More Paperwork

I got an interesting e-mail from one of the other writers my agent Dawn Dowdle at Blue Ridge Literary represents. It's an interview. In order for all the writers to get to know each other, and our fans to learn more, Rachel Brimble has sent everyone an interview for each of us to tell others what we write, how we write and why.

I wasn't expecting any revellations out of the deal. Just the usual who, what, where, when types of questions. What I received was a list of questions about my goals, what I read and what I like and dislike about writing. One of those questions was "What is the book you wish you'd written?"

As writers, we all wish we'd been the ones to write Harry Potter and the Anything, or Twilight or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo novels. But do we wish that for the fame, the money or the desire to write something that will capture the imaginations of a broad audience? What surprised me when I answered that question was that I chose "On Writing" by Stephen King. It is the culmination of a lengthy writing career and many successes as well as failures by a man who learned from both. That is the book I want to write one day. A book to say I did it and this was how.

One day I will.
For now, I'm taking notes and keeping a scrapbook.
And writing....

Scraping the bottom of the Barrel

There are many times in life that we fall. Not always physically, although physical pain can cause our spirits to sag, but mentally when things don't go the way we plan. This past week has been one of those weeks in my life. Things that I thought (and prayed) would come to pass dissipated like video game pixels. Compounded by a fall while skiing with my son and damaging my tailbone, I was left in a bad place mentally.

"Nothing is going my way." I ranted and raved to the powers that be. The things that I wanted, counted on, to happen, I now have to wait for. Again. What have I done wrong? Why is the universe plotting against me?

It's nothing I've done. I've done my due diligence. I've edited and outlined. I've plotted and submitted. I've waited patiently and done all I can do. For now my future lies in someone else's hands--not always a great feeling. So what do I do in the meantime?

I write. I take care of myself. I heal (after regular doses of Advil, heat and cold my tailbone feels better and I can almost sit upright again!) and I don't get down on myself for all the things I cannot do to change things. I focus on the things I can change. The things I can do something about. I forge my way through life toward the goals I want to accomplish and take detours around the roadblocks.

Keep moving forward and always keep writing!

Amazing Things

It's amazing the things that can happen when we ask. Whether it's for health, for a new career or just for a great story idea. All we need to do is ask and our wish, in some form, will be granted. It's not always a perfect theory. We do have to assist the Divine. As writers, for example, we still have to sit and take pen in hand. We have to still our minds from the every day nonsense and allow the muse to flow.

Over the past 13 weeks, I've been part of an Artist's Way group. I have to say I've learned many things about myself and the women I worked with. I've learned I'm much stronger than I thought and can stand up for myself and others when I have to. I've learned that I am a talented writer and have the ability to clear my mind and receive the muse. I can take success just as well as I can take failure.

The ability to "roll with the punches," or being flexible, is something we all need in life. Not everything goes the way we expect whether it be a book, a painting or even a meeting. Sometimes life hands us a curveball and we have to adapt. Failure teaches us that we need to rethink our strategies. Success tells us we are on the right path but can't sit back and let life "happen." We need to work with success to make our dreams come true.

I'm fortunate to know many people who think the way I do. People who keep plugging away until, one day, they become an "over night success." People who don't give up because one agent/publisher said "This isn't right for me." People who celebrate not only their own successes, but encourage and celebrate the successes of others.

As artists, as human beings, we need to share both the successes and failures. We need to support each other and help make life as easy for one another as possible. Our greatest failure is when we let each other down.

In honour of Valentine's Day, take time to hug, encourage and talk to another person.
Love spreads through small deeds. One step at a time.

The Value of Stepping Back

I haven't added anything to my blog in the past couple of week. I've been a bit overwhelmed to say the least. Between editing The Bookstore Lady and learning that Murder on Manitou had been published as an e-book, I was caught in a loop of "what do I do next?"

So I did nothing.

I took a beading class with a friend, went to a movie with another friend, hung out with my kids and broke free from my computer for a little while.
Was I blocked? Nope.
Was I procrastinating? Nope.
Sometimes in life, no matter what path you take, you have to take a step back and breathe.
I revelled in the fact my first book, a novella, was now a published book, I handed out some great bookmarks to promote it and I took a break from some of my regular duties. A minivacation if you will.

