Is it Time to Stop Pursuing Publication? A Post by Jody Hedlund

As I pursue my dreams of being a published author, I often wonder if my books are meant to find their way into the public domain. I sometimes self-sabotage by allowing doubts to haunt my thoughts and keep me from moving forward. In my mind, every moment I spend not writing, is a moment wasted. Then I blame myself for not working hard enough and it becomes a vicious cycle. Fortunately, I'm an optimist by nature, so I don't usually let that type of negativity hold me down for long.

I know I'm not alone on this, so for those of you wondering if/when it is ever time to stop pursuing publication, please read this post by the talented writer Jody Hedlund. Jody is the author of several novels and an advocate for writers everywhere. She is a great "writer friend" and incredibly inspirational.

Please visit her website, treat yourself to her vast wealth of knowledge in the area of writing and, perhaps, pick up one (or more!) of her books.

And if you get a chance, pop back in and let me know your thoughts on the subject.

 

What Else Do You Do?

Many of my writer friends are multi-talented. I'm not surprised by this; I believe it goes with the territory. Creative people have a deep-seeded need to create, and many have more than one outlet.

Some writers cook, knit, paint, draw, garden, dance, or invent things. Some take photographs, others arrange flowers. Some sew while others make furniture. Like creativity itself, the ways we can create are limitless.

I couldn't cook my way out of a kitchen if all the ingredients were provided in the exact right amounts with instructions even a baby could follow, and if I tried to knit, I'd probably poke my eyes out. I do draw, however. I draw a cartoon character named Mrs. Qurly Q. She's a plump variation of a stick figure with a single long curl drawn out of the top and sides of her head. It's actually embarrassing that I still draw her on cards and letters, but old habits die hard. After all, SHE'S FRIGGIN MRS. QURLY Q!

For me, my additional areas of creativity are interior decorating and music. Here's the link to my music website. Please feel free to listen and share. 

So tell me - besides writing, what else do you do? If you have a website, please include the link. And also, feel free to share about your creative process.

Happy creativity to all!

The Four Stages of Writing

I am here, not only to entertain, but to enlighten. Hence, I give you THE FOUR STAGES OF WRITING.

STAGE ONE: FIRST DRAFT

When I'm writing a first draft I'm happy. Make that borderline ecstatic. I'm doing what I'm meant to be doing in the world, and I feel powerful and free. Except, that is, for the moments when I'm terrified. The terror comes from staring at a blank computer screen and not knowing if my muse will grace me with brilliance or if I'll be at a complete loss to mentally capture anything remotely resembling words. The conversation in my head goes something like this:

"Hang in there, Deb. You can do this! You've done it before, you'll do it again. If you were [insert character's name here] what would you do? Where would you go? What would you say? See, it's not so difficult. It's just like kindergarten. All you have to is pretend you're [character], go in the backyard, make some mud pies, and eat them! Writing is that easy!"

This type of inner dialogue is common when I'm writing. My mental cheerleading squad brings out their pom-poms and yells, "Go, Debbie, go! Beat the other team!" I have no idea what 'other team' they're referring to, but I'll be damned if those imaginary cheerleaders don't get the job done. Before long, with the exception of those pesky blank-screen-terror bouts, the first half of the book is moving along quite well. Characters are appearing, plots are forming, and action is happening. Life is good. And at the end of each day, I pull out my writing journal and joyfully record the number of words I've piled up, which is usually between 500-2000. I wink at myself in the mirror and treat myself to Stella Doro Chocolate-filled cookies. This goes on until...

Tragedy strikes. 

Somewhere around the two-thirds mark in the book, I completely lose my mojo. In an instant, the entire story seems silly, tired, predictable, boring. At this point in the process, I have an epiphany: I totally suck at writing and should have pursued accounting or geography or some other subject I hated in college. Maybe then I wouldn't feel like a total loser. 

Hot Cheerleaders aka Cheap Ploy to Keep You Reading.

The mental cheerleaders roll their collective eyes and hold special practices to keep me from doing what I'm threatening to do: toss out all of the stupid, uninteresting, lame, ridiculous verbage I've written up to that point and salvage whatever might be left of my dignity. Most times, after days of torturing myself, the rah-rahs prevail, and I trudge onward through the arid desert known as "the second third of my book." This goes on until...

