The Next Big Thing

Wait!! This is not SPAM!  I really am blogging.  With the New Year I am intending to dust off my space here and get back at things.  I have now finished painting the entire first floor of my house and can once again use my *cough* spare time to write more.

To push me towards this goal, I was tagged for participation in The Next Big Thing by the author of THE PATIENCE TRILOGY- Courage in Patience, Hope in Patience, and Truth in Patience, Beth Fehlbaum. THE PATIENCE TRILOGY is currently on submission to several publishers and she's been working on her 4th book,B.F.D. (Big Fat Disaster).  To learn more about her newest writing adventure check out her blog at http://bethfehlbaumbooks.com/blog.html 

My friend, Beth Fehlbaum, is an inspiration to me as we have both risen from childhood trauma only to inspire and teach as well as write.  I am honored and strengthened by Beth and the voice she gives to survivors.

Enough of the seriousness.  Let's get on with the fun of The Next Big Thing...
 

What is the working title of your next book?  It was By the Grace of God originally, but I have since changed it to Gracie's Gift

Where did the idea come from for the book?  Wow.  Well, we were doing a character sketch in one of my classes and all of a sudden I had to step away from what everyone else was saying so I could write down my own character sketch.  Gracie and Kaitlin were so loud and forceful, wanting their stories told.  It was pretty freaky.

What genre does your book fall under? Young Adult Contemporary (Realistic) Fiction. 

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?   For Gracie, I think I would have the actress who played Minny from The Help, Octavia Spencer.  I'm not sure who would play Kaitlin... she's only about 17 through the bulk of the book.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Kaitlin was abandoned as a young child and raised by Gracie.  After 13 years, her birth mother returns to explain herself, however NOTHING is what the artistic Kaitlin imagined.  

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? 
I have no clue.  I don't know the first thing about the publishing end of things.  I have to finish the book first.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript? Still writing... 2 years now, with a divorce in the middle that slowed things down a LOT!

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Oh goodness, I really couldn't say.  Maybe... something like The Skin I'm In by Sharon Flake

Who or what inspired you to write this book? Well, the book forced itself on me sort of and then one of my students inspired the development of the story.  Anger drove so many of her decisions in school and it wasn't until almost the end of the year that I found out why she was so angry.  I was astonished by her story and it fueled my novel.

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest? I am writing the book attempting to use African American dialect for some of the key characters.  This is challenging me.  I am also scared to finish the book because of the stark examples of racism.  It hurts me to write some of these things.
Check out all of the following author-friends of mine and encourage them to participate in THE NEXT BIG THING on January 2nd! 

Nova Lovette: A dear friend who I don't get to spend enough time writing with or talking writing with.  Check out her work at http://novalovette.blogspot.com/  

Trish Stewart, author of  Taking Lessons From Ernest, released in 2011.  She has pushed me to "just get it written" and then go back and fix it.  This is easier said than done.

Megan Messina Bostic who wrote Never Eighteen, a wonderful novel that follows a young man's journey to make life right before he dies.  She has inspired me more than she could know, as I "found" her through a mutual friend at a critical turning point in my life.  

I am supposed to have two more authors to feature on here, but would rather go with quality than quantity during this busy busy time of year.  Have a great 2013 and do 2012 out right!!!

Project Management

Tuesday I debuted on YA Warehouse and, so far, I am pleased with the responses on my social network platforms.  I've seen several RTs on Twitter and some Likes on Facebook.  I also gained a few followers on my personal blog here.  Thank you to you, my supporters!!  You all truly encourage me to continue.  And, just so you know, unlike on this blog, I can't see the traffic over at YA, so unless you leave a comment, I won't know you visited.

One visitor left me a bit of her amazing story of how she deferred her dreams in fashion design until just recently.  One can tell from her story, she is an incredible soul.  And reading her comment really got me thinking, I wonder if I could collect stories like her's from around the world--through social media channels--and create an anthology.  Off my mind went, spinning like a child just learning the joys of making yourself dizzy.

Just as the dizzy set in, I remembered motion sickness and stopped mid-spin.  See, I read/watched the vlog one of my counterparts, Nova Lovette, posted on YA Warehouse last night.  She was discussing "shiny new ideas" and maintaining focus on your current WIP.  I started thinking about that, then I thought about Bird by Bird from Anne Lamott:


“Because this business of becoming conscious, of being a writer, is ultimately about asking yourself, How alive am I willing to be?” 
― Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

I had to think about Nova's question: What does a writer do with "shiny new ideas"?

