Notes From the Writing Chair

Writing Speculative Fiction: Part III--Rules for Writing Speculative Fiction

2012-01-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

Of course all the normal rules for good writing apply to speculative fiction (and you can read about those rules here if you like), but there are some others to consider if you want to write science fiction or fantasy--and all their myriad sub-genres.

Know Your Audience: Okay, this one applies to all writing, too. When you are writing speculative fiction, you need to understand that your audience is bright, curious and looking for something to ignite their sense of wonder. They like to figure things out for themselves rather than have it handed to them. You should not talk down to your spec-fic audience. They hate that. You have to go easy on the explanations of things or they'll get irritated and stop reading. I'll go into the handling of exposition in more detail in another post.

Know What's Already Out There: I suppose this is true for any genre also. You need to know what's already been done in the speculative fiction world so you're not just rehashing old ideas. Of course, there are never really any new ideas, but you have to give those ideas your own fresh perspective and you can't do that unless you know what perspectives have already been done to death. Reading speculative fiction, and lots of it, is basically the only way to accomplish this.

Internal Consistency: When writing speculative fiction, you're going to create a whole new world, or perhaps it will be our world, but with a different set of rules. Your world must be consistent with itself, or your readers will hate you. Your technology must function the same way all the time. Your magic must operate by the same set of rules all the time. Your readers have to willing suspend their disbelief, and it is hard to do that if your world doesn't abide by it's own set of rules. World building will also be the topic of a near-future post.

So, any other speculative fiction rules I might have missed?

Up next: Writing Speculative Fiction: Part IV--Exposition

Read Part I--What is Speculative Fiction?

Read Part II--The Difference Between Science Fiction and Fantasy

Favorite Character Blogfest: Introducing Derek Halstead

2012-01-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

I don't sign up for many blogfests, but this one sounded fun. Plus, I figure it's time to start introducing the Defenders of the Covenant to the world. Laura Josephsen is hosting this one and there are even prizes up for grabs. Go check out her blog to read the other entries.

We're supposed to pick our favorite character (Oh, so hard!) and introduce them to you with a little snippet. There are even prizes up for grabs! So here goes. Introducing my personal favorite, Derek Halstead. (Though, I must say I love all my characters. Really. I feel like a mother asked to choose a favorite child!)

Derek is eighteen years old, smart, nerdy and shy. He's about 5' 8", has dark hair, brown eyes, and can't see without his glasses. Sounds like your typical nerd, huh? But Derek is far from typical. Here's a little snippet from Defenders of the Covenant. Derek, Hannah, Jeremy and McKenzie have just left their hidden refuge for the first time in their lives, and Derek realizes that they won't be able to return:

************

Derek slapped his hand against the stone wall and hung his head. He chastised himself for letting Jeremy taunt him into leaving the refuge. The whir of the flying machine outside echoed through the cave. He pressed his hand harder against the rock. The gritty roughness bit into him, controlling the fear and frustration that threatened to undo him.

Hannah stood beside him, whispering through the dark, "The leaders will come for us, won't they?" Her voice shook. She wanted reassurance that Derek couldn't give her. Oh, he longed to put his arms around her, to comfort and protect her, but he was smart enough to know that she didn't want that from him. And he couldn't tell her everything would be fine when he knew it wouldn't. More frustration knotted up inside him. Without answering, he walked away and crouched at the cave's entrance.

"Yeah," Jeremy piped up. "We'll just hide in here until they do."

The idiot. "Be quiet," Derek hissed back at him. If the leaders opened the doors now, the refuge would be exposed. He could see the machine out there, hanging in the sky, a dark orb barely distinguishable from the night. No one came out of it, though. Probably a probe, he thought.

**************

Well, that's Derek. Defenders of the Covenant will be available from Walnut Springs Press in February or March of this year. In case you've missed my previous posts, here's a description of the book:

Hannah and her friends have been warned about the danger lurking outside of their secret refuge, but some things, like friendship and freedom, are more important than staying safe.

Hannah and Derek have spent their lives hidden underground, out of the reach of the alien invaders who devastated the world years before. When McKenzie and Jeremy decide to run away, Hannah and Derek follow, determined to bring their friends home.

Once outside, the four teens soon realize they cannot return to their refuge without endangering everyone there. Captured, enslaved and separated, Hannah, Derek and McKenzie each learn the unique role they must play in liberating the Earth, because even an alien invasion cannot stop the work of God.

P.S. The Writing Speculative Fiction series will return on Friday!

Writing Speculative Fiction: Part II-The Difference Between Science Fiction and Fantasy

2012-01-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm going to do a series of posts on speculative fiction for a class I'll be teaching at an upcoming writing conference. Hope you all will find some value here!

As you can see from my last post, speculative fiction covers a wide array of genres. Today, I'm going to focus on what are, in my opinion, the two main branches of speculative fiction, science fiction and fantasy. The two have some similarities and some differences. Let's take a look at each.

Both sci-fi and fantasy deal with the world as we don't know it. In other words, they both speculate about what could be different from our known reality. At it's simplest, difference between the two is that sci-fi deals with aliens and spaceships, fantasy deals with wizards and elves. That's an oversimplification, but it does work.

Science Fiction deals with science and technology. What could possibly be out there that we just haven't developed or don't know about yet. I've heard many times that science fiction has to have some aspect of science so intrinsically tied into the plot that if you remove the science, you have no plot. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is the oft cited example--perhaps the world's first science fiction novel. That is true, if you want to give a strict definition, but I find a lot of leeway in most novels that clearly fall into the science fiction realm. If it's set on another planet, deals with aliens, takes place in space, deals with technology or society of the future (or even an alternate past), then it's sci-fi in my book.

Fantasy deals with magic of some sort. It's not considered scientific or technological. It's a power that usually only certain people possess. Fantasy can be set in medieval times, modern times, or even in the future, on Earth or some other world entirely, though usually the world is more like an alternate earth than another planet out in space somewhere. That's not a hard and fast rule, though. This is an art after all, not a science. ;) Fantasy often deals with non-human creatures who are native to the earth/world of the story--not aliens from somewhere else.

Of course, there are many flavors of both sci-fi and fantasy, and many times the two are blended and can be hard to separate or classify. To me, that is one of the strengths of speculative fiction. It's inclusive. It's adaptable and it's fun!

Next up: Part III--Rules For Writing Speculative Fiction

Read Part I--What is Speculative Fiction?

Writing Speculative Fiction--Part I: What is Speculative Fiction?

2012-01-17T09:51:00.001-07:00

I'm going to do a series of posts on speculative fiction for a class I'll be teaching at an upcoming writing conference. Hope you all will find some value here!

Speculative fiction, according to Wikipedia, is: "an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as related static, motion, and virtual arts."

In other words, speculative fiction is the type of fiction that speculates about something contrary to our known reality. Speculative fiction answers the question, "What if?".

What if we had faster-than-light space travel?

What if aliens visited Earth?

What if magic were real?

What if dragons existed?

What if a natural disaster destroyed civilization as we know it?

The possibilities are limitless, once we willingly suspend our disbelief. I think that's why I love reading, watching and especially writing speculative fiction so much.

What are your thoughts on what constitutes speculative fiction?

Up next: Part II: The difference between science fiction and fantasy

The Book That Started It All

2012-01-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Back in 1988, I went into the back room of Blockbuster Video for my dinner break. Bored, I picked up a book on the table and started reading. I read three chapters before my break was over and I had to put it down. I loved those three chapters. I couldn't wait to read more! But the next day, the book wasn't there anymore. I didn't know who had brought it and I couldn't remember the title or the author. Oh, well. I didn't think about it again. Until...

1989. I'm in college and a friend told me I just had to read this wonderful book. He handed me Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I was delighted to realize that was it! The book I started to read at Blockbuster. Naturally, I loved it. I remember reading the end of the book in a car with a guy friend who was driving us back to BYU after visiting family in Vegas. I was bawling my head off! He must have thought I was so weird.

That's the book that really sparked my love and science fiction and made me want to write it too. Now, finally, it's going to be made into a movie! With Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley and all sorts of other wonderful actors. Am I excited? Oh, just a little. =D

Is there one book you can name that sparked something wonderful for you?

What Makes a Great Book Great

2012-01-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

Photo by Mattox

Read any great books lately? I have. Great books can be found in any genre and from any time period, but they all have a few things in common, at least in my opinion.

Great book have great characters. Characters we can love. Characters we can hate. Characters we can root for. Characters we want to hang out with. Characters we want to be. I believe great characters are the most important part of a great book.

Great books also have great plots. Plots that matter. Plots that make our hearts pound and linger with us long after we put the book down. Great plots stem from great characters.

Great books also have a strong sense of setting. We feel like we are there, whether it's New York City, a small country farm, or a faraway fantasy kingdom. We can see it, smell it, feel it, live in it. It's so much more than just the geography. It's the culture, the history and everything else culminating in a place so real we can visit it again and again in our mind.

Great books have real emotion. They make us feel something. Joy, pain, love, hate, envy, peace. Great books bring out the strongest emotions inside us. They show us what it is to be human.

Character, plot, setting, emotion. Those are what makes a great book great. At least in my opinion. Are there any other elements you would add?

Read any great books lately?

Avoidance Tactics

2012-01-06T16:11:00.001-07:00

Have you ever had a day like mine?

9am--Drop my youngest son off at preschool. Now I have 2.5 hours free to write! But, wait. I'd better send a couple of emails and make some phone calls first. (I'm planning a funeral luncheon, so that was totally legit.) And oh, yeah. It's Friday. I need to post a short story on my Facebook page. I need to write a blog post too. I'll do that first and then write. But I have no blog post ideas. I guess I'll just read blogs and catch up on typing instead. Suddenly it's:

11:30am--Pick up my son from preschool, feed him lunch and take him to his friend's house. I know have approximately 3 hours free to write! Sweet. Except I have some more email to answer and more phone calls to make. Now it's 12:30, and it sure is a nice day out. I think I'll go for a walk at the park. I need the exercise, right? Right. That takes until:

2pm--It's time to make a salad to take over to my neighbors. (This is also related to the upcoming funeral.) Then I pick up my son from his friend's house and it's almost time to get the other kids home from school. I'll just read Facebook until then. And finalize the funeral luncheon arrangements. And make a few more phone calls. Now it's:

4pm--I can really, really write now. Really. I think the food is all arranged for the funeral. But, hey! I finally got an idea for a blog post. I'll just write that, and then I'll work on my novel. Maybe...

Does that sound familiar? Do you ever avoid writing? What do you do to get around it?

I'd love to know, but now I am going to sit down and WRITE. I promise.

A Wish For 2012

2012-01-03T10:40:00.001-07:00

You know I'm a big believer in goals. I have a goal for this month to write at least 50 pages. After losing all writing momentum in December I really need something to get me moving again.

But goals are nothing without the motivation to achieve them. I believe that motivation comes from what you wish for. What you dream about. What you want so badly you'd do anything for it.

So, instead of talking about New Year's Resolutions, I'm asking you to make a wish instead. I think the reason we fail at resolutions is because we don't really care enough to make them work. But if we wish for something, wish for it with all our hearts, then we do what it takes to make it happen.

What is your wish in 2012? Do you wish to see yourself on the NYT Bestseller List? To get an agent? To finish a book? To start one?

Take a minute and think about what you really wish for this year. Write it down and keep it where you'll see it often. Believe that you can have your wish.

Then set some goals that will bring you closer to your wish. Hopefully, with your dearest wish in mind, the goals will be easier to keep.

My wish for 2012? I wish to get two books published this year. I know one of them will be, but I'd like to get the second book out there this year too.

That's my wish. What's yours?

I hope 2012 is the year when your wishes come true!

Cute Craft or Book Desecration? You Be the Judge

2011-12-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

The Book Wreath

I made this a few months ago, but didn't get around to hanging it up until yesterday (story of my life). I admit I had mixed feelings when making it. On the one hand, it's a cute and practically free craft project. Just some cardboard, hot glue, and an old book. On the other hand, I tore apart a book (two, actually) to make it! I used The Veils of Azlaroc by Fred Saberhagen and when that was gone, I used The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard. They were both second hand books that I admit I never read.

It does go with the bookish theme of the wall above my bed:

That cute little girl helped me make it at a mother/daughter activity at church. She was glad I finally decided to hang it up.

So, what do you think? Would you make a wall hanging out of an old book? Are there certain books you'd object to being used in this manner? Do you think this will be the only good use for print books after ebooks take over the world?

Personally, I don't believe print books will ever go away. At least, I hope they won't. But I do think the wreath turned out pretty cute despite my lack of crafting ability.

Anyway, I hope you all have a very happy and prosperous 2012 filled with lots of great books, hopefully some written by you!

P.S. Looking at the labels on my last few posts, I realized how long it's been since "writing" was one of them. I'll be rectifying that!

Our Christmas Books

2011-12-27T11:31:00.002-07:00

We always get books for Christmas. Each person gets one (or maybe two), but we all read all the books eventually. (For me, it can take a long time to get to all of them. I don't read as fast or as much as I used to.)

Anyway, I thought I'd share the books we got this Christmas, in case your looking for some good reading.

I got Blood Sword by Terry W. Ervin II and Become by Ali Cross.

My husband got Psion Gamma by Jacob Gowen and The Death Cure by James Dashner.

Son #1 (age 18) got The Missionary Reference Library. (He'll be going on a mission for the LDS church soon, so he needs those.)