Magic happens!

A perfect ending appears like a picture of Jesus in a dollop of ketchup on a double cheese-burger with onions and lettuce, followed by visions of writing awards, TV appearances, and millions of glorious dollars piling high in my bank account. The cheerleaders don their finest uniforms and, in perfect rhythm and surprisingly impressive harmonies, cheer, "Go, Debbie, go. GO, GO, GO!" The heavens part, the harp-holding angels rejoice, and the world becomes 'one.'

The sprint to the end of the story is a joyful, self-indulgent, glorious collection of happy, brilliant writing moments. The plot twists weave together with satisfying clarity, the characters who haven't died in a tragic car crash or been poisoned with a toxic cocktail of anti-freeze and Gatorade, pull out their finest crystal and pour glass upon glass of the most expensive Dom Perignon, and then the moment of true glory occurs: I write the two most precious words in the English language....

"THE END."

STAGE TWO: REVISIONS

After a brief but glorious bout of post-coital first draft joy, I grab an electronic cigarette and begin the real work of writing: revisions. The process of revising, though somewhat less terrifying than staring at a blank page, is daunting. It is here that a writer flexes their muscles and attempts to turn a rough sketch into a glorious masterpiece.

After I'm certain my manuscript could not be even one drop more brilliant, I do what I learned as a parent - I send my precious baby out into the world to spend the night with total strangers. These people who've never met my baby are called "beta readers" and although they can be strange (after all, they're writers!), they are some of the most patient, kind, and supportive people on Earth. These are folks who put their own writing (and episodes of Homeland, HGTV, and Nashville) aside in order to help you become a better writer. They grab their beta magnifying glasses and go over every, single word with painstaking care. Then, they send your precious baby back covered in red marks and scribbled with helpful comments like, "How did Jenna jump out the window if she was sitting cross-legged on the floor meditating?" Or, "Did you really mean to put a comma after every single 'and' in your story?" 

After realizing your brilliant manuscript is not quite so brilliant you, once again, put your revision cap on and get back to work. Mine is a black leather cowboy hat adorned with feathers and turquoise. (Okay, so I don't actually have a revision hat, but I do have a big imagination which, given my "occupation," is like totally way better.) After months of sleep-deprived nights and wine-deprived days, I arrive at the point when I can no longer envision a way to make my story better. Then, and only then, do I move on to the third stage of writing...

STAGE THREE: QUERYING (OR SUBMITTING TO YOUR AGENT)

Whether you have an agent or not, this is a nerve-wracking time. In my case, I had an agent but I'm currently looking for a new one. This means, I'm querying again. (Hits head against wall.) Many writers would sooner endure water-boarding or being forced to marry Octo-Mom than to query agents, and, really, who could blame them? To write a query letter, you must shrink your three-hundred page manuscript into two paragraphs. It would be easier to squeeze a five-hundred pound person into size two jeans. But you have no choice, so, you do your best to describe -- in several, short sentences -- what you've nearly killed yourself writing for at least a year. Once this sadistic process is complete, you research agents. This process is painstaking and intimidating and involves scrutinizing Publisher's Marketplace, Query Tracker, Agent Query, and agency websites in order to pour over agent's bios, find out what genres they accept, what other writers have said about them, and how many books they've sold. Once you find an agent whom you feel you have at least a one-in-a-gazillion chance with, you send a query letter their way and...

Wait. 

And wait. And wait some more.

For me, when my email inbox dings, I pop an ativan. Most times it's nothing more than a spam offer to make my penis larger or date gun-toting born-again Christians, but every once in a while there is an email from a real, live, actual agent. When that happens,I slowly, ever so slowly, open the email...

Dear Author,

Sorry about the impersonal nature of this letter but we receive far more queries than we are capable of responding to. We are also sorry to inform you that XYZ Agency will not be pursuing representation with you. We found your writing bland, uninteresting, and sophomoric. Plus, your genre has been beaten to death like a dead horse. But, don't worry. There are many agents who, if exceedingly drunk, might feel differently about your "work." 