Next week, I'll be back at the compute and I'm dabbling with details for The Mystery Lady (Book #2 in a series called Wild Blue Mysteries). In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the little things that will make me write with gusto once unleashed on my novel!

Take a step back. Take a deep breath. Dive in to what you love to do!

Lucky Friday the Thirteenth

"I'm having a hard time editing your book," my publisher told me today.
My heart leaped into my throat. "What do you mean?"
"It's so good I keep getting caught up reading and forget to edit."
And so began our conversation about the final edits and info gathering for Murder on Manitou (Wynterblue Publishing, 2012), due to appear on Amazon as an e-book next week. I've sent my headshot, my bio and received a copy of the cover art. Very exciting!
It's hard to believe this book has been in the works--writing to publishing--for two years.
As exciting as it all is, I can't wait to see it online, available to readers for $2.99.

My kids and I watched television for a few minutes before school today. We saw an add for "Double Cash for Life" the new scratch lottery tickets. I joked how I should go out and buy one. I didn't, but when the boys came home after school, my youngest found one on the coffee table. I knew my husband probably bought it the evening before, but...it was a bit eerie. We scratched it and won $12. Not exactly cash for life, but cash to buy a treat for all of us.

I've never been particularly superstitious, but I probably will be from now on.
Friday the Thirteenth will be one of my luckiest days and I'll look forward to each one!
Have a great weekend!

Another year, more goals

On Friday a group of friends were at my house listening to music and slashing magazines. As part of our journey through The Artist's Way, we worked on finding images for Vision Boards. While Julie Cameron told us to create boards that reflect our lives, I used mine to create the life I want to settle into over the coming year. I have lots of images of yoga, reiki, writing and of bringing great things into my life that I've been striving for.

Actually, my Vision Board hasn't changed much over the past 5 years. I still want to write. I still want to paint. I want to learn more about yoga and get back in shape after barely being able to walk over the past year now that my back and legs are getting stronger. It's amazing what pinched nerves and a minor slip can do to one's back.

This year, I also have writing goals. I have already submitted a short story for one contest. I am working hard on getting The Bookstore Lady ready for my agent by the end of January (sooner if possible!) I'm also working on the second book, The Mystery Lady to have submitted in February. AND, if that's not enough to take on this year, I'm putting together a collection of short stories and a novella. The name is still a secret. Those are my goals this year, aside from the usual "get in shape", "eat better", etc.

Once the glue on my Vision Board dries, I'll post a picture of it. Hopefully it can keep me on track since it's going to sit right beside my desk - in the line of sight from my new exercise bike, which I'll use right after I take the laundry off it.

Best of everything in 2012!

Cobblestone Road

My son has a couple of late assignments to work on over the Christmas holidays. He's procratinated, mostly because he doesn't "agree with" the assignments so he refuses to do them. In trying to deal with his procratination and encourage him to get them done so he doesn't have to repeat the course and derail his future plans I compared the assignments to stones on a cobblestone road.

"Every task you do in your life takes you one stone closer to the end of the road. Whether you like each stone or not, it gets you one step closer to your goal."

The goal, for him, is to one day enter law school.
For me, the goal is to write and publish books.
Whatever road we choose, there are undesirable stones we must step on in order to get there. I hate writing synopses and outlines, but that what helps me get my books to agents and publishers and out into the world. I also hate doing laundry, but that, incredibly, is another necessary stone in life.

I look back at my dad who had brain surgery nearly 20 years ago and see how many stones he passed by completely in order to walk and speak properly again. He's still not 100%, mostly because the people who could have helped him the most were banished from his life, but partly because of choices he made and the path he did take. According to him, he is perfect.

Perfection is a delusion.

He's not perfect, nor am I. I will never be perfect. I dont' desire to be perfect, that is not my path.
My path, cobblestones and all, is to be the best writer, mother, wife, daughter and friend I can be. I am not perfect, I make mistakes, I jump over stones and try to alter my path by choosing options I wouldn't normally choose. But at the end of the day, we need to come back and deal with some of the stones in our path that we've overlooked. Not to make us "perfect" but to make sure we leave no stone unturned and untouched. They are all part of our journey.