How do you manage your writing projects?  (um, yeah...cause we all know we're really the ones in control of our projects, right?  ;-D ) Do you keep a writer's notebook so you can let the shine glimmer onto the pages, get out of your system as an infantile glow and then wait there maturing until you are ready to guide it?  Do you bottle it up and hope like heck that it'll still be there when you're ready?  How do writers deal with the onslaught of ideas when they actually do come?  How do we become the proverbial ants who stock up our "food" so we have it when the weather turns and there is none to be found elsewhere?  And, is this management, or lack thereof, truly the cause of those idea droughts we all fear?

Typically, I have cycled when it comes to my idea management.  Mostly, as an adult, I have not taken my ideas seriously and given them the time and respect they deserve.  I stuff them in the corners of my abyss and count on those ideas to come running back to me when I need them--to still love me after being carelessly rejected.  Less often, I have stopped, honored the thoughts, jotted them down in a safe place and taken the care to let them flow as they intend from my inner creator.  Even though I find I am more creative, productive and positive when I'm in the latter cycle, I still don't set myself up to practice getting the ideas out.

Now that I'm taking my writing more seriously, maybe it's time that I honor my thoughts.  Let the "shiny new ideas" sparkle in the sun a bit before gently placing them into a safe writer's notebook for another day.  Even the controversial rapper, Eminem does this--sort of!  No more games or self-detriment.  I want to be a writer.  I want to publish my heart and soul in ink.  It's time to manage my projects...

How do you manage your projects and your "shiny new ideas"?

The Payoff of Taking a Chance

I have always been one to play it safe when it comes to making important decisions.  Not the “What should I do this weekend?” kind of decisions, but big decisions like “What should I be when I grow up and how much education will I need for that?”  For as long as I can remember, I have been scared of feeling pigeon-holed in a job or career I couldn’t stand or one that leaves me unable to support my family.  (I mean, choosing the wrong path is not a small mistake!)

Choosing a career path costs time and money, and neither are refundable.  This is not something I felt I could afford to screw up.  Just out of high school, I thought I might want to go into nursing.  I got a job at a hospital while pursuing my general-ed courses.  Thank goodness too, because about two years in, I saw this 10 year old boy who broke his arm skateboarding.  His arm zigzagged in the most unnatural way and I almost got sick.  It was the weirdest thing.  After all I had seen, (blood, guts and mucus) nothing had bothered me yet, but this kid and his twisted bones had me dropping my entire course load for the next semester.

I had no Plan B, so I enlisted in the Air Force until I could figure out my path in life.  My parents' marriage was falling apart and so were my morals as I quickly approached my 21st birthday.  My hope was the military would finish raising me.  And raise me it did, until Plan B dropped itself right into my heart and I felt an inclination to start a family.  Since the military didn't fit with my new family plan, I sought a medical discharge— I was pregnant— and pretended I was a real grown up.

The problem was I still had no career.  I also didn't like the idea of leaving my baby with strangers.  My extensive babysitting experiences led me to explore working in daycare.  After a few years there, one of the parents said to me, "Why not go to school?  Time is going to pass you by no matter what.  Where do you want to be in two years?  Here, with everything unchanged except your age or here with a raise and an associate’s degree in education?  No one can take knowledge away from you."

I thought about the risk involved in picking one degree area.  Scary stuff to think about.  What if I tried, spent all that time and money and found out I wasn't smart enough to teach?  Then I realized, I was already teaching.  I was teaching at daycare and I was teaching my son.  So, I took the chance; going to school could only make me better.  While I was there, I learned a few things about myself:  I am excellent at teaching.  Writing brings pure bliss—even papers for school.  And, hey, I like to read this YA stuff.  Taking this opportunity is how I found my Plan C (C for calling).  Teaching middle school reading and writing just feels natural. 

But I have since learned that taking chances can't apply only to choosing a career path.  Taking chances HAS TO translate into everything you do in life.  Every venture that comes your way has to be honestly explored with self-confidence.  That's where you find happiness.  That's where you find the people who are most like you and who will support you.  

