IWSG ~ View Matters

I'd like to start by thanking everyone that commented on last month's post, where I was questioning, well . . . pretty much everything. Your advice and encouragement was priceless. I've accepted all that's happening to my family right now, but I've decided that I do still love being a storyteller. Thus, my focus will be on taking care of our ailing family members and helping to run our family business, all while banking my experiences and interactions to use in my writing. I might have to write at a slower pace now, but I will continue writing books.

Okay, moving on to this month's Insecure Writer's Support Group's post and a huge thank you to this month's awesome co-hosts - Fundy Blue, Beverly Stowe McClure, Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard! You all RAWK!

IWSG March Question:

Whose perspective do you like to write from best, the hero (protagonist) or the villain (antagonist)? And why?

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Love this question! So far, in my middle grade novel MOTLEY EDUCATION and its sequel currently on submission, I've written from the perspective of both the hero and the villain. The majority of the story is told from the hero's POV, past tense, third person close; however, I toss in a chapter here and there from the villain's POV to give a different angle of the world I'm creating. Plus, the villain's view of the world and his/her personal backstory is always so much fun to create! For my young adult novel MARKED BEAUTY, I wrote from two separate perspective, both heroes of the tale. I did utilize my male hero as the window into the villain's persona and past, though. I really enjoyed writing his perspective that way. 

What about you? Which is your favorite POV to write from? AND what about reading - which point-of-view to you rather read?

 

The Road To Wisdom

Writerly Wisdom Wednesdays, posted on the third Wednesday of the month, is a regular meme for writers to share lessons they've learned along their path to publication and beyond. I haven't used it in forever. But I noticed that last year was tough on a lot of us, so I decided to bring it back to the forefront. Feel free to join me! The only requirement is that the post be brief. 

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There are days when all seems bright and airy. Then again, some are filled with doom and gloom. And with the fast-pace of life today, the two can sometimes blur. The one certain we have is the current moment we're living in. Right now. Yeah, that one. Other than that nothing is assured. 
A multitude of variables bombard us each day that influence, affect, and change our activities, goals, attitudes, and motivations. I don't know about you, but every time I think my day is going smoothly WHAM! the unexpected happens. Wisdom: The unexpected really should be expected. 
Although this quote could be relative to many people in numerous different walks of life, it is a hard-fast truth for writers. I could spend a dozen posts on methods of deciding whether to remain steadfast with a manuscript or shelf it; that will be for another day. The most valuable lesson I've learned about writing is that loving the craft will not always feel good. It's sacrifice. 
So tell me: what's the wisest writing advice you've been given? 

Xesturgy Writing ~ A to Z Challenge

My A to Z Challenge.  What I'm doing: OFF the CUFF ~ Basically, I'll be keeping posts short and writing about whatever moves me~themes, inspirations, causes, and silliness. I'll stick to my normal posting of Mondays & Wednesdays (possibly an occasional other day), highlighting the appropriate letter for said day. But I will visit blogs throughout the week. I am looking forward to reading your words!
Xesturgy is the process of polishing, which will be applied to the act of writing for my purposes, today. NA Author Stina Lindenblatt has tagged me in this blog tour, where I'm to share my method for generating ideas, mapping out those ideas, and eventually writing those ideas down. Her first new adult contemporary romance, TELL ME WHEN, is available from Carina Press (Harlequin imprint). LET ME KNOW will be available from Carina Press on September 1st, 2014. Make sure to check them out!

My Writing Process:

What am I working on now?
I'm currently applying my critique partner's suggestions/notes to the fourth draft of my middle grade novel entitled MOTLEY EDUCATION: The Urd Saga. For the most part, the manuscript is ready to send to my agent. But I've decided to revamp the opening to the book and fix one character's purpose in the story. Of course, I still have to check for overly used words and such.

How does my book differ from others within its genre?
Motley Ed is set in a world much like our own, but the middle school is for students who hold psychic abilities as well as those who've adopted New Age beliefs such as being close to nature and the stars. Eventually, the story drifts to places and characters found in Norse Mythology, but written with a steampunk edge. My main character is a mystic/medium and her best friend manipulates matter. Neither are very good at what they do. Yet. ;-)

Why do I write what I do?

