Weekly Writing Tip

Characters. They can make you grin or pull out your hair in frustration.


    Last week we talked about naming our characters. It's easier than naming your own children but by just a fraction. :) 

    This week lets talk about the psychological make up of your character. Uh, oh. My character isn't crazy, he's not an axe murderer why do we have to analyze him? Because we need to know what makes your character tick. Everyone has quirks, habits they perform, things that set them off because of events in their lives and a great character 'experiences' those same problems.

    Now, with that being said, the reader may not know everything you know. Just because you know your character to drink three cups of strong coffee and a single piece of toast for breakfast, doesn't mean it might ever make it into the story. The reader doesn't need to know all that is mundane, just what pertains to the story.

     So why bother to know so many details? Because it adds depth and realism to your character. If you understand your character than you know what they will do in situations, how they will react, what emotional response they will have and you will be able to convey this information in a way that captures our emotions and makes us care about your character. There's nothing worse than having a character that no one cares about it. The readers have to care about your characters to care about your story. 

     To start figuring out your character write down this information; where they live, what job do they have, what job would they like to have, what foods they like and what foods they don't like, do they have a pet and how do they treat that pet, their family and the thing they hate most. What are their views and how do those views effect their outlook on life? 

     You don't have to write a complete diary or a novel on your character. You would never have time to write the story if you did that but write a couple of pages just to start to understand your character, realizing that you can add to it as you write the story or even change things if you decide something would work better. You can also write down slang or certain pieces of dialogue they are prone to use. 

     The idea here is to have a reference guide of your character. To add depth to the why your character does certain things. It can also help keep characters consistent if you take the time to write their details down, then as you write the story you can refer back to it as you need to. 

      Remember, this is your character and they need to seem real, like they could step right off the page and into someone's living room. Know the mundane of your character but focus on what makes them likable (or unlikable if need be) and human.

Just a Musing...

Lunar Eclipse and Freezing in the Cold...

       Monday night and into Tuesday morning I was shivering under layers of clothing and a thick blanket watching the slowly disappearing full moon. It was wonderful and agonizing slow. I've never seen a lunar eclipse and didn't realize that they stretch over a bit of time. Or at least it seems a bit slow when your toes are going numb and your nose is as bright as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer's. Brrr. 

      But it was worth it. I'm not going to try to wax poetry here, it isn't my strong point in writing, but the moon was beautiful. A wispy winter cloud cover made it difficult to see the copper orb high above us, but binoculars helped us see more of its awesome red color. And slowly as the minutes past, more and more of the moon faded from the sky. 

     The night was still, the city was quiet. And the Earth was blocking the sunlight from hitting the moon and so for a few minutes in time, the sun, Earth and moon were in alignment. Does it mean anything? I don't know. Some cultures and religions put significance on the event. Is it cool? Completely. When else can you be reminded of how small you are in the universe than when you're watching heavenly bodies line up all in a row?      

      We are all part of something much bigger than we can even imagine. 

     As the moon was nearly completely blocked and had turned a lovely copper color, I woke the kids from their warm beds and they hurried into boots, coats, and mittens. They were ready to see a full lunar eclipse on the night of the winter solstice. My youngest looked at it for a few minutes with a huge grin and then went promptly back to the bed. My oldest pondered the mysteries of the universe through the glass of a heavy set of binoculars and then joked about greeting the start of winter because it seemed just as cold yesterday when it was Fall. Around here winter tends to kick Fall out on her arse a little early. Grin. 

      Twinkle, twinkle little star...because we start to ponder the sky above us from birth. 

     On another brief musing...Last week I wrote about miracles. And it's fascinating me, must be the season. But I came across this quote that I would like to share. 

 “There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”

 Albert Einstein

Merry Christmas to everyone. 

Weekly Writing Tip

Characters. 

Do you have one? Or the faint shadow of one?

      Why do we love stories? Obviously, the plot plays an important part. If you don't have at least a decent plot with all loose ends tied and knotted than you're going to have trouble building a readership. Readers are easily disappointed and will remember if you finished your story by making up something crazy at the end or forgetting to address one of your subplots. Also, you can't rearrange the basics of science or life, unless it's your own world and you have built it up that way. But we'll talk about plot at a later entry. 

      Today we're going to talk about characters and their development. Think about why you love some stories. Yes, the plot was probably good and the writing was more than likely interesting but it's the characters that live in our minds way after the story is finished. If we care about the characters, if what happens to them in the story affects our emotions than we'll remember the story far after the words, 'the end.' 

       So how to make characters that come alive off the page and stay with your readers? You have to know them first. They're your characters, develop them. Think about their name. Most characters carry names that show a bit of their personalities or quirks. Pick a strong name for your alpha males. Choose a elegant name for your lady, unless she's wild and unconventional and than perhaps go by a nickname that reflects her playful attitude. 

