Writing tip
Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Writing an entire book is daunting.
Set a daily goal that is small enough not to overwhelm you. Today I'll write one page. Today I'll write this scene. Today I'll write this conversation. All these small steps will get you to your goal.
Do you set daily, weekly or monthly writing goals? If so, what works or doesn't work for you?
Cindi Myers
www.cindimyers.com
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Are You Alone Out There?
Today I had a wonderfully productive critique session with my friend Rebecca Russell, who wrote two books for Silhouette Romance and is now writing a mystery. We've been writing buddies for twenty years come September. That's longer than a lot of marriages! Over the years what we've written has changed. I started out writing historical romance, then went to paranormal romance and short contemporary, then Harlequin American. We've read each others' "stuff," from sweet to spicy, from light to dark, from ordinary to bizarre. Today we ate at Cafe Brazil, remembering our critique partner, Kara Lennox, who is now in California. (Please note the menu, Kara. Gosh, we miss you already and you're barely gone!)
Before Kara left, we had a critique session "party" at a local ceramics studio to make geckos for her new home in California. I have to say, the geckos turned out great. We had a good time painting them and thinking about where they might end up - a patio, a tree, or someplace as undefined as the future, stetched out in front of a new life in a new place. I guess it's weird to say this, but whenever she looks at her geckos, she'll think of us! (Which one of those cute little critters do you think I painted?)
Before Kara left, we had a critique session "party" at a local ceramics studio to make geckos for her new home in California. I have to say, the geckos turned out great. We had a good time painting them and thinking about where they might end up - a patio, a tree, or someplace as undefined as the future, stetched out in front of a new life in a new place. I guess it's weird to say this, but whenever she looks at her geckos, she'll think of us! (Which one of those cute little critters do you think I painted?)The important thing that I wanted to post is that having friends who are also writers is very important. While family may support us or think everything we write is great, a good critique partner will tell you what you didn't do so well. Or if you family isn't so supportive of you getting up early or staying up late to write "those silly books," your writer friends will understand and listen. When you've decided that everything you've written is horrible and you'll never sell it, your critique buddies will tell you what you've done right, what scene made them laugh or cry, and what character touched their heart. If you don't live near other writers, then try an online chapter of Romance Writers of America, or even Facebook. I've just gotten on there to meet up with my high school classmates. There are so many writers and readers on Facebook that the task will be narrowing down which ones to become friends with.
I hope that if you are writing, you are not alone. The pro
cess of sitting in front of the computer or leaning back with the laptop is a solitary pursuit by definition; only you are writing the book. Having other writers to talk to makes the process from idea conception to the words "The End" so much easier. Rebecca and I met when we "newbies" attended a local all-genre writing conference at The University of Texas at Dallas. Kara met us when she moved to Dallas, but we didn't become critique partners until some time later. We now have a new critique buddy, Gay Kiser, who is unpublished at the moment. But we're working on her ...
cess of sitting in front of the computer or leaning back with the laptop is a solitary pursuit by definition; only you are writing the book. Having other writers to talk to makes the process from idea conception to the words "The End" so much easier. Rebecca and I met when we "newbies" attended a local all-genre writing conference at The University of Texas at Dallas. Kara met us when she moved to Dallas, but we didn't become critique partners until some time later. We now have a new critique buddy, Gay Kiser, who is unpublished at the moment. But we're working on her ...Next month I'll be in Orlando, Florida on the 21st, so maybe I'll have some more fun photos to post now that I've learned how to do this. Rebecca and I are leaving our husbands and children at home to go on a girls-only trip to celebrate our twenty year friendship. We're taking our laptops and a lot of ideas to share. Happy writing and reading, everyone.
What works for me (writing advice)
What works for me…
Might not work for you. It’s a concept I’ve been mulling lately as I'm back in school teaching another year of school, where I have to individualize learning to best reach all my students. I was thinking about this concept as I read an article in a writing magazine that said, “write every day, even if it’s for 20 minutes” and also gave other such advice as “keep a journal”.
It’s great advice, sure. But I don’t do either and I’m a published author of 21 novels. I write in big spurts, and then will go weeks and sometimes months without writing a thing. That “20 minutes” the author advises is spent doing all those things I didn’t do during that intense focus on writing.
But that’s me. My big on and off spurts are how I balance and prioritize my time, and that’s what I’ve learned works best for my life. During the school year my priority is on my family and my teaching job. Writing is a distant third, unless my deadline is around the corner. Over the summer, I can easily make writing number two and devote 40+ hours a week to my craft.
To me, writing is like dieting. For some, Jenny Craig works. For others, it’s South Beach. For someone else it’s Weight Watchers. Others are naturally skinny and don’t need to do a darn thing. The same holds true for writing. There are plotsters, pantsters, and there are those who create scrapbooks, those who have three ring binders stuffed full, those who interview their characters, those who enter contests, those who sell the first time…the list goes on. Everyone is different, which is logical. As each writer should have a unique, individual voice, each writer will have his or her own individual writing style and system, that, through trial and error works for him or her.
This system, or process, is personal. I see too many writers get bogged down in the “how” they should be writing and trying to follow some system or formula and thus they lose the actual writing. If something isn’t working after a few tries, perhaps that technique isn’t for you. Just because it works for a NYT best selling author or your critique partner doesn’t mean that the approach is perfect for everyone. I know writers who get up at 4 AM to create before their family wakes. I’d die if I had to get up at 4 AM. When my alarm goes off at 5:25 for work, it’s already far too early. I know writers who run every chapter by a critique partner, and there are others who do that only on rare occasions.
Don’t be afraid to do some personal assessing and figure out what works best for you if you're trying to write a novel, or writing anything actually. Try new things and techniques, but don’t lose faith in your abilities or talent if someone else's ideas fail to work. Remember, what works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. So reassess and find something new. Writing should be a happy time—a creative and pleasurable escape into your mind. So just like trusting your own inner voice with your story, don’t be afraid to take advice, but don’t be afraid to trust your gut if it tells you that advice isn’t for you. After all, just as it’s your story, it’s your process. There is no one writing process answer for everyone except for passion, persistence and putting your fingers to the keys.
Michele
Bachelor CEO, July 2009
Baby in the Boardroom, Feb. 2010
Might not work for you. It’s a concept I’ve been mulling lately as I'm back in school teaching another year of school, where I have to individualize learning to best reach all my students. I was thinking about this concept as I read an article in a writing magazine that said, “write every day, even if it’s for 20 minutes” and also gave other such advice as “keep a journal”.
It’s great advice, sure. But I don’t do either and I’m a published author of 21 novels. I write in big spurts, and then will go weeks and sometimes months without writing a thing. That “20 minutes” the author advises is spent doing all those things I didn’t do during that intense focus on writing.
But that’s me. My big on and off spurts are how I balance and prioritize my time, and that’s what I’ve learned works best for my life. During the school year my priority is on my family and my teaching job. Writing is a distant third, unless my deadline is around the corner. Over the summer, I can easily make writing number two and devote 40+ hours a week to my craft.
To me, writing is like dieting. For some, Jenny Craig works. For others, it’s South Beach. For someone else it’s Weight Watchers. Others are naturally skinny and don’t need to do a darn thing. The same holds true for writing. There are plotsters, pantsters, and there are those who create scrapbooks, those who have three ring binders stuffed full, those who interview their characters, those who enter contests, those who sell the first time…the list goes on. Everyone is different, which is logical. As each writer should have a unique, individual voice, each writer will have his or her own individual writing style and system, that, through trial and error works for him or her.