I am taking a new chance now thanks to those wonderful supporters and a little bit of faith in myself.  I'm taking a chance with my writing.  I can be something with it.  I can make a difference.  In taking that gamble, I find myself with a new opportunity: I am becoming a member of the YA Warehouse blog, sharing my experience with you.  Please join me there on Tuesdays.  Share with me in return?  What is your journey?  What dreams are you deferring?  

I will also maintain this blog...at least to the level I have so far eh-heh-hem... but on Tuesdays, you will find my posts at YA Warehouse with 3 other fabulous authors.  Please click on the banner below to follow me in both places.

Lucky 7 Meme

I have been furiously working on my WIP and slack in my blogging as of late.  So, you can imagine my surprise when the lovely and supportive S.E. Lane from Writing Belle left me a flattering comment about being tagged.  According to her, "This is a different kind of meme which requires you to go to page 77 of your current Manuscript, go to line 7, and copy 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs. Then you're supposed to tag 7 more bloggers!"  Well, I can sort of do that.  I suppose if I formatted my current WIP as a more book like format rather than the standard Word document default I would have a page 77.  I can definitely choose 7 other bloggers (and then some) upon which to bestow this honor.  


What I fear is becoming hopelessly addicted to sharing parts of my WIP and hearing what you all have to say.  That, or, finding myself so caught up in everyone's wonderful blogs, searching for my 7 victims (er...honorees) that I never finish this post and no one ever shares in the talent that I so enjoy reading.  This being said, it's with no further ado that I present to you 7 lines from "Gracie's Gift" my current WIP.  In this scene, Miles (the love interest) comes to check on Kaitlin (the MC) who has been home for the week.  (I can't say why yet.  Oh, and yes there are hints of dialect, but it's not heavy.  That pattern is in the whole manuscript--depending on the characters.)

"Miles, what I’m gonna do?  They won't let me stay here and even if they did, I can't afford it.  Can't go to New York with Brandon and Sharon.  My life is here."

 "First of all, you can do anythin' you want.  Second, you have no life."

"Shut up!  If you're trying to cheer me up, you need to work on your skills."

"Oh, I got skills."  Miles set my plate on the coffee table, grabbed me by the wrist and stood me up.  He spun me around again.  I was too defeated to resist him.  "Dang, girl!  You are a hot mess!" 

I've been working on this piece since summer of 2010.  I had to stop to finish my Master's and to get divorced.  Dust has settled, I am happier than ever and writing like a fiend.  I hope to finish the first draft no later than the end of June.  Stick around...maybe I will share more sometime.  

In the meantime, here are some other amazing bloggers you can check out:

Les Floyd from Lesism- who has recently re-explored his short story skills beautifully.

Molly O'Keefe from Drunk Writer Talk- who has inspired me to give this next one a go and see if I can finish a first draft over the summer this year.  I have already been researching and will be working an outline before then.  I'll let you know how that goes.  Thanks Molly for the honest expression about the process of head down writing.

Author Pete Hautman- who, in case you haven't read his work, is freaking hilarious.  Plus, his new book, The Obsidian Blade, is releasing on my birthday!  I can think of no better reason to honor him other than for being funny and for having a kick ass release date!  (The fact that he has won awards might have nothing to do with my selection.  Nor the fact that my students love to read his work--cause those things are not as important.)

Widow Dyer- who has overcome sickly computers to rise up again and continue on her quest of "aspiring" (however, she is writing like a machine which sounds like much more than aspiring if you ask me).  Check her out ans she what she has cooking in her writer life!

R. Mac Wheeler- who ranted recently to his fellow Indie authors about the quality of the work they are producing.  His point was made clearly without singling out any one particular author.  I found this compelling as a newbie for so many reasons that I just don't have time for now.  But, also, because I had an Indie send me a book for free and ask me to review it...good or bad...I'm torn.  This is a blog post in the making.  While I finish reading the book I was sent, read what R. Mac has to say and let him know what you think.  

AJ Humpage from All Write Fiction Advice- whose recent post on the difference between imagery and feeling as well as seeing the words and how they fit in the scene really struck a chord with me.  I tend to be a method writer and get extremely into my work.  Then , when I read aloud for my writer's group, I can not help but have different tones to my voice as I read the different characters.  Each word is considered carefully as I revise and edit.  Check out what she has to say and her tips on feeling the depth of the words.