       If they carry an unusual or an old fashioned name, explain it. Put a bit of the story around it, make it important. Do a bit of research, what does the name mean? Sometimes you can choose a name for it's meaning rather than just the sound of the name. A great source for names is the Internet, check out any baby naming website. Or the phone book can be an informative location. Parents spend a lot of time stringing names together that sound pleasing to the ear and it can make finding a name easy. (It's also a great way to unblock a muse that doesn't want to give up any names.)

      Don't forget the culture of your character. If it's important to the parents of your character, then a cultural significant name may be valuable to your story. If you're writing historical fiction, names need to be given a bit of thought. The popularity of names go through cycles, so perhaps Doris isn't one of the most popular names of today but in other time periods it would have been. Search the web for the most popular names of today or during certain years.

       Religion can also be a factor in choosing the 'right' name for your character. Especially if you're writing a historical piece. Or if you're writing about characters from other cultures. 

       Memorable names are vital. Think of some of the great classics, Little Women, Tom Sawyer, Anne of Green Gables. Even comic book heroes have awesome names that can be unforgettable. Superman, Spiderman, Wolverine. The characters are with us long after we finish the book. So name your characters with thought, care, and with fun. :)
      

Just a Musing...

Miracles.

Since it's the Christmas season I thought a musing on miracles would be fitting and easy. Whew, was I wrong. Once I started thinking about miracles and the meanings and reasons and origins of such things I was struck by how much punch this one little word can pack. 

First of all...I love the word 'miracle.' It's a strong sounding word. Powerful. Elegant looking. 

And then there's the meaning. From Wikipedia, "A miracle is an unexpected event attributed to divine intervention." Wow, not a shallow definition by any means. It's also one that could be debated, picked apart and used universally in most if not all cultures and religions. 

So using the word to say, 'darn, it will be a miracle if I get these dishes done' is perhaps a misuse of such a powerful and meaningful word, unless of course I have divine help in accomplishing such a mundane task. Which you never know... :) 

I read Guideposts magazine every month and there's always stories on miracles. Perhaps one has to have faith to believe in miracles, otherwise it would be easy to dismiss the event as either a coincidence or good luck. Or maybe the cynics would say we only have miracles because we think there is more than what one can feel and touch and see. The hateful would say miracles can't happen because why wouldn't they happen for everything. Protect us from anything. 

     I say I don't have all the answers. It does seem like the more answers I find, I find ten times as many questions to go with them. But I believe in miracles. Not lightly because I don't have answers but because it simply makes sense to me. 

     Once when my children were little, I inadvertently left the tub full while I dried them off and then forgot about it. Well, my toddler, who couldn't climb out of the tub without assistance fell in but I didn't hear it. Suddenly, this wet and soggy toddler appears, unfazed in the hallway needing a new set of clothing and I realized with only the horror a parent can experience in the deepest halls of their hearts, that something horrible had almost happened. But it didn't. Is there an explanation? Possibly. Perhaps, just once my toddler managed to climb out of a tub, even though everything was wet and slippery.    

      Unlikely. 

      Perhaps, they didn't fall all the way in even though they were totally wet.    

      Grimace. 

      Perhaps, it's a miracle and one I never take for granted. 

      A search on miracle and books will provide quite a list of books about miracles of all sorts. I haven't read many of them. I think the most wonderful fictional book I ever read about miracles was a children's book, 'The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.' By Susan Wojciechowski. The story is bittersweet but more sweet at the end than bitter and the illustrations by PJ Lynch are a pleasure to look at. This book gets read more than once during the month of December. 

       Miracles. A topic that deserves more than just a blog entry.

Monday Musings...

Do you remember the little paragraph in the front of the book stating that this is a work of fiction and all characters are totally made up and in no way, shape or form relate to anyone real? It's a pretty sweeping disclaimer to protect the author and the publisher from people, typically that know you but not always that think you're picking on them. It's an important paragraph to have on you, that way at those family thingys where people wear their quirks on their shirt sleeves, you can whip it out like a three hundred pound shield and read it to them. Trust me, I know I will have to at some point. 

     One year, I wore a t-shirt from Signals. It says, 'Careful, or you'll end up in my novel.' I think it's a fair warning. Because, let the truth be known, but I'm a writer and if I get mad at you, my revenge will be with words. Wahahaha!!!     

     Just be glad I'm not a singer/songwriter then you would find yourself in a song. How horrible would that be, to break up with someone and then a year down the line know that their number one hit song is about how much they hate you? I'm glad hero hottie gave up his band aspirations before we met. Whew. 

      But anyway, back on track. I wore this shirt to his side of the family and someone, they will remain unnamed in case they ever read this, read it and their face dropped, they grew pale, eyes wide with panic and they asked in a horrified voice, "Are you going to write me as the evil witch?"

     "No, of course not." I replied, that would make that little disclaimer at the front of my book a lie. A farce. A planted piece of evidence to protect my guilt. 