This system, or process, is personal. I see too many writers get bogged down in the “how” they should be writing and trying to follow some system or formula and thus they lose the actual writing. If something isn’t working after a few tries, perhaps that technique isn’t for you. Just because it works for a NYT best selling author or your critique partner doesn’t mean that the approach is perfect for everyone. I know writers who get up at 4 AM to create before their family wakes. I’d die if I had to get up at 4 AM. When my alarm goes off at 5:25 for work, it’s already far too early. I know writers who run every chapter by a critique partner, and there are others who do that only on rare occasions.
Don’t be afraid to do some personal assessing and figure out what works best for you if you're trying to write a novel, or writing anything actually. Try new things and techniques, but don’t lose faith in your abilities or talent if someone else's ideas fail to work. Remember, what works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. So reassess and find something new. Writing should be a happy time—a creative and pleasurable escape into your mind. So just like trusting your own inner voice with your story, don’t be afraid to take advice, but don’t be afraid to trust your gut if it tells you that advice isn’t for you. After all, just as it’s your story, it’s your process. There is no one writing process answer for everyone except for passion, persistence and putting your fingers to the keys.
Michele
Bachelor CEO, July 2009
Baby in the Boardroom, Feb. 2010
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Who Me? Interviewed?
It’s such a pleasure to be among all the wonderful HAR authors here on the blog. I’ve gotten to “know” so many more of them than I would have without it. Reading their blog posts and especially their interviews is always a delight, and I wish I had more time to comment. As Rascal Flatts sings, “Life is a highway” and some days I feel like I’m going 80 mph.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Reading. I hadn’t read romance for several years, and then my best friend steered me to Susan Elizabeth Phillips after reading the first few pages of It Had to Be You to me over the phone. I was hooked. After that, I consumed books, both single title and category. One Christmas I went out and bought as many Christmas themed category books that I could find. Of course I had to try writing one, and that led to another and another and another…
How did you make your first sale?
My short contemporary entry won The Maggie contest, and Mary-Theresa Hussey requested the full manuscript. To my surprise, she liked it enough to buy it for Silhouette Romance.
How long have you been published?
Rachel’s Rescuer was a March 2001 Silhouette Romance, so eight years total, although it doesn’t seem like it was that long ago. I had five books with Silhouette Romance before the line closed. My first HAR was published in 2008, so I’m a relative newbie here. I have to admit that I love writing for HAR even more than I did for SR. I think it’s the small town feel of HAR that makes writing them so enjoyable.
What helps inspire you when you write? Do you have any ‘rituals’ (like music, candles, a favorite scent) that helps you find your writing zone?
Music. Lots of music! I have 612 songs on my playlist of which 169 are designated as “writing” music (those romantic love songs), 134 are “walking” or upbeat dance music for when I need some pep, and the rest are Beach Boys, 50’s and 60’s oldies and a few Christmas songs. (Yes, I'm a music junkie.) If those aren’t enough, I listen to Pandora and have set up my own stations. If you haven’t tried Pandora, it’s free! And then there are all those candles…
Tell us about your family and where you live
I was born in and have returned to live in the biggest city in Kansas. No, not Kansas City. ;) Between then and now, I’ve lived in a small Kansas town and on a Kansas farm. My four daughters also live here. The two youngest live with me, the oldest of the four lives three blocks away, while the next oldest lives a little over a mile away. The two oldest have 5 children between them, now that my youngest granddaughter was born August 10. I also have a step-granddaughter. Every Saturday night we have Family Night and get together to talk and sometimes play board games. You’d think we see enough of each other during the week, but Saturdays are when we’re all in one place. It can get crazy with all the little ones, hubbies and an occasional friend or two.
Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?
Web design, although I don’t consider it a talent. I began playing around with it years ago and ended up enjoying it so much that I do it for real now. Drawing has never been one of my talents, but web design gives me the opportunity to work with colors and shapes, a real break from working with words, but still "creative."
What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was particpating in one of my newest guilting pleasures: Playing on Facebook. I dragged my feet about joining and now can’t stay away. Shameful, isn’t it?
If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?
I’d give a portion of it to charities, pay off my daughters’ houses (if their hubbies would let me), and buy myself a modest but roomy house. One never knows when family will return, or so I’ve learned--the hard way. Then there’s the dream of taking a Mediterranean cruise…
What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
Cactus. I spent tens day during the summer before my senior year in high school with 20 other teens on a working trip into Mexico. We stayed on a garlic farm that was used as a school in the winter months, and we painted the dormitories, both inside and outside. Because there was no refrigeration, we went into the nearby small village for food each day. Our adult “chaperones” insisted we try some of the more exoctic offerings. I’m usually not brave enough to try something new, but the cactus was great!
What are you reading now?
Honestly? Nothing, although I really enjoyed Susan Wiggs' Just Breathe about a month or so ago. I recently bought Barefoot, a women’s fiction book by Elin Hilderbrand and Judy Blume’s Smart Women. I read at night, but since I’ve been working on deadlines, reading has taken a back seat. Soon, though. Very soon.
Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, in the blink of an eye! I took a taste test at the State Fair a few years ago and passed it. I don’t drink coffee, so Pepsi is my caffeine fix.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Greece, hence the dream of a Mediterranean Cruise. Ireland is my second choice. I’d probably like either one so much that I’d want to stay.
Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
The Rodeo Rider is the first in a series of books set in the fictional town of Desperation, Oklahoma. The second book, Bachelor Cowboy will be out in January next year. I recently sold two more books, so I’m currently working on book #4 of that series and learning everything I can about Native Americans in Oklahoma. The heroine of the book is half Cherokee, and the research is proving to be more interesting than I’d ever imagined. Oh, and that heroine? She’s a surprise relative of one of the characters in The Rodeo Rider.
Describe your writing space.
My desk is neat and tidy, with only a pen, a paper, and my computer monitor. I can look out my window and see the ocean pounding against the rocks on the shore. Wait a minute. That’s my dream writing space. In the real world, my desk is covered with just about everything imaginable, including two fish and a cat. During the day I work on websites and chase grandkids. Writing is done at night. There are always snippets of notes from both littering my desk and sticky notes hanging on my monitor. My two-year-old grandson (he’ll be two on the 24th), likes to climb on my desk and steal M&Ms from the jar that resides on my desk and is rarely empty…unless he eats all of them. There are books everywhere, along with piles of paper that always need sorting. The window looks out onto the side of the house next door. My daughters and I switched rooms a couple of months ago, so there are still boxes to be sorted that wait patiently for me to find the time. There never seems to be time.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
For a long time, I had a sign that hung above my desk that said, "Nobody is born published," so my advice is to read, read, read. And never, ever, ever give up on your writing. If you give up, you’ll never know if the next book or article or short story might have been The One. As far as selling that first, it always happens when you least expect it.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Reading. I hadn’t read romance for several years, and then my best friend steered me to Susan Elizabeth Phillips after reading the first few pages of It Had to Be You to me over the phone. I was hooked. After that, I consumed books, both single title and category. One Christmas I went out and bought as many Christmas themed category books that I could find. Of course I had to try writing one, and that led to another and another and another…
How did you make your first sale?
My short contemporary entry won The Maggie contest, and Mary-Theresa Hussey requested the full manuscript. To my surprise, she liked it enough to buy it for Silhouette Romance.
How long have you been published?