Morgan Shamy-is somewhat new to me.  I've clicked follow on her blog, but somehow rarely manage to catch a post.  (I really need to reach out to all of these wonderful resources more often.)  Her recent post about Beta Reading caught my eye though.  As I connect more to other authors and experience greater depth with my writing group, I am learning more and more about what it means to be a Beta reader or to use a Beta reader.  Morgan poses great questions and advice about beta reading that I hadn't yet solidified in my head.  Check her out.

So, there are my 7 Memes for this round of shout outs and awards.  I hope I have connected you with some people that will help you grow as a writer just as they have for me.  What do you think about their ideas?  What do you look for in a good blog?  

I also hope you enjoy my 7 lines of manuscript.  Have you ever used dialect or written in a character voice that is so different from your own?  What resources did you use?

Well heck...Rejection...What was your first time like?

Despite the post title, there is no pity party here.  I have been living life to the fullest over the past week and a half and haven't been blogging.  While there was some definite task avoidance going on, there was some serious growth as well.  See, on the 13th of February, I received my first rejection letter.  Now, despite the crappy timing...Valentine's eve...this wasn't an entirely bad experience.  Within that notice of nonselection came some effective and ineffective advice.  See below:

Hello Christine Benson,
Thank you for your submission to Red Fez. We know that you put a lot of time and effort into your submission, so we appreciate you thinking of us. Right or wrong, we have decided against using your work in our next issue.  (Polite, direct and to the point.)

You indicated you wanted to receive feedback on your submission. Since you put the effort into submitting to us, we feel you deserve an explanation for our decision. There's nothing worse than submitting to a publication and learning nothing from the process. Here is the raw feedback from our editors: (Standing by their word)

Feedback from 2 editors:


Discovering invisibility
 1) in the first 2 paragraphs, there is a serious overabundance of the words: flames, brats, beds/bed, and grease. I think some synonyms would do wonders for the redundant use of said words.(Fair enough, I tend to overuse words and I should have caught that.  Rookie mistake.)   it's a somewhat confusing how many people are involved here because she refers to everyone involved as the boys, she and marie e.t.c. this sentence in particular could have been better: (Too many pronouns.  Ok, well this is probably also valid as I struggled with identifying the speaker a bit due to the personal similarities that brought out embarrassment.  Lesson learned: Go for it.  Don't hold back.  Readers don't automatically think the event happened to you when it is labeled as fiction.  And if they do think that, then you must have a strong protagonist.)

For years they had been all getting together and drinking and nothing like this had ever happened before.


get rid of the all, no need for that. i haven't even mentioned how generic some of these metaphors are:


She robotically, handed him another beer, pausing to watch the cold tear of sweat running down the bottle; the slight tremble of excitement causing it to drip on her hand.


robotically? like mechanized? ugh, me no likee. (Ok, I have to admit, this one hurt.  I especially liked that line, I felt this line.  So why did I like it?  I've had to think about this one a lot.  This has been a big part of my task avoidance and self-doubt.  My peer group gushed over this line and the imagery.  I felt it, because at this point, I was going for it, mixing the real experience with the fiction.  However, because I hadn't gone for it before, hadn't let the reader SEE my protagonist and how much the proceeding experience affected her, the reader couldn't feel what I felt.

2) Not terrible, but it doesn't seem like a fit for the Fez. (Fair enough...this happens.  I need to get better at analyzing the places I am submitting.) This reminds me of the submission about a group of middle aged couples awkwardly watching porno movies together. In fact at first i thought it was the same piece. Is my mom sending these in under different pen names? (Really?  Is this comment necessary?  How am I learning from this?  This genre was a risk for me anyway.  I have to admit, I am now gun shy about sharing anything like this piece again.  Any ideas on how this can help me grow?)

Having said that, we're just one publication with one opinion. In the end we can't help but publish what we like. We could be wrong about your piece and it wouldn't be the first time. We thank you for giving us the opportunity to look at this piece - we appreciate it - and wish you best of luck in finding a suitable publisher for your work. (In fact, check out our Friends of Fez page for a list of other publishers that may be interested in your work!). We hope you'll continue to consider Red Fez in the future. (Thanks for being open and honest.  I appreciate the way they left the door open for me.  That makes it all feel better...it honestly does, no sarcasm at all.)

Artistically yours,
The Red Fez Editorial Team 

Over the past week, I have contemplated this letter and reread it many times.  I went back over the piece of writing I had submitted and made some corrections based on their feedback.  I even took some time for myself to feel the sting and disappointment of being rejected.  Once I was ready to stop crying in my orange juice, I had to work my way back on track.