My first thought to this question is that I'm still a kid at heart. I have four children, so I've been blessed with see life at all stages through them, again. For me, the tween and teen years pose so many amazing challenges that can be explored from multiple angles. LUV that! I will never tire of spotlighting issues, desires, fears, hopes, and aspirations of this age group. The more I write for them, the more I learn about myself and the world in all its revolving changes.

How does my writing process work? 
Usually something inspires me. It could be a character's facial expression during a movie, the setting from a book I'm reading, something that happened in my local town, or an average day with my kids. Then I come up with a starting point, a middle problem, and then an ending. From their, I get to know my characters, and then ask myself questions about how they'd react to this or that in the particular story I'm working on. Some of this gets blotted into an outline, while some snippets end up on note cards. Guess you could say my Xesturgy process is a bit scattered. But eventually, I do make it shine.

More Participants

What's your writing process like?

Continue following the process of writing tour and see how others hammer out their stories.

NEXT UP ON TOUR: Crystal Collier, Kristin Smith, & Eliza Tilton.

Emotions

Write from your HEART ... always, no matter from the light or the dark, the warmth or the cold, the full or the empty. Just find it and release it. For others to know, too.

I'm still recovering from surgery, so I decided to leave you with a choice for the weekend. 

Which emotion will you choose to explore?

Reads to Master the Craft

"It is time," as Rafiki says in the Lion King movie.

Life has become such a maelstrom of chaos that I need to step back, refocus, and breath. I adore blogging with you all, so I won't be gone long or stay too far away. Throughout the month of July, I will pop in now-and-again to say HI. I will continue to write for Oasis for YA during this time, so I hope you pay visits to us over there. On July 17th, I will be participating in LM Preston's Flutter of Luv Blog Tour, plus I'll be announcing the winners of my Q&A with a YA giveaway! If you haven't already entered, please do for your chance to win 1 of 3 YA & 2 MG summer reads! And please keep spreading the word. <3

BUT...I can't just leave you empty handed, so I have a gift.

Back in April, during the A to Z Blogging Challenge, I spotlighted books on craft and technique, grammar, and conjuring up ideas. It was such a hit with readers that I decided to gather a list of Writerly Aids and make a place for them on my site. I have, however, created a widget in the past, listing just that. But that widget grew and became bulky. 

What I've decided to do is create a widget of Perfecting the Craft, which will hold links to specific posts of all sorts. I'm beginning with the following: 

Books on Writing: ~ Incredibly Insightful Books~

• Save the Cat!: Blake Snyder
• The Art of War for Writers: J.S.Bell
• Writing the Breakout Novel: Donald Maass
• Characters/Ems/VP: N. Kress
• Words Overflown by Stars: Creative Writing Instruction and Insight - David Jauss
• From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction - Robert Olen Butler
• Plot Whisperer: Martha Alderson
• The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Martha Alderson
• Hooked: Les Edgerton
• The Emotional Thesaurus: Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi
• Elements of Style: Shrunk/White
• Word Power Made Easy: N. Lewis
• Leap Write In: Karen Benke
• Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
• Rock Your Plot: Cathy Yardley
• Plot & Structure: J.S. Bell
• Elements of Fiction Writing: Beginnings, Middles, & Ends - Nancy Kress
• Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft - Burroway, Stuckey-French, Stuckey-French
• Bird by Bird: Anne Lamott
• A Poetry Handbook: Mary Oliver
• Elements of Fiction Writing: Scene & Structure - Jack Bickham
• The Art of Fiction: John Gardner
• Writing Down the Bones: Natalie Goldberg
• Dynamic Characters: Nancy Kress
• On Writing: Stephen King
• The Extroverted Writer: Amanda Luedeke
• Show & Tell in a Nutshell: Jessica Bell
• The Grammar Devotional: Mignon Fogarty
• The First Five Pages: Noah Lukeman
• Aspects of the Novel: E.M. Forster
• 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary: Funk & Lewis
• Stein on Writing: Sol Stein
• Outlining Your Novel: K.M. Weiland
• How to Write Attention Grabbing Query & Cover Letters: John Wood
• Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: Renni Browne/Dave King 
• Reading Like a Writer: Francine Prose
• Elements of Writing Fiction: Conflict & Suspense - J.S. Bell
• Word Painting: Rebecca McClanahan
• Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting - Robert McKee
• First Draft in 30 Days: Karen S. Wiesner
• The 90 Day Novel: Unlock the Story Within - Alan Watt
• The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller - John Truby
• Alone, With All that Could Happen: David Jauss
• The Moral Premise: Harnessing Viture & Vice for Box Office Success - Stanley Williams
• How to Write and Sell Short Stories: Della Galton
• My Grammar and I or Should That Be Me?: J.A. Wines/Caroline Taggart
• The Writer's Treasury of Ideas: Linda Lewis
• The Hero with a Thousand Faces: Joseph Campbell
• Adverbs & Cliche's In A Nutshell: Jessica Bell