Son #2 (age 16) got Variant by Robison Wells.

Son #3 (age 13) got Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. (I admit, I probably won't read that one.)

Son #4 (age 11) got Guardians of the Hidden Scepter by Frank L. Cole

Daughter (age 7) got Silverlicious by Victoria Kann

Son #5 (age 4) got Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long, Illustrated by David Shannon.

We also got Teachings of President Thomas S. Monson and a Christmas storybook, The Little Christmas Tree, from family.

I can't wait to read these!

How about you? Did you get any good books for Christmas?

My Gift to You

2011-12-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

May you all be blessed with peace and joy this Christmas Day and always. Here is a gift from me to you. A short Christmas story I wrote. Hope you enjoy!

The Wandering Star

When our Father in Heaven named the stars and set them in their places, he took little Astrael in his arms and said, "I have a special spot for you."
Astrael twinkled with excitement. What special place did the Father have in mind for him? Surely it must be somewhere very important and grand. Astrael puffed out his chest and shined his brightest and hurried off to his assigned spot in the heavens.
But when Astrael looked down, he found he was shining on a drab little spot of earth. A tiny nothing of a place where no one of consequence had ever set foot. He dimmed a little in annoyance. This wasn't such a special spot. Heavenly Father must have made some mistake.
Astrael ought to have kings and queens looking up at him in wonder and delight. He ought to be inspiring poets and painters and dazzling the eyes of star struck lovebirds. The more he looked down on his boring, unimportant patch of earth, the angrier he grew, until finally Astrael had had enough. He left the spot that God had chosen for him and set off across the wide universe to find his own place. Someplace that a star such as himself deserved.
But Astrael soon learned that the universe can be a cold and unforgiving place. He passed through nebulas so thick he couldn't light his own way and skirted the edges of supernovas that left him singed around the edges. Once he was nearly eaten by a hungry black hole. Through all of his wanderings, he could not find a place to shine. Bigger stars shoved him out the way. Brighter stars turned up their noses. Nowhere was there a truly special spot to shine over.
At last, cold and lonely, bruised and tattered, with his light all but spent, Astrael huddled in a dark corner of the universe and wept.
"Astrael? Astrael?"
The lonely little star lifted his head.
"Come back to me, my dear Astrael." Heavenly Father's voice drifted across the vastness of space. Astrael looked at his faded and broken self in shame. Would God be very angry with him? Slowly, he made his way back to God's throne with his head bent low, almost too dim to see.
Heavenly Father took the little star into his arms once more. "Poor little Astrael. You do look a bit worse for the wear, don't you?"
Astrael could only nod.
"Are you ready to shine in the place where I put you?"
"Yes, Father," Astrael whispered. "But there's not much left of me to shine."
"Don't worry, dear one. I will give you light enough when you need it."
So Astrael settled again in his own spot. It didn't look any more important than it had before, but Astrael was finished wandering. This was his place, the one that God had chosen just for him and he would be content with it.
But what was this? Something was happening down there. Astrael bent closer and watched a man lead his pregnant wife into a tiny stable.
"It is time," Father in Heaven whispered.
Astrael drew in his breath as the source of all light flowed into him, replacing what he'd lost when he wandered. Beside him, the Heavenly Choir burst forth in praise, and at last Astrael understood the purpose that God had intended for him all along.
His heart overflowed with joy, and little Astrael bloomed into brilliant radiance.

Copyright 2010 Angie Lofthouse

Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to all of you who entered and helped promote my giveaway of Danyelle's Leafty's books (not to mention the Butterfinger Jingles). The lucky, lucky winner (you are going to love these!) is:

Melissa J. Cunningham!!!!

Congrats, Melissa. Catspell, Firespell, and Applespell will soon be coming your way.

Into the Holiday Spirit

2011-12-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

Nativity scene on the reflecting pond at Temple Square

Hi! Just checking in. I've been working hard getting ready for Christmas and enjoying some of our favorite traditions. Last Saturday, we went to see the lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. They're so beautiful! By random chance, we walked into the Assembly Hall just in time to hear our very own high school choir perform. It was awesome.

Also saw this bagpipe-playin' Santa:

Haven't done much writing, but that was a conscious choice on my part. Now that my shopping is mostly done, I hope to do a little more writing this week. We'll see how that goes. Writing will become a top priority again after Christmas.

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season also!

* Don't forget, you have until Friday to enter my Fairy Godmother Dilemma Giveaway. Three e-books, plus a bag of candy! *

Giveaway Time!

2011-12-02T09:44:00.001-07:00

I promised you a Christmas giveaway, and here it is! Books make great gifts, don't you think? Today I want to recommend some that I think would make a fantastic gift for a fairy tale lover (or anyone who likes to read).

My sweet friend (and fantastic writer), Danyelle Leafty, is down and out with kidney stones! Yikes. I cannot even imagine how painful that must be. I want to support her and give her a boost by letting you know about the eBooks she has available. She did a guest post here a few months ago about fairy tales as part of her blog tour for her fairy tale series, The Fairy Godmother Dilemma.

The first three books in the series, Catspell, Firespell, and Applespell are now available for Kindle and Nook! These are charming, fun, delightful books. I love fairy tales and Danyelle can spin a fairy tale like no one else. Her writing style is beautiful and her characters are real and engaging people.

So I'm giving away a copy of each of the the three books! Plus, (as if that weren't good enough by itself), I'll also through in a bag of my all time favorite Christmas candy, Butterfinger Jingles. Mmmmm. Books and chocolate. You can't beat that!

Here are the rules: (And forgive me if I have a few more than usual this time.)

1. Leave a comment on this post recommending a book that would make a great Christmas gift.
2. Go here and like Danyelle's author page.*
3. Go here and like my author page (or just use the gadget at right).*
4. Promote this contest somewhere (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

*If you don't use Facebook, you can still enter. Instead of liking the pages, just post a link to this contest, and to Danyelle's books on Twitter, your blog or some other form of social media (even email).*

Good luck! This contest will run through Friday, Dec. 16, and I'll announce the winner on Dec. 17.

Check out these other blogs featuring Danyelle and her books!

Andrea Pearson Books
Anne Bradshaw's Place Diana's Amazing Book Adventures - Giveaway!
Christine Fonseca, Author - Giveaway!
Roots in Myth - Giveaway!
Robin Weeks - Giveaway!
An Author Incognito
Janette Rallison's Blog - Giveaway!

By the Wayside

2011-11-30T09:35:00.001-07:00

I fell short of my November goal.

For the last two weeks of the month I wrote only twelve pages a week instead of the fifteen I wanted. And this week has pretty much been a writing bust. It's been crazy, but I won't bore you with the details.

But, on the bright side (there's always bright side right?), I did write 55 pages this month! That is definitely more than a typical month. So I don't really feel too bad. That's one of the great thing about goals. Even if you don't reach them, if you try, you'll get farther than you would otherwise. So, yay for me anyway!

Now December is almost upon us. I seriously love Christmas time. Really! But there is a lot of work to be done (and a lot of concerts and parties to attend--the best part!). Therefore, blogging will be falling by the wayside for a month or so. I do intend to post and to read blogs, but it's not going to be a top priority. I hope you'll all still be around come January when I'll try and get back to more regular blogging.

In the meantime, enjoy the holiday season! I might just host a little Christmas giveaway too, so watch for that...

Give Thanks

2011-11-21T09:36:00.001-07:00

More blessings!

Thanksgiving time is upon us again. I have so much to be grateful for in every aspect of life, but this blog focuses on writing. Let me share some of my writing blessings with you.

A huge blessing this year was having Walnut Springs Press accept Defenders of the Covenant for publication. A lifelong dream come true! I can't wait to hold the book in my hands soon, and to share it with all of you.

I got to present at LTUE at BYU and at CONduit in Salt Lake this year. Both a huge thrill for me. I got to sit on panels with David Farland and other illustrious authors I've looked up to for a long time. I had a blast doing it too! And the best part is, I'll get to do it again next year.

This year, I wrote a novella, "Refuge," a short story, "Spirits Bright" (a Christmas story), and 240+ pages of a novel, "Shattered Skies." That's great output for me. I did lots of revising and critiquing too. That's the best writing blessing of all--the actual creation!

And then there is YOU. This writing community is such a blessing to me. You helped me celebrate my joys and drown my sorrows. You encouraged me in my goals and kept me going when I wanted to quit. Thank you!

What writing-related blessings are you thankful for this year?

P.S. I'm traveling for the holiday, so I won't be blogging again until next week. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving (those celebrating it, anyway).

Still Going!

2011-11-15T09:59:00.001-07:00

The first week of my personal NaNo, I wrote only twelve pages, three short of my goal. I didn't feel too bad, since that's still better than an average week. But, I felt I could do better. So this past week I made up the difference, writing eighteen pages to get to page 230 in Shattered Skies, and on track with the fifteen page/week goal. Yay! It makes me happy when I accomplish hard things. I'm on pace so far this week to hit fifteen again. It's always hard to predict what will come up and get in the way. I'm sure you know how that is. Life, right?

I am approaching half-way on my novel, I think. It's hard for me to know for sure (not much of a plotter). My last book went on about 20K longer than I expected. But I've come this far in less than six months, which is exciting for me. It would be great to have the whole thing finished within a year. At any rate, I should be halfway through by the end of the month.

I've hit that point, though, where I start to get bogged down and wonder where I'm going with this thing. I have an idea of what I want to happen and where I want to end up, but the details feel elusive sometimes. I start to doubt my ability to even write a novel. It's kind of weird, this self-doubt. I mean, I've done it before right? I even sold one! I should be able to do it again.

This is where I just have to trust myself to get it all figured out and keep on going!

How are your NaNo goals coming? Can you believe we're halfway through already?

Fun Happenings on my Facebook Page

2011-11-11T09:36:00.001-07:00

I don't know if you've checked out my Facebook page yet. I am trying to make it interactive and fun. A page that people will want to visit and like. Here's what I've got going on.

Monday is question day. I use the Facebook question feature to ask things like who is your favorite character from Lord of the Rings or your favorite line from Stars Wars or the Princess Bride. Things like that. It's fun to see how everybody answers. I love how when my kids answer, their friends all jump on to answer too. Fun to see what people think.

Wednesdays I post a fun link. This week was a link to a production video from The Hobbit. (Man, I can't wait for that to come out!) Or it might be an interesting article or cool picture. I try to make them sci-fi related.

Friday is my favorite, though. It's Fiction Friday! I post a link to a great sci-fi or fantasy short story. So far they've all been from Mindflights, since I know those stories are great. Pop over and check out today's posting. It's a wonderful tale. I'll post a new one each Friday.

So, come check it out. So far I'm pleased with the results. Last week, one of my top three favorite authors, Julie Czerneda, liked my page. That pretty much made my life! =) I am also planning a separate page for Defenders of the Covenant closer to its release. More to come on that later.

Do you have a Facebook page? Let me know and I'll go like it if I haven't already.

Got any other suggestions on how to make a Facebook page fun and successful? I'd love to hear them.

Lady in Waiting

2011-11-07T14:18:00.002-07:00

Waiting, waiting, waiting. For a writer, it never ends, does it?

The release of my novel, Defenders of the Covenant, has been delayed until early next year It's a good decision for a variety of reasons. I agree with the publisher that waiting is the best thing for the book. But waiting is so hard! It's a lot like being pregnant. I may want to hold that baby in my arms right now, but I have to think about what is best for the baby.

It's got me thinking about all the interminable waiting I've done over the years since I became a writer. Fortunately, I have one surefire way of taking the pain out of waiting.

Work on something new!

For me, it works every time. That's just what I'm doing. I wrote 12 pages last week on my new novel, Shattered Skies. It wasn't as good as the 15 I'd hoped for, but still better than an average writing week. That makes me happy.

I have come to realize that the only satisfaction I can count on in my writing is the satisfaction that comes from the act of creating. Sure being published, having readers, getting attention is nice. But those things are fickle and often fleeting. If I am happy to simply write, then I know I can always be happy.

So, I'm writing. I'm living. I'm waiting.

Some things are worth the wait!

Why Not Keep it Up?

2011-11-02T14:01:00.001-06:00

I made my October goal. I finished page 200 in my novel on Saturday night, with two days still left in the month. Woohoo! I wrote 15 pages last week to make that happen. And since I believe in celebrating every little victory...

*throws confetti*

Yeah for me!

Now I'm inclined to just sit back and rest on October's laurels. In fact, I have shockingly little to show for the first two writing days of this week. But then there are all of you who are doing NaNoWriMo, turning on the juice, getting those amazing word counts, and I'm feeling a little ashamed of myself.

Now, I don't do NaNo. It doesn't work for me to put a bunch of words out there that fast. But, I figure, why not keep stretching myself this month like you NaNoers are? There's no reason why not!

So, my goal for National Novel Writing Month is to write 15 pages every week. That should put my to at least page 265 by the end of the month. Like I said, I'm already behind this week, so it's time to get crackin'! Wish me luck!

All the Magic in the World...

2011-10-31T06:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween, everyone! Welcome to the Darkspell Launch Spookfesta!

Today my friend Elizabeth Mueller is celebrating the release of her YA paranormal romance Darkspell! I'm so, so happy for her. To celebrate, Elizabeth is hosting the Spookfesta blogfest. I get to post a picture of what I would do if I had all the magic in the world.