5 Things I did in response to my rejection...

1. I didn't stop completely.  I wrote some poems for myself.  I wrote about 400 words on my WIP (admittedly with the creep of self-doubt).  I scribbled an idea here and there from my dreams.  

2. I shared my experience with friends, family, writing peers and even my 7th grade students.  Talking through the rejection helped me bring perspective to it.

3. I read a book, for fun.  Not a trade book about improving my writing, just a novel.

4. I opened my blog several times, knowing I wasn't going to write but needing to remind myself how new I am and how much I want this.

5. I read tweets, blogs and status updates from fellow writers, published and aspiring.  We all struggle sometimes.  How we respond to that struggle seems to be what separates the successes from the failures.

So, here I am.  Feeling like somewhat of an embattled veteran and picking myself up to carry on.  I have great supporters out there (and more clearly identified them by sharing my struggle).  I still have the drive to move ahead and work for my dream.  I'm putting myself back on my ROW80 goals.  Writing will go on and I will grow from this experience.  Now, what I'm wondering...what was your first time like? 

I'm Learning...

ROW 80 Goal Progress


Write 1,000 words on days I have no kids.  I've written about 2500 or so words in the past week!  I have to say, if it weren't for a mystery Tweep telling me to get my ass off of Twitter and write...well, my Zombie friend, let's just say thank you!  I am not only getting the hang of sitting down and letting the story flow, I am learning about my own process.  I learned that I can write one story line and research ideas and facts for the next.  I have also learned that I am more of a method writer--inserting myself into my characters when I write (see link later in post).  This makes it more difficult for me to write in small bursts because getting into and out of character is challenging.  Therefore, writing when I do not have the kids is even more important because then I am less likely to be interrupted.  Also, because of the way I write, having a second project going on is also important.  Sometimes, my characters get emotional and I can only write one or two scenes and then I need to quit.  If I have a second project...that I can research for or work out character sketches or some other planning or revising, then I can take a break from the writing but still be productive towards my goals.  Understanding that this is how I work has helped take so much pressure off.   


Attend Writer's Group on a regular basis.  This hasn't happened, but it hasn't happened for anyone in my group.  Meetings just haven't worked out.  I am meeting with the newly published author, Trish Stewart,  on Saturday at my hometown library for her book signing.  While there, the two of us are planning to discuss starting a writer's group there.  If that were to work, I would be so happy!  


Select/Revise/Submit entries on days I have the boys.  I have been working here, but mostly on researching for my next book idea.  I am waiting to hear about my first submission.  For some reason, I don't feel I can move forward until I know one way or another.  I know I will get past this feeling, but it will take a time or two before I jump into the publishing deep end.  Right now, I feel I am still developing as a writer and embracing the fact that I am finally allowing myself to be happy and do what it is I have always dreamed of.


Blog on Wednesdays.  At least it is once a week, right?  Oh, I did write a book review for the YA novel, AWAY by Teri Hall on Goodreads.  

Read one post on improving craft and develop my platform for an hour everyday.  This learning was fun this week.  I learned that I am a method writer from Derek Flynn at his blog, Rant, With Occasional Music   Then, I realized some harsh truths from my friend and fellow author, Shelli Johnson (Small as a Mustard Seed) as she blogged about numbers on her website, Shelli Johnson.  I have been using the numbers as both positive motivation and a distraction from the actual act of writing.  Now I am not competing against anyone but myself, but it is like some strategist game...if I unfollow this person and then follow this one, will I be able to get more followers?  I don't think there is anything wrong with this, except for the fact that I let it take away from my writing time.  I will be setting a timer for any Twitter or Facebook time during my work hours.  This way, I can't waste precious writing time.

ROW80 Check in: What exactly does failure look like??

I'm trying to decide if I've done well or not lately.  I've decided that this check in is a chance for me to get feedback from you all.  Here's what I've accomplished, you let me know what you think.

• Write 1,000 words on days I have no kids. FAIL!!  I have not made much progress on this exact goal, however I have written out several ideas and structures for new work.  I have toyed with the idea of marrying two of my OLD short stories into a new novel idea.  This has given me lots of hope.  I have also looked into the free trial of Scrivener and am considering a purchase there.  Any thoughts on this product?  I have written some poems and done some actual out of the house life living which is always good for getting the creativity going.

