He's mainly a one-trick pony so far but I still enjoyed the trick. In the end, it's going to be James who takes it to the top. He can do it mellow or screamin' with consistently good vocals. Just saying.
And now for our regularly scheduled program--
All writer's need creativity. John Brown gave 7 ways to prime yourself toward that end. Here's my notes:
1. Ask Questions. Maybe you've already tried What if . . .? or What can go wrong? But have you focused it specifically to Character, Setting, Problem, Plot?
2. Feed Your Mind through pictures, headlines, anything you see or hear.
3. Turn On Your Zing Sensors. Be alert to things that can zing or zap you. Write these down and review later to spark further ideas. (This is the part that impressed me:) Trust your own sensor, not someone else's. The ideas have to be your own passion. You can't write someone else's story that you doesn't move you.
4. Generate Answers through various methods, i.e. outlines, exploratory drafts, interviews, maps, research, etc. Make a decision and run with it.
5. Practice Farmer's Faith. Manure can grow things. A crappy idea can blossom into something useable if we are patient and have put in the work.
6. Listen to your Spideysense. (This one is harder to explain unless the movie tips you off.) Don't deny your inner self. Writer's block is a gift. You just need to feed and generate as above. If your expectations are too high, break down your project into steps.
7. Relax and have fun. Stress is not creative. Some people do their best thinking in a relaxing shower.
Have you used any of these and which ones work best for you? Idol comments are also welcome.

Will It Fly?

2011-04-04T06:00:00.001-06:00

John Brown showed some funny photos of early-flight inventions at the LUW workshop last weekend to illustrate a point. Structure is critical. If an apparatus doesn’t get lift, it won’t fly.

Story structure needs certain elements as well, but it might not be as complicated or such a fixed formula as you thought. John says there is no Voodoo—no exact midpoint where such and such is supposed to happen, etc. All the story structure ideas out there are simply options. The main thing is to look for commonalities or patterns that go with function. These can be studied in the books we read and movies we watch. I found it freeing to realize this.

Are you ready for the common core that John has discovered? Before you salivate all over your chin, let me warn you. You probably already know the secret, but don’t feel let down because it is vital or your story won’t fly. Story structure is merely Problem Solving. That’s right. All the lists and types for story structure deal with this, no matter how it is stated. A problem is presented, the character struggles to solve it and runs into trouble along the way, and finally resolves the problem. Each of these three phases can take differing amounts of time depending on the story.

To enjoy a story a reader must: 1) Understand the problem of a character to which they can be sympathetic, like, or find interesting, 2) Believe in the reason(s) this character can’t just walk away from the problem, and 3) Be surprised or wonder what might happen next and worry about the possibilities (vs. knowing what will happen). Ultimately, we want to hope and fear for the MC.

Simple enough to understand, harder to implement. Understanding is a major first step. Now, let’s see if I can get my WIP off the ground.

Think You Know Your Character?

2011-03-28T06:00:00.010-06:00

I just got me some renewed writing drive at the League of Utah Writers Spring Conference. Great classes, a little reconnecting, all for the cost of membership dues. It also makes great material for blog entries. It’s never the same as being there, but here’s to hoping you can gain from my experience.

This week’s entry will be about the first class: The Psychology of Characterization taught by Jennifer Nielsen. This was a slightly different take on characterization classes I’ve attended. She spent part of the time on personality basics like knowing that a character’s personality is stable; it’s the traits that may evolve or adapt. The presence of a certain trait may matter, but the intensity/amount really matters. For a person to behave out of character, there should be a reason. She also gave some good sites for finding out more about personalities.

Jennifer prepared ‘fill in the rest of the sentence’ questions to delve into knowing our main character. These I had seen before, but there were a few answers that surprised me. Since I am writing a stand alone sequel to my first novel (currently under publisher review), I thought I knew my MC well enough not to find surprises. But my MC has evolved and matured. Karlinah started out as a sixteen-year-old princess and now has experienced motherhood and family tragedy that can’t help but shape her. This is a tip I recommend and will repeat in the future.

After seeing the answers, we could group them into categories. People’s issues tend to be reworked repeatedly, so be prepared to learn more about your character’s issues. One surprise answer to The person I admire most is . . . hit me with a new twist to my plot when Jennifer asked the question What is the very worst thing I can do to my MC? By combining these, I am excited to write an event into my story that will impact future events in the plot. I’ll find out if it takes me where I think it will go and the discovery will be a stimulating ride for me—something invaluable to a writer.

Next Monday I will share from John Brown’s classes.
BTW, I am pleased to say that I won a book this past week on Don Carey's blog. Very cool.

What's your best Characterization tip?

Lunch with Lisa and Melissa.

Writing Out of Duty?

2011-03-21T06:00:00.027-06:00

So, my busy meter is about to rev-up a notch. I'll be putting in some regular teaching hours filling in for a maternity leave at a local Intermediate School in the music department. (Did you hear the one about the guy who always broke out in song because he couldn't find the key?) It's a blessing, really, with my husband out of work. But it leaves me with less time for writing. Cringe.
I considered not even posting today since I added an extra post last week, but the duty thing nagged at me and I have a streak going. Is my passion evaporating along with my time? Not many will read this anyway. I really need to get onto Facebook or do a contest because I'm at a stagnant place. I have a few new ideas to try on this blog, but I really want to know what you are looking for in a post. Leave me a comment with one or two of your favorite ideas. If you're feeling extra busy right now, maybe you good just leave me a "hello".
Good luck on your reading or writing this week. And thanks for stopping by.

My American Idol Picks

2011-03-16T21:53:00.001-06:00

Great talent in AI this year. Yeah. Author's Incognito too. Definately. But I'm talking about American Idol tonight.
I just listened to the top 12 and have whittled down my current picks for my own version of March Madness bracketology--based on talented vocals rather than style, song choice, or fan potential. My top seed female is Pia Toscano and male is James Durbin. Any of the following could upset the fruit basket: Stefano Langone, Jacob Lusk, and Casey Abrams.
Okay, so we'll see if I need to revise my list down the line. But there you have it. Anybody agree with me?

Yummy Contest Link

2011-03-15T15:00:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody! I'm spreading the word about Don Carey's contest to win Josi Kilpack's Blackberry Crumble. The book, not the dessert. But it sounds yummy anyway. I've love to win a copy. I've heard Don has a great book out too called Bumpy Landings. He's got some great Hawaiian recipes on his site as well. Head on over to http://donaldjcarey.com/2011/03/i-have-a-db-bestseller.html and check out the contest sometime this week. Best of luck!