Please don't contact us by phone or in person or we will have no choice but to seek a restraining order against you.

Best of luck,

XYZ Slush Pile Junior Assistant

I transfer the depressing email into the "Pass" folder (because "Pass" sounds less debasing than "Rejection") and tell myself this is a good thing; that I'm now one step closer to finding the perfect agent. (Being a writer entails not only writing fiction, but also believing it.)

When a request for a partial or full does come through, it is literary manna from heaven. I position myself into a perfect Downward Dog, offer my feline overlords up as a sacrifice to the Writing Gods, and hope and pray this will lead to an offer of representation. It happened before, so it must be possible again, right? (Refer back to "believing fiction.") Waiting to hear back on a full or partial is more torturous than watching Snookie talk about, well, anything. And that, my friend, is pretty damn painful.

Whether or not you acquire or already have an agent...

STAGE FOUR: NOT WRITING

This may not sound like a stage of writing, but it is, in fact, an important one. It's the time in between books when story ideas simmer and percolate. (Suddenly craving coffee, which I don't even drink.) At first, this is a joyous time; after all, you've completed writing a first draft, finished revisions, and are querying or waiting to see what your agent thinks. You think, "Wow! Look at all this time I have on my hands! I could sleep, read a book, drink a bottle of wine, watch TruTV, or take a walk! Hell, I could do all of those things at once! OHMYGODTHISISAMAZING!!!!" But for me, the longer I'm not writing, the more I start to feel useless (why am I here?) and hopeless (what is there to live for??) and fearful (what if I never write again???) and you delude yourself into thinking you actually miss the torture of staring at a blank screen or getting to the dreaded two-thirds point in a novel or receiving humiliating rejection letters from literary agents. 

At this point, there is nothing to do but tell the cheerleaders to ready their pom-poms and and pray, once again, to the Writing Gods. And, what, you may ask, are you praying for now? For STAGE ONE, of course! Because writing, like life, is an ongoing cycle.

Subliminal Tuesday: WRITING BREAK! [Not!]

My parents are in town visiting me in my new place, and I couldn't be happier! [Nervous as hell. Will they love it? Hate it? Will they crave a different brand of coffee than the one I went to three stores to buy especially for them? Will they expect me to get up before 9AM to hunt down said coffee?] Their visit means, WRITING BREAK!

Of course, the minute I decided this, was the same minute I got bombarded with fascinating ideas for my current wip. Isn't my muse AWESOME? [Masochistic lunatic.] As a conscientious writer, I'll make sure my 'idea notebook' is with me at all times so as not to miss a single nugget [golden, not chicken-fried] from my brilliant muse whenever she sees fit. [Like while I'm on a roller coaster ride or being pulled over by one of Philadelphia's finest for speeding on Route 422]. Gosh, I love my thoughtful muse! [Cruel, slave-driving maniac.]

 

So, dear friends, I'll be back after the visit from my lovely parents [who, as I write this,  are requesting a different brand of coffee] refreshed and ready to spread my wisdom and joy to the masses. [My muse forced me at gunpoint to write that last bit.]

Keep it classy, y'all!

Being at Peace

Making up your mind feels good. After a small snag in the home-buying saga, I've decided to stick with Plan A - the townhome. I don't need a big yard or a pool. Everything I want and need is in the beautiful home I've selected floors, cabinets, granite, and paint colors for.

Settlement/closing date is only two weeks away, so this decision is timely, to say the least. The choice is made, but I'm still resisting. I haven't packed a thing. The thought of packing seems overwhelming. That said, I'm not worried. One way or another, me and my stuff will soon be residing in a different locale; one that holds only pure possibility.

This week has been transformational in several ways. First, the house. Then, my writing. Along with packing, I'd been stuck with my writing. I realized I have a story around it that goes like this: When I'm writing, the world is perfect. I have meaning in my life and a reason to get up in the morning. When I'm not writing, I feel worthless and I all I want to do is sleep. I know this sounds overly dramatic, but it's "true" for me. (In other words, it's what I choose to believe.) 

Over these past few days, a dear friend and beta reader turned the creative light back on for me (I'd apparently misplaced the switch), and I'm, once again, forging ahead with my women's fiction novel and finishing up edits on my YA book. Now, my only problem is,that I have to sleep!