• Attend Writer's Group on a regular basis. I did miss one this past week because I thought I was going to New Orleans this past weekend and I wanted to spend as much time with my kids as I could before I left for four days,  Turns out I didn't go, so that means I do get to go to writer's group this week.  I missed it so much the one week I didn't get to go.  I did, however exchange a short story with a member from the group and we gave each other feedback before submitting to a publisher.

• Select/Revise/Submit entries on days I have the boys. This is where I have been very successful!  I have revised a great deal AND I submitted my first piece to Red Fez for their next issue!  I am so excited to hear what they think!  This will be my first experience with anything like this since I started taking my writing more seriously.  Wish me luck!!

• Blog on Wednesdays. Well, who am I kidding?  I have been working on a blog post for about a week.  I don't know why this one has been so hard to write.  I am working with it a little everyday and intend to finish it today.

• Read one post on improving craft and develop my platform for an hour everyday. This one I have been putting overtime in on.  Now I know this is fruitless if I don't have anything to share with my social network because I haven't spent enough time writing.  I am obsessed with Twitter and the connecting that is possible there.  I have watched my blog grow in numbers and enjoyed the feedback from supporters.  I have loved reading the work of others and listening to how they stay focused and develop their craft.  I had this personal goal of reaching 1,200 followers by the end of this month (which is harder because I have reached a follow limit and can't follow new people).  I made it and then some with a day to spare!!  I think a goal of 200 new followers a month is something I want to aim for.  I realize that in order to do this, I have to contribute something of value.  So, the pressure to write more and blog regularly is really on now.

So, for real, if you see me hanging out on Twitter or Facebook too much, please ask me how much writing I have done that day.  I think that is where the time suck is.  This past week or so has had me distracted, but I'm not completely disappointed with what I have accomplished.  I just need to sit down for that regular daily writing.  The ideas are there...   

ROW80 Check in and thoughts on Writer's Groups

I'm really doing this!  Wow, what a week I have had.  My blog was nominated for a Versatile Blogger Award and one blog post was picked up and given a shout out by another Tweep.  I have felt motivated and successful this week!  Yes, as Julie said on the ROW80 blog, things are trying to get in my way.  I'm doing my best to stay on track though.  One distraction I can do little about is my puppy.  She has decided she loves to run in the mud, come inside for an hour (so I have to towel her down) and then go back outside and do it again.  She must want me to join her because as she does this over and over all day long, she jumps on me and runs in circles around the table when she comes in!  I wish she would understand that all of this, while wildly fun and entertaining, is disrupting my writing flow.  Alas, she is only 7 months old and a dog, so I think I'm out of luck.  Other than that, I have done well.  With no kids this weekend, it was a big writing time for me.  Much of what I wrote was character development with some progress on my WIP.  I'm just shy of my 2,000 words for the two days I was sans kids, but well set up for Wednesday when I'm at it again.

I went to my writer's group (I'm fairly new to this particular group) and witnessed some critique challenges and writing insecurity.  This is not a pretty thing when you are in a group and can make for some tense moments among the group members.  For this reason, I found this Kristen Lamb's article both timely and thought provoking.  (I loved her book, We Are Not Alone.  If you have not checked out either her blog or her book, I strongly recommend both.)  While I do not believe I will leave the writing group (I need the accountability right now), I do think there is some balance that needs to be had as you consider the value of your particular group as well as your personal reason for attending a group.  Proceed with caution and a clear intent.

One article I would like to find is one about submitting your work to various places and how to decide which is the right place for each piece.  One of my goals is to select.revise and submit entries.  Well, today I looked at various sites that have contests and publication opportunities and I am feeling lost.  I have a few short stories, poems and flash fiction pieces that I would like to submit but have no clue which should go where.  What if I send it to one and it's rejected, but if I had only sent it to another one it would have been accepted?  How do you decide?  Where are the best places for beginning writers to submit their work?

Best of luck to all my fellow ROW80ers and #staygroovy

I'm so Excited: The Versatile Blogger Award

Wait, what?  Hey read this e-mail for me.  Am I reading this correctly?  Are you serious?!?  My infant blog has a nomination?!?!  