     Except, as a writer, we use things that happen to us as ideas, character flaws, plot grippers, tidbits to add depth to the story. We use everything. And even though I wouldn't write a character solely based on one person, they would be an imaginary character to begin with, and then I might take things from the people around me to round them out, I can't say that something that has happened to me isn't ever going to be a story. You may not recognize it by the time I mold it, squeeze it, and shape it to fit my story but writers write about what they know, but especially what they feel. 

       So I guess the moral of this tale is if you wouldn't want it in a song or in a book, then should you be doing it? And I suppose the other moral is don't make a writer mad, they just might slip you into their book and you might just end up locked in a tower or melting from a bucket of water. Wahahaha!!!

    (To clarify, I would never actually write anything revealing or mean about the people around me, I write fiction. It isn't my autobiography. :) 

Writing Tip Wednesday

Since it's Thanksgiving tomorrow, I will be busy spending time with family, eating plenty of pumpkin pie and taking a nap from eating too much food. So writing is usually not on the day's agenda. But here's a writing tip that isn't so much about improving your writing as it is about spending time with family. 

  

     From the craft or scrapbook store purchase an artist sketch book or otherwise bound book with heavy paper. Attach a piece of scrapbook paper to the front and decorate it as you wish but something related to family. Then every holiday bring it out with some colored pencils and thin tip markers. Pass the book around and let every family member write about the day, funny memories, recipes, or other little tidbits of information. Or they can draw a picture. After the holiday attach some photos from the get together in the book. Which each holiday bring it out and pass it around. Soon it will become a treasured book and a great way to remember loved ones, far and near. 

Happy Thanksgiving and remember we make it a point to be grateful on this holiday but as someone important said to me, 'Why do we need a special day to be thankful? Shouldn't we be thankful everyday?' 

Monday Musings...

Hearts are fragile. They are easily bruised, battered, broken, shattered and crushed when stepped upon by big heavy boots of hate and betrayal. And no, I'm not talking about anything hero hottie has done. I'm just speaking of hearts in general. 

 It starts in childhood too. The first time we're teased or bullied, we shut away from the world, cocooning ourselves with shyness, attitude, or fists. I hid my too easily bruised heart behind perfect report cards. So many of our stories start with a heart that has been damaged. Parents that fight, grandparents that die, pets that are hit by cars, first crushes that ignore everything we do to get their attention. (That is a story for another time but lets just say I paid for the lunch he offered to buy me.) 

     If we had great parents (I did) then we usually have enough self confidence to risk failure to go after our goals. If we didn't, then we find other ways to hide our vulnerable hearts, afraid to take too deep a breath in case our spirit should completely shatter. And heaven help the extremely broken, they usually attack others just to survive their own pain. 

     As human beings we are given the extremely important task of watching out for the heart (or spirit) of our fellow people. It doesn't mean we can save everyone's heart. But we can nurture our loved ones, especially our children. Encouraging, loving, being there when we can't protect them from the hurt of the outside world. 

    

     The characters in stories usually suffered from a heart that's been kicked around. And usually the opening scenes show how this pain has effected the character. If it's a happy ending story then the character will meet someone else or a group of people that provide just enough of a safety net for that character to risk failure to obtain something important. If the story is pensive then either the character never finds the courage to take their battered heart out one more time or they do, just to have it totally destroyed. 

     I prefer happy ending stories because life is so difficult anyway and so full of torn and tattered hearts wearing brave faces. So this Thanksgiving remember the pumpkin pie and the kind words. You never know how they might heal a broken heart.

Writing Tip Wednesday

      How long do I work on a story? Well, it depends on the story. Some stories come together like a snowball rolling down a hill. Fast and furious. And other stories take years, slowly being built.

     My stories start with a little, tiny idea. My Keraynn story started a long time ago as a one page scene that caught in my imagination. I liked the scene and the two characters I formed in it so much that I wrote a 65,000 word manuscript around that one idea. I was thrilled until I read it. And then I realized that except for the very basic concept of the story, my characters and Keraynn's abilities, the rest of the book was not so great. I still have that manuscript and it stays in the drawer. I should throw it out, because I shudder to think of anyone reading it. But it was my first attempt of crafting a novel, it has too much sentimental value. 

      And that brings me to my writing tip for this autumn Wednesday. The first time you pen your story, unless you're incredibly lucky, you will be rewriting it. It can be painful if you get too attached to a scene but it can be wonderful too. It's liberating. Because if you know that it doesn't have to be perfect the first time you write your story then you can focus on what is important...The creative process. 

     The first draft is your chance to develop your characters, figure out your plot and realize where you can fit in subplots and to explore the full depths of your story. Heck, a lot of time I discover 'facts' about my characters as I write my novel, which I know sounds crazy. But sometimes you don't think of something until after you have written it and then you experience an 'ah-ha' moment. I like to plan plot and story before I start writing but some details don't emerge until you're writing. 

      Once you have that completed first draft, then let it rest for two weeks. Don't worry about it, don't look at it, and don't think about it. You're shooting for some emotional distance from your writing. Then pull it out and reread it. 