Rachel’s Rescuer was a March 2001 Silhouette Romance, so eight years total, although it doesn’t seem like it was that long ago. I had five books with Silhouette Romance before the line closed. My first HAR was published in 2008, so I’m a relative newbie here. I have to admit that I love writing for HAR even more than I did for SR. I think it’s the small town feel of HAR that makes writing them so enjoyable.
What helps inspire you when you write? Do you have any ‘rituals’ (like music, candles, a favorite scent) that helps you find your writing zone?
Music. Lots of music! I have 612 songs on my playlist of which 169 are designated as “writing” music (those romantic love songs), 134 are “walking” or upbeat dance music for when I need some pep, and the rest are Beach Boys, 50’s and 60’s oldies and a few Christmas songs. (Yes, I'm a music junkie.) If those aren’t enough, I listen to Pandora and have set up my own stations. If you haven’t tried Pandora, it’s free! And then there are all those candles…
Tell us about your family and where you live
I was born in and have returned to live in the biggest city in Kansas. No, not Kansas City. ;) Between then and now, I’ve lived in a small Kansas town and on a Kansas farm. My four daughters also live here. The two youngest live with me, the oldest of the four lives three blocks away, while the next oldest lives a little over a mile away. The two oldest have 5 children between them, now that my youngest granddaughter was born August 10. I also have a step-granddaughter. Every Saturday night we have Family Night and get together to talk and sometimes play board games. You’d think we see enough of each other during the week, but Saturdays are when we’re all in one place. It can get crazy with all the little ones, hubbies and an occasional friend or two.
Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?
Web design, although I don’t consider it a talent. I began playing around with it years ago and ended up enjoying it so much that I do it for real now. Drawing has never been one of my talents, but web design gives me the opportunity to work with colors and shapes, a real break from working with words, but still "creative."
What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was particpating in one of my newest guilting pleasures: Playing on Facebook. I dragged my feet about joining and now can’t stay away. Shameful, isn’t it?
If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?
I’d give a portion of it to charities, pay off my daughters’ houses (if their hubbies would let me), and buy myself a modest but roomy house. One never knows when family will return, or so I’ve learned--the hard way. Then there’s the dream of taking a Mediterranean cruise…
What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
Cactus. I spent tens day during the summer before my senior year in high school with 20 other teens on a working trip into Mexico. We stayed on a garlic farm that was used as a school in the winter months, and we painted the dormitories, both inside and outside. Because there was no refrigeration, we went into the nearby small village for food each day. Our adult “chaperones” insisted we try some of the more exoctic offerings. I’m usually not brave enough to try something new, but the cactus was great!
What are you reading now?
Honestly? Nothing, although I really enjoyed Susan Wiggs' Just Breathe about a month or so ago. I recently bought Barefoot, a women’s fiction book by Elin Hilderbrand and Judy Blume’s Smart Women. I read at night, but since I’ve been working on deadlines, reading has taken a back seat. Soon, though. Very soon.
Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, in the blink of an eye! I took a taste test at the State Fair a few years ago and passed it. I don’t drink coffee, so Pepsi is my caffeine fix.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Greece, hence the dream of a Mediterranean Cruise. Ireland is my second choice. I’d probably like either one so much that I’d want to stay.
Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
The Rodeo Rider is the first in a series of books set in the fictional town of Desperation, Oklahoma. The second book, Bachelor Cowboy will be out in January next year. I recently sold two more books, so I’m currently working on book #4 of that series and learning everything I can about Native Americans in Oklahoma. The heroine of the book is half Cherokee, and the research is proving to be more interesting than I’d ever imagined. Oh, and that heroine? She’s a surprise relative of one of the characters in The Rodeo Rider.
Describe your writing space.
My desk is neat and tidy, with only a pen, a paper, and my computer monitor. I can look out my window and see the ocean pounding against the rocks on the shore. Wait a minute. That’s my dream writing space. In the real world, my desk is covered with just about everything imaginable, including two fish and a cat. During the day I work on websites and chase grandkids. Writing is done at night. There are always snippets of notes from both littering my desk and sticky notes hanging on my monitor. My two-year-old grandson (he’ll be two on the 24th), likes to climb on my desk and steal M&Ms from the jar that resides on my desk and is rarely empty…unless he eats all of them. There are books everywhere, along with piles of paper that always need sorting. The window looks out onto the side of the house next door. My daughters and I switched rooms a couple of months ago, so there are still boxes to be sorted that wait patiently for me to find the time. There never seems to be time.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
For a long time, I had a sign that hung above my desk that said, "Nobody is born published," so my advice is to read, read, read. And never, ever, ever give up on your writing. If you give up, you’ll never know if the next book or article or short story might have been The One. As far as selling that first, it always happens when you least expect it.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Please tell me I’m not alone!
The subtitle for this blog post ought to read: Dumb Things I Gotta Confess. (grin)
My blog last month was all about the excitement of getting ready to leave for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. In fact, I’d even said the following in my post:
“However, the plane leaves tomorrow morning and--prepared or not--I’ll be on it.”
Well...umm...I wasn’t.
That’s right--I missed my plane!
Okay, I’m so not a frequent flyer. But punctual is a different story. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to check my baggage and wait for my flight. Even had time for a leisurely breakfast in a concourse restaurant with my carry-on bag by my side and a good book in my hands. For someone who flies once a year, I felt like a seasoned traveler.
Breakfast over, with still more than an hour before my flight, I freshened up and took my time heading to the short line at the security checkpoint.
Well, who knew that once you walked past the first dividers at the checkpoint, that tiny little line actually went on and on and on, weaving in and out and up and down and back and forth on a never-ending path to the ACTUAL checkpoint?!?
No worries. Still an hour to go before my flight.
I couldn’t understand why the woman with the two little boys who stood a path-length row behind me seemed so harried. The boys kept telling her their plane didn’t leave for another thirty minutes.
I didn’t see why the elderly couple a half-row back looked so anxious.
I had no clue why the woman up ahead with the two carry-ons, oversized handbag, and three plastic convenience store carrier bags had cornered an attendant and seemed to be negotiating frantically (and unsuccessfully) with him.
Then I saw how swiftly the line was moving--not!--and everything became magically clear.
No problem. Still fifteen minutes to go before my flight left.
I made it through the checkpoint without a problem and hurried my pace just a bit to get to my gate with three minutes to spare!
Well, who knew they actually closed the doors of the plane before the scheduled takeoff time?!?
I’d been on plenty of flights before where we’d had to sit around for last-minute passengers to board. Guess this wasn’t one of them.
So, my flight plans were rescheduled, putting me on a plane that would leave three hours later.
No big deal. We all know wait time is like a gift to a writer and reader. The good thing about this experience was I had time to sit and finish my book!
The bad thing was...I felt like the world’s biggest idiot.
Please tell me I’m not the only person who has ever done something silly like this!
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
My blog last month was all about the excitement of getting ready to leave for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. In fact, I’d even said the following in my post:
“However, the plane leaves tomorrow morning and--prepared or not--I’ll be on it.”
Well...umm...I wasn’t.
That’s right--I missed my plane!
Okay, I’m so not a frequent flyer. But punctual is a different story. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to check my baggage and wait for my flight. Even had time for a leisurely breakfast in a concourse restaurant with my carry-on bag by my side and a good book in my hands. For someone who flies once a year, I felt like a seasoned traveler.
Breakfast over, with still more than an hour before my flight, I freshened up and took my time heading to the short line at the security checkpoint.