I've even added links to each so you can click and buy the books if you don't already own them. Whoot! 

Within the comments of my original post, many of you graciously suggested other reading material valuable to a writer's growth. So I've amended my original list, adding your suggestions. Thanks goes out to Stina, E. Arroyo, Lisa Gail Green, Heather McCorkle, & Matt MacNish.

August will be the month I will probably be less visable. I know I mentioned an announcement is on its way--and it is a way grander announcement than I thought it'd be when it all began--but I can't spill just yet. These things take time, as I'm discovering. So I might just be breaking in with some news. Until then....

Hearts to you all. Have a fabulous and safe 4th of July and enjoy your summer!

Emotional Doppelgangers

Whether written or acted out, stories have one hefty life-thread in common: EMOTIONS. Without them, stories would just be statistical outlines of facts and events that possess no meaning or purpose.

For every reader, there's a point just after the onset of a story where a spark ignites. (At least the writer sure as heck hopes so.) A question might form in the mind, or a faint pang might gnaw at the gut. Regardless of the exact sensation, the result is the same - we keep reading. But why?

We FELT something.


Title: The EMOTION Thesauraus: A Writer's Guide To Character Expression
Authors: Angela Ackerman, Becca Publisi
Pages: 170
Format: e-book
Published: May 2012

Personal Note: I'd like to thank Angela and Becca for supplying me with a copy of their book and for entrusting me with its care.

Favorite Line/Passage: The stronger the feeling, the more the body reacts and the less conscious control we have over movement. Because characters are unique, they will express themselves in a specific way.

My Splats: a fantastic writer's handbook, and must have as a reference while writing to help bring clarity yet interest to one's writing.

In The Emotion Thesaurasus, Angela and Becca have created a functional tool to enhance an author's writing and storytelling choices. The book is written in an easy-to-read-and-follow format, which is great for any writer, even high school and college students.

I especially liked the breakdown of words into Verbal and Nonverbal Communication, Physical Signals, Mental Responses, and Internal Sensations. This is a brilliant way to present words of the same likeness and show how they can be properly used to add flavor to any essay, article, short story, novel, or screenplay.

The authors give clear and specific examples, which apply their methods of choosing proper description. It's like a genealogy of appropriate emotional usage when telling a story. As an added bonus, they highlight the results of effectively using backstory to further empower a story.

I'm definitely giving my son a copy of this book as he heads off to his freshman year in college. I know I'll covet my copy.

For more details about Angela, Becca, or the book, visit The Bookshelf Muse and/or purchase your own copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and Smashwords. Add it to your GOODREADS List.

I-Toe-Mized 4 Ice-Cream

I-ce cream.

U scream.

We all scream for Ice cream.

Want some? Well, take a gander through my teeny maze, while I share my Itemized list of Incredibly Insightful books. (I know today was for the letter H, but I was having a brain cramp and wrote on I.) In the comments, tell me what flavor Ice cream you found.