Wow. What a thought. All the magic in the world? Would I end hunger? Bring world peace? Tempting possibilities. However, even if I had all the magic in the world, I still wouldn't have the wisdom to know how to bring changes like that. (I think it's up to us to do those things without magic. Just sayin'.)

So, if I had all the magic in the world to do something a little selfish, I'd conjure up one of these for my very own. And give myself the ability to fly it!

So what about you? What would you do with all the magic in the world? You can join the Spookfesta here. And be sure to check out Elizabeth's new book:

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . .until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold.
As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.
Will love prove thicker than magic?

Happy Book Birthday, Elizabeth! Visit her blog and website or order the book here!

The Hidden Sun--A Review

2011-10-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

A faraway kingdom

A beautiful princess

A courageous hero

A ruthless villain

An impossible choice

The Hidden Sun by J. Lloyd Morgan, 2nd edition is a fun medieval adventure, with plenty of intrigue, action, secrets, heroes and romance. This is actually my second time to read and review this book. I reviewed the first edition a little over a year ago. You can read that here. Since then, The Hidden Sun was picked up by my publisher, Walnut Springs, and issued in a shiny new edition, newly edited, with a new cover.

So, what do I think of the second edition? Same great story, wonderful new package! In my first review, my main complaint was a large number of typos that I found distracted me from the story. That issue has been resolved, and without those distractions, I found the story even more fun to read this time around.

I love the way Morgan uses symbolism in the book. His characters are well-developed and easy to love and root for. I found I really cared about what happened to them and to their beloved kingdom of Bariwon. But the story itself is not the only thing to love about this book. I had fun noticing (on my second time through), Morgan's skillful naming of characters and places. Can you guess the secret of Bariwon and it's seven districts (Erd, Grenoa, Lewyol, Regne, Lebu, Donigi, and Teviol)? Not to mention such events as the Mortentaun and Shoginoc.

The Hidden Sun is full of surprises. It's also a good, clean read with no objectionable content. Just the sort of thing I'm looking for!

Check out J. Lloyd Morgan's website for more about the book and purchasing information. I always like to give books for Christmas, and this one would make a great gift.

*Please note: I received a free copy of the book from the publisher to review.

On My Way!

2011-10-24T13:26:00.004-06:00

Well, I did it. In spite of being on vacation and all, I achieved my goal for last week and got to page 185, so I am on track to hit my target and reach page 200 by the end of this week. (Or by next Monday, you know, if I still need extra time.)

It's amazing to me how setting a firm goal and having a strong desire to achieve it can be so motivating. For the past couple of weeks, I had been floundering, trying to write with no ideas coming to me, wondering if this stupid book was any good at all. Then, I made up my mind. I public declared my intentions, and suddenly the ideas started flowing. I got excited about the book again. Making a commitment like that was really quite liberating.

That is the power of goals. Do you find your goals do the same for you?

Biting the Bullet

2011-10-19T12:44:00.000-06:00

I am sad to admit that I squandered away the first half of October, getting almost no writing done. (I have various excuses for this, but they are just that--excuses.) So now I'm buckling down. I'm biting the bullet. I am here to publicly declare my goal for the remainder of October.

I will write 25 pages by the end of the month to get to page 200 in my novel.

This is totally doable if I just put my mind to it and start making writing the top priority again. I've been a little lax this month.

I know this is nothing compared to those of you who are planning for NaNoWriMo next month, but for me it's a legitimate stretch.

Do you have any goals you're working on currently? Let me know. I'd love to cheer you on!

Three Stars, Anyone?

2011-10-14T13:08:00.000-06:00

I've seen a lot of authors bemoaning three star ratings on Goodreads lately, as if it were a bad thing. And I'm thinking, what? I thought three stars was a good rating. I routinely give three stars to books that I like, because that's what it says when you hover over three stars:

I like it.

So, if I've offended any of my author friends with a three star rating, please rest assured I mean it as a positive review. Three stars is kind of my default rating. I don't bother rating (or even finishing) books I don't like. Four stars go to books that have something special about them that I especially like. Five stars are reserved for books destined to be my all-time favorites. Ender's Game, Lord of the Rings ... you understand.

It's so hard to boil down how you feel about a book into a number between 1 and 5. That's why I don't particularly like Goodreads, actually.

What do you think? What kind of books do you give three or four or five stars to? Would you be offended with a three star rating?

Take Yourself Seriously

2011-10-10T12:20:00.000-06:00

When I was young and first starting out, I read some great advice in a writing book. (Sorry, I don't remember which one.) It was this:

Take yourself seriously as a writer. Tell people you are a writer. As long as you are writing, you ARE a writer.

I took that advice to heart. I told people I was a writer. I told myself I was a writer. I worked on stuff with the hope of publishing it. I didn't try to hide it. I forced some pretty awful early stories on kind friends and family members who continued to encourage me. (You know who you are.) I made a commitment to myself that I was going to do this. I made it a priority over less important activities. I learned and practiced. I submitted and got rejected and kept submitting. Heck, getting rejected just added credibility to the fact that I was a writer. It was nine years before I got a word published, but I considered myself a writer the entire time. And, no, I didn't use the word "aspiring." I don't really like that word. Well, in this context anyway.

I still have to take myself seriously as a writer every day. I still have to commit to myself to keep going. I'm so glad that I took that advice all those years ago. If I hadn't, I probably would have quit a long time ago.

So, my advice to you is the same.

Take yourself seriously! You are a writer.

But, you know, don't take yourself too seriously. ;)

What Readers Don't Care About

2011-10-05T16:18:00.001-06:00

Genre.

Seriously. I talk to people who like to read, but aren't writers about stuff like dystopian, thriller, steampunk, paranormal romance and all I get back are blank stares. What are you even talking about?

I asked a question on my Facebook page about which speculative fiction genres people liked best. I listed all sorts of stuff like space opera, epic fantasy, hard science fiction, etc. No one answered.

I wondered if it hadn't shown up in the newsfeed or something. My son pointed out that he didn't understand the question, or the answers (and he's a pretty smart guy). Oh. Hadn't thought of that.

Sure, people understand the big categories romance, mystery, historical, science fiction, etc. But they don't really care about the labels we writers are so anxious to give our work. They just want to read the books they like to read. At least that's been my experience.

Of course, we need to care about what genre we're writing and what the audience expectations are for that genre and stuff like that. But when it comes to interacting with readers, remember what they really want is a good book. Don't pigeonhole yourself too much. You never know who might pick up your book and decide that's the kind of thing they like to read, even if they've never read anything like it before.

And isn't that just what we're after?

Why We Have Rules (and why you should break them.)

2011-09-30T14:13:00.002-06:00

Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.

~Henry David Thoreau

Haven't had a Thoreau quote for a while, and this one seemed appropriate to what I've been thinking about lately.

The Writing Rules.

Yes, I've blogged about this before. That's okay. It's worth talking about again. I'm sure you've heard these "rules" for writing. To be verbs, adverbs, show don't tell, blah, blah, blah...

There are actually good reasons for these rules.

Avoid using "to be" verbs (is, was, etc.): Because this often indicates a passive sentence and those are, well, passive. Active is more engaging. But, really, we can't eliminate one of the most used verbs in the language now, can we?

Don't use adverbs: Because adverbs don't leave a strong impact on the reader. Unless you use them judiciously and sparingly. Then they'll have an impact.

Ditto for dialog tags other than "said."

Don't start sentences with an -ing verb: Because if you overdo it, your sentences all have the same cadence and become sing-songy. Readers will tune out. But, hey, once in a while isn't a problem.

Show, don't tell: Because telling distances the reader from the story. There are times when you need a little distance in the story. Don't show when showing would be boring or unnecessary.

This will hold true for any writing rule you've ever heard. It's important to know these rules. It's important to know why they are brought up. It's important to know when to ignore them.

We each have a unique voice. Don't stifle yours by obsessing about the rules. Only you can decide what is right for your story. Trust yourself to know.

The Armor of Light--A Review

2011-09-27T09:36:00.000-06:00

Before I start with the review, I want to let you know that there's a little contest going on on my Facebook page. You could win your favorite candy bar! Come check it out.

I first read Karen Hoover's The Sapphire Flute, Book one of the Wolfchild Saga, in May of last year. I loved it, and I've been anxiously awaiting the second book, The Armor of Light, ever since. This month I finally got the opportunity to read it!

Ember has been accepted into the mage academy, but not without cost. She has gained a new enemy, ancient and dark, whose entire purpose is to destroy all white magic and her along with it. After nearly losing her life in a brutal attack, DeMunth is assigned her guardian, and the keystone he wears, The Armor of Light, begins the transition that will make it a true power.

Kayla has lost most everything of importance to her—the people, the prestige, and all she fought for the past ten years. With nothing left to lose, she continues her search for the birthplace of The Sapphire Flute and the Wolfchild she believes to be its player. Her journey will take her to strange, foreign, and often dangerous places, and everything she had thought to be true will be proven wrong.

In a showdown full of betrayal and heroic loss, Ember and Kayla finally meet on the battlefield, fighting a war on two fronts—against C'Tan and her people, and the mysterious enemy bent on destroying all magic—the shadow weavers.

The story is full of power, betrayal, hope, and love. The elements of the universe are coming together, and none can know who will stand in the end.

The Armor of Light is a wonderful continuation of the exciting story in that began in The Sapphire Flute. I love both of the main characters, Ember and Kayla. They each have unique strengths and weaknesses and I could relate to both of them. The book is full of action, danger and just the right amount of romance. The exciting ending took my breath away! Now I can't wait to read the third book!

If you enjoy epic fantasy, then you'll love both The Sapphire Flute and The Armor of Light.

You can read samples of both and find ordering information on Karen E. Hoover's website. I highly recommend you check them out!

*I received a free e-book in exchange for my honest review.*

Goin' Moblie

2011-09-22T15:17:00.000-06:00

I want to start by saying that I don't have a cell phone. Well, okay. I DO have a cell phone.A droid. But I have no phone service (and, no, I won't be getting any). It's basically a glorified pocket watch. But I can get on the internet if there is a wireless network available, and luckily at my house there is! So, I do occasionally read blogs from my phone.

I would like to suggest that if you have a blog, you enable mobile view. If you don't the blog is basically unreadable from the phone. It's super tiny. And if I enlarge it, then I have to move the page all over to read everything. Annoying.

Here's what mobile view looks like:

I wanted a sample of my blog, but this was all I could come up with. You get the idea.

Yeah, there's no sidebar, but in my opinion, it's better to have someone able to read your posts from their phone than not. If they can read you on the phone, they're much more likely to visit your blog from an actual computer than if you annoy them with an unreadable page.

To enable mobile view, just go to settings, mobile & email, and enable it. Super easy.

Your mobile readers will thank you!

The Empty Well

2011-09-19T13:21:00.001-06:00

Holy cow! It's been a week since I last posted? How did that happen? I had it in my mind that I had posted on Wednesday last week. I didn't realize it was clear last Monday. So sorry! (That sort of shows what last week was like.)

I've been pretty much empty of blog post ideas anyway. But on the plus side, I've been chock full of great plot ideas. I think that's a pretty good trade-off.

I know there are some of you writers out there who are brimming with ideas all the time. People who have so many all at once that they can't decide what to write first.

That's great, but...it sure isn't me. Ideas tend to come to me in a slow trickle. And sometimes I have to dig pretty deep to find any at all.

Do you ever have that problem? I know there are ideas all over. Everywhere. In every conversation, in every place you go, in everyone you meet. I see them, but the vast majority just don't speak to me.

Oh, what a joy it is to find one that does. The idea that makes me sit up and go, "Yes! I can't wait to write that!" So, I'll trade off blog post ideas for story ideas any day.

What about you? Do ideas come to you in a flood or a trickle? Any tricks for getting the flow going?

A Time to Facebook And a Time to Refrain From Facebooking

2011-09-12T17:10:00.000-06:00

One of my Facebook friends recently posted. "Face your problems. Don't facebook your problems."

Do you agree or disagree with that sentiment? (Do you think facebook is a verb?)

I tend to agree. At least for me, in the way I use social media, I have definite boundaries about what to post and what not to post. I try to keep it positive. After all, what happens on Facebook (Twitter, etc.) stays on Facebook. Forever. For everyone to see.

It may be okay to post, "Had a bad day at work." But it's not okay to post an all caps, profanity-laden rant about how much you hate your job. At least, not in my opinion.

My own rule of thumb is that I can never, ever use social media when I am angry. True story: The day I started my Facebook account, I deactivated it a couple of hours later. I was mad. The urge to get online and vent my frustrations was almost overwhelming, and I knew what a disaster that would be. I have learned the hard way that it is easy to say things online or in email that I would never say in person. And that's not the face I want to present online. So, I don't use social media when under the influence of anger.

What about you? Do you have any social media rules you stick to?

So, What's it About?

2011-09-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Do you have trouble answering that question about your book? I sure do. I'm almost afraid to answer it. What if they think it sounds stupid? But...I think I'm going to have to come up with a good answer because lots of people having been asking lately. The deer-in-the-headlights look probably isn't the best thing.

I'm thinking, "Mormon youth fight to free the earth from alien invaders." Or something like that.

Anyway, if you really want to know what it's about (you do right?), here's the blurb I posted on my brand-new website.

Hannah and her friends have been warned about the danger lurking outside of their secret refuge, but some things, like friendship and freedom, are more important than staying safe.