Welcome back, muse. I love you. I love my life. It feels good to be at peace.

What do you do when you're "stuck?" Do you torture yourself? Tell yourself you're not worthwhile? Do you sleep, eat, drink, or find some other way to hide from the fact you're not doing what your passionate about? Or, is it okay for you - just part of the process? Spill, people, spill. Your words of wisdom are highly in demand.

Picture above I took in Rehoboth Beach last summer.

Falling In Love Again...

Weak knees, shortness of breath, heart pounding, palms sweating, unable to concentrate... Must be love, and I'm falling hard and fast.

As opposed to tall, dark, and handsome, the object of my affection is short, light, and nondescript. It's unpredictable, mysterious, and intriguing; frustrating yet invigorating, peaceful yet thrilling. It's convoluted and clear-eyed, and it's sweeping me off my feet.

So, who's this secret lover who has rocked my world and made me feel like a teenager again? You guessed it. I've fallen in love with my new WIP.

Although my previous paramour - the one AA is reviewing - is YA, my new lover is women's fiction. Older, wiser, more mature, and better in bed.

In order for women's fiction to be captivating, a beguiling heroine is mandatory. It's here I feel I've struck the jackpot. What's so striking about my new leading lady? Her dark hair, brown eyes, and alluring body, of course, but mostly her mind. She's kind, sarcastic, wounded, frail, funny, and vulnerable. She's on a journey of self-discovery; of redefining who she is and what her life's about. I have a feeling she'll stick it to the characters in her story who've wronged her, and, really, what's more attractive than a powerful, sexy woman beating the crap out of past demons? (I mean, besides Ashton Kutcher with his shirt partially unbuttoned?)

Where was I? Oh, yes. Writing is magical. There's no rhyme or reason to where the ideas come from. When we writers sit down at the computer each day, we have no idea what, if anything, will appear on the intimidating blank page. And, yet, we somehow know if we give ourselves over to the power of our art - and not try to "understand" or "force" it - magic happens.

Right now, for me the magic is one of the greatest in the world: I've fallen in love again. Life imitates art imitates life imitates art...

In the wise words of Lenny Kravitz, "Let love rule."

So, tell me: who/what are you in love with these days? What's your favorite thing about being/falling in love?

Remain Open to Change - Dwell in Possibility

Short post on one of the most important elements of the creative process: remaining open to change.

Example: I began writing my current novel last month. I had the title first, which for me, is how I roll. I'm not prepared to spill the beans on the title yet, but I will say it's similar to THE SECRET KEEPER in that the title tells the power of the main character. However, last week as I was writing, I was trying to find another character who could also have a power, since that's what I thought "should" happen. When I couldn't come up with someone else having a power, I thought, maybe none of them should, and the book should be straight YA rather than YA Fantasy. So... I took the power away from the mc.

And then today happened.

As I was writing, the mc stole my pen (i.e., keyboard) and began telling about her power and how it works and how it doesn't work and I realized maybe this is the way the book is supposed to be after all! How confusing this writing game can be. And how beautiful the notion of creating something from nothing.

Have you had similar experiences with your writing - when you thought something was "supposed" to go a certain way only to find you were terrifically wrong? I'd love to hear about it. ;-)

I feel I'm in "change" mode. I'm looking for a new background for my blog (don't be surprised if I have a new look the next time you stop by), I've moved the furniture around in my bedroom, and I have that anxious-butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling that something's coming, I don't know what it is, but it is gonna be great... Life. Possibility. Exciting.

As Emily Dickinson says, "Dwell in Possibility."

Write Much?

I've been asked by several writer friends how I'm able to write at such a great pace. Until I was asked this, I never thought of my writing pace as anything special or out of the ordinary. In fact, I always feel I can be writing more.

My "normal" daily word count is somewhere between 1500 - 2,500. Some days it's less, some days it's more. My best advice is the eloquent: BIC - Butt In Chair. I'm blessed in that I'm currently able to write full time. I have friends who work full time and still write as much as I do. They're the ones who deserve praise.

Here are my easy steps to increase your daily word count:

1) Find a story you LOVE - not one you just really like, but one you want to marry.

