My Favourite Place to Write

In the summer, the place I write most often is out on my deck early in the morning with a cup of coffee in my right hand and a pen in my left. Back deck if it's cool, front deck if the sun is already at 36C like this morning! Today the sky is so blue I want to dive in and go for a swim. The sun so warm, my coffee stays hot. Birds twitter, coo and chirp and make sounds that have no words. Silvery spider zip lines, flimsy yet strong enough to stop a grown man in his tracks to brush them off, zigzag between benches, chairs and the barbecue.
It is a lovely place to lose one's mind. To delve into creativity and forget time and appointments.
It is a great place to wait.
     For books to find homes with publishers.
     For my new print copies of Murder on Manitou and the bookrack cards that go with them.
     For karate class.
     For lunch.
     For another cup of coffee.

But, as every other day, there is no time to sit and wait. Time to write. Time to soak in the peace.
Time to dash off into the many parts of my life that refuse to be patient.

Off to the next book....

I'm mellltttinnnngggggg.....

What a crazy hot summer this year and it's only the fifth of July! Friends in the US were without power for days, we're trying to stay out of the sun because it's been around 40C for the past few days. Great reason to hunker down in a little coffee shop and write - if only!

This next two weeks we have company from out of province. Where we should be wandering the province and sightseeing, everyone prefers to lie low and keep cool. Fine for me, I still have to be at work early in the afternoon anyway. And there's air-conditioning!

I did get Deja Vu finished and off to my agent. Just when I thought I'd take some time off from writing, along comes a whole new story. A story about samurai and poison and greed. If that doesn't get you, the protagonist washes her hands of the whole situation only to be dragged back in kicking and screaming. At least I have something to dabble with while I sit in a coffee shop to write. Still waiting for that chance.


I've enjoyed getting to read other people's query letters and first 3 chapters courtesy of Dawn. I also have the opportunity to read a new novel for a good friend of mine. Harry Posner has written a book of poetry, a great novel "Charivari" and books about writing. He is also a spoken-word poet who's voice is totally captivating! Check this You Tube video out for a look at Harry in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTfeBQSp1Bw  The short of my story is: I can't wait to read his new novel!

Still waiting for another round of edits or news about The Bookstore Lady and now Deja Vu.

I think I'll enjoy summer while I wait.

Got an interesting opportunity yesterday:  To be a reader for my agent and check out other people's queries and first three chapters! The good news is, it was a real eye opener. For anyone worried about me stealing their ideas, have no fear. I have too many ideas of my own rolling around in my head!! I am, however, looking forward to reading for her again one day.

Aside from that, I am busy as always. Deja Vu is in its final edits. Just printed off a copy today so I can go over it with my fine toothed comb. I'm a lot more excited about Deja Vu than I am about The Bookstore Lady even, that's how much I've learned in my last year with my agent!

I had lunch with two great writing friends yesterday. One of them asked what I planned to do once Deja Vu was out the door. I told her I'd keep working on the next book. She said I should slow down and work on short stories or something different. Trust me, the next book IS different. Still a murder, actually two so far, but more of a cozy mystery than Deja Vu. More details to follow when I get them all nailed down.

My other friend has struggled with writing "just the right thing." She says I am like the woman at a baby shower who gets pregnant with ease where as her friends who are not able to as easily. Ideas come easy to me. I am constantly in motion, constantly priming the well from where those ideas flow. Things DON'T always come easy. Sometimes I struggle, too. The difference is, I always have a plan B. There is always something on the back burner.

In art classes, I was told to never have more than one piece on the go at a time. Too much distraction. Apparently ADHD is my middle name. I thrive on distraction and chaos. The more chaotic, the harder I have to work to focus and make things work. I guess that's why I like the job I currently have more than working at a bank. Banks are repetitive. Working in a karate school - never the same day twice!

Okay, cat's out of the bag. I work in a karate school so guess where my next novel is set?

Yup. Let's go kill off some samurai...

Even though Deja Vu was only 3/4 done, I took a chance to query it with my agent.
Signed the papers today! She's going to represent it!
Yeah!
Now I'm editing and writing like crazy to get it done and edited before I send it off to her this summer.

This, my dears, is only the beginning...