Book Review - Matched

2011-03-14T06:00:00.001-06:00

Matched by Ally Condie is set in a dystopian world where Cassia’s life is all planned out. Life is smooth until she finds out her perfect match may not be who she was told. Ripples of doubt lead to secrets forced into hiding or risk disturbing the structured life in which she always trusted. Most of the tension stems from this.

The best thing about Matched for me was the tug of emotions Condie creates through the main character. Seventeen-year old Cassia causes self-reflection for the reader with every choice she makes. Questions surface such as whether we are better off to have free will rather than submit to the perfectly planned life. I also enjoyed the developing love story even though there were necessary interruptions to it with day to day world building events.

Condie does a good job using flowing writing to describe interesting bits of this futuristic world to give a full flavor of the environment. For me, this sometimes led to slow pacing because I was anxious to hear more of another aspect of the story. Maybe this was because I expected a slightly different story from this novel. Between back cover comments mentioning “rebellion” and a recent reading of The Hunger Games, Condie’s story didn’t take me where I thought it should go. It was a calmer ride. Good, but not great.

If you enjoy thought-provoking aspects, dystopian that doesn’t bring you down, and a different kind of love story, this book is for you. Enjoy!

Oh No! What Have I Done?

2011-03-07T06:00:00.001-07:00

It's too late! I've already submitted something and there are mistakes. Time to panic? Maybe. But not for long. If I agonize over every imperfect piece of writing, there would be no time to move on and write something else. But this time it was important.
Last week I posted writing Samples A and B for comments. Sample A was the first few paragraphs of a story already sent off to a publisher. It had gone through my critique group already, but now that I wanted to submit to the Storymakers First Chapter Contest, I asked them for another look. A good friend of mine really gave it the once over with lots of markings. This morphed into Sample B, which I sent off before the deadline to the contest. I changed the first sentence around so that it would immediately become the main character's point of view. It feels rotten to know that my first sentence sent to the publisher was not the view point I wanted. (Too bad this wasn't caught earlier.) But this same friend didn't love my new first sentence and had some better suggestions (after the deadline). Oh well.
Publishers expect some editing. Maybe other first chapters in the contest will have flaws as well.
I can't live in the past. I could revise and revise and it still wouldn't be perfect. We all want our best work to shine. It's true that I can fix what someone shows me is wrong. The greater truth is that I am starting to recognize problems spots on my own. This is progress. This is success.
While waiting to hear back, I'll try to remember that progression equals contentment. Do you see your own progress? Are you happy with it?

Writing Journal #5 - Revisions

2011-02-28T05:00:00.001-07:00

Below are two versions of the start to my story, The Seventh City.

Setting: Ancient Meso-America. Which do you like better and why?

A) The grieving king sat rigid on his throne while servants fanned him with palm fronds. Noting the scowl on his dark-skinned face from the back of the throne room, Karlinah quickly lowered her head as she was ushered forward. She bowed to the ground and rose when invited to, keeping her gaze just below his eyes. “You sent for me, great one?”

The Lamanite king of the land of Jerusalem dipped his feathered headdress in reply and waved the servants back. He stood and motioned Karlinah forward.

Sensing this was to be a private conversation, Karlinah trembled. It was easy to guess why she was summoned, but how much did the king know? What did he think she knew? She took two slow breaths and looked up at him.

“I am afraid there is no easy way to say this.” His matter-of-fact voice belied the gravity of his words. “My son has been murdered.”

B) Noting the scowl on his face as her father-in-law reclined on his throne, Princess Karlinah quickly lowered her head as she approached. She bowed, forehead to the tiled floor with arms outstretched, and rose when invited. She kept her gaze just below the king’s eyes. “You sent for me, great one?”

The Lamanite king of the land of Jerusalem dipped his feathered headdress in reply and sent back the servants waving palm fronds. He stood and motioned Karlinah forward.

Karlinah trembled. Dread filled her as awareness of the private nature and seriousness of the conversation increased. He was ready to accuse her, she just knew it. She struggled to push her feet forward, took two slow breaths, and looked up at him.

“There is no easy way to say this.” His matter-of-fact voice belied the gravity of his words. “My son is dead. Murdered.”

Who is the main character? Did it grab you? Any suggestions? Please vote.
Next Monday I will reveal results and where these were submitted.

Writing Journal #4: Noticable Progress

2011-02-21T05:00:00.001-07:00

In picking a scripture story for the basis of my writing, I thought that all I needed to do was to connect retold sections given in the scriptures by adding interesting fill, linking it all together into story form. I wanted to stay true to the scriptural text. What I ended up with was flat. My critique group let me know that I needed more conflict (among other things). They may as well just turn to The Good Book itself for all the excitement I was giving them. I learned about character arcs and how my MC needed to grow, progress, and overcome a problem. I remember saying out loud, “This is harder than it looks.”

Ignorance was no longer bliss and mediocrity was not an option. Writing a book took too much time and devotion not to up my level of skill. Anything less would be a waste of time. I paid attention to the group’s comments to each other and learned from their writing as well as mine. There were secrets to success ready to be gleaned from the pages of self-help books and evidence found in published novels. The trick was implementing what I learned.

As the feedback became increasingly positive, I was a kid in a candy store. I loved taking my redlined pages home and shaping them into something better. I could do this. I always believed in myself but I was beginning to believe a publisher might feel the same.

Lobster With a Twist

2011-02-14T05:00:00.001-07:00

I’ve been hearing a resurgence of how important it is to have family dinner together. We do pretty well at this but I usually do the cooking and sitting down is not always at a relaxed pace. So, it was time for a special couple’s dinner together.

My husband and I decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a romantic dinner—lobster, candlelight, music—but with a twist. “Let’s stay home and cook together,” we decided. Our youngest was out on a date and we had the kitchen (and house) to ourselves. Two affordable lobster dinners coming up. It turned out to be fun. We ate lobster with clarified butter, rice-a-roni, asparagus with mushrooms and almonds, breadsticks, and heart-shaped fudge. We reminisced about our first date and enjoyed working together. A movie topped off the quiet evening last Saturday night.

What did you do for Valentine’s Day?

Book Review: The Peasant Queen

2011-02-08T05:00:00.001-07:00

I was impressed with the concise writing in Cheri Chesley's YA Adventure/Romance, The Peasant Queen. The description on the back cover that it "delights readers of all ages" was true for me. Meant for teens, tweens can understand and enjoy the book. Happily, the writing was not "dumbed down" for adult readers, but the plot left me with a question or two: Though a magnificent main character, how is it that a peasant farm girl of a faraway land was chosen as the object of spying through a sphere in the first place?

The fact that Krystal is beautiful is the first thing that draws men to her, poor girl. Even so, she is a likable character worthy of emulation. She is a hard-working go-getter who knows what she wants, skilled with a sword, gentle with animals, charming, humble, and determined. Her only character flaw seems to be her weak stomach. I loved getting inside Krystal's head and Chesley had me liking her from page one.