Hannah and Derek have spent their lives hidden underground, out of the reach of the alien invaders who devastated the world years before. When McKenzie and Jeremy decide to run away, Hannah and Derek follow, determined to bring their friends home.

Once outside, the four teens soon realize they cannot return to their refuge without endangering everyone there. Captured, enslaved and separated, Hannah, Derek and McKenzie each learn the unique role they must play in liberating the Earth, because even an alien invasion cannot stop the work of God.

Oh, that really leaves out so much cool stuff. Like the Avenging Angels--high tech air/space strike fighters. And Toovuts, the Paiute Indian Wolf deity. And the overskins. And...well, lots of stuff. Why do blurbs always feel so inadequate?

I just want to thank you all for all the love on my last post. It really is wonderful to be able to celebrate our successes together. I just love this community. Thanks so very much!

I Did It!

2011-09-03T11:07:00.001-06:00

Almost two years ago, I set a Big Goal for myself. If you don't remember, it was this:

Within two years (by Nov. 2011), I will have a novel published or at least have a contract. Also, I will be presenting at a local writing conference.

Well, check this out.

Yep. That's me signing my book contract with Walnut Springs! And guess what? My sci-fi adventure novel, tentatively titled Defenders of the Covenant, will be out by November!

So, with my presenting at LTUE and CONduit, that big goal?

ACCOMPLISHED!


throws confetti

See? Dreams really do come true. And if I can do it, you can do it too!

(P.S. Come and check out my Author Page on Facebook! I'll have a new website coming soon too, so watch for that. And thank you, thank you, thank you for all your awesome support. I couldn't have done this without you.)

Dreams in my Pocket

2011-08-31T12:50:00.000-06:00

I've been writing for a long time. A really long time. Like almost-half-my-life kind of long. But for many of those years, I carried my dreams around in my pocket. I knew they were there. I often reached in and held onto them. I kept them safe and cherished. But I didn't get them out. I didn't let them see the sun. I didn't share them except with a select few. There were circumstances in my life that prevented me from doing so. I didn't give them up, but I kept them in my pocket. There, but out of sight. Waiting.

Illustration by Dana K.

Now things have changed. It's time to pull those dreams out of my pocket and set them free. And you know what? Those dear little dreams are starting to take flight. It's wonderful and scary too. What will happen to them? Where will they end up?

I don't know. I just feel so grateful that I've finally taken the chance and pulled my dreams out of my pocket and cast them into the sky.

A Different Drummer

2011-08-26T13:50:00.001-06:00

Here's some more wisdom from Thoreau on this lovely Friday.

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. ~Henry David Thoreau

I don't know about you, but I'd far rather walk to my own special beat than anyone else's. What about you? In what ways do you step to a different drummer?

Occupational Hazards

2011-08-23T14:30:00.002-06:00

As a writer, there are some occupational hazards you should be aware of. I'm sure you know about carpal-tunnel syndrome, eyestrain, back pain, etc. But have you considered these others?

Ink stains on all your clothes. (At least if you write by hand like me.)

Ink stains on your family's clothes, too.

Ink stains on the walls. (When you fail to notice your three-year-old sharpening a pen in the pencil sharpener right next to you.)

Other lost-track-of-the-three-year-old disasters (including, but not limited to, half an inch of water on the kitchen floor, a dozen broken eggs, toilet-flooding, etc.)

A tendency to space out in the middle of a conversation when a great plot point suddenly pops into your head.

Compulsive email checking.

Losing track of time and realizing you're ten minutes late for picking your kids up from school.

Accidentally posting on the wrong blog (like I just did).

Any others you can think of?

Qualities of a Writer Part VII: Perseverance

2011-08-19T10:16:00.000-06:00

per·se·ver·ance[pur-suh-veer-uhns] noun-- steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

I've saved the best--or most important--for last. You've probably seen the quote at the top of the blog.

The Red Baron

Success flourishes only in perseverance--ceaseless, restless perseverance. ~Manfred Von Richtofen

As soon as I saw that quote in my fighter combat book, I knew I had to make it my motto. Perseverance is the hallmark of my life and in my opinion the single most essential quality for a writer at any level to possess. It is patience, courage, enthusiasm and confidence all rolled into one.

You write a book and your crit partners tear it to shreds.
Keep on going!

You submit and submit and submit and submit and gather hundreds of rejections.
Keep on going!

You get writers block and stop believing you can achieve anything.
Keep on going!

You sell a book or story, but it doesn't end up being published.
Keep on going!

You publish a book, but it gets lousy reviews.
Keep on going!

There is never, ever any excuse to quit. And I don't mean just at writing, either. Life is amazing and fantastic and downright hard!

You can do it!

Qualities of a Writer Part VI: Confidence

2011-08-16T14:46:00.000-06:00

con·fi·dence [kon-fi-duhns] noun -- belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance:

There are other definitions of confidence, but this is the one that best suits this post. Belief in oneself! It takes a great deal of confidence to become a writer. I know it took me a long time to find the confidence to even begin writing. I didn't know if I could do it. It seemed so far out of reach. I spent my college days writing critical essays, but fiction? I didn't have the confidence to try. Thank heavens my husband gave me the encouragement to get going, and my confidence has been growing ever since.

Believe that you have important stories to tell.

Believe that you have the ability to tell them.

Believe that others will want to share them.

It may seem like arrogance, believing that you have something to say that others will want to hear. Believing that they'll pay for the privilege of reading your words. You may have self-doubt plaguing you. But don't listen. You can do this. I know it.

Just believe it.

Qualities of a Writer Part V: Patience

2011-08-12T11:16:00.000-06:00

pa·tience[ pey-shuhns] noun 1. the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like. 2. an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: 3. quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence:

Some qualities we are born with, like creativity and curiosity. Some we can nurture like enthusiasm and courage. And others must be developed like it or not. Like patience.

Most of us are not born with patience. At least I know I wasn't. I don't know if I even qualify as patient now after many years of patience-building experiences. But if you want to be a writer, patience is something you'll have to work on.

Take a look at definition #1. the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like. It takes that kind of patience to deal with rejections, criticism, bad reviews, doubters, lack of support, setbacks, etc. etc.

Look at definition #2. an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: It takes that kind of patience to deal with submitting and waiting FOREVER for a response. Or getting an acceptance and still waiting FOREVER for actual publication. Waiting for beta readers to get back to you, waiting for time to write. Waiting, waiting, waiting. You know what I mean.

What about definition #3? quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: It takes that kind of patience to finish a manuscript. To revise it. And revise it again. And again. To submit it. And submit it again. And again. Writing a great book takes time. Publishing it takes time (yes, even if you self-publish it).

Patience may not be the easiest or most fun quality to develop, but it is one of the most important.

How have you developed patience? Any tips for the endless waiting game?

Qualities of a Writer Part IV: Enthusiasm

2011-08-08T10:59:00.000-06:00

en·thu·si·asm [en-thoo-zee-az-uhm] noun -- absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest

I think it's true of anything in life. To succeed, you must have enthusiasm. Take a look at that definition. Absorbing or controlling possession of the mind. Ever feel that way about writing? I do.

Admittedly, there are many aspects of writing that just aren't that fun. (Typing. Submitting. Rejections, anyone?) But our enthusiasm for putting words on paper (or screen) can carry us through the tedious, difficult and downright heartbreaking parts. Creating characters, devising plots, finding skillful turns of phrase to describe it all. Yeah, it makes all the un-fun stuff totally worth it.

Your enthusiasm will shine through all your work. It will make your words sparkle. It will bring the stories to life.

How do you show your enthusiasm for writing?

Qualities of a Writer Part III: Courage

2011-08-02T12:30:00.000-06:00

cour·age [kur-ij, kuhr-] –noun 1. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

Writing takes a great deal of courage at every stage. I have blogged about courage before, but I think it's an important quality for a writer to cultivate. It's worth talking about again. How about this quote:

Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway. ~John Wayne

That pretty much sums up my writing journey. I was afraid to start writing, afraid my ideas were no good, that I didn't know what I was doing, that I was doomed to failure. I was afraid to let anyone read what I had written. I was afraid to submit it. I was afraid to keep going after I'd been rejected.

But you know what? I did all those things anyway. Writing meant too much for me to give up just because it was scary.

How about you? Do you have any fears about writing? How do you find your courage?

Hang 'Em High!

2011-07-31T06:30:00.004-06:00

Author Tristi Pinkston is excited to announce the release of the third novel in her Secret Sisters Mysteries series.

Titled Hang ‘em High, this novel takes place on a dude ranch in Montana. When Ida Mae’s son invites her to come for a visit, of course she brings Arlette and Tansy along with her. They are expecting to spend the week looking at horses, avoiding the cows, and making amends in Ida Mae’s relationship with her son. What they don’t expect is to be stuck on the ranch in the middle of a blizzard and to be thrust headlong into the middle of a mystery.

***

Help Tristi celebrate her new novel in two ways. First, come participate in the two-week-long blog contest, where you can win a book nearly every single day! All the details are up on Tristi’s blog.

Second, come to the book launch!

You are invited to an

August Authorama!

Saturday, August 13th

Pioneer Book, 858 S. State, Orem

12 – 4 pm

Games, prizes, balloons, face painting,

and Dutch oven cobbler

prepared by world champion cook

Keith Fisher.

Authors Tristi Pinkston, J. Lloyd Morgan, Cindy Hogan,

Nichole Giles, and Heather Justesen

will all be there to sign books.

This is one book launch event

you will not want to miss!

Qualities of a Writer Part II: Creativity

2011-07-29T10:34:00.000-06:00

cre·a·tiv·i·ty [kree-ey-tiv-i-tee, kree-uh-] –noun. The ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination. The process by which one utilizes creative ability.

This one's a no-brainer, right? We wouldn't want to be writers if we weren't creative. President Deiter F. Uchtdorf said: The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

That desire to create is at the heart of writing. But creativity can wither and die if we don't give it constant care and nourishment. Some things that I do to nurture my creativity are:

Listen to good music

Read good books

Go for walks around the pond

Spend time in nature

Have fun with my family

Play piano or guitar

Sing along with the piano or guitar

Get enough sleep

Get some exercise

Pray and meditate

Study scriptures

Nurture my relationships with family, friends and God

What about you? How do you keep that creative spark alive amid all the pressures and stresses of life that threaten to suck all our creativity away?

Qualities of a Writer Part I: Curiosity

2011-07-26T14:48:00.000-06:00

Cu·ri·os·i·ty [kyoor-ee-os-i-tee] –noun, plural -ties. The desire to learn or know about anything; inquisitiveness

We writers are a curious bunch. (And I do mean curious as in inquisitive. Not curious as in weird. That's a whole 'nother post.) At least I would contend that we need to be. Wondering about stuff is the beginning of finding a story. For my first novel alone I had to find out about fighter jet design, fighter combat, biospheres, bone cancer, Paiute Indians, and coal mining, among other things. I've researched economics, diplomacy, anthropology, black holes, space flight, polygamy, deafness and more. And I love it. I love to learn new things. I love to ask why things are the way they are. I love to wonder why people do the things they do or say the things they say. I want to know everything there is to know. And writing is a really good excuse to find things out.

What are you curious about? Do find curiosity fuels your imagination and desire to write?

I'll be blogging about other qualities I feel are important for writers to possess, so stay tuned!

Conflict

2011-07-23T10:23:00.000-06:00

I'm back from the family reunion. Four days of hanging out with extended family. I have no idea why the topic of conflict would be on my mind. =)

Really, I did have a good time at the reunion and it was great to see family that I haven't seen in years. But there was an element of conflict. There always is, isn't there?

Conflict is inescapable in real life. It surrounds us, like it or not. Our expectations collide with someone else's. The weather refuses to cooperate. People disagree with our opinions. Tragedy strikes. The list goes on and on.

I think most of us would like to minimize the amount of conflict in our lives. But when it comes to fiction, conflict is absolutely essential. Without conflict, there is no story. It is the tension created by the conflict that keeps the reader going. Time and again I have seen stories that have little conflict or in which the conflict is too easily resolved. Boring!

You can have all types of conflict in your fiction. Relationships, wars, illness, loss, pain, loneliness, oppression... The possibilities are endless. Just make sure you've got something there and that the characters have to struggle and sacrifice in some way to resolve it.

That is the heart of a great story.

So, I recommend you try and reduce the amount of conflict in your life. But when it comes to your story, ramp it up! Make those poor characters suffer. Your reader's will thank you.

Thoreau Quote Friday

2011-07-15T18:32:00.000-06:00

Okay, it's late on Friday, but here's today's quote:

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

Having spent many years moving only tentatively in the direction of my dreams, I am now a firm believer in going more confidently!

What do you think? Have you met successes unexpected in common hours? What does that mean to you?

P.S. I'm off to a family reunion out of state all next week, so I won't be around the blogosphere. I'll catch you all when I get back!

Guest Post: Why Do We Speak in Fairy Tales?

2011-07-12T06:30:00.006-06:00

Today I am turning the blog over to the fabulous Danyelle Leafty, author of The Fairy Godmother Dilemma.