Well, who knew that once you walked past the first dividers at the checkpoint, that tiny little line actually went on and on and on, weaving in and out and up and down and back and forth on a never-ending path to the ACTUAL checkpoint?!?
No worries. Still an hour to go before my flight.
I couldn’t understand why the woman with the two little boys who stood a path-length row behind me seemed so harried. The boys kept telling her their plane didn’t leave for another thirty minutes.
I didn’t see why the elderly couple a half-row back looked so anxious.
I had no clue why the woman up ahead with the two carry-ons, oversized handbag, and three plastic convenience store carrier bags had cornered an attendant and seemed to be negotiating frantically (and unsuccessfully) with him.
Then I saw how swiftly the line was moving--not!--and everything became magically clear.
No problem. Still fifteen minutes to go before my flight left.
I made it through the checkpoint without a problem and hurried my pace just a bit to get to my gate with three minutes to spare!
Well, who knew they actually closed the doors of the plane before the scheduled takeoff time?!?
I’d been on plenty of flights before where we’d had to sit around for last-minute passengers to board. Guess this wasn’t one of them.
So, my flight plans were rescheduled, putting me on a plane that would leave three hours later.
No big deal. We all know wait time is like a gift to a writer and reader. The good thing about this experience was I had time to sit and finish my book!
The bad thing was...I felt like the world’s biggest idiot.
Please tell me I’m not the only person who has ever done something silly like this!
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Romance Heroines
The recent news story about people stranded inside an airplane for hours got me thinking…how in the world would I cope in a situation like that? I'd like to believe I'd act the part of a romance-book heroine--keep my composure, calm crying babies, whip out my secret stash of tools and fix the broken toilet. Or maybe sneak people off the plane when the flight attendants weren't looking--you know, save the day for all those helpless passengers. I wish I was capable of extra-ordinary actions when under duress, but the sad truth is I am not a romance heroine and could not have done any of those things--except maybe calm a crying baby.
If truth be told I'm just your average Joe…or Josephine. I obey rules. Don't break laws. Scoop the poop when I take the dogs on their morning walk. Say Please and Thank You. Hold the door open for old ladies and moms with strollers. I cave in to others to keep the peace. And I don't speak up when someone cuts in front of me in line. That's why I live vicariously through the heroines I write in my romance books.
Romance heroines are gutsy. They take chances and break laws--for the right reasons. They aren’t afraid of what other people think or say about them. They’re willing to sacrifice their own happiness for others. They're passionate about causes dear to their hearts and they always put others' wants and needs before their own. And they WILL speak up if someone butts in front of them in line. A romance heroine is the kind of woman I aspire to be on a daily basis.
What qualities in a romance heroine do you admire most? Or is there a romance heroine from a book you've recently read that stands out in your mind?
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy August 2009
A Cowboy Christmas December 2009
www.marinthomas.com
If truth be told I'm just your average Joe…or Josephine. I obey rules. Don't break laws. Scoop the poop when I take the dogs on their morning walk. Say Please and Thank You. Hold the door open for old ladies and moms with strollers. I cave in to others to keep the peace. And I don't speak up when someone cuts in front of me in line. That's why I live vicariously through the heroines I write in my romance books.
Romance heroines are gutsy. They take chances and break laws--for the right reasons. They aren’t afraid of what other people think or say about them. They’re willing to sacrifice their own happiness for others. They're passionate about causes dear to their hearts and they always put others' wants and needs before their own. And they WILL speak up if someone butts in front of them in line. A romance heroine is the kind of woman I aspire to be on a daily basis.
What qualities in a romance heroine do you admire most? Or is there a romance heroine from a book you've recently read that stands out in your mind?
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy August 2009
A Cowboy Christmas December 2009
www.marinthomas.com
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Can a writer love their characters too much?
A few months ago I stumbled across one of those celebrity interview shows featuring Russell Crowe. I believe it was The Actor’s Studio, but not positive. One of the questions asked was whether he loved the wonderful characters he portrays. Russell Crowe's answer was a resounding NO. He said something to the effect that if you love a character or a person too much, you overlook their faults. And by doing so you were overlooking the opportunity to create an extraordinary character. The faults and weaknesses are what give them depth and make them stand out. Say what you will about Mr. Crowe’s temperament, love him or hate him, he’s an amazing actor. His response struck a chord with me as a writer. We’ve all been taught that perfect characters are boring, but does loving them too much get in the way of writing good characters? Exploring their faults and weaknesses does make them more human. I think it gives us as readers something to identify with. By loving them, possibly we’re missing out on the opportunity to create extraordinary characters. What do you as readers and writers think? Can a writer love their characters too much? All those favorite characters on your keeper shelf, do you love them because they are so good or because of their flaws?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Let the Sun Shine in!
August's Household Cleaning Tip
Looking for an inexpensive alternative to store-bought window cleaners?
2 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
Gently stir these three ingredients and pour the mixture into a squirt bottle. It does a great job of cleaning glass and mirrors, dries quickly, and costs a fraction of what you'd pay at the supermarket. And because it doesn't contain ammonia or alcohol, its a safer alternative for families that have small children and pets.
Lee McKenzie
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com/
Looking for an inexpensive alternative to store-bought window cleaners?
2 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
Gently stir these three ingredients and pour the mixture into a squirt bottle. It does a great job of cleaning glass and mirrors, dries quickly, and costs a fraction of what you'd pay at the supermarket. And because it doesn't contain ammonia or alcohol, its a safer alternative for families that have small children and pets.
Lee McKenzie
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com/
Monday, August 10, 2009
Late but Breaking News
News
Laura Bradford is thrilled to announce the debut of the first book in her southern sewing circle mystery series with Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin). SEW DEADLY (written under the pen-name, Elizabeth Lynn Casey) will release August 4th. This kick-off title for the series earned a 4-star review in this month's issue of Romantic Times! To learn more, including the locations and dates of her upcoming mid-west signings, please visit her website. Pamela Stone is celebrating her second sale—When Hanna Falls—to American Romance.
Mark Your Calendar
August 11: Four wonderful new reads from Harlequin American Romance will be in stores tomorrow. This month’s covers are posted in the sidebar.
August 18: An interview with Roxanne Delaney here on the blog
TBA: An interview with Daly Thompson here on the blog
To find out more about American Romance’s September releases, please visit eHarleqin.com.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Why do you read romance books?
Hi all!
Sorry for posting my blog entry late. I’ve been running behind since returning from the Romance Writers of America conference back in July. The conference was wonderful – DC and the hotel beautiful! I gave a workshop with Kathleen Scheibling, the senior editor for Harlequin American. While I thought our presentation was going well, the fire alarm went off, and we had to evacuate. There were many theories floating around about why it went off – fire in the kitchen, bomb threat, water leaking from a sprinkler somewhere – but I wonder if it wasn’t because of how I ramble when I’m nervous. I kept teasing a friend who attended our workshop that she pulled it to put me out of my misery or her out of hers...
However, the Q & A portion of the workshop continued as we walked down the eight flights of stairs to the street and up a steep hill to the lobby entrance, so at least some of the attendants were interested in what we had to say about writing mini-series within series. So, although cut short, I guess it had gone well.
I have substantially more nerves about a speech I’m giving this Thursday at a women’s literary club. After booking me to speak over a year ago, they’ve almost cancelled me because some of their members strongly object to what I write. How can anyone object to romance? To happy endings? I know – it was probably more the sex to which they objected. But since they booked me following a newspaper article that had dubbed me the “Steam Queen” I thought they understood what I write.