I liked that there was a map. I liked my uncertainty about the villain at first and his volatile actions throughout. It had everything from swordfights to kissing without drowning in unbelievable fantasy. It was a good mix and a fun read. I personally would have liked a stronger historical element with enough details to pin down the era to a certain century, but that would make it more adult. I would recommend this book to readers of adventure and romance.

Visit Cheri at http://cherichesley.blogspot.com/

Interview with Author Rachelle J. Christensen

2011-02-07T05:00:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed reading Wrong Number, a Whitney finalist, and thought I'd have a chat with Rachelle Christensen, award-winning author of "Wrong Number" and "Lost Children: Coping with Miscarriage". I like to ask authors three critical fundamentals in writing. Let's start with . . .

Plot—Your plot kicks off strongly from page one. Did you struggle to keep the momentum going? How much of the story was plotted out or outlined before you started writing?

Rachelle: My character, Aubree Stewart, sometimes had a mind of her own and that led to more tension. But I also went back through each chapter during revisions and looked for plot development, tension, etc. to make sure the pacing of the story would keep the reader turning pages.

Character—I liked how you showed character growth from a wife dependent on her husband to a woman who takes charge of her situation. Was this something you strengthened during revisions or did you plan her character arc from the beginning?

Rachelle: Thank you! It was fun to see Aubree’s character development. A lot of that happened naturally with the paths she took in the novel, but I also tried to refine that during revisions. Something I tried to keep in mind was that the character needs to have faults and flaws so they are progressing with the plot as well.

Renae: It was fun to discover who Aubree could or couldn’t trust. Any tips on keeping a secondary character mysterious while showing their development?

Rachelle: Red herrings are a wonderful tool to make anyone seem mysterious. I’ll admit I find it tricky to keep the bad guy a secret because obviously I know who he is while I’m writing :) so I’m always double-checking my writing and asking myself, “Are they going to figure out the bad guy?” and then adding in subtle movements, red herrings, and foreshadowing to keep the reader guessing.

Conflict—There were lots of conflicts along the way culminating to the biggest one where there was no escape. Where do your ideas come from?

Rachelle: My ideas usually come from something that sparks my interest like a news story and then I start asking, “What if?” For example, we all get wrong numbers and I’ve had plenty where people just start talking (this especially happens on my voicemail) and I’ve had to correct them and tell them “I’m sorry you must have the wrong number.” So what if someone called the wrong number by accident and gave out information about a murder?

Renae: It always exciting to win awards. How different was the final product from what you submitted to contests?

Rachelle: Wrong Number won second place in the LDStorymakers contest in 2007 and I had another novel (one of my many work-in-progress) win first place in 2009. The first chapter didn’t change much, other than being tightened up a bit and some extra scrubbing and polishing. But the first draft of my novel was right around 50,000 words. By the time I finished re-writing and revising for several months, the final word count was nearly 72,000 words and that doesn’t account for all the words I cut during revising.

Renae: Did your marketing or publishing strategy change by going from a non-fiction book to suspense?

Rachelle: Definitely. I found it much easier to market my fiction book because it was for anyone. Whereas my nonfiction book was written for a specific niche of readers.

Renae: What else would you like to share about yourself?

Rachelle: I’m a stay-at-home mommy of four beautiful kids. I love to play the piano and sing. I enjoy anything creative, especially making cards, creating photobooks, sewing, and gardening. And right now I’m counting down the days until sunny weather when I can go running any time of day while listening to my iPod and thinking of ideas for my next novel.

Renae: What are you working on now?

Rachelle: I’m currently revising the spin-off from Wrong Number. The working title is Caller ID and I’m excited about the plot in this story. I came up with the idea by combining the elements of two different stories I saw on the news a few years ago. I think my readers will be excited to see who the main character is in Caller ID. I’ll give a hint, it’s not Aubree.

Renae: Do you have any advice for other authors?

Rachelle: If you’re serious about writing, attend writers conferences and classes, join a great critique group, read novels in your genre of interest, and write, write, write! Also, learn how to take criticism and know when to apply it to your writing and when to chuck it out the window.

Renae: Where can we find your books? (BTW, I can personally recommend Wrong Number!)

Rachelle: Anywhere books are sold. If you don’t see it, ask for it and they can order it in. Available wherever books are sold, including Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Amazon
If you’d like to get a sneak peek at Wrong Number, check out the book trailer—it’s awesome! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg5X0T59a9E Stop by my blog, www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com to see what I’m up to. Thank you so much for this interview! Happy reading and writing.

Renae: Thanks, Rachelle. I invite readers to stop by tomorrow for my book review of The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley as part of her blog tour. I'll tell ya what I think!

Writing Journal #3: Joining a Critique Group

2011-01-31T05:00:00.005-07:00

With two book rejections under my belt and a year’s break with building our new home, I was ready to write again. During this time, I discovered another writer in my neighborhood, Melissa Cunningham. She was looking to put together a new critique group and asked if I was interested. Her timing was perfect—a blessing, really.

I can remember our first meeting together and feeling humbled, yet encouraged. I had written a setting description using “the outline of the roofline”, thinking my use of the words together as clever. They both redlined it. I had much to learn! Lori Nawyn’s writings were beautiful and Melissa was such a good editor. I was grateful to be among them. Soon we were joined by Shannon and Brock Cheney, who brought with them their own unique talents. Our (nearly) weekly meetings of ten DS pages helped me to grow and thrive. I could see my own progress and it was just the exhilaration I needed to turn this into a passion. This group was a turning point in my writing journey. I know that not all groups work out, but I'm firm believer in having one that works for you. It has made all the difference. Over the past year and a half, they have given me ideas, seen things I couldn't, and (though far from perfect) I've refined both writing and editing skills. The best part is the fun we have when we get together!

How has your writing group helped you?

PS--Next Monday I will interview Rachelle Christensen, author of Wrong Number. Then on Feb. 8 I will post a review of Cheri Chesley's The Peasant Queen as part of her blog tour. Valentine's day will be special as well. The writing journal will continue later. Thanks for stopping by!

Writing Journal #2: The Second Attempt

2011-01-24T05:00:00.002-07:00

I especially felt the stories that brought the scriptures to life for a reader held extra value, even though obvious liberties were taken. If I could fill in the gaps to make a scriptural account seem more complete and memorable to someone else, that was a worthy goal. So again, I embarked on the novel-writing journey. Heroes like Chris Heimerdinger and Heather Moore unknowingly pumped me up. Hmm . . . which scriptural account to study?

