Christmas Break

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Hope all of you fellow bloggers have a wonderful blessed holiday and I look forward to our new year and what all of us will accomplish! Have safe travels and close times with family and friends. Store away those precious memories because some day, they might make your story:)

That extra mile

The Minnie Mouse balloon danced over her golden curls. "I don't like it, Daddy." A frown filled the space between her rosy cheeks.

I watched as her father disappeared into the crowd of parade watchers and return with the balloon lady in tow, dozens of colorful choices floating above her head.

"Which one do you like?" He squatted beside his daughter and pointed above. Soon a smile appeared as she made her selection.

"That will be three dollars more," the vendor said. But the new price appeared not to bother him. He pulled out his wallet and completed the transaction.

All for a daughter he loved and wanted to make happy at the happiest place on earth--Disney.

How about us? Do we do the same for our readers? Do we give a little more to make our stories work? Do we go that extra mile?

A Christmas Joy

A little magic. A little make believe. A fun escape. Each day Disney offers thousands of guests a chance to forget their day-to-day worries, the current economic crisis, family issues, health concerns.

Yesterday, I was surrounded by people on a mission--a mission to transport themselves into another world.

Sort of what I do as a writer. With a short story or a book, I hope to send my readers on a vacation much like Disney but with a realistic setting, characters and storyline.

As I floated through the waters in the Pirates of the Caribbean and blasted through Space Mountain, I forgot. I forgot about the bills yet to pay, the decisions to make, the holidays to prepare for.

But there's another way to take your readers away from their problems and discouragement and concerns this year--through sharing the real meaning of Christmas.

Are your inspiring your readers to reach out for the permanent joy and blessings only to be found this Christmas through Christ?

Disney daze

This picture is a clue. But since I'm not so good with keeping quiet, I'll tell you. I'm heading to Disney tomorrow for the day!

Some good friends of ours have Hopper passes and even though we've lived here for almost seven years, we've never been to Animal Kingdom at all nor the park in years.

Sometimes we need to take a recess in life and clear our heads to hear what we need to do next, especially with writing. I'm long over due. Hopefully, I can do some people watching and let my mind enjoy the festivities and make-believe around me and enjoy the holiday spirit as well.

Enjoy your days tomorrow and I'll be back chatting on Thursday!

I'm slowly here

I'm getting a slow start to the week today. But it doesn't mean I haven't done anything. Oh no! Quite the contrary!



I sent out two stories a few days ago and wrote one chapter of a new WIP! So I feel better now for December. Partly I needed to get some writing done because I know for the next month or so, I will be studying for my broker's license. (A silent scream!)



BUT! I wanted to say a personal thank you to Kathleen (aka Sassy Granny) for the nicest write-up about me that I've ever had before. If it didn't make me look so conceited, I'd post it all for you here to read but I think I may save it and use if for when I need a good description or something about me. (permission please?) But she gave me this nice award for great attitude/gratitude and made my day!




Not sure my attitude is always that great so this is a good reminder to me to try harder. Unfortunately, I'm not going to pick people to pass it on because I would want to give it to EVERYONE and that way no hurt feelings:)

I hope your week kicked off to a good one. Enjoy all the fun activities that lead up to Christmas!

Planting the first tree

About a week ago, I signed up with Thomas Nelson to get free books to review on my blog site. (Check it out--it's a neat way to see new products!)

Within days, they sent my first choice. No, I'm not ready to review it yet--I don't read that fast--but a statement in the opening chapter of Think and Make it Happen by Dr. Augustus Cury hit me.

He said there are two ways to keep warm in life--build a fire with dry wood or plant seeds that will provide wood for a lifetime. He asks which do we prefer. Of course, every reader is going to have their own take on this.

As always, I thought how this statement relates to my plans as a writer. Am I building a quick fire and writing a book just to write a book or am I planting a forest--writing a book that will make a difference for more readers than just me?

I'm hoping to plant seeds. How about you?

A wing and a comfortable chair

Before unemployment struck my home, my husband and I faithfully attended a local gym. At least three times a week, we put on our sneakers, charged up our IPODs and drove across town to climb on the treadmills and workout with the weight machines.

On Mother's Day this past year, Curt bought me a small set of weights for our home to rest beside the treadmill we purchased in place of renewing our gym memberships. My gym now waits for me in an unused bedroom as do the weights.

I used to have muscles that actually sculpted my arms. When I wore sleeveless tops--which is quite often here in Florida, I wasn't too embarrassed.

But like anything, if I don't exercise my muscles regularly, I lose my tone.