So my plan is to let them know how popular romance fiction is – the most popular of any other genre of fiction – and that I write for the biggest publisher of romance – a company now celebrating its 60th anniversary. I have facts and figures, graphs and pie charts, but I’m wondering if that’s the best approach. Especially since I don’t want another fire alarm pulled on me – or worse! Maybe I need to share with them why readers love romance books as much as we do. I can tell them why I read – as well as write romance – but please share with me your reason for reading romance. I’d love statements from people all over the world.
Thank you for your help!
Lisa Childs
Sorry for posting my blog entry late. I’ve been running behind since returning from the Romance Writers of America conference back in July. The conference was wonderful – DC and the hotel beautiful! I gave a workshop with Kathleen Scheibling, the senior editor for Harlequin American. While I thought our presentation was going well, the fire alarm went off, and we had to evacuate. There were many theories floating around about why it went off – fire in the kitchen, bomb threat, water leaking from a sprinkler somewhere – but I wonder if it wasn’t because of how I ramble when I’m nervous. I kept teasing a friend who attended our workshop that she pulled it to put me out of my misery or her out of hers...
However, the Q & A portion of the workshop continued as we walked down the eight flights of stairs to the street and up a steep hill to the lobby entrance, so at least some of the attendants were interested in what we had to say about writing mini-series within series. So, although cut short, I guess it had gone well.
I have substantially more nerves about a speech I’m giving this Thursday at a women’s literary club. After booking me to speak over a year ago, they’ve almost cancelled me because some of their members strongly object to what I write. How can anyone object to romance? To happy endings? I know – it was probably more the sex to which they objected. But since they booked me following a newspaper article that had dubbed me the “Steam Queen” I thought they understood what I write.
So my plan is to let them know how popular romance fiction is – the most popular of any other genre of fiction – and that I write for the biggest publisher of romance – a company now celebrating its 60th anniversary. I have facts and figures, graphs and pie charts, but I’m wondering if that’s the best approach. Especially since I don’t want another fire alarm pulled on me – or worse! Maybe I need to share with them why readers love romance books as much as we do. I can tell them why I read – as well as write romance – but please share with me your reason for reading romance. I’d love statements from people all over the world.
Thank you for your help!
Lisa Childs
Saturday, August 08, 2009
ON THE WAY TO( THE CONFERENCE...
On the blog in July I wrote about being a little nervous about the conference and the flight. I hadn’t been on a plane since I wrote Texas Heir. The story involved a plane crash. All the research into plane crashes made me a bit leery. I knew it was all in my head so I had no problem boarding the plane. I was excited. The time had finally arrived to go to DC.
The plane was extremely warm and several people complained. The stewardess said once the plane took off it would get cooler. It didn’t. It got hotter. I was soaked with sweat, as was everyone else. The complaints started again and we were told to be patient. At this point, I think everyone on the plane knew something was wrong.
I had an aisle seat. A guy had the window seat and he closed the shade, or whatever it’s call. You know how small those seats are. The back of the other seat is right in front of you. I felt as if I was in a dark, deep hole and I was getting claustrophobic. I had just finished a book where a little girl falls into an abandoned well. I was getting that suffocating feeling as if I was in that hole.
I leaned over and asked the guy to please open the shade. He said, “Why? It won’t let any air in.”
I replied, “I’d just like to see the sky, clouds, something.”
Hearing the desperation in my voice he opened the shade. I could breathe again. The pilot came on the intercom and said there was a problem and we were returning to Houston. People demanded answers, but they didn’t get any. I was just trying to breathe. We were told to buckle our seat belts and that we would get details later. The plane became very quiet.
We landed safely and fire trucks surrounded us. We were told to stay in our seats. Firemen came aboard in aluminum looking suits with high powered extinguishers and went into the cockpit. Evidently there was a short in the AC unit. After about ten minutes, we were told to quietly and quickly leave the plane. After that we were instructed where to go to board another plane.
I thought I had about all the excitement I could stand so I called my husband. I was ready to go home. He didn’t answer. After dropping us off, he went to the Bass Pro shop and evidently guys don’t take their phones in there. It’s like a shire or something. So reluctantly I boarded the other plane and went to DC. And had the time of my life! Now I enjoy writing but I don’t want to personally experience some of the scenes I write.
The conference ended too quickly. I saw a lot of the American authors and got to visit, and met some new ones. Dinner at the Ritz with Kathleen, Johanna and Paula was wonderful.
The plane was extremely warm and several people complained. The stewardess said once the plane took off it would get cooler. It didn’t. It got hotter. I was soaked with sweat, as was everyone else. The complaints started again and we were told to be patient. At this point, I think everyone on the plane knew something was wrong.
I had an aisle seat. A guy had the window seat and he closed the shade, or whatever it’s call. You know how small those seats are. The back of the other seat is right in front of you. I felt as if I was in a dark, deep hole and I was getting claustrophobic. I had just finished a book where a little girl falls into an abandoned well. I was getting that suffocating feeling as if I was in that hole.
I leaned over and asked the guy to please open the shade. He said, “Why? It won’t let any air in.”
I replied, “I’d just like to see the sky, clouds, something.”
Hearing the desperation in my voice he opened the shade. I could breathe again. The pilot came on the intercom and said there was a problem and we were returning to Houston. People demanded answers, but they didn’t get any. I was just trying to breathe. We were told to buckle our seat belts and that we would get details later. The plane became very quiet.
We landed safely and fire trucks surrounded us. We were told to stay in our seats. Firemen came aboard in aluminum looking suits with high powered extinguishers and went into the cockpit. Evidently there was a short in the AC unit. After about ten minutes, we were told to quietly and quickly leave the plane. After that we were instructed where to go to board another plane.
I thought I had about all the excitement I could stand so I called my husband. I was ready to go home. He didn’t answer. After dropping us off, he went to the Bass Pro shop and evidently guys don’t take their phones in there. It’s like a shire or something. So reluctantly I boarded the other plane and went to DC. And had the time of my life! Now I enjoy writing but I don’t want to personally experience some of the scenes I write.
The conference ended too quickly. I saw a lot of the American authors and got to visit, and met some new ones. Dinner at the Ritz with Kathleen, Johanna and Paula was wonderful.
Cathy Gillen Thacker, Cathy McDavid, Johanna, CC Coburn.. me and Kathleen.
Kathleen and I at the Ritas.
Cindi and I after the Ritas.
Cindi nor I won the Rita, but it was an amazing night. It was great to see two Americans flash on that big screen.
Next year for Nashville, I’m thinking about driving, or at least talk the hubby into it.
Linda
www.lindawarren.net
2009 RITA® Finalist TEXAS HEIR
Linda
www.lindawarren.net
2009 RITA® Finalist TEXAS HEIR
Caitlyn’s Prize – July ‘09
Madison’s Children – Oct ‘09
Skylar’s Outlaw – Jan ‘10
Madison’s Children – Oct ‘09
Skylar’s Outlaw – Jan ‘10
Friday, August 07, 2009
Just Relaxing by Megan
Seems summer has passed me by without enough of that "sitting and doing nothing time" I remember as a kid. However I've just been forcibly relaxed: my doctor prescribed muscle relaxers for my neck, which went into spasm after a car bump (aka collision).
It turns out my body takes about a week to adjust to new medications.
Taking just one of these pills impairs my ability to type. That's not good for a writer trying to get a proposal to her editor. :( I sent an email to my friend, who then asked me if the relaxers made me dopey or grumpy. Had she seen me giggling as I typed, she would have known.