I read Sarah by Orson Scott Card and found new inspiration. An Old Testament story seemed the road less traveled. I picked out my character and began my second book. The story of Isaac and Rebekah was the one I wanted to tell. After investing a good amount of time on this project, I learned that Card had just published this very story and expected to do a trilogy of the Women of Genesis. A crushing blow. But I would finish my project anyway and not read his until I had written mine so as not to be too influenced or similar.

As it turned out, Card’s version was disturbing to me once he got into marital struggles and Rebekah’s deception with her son Jacob. A prophet and his wife should not have so much conflict! It didn’t feel right to have my marriage better than a prophet’s. But ignorance is bliss. Conflict, I later learned, is an important component to a story. Final revisions were made and I sent off the manuscript to two publishers. Rejection #2. Undaunted, it was time for some specific writing education. Next entry: Joining a Critique Group

Writing Journal #1: My First Book

2011-01-16T20:28:00.001-07:00

Over the years, I have read and enjoyed my share of LDS novels. After a while I thought: I want to do that—meaning to write a good LDS novel. English was always one of my best subjects but it wasn't until years out of school that I seriously thought of writing a book. Without knowing any more about it than my readings and a general suspense novel outline in mind, I set about the task. Parts of it flowed and I found the process rewarding.

It took me nearly a year to write and revise. My husband gave feedback and support. I gave the finished product to a self-published friend for review but it turned out that she was little help. I didn't know where else to turn. With hope, I submitted to two or three publishers. Ah, but ignorance is bliss. The completion itself was a satisfying accomplishment and I didn’t get too discouraged by its subsequent rejection. My goal was accomplished. I had it in mind to do more of this, but for now, it was time to take a break. The writing bug had not fully hit. Next entry: My Second Attempt.
Did any of you start out so raw as this?

Big Week Ahead for Author Tristi Pinkston

2011-01-10T05:00:00.001-07:00

I first met Tristi Pinkston at the 2010 LDStorymakers Conference. She was my Boot Camp Sergeant, offering kind advice to a table full author wannabes. Because of this, I increased my awareness of her writings and have read two of her books. With the launch of Dearly Departed this Friday, I thought it was a good time to interview Tristi.
Let's talk about Character, Plot, and Conflict as we get to know her better.

1. Your RS presidency characters are delightful. Did you pattern them after anyone in particular?

Tristi: Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying getting to know them.

I didn’t have a lot to do with their creation – they just popped into my head fully formed. They each have different aspects that remind me of someone—mostly me—but no, they’re pretty much individuals.

2. Ida Mae, the MC, is my favorite. How do you get a reader to connect with a character like Ida Mae from the get-go?

Tristi: She took over in that department. She just started talking, and I wrote down everything she said. She has so much personality that she made my job easy.

I would have to say, though, that when it comes to writing a character, to be sure to include a lot of emotion and internal thought so the reader can really “get” where the character is coming from. Someone like Ida Mae could come across wrong if it weren’t for those moments of internal thought and peeks into her motivation.

3. The plot stems from real life in the LDS world and takes it to a humorous, entertaining level. Did you find this to be easier to write than your earlier historical novels?

Tristi: It was so much easier, I can’t even tell you. When you’re writing historical novels, there’s so much research that goes into it, and you have to watch your timeline to make sure that everything is happening right when it’s supposed to. You can’t throw in a war where you want one – you have to work with the war that already happened. With Secret Sisters, I just gave the characters their head and ran along after them, taking notes.

4. What did you do to add plausibility to the silly choices these ladies make?

Tristi: I’m not sure I did add plausibility. The whole book is one comedy of errors and you’ve got to prepare to go along for the ride. But I did try to leaven it with a little bit of seriousness from time to time, again dictated by the characters. For instance, I didn’t know that Ida Mae’s own family situation was so troubled until she told me.

5. Several people spying on a family in the ward made for humorous situations, but was this also the best way to add tension to the story?

Tristi: This aspect of the story came with the package—it chose me, rather than me choosing it. In fact, that’s how the series came to be. I overheard someone make a comment that they felt as though their home teachers and visiting teachers were sometimes a little too nosy, almost like they were spying on their assigned families. My brain being what it is, it took off from there—what if they really were spying on their assigned families? And then Ida Mae, Tansy, and Arlette appeared in my head, and I’ve been having a ton of fun ever since.

6. Can you share a tip on adding conflict to a light-hearted mystery?

Tristi: In this story, it was a matter of finding the conflict that already existed and then just bringing it to the forefront. You’ll always have conflict whenever you get a group of people together and ask them to work on the same project, and there’s always conflict within the boundaries of a ward. Because Ida Mae was the Relief Society president, she knew about certain issues in the ward that wouldn’t be immediately obvious to the other members.

The main thing you want to do is make sure that the elements you emphasize are already present, or that they occur naturally. There are some genres in which you can throw in an elephant attack or a zombie apocalypse and no one bats an eye, but in this type of writing, you need to take the situations that already exist and then just build on them in order to make them believable. It is a lighthearted story, but every character has their trials, and that’s where you find the conflict.

7.What do you want readers to get from this series? How many more are coming?

Tristi: There are a total of five books in the series. Book #2, Dearly Departed, just barely came off the press over the holidays, and I’m so excited to get my author copies in my hot little hands. I have nearly finished the final editing phase of book #5, and then I’m starting a whole new series, which promises to be just as much fun.

As far as what I’d like readers to get … well, first, I want readers to have more options when it comes to clean fiction. It seems it’s becoming harder to find. I also want them to enjoy the little quirks of our Mormon culture. We are a peculiar people—in a lot of ways, and not just in our religion. We’re fascinated by potatoes. We won’t shop on Sunday, but we’ll head out to the store at 12:01. It’s fun just to step back and say, “You know, we are quirky, but we’re so loveable.” I hope my series accomplishes that—a greater sense of contentment of who we are, while appreciating our quirks.

8. You seem pretty organized. Care to explain the headless chicken thing? What else would like us to know about you?

Tristi: I’m laughing right now. I am not organized. Right now, my Christmas tree, which is still up, is jabbing into my left hand from its place next to my desk. There are Legos all over the living room, I have no idea what’s for lunch, and I keep getting distracted by Facebook. But I’m determined, and so I keep pressing on.

We all know the expression, “running around like a chicken with its head chopped off.” Well, that’s me—I am the headless chicken. I run over here and write a chapter, then I run over here and wash some dishes, then I run over here and tie a shoe. And I lose a few feathers along the way. I might even lay an egg. You just never know with me.

It's good to keep us guessing! Thanks for sharing with us today. Please leave a comment.
The Amazon purchase link is: http://www.amazon.com/Dearly-Departed-Tristi-Pinkston/dp/1935217895/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294239810&sr=8-1 Or check bookstores.