2) Think about it, dream about it, bore those around you silly with tiny details about something your character said or a small plot line or a description of a location. Conversation should go something like this:

You: Ohmygod! Did I tell you what Brooke said in Chapter 3? She said, and I swear this is true, she said, "Ohmygod, Danielle! Did you see Chelsea's shoes? Can you even believe anyone would wear anything like that in public? Ohmygod!"

Friend/Family Member/Stranger on the Subway: "Wow. Really?"

You: "Yes, and you know what happened when Justin ran over Taylor's little sister's tricycle? Ohmygod, it was like a total mess! He apologized like over and over again and Taylor wouldn't forgive him, and ohmygod, the whole neighborhood was in like a major war!"

F/FM/S on Sub: "Wow. Really?"

You: "Yes! And did I tell you about the paint color in Tristin's mom's living room? Tristin is Justin's best friend, by the way. Anyway, it's hunter green! No, seriously! You know that really deep, dark shade of green? Yup, that's called "Hunter." Can you believe anyone would paint their living room that color?"

F/FM/S on Sub: "Um, I guess not..."

And so on.

3) Don't think about anything else.

4) Stress about other partials/manuscripts you have out to agents.

5) Drink water.

6) Write.

7) Write.

8) Write.

9) Write.

10) Sleep. (I recommend at least 3-4 hours per night, though that's not completely necessary.)

11) Write.

12) Write.

13) Eat chocolate.

14) Watch Oprah.

15) Write.

16) Eat chocolate.

17) Write.

18) Shower. (I recommend once every other day, but again, not completely necessary.)

19) Feed your children. (Unless they're over three, in which case they can fend for themselves. They'll understand. Hell, it's your writing career we're talking about here!!)

20) Write.

21) Write while eating chocolate.

22) Write.

I hope this helps. I tried to break it down as best I could, but it's hard to remember every little detail. Let me know if this method works for you. If so, I might have to write a book about it.

IN OTHER NEWS...
Sharon Mayhew at Random Thoughts gave me this bloody lovely blog award. I say that because Sharon is English - how bloody lovely is that?

So, now I am tasked with nominating seven other worthy bloggers who must also follow the rest of the directions:

1) Copy the pretty picture and post it on your blog.
2) Thank the person that gave it to you and link to their blog. (Thanks again, Sharon, you princess, you!)
3) Write 7 things about yourself we don't know.
4) Choose 7 other bloggers to pass the award to.
5) Link to those 7 other bloggers.
6) Notify your 7 bloggers.

7 Things you don't know about me... (Not all may be true.)
1) I am captive to six cats and a bunny.
2) I'm a size 6, I mean 2.
3) I owned my own marketing business.
4) I have a new niece who is the most beautiful baby on earth. (PROOF)
5) I'm only 25.
6) I was Miss Universe 2001.
7) I was in a band called, "27 Dreams." (Can you say, "Big 1980's hair?!)

And now, to pass on this illustrious baton, here are 7 folks whose blogs are super-creative (and whom I've not given awards to before):

1) Literary Jules - Um, yeah. Julie Nelson is my best writer friend and she's got a super-cool new blog. You should like definitely follow her.

2) Just Jemi - Jemi Fraser rocks. She's an honest, supportive writer - excatly the kind of person you want in your corner. Plus, she's Canadian, eh? What's not to love about that? Follow Jemi on Twitter.

3) Between Fact and Fiction - Natalie Whipple is a genius. She writes. She draws. And she is recently repped by rock star agent Nathan Bransford. Just sayin'. Follow Natalie on Twitter.

4) Ruthanne Reid - Ruthanne is the consummate friend. She's all about supporting others along their path and being unduly modest about her own talents. Do yourself a favor. Check out her blog. It's filled with awesome. Follow Ruthanne on Twitter.

5) Cupcakes and Corsets - Need I say more?

6) Stephanie Damore - Stephanie is a certifiably adorable ball of writing energy. She has the chutzpah to post her query on line and let the shlubs like me critique it. She's the bomb.

7) karen...following the whispers - Down to earth, peaceful, zen-like, sweet, kind, talented, modest Karen. Follow her and her beautiful whispers.