Save the Cat!: Blake Snyder The Art of War for Writers: J.S.Bell Writing the Breakout Novel: Donald Maass Characters/Ems/VP: N. Kress Hooked: Les Edgerton Elements of Style: Shrunk/White Word Power Made Easy: N. Lewis Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus Plot & Structure: J.S. Bell Bird by Bird: Anne Lamott The Grammar Devotional: Mignon Fogarty 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary: Funk & Lewis Stein on Writing: Sol Stein How to Write Attention Grabbing Query & Cover Letters: John Wood Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: Renni Browne/Dave King  Reading Like a Writer: Francine Prose Feel free to add to my list! I'd love to learn about more books on the craft of writing! Ooh, and what flavor did you find? WAIT! Before you go... I must announce some winners.  A Copy of Catherine Stine's FIRESEED ONE: Larissa Hardesty! The three lucky Alleywalkers to win an e-copy of Patti Larsen's FAMILY MAGIC: Michael D. Theresa Milstein April P. And the grand prize - all four books in the FAMILY MAGIC collection goes to: PK Hrezo! CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL! CLICK to access the other A to Z participants. And don't forget to ENTER my two giveaways: Chance to win books: either MG or YA, & my BROKEN Challenge for Author AE Rought - a book tote and your choice of a YA book! ~Sheri~ (Psst...There will be NO YATT tomorrow. I wrote six posts last week, and must catch up on writing. See you on Friday!!)

Shopping For A Pageant Dress Is Like A Writer's Diction

Back by popular demand, I'm bringing you another Edition of Monday Munchies ~ 5 thought provoking tabs you can ponder throughout the week and use to inspire your writing. Or you can use them to just make you laugh.

1) Participating in PiBoIdMo has really fueled my creative juices, only not always in the most appropriate way. Man, has my mind taken left turns and muscled in the backseat all week. Try using an 'inappropriate' idea at the most inopportune time for one of your characters. (Of course, keep it tasteful, please.) This sort of ingredient could also add spice during a scene, which would otherwise have been run-of-the-mill.


2) Yesterday, the hubs and I took the four chicklets to our local park for family pictures. And yes, we took dah' pooch. Tell me what image first came to your mind when I mentioned that we'd brought the dog. Go with it. Add it to one of your scenes. BE DARING.


3) For those of you who are history buffs, said park above is actually a historical park. Yup, can you believe it even in Maine. Fort Halifax Park is a small, quaint grassy area outlining the Kennebec River. It houses the only piece of the original Fort Halifax left for visitors to see. But it has a HUGE history attached to it. Try deepening the backstory of some element in your current story.


4) Friday, my daughter and I ventured through two states on a journey to find me the perfect pageant dress. Well, the pageant dress that was perfect for me. We found two, and came home with none. Search your current story and add a disappointment to a scene or character. See where it takes you.


I could tell you what's going on with the dress, but that's for a progress report day, which I'll be doing tomorrow!! And I'll also explain the connection between 'diction' and shopping. Hope you find these munchies useful. Until tomorrow....

The Writer's Head Goes Snap, Crackle, Pop!

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Silly title, I know. But isn't it accurate?

An idea Pops into a writer's head. He/she Snaps to it, scribbling down the idea in the best writer shorthand. Then the fun really begins. The idea Crackles as the writer stews on it, begins to taste it, feel it.

For me, that sums up the month of November, where writing goals are being set and pursued all over the world. Of course, we all know the most famous goal-setting arena among writers - NaNoWriMo. But there are other legitimate NaNo-based battlegrounds created to support, encourage, and drive all kinds of writers to write more. I've opted out of NaNoWriMo, this year, and wish all of you who are participating the best of luck!! Are you?

Instead, I've decided to be a part of two other writing drives, PiBoIdMo and NaNoWriWs4u.

PiBoIdMo is for picture book authors. It's all about letting yourself go and giving into your creative edge. We must come up with one new picture book idea each day. We don't have to develop the idea, although that would be total icing on the cupcake! I'm ahead of myself this year. I've come up with seven ideas and have mapped out two skeletal outlines.

NaNoWriWs4u follows the original NaNo plan closely, except each writer sets his/her personal goals as they see fit. We all have something we've been meaning to write or finish or edit, but life just keeps getting in the way. Or maybe we simply lost our momentum. This arena is to set those goals and report our progress at the end of each day. Accountability yet gently.


Here are my goals:

• formulate a new picture book idea each day and finish drafting two ideas.
• write at least half of the YA dystopian paranormal novel I've been mapping out forever.
• possibly tweak the beginning of MB and the query, yet again.

Feel free to join the group even if you're signed up for NaNoWriMo. Everyone can use a little more support and encouragement.