My underarm wings are growing. I might just take flight soon.

My writing skills need to be exercised too much like the flab on my arms. The saying,"Use it or lose it" rings true when I don't stick to a routine for writing.

Yesterday, I sat down to write a few short stories and found myself struggling. So I created another space apart from my office where I know I can write uninterrupted. Today I'm putting those muscles back to use.

Are you staying in shape with your writing or have the holidays taken their toll with your writing as well as your physical regime?

Countdown

The weather outside is dreary.

But not my soul. Thank you for such encouraging comments yesterday!

I've found it's been a huge challenge to write very much this month. I can't help but want to participate in everything remotely related to Christmas . . . the parties, the Christmas parades, the Christmas shows.

But now that we are getting closer, I'm feeling the need to do at least one more submission before the year ends. Picking and writing one will be my focus over the next few days. (Though I lean to Chicken Soup as they have some awesome titles right now.)

I also want to share what I've been doing with my notebook (thank you Janna) but that will have to wait until my computer is sitting back on my desk. For now, the notebook is out of reach so I will have to write with what I have around me now.

Another question--do any of you still keep your journals up to date or have they fallen to the side due to writing so much on computers? I pulled mine out a few weeks ago and have been trying to make more entries. Couldn't help but browse through some of it. Still nothing like a handwritten history.

Wow, God!

My pastor is fond of saying, "Wow, God!" when anything amazing happens. I said it myself over and over yesterday and woke up with the words on my lips again today.

In August of 2007, my husband lost his job as Director of Construction for a national home building company. In desperation, we took a job last fall in S. C. for a church building company where we lived six weeks in a hotel surrounded by strangers. Eventually, we returned to Florida and the home we needed to care for still. More jobless months passed, and finally he found another construction position that again lasted only months.

Before we moved to Florida, we had owned our own construction company for almost twenty years. I was so happy when we left it behind to work for a company--and get paid benefits and bonuses and paid time off. But seven years later, after hundreds of sent job applications and a handful of interviews, I gave in to God's plan.

For the past seven and a half weeks, we have been waiting on the state to activate my husband's contractor's license. Yesterday, after spending some encouraging time with my writer friend, I pulled into the driveway to find my husband standing near his pick-up truck.

"Is something wrong?" He wore a look on his face I couldn't place.

"Look on my door of the truck."

His business signs. The signs I'd ordered two months ago that had waited on the refrigerator like a child for a hand now hung on the door panels.

Wow God!

I don't know what our future holds but I do know this. Every other door we tried to go through stayed closed except for this one. I'm praying God has a few more Wows for us ahead as we pick our way through this new adventure. But if I know God, I'm sure he does.

Please check out our new company: www.tiffanycontractors.com

C-H-E-E-R-S

I'm getting out for a little inspiration this morning so I'm keeping this post short.

A few years ago I met by chance (is it ever by chance?--more like by design) a lady at a writers group. As we talked, we found we had more than writing in common and have since been each other's cheerleader in our journey to write.

Donna has amazed me this year with her perseverance to write a book in a short time but also to win a writing award and publish some stories.

Could I ask for a better cheerleader?

I'm excited to say as well that my notebook is being filled with all kinds of thoughts to push me forward. Thank you for your encouragement yesterday--I'm blessed with a team full of cheerleaders!

Yes there really is another chance, Janna!

I should have been an accountant. I'm too organized and I over analyze every thing. That includes my writing.

So here's my update as blunt as I can be.

I wrote my first book over ten years ago because I had to write it. I poured myself into it and gave a copy to a friend. Oh wow did that first draft really stink. (No other way to say it.) So I edited and edited for years, sent it to Barbour and they rejected it. Finally I sent it to a publisher in England this past year and lo and behold, she accepted it but after many months of changes, do you believe this? I pulled out due to some issues I couldn't live with.

During that time frame, I wrote two-thirds of another romance with a character from the first and another woman's fiction book that is almost done as well.

I sent the first book to two agents, one of which said no thanks after asking for the first 50 pages. The second agent (after 2 months) passed it on to another agent in the office. It's been awhile so you know where my thoughts are going with that one.

So here I am wondering what on earth to do next. I seem to have success writing short stories (nonfiction) but wonder if I will ever see a book of mine in print. I was so close but couldn't go forward and maybe I was stupid but at the time my choice seemed right. And yes, still does today.

Then I read Janna's post the other day about outlining a book and if that's the way to go. I've never done that--I usually dive in head first and then wonder why I am not loving everything I write. But when I write a short story, I usually have it all plotted before I sit at the computer.