Once again, thanks Sharon. I deeply appreciate the award. ;-)

The 4 R's: Reading, Riting, Relaxing and... Romance?

What do you do for relaxation? Do you ever stop writing? I don't. I said to my husband last night that we should go on a cruise. That way I'd have limited internet access. "Yes, honey," he said. "But you could still write." Damn it! I hate when he's right.

Part of me thinks I should take writing breaks every now and then, and part of me thinks that's the dumbest idea I ever had. Why would I? What would I do? I know, I could read! In fact, that is one of the things I'm planning on doing over the next four glorious days.

"There is nothing more blissful my eyes can see, than me and thee by the beautiful sea."

And Allison Winn Scotch's TIME OF MY LIFE, which I've started reading and can't put down.

So, I'll dig my toes into the sand, take walks along the beach, jump a few waves, and read! That sounds good. That's not writing. Then we'll have nice dinners and walk along the boardwalk. That's not writing, either. Then I'll go back to our lovely room at the quaint B&B in Avon by the Sea and I'll..... WRITE! Yes, that's what I'll do, I'll write! After all, I still need to meet my 1,000 word/day mark, don't I? Of course, I do, silly!

So, that's the plan. Relaxing, reading, toe-digging, beach-walking, wave-jumping, and writing. And who knows - maybe even a little romance...

Now, that's what I call a vacation!

Still Excited, But Sexy, Too!

Sorry, folks - there's still no word regarding my previous post. I'm not teasing, really, I just don't have any news to report yet. In the meantime...

Speaking of teasing, my crazy friend Vegas Linda Lou has nominated me for the prestigious SEXY BLOGGER AWARD! In her defense, I only met her once and it was in a dimly lit restaurant. So really, how could she know?

This is her reasoning for giving me this award:
I met Debbie Schubert last month up in Philly and man, she has the body I would have if I actually did Buns of Steel every friggin’ day like I promised a couple of weeks ago.

How she knew I work out to Buns of Steel at least five times a day, I'll never know.

In order to accept this illustrious award, I've got big-time responsibilities. I mean, they don't just dish these things out to anyone. I must list Five Sexy Things About Me! Talk about pressure! Then, I need to pass this baby along to several other sexy bloggers.

So, (in reverse order) drum roll please....

5) I sing. Some people find this very sexy. I've even had women hit on me when I sing. I don't know what it is about being a rock princess that makes people so crazy, but there it is.

4) I write songs. (See above.)

3) I write books. Actually, I don't know that this is all that sexy, but it's all I could think of.

2) I've got a great smile. Of course, my orthodontist should get the (idiot?) award for this one for agreeing to my insane choice of getting braces late in life.

1) I've got killer gams. I have my mom to thank for this particular trait. I have to be careful when I'm out in public in heels. My girlfriends and their significant others have been known to compliment me in, um, inappropriate ways. That's all I'll say on the subject.

And, now I hereby nominate the following sexy bloggers (in no particular order) for this most prestigious of awards:

1) Beth of Nutwood Junction. Her politics are right on, she loves birds, and she loves the band, "X". How sexy is that?

2) Pen Pen of Sugarspun Dreams fame. She's got a kitty named Jasmine, a gorgeous friend named Brit-Brit, and wishes she could stalk Katy Perry. Pretty damn sexy, if you ask me.

3) Vivi Alden, Cursing in Heels from Butt-Ass Cold Michigan. Vivi's the bomb. She's an awesome writer, keeps us updated on "evil calories" and thinks Rachel Ray is the anti-Christ. How sexy is that?

4) Chas of Broke But Still Drinking My token male. He's grungy, he loves to say "fuck" and he drinks tons of beer. Sexy? You be the judge.

I have many more sexy babes in my life, but these are the ones getting the award this time around. Please visit them, tell them Sexy Debbie sent you, and stalk, I mean follow them.

And don't forget to leave me a comment and tell me what makes YOU sexy!