      Don't panic. Maybe it's not as great as you thought it was but that's alright. Because now you're going to start rewriting it. You're going to find holes in the plot that need filled, you're going to find scenes that need shortened. Reading carefully, you're going to check for roving POVs.

     And you're not going to throw in the towel because it's not great the first time. That was just rehearsal. (With a heavy sigh) Sometimes it takes a few rehearsals but it's worth it. 

      So keep writing and keep rewriting. Because your story can be great, it just needs some polishing.

Monday Musings...

        I have some experience with the publishing world. I was raised around writing and books. It's in my blood. Or at least in the genes. I have worked for a small publisher before, watching them acquire manuscripts, edit, edit, and edit the material some more. Check references and facts. (It was non fiction.) And arrange to have the artist paint the cover. It's a process and the office was always stacked with papers, books, manuscripts, letters, and post it notes. Computers faced the windows and when the editor grew tired of reading, she would look out onto the valley before her.

      I love being there, surrounded by words. 

      Which reminds me of a question that hero hottie asked me the other day. We were driving, just doing mundane stuff, the sort of stuff hero hotties have to do outside the realm of romance novels when he asked me if I liked the way words looked. I was a bit surprised by the question, just because I had never given it a lot of thought and certainty hadn't talked to anyone about it, but yeah, I love the way letters look. I like their shapes and I like how when you put certain letters together you get wonderful patterns of shapes. It's visually pleasing. I love how when I write and read, the words sound in my head, making pictures and stories and feelings. Words are amazing. 

      How awesome is it that we can do a little scribble on the paper (or digital scribble with different fonts) and we create ideas and stories and happiness? What else is so simple yet so intense. Wouldn't our world be boring and monochrome if we didn't have the written word? It would sure make blogging difficult. And how would people text? 

     Once we learn how to read, I think we take it for granted but it is a precious gift. One that everyone should receive. And readers are great for writers. It's a symbolic relationship, you can't have one without the other. 

      And now if I could just achieve my dream of getting published. It would be the coolest. But rejection hits me square in the emotions again and I have to focus on why I like to write. And it's not to please an agent that has vastly different views on life than I do. I write for me. And hopefully to inspire a reader. I just have to find an agent that shares similar views. 

      Keep writing.

Writing Tip Wednesday

Autumn is coming with a strong calling card this week. Brrr...The last of the summer flowers are withering from the frigid chill and the fierce winds blow the vibrantly colored leaves from their branches. 

     Now our thoughts start to turn to warm apple cider, soups and writing. 

     What? Really. 

     Yes. If you're stuck in the house, use the time to write. 

      What better way to spend a long, dark evening then sipping on tea and writing. 

     (Spending time with loved ones is vital too. So don't neglect them. Try some new things, like play chess, read a book aloud, or cook new recipes together.) 

    But back to writing...Remember WATT. Easy to say, much harder to accomplish.

     (Quick recap, WATT stands for Write All The Time). 

     A lovely way to practice your writing without worrying about spelling, grammar or expectations is to write in a diary or journal. 

     But instead of boring and drab entries about your morning oatmeal, unless of course something exciting happened while you were eating it, try a technique I call 'tidbits.' 

     Write small slices of your life as if it's a novel in a book. Describe your feelings, use all of your senses. Don't tell---Show it. 

     Even if it's only two or three lines of something funny or cute your child said. Or simply describing how the autumn walk through crunchy leaves with your own hero hottie was magical. 

     Your tidbit journal is a chance to have fun, strengthen your writing and maybe even record your life. 

     I'll share an example, but remember develop your own style. I usually write in the first person but you don't have to limit yourself to only one POV. Sometimes I'll write it from the person's point of view who was experiencing it. 

    Example: 'It had to be one of those days. You know, long and tiring and destined to be unforgettable, but not in a good way. I had only left the kitchen for a few minutes while I was making dinner when suddenly I smelled the awful odor of something burning. Oh, no, what had my fatigued brain done, I thought as I rushed back into the kitchen. 

       I expected burnt food, but to my horror I realized I had turned on the wrong burner. And instead of food cooking, it was my glass baking dish that was heating up. 

      Just as I moved closer to the stove, I heard the ominous sound of cracking glass. 

     Right before it exploded...'

     I could have wrote, 'I had a bad day. Put the glass baking dish on the burner and caused it to explode. Glass flew everywhere. Luckily, no one was hurt.' But that's not as colorful as the first entry. 

    Just remember, have fun with your tidbits. Happy writing and keep warm.

Monday Musings...

Moments...


      Precious minutes. Fragments of breath. Heartbeats filled with joy, awe, grief...

      These are the notes that compose our songs of life. Our entire personal script can be written with a tangled mess of moments that tell our stories. What moments changed the road you were traveling down? One brief tick in time and everything changes. When we tell people stories of our lives, we share the moments that stick out in our memories. The things that mattered to us. Usually because that second in time shaped us in some way. Every little thought changes us, sometimes by such a small degree we don't even realize it until enough tiny thoughts have added up and shifted the ground beneath our feet. And some moments are so intense, burning as bright as the sun, that we nearly don't recognize ourselves the next time we peer in the mirror.