Join me next Monday for the first entry about my writing journey. Have a great week!

A Handful of Good Reads

2011-01-03T12:57:00.001-07:00

I was excited to receive some of the titles on my Christmas wish list. Where to start? I selected Tristi Pinkston's Secret Sisters first because her follow-up novel is coming out this month. I'm half-way through and enjoying it. Tristi will answer some questions in another blog this month.
I hope to get more thoughts from authors and authors-in-the-making into my posts this year. I also want to share my writing journey and post book reviews. If there is something else you would like to see, please leave a comment. My goal is to post on Mondays. So, I hope you will come by and start your week with me. Most posts will be short and uplifting. What are you reading? Have a great week and see you next Monday!

Doing For Others

2010-12-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

The things we do for . . . You fill in the blank.
Love, friends, glory. How about giveaways!
So, here's to spreading the word that Tristi's monthlong giveaway is winding down to a grand finale and you can still get in on the goods. I've been a 90 something % participant all month long and haven't won a prize yet. But I'm hoping that means I have a good shot at one of the last and best two prizes. (I'm saving the best for last.) Afterall, I did win a Lazyboy recliner with just a $1 raffle ticket (to a good cause), so nothing is impossible.
At any rate, I'm building on that friend word above. Go to trisitpinkston.blogspot.com and get to know this wonderful person (and maybe win a prize).

Christmas Time is a Busy Time

2010-12-22T23:20:00.003-07:00

Merry Christmas to All!
'Tis the season to be jolly . . . and busy! But I haven't been busy writing. I guess you could say that I took the month off. My critique group decided to do that and I got my manuscript submitted earlier this month, so why not? Yet I feel busier than ever. I've been making some homemade gifts this year. I made some candy and recorded some stories for the grandkids. And I did a 3x4 foot Crayon Batik wall hanging (for an outdoorsy family with them pictured in it). A what? Basically, I painted melted crayon onto cloth, scrunched it up to make cracks all over, and put it in a dye bath. Then I had to iron out all the wax. Tedious, but a nice change of pace for one month out of the year. Sometimes we have to let those other creative outlets find their place. Would you like a glimpse?

Some detail painted on.

(Sub)mission Accomplished!

2010-12-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

It's in! I submitted my LDS Adult Book of Mormon Fiction, The Seventh City. This was November's goal. No, the whole year's goal. But today I can check that goal off. I'd love to tell you a little about my book:

A death. A secret. A spirited, sixteen-year-old widow. For the young, Mayan princess it was either kill or be killed. Then a Nephite missionary comes to preach about repentance. Can Karlinah gain acceptance and remarry without revealing her secret?

As soon as I pushed SEND, I did the happy dance. Then came the second guessing. Why do we do that to ourselves? I'm going to quit thinking about who else should have read it first, etc. It doesn't have to be perfect. That's what an editor is for. It just has to be my best effort. I worte it to be read and that's what pushing SEND will hopefully do. Now comes the waiting game. For the next few months, no news is good news. Wish me luck!

Well, back to writing the sequel ( the second generation of King Lamoni's family).

More Contests

2010-12-01T19:00:00.001-07:00

A prize a day! If you like contests, this is definately one to check out. It only takes a moment. Hey, and find it in your heart to follow me as well, if you haven't already, or lead someone else here. Thanks!
Tristi Pinkston is hosting an absolutely huge contest over on her blog to celebrate the release of her new book, "Dearly Departed." A new prize will be offered every twenty-four hours, and with multiple chances to win, you can't go wrong! Prizes include books, jewelry, perfume, movies - and the grand prize is a free night's stay at the Lion Gate Manor in Lava Hot Springs. Visit Tristi's blog for rules and more details.
http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com

Book Trailers: No Two Alike

2010-11-21T20:30:00.001-07:00

How different can you get? I'm listing three examples of recent book trailers and they are all completely different. Book trailers are as fun to watch as movie trailers, even though the budget is usually much smaller.
Below are links to some recent book trailers or info about them that you might find entertaining. Notice the differences and let me know through a comment what you like or didn't like.
My almost nonexistant book trailer experience has barely begun. I'm writing a song to go with my novel, The Seventh City (soon to be submitted for publishing). A future post will include the lyrics. (I'm still struggling with the chorus.) One of the ways I intend to use it would be as background music for my book trailer. For now, here are a few examples already in the works:
The book trailer for Mark of Royalty just made its debut. It seems to have been a big production with actors, a horse, and a castle. Check out more about it at jenniferkclark.blogspot.com.
Here's one with a contest but I found the book trailer teaser (shortened version) clever and amusing on a low budget. Check it out for yourself at: http://donaldjcarey.com/2010/11/the-bumpy-landings-teaser-contest.html Aka: Another Contest or Look What a Few Legos Can Do.
Lastly, here's a suspenceful one with effective single shots. View Perilous on the Nov. 17 post at tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlLBYl9iz8Q
What do you think?

Contests and Other Gimmicks

2010-11-18T15:25:00.001-07:00

Contest. The word leaps with excitement for many bloggers, especially if there is a book or chocolate to be won. It's a gimmick, really. But an effective one. We all want more followers. I've been bummed lately about my November subscribers, but I've been too busy to recruit. Something must be done.
Hmm. I'm going to have to start a contest. I need more followers--Help! My first month, I gained more than a follower a day, on average. But November--not so hot. Of course I've had some interruptions in my life that kept me from posting and checking other blogs very often. That makes a difference. I hope to be more regular again now. And I will dream up a contest before the year is over. Please check back.
I Just learned about another contest that you might want to know about and I will pass them along from time to time. Nichole Giles is giving away a signed copy of LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld, so give it a look. I did and it's easy to enter.

http://nicholegiles.blogspot.com/2010/11/mega-awesome-totally-fabulous-i-heart.html
Have a great day!

Opinions That Count

2010-11-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the Harry Potter movie comes out in about 24 hours. Yes, I've read the books, seen the movies, but I'm not jumping in on day one. Why? I've heard some opinions. Too many for good judgement.
"There's a questionable scene." "Why'd they have to throw some junk in?" "It's not so bad." Who do I believe? I think I'll wait to hear some reviews after someone I trust has seen it. Besides, it's not that big a deal to me to be first on the block.
Is this what we do to books? You bet it is!
We ask our friends what good books (movies, restaurants, etc.) they've read. We might read a review. The word goes down the grapevine. Advertising influences us. We make a decision by other people's opinions even though sometimes we get surprised. It is a way of screening, a protection of not wasting our time. It gives us a basis for judgement--right or wrong. In the end, it's your own opinion that counts above all the rest.
But hey, I still want to know what you think! It's what we do. I'd love a comment.
Did you like the new HP movie?
Wanna pass along your favorite read titles?