I won't be around to blog much today, but I will catch up with you this weekend. Heading out of state in search of an evening gown for the pageant. Speaking of which, I've been a horrible pageant guide. I haven't given you any peeks into my journey yet. To be honest, it's been really stressful, but I'm finally finding my center again. I'll share all that with you next Tuesday as well as some writing news and progress. :)

One of my queries is over on the QQQE, today. I'd be great if you could take a gander over and give me your insight into my query letter. I have already used this letter and it has gained me five requests, but I've heard nothing from the other seven that I sent out. So I'd like to tweak it a bit.

Thanks for all your help, and have a fantastic weekend!

Featherbrained Friday: Character Props

On Wednesday over on Oasis for YA, I wrote a post about conflict within a story. Lots of that post focused on character conflict. Recently, I found this photo on Facebook. I'm sure you might have seen it. Did you do it? What were your results?


I thought it'd be fun to use this as a tool to develop our characters all while adding conflict. It's also something you can chew on over the weekend.

When I first took this little quiz, Happy/Patient/Outgoing/Sweet were the words that caught my eye. Accurate?? Sometimes, I suppose. So what if I built a character using these adjectives.

If the character was female, she might be the girl in high school, who hovers just beneath the general population's radar. Not very interesting. But what if I took these adjectives and added fear of large crowds with a stuttering issue? Then I made the character male and voted him in as the surprise new class president?

You can play with this. I'm sure you understand what I mean.

So using the face above, I gave my eyes a second chance to see something different. This time I came up with: Insecure, Thoughtful, Naive, Restless. Um...Accurate?? Totally different then my first attempt but nonetheless probably dead-on at times.

Once again, I could throw a wrench into that even foursome and have a female character, whose dad is some high-powered attorney, and have her framed for stealing cars. But she is naive. Did she do it? She's also insecure. Would she be strong enough to claim her innocence anyway?

Who knows? But that would be for the writer to decide.

This weekend, take a moment and use this silly tool. Think about your characters and what you'd like to accomplish with them and through them. I know it's fueled a new facet to one of my characters.

  Happy weekend, Alleywalkers!

Hearts,
S~

Wading, Waiting, or Wisdom in the Sand

Which is it? 

Here's my answer... 

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I've had a ton going on lately. In my opinion, way too much for one person to manage. But each time I let it all get to me, You're not given more than you can handle, whispers softly in my head and then bleeds to my heart. Yes, for me the phrase comes from my faith, but I know most people have heard it or something similiar.

What do you believe? 

We've all known people or families whose lives seem to be taken over by challenge after challenge, struggle after struggle. We can't help but think Why them? or How do they do it? Do they have some inner strength the Forces that Be feel like testing? Or maybe they have a magnetic imbalance that draws negative energy. Could it be simply bad luck?

For me, our purpose here on Earth is to be, learn, grow, and share from our experiences. Wouldn't it be great if we could be spoon-fed wisdom? How much easier would that be? But it doesn't work that way. There must be a cost if we expect to receive. We must put ...one foot in front of the other... and experience life, in all its wonders, glories, and even gut-wrenching sorrows. And our payment, our reward is the precious gift of wisdom.

The Author & a Pageant

So, I've got some news.

When I made the decision three years ago to write seriously I had no idea where that would lead me. And just like most of you, I learned quickly that writing is a journey of confidence and great joy, but also potholes and blindsiding twists.

To learn the craft, one of my many methods was to surround myself with like-minded folks--people who work hard and give of themselves on a daily basis, and yes, writers: some of the most selfless and supportive individuals I've ever known.

 
Back in May, I was contacted by a consultant for the Mrs. Maine America 2012 Pageant and asked to compete for this year's title. I'll admit, initially I blew the idea off, needing to completely rewrite Marked Beauty and to spend time with my four kids throughout the summer. However, after seeking the advice of others and chatting with Christie--the consultant who's fabulous, BTW--I've recently decided to compete. And I could use your help.

Your support would mean the world to me. Of course, a friendly Go get'em girl will warm my heart. I will so appreciate and need those. But the pageant is also quite costly. As you can see, I've added a widget to my right sidebar. If you'd like to help sponsor me that would be amazing!! Any donation would help.