Sixteen-year-old Breena never thought anything could be worse than being forced to leave the faerie realm. Then she got stuck with a fairy godmother. But if she has to choose between the two, she’d leave the Faerie Realm over getting bossed about by a faerie with a pointed stick any day. Unfortunately, her attempt to evade her fairy godmother gives her growing pains in the form of fur, whiskers, and a tail.
Turning into a cat is the least of her worries, though. The potion wasn’t meant to bring out her inner feline, it was meant to put her to sleep. Forever. If Breena wants to make it to her Happily Ever After, she’ll have to accept that sometimes a fairy godmother really does come in handy, after all.

Sounds great, huh? Take it away Danyelle!

***********************************************************************************

Why Do We Speak In Fairy Tales?

All it takes is four little words—once upon a time—and readers are immediately transported to a place where magic really does exist. Where there are dragons to be defeated, maidens to rescue, princes to enchant, and where good always triumphs because they all live happily ever after.

Fairy tales have been told for hundreds—and I’m guessing thousands—of years. Even in our modern times full of high tech gadgets and fast paced lifestyles, fairy tales are just as popular as ever.

Why?

There are a lot of theories, and this is mine. We tell fairy tales as a way of sharing the very things that make us human so we don’t drown under the weight of humanity. We also share them to remind us to hope, because sometimes the world can be a very bleak, dark place. Fairy tales remind us of the sun and give us the promise of hope. Fairy tales also remind us of the wonder we had as children when the world was a brand new place, bursting with possibilities.

G.K. Chesterton said it best, “Fairy tales do not give a child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.” And “Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."

Children, probably more than most, know that dragons exist on a very personal level. Some dragons are small, annoying things that gnaw on your ankles. While others are giant, fire breathing behemoths that devour their souls. In our world, sometimes the only power a child can have comes through stories.

And adults are not immune from dragons. Some dragons rage without, while others gobble us up from the insides. Stories, fairy tales, empower us—if only into realizing that we have a choice to act or not act. To offer mercy or to withhold forgiveness. To help another or lead them to an iron cage. Fairy tales remind us that not only can we choose our response, but there are consequences for our actions. Things are a little less black and white in real life, but the same concepts apply. How we choose to act creates ripples that affect those around us. Nothing we do is without consequence.

An excellent article that discusses the relevance of fairy tales today was published in the NY Times. Practicing Medicine Can Be Grimm Work is an excellent read. Fairy tales explore the darkest and brightest aspects of human nature—something we all share.

Fairy tales also remind us what it was like when we saw the world for the first time.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Chesterton again, "Fairy tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water."

Do you remember how fascinating everything was when you were little? How a sunrise could hold you breathless, and discovering new animals and plants delighted you?

Sometimes, in the path that leads to growing up, we forget that we are surrounded by daily miracles. Granted, they’re small as a child’s laugh or the first bloom of spring, but things don’t have to be flashing and big to be miraculous. In a world with a short attention span, where the weight of the world hangs heavy on your shoulders, and there’s never enough time to do it all, it’s good to be reminded that we are drowning in wonders. If only we have the eyes to see.

And fairy tales, as well as other stories, serve as excellent bifocals.

What about you? Do you speak in fairy tales?

(Leave a comment on this post for your chance to win a free e-book subscription to The Fairy Godmother Dilemma!)

Danyelle Leafty writes MG and YA fantasy. In her spare time, she collects dragons, talking frogs, and fairy godmothers. She can be found discussing the art of turning one's characters into various animals, painting with words, and the best ways to avoid getting eaten by dragons on her blog. Her serial novel THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA can be found here. You can contact her here.

Don't miss the rest of the stops on the tour:

Thoreau Quote Friday

2011-07-08T11:27:00.000-06:00

When I went hunting for the quote about living deliberately, I found about 100 other quotes from Thoreau that were just as amazing. Here's another for today. First off a little about Thoreau from Wikipedia:

Henry David Thoreau; July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862 was an American author, poet, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, philosopher, and leading transcendentalist. He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state.

Now for today's quote:

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.”

It reminded me also of this quote by President David O. McKay stating that the purpose of our church was:

“...to make life sweet today, to give contentment to the heart today, to bring salvation today. …Some of us look forward to a time in the future—salvation and exaltation in the world to come—but today is part of eternity.”

So, what will you do with your piece of eternity today?

I Used to Fear My Computer Monitor

2011-07-05T11:20:00.000-06:00

Way back when I first started writing (in 1994), I was fairly new to computers. I was an English major in college, but I stubbornly refused to learn the computer. I wrote about a million papers using a typewriter and gallons of white-out (shudder) until my computer-science major fiance forced me into using the computer. I couldn't believe I had waited so long. That sure made my last semester of college easier.

But a couple of years later when I started writing in earnest, I would sit at our computer and the monitor would loom over me, just daring me to put words on the screen. Mocking me. Scaring me. I think it was like a 16" monitor or something, but to me it was giant. I remember my husband wanting to get a bigger monitor and I about fainted at the thought. (Yeah, no wonder I switched to writing by hand.)

Of course, the monitor was only the embodiment of what I really feared. What I really feared was the writing itself. Would I be good enough? Would anyone want to read my words? Were my ideas all stupid?

I didn't have much idea what I was doing when I started. I jumped right from critical essays into fiction. No wonder it was frightening.

Elana Johnson talks to today about the bravery it takes to write. That's so true. It's often a scary proposition. So many unknowns, so many doubts, so many fears. The only thing for it is to jump in and do it.

That's what I did. And now that I've been doing it for so long, I find those fears don't plague me so much anymore. I have a lot more confidence. Yes, I still doubt. Yes, I still have fears. But having been brave so many times in the past, my courage much easier to find now.

My advice for anyone out there who fears their monitor (or whatever it is that represents that fear for you), is to take a deep breath and just do it!

Have you ever had to overcome your fears?

Summertime...And the Bloggin' is Easy

2011-06-30T09:30:00.000-06:00

My brain feels like that picture up there. I'll call it summer brain. It's a good thing, really. It's just I can't think up anything interesting to post about.

I have written 35 pages of my new novel. Not bad. I have also been taking kids swimming and to the library and out for picnics. Hopefully, we'll get some camping in soon. I love the lazy feel of summer, the lack of schedule, the freedom to play.

What have you been up to this summer? Anything fun? How's your writing going? Anything else you want to share?

To Live Deliberately

2011-06-24T06:30:00.009-06:00

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.... I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life..." Henry David Thoreau

Photo by Nicole Lawton

I'm not going to run off to Walden Pond (though it looks lovely, doesn't it?), but I do feel a keen desire to live deliberately and suck out all the marrow of life. Sometimes I feel like there are a million things getting in the way. I move from one activity to the next feeling like I should be doing something else instead, something more important. This vague sense of guilt follows me around.

But, hello? That is life. Those little daily moments are the "essential facts of life." Living deliberately is not so much about what you do, but about your state of mind while you do it. If I would just take the time to be in the moment--to notice, to wonder, to enjoy--I would realize that I am not missing out on anything. Be it writing, walking, taking care of my family, visiting friends or relaxing at the park. That is the marrow. I just need a reminder now and then.

And Thoreau said something else I wholeheartedly agree with:

"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live."

And:

Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.

(He said so much more, I may have to start a Thoreau quote post as a regular feature)

What do you do to suck out all the marrow of life?

Connections

2011-06-20T10:23:00.001-06:00

No man is an island,

Entire of itself.

Each is a piece of the continent

A part of the main.

~John Donne

For Whom the Bell Tolls has always been one of my favorite poems. It seems more true than ever with all the ways we have to connect to each other these days. Social networking has been a big boon for me. I've met and connected with so many wonderful and helpful people. Those are connections that I value. It has to be kept in it's proper perspective, of course. Social networks shouldn't trump our most important relationships. It should enhance them, I think.

And so, I'm seeking more connections today. Please join me if you haven't already. Let's see what value we can add to each other's lives. It doesn't pay to be an island.

Friend me on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter

Join me on Goodreads

What other Social Networking sites do you like to use? What benefits do you get from them?

Critiques Part II: It is Better to Give Than to Receive

2011-06-17T06:30:00.040-06:00

When it comes to critiquing is is truly better to give than to receive. Receiving critiques is important, but generally, while you may get advice that can carry into your other work, getting a critique will only help you with that story.

Giving a critique, on the other hand, opens your eyes to what works and doesn't work in a story like nothing else can. Critiquing forces you to define what engages you in a story and what throws you out. What makes the writing invisible and what makes it intrude.

One of the best things I ever did for my own writing was to become an editor for Mindflights. I have learned so much about what it takes to write well just from reading and judging submissions. (If you ever get a chance to do something like that, take it!)

So, a few rules for giving good, useful critiques:

#1: Be honest! This is the first and foremost rule in my mind. A critique is useless if you aren't truthful.

#2: Be kind. Yes, you can be both honest and kind. Remember the feelings of the person receiving the critique. You have to state your honest opinion, but you can do it in a tactful way. (You can be blunt, but don't be rude.)

#3: Remember that it is just your opinion. The other person does not have to take all of your suggestions and that's okay. I usually prefer not to know if they've taken my suggestions. (Unless I've asked for a rewrite on a submission. Then they'd better take my suggestions!)

I should probably state for the record that I don't belong to a critique group. I have not found them effective for me. Luckily, I have some trusted writer friends who are willing to give me feedback. Maybe face to face critique groups have different rules to consider. I don't know.

What has been your experience with giving critiques?

How to Give and Receive Critiques Well

2011-06-15T06:30:00.001-06:00

This was the second panel I did at CONduit. A very important topic for writers. I have been giving and receiving critiques for seventeen years now, so I think I know a little bit about it. For the sake of shorter posts (we all like shorter posts, right?) I am going to divide this topic into two different posts. Today's will focus on receiving critiques.

You need feedback. No matter how long you've been writing. No matter how good you are. You need to be critiqued. It's not always fun, but it is necessary.

Rule #1 when receiving a critique: Don't take it personally. It's not you being critiqued. It's not your story. Your story exists in your head and it is perfect. What is being critiqued are the words you have used to convey your perfect story into the head of the reader. (Remember the "This is my manuscript. This is me." routine? Use it again here.)

Rule #2: Everyone's opinion is valid. If someone is expressing their opinion, it's their opinion. You don't have to agree, but don't argue with it. Make sure you thank those who have taken the time to read and give feedback on your work.

Rule #3: You only have to take the advice you want to take. The story is yours. Listen to all the feedback, comments and suggestions. Let them sit a few days. Then, make the changes that you feel excited to make. If you don't think a suggestion will make your story better, ignore it. This is so important. Get feedback, take suggestions, but never never forget that this is your story and no one else's. You have to stay true to it.

Do you have any advice on receiving critiques? I'd love to hear it.

Writing at the Pond

2011-06-13T14:30:00.000-06:00

So many fuzzy ducklings on the pond this morning. So adorable. The cool breeze sent ripples across the surface of the water. I walked for almost an hour and wrote two pages sitting on a bench overlooking the pond, all while my MP3 player served up the shuffle of unending awesome. I had offered to bring the kids along, but they refused. Even the three year old. Too bad for them. I think the pond may be my favorite place in the world.

Where do you go for inspiration?

How to Add Flavor to Your Vanilla Character

2011-06-06T16:37:00.001-06:00

That was the title of the first panel I participated in at CONduit. We had a great discussion on character.

What comes to mind when you think of a vanilla character? Ordinary? Safe? Forgettable?

Yeah. Not want we want in our fiction, right? We want vibrant, dynamic, memorable characters. Characters that live in the readers heads and in their hearts.

So, how do you create them? My best advice in this arena is to observe people in real life. Yes, you might even consider eavesdropping. You have colorful characters all around you. Watch what people do. Listen to what they say. Try to imagine their motives, their feelings, their history. It's loads of fun.

Consider how setting affects your character. Where do they live? In what time period? What kind of culture do they come from? What kind of family? How does all of that affect them?

You can give your character quirks, but to just add quirks randomly is sort of cheating. Create quirks that really add depth to your character. One of the panelists gave the example of a character who stutters because when he was young his house was burning down and when he called 911, he was too frightened to be able to get the words out. Deeper than just a plain old stutter, right? One the main characters in my novel has a locket she wears with pictures of the family she never met. Whenever she's upset or feeling any strong emotion, she reaches for that locket. During the course of the story, the locket is taken from her. Then whenever she reaches for it out of habit and finds it isn't there, she is reminded again of all she's lost. That's the kind of quirk that works well.

Creating characters is probably my favorite part of writing. Great characters are definitely my favorite part of reading. So, take time to make sure your characters have a little flavor to them. Don't we all want something a little more like this?

Words of Wisdom from Tracy Hickman

2011-06-03T07:12:00.003-06:00

Last weekend at CONduit, I attended a lot of panels that Tracy Hickman was on. The man is a fantasy legend and everything he said was just brilliant. He kept spouting amazing quotes so fast, I couldn't write them down quickly enough. I thought I'd share some of what I learned from him.

On the Streamlining Your Fiction panel, he suggested you take your manuscript, hold it at arms length, point to it and say "This is my manuscript," Then point to yourself and say, "This is me." Do this over and over until you believe it. He also pointed out that story is structure. Anything else is just chrome (ie: the part of the car that doesn't do anything for it). When streamlining, you have to get rid of the unnecessary chrome. He said, "If you don't streamline your text, you're reader will." They'll skim if the story is good enough. If it isn't, they'll streamline by just putting your book down. (Or throwing it against the wall. Or burning it.)

He pointed out on several of the panels that our goal should not be to get published. Anyone can get published, especially now. Our goal should be to be read. That's what is really important. He said, "The written word does not live until someone else reads it."