Dopey. Definitely.
The next day, I was at work at our town's independent bookstore. My friend's question popped into my head, but it came to me as "does the pill make you gropey or dumpy?" Gropey? Dumpy? I laughed out loud.
For about an hour.
I started thinking of the Seven Dwarves and tried to figure which Dwarf I'm most like when not on meds. Doc? Maybe. I do have rare moments of wisdom. Grumpy? Oh yeah, unfortunately. :) Dopey? More often than my kids would like. Sneezy? In the fall and spring. Sleepy? Every afternoon, but most days I can sneak in a quick nap. Bashful? You bet. Happy? Almost all the time. :)
The FedEx guy came in about the time I realized this about Happy, and I wore a huge smile (probably more like Goofy than a Dwarf). He let me know what he brought, and as usual, it was a box from Penguin Publishing. We usually make jokes about him bringing me a penguin (why'd you smash it in that box?), two little penguins, etc. But knowing I was liable to start cracking up again, I refrained from joking and began to sign my name.
Did you know my name is Penguin?
Yep.
Fortunately I only got two letters in and was able to do a quick correct, but I had started to laugh (again) and told him what I'd done, blaming the drugs. He laughed too. And guess what? The guy's got a memory on him--and I've got a new nickname.
I can't be the only one with a resistance level this low. Any of you want to confess your silly moments when medicated? Misery--and hilarity--love company.
Pen--er, Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
p.s. For anyone curious, I got through presenting the workshop at the RWA National conference last month without disappointing my co-presenter, embarrassing myself or being ill in public. I consider that a success!
It turns out my body takes about a week to adjust to new medications.
Taking just one of these pills impairs my ability to type. That's not good for a writer trying to get a proposal to her editor. :( I sent an email to my friend, who then asked me if the relaxers made me dopey or grumpy. Had she seen me giggling as I typed, she would have known.
Dopey. Definitely.
The next day, I was at work at our town's independent bookstore. My friend's question popped into my head, but it came to me as "does the pill make you gropey or dumpy?" Gropey? Dumpy? I laughed out loud.
For about an hour.
I started thinking of the Seven Dwarves and tried to figure which Dwarf I'm most like when not on meds. Doc? Maybe. I do have rare moments of wisdom. Grumpy? Oh yeah, unfortunately. :) Dopey? More often than my kids would like. Sneezy? In the fall and spring. Sleepy? Every afternoon, but most days I can sneak in a quick nap. Bashful? You bet. Happy? Almost all the time. :)
The FedEx guy came in about the time I realized this about Happy, and I wore a huge smile (probably more like Goofy than a Dwarf). He let me know what he brought, and as usual, it was a box from Penguin Publishing. We usually make jokes about him bringing me a penguin (why'd you smash it in that box?), two little penguins, etc. But knowing I was liable to start cracking up again, I refrained from joking and began to sign my name.
Did you know my name is Penguin?
Yep.
Fortunately I only got two letters in and was able to do a quick correct, but I had started to laugh (again) and told him what I'd done, blaming the drugs. He laughed too. And guess what? The guy's got a memory on him--and I've got a new nickname.
I can't be the only one with a resistance level this low. Any of you want to confess your silly moments when medicated? Misery--and hilarity--love company.
Pen--er, Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
p.s. For anyone curious, I got through presenting the workshop at the RWA National conference last month without disappointing my co-presenter, embarrassing myself or being ill in public. I consider that a success!
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Life and labyrinths
Last week, a friend invited me to walk a labyrinth. In my head I pictured tall, meticulously pruned bushes with lots of possibilities, some leading to dead ends. Not so, I soon learned. Those are mazes.
A labyrinth, which has no walls at all, is a series of curves and pathways. If you stay inside the lines, the path eventually leads to the center of the labyrinth. The one my friend and I walked was in the yard of an Episcopal Church near Seattle Center.
I loved walking the path and following all those twists and turns. Loved passing my friend as we both moved along. In my mind, the labyrinth is a metaphor for life. We all experience our share of ups and downs and ins and outs, but no matter what happens, we somehow continue on, learning and growing and hopefully, getting it right.
Writing is like that, too. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes not, but the only way to succeed is to keep growing and learning.
I’m curious- have you ever walked a labyrinth or a maze? If so, did you take any life lessons from the experience?
Wishing you growth and learning and good things,
Ann
www.annroth.net
A Father for Jesse
July RT Top Pick!
A labyrinth, which has no walls at all, is a series of curves and pathways. If you stay inside the lines, the path eventually leads to the center of the labyrinth. The one my friend and I walked was in the yard of an Episcopal Church near Seattle Center.
I loved walking the path and following all those twists and turns. Loved passing my friend as we both moved along. In my mind, the labyrinth is a metaphor for life. We all experience our share of ups and downs and ins and outs, but no matter what happens, we somehow continue on, learning and growing and hopefully, getting it right.
Writing is like that, too. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes not, but the only way to succeed is to keep growing and learning.
I’m curious- have you ever walked a labyrinth or a maze? If so, did you take any life lessons from the experience?
Wishing you growth and learning and good things,
Ann
www.annroth.net
A Father for Jesse
July RT Top Pick!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Two summer recipes
Since summer is half over (already!) I thought I'd better share both of these summer recipes with you this month. Both look scrumptious!
Spicy Melon Boat
This is one of my favorite summer dishes. It's perfect for picnics or outdoor BBQs, but keep in mind it's not PG rated.
20 servings
1 large watermelon, carved
2 cantaloupes
2 15-oz cans pineapple chunks, drained
grapes
cherries
blueberries
other fruit in season
Tequila Sauce
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup grenadine
Shape fruit in cubes, balls or slices. In a large mixing bowl, combine all fruit. In a separate bow mix the tequila, orange juice, powdered sugar and grenadine. Pour Tequila Sauce over fruit and mix. Fill the watermelon shell with the fruit mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
Enjoy,
Ann DeFee
***********************************
Potato Salad
My mom's potato salad... Just typing it makes me think of family get-togethers. Our first taste of the year was usually Easter (to use up the boiled eggs, making it a very colorful salad sometimes), and we'd continue to have potato salad throughout the summer. Mom didn't allow us in the kitchen, and she didn't use written recipes or standard measuring devices. A "cup" of some ingredient meant a cup from the cupboard (or a mug); a teaspoon was the one we ate with and a Tablespoon was the one we served with. Mom cooked from experience, and her food was delicious. We still haven't been able to duplicate her fudge recipe, more's the pity.
I've learned a few things while trying to cook Mom's specialties, so below is MY potato salad recipe with the changes marked (*). Enjoy!
My potato salad recipe:
5 lbs red potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced
3-6* eggs, boiled, peeled and diced
≤-1* small jar sweet pickles, chopped
1/2 jar Miracle Whip or till it looks right
Splash of pickle juice
Several shakes of celery seed
1-2 Tb sugar*
*Optional: squirt of mustard and/or some chopped white onion
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
Spicy Melon Boat
This is one of my favorite summer dishes. It's perfect for picnics or outdoor BBQs, but keep in mind it's not PG rated.