     Sometimes the things we remember are not what we expect to. I don't instantly recall every birthday or Christmas present I ever opened. But I do remember all the details in vivid color, when hero hottie proposed to me, among a gray, cloudy morning and a horde of biting mosquitoes. Who can forget huge welts on their calf when they're in love? :)

     But seriously, that moment changed every other moment after that because obviously I said yes. I don't remember the day after, I was floating on cloud nine and I don't, fortunately, recall all the tedious details of planning the wedding, yet that memory is so alive it could have happened a few weeks ago.

    Giving birth, finding our wonderful Buddy at the pound, hiking too many miles, listening to music together and watching Christmas lights, they're all moments in my life. There's so many I couldn't even possibly write them all down. I would bore you too, because although the time hero hottie and I made bagel sandwiches and French fries for dinner while we were dating was important. It was one of the first times we cooked together, it's not a thrilling story. :)

     Moments are vital. They shape us, they change us, they keep us sane.

     And moments are valuable in a book too. A story is composed of moments, carefully and artfully stitched together to make you feel with the characters, to watch their growth as every little moment changes them. And hopefully, if it's a good story, towards a better them. Writing a book is a lot like life...composed of moments that wring the heart the most, sprinkle a bad hair day or two in there and with the realization that we wouldn't be who we are without our fist full of moments to treasure. 

Writing Tip Wednesday...ahh, Friday

If you don't have a thesaurus buy one. That's my writing tip for this week. Simple and straight to the point. But why does every great writer needs a thesaurus? Did the classic authors have one? I don't know. Should you have one? Yes. It's an absolute must, maybe even before a dictionary.  

According to Marc McCutcheon, you can also use the following words to describe a thesaurus.

 "thesaurus n. lexicon, word treasury, synonym finder, word book"

     I would still call it a thesaurus, but right away you have four other words you could use to describe it if you had too. Just with a slight flick of the wrist. It's that easy.

     I like my thesaurus because I can locate the words I need to use to accurately describe the emotions in my stories. The book is wonderful, great, helpful, useful...and I could find a hundred more words within its paper walls to paint my pictures. 

     My favorite thesaurus is Roget's Super Thesaurus by Marc McCutcheon. I have the first printing edition from 1995. It's torn, the binding is falling apart, and I've put dozens of stickers on the cover. The book is well used, always next to my computer and even went to college with me a long time ago. I was even geeky enough to talk about my adoration of the thesaurus in a speech class. What a nerd. :) 

     When you buy one, then purchase the Roget's Super Thesaurus. It is so well written. Not only does it contain a comprehensive collection of synonyms but it has other, useful, information. It has mini lessons on nouns, such as farm. Not only will he tell you the synonyms; plantation, ranch, grange; but he tells you what the terms are related to farming. Not sure what a horse enclosure is called? It's called a corral. It saves so much time, especially when the mind is drawing a blank and your muse is on her coffee break. 

      There are sample sentences using the words and even quotes from famous people. At the end of the word entry are the antonyms, in case your muse is really enjoying her Double Chocolate Caramel latte with soy milk and you can't think of the word you need but you can think of something that is opposite of that. Trust me, it happens...

     You can purchase this book at amazon.com

      This is a great book and every writer needs a thesaurus at their fingertips. Words are our tools and we should have an easy list of them to access. So thank you Mr. McCutcheon for writing an awesome guide on what writers use most...words.  :)

      

Monday Musings...

The wait...It's agonizing. Every time I check my email I hold my breath, wondering and hoping, fingers crossed in anticipation. 

On October 7th, I sent out ten queries to ten different agents regarding my young adult fantasy novel, Keraynn Healer of Carvada. It took most of the day to accomplish this deceptively simple task. First, I had to research which agencies and which agents were looking for a story in fantasy. I hoped I picked the right ones. Then I crafted a catchy query letter trying to draw attention to my characters and to hook the agents into my story. I avoided the boring details about me or how much my sister enjoyed the book. I introduced myself and basically went right into the story. 

Once I had this completed and edited, I edited again. Always, always read something more than once. I will read something five times and still miss a grammar mistake. You want it to be as perfect as possible. Make sure your spelling is correct and grammar is accurate. 

This is followed by addressing it personally to the agent you're seeking to reach. And make sure their name is spelled correctly. Take the time to write a professional, catchy and short query letter. From rumors on the internet I hear it helps reel in the attention of agents. So far, I have noticed I do at least receive rejection emails back, so it must help generate some attention. Actually I have received personal rejection letters from agents that were at least thinking about taking on my writing. This is a much better feeling than the worse rejection letter I ever received. This one was a form letter, with both spelling and grammar mistakes. It must have been written by an intern, never even making it to someone that could make real decisions. That was a downer. 