He also said, "Story is not about who we are. It's about who we should be." That was in the panel on when to use cliches. (Yes, there is in fact good reason to use cliches. That was probably the best panel I attended.) That quote there hit me in the deepest part of my heart.

Listening to him speak was probably the best part of the convention for me. Well, that and hanging out with Danyelle. =)

Tracy Hickman and his wife and fellow writer Laura are offering online seminars on writing which look fabulous. You can find them at Scribe's Forge.

Out of This World Adventure Winners!

2011-06-01T06:30:00.058-06:00

Today's the day! The day I announce the winners of the Out of This World Adventure giveaway. I hope you all had as much fun adventuring as I did. I had 104 entries from 40 different people. Very cool. A HUGE thanks to everyone who participated. So, without further ado, I give you:

The Winners!

(Selected by random.org)

Candy Bar winners:

Ali's post: Melissa

Terry's post: Sheila Deeth

David's post: Teri Anne Stanley

Nisa's post: Tiffany

Todd's post: Melanie Goldmund

Danyelle's post: Donna K.Weaver

Elizabeth's post: Theresa Milstein

Shallee's post: Cindy Taylor

Stephanie's post: Linz

Aubrie's post: Rochelle R.

And the Grand Prize Winner:

Rochelle R!

Rochelle is a lovely young lady who blogs about books, college and life at Rocky's Ramblings. Go get to know her. You won't be sorry.

Congrats to all the winners! Email me your address and I'll get all the prizes in the mail ASAP.

Blessings Blogfest

2011-05-31T08:42:00.000-06:00

While I pull together the results of the Out of This World Adventure, I'm participating in Tyrean Martinson's Blessings Blog fest. Tyrean has been posting her daily blessings for a whole year! I have found her posts to be inspiring and uplifting and they always make me smile. To celebrate the end of her 365 days of blessings, Tyrean is hosting the Blessings Blogfest. Here are my ten blessings for today:

1. The response to the Out of This World Adventure. I'm really pleased with the number of people who read and entered.

2. Summer has begun! The weather may not agree, but the kids are out of school and the summer fun can begin.

3. Went to a great convention over the weekend. Met lots of people and learned lots of great stuff.

4. Going out with my husband last night. We saw Thor and then had a yummy dinner.

5. My husband. He knows computers, he plays piano, he cooks, he washes dishes, he lets me go to conferences...

6. Writing. I am about to start a new novel, and that's always so exciting! =)

7. Writing/blogging friends. I have gained so much love and support from you guys.

8. Mindflights. I have learned so much from editing there, and associated with some really terrific people.

9. The power of prayer. I couldn't get through the day without it.

10. God's tender mercies. I experience more than I can count each day.

Tyrean always includes a scripture blessing, so I am too:

1 Corinthains 2:9: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Be sure and check out the other entries too. And stay tuned for tomorrow's announcement of our Out of This World Adventure winners!

Last Day to Enter!

2011-05-30T08:49:00.001-06:00

Happy Memorial Day! Today is the last day to enter the Out of This World Adventure Giveaway. You have until midnight tonight (wherever you live) to enter. I'll announce the winners on Wed. June 1. Good luck! Here are the links:

Stick around for later this week, when I'll talk about the great things I learned at CONduit.

A Few More Days!

2011-05-26T21:02:00.000-06:00

Don't forget you still have a few days to enter the Out of This World Adventure if you haven't already. Contest closes on Monday, May 30 at midnight. Check out the sidebar for all the links!

Tomorrow I'm off to CONduit, a science fiction convention in Salt Lake City. I'm on a couple of panels. "How to add flavor to your vanilla character" on Friday, and "How to give and receive critiques" on Saturday. Should be a fun weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing some friends.

So, I hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend! I'll be announcing the winners on Wed. June 1!

There have been issues with leaving comments on blogger the past few days, so if you tried to leave a comment on one of the contest posts, but weren't able to, please email me and let me know, and I'll make sure you get entered!

Fourth Grade Writing Advice

2011-05-25T09:49:00.000-06:00

Last week, I went to my son's fourth grade authors party where we got to celebrate all his writing for the year. Super fun! He even had two of his stories published in hardbound books. Pretty neat. During the party, all the kids stood up and offered their best writing advice for incoming fourth graders. They gave the best advice! So, I thought I'd share it with you. I'm just going to paraphrase because 1) Some of them don't talk very loud and I couldn't hear them. 2) This was last week, and I didn't write it down at the time, so you know... This is what I remember of the fourth grade writing advice:

Use good word choice. Like, "He dashed," instead of, "He went."

Create great characters by using people from real life.

Always be thinking of ideas. Write them down

And the best piece of advice from many of the students:

Don't give up. Keep trying. The more you write, the better it will be.

Pretty wise ten year olds, don't you think? They have an amazing teacher.

Then I made my son sign his books for me. That's what author parties are for after all!

Our Last Stop on the Out of This World Adventure!

2011-05-23T06:30:00.001-06:00

It's time to wrap up our adventure with our last stop at Aubrie Dionne's blog. She's hosting the story, "Fidelity." Aubrie is fantastic writer of science fiction and fantasy with many published works and recently signed a three book deal with Entangled Publishing! Good for her. She is also a talented flutist and sometimes posts her flute performances on her blog too. I love that.

Head on over to Aubrie's blog to read "Fidelity" and enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing!

PLEASE NOTE: Though this is our last stop, you still have until midnight May 30 to read and comment on any of the stories. The more stories you read, the more times you're entered into the drawing!So, if you're new to the adventure, don't worry. There's still plenty of time to read the stories and get entered. Enjoy the adventure!

Don't forget to check out our other stops:

Ali Cross--"Casualties of War"
Terry Ervin--"Getting Colder"
David J. West--"Highway Songs"
Nisa Swineford--"Brierly's Lilies"
Todd Hunter--"Ripped"
Danyelle Leafty--"Soul Singer"
Elizabeth Mueller--"Among the Silent Stars"
Shallee McArthur--"Blessing Stone"
Stephanie McGee--"Sacred Places"

2nd to last stop on the Out of This World Adventure

2011-05-20T06:30:00.001-06:00

Today we stop by Stephanie McGee's blog. She is hosting my story "Sacred Places." Stephanie writes fantasy/urban fantasy, and she's also a fantastic photographer. Her blog posts are always informative as she shares her journey toward publication.

Stop by Stephanie's blog to read "Sacred Places" and enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing!

You have until midnight May 30 to read and comment on any of the stories. The more stories you read, the more times you're entered into the drawing!

Don't forget to check out our other stops:

Ali Cross--"Casualties of War"
Terry Ervin--"Getting Colder"
David J. West--"Highway Songs"
Nisa Swineford--"Brierly's Lilies"
Todd Hunter--"Ripped"
Danyelle Leafty--"Soul Singer"
Elizabeth Mueller--"Among the Silent Stars"
Shallee McArthur--"Blessing Stone"

Have You Seen These Prizes?

2011-05-19T11:43:00.000-06:00

Here's a reminder of what you could win in my Out of This World Adventure:

THE GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE:


A $25 Amazon Gift Card, which I hope you will spend on books!

An 8x10 print of the view from the writing chair. (An out of this world view don't you think?)

A science fiction themed mug rug to hold your mug of--whatever you like in your mug. Donated by the talented Lindsay of Linz Sews

And a copy of my all-time favorite out-of-this-world adventure, Ender's Game!

Pretty awesome, eh? The last two stories will be posted in the next few days. You'll have until May 30 to enter. Here are the stops so far:

May 9: Ali Cross hosts "Casualties of War."

May 10: Terry Ervin hosts "Getting Colder."

May 11: David West hosts "Highway Songs"

May 12: Janyece Swineford hosts "Brierly's Lilies."

May 14: Todd Hunter hosts "Ripped."

May 16: Danyelle Leafty hosts "Soul Singer."

May 17: Elizabeth Mueller hosts, "Among the Silent Stars."

May 18: Shallee McArthur hosts, "Blessing Stone."

Don't miss your chance to enter! Tomorrow, Stephanie McGee hosts "Sacred Places."

Next Stop on The Out of This World Adventure

2011-05-18T06:30:00.001-06:00

Today we travel to Shallee McArthur's blog. She is hosting the story "Blessing Stone." Shallee writes YA science fiction. I've had the privilege of reading one of her manuscripts and it was fantastic! Shallee also raises money to help children in Ghana get an education. That's awesome.

Go check out Shallee's blog to read "Blessing Stone" and enter the Grand Prize Drawing!

Today's Stop on The Out of This World Adventure

2011-05-17T06:30:00.001-06:00

Today we head on over to Elizabeth Mueller's blog. She's hosting the story, "Among the Silent Stars." Elizabeth's first novel, Darkspell, a paranormal romance, will be released this fall! How exciting is that? Elizabeth is also a fantastic artist and I love her deeply honest and emotional blog posts.

Pop on over to Elizabeth's blog to read "Among the Silent Stars" and enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing!

You have until midnight May 30 to read and comment on any of the stories. The more stories you read, the more times you're entered into the drawing! Enjoy the Adventure!

Don't forget to check out our other stops:

Ali Cross--"Casualties of War"
Terry Ervin--"Getting Colder"
David J. West--"Highway Songs"
Nisa Swineford--"Brierly's Lilies"
Todd Hunter--"Ripped"
Danyelle Leafty--"Soul Singer"

A new week, a new stop on our adventure!

2011-05-15T23:31:00.001-06:00

Today we head over to Danyelle Leafty's blog. She's hosting the story, "Soul Singer." Danyelle is a beautiful writer and a fantastic friend. I just love her to pieces! She writes fairy tales with unusual twists and turns and I always love reading her thoughtful and insightful blog posts.

Stop by Danyelle's blog to read "Soul Singer" and enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing.

Next Stop on The Out of This World Adventure

2011-05-14T06:30:00.003-06:00

I hope you are all enjoying the adventure as much as I am! Today we stop by Todd Hunter's blog, The West(ern) Chronicles, where he hosts the story "Ripped."

Todd writes space adventures about space pirate Aston West. He has two novels, a novella and dozens of short stories. They are fun and adventurous tales about a space pirate with a heart, probably more of a heart than he sometimes wants to have. I really enjoy reading his work.

Stop by Todd's blog to read "Ripped" and enter to win the Grand Prize Drawing.

You have until midnight May 30 to read and comment on any of the stories. The more you read, the more chances you have to win!

Don't forget to check out our other stops:

Ali Cross--"Casualties of War"
Terry Ervin--"Getting Colder"
David J. West--"Highway Songs"
Nisa Swineford--"Brierly's Lilies"

We Interupt This Adventure...

2011-05-13T12:12:00.002-06:00

For an Out of This World announcement!

But first some housekeeping issues: Due to Blogger's blackout, if you commented on Nisa's post yesterday, those comments are gone. =( Please go over there and comment again!

Okay...now for the announcement:

My science fiction adventure novel, tentatively titled Defenders of the Covenant will be published by Walnut Springs Press later this year!

You may now resume adventuring... Our next stop will be Todd Hunter's blog. Watch for the post tomorrow!

Today's Stop on The Out of This World Adventure

2011-05-12T06:30:00.002-06:00

Today's stop is Nisa Swineford's blog Wordplay, Swordplay. Nisa is hosting the story, "Brierly's Lilies." Nisa is a great writer and friend. She writes epic fantasy and she has lived all over the world. Her blog is interesting and honest.

Head on over to Nisa's blog to read "Brierly's Lilies" and enter the Grand Prize Drawing.

Next Stop on The Out of This World Adventure

2011-05-11T06:34:00.005-06:00

Today we head over to David J. West's blog Nephite Blood, Spartan Heart. David is hosting the story "Highway Songs." David is the author of Heroes of the Fallen, a great Book of Mormon adventure/fantasy novel, as well as numerous short stories. He writes terrific, sword-swinging action.

Pop on over to David's blog to read "Highway Songs" and enter the Grand Prize Drawing.

You have until midnight May 30 to read and comment on any of the stories. Each story you comment on gets you an entry into the drawing.

Check out our other stops:

Ali Cross--"Casualties of War."
Terry Ervin--"Getting Colder."

Today's Stop on The Out of This World Adventure

2011-05-10T06:23:00.003-06:00

Today, we head over to Terry Ervin's blog Up Around the Corner. Terry is hosting the story, "Getting Colder."

Terry Ervin is a fellow editor at Mindflights and author of the novel Flank Hawk. I loved this book. It's got dragons, zombies, panzers, stukas, a necromancer... Lots of fun and adventure. I'm anxious for the sequel to come out.

Pop on over to Terry's blog to read "Getting Colder" and enter the Grand Prize Drawing.

You have until midnight May 30 to read and comment on the stories.

Don't forget to check out the other stops:

Ali Cross--"Casualties of War"

First Stop on the Out of This World Adventure!

2011-05-09T06:30:00.002-06:00

It's time to start our adventure! I hope you are as excited as I am. Our very first stop on our Out of This World Adventure is the fabulous Ali Cross!

She is my hero. A great writer and a great friend. I love reading her blog. And you should check out the DoJo where she and her ninja friends support each other with month-long challenges and frequent ninjachats. You could be a ninja too!

But today, Ali is graciously hosting my short story, "Casualites of War." Pop on over to her blog to read it and enter the Grand Prize Drawing.