Book Review: My Gift To You

2010-11-08T08:48:00.001-07:00

What if you didn't think you deserved to be happy? What if you were wrong?

Devastated by the departure of her husband and daughter, Trish faces the challenge of a lifetime. Will Trish find the courage necessary to transcend the shadows of her past? This gripping story reminds us that forgiveness of self and others is both a difficult choice and a precious gift.

The title and premise of this somewhat short, inspirational novel gave the impression of a predictable, feel-good story, but author Lori Nawyn throws in a few curve balls along the way. Pleasantly, it's not the exact book I thought it would be. She started with enough scattered information about several character relationships to pull me in to want to find out more. Unexpected and interesting events are added along the way. Even though I am certain of the outcome, it's the journey that matters. In the end, Nawyn wraps things up with the expected result but a different emphasis than I figured. The ending was satisfying.

The Christmas element of the story is not so strong as to only want to read this story at Christmastime, yet it could be considered a Christmas story if you are looking for one. I thought the amount was just right. I also enjoy Nawyn's succinct writing. She packs visual images, emotion, and a hook into short scenes. A great read by the fireplace on a cold, winter's day.

Giving Your Words Over to the Reader

2010-11-03T14:52:00.001-06:00

   Who is writing really for--the author or the reader? Your writing may arguably be for you--to fulfill that burning drive to put pen to paper, but if anyone but you are to gain from it, you must finish the work and pass it on to another. So begins November's National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. The goal of writing 50,000 words spurs many on. Being at the point of revising and getting my novel ready to send rather than write, I am not offically participating. To those who are, I cheer you from the sidelines.
   To finish a major work is a satisfying experience. To allow others to pass judgement on that work takes courage and is necessary is one seeks publication. It also takes giving. Completing my novel to such a point that I can completely give it over to a reader or editor is my November goal.
   Katharine Coles, professor, novelist, and Utah's Poet Laureate caught my attention recently when she spoke about rejection. Though she relates it to writing poetry, any writing can be applied. She says: "Rejection may be especially hard for poets because their work is uniquely intimate and personal--a rejection of the poem feels like a rejection of the self. It feels as if it's about YOU in the deepest way. But when we think about that editor as a mediator between poet and reader, we remember that a finished poem isn't actually about the poet any longer. In fact, I'd argue that no poem is ever finished until it has become about the reader--until it has created a space for the reader to confront or commune with not the poet but his or her own mind. If this is true, and I think it is, then the process of finishing the poem is the process of detaching from it and giving it over. If rejection of a given poem or poems feels so personal to you that you suffer more than a few minutes of ordinary disappointment that your wishes have been thwarted, then you probably haven't really finished the poem."
   I want to strive for the point of finishing my work in progress to the point of not looking back and wondering what still needs to be tweaked. An editor can do that. But first, I must give him or her the chance, after all I can do. Whatever your stage of writing, make November your best writing month yet!

Finding and Fixing the Weakness

2010-10-28T21:48:00.001-06:00

My story had a weakness and I needed to know what it was. Was there a problem with the plot, not enough conflict, what? I had my "ah-hah" moment during a writer's conference as the result of two different classes meshing together in my head. Here are some definitions from one class that I wrote in my notes:

Plot: Action that grows out of conflict in a sequence of events leading to the next conflict. Conflict: keeps characters from what they want. I had both of these to some degree, but they really depended on a major consequence.

Here is the tip from the query letter class that jumped out at me:
Consequence: What will happen if the main character doesn't overcome the conflict? State in one sentence the consequence of the MC not getting what he/she wants. Elana's example: Control or be controlled. If you write this out early in your work in progress, it will help you to stick to the main conflict.
I had action growing out of conflict (plot), I had characters who had trouble getting what they wanted (conflict), but I didn't have a strong enough consequence that it mattered to the reader if the MC could overcome the problem. Strengthen the consequence and I take care of my story's weakness.
So, I have been rereading my manuscript, inserting this stronger dimension and hoping it all still flowed. The extra time it takes will make the story better so it is worth it. Anyway, I'm feeling better about getting the story strong enough to submit soon. (I just hope there doesn't have to be another ah-hah moment of which I am not aware.) I do believe that the more knowledge we gain and can put to use in our craft, the better the results. Be not weary in well-doing. Take the time to get it right to the best of your knowledge. Can I get an "Amen"? Who else has a rewrite or "ah-hah" moment to share?

Book Review: Dead On Arrival

2010-10-17T21:01:00.008-06:00

In my last post where I mentioned sitting next to Jeff Savage at dinner, I told him I was half-way through reading one of his books, Dead On Arrival. It was a happy coincidence and kind of bizarre. I found Jeff to be a personable author, hardly getting in a mouthful of food here and there for the attentive conversation with his neighbors. Thus, this week's post will be a short review of his middle Shandra Covington mystery--no spoilers.

Jeffrey S. Savage has mastered the hook, and I'm not talking boxing. Each short chapter-ending hooked me to turn the page. It was noticeable right off and continued throughout the book. Sometimes this was achieved by splitting the scene in two at a critical or exciting point. Savage also has a quick way of warming the reader to his likeable main character. This is especially necessary in a series. I enjoyed Shandra's character traits from her curiosity that gets her into interesting situations to her quirky eating habits. I also enjoyed Savage's portrayal of a minor love interest that is mutually agreed upon by the involved characters to not become a love interest. (Read the book and you'll understand.) A character exclusive to this story, Pinky Templeton, is just odd enough to be slightly annoying, yet commands the reader's attention because of it. The intriguing twists about him kept me guessing.

The thing I hadn't expected was the abrupt ending where the story continues with A Time To Die. Fortunately it is currently available. But I must admit, I don't like it when I have to wait a while to find out what happens. A profitable technique--Look what it's done for The Hunger Games. What's your opinion on cliffhanger endings?

A Strange Day

2010-10-01T21:53:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, while I was having breakfast with Brandon Mull and Lisa Mangum (among others at my table), my husband was called into his boss's office to hear the news that he was one of 400 to be layed off at ATK. While I was having my query letter reviewed my Kirk Shaw and listening to 'story ideas that rock' from presenter John Brown, my husband was packing things from his desk and shelves. As I hob-nobbed with famous authors and author-to-be's and we clicked photo ops with friends old and new, the press interviewed my husband about his feelings of being let go after twenty-five years of service. With my buddy, Melissa Cunningham, we dined out with such delightful company as Jeff Savage, Tristi Pinkston, and too many to name while my husband and last child at home heated something in the microwave.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Book Academy Conference at UVU, pushing to the back of my mind what was going on at home. But it's strange to be gleaning wisdom to make me a better writer and having such a good time when traditionally I should feel upset.
There is a peace about our family situation and I have faith we will be taken care of, but it makes me want to pour all that gleaned wisdom into the final edits of my novel and make it the best I can even more than before. Attending two conferences in two weeks has put a fire under me that I don't want to quench before the manuscript is sent off. The conference did for me what it was intended to do. My goal is to have the MS complete by the end of October. There--I've said it out loud.
Anybody out there want to say their goal out loud?
Happy writing, my friends.