Since my agent quest began I have already received two emails back, regrettably informing me that the material wasn't right for their office. Do I feel disappointed? A bit. Do I keep trying? Absolutely. 

In the mean time. I start on my next project because a writer has to write. And no query letter, rejection email, or agents that don't understand what they're missing are going to stop me. :)

Writing Tip Wednesday

Ahh, food...   

   This next tip may seem a bit odd because it has nothing to do with writing or reading yet it will improve your writing. 

       I know, you're thinking, 'what the heck?' Or maybe you're hoping that I have some magic secret that will transform you into a New York Times Bestseller author without having to do a thing. I wish. :)

      No, this is actually easier and harder than that. If you want to be a better writer than you need to eat better. Seriously. A healthy body is a healthy brain and what organ do you need to write? 

     And when I'm talking healthy, I'm talking really healthy. Throw out everything you know about the food pyramid and elementary school nutrition classes and actually learn some real nutrition. 

     Here are five tips just to get you started. 

     1. Stop eating food from a box, a can or from the microwave. Most of these items have been processed to the point they need a million milligrams of salt just to make them palpable. (Not seriously a million, that's sarcasm. But it's a lot.) They also contain chemicals, flavorings, MSG's, and other things that nature didn't grow. 

     2. Eat more raw fruits and veggies. In fact, eat as many as you want. Before your meal, eat an apple, munch on some sweet orange carrots, or go bold...eat broccoli spears. Fruits and veggies are loaded with nutrition and fiber. And they taste good. If at first your taste buds don't believe me, just keep trying. It might take a few weeks to grow fond of them. And buy organic if you can. 

     3. No more soda. Of any kind. It's not good for you. There is nothing nutritional acceptable about soda pop. Just Google 'health problems and soda pop'. It will astound you. Drink water. Even juice. 

     4. Avoid the drive through. I know you're busy and the thought of cooking is enough to make you yank out your hair and leave the room screaming. But the benefits in the long run are so worth it. Do you think refined flour buns with cheap meat and a side of fried potatoes are good for you? Healthy for your kids? And the calorie content? OMG!

     5. Start your day right. Not food company 'right'. Eat a healthy breakfast. No more cereal with four different kinds of sugars in it, or refined waffles with fake maple syrup, eat something healthy. Have some fruit, some eggs, even some multi grain bread with natural nut butter on it. But avoid the foods made just from sugar, refined starches and artificial flavorings. 

     And now you're demanding to know how this will help your writing? I know, I can hear you loud and clear. But it will. Your body needs fuel to function and just like an engine when it has the proper fuel it can perform better and longer. When you eat crappy foods, you're going to feel awful. When you eat foods that are good for you, you're going to feel more energetic. And then you're thoughts are clearer, you're more focused and you can accomplish more things.

      A great website to start learning about better nutrition is naturalnews.com 

     So give good nutrition a spin, you might just like what it does for your writing. :)

Monday Musings...

Balance...

       How much do we allow our lives to be unbalanced? How much control do we even have? There are many wise and wonderful people who speak of balance and finding that state. Just Google 'finding balance and quotes.' You will be given almost 300,000 answers to choose your favorite quote from. So with the internet at your fingertips I won't spend the entire blog entry giving you quotes except for one. 

          John Mellencamp's song, 'Between a Laugh and a Tear,' I know there's a Balance, I see it when I swing past.

          Seriously, when I'm stressed and overwhelmed, I hear this lyric in my head and I have this image of me hugging a huge pendulum, swinging back and forth in the vastness of a blue sky. Sometimes I'm quite stressed in the image, squeezing the gold pendulum with all my might and other times I'm shouting into the empty, trying to find my sanity. 

          We are all busy people. Mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, friends, lovers...people. Our lives move so quickly, darting away from us before we can catch up to the moment. We struggle to make a living, feed the children, walk the dog, clean the house, send a birthday card, make a phone call. Our thoughts are whirlwinds, like hurricanes in our head of past memories, lost loves, and future hopes. Yet, we forget to balance. We forget to stay in the moment. 

          Balance. It's finding your breath in the stillness and wonder of your child's first step, their toothy grins, and giggles over new crushes. It's forcing the worries and stresses from our minds for just an hour so we focus completely on being with the one we chose to go through this crazy life together. 

       It's choosing to write either a blog entry or teach your child something special. 

       Balance isn't easy to find. It's elusive, slipping through our fingers with each tick of the clock. We lose it under the pile of bills and the loads of laundry. But it's important. 

       Without balance you lose time with your children or your friends. You don't have time to accomplish your dreams. You eat way too much ice cream. 

       Next time your balance is swinging like a taunt in front of you, close your eyes, breathe slowly through the nose and out through the mouth, and then reach out and grab the ornery thing. 

       Balance is up to you. So breathe.

Writing Tip Wednesday

     I'm going to assume that most writers already follow this writing tip without much prompting. But in case you don't, then the writing tip for today is to read. 