But that's not all. Recently, a beloved teacher in my area passed away. He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer late this summer. I had him as a teacher in school, and he was also the father to one of my friends and classmates. In his honor, our local high school and a group of students have created a scholarship fund to be awarded to a senior, pursuing an education in chemistry or field of science. I've written a newspaper article free of charge in support of this effort, which was release yesterday in one newspaper and will be reprinted in others. I've decided that any monies I raise above and beyond my pageant expenses will be donated to this scholarship fund, helping to support the scholarship and also raise awareness of esophageal cancer.

I've linked the article to my paypal widget as well as above. I hope you'll read it. Not so much for me, but for this amazing teacher the world lost a few weeks ago. He had a 43-year career doing what he loved to do. My hope is that we all can learn to live our lives that way.

Pageants carry a stigma. Don't deny it; you know it's true. By participating in this pageant, I'm hoping to shed new light on pageantry and all the lessons it can teach and opportunities it can lend. (Just as former Miss Maine Ashley Underwood did when she took the challenge of being a cast member of the hit show Survivor last season.) The Mrs. America Organization has been running for 35 years. Over those years, its title holders have done countless works of charity. Their focus is on a woman's accomplishments--what she's done with her life and how she's lived it. I believe that's an important element of life, and in today's society, it's a priceless example.

My other goals are easy:

• to share the experience and wisdom I've gained through my almost 20-year marriage and the joys and angst of raising four children--yeah, kind of like writing, isn't my friends?
• 
  
• to share my passion for writing, and the importance of regular reading and writing for children and young adults. They don't have to aspire to be professional writers when they grow up. But reading and writing can be therapeutic and teach the vital skill of dreaming. Think Big - Be Big. We never know where we can go unless we dream it first. Reading and writing can develop other skills such as confidence and the ability to formulate ideas and answers, not to mention the ability to communicate in an articulate manner.  

The pageant will be held sometimes at the end of January or beginning of February. I plan on writing posts, recording my experiences to share with you. I've already had a few--as you can see from the photo shoot photos I've added to this post--so I'll have to backtrack. I've also started a separate Facebook page. Would you please head over and Like it for me?

Thank you in advance for your support!!

Hearts,
S~ 

I've Been Keeping Something From You...

My personal writing road has seen it's fair share of hurdles, potholes, and ditches lately. Each time I take a step forward, something pushes me backward. I finally finished that total rewrite of Marked Beauty, went through all my beta reads (which were awesome), and polished a bit more. In between, I took my hiatus this summer from blogging and spent the rest of my time with my four kids and the hubby. I did, however, attend WriteOnCon. My goal was to explore my picture book fetish a bit and hobnob with other PB writers. That in itself was very informative--a great experience. But something else happened. 

I noticed the call for writers to post the first 250 words of their YA novel. That's not what I was there for but I figured What the heck? So I posted. And an agent noticed. She requested everything I had--query, synopsis, and the full manuscript. Needless to say, I was surprised. I visited her agencies website. They seemed fabulous, but my gut told me she wouldn't be for me. Her agency represented mostly spiritual stories aka the cancer suffering teen, etc... MB is about another realm within our own filled with supernatural creatures that are not so heavenly. But she asked, so I was sending.


My gut was right, but that was okay. She loved what I sent (actually read the entire manuscript) and seemed to believe I'd have no trouble finding representation or a publisher. She actually told me that. So I started querying--just two weeks ago. I have a full and a partial out, and one refusal (said it just wasn't her type of story). But I've heard absolutely nothing from the other nine queries I sent. 


Though I thought I'd be all cool about this, I'm not. Waiting has completely stifled my creativity. And with all this, I'm taking an online writing class. Last week, Dianne and Marcy posted my first page in their First Impressions segment. I received awesome suggestions on how to improve the piece. It was a positive experience and I felt really good about where it was going. Then I subbed the first paragraph from that same first page to my writing instructor. Let's just say she didn't have much good to say about it. That did it. I was crushed. Haven't written a thing since.

But then, as always seems to happen in my writing life, another writer came along and said the exact words I needed to hear. Susan Kaye Quinn gave me a new lesson in the lies we writers tell ourselves, how we beat ourselves down when all we should be doing is just keep writing. Dianne, my first connection on Twitter, sent me a private email with amazing encouragement and advice. 

