10 Days of Truth

It's been ten days since I posted last and I've thought about that post everyday since.
So, today I'm posting some of my thoughts back to you.

 First off we have Day one - Sluffing the Real Stuff was posted. 

Hmm.... Instant guilt.

 My main thoughts these past ten days have been about how writing is the real stuff and even though I mentioned that a tiny bit at the bottom of my post it's not how I was feeling that day. 

 To really be an author I have to remember what the real stuff really is.

 Day two - Support network.

 Get one where ever you can so you don't end up a puddle on the bathroom floor.  

I'm still remembering and feeling pretty bad. Unfortunately my husand doesn't love my going off to write. Fortunately I have fabulous friends who encourage, and eventually even my husband comes around... for awhile. 

 Day three - Be proud of the writer that you are. 

 We're all at different levels of learning. 

After wallowing in my self destructive thoughts for a while I started telling myself that I'm an author and it's ok to be proud of that. Even when there is no book with my name on it backing me up. 

Being an author with nothing to show for it is no easy task. True no one can judge you but at the same time no one can really make up their mind about you at all. So it's like your status of author is really just a figment of the imagination, theirs, yours, it doesn't matter because it's not really there.

 However, I'm learning to be proud of the fact that even though I'm still learning, I love being an author. I think I'm good, hopefully getting better, and I can be proud.

Day four - Be proud but not stubborn 

Not being able to learn how to be a better writer is just stupid. 

We join critique groups and ask peoples opinions. Then we say no that's the way I intended it, or but I really liked that part, or I like it the way it is. Nobody's perfect, so, listen and assume that these wonderful people we've surrounded ourselves with might actually know something!

 Day five - Do It!

The difference between people who succeed and people who don't is the success stories actually did it.

I realize writing is a job for an author. I've come to terms with this in several other aspects of my life, but it was interesting to me that I had to realize this for my writing as well. You think you know something but a few days after my post I was thinking about "the real stuff" and realized I hadn't opened my laptop since I typed up all my guilt on day one. So, I remembered my thoughts that having talent doesn't make you a success. Acting on it and finishing does. Of course with a few other details involved :) 

 Day six - Be positive. 

There is no wagon so you can't fall off. Just keep going.

 Somewhere around this point I was starting to feel pretty good about writing and my books. It was kinda nice. Truthfully negativity has it's place in anticipating and solving many problems but being positive about our writing helps us keep at it, and that is something we all need.

 Day seven - Life happens whether you write or not so write 

Life started getting busy about this point and despite my husbands upturn in support, and my positivity, I was was losing out on writing time.

 So, write when you can and steal some moments to write even if you don't think you can. 

The world keeps turning no matter what.

 Day eight - Work on what you've got. 

Write down your new ideas but for goodness sake go finish something!

I've had several new ideas lately and they're all very exciting, but I was watching my daughter start on her third, fourth, or fifth new story and I couldn't help myself. "Ally! Finish something!" I whined to her. Yeah it was kinda whining, because frankly I want to read the end of some of those stories, but I couldn't help thinking of my own half finished stories as I said it. 

So, yeah. Go finish something!

 Day nine - Goals are achievable!

 All you have to do is make them and fight for them! And I do mean fight :)

Goals are a little scary too, because they make us accountable, but if we don't have a goal we don't know where we're going do we. That's even worse than Dorthy's misleading yellow brick road. 

So, fight for it! The Emerald City is waiting!

 Day ten - It's Dew Time

Hehe, I love DEW time. It's so easy! Thirty minutes and no guilt! More than thirty minutes is pure joy! Check out this post if you don't know what DEW time is, I'll write my own later :) Now, go DEW it!

Sluffing The Real Stuff

My toes are buried under a pile of laundry on my unmade bed, there's a stack of papers next to me and what am I doing?

Sitting under it all typing away on my story! What a happy way to start the morning :)

Haha, OK! It would probably be happier with all of it done but it won't last long. I'll sluff it for a moment, then have to get up and take care of things because life happens and has to be dealt with. 

Who's to say I'm really sluffing anyhow?

 It all depends on your frame of mind. There's a story full of very real imagery and experiences to the people inside it. They and I deserve to have that story told! Writing and stories fill my head and for the moment I'm reveling in it. 

So am I sluffing the real stuff, or sluffing what's really the background to living life? 

Yeah, I said it. Laundry is the monotony of a life un-lived.

 Of course nobody wants to live that life naked. 

So, this'll be me later today but for now...

just give me five more minutes... 'kay.

Where's Chloe today: Talkin' with her momma and hoping not to choke mid convo!

Fine I'll Read Another Book

So I love reading. Surprise :) 

My girls read and a couple have even been writing as well. (I so love this! When they read their work my chest puffs up and a batter from the world series couldn't knock the smile off my face.) 