     

     Read a lot. Read often. And read different things. 

     

     Your library card should be your best friend. (Not literally, real friends are good, but I couldn't get along very well without my library card.) 

     Reading is so-oo important. You're immersing yourself in words, surrounding your brain with rhythms and cadences. Structure and form. It's a superfood for your mind. 

     Read books of the genre you enjoy. Read books of New York Times Bestseller authors. Read books, not just cliff notes, from classic authors. 

     And don't just stay in the creative world of make believe and pretend. Venture into the world of information and facts. Find a subject, such as dancing, and read a book about it. There's no quiz after the book, I assure you so don't stress about all the facts and terminology. 

     Just enjoy and who knows maybe one of your characters will benefit from your 'dance lessons'. 

     Read. Pick your favorite author. Right now, for historical romance, I'm partial to Hannah Howell. I love to slowly read the lines she wrote. Just to enjoy her skill and obvious love of telling the story. 

    I study when she pauses in a scene to build up tension, the way she uses tense or funny dialogue to both move the scene and make you fall in love with the characters. I really enjoy her stories. 

     Now, pick some books to read and make yourself a cup of tea. (Of course, being a busy parent I understand if finding time to read is difficult. Heck, finding time to write is nearly impossible but I find time to read if I turn off the television. Just an idea.)  :) 

     And just a side note- as a writer we want children to appreciate reading but with a constant onslaught of media it can hard to encourage their love of books. So help them. If you have children buy them books from the time they're born. As they get older take them to the library and the bookstore. 

     For Christmas buy them a gift card to a bookstore and then let them browse and pick their own selections. 

     If you don't have kids, contact an elementary school and see if you can donate books. Teachers and schools love books as much as writers do.

In conclusion, 'Happy Reading.'

Monday Musings...

Oh, how sweet is Puppy Love...

I'm not talking about teenage angst. Middle school agony. Diaries filled with mindless obsessions for the cute boy in the front row. (I'm not talking from personal experience.)

I'm speaking of real, undying puppy love. Sloppy smooches. Unrelenting passion. Unwavering devotion.

Endless hours of licking each other's ears.

What?

Yeah, undying puppy love includes the loving attention of cleaning your partner's ears when you're a dog.         

    Panther is a little Jack Russell Terrier with a sense of love and loyalty that only is portrayed by the best romance heroes ever; such as the legendary Romeo. 

     Panther, his little white and tan body eager to see his love, sits outside Jezzy's door, day or night, his devotion clear to see in his little brown eyes, innocent and loving.

     "Oh, Jezzy, Jezzy. Where are thou my sweet Jezzy?" (Not exact quotes, dogs in love care more about licking their darling's ears than repeating the lines of Shakespeare to the word.)

     Jezzy scratches the inside of the door, knowing her true love is outside howling for her, barking for her release from the cruel confines of the house.

    "Oh, Jezzy. I perish without you by my side." Panther waits outside in the shade under the hot sun for his love. He waits patiently outside her door in the darkness, huddled and shivering, hoping for her loving body to warm him. 

     He brings her toys and treats, little tokens of his passion for her. And when she's finally released to be with her love, she lavishes him with attention.        Licking his ears, nipping at his ankles, rolling with him in the grass. And when they don't think the humans are looking, he chews right through the leash that keeps her close to the house so they can run away together. 

     They have it all planned. He will chew her leash until she has her freedom and one day they will leave on the open road.
      But the humans are smarter than they think and she isn't allowed to escape with her true love so he waits for their stolen moments together instead. 
     Ahh, puppy love. Sweet and loyal. Sexy and daring.
     Now, that's the perfect romance hero. :)

Writing Tip Wednesday

     Since this is my first Writing Tip Wednesday post, I feel like I should inspire you with my great words of wisdom and incredible sense of wit. 

     Not to mention my charm. 

     And did I inform you of my humble nature? 

     No? Well then, I think we better skip that for another time and I'll just tell you the same basic tip you will hear from every single writer. 

     You. Must. Absolutely. Always. Forever. Without fail...

     Write All The Time 

     Or WATT for short. 

     How important is WATT? 

     It's the difference between wanting to be published and being published. It's the difference between writing stories that you hope no one ever sees and stories you want everyone to read.

    Even if it's only ten minutes before you go to bed or a page on your lunch break, it's vital to learning your craft. 

     You can learn all the rules of grammar and carry around a thesaurus like a loaded weapon but if you're not writing you won't refine your technique.

     You won't find your voice. 

     Now its time for my big confession....insert intense movie score here...sometimes I have to make myself write. 

    Seriously. And everyone who knows me can stop laughing now because they all know I like to write as much as I talk. Alot. Constantly. Without end. 

    But sometimes when my muse has forgotten that if she drinks a triple shot coffee drink thingy, they call a depth charge at the local coffee shop, that while the words will flow quickly and efficiently for a few hours...

    That suddenly and without warning her musing will be in peril and down she goes. 