Her words encouraged me this weekend to give that method a try instead of moaning the loss of spent energy on the past books.

I had a goal to have a new book done and ready to present by the time a writer's conference in March came around but now I have decided to not push it and let the story develop at its own pace.

So I pulled out one of my own notebooks, Janna, (not as pretty as yours) and I've started again. What else can a writer do?

Keeping it Real

I normally don't post on Sundays but because of some blessings that came my way yesterday afternoon--I wanted to today.

Maybe you can tell from my last post that I'm sort of in a fog about where I'm going with writing another book. I think, or rather, I know God brings people into our lives at the perfect moment. Yesterday I needed that moment and when I clicked on my emails I found that I was the recipient of two blogger awards--the same one for bloggers of "Real People, Real Blogs." First Janna nominated me and then another good blogger friend Barbara nominated me as well. It couldn't have come at a better time.

I am blessed to be part of such a caring group of fellow bloggers. I enjoy every post I read and learn so much from you as we journey along the path that God is taking us. And this reward reminds me how important it is to keep it real when blogging about whatever topic we've chosen to blog about.

I intend to try harder to do that.

... starting with tomorrow as I've come to some conclusions about my next step in writing.

Fighting Back

I have a love-hate relationship with parties. Whenver I get the nerve to throw one, a voice deep inside of me hackles me with the fear, "What if no one comes?"

I'm not sure if it is a childhood thing, or a plain lack of security but that ugly thought always rises his head whenever I decide to open my home to visitors.

Last night was no exception.

Twenty plus people from my Sunday school class celebrated Christmas at my dining room table, family room couch and around my kitchen island last night. We had enough food to keep everyone here for a week.

But even long after I'd filled the garbage can with half-filled cups and leftover plates of food--the fears filled my thoughts again: Was I a good enough hostess? Did I get to everyone and ask about their lives? Did they really have a good time?

I know rationally my fears are ungrounded. But fear works like that, it gets under your skin and uses anything it can to unnerve you and to destroy self-confidence.

Fear is doing that with my writing right now. It's been trying to worm itself into my thoughts inch-by-inch and despite some recent successes--it's managed to take root in some of those areas I haven't nailed down yet.

Like writing a good book.

So I'm doing battle right now with the thought that I might never be able to write the book I really want to write. And maybe part of me needs to listen to those fears so that I will take whatever next step I need to do--like praying more, learning more, and writing more.

So that's where I am in the process. What have some of you done when the doubts begin to pile up?

Final Day--Networking Links

Again, I'm going to post about a place that I sumitted to a few years ago. Actually, I write very few fiction short stories but gave Haruah a try. They publish in both print and online and now they pay a token amount. But the published work they put out is really pretty nice.

When I first submitted to them, they sent my story back with some constructive criticism. I fixed it up and resubmitted it and they accepted it.

For a writing credit, it's a great place and you can get a nice book with your story.

Sample text:

"We've got enough space for both of you. Hurry. We don't have much time!" He wiped his three-day-old beard and stretched dirty, battered knuckles toward her. She had seconds to make a lifetime decision.
"Take her!" Two words tore the remainder of her soul. "I won't leave him." Her husband's stricken face flashed before her as she stretched out her arms.

Their submission process in an online procedure. Follow the link and submit your best flash fiction! (But I think they do take non fiction as well. )

Networking Day Three

A few years back, I wrote an article for Brave Hearts. I don't think they exist anymore as a print publication--only online--but they were part of Ogden Publications that offer many magazines to submit to still.

Those of you living in the Midwest or who have farming backgrounds might have a better selection of stories to offer but there are a variety of needs as well as fiction. You might be familiar with Grit, or Cappers or Natural Home to name a few.

My sample for Brave Hearts: "It's a red maple. They said it would grow fast," my husband, Curt, said as he helped his father lift the potted, 3-inch-diameter tree from the bed of the pickup. "I know it doesn't make up for the ones you lost, but it's a start."
Three months earlier, in the summer of 1996, an unprecedented tornado ripped through the little town of Laceyville, PA destroying long-standing homes and downing scores of trees.
More than a dozen stately maple trees had adorned my in-laws' farm. Two particularly large ones had graced the front lawn of the neatly trimmed farmhouse. . .

I had to find a story that would be a rural one and thankfully my in-laws live on a farm. Maybe you've got a story in there that is waiting to be written and would be perfect for one of these publications. Give it a try!