Reading allows me to escape but writing swallows me whole. When I start writing I can't escape my story for days. My characters follow me around and every conversation inspires something. Unfortunately that inspiration can be less than focused and I usually get several new book ideas while listening to peoples own epiphanies, but, what's been strange for me, is when reading becomes work. 

I currently have a stack of books to read. Granted, much smaller than an editors, but way larger than I'm used to piling up and my rainy days are seriously lacking! So I've got to knock some of them out. Not to mention the fifteen million other things on my list such as, taxes, kid pick ups, kid drop offs, taxes (April is coming really fast this year), bills, dinner, lunch, breakfast, clean up from the previous three, etc. And, my kids like to imagine that some day I might stop and play with them! How dare they :) 

I don't know what people are talking about when they say that time flies! OK that's a lie, but how else am I supposed to justify sticking my kid in front of a video game or saying "Mommy will be down in a minute!" When I really mean a few hours, if I can escape the computer by then, and not have some other urgent to-do item come up. 

So what to do because the weather has taken a turn for the worse and I'm looking at some rainy days, and frankly I'd like to put the to-do list away, shove the stack of books behind the piano, and just write. 

The picture has no real tie to my post :) I just happen to love old bookstores, old bikes, the architecture. 

Well it looks kinda rainy, so there, I tied it in!

The problem with spinning theories.

Seriously, I get way to caught up in theory spinning. Fan fic flies in my head the minute I finish a good book.

Right now it's driving me nuts, I'm supposed to be packing and instead I'm surfing around looking for people reading Inevitable, by Tamara Hart Heiner and spinning theories anywhere someone will listen to me. 

That's the real problem with reading a good book. It makes me spend way to much time on the internet and I waste my day away... 

...so, anyone want to dish? :)

Ode to the Pen

I've been struggling with a laptop that doesn't want to cooperate with my on the move style of writing.

• I want to write everywhere. It prefers being plugged into the wall.
• I want to access my work in a more easily view-able format. It doesn't like to save in dropbox. (Or maybe it just refuses to update what it does save. I can't decide)
• I move from one thought to the next very quickly. It thinks I need time. Probably to contemplate the nature of every possible story line before continuing on with the plot. (Jerk. I guess it doesn't trust me.)

Oh well, in any case I was inspired by a post at  QueryTracker Blog by Jane Lebak She wrote about writing in notebooks and after reading it I stared at my stack of neglected notebooks and was kinda surprised at how similar my feelings are about writing in them. 

I still need the computer, obviously, but I really believe I write better when it's come from my brain, to the paper. Like somehow my heart is attached to those tools and when I insert a keyboard between my fingers and the story, I lose feeling. Maybe I think about things to much, or not enough, but in any case I'm pulling out the notebooks and pens and going to work... again :) 

Go check out her post and her friends posts as well if we want to be all unbiased and junk, and get inspired!

If you really want that ode...
Oh the glory of this thine ink!
Why must the words thou holds be hid from me?
Spill them, spill them forth that I might joy in their wonder!
Share thy secrets with us all.
The glory that thou holds.

Hehe, Share an ode with me! I'm totally not being serious in writing that. Honestly...
 I don't even know what an ode really is! So don't think just write and share your ode to writing!

Current WIP - Today I'm hoping to find out some dynamics in the conflict between Chloe and her father. 

Movement for the hips, Makes time for the hands

I've been Zumba-ing like crazy lately and while it's made me feel incredibly busy all this week, today... 

all I want to do is write!!! 

All week I've been stressing over not being home long enough to brush my teeth and shower so today it's now 10 o'clock and I've barely tiptoed out of bed, but my laptop is looking pretty darn good!

My little people are cuddled in the bed with me and if you ask me it's shaping up to be a pretty darn good day!

So hurrah for all those busy, crazy, things we do! They wear us out and exhaust us but, maybe when that day off comes, it will mean more writing for you!

What are some of the things that keep you to way to busy! 

You know it's happened at least once!

An Inevitable Favorite!

Hey everyone! I'm feeling the need to share some book love! 

I found out about a party that I want to invite you all to! Aren't I such a good friend! :)

Well, I'm not exactly throwing the party, but hey you can be grateful for that too! Party planning is not one of my best skills. So, no, not throwing it... but I know the fantastic author who is! 

Tamara Hart Heiner is having a launch party on Feb. 1st 

for her new eBook "Inevitable"!

 It's fantastic story that I never wanted to end, with characters that I couldn't stop thinking about! I loved it!

Then, since it's Tamara Hart Heiner, besides a fabulous book you're getting a fabulous party! 

Go check out her blog or read up on it through this Facebook event page. 

There will be lots of prizes, free books, eBooks  and more! And what's a book launch without some serious reading time! That's where you'll find me in a couple days!