20 servings
1 large watermelon, carved
2 cantaloupes
2 15-oz cans pineapple chunks, drained
grapes
cherries
blueberries
other fruit in season
Tequila Sauce
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup grenadine
Shape fruit in cubes, balls or slices. In a large mixing bowl, combine all fruit. In a separate bow mix the tequila, orange juice, powdered sugar and grenadine. Pour Tequila Sauce over fruit and mix. Fill the watermelon shell with the fruit mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
Enjoy,
Ann DeFee
***********************************
Potato Salad
My mom's potato salad... Just typing it makes me think of family get-togethers. Our first taste of the year was usually Easter (to use up the boiled eggs, making it a very colorful salad sometimes), and we'd continue to have potato salad throughout the summer. Mom didn't allow us in the kitchen, and she didn't use written recipes or standard measuring devices. A "cup" of some ingredient meant a cup from the cupboard (or a mug); a teaspoon was the one we ate with and a Tablespoon was the one we served with. Mom cooked from experience, and her food was delicious. We still haven't been able to duplicate her fudge recipe, more's the pity.
I've learned a few things while trying to cook Mom's specialties, so below is MY potato salad recipe with the changes marked (*). Enjoy!
My potato salad recipe:
5 lbs red potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced
3-6* eggs, boiled, peeled and diced
≤-1* small jar sweet pickles, chopped
1/2 jar Miracle Whip or till it looks right
Splash of pickle juice
Several shakes of celery seed
1-2 Tb sugar*
*Optional: squirt of mustard and/or some chopped white onion
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
Monday, August 03, 2009
My Turning Point
Ever have a time in your life that’s a turning point? One big turning point for me was when I decided to stop teaching school and try writing. That was the year my son started third grade and my daughter started first.
Oh, I wrote. But I also became a room mom, a tutor, and a church volunteer. I baked cookies and casseroles and sat at the kitchen table and helped with homework every day at 3:30. As the years passed, I drove the kids to church and soccer and baseball and tumbling classes and tutors and swim team. (Oh, have I spent hours at the side of a pool deck!) I stressed over grades and proficiency tests and dances and middle school drama.
And through all that, I wrote and wrote and wrote and even sold a few books. Time moved on.
This past June, I encouraged my son to go to summer school before his freshman year in college. He really wanted to go, and I thought it was a good idea. After all, I had done it-and even met my husband then. So last month, he and I flew down to Alabama and I dropped him off. We rented a car and he drove me to Tuscaloosa. I took him out to lunch, and over to the grocery store to get some snacks and bottles of water. And then we went to the dorm.
It only took us two trips to carry up the four duffle bags and groceries to his room. Around us were lots of kids in the same situation. Little by little, I watched him become a little cooler and cooler toward me. Pulling away.
Finally, when we put that last bag on the floor, I asked him if he wanted me to make his bed. He shook his head and told me he was just fine. And, as I looked at him, I knew he was.
Oh, I had planned to be so great and so cool. I was going to smile and offer words of wisdom and warnings about having ‘too much fun’. But all I did was try not to cry. This time, he was the one who was giving out hugs. This time, he was the one patting my back. Telling me that everything was going to be just fine.
How many times had I said that exact thing to him over the years?
I nodded, turned and practically ran from that room, trotted out to my rental car, and then –finally- in the privacy of that little Subaru- I cried. Okay, I'll admit it. I cried the whole way back to the airport.
On Saturday, he’ll come home for a week! He’s already asked if I’ll take him shopping. So for just a little bit more, I’ll bake him some cookies, run him to the mall and generally fuss…and then we’ll take him back to school.
I have high hopes that this time I’ll cry a little bit less, but I kind of doubt it. I’m going to miss him…but what I’ll really miss is those days of noise and mud and bikes and trails of snacks leading down to the basement. I miss washing machines full of swim suits and towels and baseball uniforms. I miss Scooby Doo on the TV and trips to McDonalds.
I’m sure very soon I’ll look back on these days, remembering it as a time of transition…and the beginning of other new things to come. But at the moment, I can’t help but feel a little bit out of sorts.
Anyone have any college stories to share? Either of when you went off to school…or taking your child? Any suggestions or laughs would really be appreciated!
Shelley
Oh, I wrote. But I also became a room mom, a tutor, and a church volunteer. I baked cookies and casseroles and sat at the kitchen table and helped with homework every day at 3:30. As the years passed, I drove the kids to church and soccer and baseball and tumbling classes and tutors and swim team. (Oh, have I spent hours at the side of a pool deck!) I stressed over grades and proficiency tests and dances and middle school drama.
And through all that, I wrote and wrote and wrote and even sold a few books. Time moved on.
This past June, I encouraged my son to go to summer school before his freshman year in college. He really wanted to go, and I thought it was a good idea. After all, I had done it-and even met my husband then. So last month, he and I flew down to Alabama and I dropped him off. We rented a car and he drove me to Tuscaloosa. I took him out to lunch, and over to the grocery store to get some snacks and bottles of water. And then we went to the dorm.
It only took us two trips to carry up the four duffle bags and groceries to his room. Around us were lots of kids in the same situation. Little by little, I watched him become a little cooler and cooler toward me. Pulling away.
Finally, when we put that last bag on the floor, I asked him if he wanted me to make his bed. He shook his head and told me he was just fine. And, as I looked at him, I knew he was.
Oh, I had planned to be so great and so cool. I was going to smile and offer words of wisdom and warnings about having ‘too much fun’. But all I did was try not to cry. This time, he was the one who was giving out hugs. This time, he was the one patting my back. Telling me that everything was going to be just fine.
How many times had I said that exact thing to him over the years?
I nodded, turned and practically ran from that room, trotted out to my rental car, and then –finally- in the privacy of that little Subaru- I cried. Okay, I'll admit it. I cried the whole way back to the airport.
On Saturday, he’ll come home for a week! He’s already asked if I’ll take him shopping. So for just a little bit more, I’ll bake him some cookies, run him to the mall and generally fuss…and then we’ll take him back to school.
I have high hopes that this time I’ll cry a little bit less, but I kind of doubt it. I’m going to miss him…but what I’ll really miss is those days of noise and mud and bikes and trails of snacks leading down to the basement. I miss washing machines full of swim suits and towels and baseball uniforms. I miss Scooby Doo on the TV and trips to McDonalds.
I’m sure very soon I’ll look back on these days, remembering it as a time of transition…and the beginning of other new things to come. But at the moment, I can’t help but feel a little bit out of sorts.
Anyone have any college stories to share? Either of when you went off to school…or taking your child? Any suggestions or laughs would really be appreciated!
Shelley
Sunday, August 02, 2009
JULY WINNER!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS Lynn! You’re the July winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Ann Roth, Michele Dunaway and Cindi Myers through their Web sites.
To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Easy and painless. And FREE BOOKS.
So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!
To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Easy and painless. And FREE BOOKS.
So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Summer Lovin'
Twenty years ago, I was pregnant through the heat of summer, and our house lacked central air conditioning. To add to the strain, I was enormous.
Yes, every pregnant woman feels huge, but consider this: I’m five feet, one inch tall. My younger son, who turns twenty next week, weighed ten and a half pounds. Even though I had a caesarian section, the doctor had to struggle to get the baby out. He was that big.
Well, here I am again, enduring a pregnancy in the heat of summer. Wait! I’m not expanding my family, except in the figurative sense. See, my heroine is pregnant, and she’s generously sharing her discomforts as well as her joys with me.
For her, though, the heat’s not so bad, because she’s giving birth at Thanksgiving. But in fiction deadline world, I’m writing about her now, which means I’m on a different timetable.
Find all this confusing? Imagine how I feel. Still, after eighty-four published books, I should be used to celebrating Thanksgiving in August. And while I have to put up with those annoying prenatal doctor visits, I also get to feel a baby moving inside me again.