Creating Something from Nothing

THIS JUST IN: I've received an astute Blog Award from my dear blogging colleague, Litgirl01 (aka Traci Lawrence.) Please let her know how much you appreciate her giving me this award, since pretty much the only thing I've won in life is a spot on the sophomore cheerleading squad. (Not that that wasn't a HUGE accomplishment!) Thanks, Traci! You made my day.;-)

Now back to regular programming....
In conjunction with the article I just posted on Examiner.com, (shameless plug) I thought I'd take a look at the creative process: creating something from nothing.

We writers are a funny breed. We sit down, usually at our computers, and start typing. Most of us are not quite sure (or have any earthly clue at all) what words will appear, yet we have perfect faith they will. In some instances, this might be called "crazy." (I admit to being called that and worse on numerous occasions. That's fine. I like attention. Plus, any publicity is good publicity!)

Yup, that's how it's done, folks. We trust in the process and the mystery of the universe, and lo and behold, before we know it, 1,000 plus or minus words have been added to the pile known as our current WIP. How the hell did that happen?

Seriously, how does this happen? Where do those funny, enlightening, interesting words come from? Ah... that is the wonder, joy, mystery, and genius of the creative process - the ACT of creating something from nothing. It is poetry in motion - a physical , spiritual and emotional enterprise. We writers sit down and open our toolboxes filled with emotions, moods, experiences, our past, present, our hopes and dreams for the future, mix them all together, and faithfully watch the magic unfold.

Then, after the magical work is done, we tread softly or forcefully (or more likely somewhere in between) into the world of agents, bringing with us peace offerings of queries, synopses, and sample pages that we've revised until we've driven ourselves (and our loved ones), "crazy." There's that word again! Then we eagerly await "acceptance" that may or may never come. It's no wonder we artist-types are a messed up bunch! Thankfully, we have each other to lean on, appreciate, lift up, and commiserate with.

So, to you, all my blogging (and lurking) friends, I commend you, I adore you, I appreciate you, and I honor you.

Now, let's get back to work creating our magical somethings from nothing!

Shine Like a Million Stars!

There's an interesting back-and-forth going on over at Jessica Faust's site regarding what an agent's job "is" and what we, as writers, "should" write. I'm dumbfounded (which is different than just plain "dumb" which I arguably am as well) when I hear writers being overly interested in what's "hot" and what "holes" there are in the publishing industry that need filling. Are you kidding me? So far as I can tell, there is only one WIP that any of us should be writing and that is the story we're meant to tell.

It's simple, really. Write what's in your heart to be spoken. That's all you can and "should" do. A country songwriter doesn't write a hip-song because it's "hot," he writes country songs because that's what he knows and loves. A painter doesn't create a painting because it's "hot." She paints what's in her heart and soul to paint. Hot, cold, or medium, makes no freaking difference.

Writing is the same. It's an art. Absolutely. Plain and simple. Beautiful and breathtaking. So, write what's in your heart and soul begging to be released. Worrying about what an agent or editor might want is like fretting over how many raindrops will fall in the next storm. It's futile. First of all, most agents don't even know what they want, but like porn, they'll know it when they see it.

So relax, all my writerly friends. Trust in yourselves and in your spirit to take you precisely where you need to go and to write the story that is yours to write. No one else can write that particular story like you can. That is the deep beauty of being an artist. No one can exactly recreate your art. It is the one spark of light that is truly your own. Let it shine like a million stars!

In Other News...
I met my first "blog" friend in person this weekend! My husband and I were graced with meeting Vegas Linda Lou and her lovely sister, Lori, as they made their way through the great state of Pennsylvania. What a blast it was, and what a treat to meet one of my "esteemed colleagues." It was wonderful, fun, thrilling, and memorable. I highly recommend it!

Would You Like Some Cheese with Your Whine?

Whine and Cheese

I'm sorry, I'm going to be doing some 'splaining here, Lucy. Not EXplaining, COMplaining. Of course, I have no business complaining at all. After all, Dusty's home, mom's doing GREAT (thanks again for your magical good wishes), I'm warm, pampered, well fed and dry. Too bad about the Eagles, but I'm really a Jets and Broncos fan anyway, so I won't pretend to care. Plus, I've got way more important things to compain about...

Would somebody please step up to the plate and finish my editing for me? Thanks. I owe you.