Networking day two

Today I'm posting about Purpose, a Sunday School take home paper for adults that comes out monthly from the Mennonite Publishing Network. I'm not a Mennonite but I did have a story published with them.

Again, this is one of my earlier acceptances and you can always resell these articles.

Sample text from my story:
"Strike three!" The umpire barked with no uncertainty.
I dropped my head in my hands as my daughter stepped out of the batter's box. Spring had ushered in another season of softball. Shelly made the team but would undoubtedly not be a starter. Every night we practiced in our backyard. I threw dozens of pitches only to hear the familiar thud against the backdrop of the playhouse again and again.
"You're out!"
My 13-year-old smiled sheepishly and dared a wave in my direction . . .

This is a paying market (not a lot but hey--it can be a good start) and they send you some copies.

Spread the joy of submission networking

Last week, Heidi asked me to share some ways I search the Internet for submission possibilities. I don't really do a ton of that because mostly I use networking.

So this week I thought I'd throw a little networking party. Most of what I will share will be for the beginner writer who wants to build some clips but maybe some seasoned writers will also want to jump in as well.

Each day, I'll post a place where I've been published and a sample blurb of what was accepted--you can skim that part if you want--but it might be helpful to see what the editor accepted.

What I hope through these posts, is some of the other writers who visit here will also share some places they've been accepted to and offer us a glimpse of what is needed. That's your party invitation!

So today . . .I'm posting about Hearts at Home. a magazine for moms and the place that accepted my first story. (I'm making it easy for you as I've highlighted the writer guideline pages.) They don't pay except in copies but they do publish anthologies now and then and their magazine is quality.

Here's my blurb:

Yellow was my daughter's favorite color. It was one of those trivial facts I'd included in an e-mail when we were preparing our house for a move. Someone had remembered and stored away the tidbit for such a time as this: my daughter's eighteenth birthday in a brand-new city and a brand-new state. Delivered to our door, the mums brightened my daughter's day as much as the sunbeams shining into our partially furnished living room. Someone had remembered a girl who had not yet made any special friends with whom to share her day. Someone had remembered and they sent flowers in her favorite color.
I peeked at the gift card and was sweetly surprised by the greeting. The flowers were from my Internet friend, Lori. She'd heard my plea for my daughter and had responded in a way she knew would touch my child. . .

Now keep in mind-- I wrote this article three years ago (and knew nothing about active or passive) but it was my first and they have since accepted another one to be published this spring.

Hoping many of you who have a story will submit!

The fishless fisherman

I visited a local PetSmart yesterday to soothe a gnawing irrational ache to adopt another pet. First we went to one store but found out the volunteers from a local rescue shelter hadn't brought the dogs.

So then we drove a few miles away to another PetSmart and discovered about ten dogs from a different rescue group camped outside the front doors with their volunteers.

I coaxed my husband to pet a few of the dogs with me.

When I finally asked about the adoption requirements I was told I needed to have vet references. I said I hadn't had a pet in ten years and that was in a different state. The woman in charge said I could apply but rarely do they make exceptions.

Okay--by this time I was feeling a little frustrated. I love animals and suddenly felt like my former pet owner status meant nothing.

So I went a little further and asked her what they would do if I'd never owned a pet before but I wanted to adopt one of their dogs.

She said they would refer me to another rescue shelter.

By this time, my husband had stopped petting the dogs and stood quietly by my side.

So what does my pet search experience have to do with writing, you ask?

Quite a lot.

This pet rescue group probably dreams about adopting out their dogs. They probably even sit in meetings discussing all the pets they will save and put in good homes. They might even buy a fancy van to transport their dogs back and forth to the store every weekend. When they show up with with their dogs and fold up chairs, they smile when people tell them what a great group they are for doing what they do.

But rarely do they adopt out any dogs.

Ok--what about writing?

Think about this. How many people show up at their desks every morning? They probably even turn on their computers and check their emails. I bet they even thumb through a few pages of the The Writer magazine. They might even go so far as to meet with other writers at a writers' group. When people ask what they do, they proudly say "I'm a writer."

But rarely do they write any stories.

Now maybe like the dog rescue group, they have these rules that make it hard for them to do what they want to do. Maybe a publisher doesn't pay enough or the word count is too long. Or maybe the genre is one that they don't care to try or maybe, just maybe . . . they are afraid to get rejected.

They call themselves writers but never write.

Are your restrictions holding you back from accomplishing your goals? Are you spending more time thinking and dreaming about writing than actually writing?

An editor is waiting to adopt your story, your article or your book. Don't make them go to another writer.