Did I mention I’m also eating pie at Thanksgiving without gaining an ounce? Wish I could actually taste it.
The book’s working title is The Surrogate’s Surprise, and it should be out sometime in mid-2010. It’s the second book of my new Safe Harbor Medical series, part of the Harlequin American line. The first book, still without a confirmed title, has a due date of February 2010, and the third, with a Christmas setting, will be issued in December 2010.
While we’re on a medical theme, I should mention my September 2009 release, Doctor Daddy. Both hero and heroine are obstetricians, but the heroine doesn’t have a baby in this one.
Thank goodness. One pregnancy per summer is my limit.
Yes, every pregnant woman feels huge, but consider this: I’m five feet, one inch tall. My younger son, who turns twenty next week, weighed ten and a half pounds. Even though I had a caesarian section, the doctor had to struggle to get the baby out. He was that big.
Well, here I am again, enduring a pregnancy in the heat of summer. Wait! I’m not expanding my family, except in the figurative sense. See, my heroine is pregnant, and she’s generously sharing her discomforts as well as her joys with me.
For her, though, the heat’s not so bad, because she’s giving birth at Thanksgiving. But in fiction deadline world, I’m writing about her now, which means I’m on a different timetable.
Find all this confusing? Imagine how I feel. Still, after eighty-four published books, I should be used to celebrating Thanksgiving in August. And while I have to put up with those annoying prenatal doctor visits, I also get to feel a baby moving inside me again.
Did I mention I’m also eating pie at Thanksgiving without gaining an ounce? Wish I could actually taste it.
The book’s working title is The Surrogate’s Surprise, and it should be out sometime in mid-2010. It’s the second book of my new Safe Harbor Medical series, part of the Harlequin American line. The first book, still without a confirmed title, has a due date of February 2010, and the third, with a Christmas setting, will be issued in December 2010.
While we’re on a medical theme, I should mention my September 2009 release, Doctor Daddy. Both hero and heroine are obstetricians, but the heroine doesn’t have a baby in this one.
Thank goodness. One pregnancy per summer is my limit.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Craft Idea--Blessings Box
Blessings Box
My best friend of 46 years received this as a gift from her great-niece and shared the idea with me. It's especially wonderful to have on those days that nothing seems to be going right.
Buy a small (no larger than 8 X 10 inch) box with a lid from a craft store. Either wood or heavy cardboard will do. It should be unpainted and undecorated, because you'll be doing the designing!
Paint and add stickers, glitter, or stencil small drawings or short inspirational messages on the outside of the box. Whatever suits YOU. Also paint the inside. When all is dry, add a small notepad of paper and a pen or pencil. The pad can be glue to the lid of the box for safekeeping.
Whenever you think of a small blessing that makes you smile, whether it's the sun shining after a rainy day, the way a kitten's whiskers tickle, or the simple blessing of a child's smile, write it on one of the note papers, fold it, and put it in the box. When you're down and need a pick-me-up, go to the box and take out one "blessing" to read. It will lift your spirits in the gloomiest of times to be reminded that even in the midst of a storm, there are many blessings to be thankful for.
Roxann Delaney
http://roxanndelaney.com
My best friend of 46 years received this as a gift from her great-niece and shared the idea with me. It's especially wonderful to have on those days that nothing seems to be going right.
Buy a small (no larger than 8 X 10 inch) box with a lid from a craft store. Either wood or heavy cardboard will do. It should be unpainted and undecorated, because you'll be doing the designing!
Paint and add stickers, glitter, or stencil small drawings or short inspirational messages on the outside of the box. Whatever suits YOU. Also paint the inside. When all is dry, add a small notepad of paper and a pen or pencil. The pad can be glue to the lid of the box for safekeeping.
Whenever you think of a small blessing that makes you smile, whether it's the sun shining after a rainy day, the way a kitten's whiskers tickle, or the simple blessing of a child's smile, write it on one of the note papers, fold it, and put it in the box. When you're down and need a pick-me-up, go to the box and take out one "blessing" to read. It will lift your spirits in the gloomiest of times to be reminded that even in the midst of a storm, there are many blessings to be thankful for.
Roxann Delaney
http://roxanndelaney.com
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Romantic Moments
I'm going easy with today's post--easy in terms of length, but not in terms of thought...
Your thoughts, anyway.
What do you find romantic? What makes your heart melt and your eyes mist?
For me, it's a quiet dinner somewhere with good conversation. It's about giving a date some thought. It's about the day-to-day moments--an unexpected card, a bouquet of wildflowers, a gentle touch to my face.
How about you?
~Laura
*I hit the road next week for a 5-city tour of the midwest to promote the first book in my new Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series with Berkley Prime Crime. Specifics on the tour can be found at my website: www.elizabethlynncasey.com. If you're in any of these areas, I'd love to meet you!
Your thoughts, anyway.
What do you find romantic? What makes your heart melt and your eyes mist?
For me, it's a quiet dinner somewhere with good conversation. It's about giving a date some thought. It's about the day-to-day moments--an unexpected card, a bouquet of wildflowers, a gentle touch to my face.
How about you?
~Laura
*I hit the road next week for a 5-city tour of the midwest to promote the first book in my new Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series with Berkley Prime Crime. Specifics on the tour can be found at my website: www.elizabethlynncasey.com. If you're in any of these areas, I'd love to meet you!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Did any of you catch the interview with Nora Roberts on NPR, Saturday, July 18th? Those of you at the RWA Conference in DC probably missed it, unless you saw it in person. I was sailing down the Patapsco, approaching Bodkin Point that morning. It was a beautiful day: sunny, breezy, not too hot (so unusual for the Chesapeake this time of year). I listened avidly, thrilled that our convention was getting national attention! Afterward, I wasn’t so excited. In fact, I have to admit the spot bugged me. Not Nora’s interview; she was direct and professional. She’s a good spokesperson for romance writing. But Scott Simon’s barely concealed snicker was quite irritating. He seemed to think the whole thing was a big joke. Most irritating, he thought we would laugh with him. When he read the opening lines of a romance he had attempted to write—and pitch to an editor—I cringed. It was as bad as it could get: sappy, cliché and completely without heart. He tried to save himself by admitting that he realized he had written a parody, but I didn’t buy it. There was too much “of-course-I’m-better-than-this” in his voice. I got the impression that Nora wanted to smack him.
I came away after listening feeling a little like Rodney Dangerfield: when are we going to get some respect, anyway? There is consolation. Remember how well we’re doing as an industry? Sales of print romances are up and digital is exploding with the advent of all the new e-book readers. I heard one author at conference say that every time a new version of Kindle releases, her back-list sales spike. In this time of recession, people are turning to romance as a way to escape from the bad news that seems lurk around every bend. Romance brings hope, faith, passion, happiness into our lives. And love, most important of all. I think that if readers are buying our books, that’s all the respect we need.
Maybe that’s all we’ll get.
But—on the assumption that you meant well—thanks, Scott Simon. You brought our convention and our writers into the national spotlight for a brief moment. You also tried to make it personal by attempting to put yourself in our shoes. Now, please, go out and read a romance. Be entertained and charmed and take the experience seriously. Respect the writing and the genre. There are lots of romance stories out there to choose from: passionate, sweet, suspenseful, inspirational, fantastic, some just downright bizarre. They all offer one sure thing that life so seldom does: a little love. Just what our world needs now.
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