I truly struggled to understand how this could have happened while I was still learning about how to create my platform while also working on developing my writing skills.  Then I took a look at the blog of Writing Belle, S.E. Lane and was struck with a kindred connection as we both seem entrenched in the YA world. I have to give a great big thanks to Ms. Lane and I highly recommend her blog as you look for some excellent reviews and great YA reads.

Now on to the rules of response when nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award:1 
1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award.

2. Add an image of the Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

In the spirit of versatility, here are my nominees:

1.JaseR75 for his blog, Resurrected Writer

2. Chris Naffzinger for his blog, St. Louis Patina

3. Darrah Michelle for her poetry blog, Darrah Michelle

4. Fake Steph for her blog, The Fake Steph Dot Com

5. A.F. White for his blog, St. Louis Scriber

6. Widow Dyer for her blog, Widow Dyer

7. Dawn for her blog, Absolute Forest of Words

8. Alex for her blog, Diaries

9. JC Piech for her blog, Things Which Burst Out of My Brain

10. Michael K. Rose for his blog, Myriad Spheres

11. Paul Maitrejean for his blog, A Writer's Journal

12. AJ Humpage for her blog, All Write - Fiction Advice

13. Gary Taaffe for his blog, Gary Taaffe

14. Bridget Bowers for her blog, Rants 'N' Ramblings

15. V Furnas for her blog, Life 4 Me by Me

In the spirit of randomness, here are seven things about me.

1. I'm only five foot tall.

2. I'm addicted to fruit snacks.

3. I could sit in an empty grassy field for hours and stare at the sky.

4. I love trance and techno music.

5. I want to vacation in Maine and New York City

6. I love Ewan McGregor and all of his movies.

7. I'm scared and excited every time someone reads my writing.

Once you have your nomination, pass on your own nods of Versatility, it is a great honor.

I'm Making Progress

WOW!  I am so excited about how I am doing on my goals.

• Write 1,000 words on days I have no kids. --I wrote an 800 word blog post, worked on the my current chapter and revised my 3rd chapter enough that I think I have made this one, today, the first day I had no kids.  I also made a contact that I can interview for character and plot development for my novel.
• Attend Writer's Group on a regular basis. --I went to WG last night and am planning to go to another one on Saturday.
• Select/Revise/Submit entries on days I have the boys. --I have a poem selected and a flash fiction as well.  I will be working on these tomorrow and choose where I want to send them.
• Blog on Wednesdays. --Here is where I have cheated a bit.  I have combined my word count for today with my blog writing.  This, people is why your goals have to be specific.  I implied that my 1,000 words would be work on my novel, but never said it had to be.  Eh, details and loopholes...I'll get there!  I have also done some book reviews on my blog, so those count too!
• Read one post on improving craft and develop my platform for an hour everyday. --I have slowly watched my Twitter followers increase, it's harder once you hit a follow limit.  Because of this, I have been focusing on building my Facebook platform.  I read a piece by Anne Lamott this week and a few other blog posts from fellow ROW80 writers.  This goal has proven to be the easiest to fulfill so far.  I also believe that my blog post for the week as well as my reviews on the YA books I read, help to establish my platform as a YA author.

Click here to read the Anne Lamott article about making time.

The feedback from everyone at ROW80 is so helpful.  I am trying to get to other participants to comment or at least follow their blogs for support.  Keep it up all!  We can do this!

Create your Pinocchio: Building a Person from Ideas

I don't know if it was because he was a boy or because I was creeped out by his growing nose and foolish mistakes, but as a kid I never liked Pinocchio.  So, I could never understand why Giuseppe would want him to become a real boy.  I mean who wants to deal with a pain in the ass, dishonest little kid who doesn't listen? (Thanks for putting up with me Mom.)  Giuseppe, much like a parent, did see something in Pinocchio; he saw a chance for his ideas to come to life.

Since committing to the transformation of my writing from hobby to career, I am beginning to understand Giuseppe better and wish Pinocchio could be truly real.  Because if he could be real, then my Kaitlin and Gracie could be real and we could hang out and talk just once.  I spend so much time developing them in my head and on my computer it's as if they are my children.  As I write, I can hear their voices and see through Kaitlin's eyes.  I feel their emotions and understand their thoughts.  Now, there is the chance that my meds quit working again, but I like to think I have gotten good at developing my characters.  At least that's what the people in my writing group let me believe (and that has nothing to do with the fact that they are with me in a small room at the end of a long hallway as they critique my work).