You have until midnight May 30 to read and comment on the stories. Enjoy the adventure!

I'm Off!

2011-05-05T09:31:00.000-06:00

I'm off to Boot Camp this morning. Five hour critique session with five of us and a professional author. This was such a valuable experience for me last year, I'm really looking forward to it.

Then Friday and Saturday is the Storymakers Conference. Can't wait to see some of my great writing friends!

And don't forget...only four days until we launch the Out of This World Adventure!

See you on Monday...

Get Ready for The Out of This World Adventure!

2011-05-02T09:54:00.009-06:00

Buckle up and get ready to launch into an out of this world adventure!

That's right. From May 9-30 I'm holding a blog tour and contest for my short stories.

THE GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE:


A $25 Amazon Gift Card, which I hope you will spend on books!

An 8x10 print of the view from the writing chair. (An out of this world view don't you think?)

A mug rug to hold your mug of--whatever you like in your mug. Donated by the talented Lindsay of Linz Sews

And a copy of my all-time favorite out-of-this-world adventure, Ender's Game!

Wanna know how to enter? Here's where the fun starts. During the Out of This World Adventure, some awesome blogs will be hosting my short stories. To enter the contest, visit each stop on the Adventure, read the featured story and leave a comment on the post. For every story that you read and comment on, you'll get an entry into the grand prize drawing. It's that easy! Plus, one commenter on each blog post will win a Milky Way candy bar. You know you want that!

So, get ready for lift-off starting May 9! The contest will run through May 30 and winners will be announced on June 1.

Here are our Out of This World destinations:

May 9: Ali Cross hosts "Casualties of War."

May 10: Terry Ervin hosts "Getting Colder."

May 11: David West hosts "Highway Songs"

May 12: Janyece Swineford hosts "Brierly's Lilies."

May 14: Todd Hunter hosts "Ripped."

May 16: Danyelle Leafty hosts "Soul Singer."

May 17: Elizabeth Mueller hosts, "Among the Silent Stars."

May 18: Shallee McArthur hosts, "Blessing Stone."

May 20: Stephanie McGee hosts "Sacred Places."

May 23: Aubrie Dionne hosts "Fidelity."

Visit the destinations anytime before midnight May 30 to enter. So, now let's have some fun!

(P.S. If you display my blog button (on the sidebar) on your blog, I'll give you an extra contest entry. Comment here to let me know if you have the button.)

Big Things A-Comin'

2011-04-29T22:24:00.000-06:00

Here I am posting late on Friday night again. Would have posted earlier but my internet connection went down all day.

Anyway, I have lots to be excited about right now. Next weekend is the LDS Storymakers writers conference in Salt Lake City. Yes! I can't wait to see my friends there. I am really looking forward to it. Especially after the great time I had last year. (I sure hope it can live up to my expectations...)

Another thing to look forward to is the big, fabulous blog contest I'm holding! I'll announce all the details next week. It's gonna be fun! I promise.

There are a couple of other things that I am super-excited about. Like jumping up and down and screaming excited about. But I'm not telling yet. So, stay tuned! =)

A Random Memory

2011-04-22T21:38:00.000-06:00

When I was in high school, I worked at Blockbuster Video. This was about 1988. Actually when I started it was Major Video. They were later bought by Blockbuster. Anyway, when I started they were running a promotion where if you brought back your video the next day, you got a dollar off your next rental. Woohoo. They called it the One Night Stand. My first night, they handed me a button to wear that said, "Ask me about the One Night Stand." Did I mention this was in Vegas? You can imagine how my first night on the job went. After that I refused to wear the button anymore. I have to admit, I'm a little sad watching all the Blockbusters go out of business. Another little piece of my past fading away. But, hey. Netflix is my new best friend.

What does this have to do with writing. Nothing. But it's a good story, don't you think?

Lots to Think About

2011-04-18T14:38:00.000-06:00

A few days ago, I attended the Write Here in Ephraim writing conference. Ephraim is a little town in central Utah (my favorite kind of town). It's about as far from me as Salt Lake City is, and the drive is way more pleasant. I had a great time. I got to see some old friends and meet some new ones and meet some of my online buddies in person for the first time. I love that! (No, I didn't have a camera with me. Bummer.)

The classes were VERY informative and gave me a lot to think about. Jewel Adam's class on publishing e-books has my mind churning with all sorts of possibilities. Rachelle Christensen's class on blog tours inspired a great idea for a contest. Except, now I wonder if it is such a great idea...I'm mulling it over. (So, stay tuned. I may be holding a fun contest in the near future!) Julie Coulter Bellon inspired me with her presentation on making time for our talents. She's written eight novels in just 15 minutes a day! Amazing lady.

I've got all sorts of questions rattling in my brain now about e-books and traditional publishers and markets and marketing and just what I want to achieve with my own writing. I'm a bit unsettled, actually.

But, I have started brainstorming a new novel! The processes is rather like falling in love. Fun, exciting and terrifying all at the same time. Regardless of the answers I come up with to all my new questions, the creating, the writing, the imagining--that's what really matters.

Check out my Guest Post

2011-04-13T12:42:00.000-06:00

I'm guest blogging over at the amazing Tristi Pinkston's blog today. I discuss what it takes to be a successful writer. Check it out!

Who's At the Door? by Dan Harrington: A Review

2011-04-11T11:02:00.000-06:00

Today, I'm shaking things up a bit and reviewing some non-fiction. Who's at the Door? by Dan Harrington.

I was born and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormons). In fact, my family have been members all the way back to the beginnings of the church. I've known all about our beliefs and doctrines well, forever. It's a part of who I am. So I've always been curious about what it's like to be an investigator of the church--to learn about it as an adult. Conversely, I never had the opportunity to serve a mission as a young adult. Young ladies can serve at age 21, and by the time I turned 21, I was already married and expecting my first baby. So I also don't really know what it's like to be a full-time missionary, either.

Who's At the Door? A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries by Dan Harrington gave me a chance to find out.

From the back of the book:

Right now, thousands of people across the world are meeting with the more than 50,000 Latter-day Saint missionaries. You've seen these young "elders" on the streets, in your neighborhood, and even outside your home. But have you ever wondered who they are? Dan Harrington did. Who's at the Door? A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries is one man's experience with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Maine. Not just another tale of conversion, this book is about seeing life from a new perspective, gaining respect for another faith, and finding friends in unlikely places. Find out who's at the door and what can happen when you open it.

I found this book compelling, beautifully written and quite poignant. In fact, I had a hard time putting it down. I read it in one day. Kind of amazing for me!

My favorite quote from the book is this:

People come in, make their mark, and leave. It doesn't matter if they're a missionary or not. In recording these events, I wonder if that's why writing has always meant so much to me. In a changing world where people disappear like smoke in the wind, writing can make a moment last. It offers a time to ponder and reflect and a chance to hold onto things that possess a special meaning for us.

I think that's just what Dan's book does so well. It captures a moment that he experienced and then lets the reader experience it as well. He does an excellent job drawing the reader in. This is a great book for people of any faith, or none at all, who are curious about Mormon missionaries or investigators or who just want to look at life from a different perspective for a while.

Visit Dan Harrington's blog for more information and links to order the book.

*I received a free copy of the book to review. That in no way influenced my opinion.

Book Fair Volunteer

2011-04-05T10:20:00.000-06:00

It's time for the spring book fair down at the elementary school. It's pretty much the only PTA activity that I volunteer to help with anymore. I went a little crazy this time and volunteered to work two afternoon shifts this week, 3.5 hours apiece. No biggie. It's easy and I enjoy being there, surrounded by books and people who want to read them. I'll probably even get some of my revising done. I just didn't think about what I am going to do with my two little ones (age 6 and 3) for those 3.5 hours. I don't want to find a babysitter for them. So, I'm heading down there today with a bag of books, paper, crayons, puzzles and toys and hoping for the best. Wish me luck.

Also, seven hours at the book fair is going to take a chunk out of my blogging time. I won't get to read as many blogs this week as I'd like. Come to think of it, I didn't last week either. Life comes up and, frankly, blogging is lower down the list. So forgive me. I'll be visiting blogs as best I can. As always, I appreciate those of you who stop by to read and comment on mine!

And stay tuned: I'll soon be posting a review of Dan Harrington's Who's at the Door? A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries, plus I'm going to a writing conference this Saturday, and I'll let you know all about that too.

Until then, I'll see you around!

Long Revision

2011-03-30T15:44:00.000-06:00

I think I am going to spend as long revising Renegade (24K) as I did revising The Ransomed Returning (124K). The poor novella needs a lot more help than the novel does. Maybe you faithful blog readers remember how I wrote Renegade in a furious push as a challenge during the month of October. I wrote 18 of the 24K that month, which is way more than I've ever written in a month.

And it shows. I'm about to cut out an entire ten page scene because it really just doesn't work. At all. Good news, though. The scene I'm writing to replace it kicks butt! I must say I am very excited about the changes that I'm making. It's going to be so much better when I'm done. (Thanks to a great critique!)

Still, it annoys me to have to put so much time into revision. A story this length should only take two or three days to revise. Not a week or more. I think in the long run, it just wasn't worth it to write so fast and furious.I know some people like to write like that and fix everything while revising. I am not one of them.

So, no more speed writing feats for me! I suppose you have to put the time in somewhere and personally, I prefer to put it in while writing rather than revising.

But, hey, Renegade is about to get way more awesome, so I really can't complain.

Star Scout Rising: First Trail: My Review

2011-03-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

You probably know, if you read this blog much, that I love science fiction, especially with loads of action. I had high hopes for Star Scout Rising: First Trail, and I was not disappointed.

Junior Star Scout Del Baldura and his teammates find themselves in a world of trouble when one of the team members is kidnapped by off-world poachers during a training mission. Now Del and the rest have to use all their wits to survive. The book also follows Jak McCarel and Star Scout Command as they try to uncover a plot by the sinister Gadion Faction, a plot which may put the Junior Scouts in even more danger.

Star Scout Rising if chock full of adventure, nail-biting action, hairs-breadth escapes, and cool alien creatures. In other words, science fiction just like I want it. I enjoyed the characters and could relate to their struggles. The book grabbed my interest right away and kept me hooked until the end. Of course, as this is volume one, that end comes just as the two different story lines come together. And while lots of questions are left unanswered, I still felt the ending was satisfying. I am anxious to read the next book now and find out what happens!

The book is refreshingly clean and free of any objectionable material. It's one that I'm sure my teen boys will also love. Star Scout Rising: First Trail is available in print on Amazon or for Kindle. You can find out more about the book and about Gary Darby on his blog.

So, if you love science fiction adventure as much I do, I highly recommend you give Star Scout Rising a try!

The Revising Routine

2011-03-22T12:05:00.000-06:00

I've been revising my novel, The Ransomed Returning. I should finish up in the next couple days. It's an exciting time, I think. I like revising. But here's how my routine usually goes:

First, In the morning I type up all the changes I made the day before. I love my book! I love the changes! I love my freakin' awesome betas!

Next, I print out the chapters I want to work on that day. I pull up the critiques and make notes on the printout of all the comments and suggestions from the betas. Depression sets in. This book stinks. I'll never be able to fix it. I might as well just save time and delete the whole thing right now. (Okay, I'm exaggerating. A little. I have to admit it was worse with the earlier chapters than it has been with the later ones.)

I get over myself and get to work. I like what I'm doing. Revising is fun. It makes the story so much better. Pretty soon...I love my book! I love the changes!

I LOVE my freakin' awesome betas!

Then I have to work on the next few chapters...

So, I guess you could say it's going well. Do you have revising ups and downs? Or is it just me?

Success

2011-03-18T12:14:00.000-06:00

Two great quotes on success for your weekend:

This one arrived in my inbox yesterday:

"It is necessary to prepare and to plan so that we don’t fritter away our lives. Without a goal, there can be no real success. One of the best definitions of success I have ever heard goes something like this: success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. Someone has said the trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never cross the goal line." ~Thomas S. Monson

This one I heard at my 12-step meeting:

"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm." ~ Sir Winston Churchill

Well, there you go. Get out there and succeed!

Keeping the Balls in the Air

2011-03-15T11:22:00.000-06:00

In college, I wanted to learn how to juggle. I bought juggling bags and a book of instructions. I practiced for hours. And I failed. Hand-eye coordination and I are not friends.

And yet, by the time I graduated from college I had become a juggler nonetheless. I was married and expecting my first baby. And the juggling act has only gotten better since then. A husband, six kids, church callings, women's choir (I'm the president), writing, blogging, friends, family, cooking, cleaning, pets, etc., etc., etc. That's a lot of balls to keep going.

The trick is figuring out which ball I need to catch at any given time, and which ones I can leave in the air. I never want to let any of them fall, but honestly sometimes that's impossible. I have to try hard not to drop anything important.

I know what matters to me, and what doesn't. Every day I talk to God and let Him guide which balls I need to catch that day. And which balls I can leave in His hands. If something falls, even if it's something important, well, there's always tomorrow to pick it back up and try again.

How's your juggling act going?

Voluntarily Vulnerable

2011-03-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

Maybe you've heard the quote, "Art begins by revealing the artist to you and ends by revealing you to yourself."

Turn it around a little and it becomes, "Art begins by revealing you to your audience."

Scary.

And yet, we do it. We long for an audience, in fact. At least I do.