And then I visited my friend Jen Daiker, and read her heartfelt words about her recent querying bout. I think she and I are lofting in the same pothole, except she's decided to drag herself out and start a new blog--if she can't find inspiration out there, why not find it within herself. For even more inspiration, Christina Lee reminded me to whisper my goals and let them take flight on the breeze of nature, always keeping in mind that there's room at the publishing table for me. Of course there's my Oasis Sisters, too. Heart them!

Lastly, Elana Johnson asked What skin I was wearing? Yeah, that rang a bell. I'm the mother of four and wife to one, and wear almost every hat imaginable. At that moment, I remembered my chunky bracelet with a heart dangling off one of the links. I also gave one to my daughter. Years ago, I had both engraved with the same words: To Thine Own Self Be True. Nothing more. Nothing less. I really CAN do anything. It's time for me to be true to myself again.

This is for those writer friends I've mentioned and
for all of you who visit and share yourself with me!!

So writer, if you can't find motivation next to you, surf cyber space. Inspiring advice, perseverance, and endurance is waiting for you...not to mention a cyber ((hug)).


Tuesday was another edition of WS4U! Progress Report. It's a great exercise in both support and accountability. Please take a moment to show support to some of our members, also writing posts today. You never know the similarities you might find to your own writing road to publication and beyond.

http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/

http://waibelworld.blogspot.com

http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com

http://susanfieldswriter.blogspot.com

http://skmayhew.blogspot.com/p/tuesday-wip-status.html

http://margoberendsen.blogspot.com

http://www.sherryauger.blogspot.com

 http://www.susanoloier.blogspot.com--in/ 

Featherbrained Friday!!

I decided that it was time to dip into my silly side, show you that I can be the life of the party. It's been long enough--almost a year and a half of blogging our courtship. So I've come up with a new regular post, where I'll highlight anything silly, outrageous, or just plain stupid that I come across~~yes, probably exposing my deep, dark, family secrets; but it's all in fun, right? Might find some silly in my town, on television, or floating within the blogosphere--can't imagine that one. ;D

I'm sure most of you guys won't give two chips about this, but ladies...really?

I wonder how many cotton balls it takes to fill up this suit?

Close your eyes....

I warned you....

(How stupid!)

And for my favorite one....

QUICK!! Someone run and get a True Blood vampire!

Looks like bambis' going to need some!

(Note to store clerks: change the display when you change the movie!!)

Any featherbrained events happen in your neck of the woods this week? Observe something really foolish? Share!!

Graffiti Wall Explores Social Media & the Dreaming Anastasia Trilogy

As promised, Young Adult Author Joy Preble is back to chat with us about social media, the first two books in the Dreaming Anastasia trilogy, and to answer a signature Graffiti Wall question. You can find yesterday's discussion HERE.

Welcome back, Joy! 

Are you a social media fan? (heee….) How do you feel a writer, either pre-published or already published, can use social media to their advantage?

For me social media is a tool to promote, chat about the industry and topics like books and literacy, and to communicate with my readers. I think for most writers it is crucial to have a web presence and in some cases a well-defined platform. I know for a fact that publishers look at this before taking on a debut author. It is not a deal-breaker, but it does help. I happen to like blogging because I began my writing career in non-fiction, doing a lot of personal essays for the Houston Chronicle. So it comes naturally to me. Facebook and Twitter took more adjustment for me. It’s tricky sometimes to make those distinctions between Joy the public persona writer and Joy the private person. This is why many authors have two FB pages – a fan page and a personal page for just their actual friends. Sometimes I actually have had to remind my long time friends that what I say on line is being read by fans and readers. And sometimes, my Tweets are pretty lame. “Just bought avocado. Time for guacamole.”

Inspiration for writing Dreaming Anastasia?