Publisher's Panel Discussion

2010-09-28T17:10:00.001-06:00

I took notes at the LUW Publisher's Panel Discussion and will pass them along with one change. I will not specify who said exactly what, but will lump the comments together by subject. This will get the points across in the least space possible. If you want specifics, make a comment and I'll dig deeper. Participants included: Agents Katie Grimm and Blair Hewes, commercial fiction author John Gilstrap, LDS editors Kathryn Jenkins and Cory Maxwell, and LDS author and Precision Editing Group owner Heather B. Moore.
Current changes in publishing:
   1. Volume of submissions increased, expectations raised.
   2. Electronic book sales up 3 to 1 over published books.
   3. Internet and blogging used for book reviews, making connections.
   4. Book still needs a hook.
   5. Nonfiction is bigger than it has been.
Publicity/Marketing:
   1. Much more falls to the author. It's a business, learn it.
   2. Twitter/FB/Blog to connect with audience, to get known.
   3. Be patient. Don't expect huge first novel success.
   4. How much marketing an author can do is factored into picking up a book for LDS market, some others.
Pitching:
   1. Process is different for LDS market. Agents not needed. Agents needed for bigger, national houses.
   2. Internet and blogging essential.
   3. Agents lunch with publishers to connect on personal level so they will know better who to try to fit you with.
   4. Precision Editing will give you free query advice.
   5. New authors generally should have their MS finished when pitching. They want the whole thing but will look at partials. For a series, first should be complete, then an indication of the next ones.
Common Mistakes:
   1.First page with backstory or no hook. Focus on hook first.
   2. Know your central plot and action.
   3. Can't have a sagging middle. Make all compelling.
   4. Know what the publisher/agent currently wants. (Example--Historical wanted more than modern romance.)
Where do you get clients?
   1. Mostly from queries, some referrals.
   2. You need to stand out. If you talk with them at a conference, mention it in your letter, etc.
   3. Tell in query how your book is different than what is out there, especially LDS market.
   4. Be professional.
   5. Incorporating MC's voice in query can make it stand out.
Resubmitting:
   1. Should have more than cosmetic changes.
   2. Publisher will ask for rewrites if they are interested so use judgement before deciding on your own if the story merits a redo.
   3. Give a little time before a resubmission. Be upfront in query and tell what changes have been made.
   4. There are lots of agents out there so why walk into the same propellor?
   5. Rejection doesn't mean don't try them again. They will always look at what is sent.
Critique Groups:
   1. Get lots of feedback whether through a CG or alpha readers. Need readers who can look critically.
   2. The CG has to work for you. Don't stay in it if it doesn't.
   3. Reader shouldn't tell how to fix it, just what doesn't work for them. Casual input can be damaging.
   4. Skilled writers make the best groups.
   5. Don't ignore publisher guidelines when considering feedback.
Picking Genres:
   1. Start with one genre until becoming known before diversifying. There are advantages to diversifying but it's harder when starting out in a new one.
Timeline from Agent to Publishing:
   1. There are usually 1-2 revisions. Condition of MS plays a part.
   2. LDS market--Decision within 6 months, 8-12 months or longer to publish.
   3. Known authors might have the same time slot for release every year until something happens to mess up the schedule. Writer is given deadlines for the next outline, etc. until release.
   4. Covenant's fiction line is planned through 2012. It can depend if the market is up or down. Generally 18-24 months to turn out a book. (They used to turn out 4 fiction books a month, it went down to one a month, and is now back to 3 a month.)
What feedback was the biggest help to you?

Compelling Characters and Emotion

2010-09-24T13:23:00.000-06:00

Characters are meant to be loved, hated, pitied, envied. If a character does not evoke some emotion for the reader, he/she is flat and forgettable. The story will not hold a reader's interest. Readers need to care enough about the character to feel emotion throughout the story. This can be done on different levels. There is no way to cover this subject in a few paragraphs and I don't pretend to be anywhere near an expert, but here are a few things to think about:
1. Show emotion, don't Tell. Let us see the character's feelings through their actions and facial expressions.
2. Connections are made when the character feels real. She has a strength and a flaw. He is believable and shows growth over time.
3. Something movitates the character. Use strong emotion to drive them to the goal. Does fear, vengence, or love spur the hero on to recuse the princess and how will you show that? What are the goals of each major character? Emotion adds drama as the character moves toward a goal.
4. The Point of View of the character whose perspective is being shown can give the imformation about himself (as well as about setting and plot). Make what is relevant to the character become relevant to the reader. We learn more about him through his eyes while emotion seeps into the picture that the reader sees.
5. Give the guard at the door, the pharmacist, the waitress a brief description or characteristic worth mentioning to create visual images in minor characters. You don't want to introduce each attendee at the party, but we can form an opinion or get an emotional glimpse by an action such as a woman fluffing her hair.
My thanks to Elana Johnson and her challenge to write about characterization. Check out the other bloggers who posted this topic today. Put all that info to use and Bam!--you've got compelling characters. (I wish it were as easy as it sounds but improvement is certain with knowledge and effort.)

Roundup Wrapup

2010-09-19T22:11:00.001-06:00

The League of Utah Writer's (LUW) Roundup Conference had a lot to offer this past weekend and I'm going to be blogging about that in my next few posts, maybe even more often than once this week since there are so many great things to pass along. I hope you'll stay tuned and benefit from the notes I took. Think of it as a free mini-conference. Things struck me differently this time than my first conference last spring--probably because I am in the final stages of getting my MS ready to send out.

One thing that left a lasting impression was the closing remarks by Ed Smith. He said something like, "Go back and make use of what you learned today. Otherwise, your time and the presenters' time has been wasted." So true!

I need to implement those hard things I learned so that my novel will become more polished before submitting. I need to work on this blog and perfect that query letter (thank you, Elana). The motivational shot in the arm should flow down to my typing fingers for a little while because I know what I need to fix in order to get desirable results. It isn't easy and it takes time but if we can get to our 100% (as Elana says), then we can push forward with confidence and have a greater chance at success. May you have the desire and energy this week to go out and make use of what you know you should do is my hope as we encourage one another. Happy writing!

I took 3rd place in Creative Nonfiction at LUW!