Last night, at writer's group, I was asked what I do to develop my characters.  I tried to answer this on the spot, but I was drowning in the flattery and really couldn't think about my process clearly enough to explain.  It seems I remember reading an article or chapter about character development that talked about interviewing your characters.  I am sure that works great...if you are good at asking questions.  I am not.

I tend to work more on intuition and this character sketch lesson I have taught to my 7th graders.  What are the habits of my characters?  Habits you wouldn’t explicitly write into the book, but that make them more human.  My character, Kaitlin, for example, is a Diet Coke addict.  It's a little thing, but anytime food is mentioned, you know she will have a Diet Coke--just like you know what your best friend would have to drink.  These little habits help readers connect to the characters more and brings fictional people to life.

Another way character can be developed is by writing notes on their back story and items they own.  My character, Kaitlin, was abandoned at the age of four, yet we know her birthday.  How is that?  I was going to brush it off as YA literary magic and hope my readers never wondered.  This deception kept me awake and I decided to ask the question myself.  Immediately, I found myself jotting notes about the items found with her in a backpack.  There is information in these items that give us her birth date.  However, these items also began to tell me who Kaitlin's parents were and in turn who she is.  Suddenly, I could see her as well as my own kids.

Finally, I think about what the characters look like and then I watch people when I am out.  I still haven't "seen" Kaitlin, but her adoptive mother I have seen.  I was sitting in a class one Saturday morning when instructor came in and it was clear, she was Gracie.  I knew it as soon as I saw her.  I don't think I could tell you much of what I learned in this class, but I have copious notes about her mannerisms and belief systems.

When building your characters, the best thing you can do is spend time with them.  Look for them in your day to day interactions.  During typical encounters ask yourself, what would my character do in this situation?  Then, weave these mundane daily actions and habits into the fabric of your fiction to add depth to who your character truly is.  Create your Pinocchio.

ROW 80: What keeps you on track?

So...ummmm...yeah...slight fail on these goals already.  It's just the adjustment back into real world from vacation world.  I have been faithful about the connecting and contributing to the fabric of social networking.  Learning from others around me is so important to me.  The writing and reading will be back on track as my schedule gets back to normal on Monday.  Kids in school, visitation with their dad back on schedule, writer's groups back up from holiday breaks and routine in place. I think I need that to write.  Lots of writing in my head though.  Ready to let it out, let it explode!  What do you need to keep writing?  How do you focus on one piece when shorter, unrelated pieces keep cropping up in your head?

ROW80: Round 1 Goals

I have my goals for the year, but to achieve those, I have to break them down.  I am ready to meet this challenge head on, armed with a renewed sense of self and direction.  With my new marital status, I am also finding myself with peaceful visitation days.  I love my boys, but those days they are visiting their dad make for a silence I haven't had in a lifetime.  I plan to capitalize on the opportunity this gives me during this round.

Round 1 Goals:

Write 1,000 words on the days I have no kids.

Attend one of my Writer's Groups on a regular basis.

Select/ Revise/Submit entries on days I have the boys.

Blog on Wednesdays

Read one post on improving my craft and Connect on Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads for an hour everyday.

Breaking my bigger goals down should enable me to reach my larger goals that I have set for the year.  Cheer me on!

Bring on 2012 and Watch me Grow

With a new life opening before me, 2012 is going to be the year I rule MY world!  Far too long, I have repressed my inner self.  My writer!  I have made everyone and everything a priority above my most innate need.  My fellow writers understand, I'm sure, how strong the urge to write and relieve the build up of imagination within can be.  To have something to say and have it be heard is the ultimate in personal freedoms.

Let me be clear, nothing or no one prevented me from writing but me.  Internalizing so much of who I am has caused greater damage than any another person could inflict.  This is why I am taking back my life, freeing myself and inviting others to join in the self-development and healing that writing can bring.

During 2012, I have work to do.  Goals to reach:

Finish 1st novel (13,100 out of 36,000 words) 

Submit poetry and flash fiction entries once a month

Blog once a week

Continue to build my platform and brand

I could go on, but I've learned over the years, there is a need to limit goals to what can be managed alongside life.  Otherwise, I quit at the first setback because it feels like there's too much to catch up on.  WHEN I achieve these goals, I will set new ones.  So join me on this journey, learn with me, cheer me on, correct my mistakes, ignore my rants.  Just don't expect me to stop and go away, because I won't.