My Paintings are moving!!!

Finally a little bit of sunshine in a cold, snowy week.

As a part of the Orangeville Art Group, two of my paintings will be on temporary display at the Orangeville Public Library downtown starting Saturday February 27, 2010 until summer. Not sure which ones are going to be there just yet - that will be a surprise. I'll be sure to take a picture when they are put up!

Also got an email from Gloria to say the final proof is in the works and our new book will be out soon! It was so exciting to see a real copy of it. There will also be a book launch at BookLore on a future date. Will let you know when!

Stories of Prayer and Faith proof

We had a Headwaters Writers' Guild meeting today and were happy to see our friend Gloria Nye in attendence. She brought a proof copy of Stories of Prayer and Faith with her. This is the book Nancy Rorke and I have short stories in that will be coming out this spring. Gloria has worked very hard to get the stories together, organized and edited to death.
She is also one of the women who run Eramosa Eden where our writing group does its Writers' Retreat every spring.

Thank you for all of your hard work, Gloria, the book is wonderful!

I'll be posting more about the writing group and out latest meeting on the group website, feel free to check us out using the link!

You can also check out Eramosa Eden which is near Guelph. A great place for a retreat or just to get away.

About the Coral Turtle

This painting was created in one of my art courses. The turtle came from Cuba years ago and is one of my favourite pieces. It was a gift from an aunt. My art teacher was skeptical when I showed her what I wanted to paint but I did it anyway. (I'm just a little bit headstrong some days!) It's one of my favourite pieces.

People tell you not to get attached to your work. I guess that makes it easier to sell it and do things that you wouldn't normally do without getting frustrated in trying to be "perfect." That's why I paint and write. The Universe will lead you to create. The work you create can be edited or tinkered with until you've had enough of it. I read a quote somewhere that a writer sent a book to be published to "kill it" - to get it out of their grasp and resist the urge to tinker and play with it anymore. I've reached that point several times and submitted two of my novels repeatedly.

Does that mean my novels are bad? No. I have people read them who love them.
Does that mean I need to give up? No. I need to keep putting them out there and hope to reach the right person.
Does that mean I can't be frustrated? Hell no! I get as frustrated as anyone. But life goes on.
You get a rejection, you keep submitting.
I imagine once I my file box with rejections I might think differently and self-publish.
That seems to be how a lot of writers lately "get published". Not all of them should be. I read a prime example of that the other day.

Let me be clear: Self-publishing is not an evil thing but for heaven's sake people, if you are going to do it yourself EDIT, EDIT, EDIT!!! Get ten other people who know about good writing to read it and tell you if it's a good novel - not just a good story. Any one can tell a good story. Not everyone can make it readable.
That's why God created Editors!

Keep Creating!

New Month, New Motivation

It's been a while since I posted last. I have used that time productively in editing Take the Money and Run and honing my query letter and synopsis. I have also had to take breaks in my writing to go to my "real" job. Always a source of inspiriation. Who knew that being a part-time bank teller was akin to being a bartender but without the alcohol (most of the time)? That will be an entire book on its own someday.

Did a few more submissions yesterday just to test the waters with my new chapter one. Same story just reworded and revamped. Maybe it will catch more interest.

In the meantime, here is a little poem I wrote for you to gnaw on...

Butterfly
I am a chrysallis
Quivering in my cocoon
Waiting to be.
There are many things
I am inside
Artist, writer, singer,
Butterfly
I anticipate the day
My wings will be strong
And I'll be free
To fly, to express,
To soar.

Keep warm and keep your dream alive...