It's hard, isn't it? To make yourself vulnerable like that. To reach into your heart and lay it bare on the page and then put it on display for the world to judge. Why do we do that to ourselves?

I think it's because sometimes something from our heart touches somebody else's heart. And the last part of the quote comes into play. We reveal them to themselves. And that makes all the risk worthwhile.

And I feel like I'm naked in front of a crowd 'cause these words are my diary screaming out loud and I know that you'll use them however you want to. ~Anna Nalick

Writer's Intuition and Revising

2011-03-05T18:38:00.000-07:00

It's sad, but true. Your story won't come out perfect the first time through. You're going to have to revise. You're going to have to get critiques. You're going to have to watch others tear your baby to shreds. And you're going to need some Writer's Intuition to guide you here too. Because not all revisions are created equal. Not every suggestion from your crit partners or beta readers is going to be good for your story, no matter how good of critiquers they are.

It is hard to get critiqued. I know that. And you shouldn't just dismiss anyone's suggestions out of hand. (Well, maybe some you can reject out of hand. Like I once got a critique that said, Your main character should be an energy being instead of flesh and blood. Um, okay.) But in general you should at least consider all the suggestions made. Then use your intuition to know which to use and which to ignore.

My rule of thumb is that any suggestions that make me excited to make changes are good suggestions. Those that don't, just aren't right for the story. Just remember that it 's your story and no one else's. Only you know what will make it truly shine. Your Writer's Intuition will show you the way.

Writer's Intuition Where It Really Counts

2011-03-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

Blogging about LTUE and book reviews and blog fests has been fun, but I'm ready to get back to what I was talking about before.

Writer's Intuition. Remember that? If not, you can read my other intuition posts here, here, and here.

Of course, where Writer's Intuition really counts is in the actual writing. Writing a first draft is not easy for me. I go rather slow (no NaNoWriMo feats for me). I edit as I go. But I don't always consciously think about what's going into the story. I have to just tell it the way I want it told and trust myself to know what's right for that story. I want to point out that I have had to learn to trust myself. I had to develop that intuition.

I'll give an example. I wrote a novel in 1998, and after getting a bunch of rejections, I put it away. For ten years. (I have probably talked about this before.) My friend asked to read it. I told her, "Sure, but it's probably really bad." She read it and assured me it was not really bad. I read it too. I was shocked. Amazed. I loved that book. I couldn't believe I had just set it aside and forgotten it. I had forgotten how much work I put into it. How much I loved the characters. And the plot. Yes, it needed revising. It needed tightening and changing. But for the most part everything the story needed was there. In some cases I just had to bring it out or adjust it.

So, trust yourself. You know how your story should be told. Know the rules, but don't bind yourself down with them. Let your Writers Intuition guide you. Yes, you will still have to revise. You'll need your intuition then too. But you have a story to tell, so tell it!

The Peasant Queen Blog Tour: My Review

2011-02-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm reviewing The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley. Here's the blurb:

After running away from home, Krystal is transported to a faraway kingdom where an evil tyrant is bent on taking the crown - and Krystal's hand in marriage. But when she falls in love with the rightful heir to the throne, she must make an impossible choice: sacrifice her one chance at happiness and agree to marry King Gregory, or face the destruction of an entire kingdom.

The Peasant Queen is a romance with plenty of action, intrigue and danger in a fantasy setting. Chesley does a great job developing her characters. I love Krystal's spunk and energy and the way she refuses to take things lying down. Prince Jareth is sweet and romantic. But my favorite character is King Gregory--the villain. He's not my favorite in the sense that I wanted to see him succeed. Not at all. He is my favorite in the sense that he is the most complex and well-drawn character in the book. I found his intensity, passion, and ruthlessness quite compelling, and could totally understand Krystal's reaction to him.

My biggest disappointment was that the magic in the book is more of a background detail and is not important to the plot. For that reason, I'd say the book is not truly fantasy, but it is a wonderful, adventurous romance. I am looking forward to the sequel.

Cheri Chesley is hosting a super cool contest in connection with the blog tour. Click here to find out the details and see the awesome prizes, and leave a comment here to get entered!

Over the Rainbow...

2011-02-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Where the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. *cue Judy Garland*

I've been practicing "Over the Rainbow" with my women's choir, and that phrase really jumped out at me. Especially in light of my own dream-come-true moment this past weekend.

LTUE rocked! I had the time of my life. Seriously. What a fantastic conference it is every year.

When I first arrived, I was nervous about being on panels for the first time. Would I know what to say? Would I sound like an idiot? Would the organizers politely ask me to leave and not do any future panels? Two people put me at ease right away, though. Sandra Tayler and Paul Genesse, both of whom I had just met in person for the first time, gave me some great advice and reassurance. Thank you both, Sandra and Paul! You made a big difference for me.

My panels went great (I'll do posts on each one later), and I learned that I LOVE sitting in front of a room full of people and talking about writing. It was seriously fun! So, my dream of sitting up in the front with the big boys was even better than I imagined it would be.

Considering the number of people who were there, I am totally counting this as the fulfillment of the "present at a conference" half of my Big Goal. I hope I get many more opportunities to do so in the future.

Come See Me at LTUE

2011-02-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Life, the Universe, and Everything starts tomorrow! I am so excited. And nervous. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. I sure hope I conduct myself well on my panels. I am so nervous I'll end up looking like a dork. I've made a bunch of notes, though, and I think I'm ready. Also, there are some awesome authors on the panels with me, so that'll help. If you're going, please come say hi to me. In case you're interested, here is my schedule:

Thursday, 4pm: The Writing Life

Friday, 10am: How to Write a Good Short Story

Friday, 1pm: Dialog Tags and Speech Patterns

Saturday, 10am: Religion in Science Fiction: How to Make it Work

So, there you have it. Wish me luck!

Romance Blogfest: First Meeting

2011-02-14T07:12:00.002-07:00

Happy Valentines Day, everyone! Love is in the air. It's my nineteenth wedding anniversary too. (Love you, Sweetie!) Here's my entry for the Romance Blogfest hosted by Jordan McCollum.

Here is a scene from my latest novella, "Renegade." It's the first meeting of two survivors of a devastating alien invasion. Technically, it isn't their first meeting. They were acquainted before this, but it's a first-time meeting after never thinking about or expecting to see the person again. I think it counts, but I'll let you judge for yourself.

"Put your arms up and turn around slowly."
Kwetoo'unuv flinched in surprise and did as he was told. The woman had a shotgun aimed at him. "Don't move," she said. She was an Indian. He recognized her.
"You're Beth. Beth Stone, right?" Her face hardened. She didn't answer.
"I'm Kwetoo'unuv remember? You were friends with my mother. Nancy Walker?" Her expression didn't waver. "I—I think you canned peaches together once." Maybe he didn't want to bring that up. Beth still didn't speak. She held the gun on him without wavering.
"Do you remember me?"
Nothing.
He sighed. "Look either shoot me or say something, 'cause I have things to do."
"You've changed," she said.
"Yeah, well," he shrugged. "I grew up. Can I put my hands down now?"

So, there you have it. Pretty romantic, huh? Trust me. Things get better between them eventually.

Writer's Intuition in the Planning Stage

2011-02-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

Plotter or pantser, you're still going to need some intuition to guide you in the planning phase of writing. Once you've found that perfect idea, there are a million different paths that idea can take. How do you know which paths to choose? Yeah, you guessed it. Use your Writer's Intuition.

When I'm planning a story, or even when I get stuck in the middle of one, I like to sit down and do some brainstorming. It helps me to list out all the different possibilities, even those I know I won't use, even those that seem cliched or just plain dumb or totally silly. Then I decide what I feel will work best in the story. Sometimes I come up situations I never expected. You've probably had that happen too.

Don't be afraid to let your imagination run wild. Think up all the cliches, the nonsense, the dead-ends, and what-not. Somewhere in there, your Writer's Intuition is going to dish up the perfect direction for your story to take.

Writers Intution and Finding Your Story

2011-02-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

We need our Writer's Intuition throughout the writing process, starting with choosing ideas. Notice I didn't say finding ideas. Finding ideas takes curiosity and good observation and a little imagination. Finding ideas is downright easy. Choosing which ideas are worthy of being written is a little harder.

That's where Writer's Intuition comes in. From all the jumble of ideas battling in your head, you'll find the one (or two, or three...) that really lights a spark for you. The idea you just have to write. The one you know won't leave you alone. That's your Writer's Intuition talking. Listen to it. Even if it seems like that particular idea has already been done to death. Even if that ideas not the next "big thing" you've been hearing so much about. Even if someone tries to tell you that no one will want to read that kind of story.

Trust your intuition. Just make sure you have something uniquely yours to bring to the old ideas. Make sure that your passion and excitement for the story shine through. Then it won't matter what's big in the market right now.

Choose the idea that you are aching to write, and a great story will be just around the corner.

Rules Are Made to be Broken

2011-02-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

I can't think of one single rule of writing that can't be broken successfully. I'm sure you're aware of many examples. So, how do you know when you break the rules and when you can't?

I don't know.

But, I offer it as my opinion that we have to use our

Writer's Intuition.

Do you believe there is such a thing? I do. I think we can know intuitively how the story were trying to tell can best be told. However, I also believe we are not born with writer's intuition. Well, maybe some people are, but it's not a prerequisite for becoming a writer. We have to develop it. How?

Read, read, read, read, read. Read the type of books you want to write. Get a feel for how words are put together. The more you read, the more the wonderful flow of language will become ingrained inside of you. This shouldn't be too hard. Writers are pretty much born readers.

And write. Write, write, write, write, write. You have to practice. It will take time to gain your own writer's intuition. But you will gain it. I believe that.

I'm going to do some more posts on using writer's intuition in every stage of the writing game, so stay tuned...

Save the Short Story (Short Fiction Review)

2011-01-29T12:19:00.001-07:00


Jungle Statue (c) 2009 by Jason Zampol

If you've read this blog much, then you know how much I love short fiction, and I don't want to see it become and endangered species. So today, may I present ResAliens print magazine, Issue #5!

ResAliens editor, Lyn Perry, promises to bring us "spiritually-infused" fiction. What does that term mean to you. In the introduction to this issue, Perry says: Well, it doesn’t necessarily mean that each story is “spiritual” (what some might call, “religious”) or has a certain moral to it. Not that there isn’t a place for specifically religious material. You’ll read what some would term “Christian” fiction within the pages and web pages of ResAliens. But for me, it is a mindset with which I approach almost every song, film, or book. I embrace the arts – and literature in particular – from a spiritual perspective. That is, I come to a story ready to engage the transcendent or eternal message or theme within that work of art.

So, does ResAliens fulfill this promise? Yes, it does. The seven stories inside are all well-written, interesting, and possess a certain lyrical quality that I found compelling. Yet each story also contains a thread of darkness that leaves you thinking about what you've just experienced.

"Where the Sun Don't Shine" by Jeff Parish starts the issue. I have to admit, I was hard-pressed to find anything spiritual in this story, however I did find it a fun read--in a kind of grown-up, macabre Captain Underpants sort of way. (Sure hope I am never infested with butt pirates!)

"Not Your Kind of Heathen" by Erin M. Kinch brings us an exciting story of a strong and yet vulnerable hunter of the creatures of the dark.

"The Noble Experiment" by Pat. R. Steiner is a beautifully written tale of a summertime story shared between Grandson and Grandfather, and even features an appearance by the infamous Al Capone!

"Rockets Over Eireann" by Kristen Lee Knapp shocking and yet moving portrayal of violence and terrorism, and was my favorite in this issue.

"A Heroine's Death" by Billy Wong brings us a heroine so amazing not even death can conquer her. But is that really for the best? A nice tale of love and sacrifice.

"Azerieran: Lokxenthuul" by Christopher Heath is a dark story of a twisted, evil dwarf, and leaves you to ponder justice and revenge.

"Protein" by Gustavo Bondoni, another of my favorites in here, is a truly chilling tale addresses some important issues.

Also in the issue, you'll find an interview with cover artist Jason Zampol (Isn't it a beautiful cover?), and an anthology review. You can order issue #5, and the other print issues, as well as enjoy more great fiction, on the ResAliens website.

If you love short stories like I do, or if you just want a great read, ResAliens is well worth your time.

From the editor: Already 20% off at $8.00 for a print issue. Now purchase ResAliens Issue 5 and save an additional 15% off with coupon code: FIRESIDE305 (good through Feb 15, 2011). http://www.lulu.com/product/14604803

*I received a free e-copy of the magazine, which I chose to review for you.

A Great Idea Deserves Great Writing

2011-01-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

I think it's true that great writing can carry a humdrum, cliched or just plain dumb idea, but it doesn't work the other way around. A great idea cannot save terrible writing. I see this often when reading submissions. The idea of the story is interesting, different or intriguing. But the story itself just isn't so great. Maybe the characters are too cliched. Maybe the plot comes to a weak resolution. Maybe there are just too many passive sentences and adverbs. Whatever the reason, the idea itself cannot carry the weak writing.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that you have most likely come up with a wonderful story to tell. It's all yours. It means something to you. It's exciting and speaks to you. Well, then, give it your best! Your great idea deserves to be written well, and you can do it. Be bold. Don't hold back. Don't be satisfied with what's easy. Go to workshops and learn. Get critiqued and give critiques. Revise, revise, revise, and don't give up.

Your great idea is worth the effort it takes to write it well. Now get out there and do it!