    Caffeine crash. Urghh. 

    But this does not matter. You must write. 

    WATT. 

   It will become your new four letter word but your writing will improve. So to help with this I'm including five helpful hints. 

   1. Turn off your television. Throw it out. Give it away. At least limit yourself. Because you will survive the water cooler sessions if you don't know who was kicked off Dancing with the Stars or American Idol. 

   2. Start a journal or diary. But don't write, "dear diary, I had a blueberry muffin today." Really? Instead write about the quaint little coffee shop you purchased it from. Write about the characters that hang out at the coffee shop. Paint a picture. 

   3. Start writing down entire dialogues that you hear. Go to a coffee shop or restaurant and write down exactly word for word what is being spoken. Be discrete and don't use it for blackmail. That's rude. Use it to study patterns and rhythms of people's speech. 

    4. Need a starter. Try one of these sentences and write a few pages. 

             A. Fred was of average height with nondescript features and a handshake that could...

             B. If the cat hadn't stepped out into the road at that very moment I decided to throw the ball then...

             C. Kelly O'Reilly pushed the cold, stiff body of her husband into the...

   5. Clone yourself. Then you can write while the other you goes to work...If that's not an option, then commit to 30 days. Without fail. Because after that it's a habit and it will be easier to stick with it. 

     So there you have it. WATT. The one writing tip you will hear every time from nearly every writer. Why? 

     Because it works. :)

Monday Musings...

Why do We*  Write?

*(people compelled to pen their thoughts until eyes are strained and fingers are sore)

     The dirty dishes are stacked in the sink and along the edges and on the stove, they are all calling my name. 

     But I ignore their siren call. 

     My dog, Buddy, has left mini hairy versions of himself all over my house. If he doesn't care, I'm trying hard not to either. (I almost lose this battle and nearly pull out the vacuum.) 

     The living room looks like a toy store that has been hit by a tornado. Don't walk in there. 

    Yet, what am I'm doing...

    I'm writing. I can't stop and I think I'll growl if someones tries to interrupt me. But I'm nearly done with this short, sexy story I'm been working on for weeks now. I'm also wrapped up into my story of my old West horse rancher and big city singer. They're just about to overcome their fears to follow the dictates of their hearts and they're about to give in to the fires of their desires. 

     I don't even know if I'll be able to get it published but I write anyway. 

     Because I have to. 

     Sometimes I don't think being a writer is a choice. I think its something I have to do. A function akin to eating or breathing. 

     It's that serious. :) 

    I would simply shrivel up and die if I couldn't write. 

     Even if I don't reach my goal of being a published author, (although, I would cry for a while with the death of that dream) I wouldn't stop writing. 

     I simply couldn't. 

    Ask hero hottie. He knows. If I haven't had a chance to write in a while I become quite grouchy. 

    And no one likes grouchy me. :) 

    So let the dishes pile up a few extra hours and the living room be a mess but don't interrupt my writing. (Unless the house is on fire or you're hero hottie and you want to help research a scene with me.) 

To Challenge or Not to Challenge...

     Just the other moment I had a very good idea that my husband, we'll call him hero hottie in this blog, and I should take a day and hike an eleven mile trail.

      It was a grand idea, well planned and thought out because we have hiked many times before just not that many miles at once. 

     But seven hours later...

    I mockingly cursed the universe for putting the most dangerous part of the hike at the end of it. 

    My hero hottie laughed but I think he was questioning my sanity at this point. 

    Our eleven mile hike, already an exciting challenge, had turned into eighteen grueling miles thanks to government cuts at the forest service and trails that were horribly mismarked. 

     Inexperience of wild and unmanaged trails played no part in the extra mileage. :) 

     The last part of the trail was 'paved' with ankle breaking rocks and scenic drop offs. 

     No safety guards provided. 

     Deadly and beautiful. 

     And challenging. 

     We made it to the end, alive (obviously) and without any broken bones. 

    Sore and exhilarated though. 

    Sometimes a good challenge is the perfect prescription for the soul stuck in a rut. 

    Or to remind us that life isn't just about (or isn't at all about) paying bills, washing dishes, or crying over rejection slips. 

     It's about all the emotional stuff us writers and artists try to convey in words or pictures. 

     If we hadn't lost misplaced the trail a few times we wouldn't have seen an eagle with wings that seem to span the entire sky or a caterpillar so huge we could see the expression on his face. 

     A few times I wanted to quit, we had a cell phone on us, the temptation was there. 

     But then I wouldn't have seen or known or felt the things I did. 

     I wouldn't had been given precious time with hero hottie in this crazy, busy world we inhabit. I wouldn't have known that I make up silly, raunchy songs and sing them loudly for the forest critters when I want to give up and just live right on the trail for the rest of my life.

     And it's the same with writing my (third, unpublished) novel. I could have quit at any time. I could still throw in the desire to be published as I struggle to finish the whole 'becoming an author' process. 

     But what things would I miss along the way???? :)