Award Winning Authors

2010-09-12T20:03:00.000-06:00

It's official. I've joined the ranks of award winning authors. Second year in a row. Okay, so it was just a literary contest sponsered by my community for our annual Peach Days festivities but I did get some prize money and a certificate for both pieces I entered. That counts, doesn't it?
The point is, sometimes we need to stretch ourselves by writing something apart from our WIP (work in progress). It's really nice to work on a short piece sometimes--especially when the novel word count feels like we haven't made a dent. If we get a reward for our efforts along the way, so much the better. The biggest reward is feeling encouraged that one's writing is good enough. Anyone who remains steadfast in the writing craft is a winner to me.
Here's my Second Place Essay (a humorous commentary on today's newlyweds):
Burnt Offerings
Newlyweds have it too easy these days. All they have to do is speed dial Mom and ask which cycle to run the wash for hubby’s dress shirt or for that recipe for Corn Flake Chicken. Or they might check the Internet for the answers. Perhaps they’ll pay attention to the food channel or that do-it-yourself network on the new flat screen TV they got as a group wedding gift from the office.

Why, when I was a bride it was trial and error. If hubby’s dress shirt came out pink instead of brilliant white, he’d just have to find a new tie to go with it. If I got out the ingredients for dinner and found out hubby polished off the Corn Flakes that morning, we’d just have to make do with Shredded Wheat and call it Wooly Chicken instead. If dinner got burned, the bride would cry while her husband told her it was the best meal ever. There was none of this running out for fast food to cover the catastrophe. Folks just didn’t spend money like they do today.

With credit card applications coming in the mailbox every other day, even high school seniors and college freshmen have at least one card to help them feel prepared for emergencies or feel better about those pesky school loans. They’ve learned that it’s only plastic after all, so it’s future money their spending. They’re too into the instant gratification mode to notice the recession going on out there. Haven’t their mothers taught them anything important?

Another thing that rankles my hind end about young couples these days is that they think they can afford a brand new house like the one they just left off living in with their parents. Or a shiny, fast car, for that matter. Just because they waited to marry until they both graduated from college and secured good jobs doesn’t mean they should start out so high on the hog. What about the merits of living off love for those first years? Isn’t that supposed to shape you into the best “one flesh” you can be? There is no “for better or for worse”. There’s only “for better”.

Forget having babies right off the bat. Who wants to be saddled with midnight feedings and diapers when your new career is hitting the jackpot? Not the newlyweds living next door to me. The lights on at midnight turn out to be the weekend parties they throw. The music is so loud I can’t get to sleep after enduring the evening drooling over the smell wafting out of the catering truck.

Even more important than the neighbors not having babies, my daughter and her new husband haven’t thought about it either. You’d think my daughter would listen to the pleas of her dear mother to make me a grandmother, but every time they come over, my eyes bounce from her flat belly to her face giving me “the look”. I roll my eyes right back at her and bite back a question about if she knows what to do. I’m certain the stork will make a visit later than sooner. My only consolation is that I taught her what it means to use a credit card.

I went to a bridal shower the other day for my niece and the gifts they give these days could put a person into the poor house. No more oohs and ahs over the Teflon cake pans. Now it’s got to be a Bosch mixer or a bread machine before somebody lifts an eyebrow. Even though the bride-to-be doesn’t know where she’s going on her honeymoon, she knows it has to do with plane tickets and beaches. That’s what credit cards are for!

When I was young we got one night in a motel and then we took off to go camping in a tent. I’m talking about the heavy canvas kind handed down from Grandma or Uncle Albert that takes half an afternoon to set up. Those tents retain so much heat they could cook you alive if you stayed in ‘em too long. We didn’t care; there weren’t any of those pop-up dome tents to get jealous over. We worked together, batting our eyelashes at one another before hammering in the next stake. The scent of pine needles and a sky full of stars was our reward. Now that was getting away from it all. That was adventure. You can’t buy those kinds of memories.

I’m standing over the stove, smiling at the recollection of my honeymoon and thinking there’s no use denying times have changed. I just wish girls these days could experience some of the struggles I went through as a new bride—the kind of things that helped a couple make important choices together and drew them closer because nothing was easy. The kind of experiences that keep a couple together through thick and thin, through pink dress shirts and Wooly Chicken.

My nose brings me out of my musings and I shake my head. On occasion I still serve burnt offerings. But tonight I’m leaning toward changing with those times. I call out to the familiar form in the living room arm chair. “Dear, get your coat. We’re going out to eat.”

After all this time, I’ve earned it.

Right Brain, Left Brain

2010-09-03T17:36:00.000-06:00

I followed some writers’ comments showing great variance in their answers to such questions as “Do you listen to music when you write?” or “How do you get the creative juices to flow?” Someone may give a tip that I really like and another time I think I would never try that. We are all so different and that is a beautiful thing. We need to find out what works and doesn’t work for us and balance that with a willingness to try something new that could potentially enhance our craft.

This got me to thinking that maybe there is no right way to write. Maybe it’s a Right Brain/Left Brain thing.

I keep hearing that a first draft should just flow and let whatever you are thinking come as fast as it can. The edit and cleanup comes later. Just get it down. Okay. Am I doing that when I type a couple paragraphs that seem to flow, but then I stop and reread them before I can go on with the next flowing sequence? I may not be spending time figuring out a better word but if something glares at me I will fix it right then. It feels creative to me to make it better. Then I get to the end of reading the section I've written and I’m ready to go again. But only for a section. I don’t understand someone who can write the whole thing from start to finish without going back over what they've written. It’s as if my left brain's organization and structure wants to keep inserting herself into my right brain’s creative flow. Is this normal? Perhaps it is for me. Perhaps it’s only lack of experience.

Try this for fun: Clasp your hands together with fingers interlocking. Which thumb is on top? Now fold your arms. Which arm crosses on top? Chances are they are the same. Right thumb or arm on top leans toward being left brained and vice versa. I should say here that everyone uses both sides of the brain but that we have a tendency toward favoring one side to some degree. The amount of favoring can change, especially before adulthood.

Out of curiosity, I took a couple online brain quizzes. The shortest one pegged me as right-brained. Laugh out loud! I really do enjoy the editing process as much as the writing, music distracts me, and I look at a scene sequentially in parts that make up a whole. Very left-brained. Another had me almost totally left-brained and another put me as 58% left to 42% right. Go figure.

In reality, it takes a mixture of left- and right-brained thinking to be a writer. Upfront, one can see the imagination it takes to dream up the story. Underneath, logic is used to figure out the path a character would take or which word is best. The trick is to play our strengths and become a more balanced thinker in the weak areas while we use our whole brains to write. That is when what we write becomes truly satisfying.
Do you agree? So, which side dominates for you and how does it affect your writing?