Today started off as a quiet, unassuming day.
I got up early, chipper and ready to go.
My two younger kids - not so much. One took over the bathroom to shower. The other attached to my arm, stomach upset and throat sore. So much for my plans for this morning. He did dig up enough energy to come pick my oldest son up from the lake. My oldest, a rower, got to row in a single boat for the first time in three years. Obligatory photos and video are stored in my camera.

The two older kids off to school and the youngest in the shower, I sat down to check emails and discovered my interview on the Blue Ridge Literary Agency website today!http://blueridgelitagency.blogspot.ca/2012/05/welcome-murdermystery-author-diane.html

I know I've been bad about keeping up the blog lately but not because I've slacked off on the dream. In the past month, I've finished edits for The Bookstore Lady and queried Deja Vu to my agent. I don't have time to hold my breath waiting for a response, however, I still have the rest of the manuscript to tidy up and complete. AND (because that's just not enough to keep me out of trouble) I'm working on another murder mystery that takes place in a small town karate studio. No name for it yet.

When I'm not writing, I work at a karate studio and am learning karate. It's funny how, after only six weeks, when I miss a class or two I feel offkilter. Unbalanced. My writing suffers. My work suffers.

The balance of physical and mental exercise.

I love to walk to free up my mind while using my body. Karate keeps them both busy but when I'm done I buzz with an energy I haven't felt in ages. Creativity flows. Thoughts flow. I can be much more productive.

So much for a quiet unassuming day.

In the Face of Adversity

We never know how strong we are or how much drive we have until we are up against a wall.

As human beings, we face many walls in our lifetimes, walls put up by publishers, by family, by other people who think they are better than us. Some are. Some just wish they were.

Being a writer, adversity is a daily occurance. Rejection letters by agents and publishers. Critiques by friends or family. Yet another edit or rewrite of a novel or short story we thought was "as good as it gets." In the face of adversity, we shed a few tears, find our happy place, steel our resolve and fight. We do that next rewrite or take a second look at that query letter or synopsis and make sure we are doing the best we can.

In my other life, away from the keyboard, I am now a martial artist (3 whole weeks into training!) I have recently looked into the Face of adversity and come away with a stronger resolve. The knowledge that I will be the best I can be. That renewed strength -- mostly of character and drive -- will affect my writing, affect how I live my life, affect how I see the world.

I am writer. Hear me roar...

Writers of our own demise

Somewhere after toys and make-believe friends (Do people ever stop pretending in private?), we all become writers of our own demise. "But I'm not a writer," you might say. In a sense, we all are. We all create the stories of our lives. As events unfold before us, it is up to each one of us to make a choice and take one of the paths that open up to us. The more choices we make, the more colourful our lives become until soon we may become overwhelmed by everything we wanted - or thought we wanted at the time. Good, bad or ugly. In taking on too many activities, too many jobs, too many hobbies, we start to feel like a boat with no oars bobbing on the water. Out of control and heading toward the waterfall. If anyone had told me 20 years ago that at 43 I'd be juggling three kids, a husband, a job, a house, a writing career, a writing group and trying to keep fit and sane, I would have offered to buy the next round of drinks. Yet, here I am. Do I regret any of it? Not for a second. I'm doing what I love, it just takes a lot of co-ordinating schedules and time. Do I wish there were two of me? Two, some days, is not enough. Do I think I should give up and hide in a cave with a bottle of wine and a case of chocolate? At least once a month. Then I snap out of it five minutes later, grab a cup of coffee (yes, I do have a vice. The blood of writers everywhere!) and set out on my next quest. This week, it's editing a book I really want to see published. Last week it was trying out my first karate class. The following poem I wrote at a Sacred Writing workshop in 2008. It is the times when I am ready to retreat to the cave that I stand up, take a few deep breaths and shout out to the sky... I Surrender   by Diane Bator Lift up my hands, I surrender I no longer have strength to fight. You scatter words like breadcrumbs Whispering them into my soul then to my pen. Flashes like lightening show me the way The tales are drawn from the air are told.  Lift up my hands, I surrender. I am but a vessel to hold And release the words like doves. Your words enrich all who live on Earth I am myself a sanctuary To the direction from your bountiful hand. Lift up my hands, I surrender. I revel in your loving grace. In the morning when I write I am freed from my chains. And I stand on the solid ground Of your hidden foundation and rejoice.   Thank you for reading my workCopywrite @ Diane Bator 2008