OK, I admit it, I'm starting to be a big pain in my a**. Usually others hold that esteemed place of honor (husband? kids? woman on express lane at Target with more than 10 items?) but now I'm filling it all by myself. My wonderful copy editor suggested I resuscitate some of the "dead babies" I've relocated to my Outtakes file. Damn her. She's right, again, which just means more work for poor, little, 'ole me. The good thing is the roller coaster ride that my word count is on will, once again, be barrelling upward. The bad thing is, or maybe I already mentioned this, more work for poor, little, 'ole me. (Do you feel sorry for me yet? No? OK, how about this:)

Babysitting over 40 - Good Idea or Reason for Drinking Poison? You Decide.
Chuck and I babysat for my cousins this weekend, girls, aged 7 & 4. (They left one hour and twelve minutes ago, but who's counting?) My kids are boys aged 19 & 17. There's a teeny weeny little difference in energy levels between 17 and 4. Seventeen? "I'm spending the night at Andrew's. See you tomorrow." Four? "Weee! Watch me run around in circles until I'm so dizzy I fall down and then I'll chase the cats around the house and then I'll jump on the bed and then I'll watch a video and can I have some water? Cereal? Pop Tarts? Cake? Weeeee! Let's watch Hamster on a Piano on You Tube fifty more times! Weeeee!" Can you say exhausted?

I made Adam and Ethan promise they'd NEVER have kids as long as I'm alive. My mother was shocked when I told her this. "Debbie," she said, "you're AMAZING with kids!"
"Was amazing, mom, was."

It's true. I used to love little kids. I was the poster child for "Woman Holding Baby and Loving It." That woman, I'm afraid, is dead and buried. Not that I don't love my cousins, don't get me wrong. They're the cutest things you'll ever see, talented, brilliant, filled with unending curiosity (and did I mention, energy?) and could beat my sorry a** in a spelling bee any day of the week. However, what few kilowatts I have in this ever-aging body I need to store away for my writing. Why can't they understand that?

MLK and GWB - Two Sets of Initials that Should Never Be Used in the Same Sentence
First of all, God bless Martin Luther King, Jr., may he rest in peace. And, secondly, we must be doing something right because in less than 24 hours we'll have a president with a brain bigger than an acorn and compassion for something other than his own personal bank account. Thank God this eight-year long frat party is over!

How was/is your weekend and how do you feel about the upcoming inauguration?

Flying Along

Flying Along

I've been kicking ass and taking names on my writing lately. My deeply spiritual prose about life as a rock star turned domestic goddess with a bit of adultery and a dash of country club thrown in for good measure, is quite the ride. My characters are starting to get a little bit out of control, and I'm not sure whether to reign them in or let them make a mess out of life for themselves. I'm trying to stay out of it as much as possible, and let them do what they would naturally do. Like a friend of mine once said, "Life would be so much better if could just get my brilliant ass out of the way!" How true!

Young Love
I've been struck by the level of passion, excitement, and drama that is the definition of young love. My son, Ethan, who is a junior and will be 17 next month, and his girlfriend, Paige, who is 17 and a senior, are so adorable together it's borderline ridiculous. (Here's the proof!)

Paige couldn't wait to get her Christmas presents from Ethan, so they exchanged gifts early. She scored. Big time. She got a beautiful silver necklace with a heart, a bracelet from Brighton (one of my favorite stores) and a big, white, cuddly teddy bear with a red bow. I thought she might explode with joy. Ethan didn't do too badly, either. He got a few shirts, a couple of belts, and a hat. Since Ethan has grown up celebrating Chanukah and Paige is a nice Italian Catholic girl, it was interesting watching their reactions to gift-giving. Chanukah is fairly low-key in that area, and for Paige, anyway, Christmas is not. She said she's got 27 gifts under the tree with her name on them. Holy Mary Mother of God. Eight is the most gifts our kids ever got for Chanukah, one per night, and that's when they were little. These days, our celebration consists of lighting the candles together and reflecting on the wonder of life. What better gift is there than spending time with family and friends and being present to the miracle that life is?

Chuck and I got together when we were only 18 and 19. Back then, we couldn't keep our hands off of each other and we thought we were the only two people on earth.

Damn, I miss those days...

So, how do you celebrate the holidays and what do you remember about young love?