The Dreaming Anastasia series began with Anne. I was at school grading papers late one afternoon and it was raining too hard to leave, and I wanted to bring something new to my critique group that night. At that time there was a history teacher/coach across the hall from me who had a very loud voice and was, well, pretty boring and not exactly creative. Each day during my conference period, if my door was open, I’d listen to him blab on and on about history in a dull monotone and much of the time he didn’t seem to know his subject very well. So I guess in the back of my mind, I was always thinking about how horrible it would be if I was a student in his class. So that afternoon, I wrote two pages from the POV of a girl I didn’t even have a name for but who was indeed stuck in this class. She was funny and snarky and smarter than her teacher and wishing that something extraordinary would happen in her life. And later that week, I wrote some more and realized she was Anne and that I was about to combine her with my other loves – fantasy stories, Russian history, and family drama. Plus a handsome hottie. Somehow, the series developed out of that.

What’s your method for story development? Did you map out Haunted, the next book in the series which was released 2/1/11, as you were writing Dreaming Anastasia or did you wait until you knew the first segment of the story would sell?

Initially when I start a book, I write about fifty pages or so to get to know the characters and story line. At that point, I do some outlining. For me this usually includes both a bullet point outline and some pages – generally single spaced – of general musings and ideas and explanations. This is where I will spend a couple of pages letting a character like Viktor ramble on about what he really wants, what his secrets are, etc. Not all of this finds its way directly into the novel, but it informs what happens to the characters. As for the series arc, I did know from the beginning that this story was going to take and Anne and Ethan on a journey that would last more than one book. And I wrote about fifty pages of Haunted immediately upon finishing Dreaming Anastasia. But DA sold as a stand alone. So it wasn’t until Sourcebooks asked for more that I actually moved forward. 

Signature Graffiti Wall question: You’re in a grocery store line with books on one side and magazines on the other. What book do you choose? What magazine?

Depending on my mood – a fantasy or a romance. Magazine: if I’m about to fly, I’ll take US Weekly  - a magazine that requires even less of my brain than People. I don’t want to read the article about Tori Spelling’s new Mommywood reality show. I just want to look at the pictures and wallow pleasantly.

Haha...I hear you there.

One piece of advice for writers on their road to publication.

Write, write, write. And read, read, read! If you want to write a romance, you need to read 100 romances. If you want to write a picture book, you need to read hundreds of picture books. Keep up with the industry. Join a critique group. Learn. Get a mentor or twelve. Be willing to be collaborative. But mostly, believe in yourself. Do not give up on your dream.

Thank you, Joy!! (and Kay, Sourcebook Publicist!) Once again, feel free to connect with Joy via cyberspace: Website, Blog, YA Blog, Twitter, Facebook. 

AND now, for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of book II in her trilogy - HAUNTED - fill out the form below! You must be a follower to enter. Giveaway is open until September 22nd. Winner announced on the 23rd!! Good luck and spread the word!

Hearts ~

Graffiti Wall: Author Joy Preble

The Graffiti Wall is back!! And today, we have an amazing guest. She's a wife, mother, English teacher, and lover of all that makes breakfast yummy. As a child and teen, she didn't just read books but consumed them--a storyteller at heart. And she answered my questions with such awesome depth, this post is only Part I of her interview. I felt it necessary to share all her wisdom with you. Please give her a warm Alleyway welcome.

Joy Preble, Author of Dreaming Anastasia trilogy

Hi, Joy! *cyber wave* Let's begin with any advice you'd like to share on how parents/teachers/schools can promote and nurture young readers?

If you’re a parent, read to your kids. Read every day. Fill your house with books. If you’re a teacher – talk about books with your students. Have your own lending library. Make books easily available. Be widely read yourself. Same for librarians – read widely. I know school librarians who don’t read much YA lit. I think that’s a disservice to their clientele. All that said, I do think you can’t force people to read if they don’t want to. But the reading aloud and the exposure to books will expose them to a world of thoughts and ideas that will help them grow in ways they wouldn’t without it.

A lending library - genius! 

What did you find most appealing about your favorite childhood, MG, or teen stories, and how can you and other writers apply those elements to our stories and character development?

Questions like this are always hard for people who read a lot! I have so many favorites, so many books that inspired me/affected me/ taught me something about how to tell a story. In terms of fantasy, the book Half Magic by Edgar Eager is one that sticks out. I don’t know if a lot of people know this book – but I loved it and it’s still on my book shelf. Independent kids meet magic talisman meet adventures… it’s a solid blueprint for how to craft a memorable tale of magic.

Whose advice do you seek most?

My agent, Jen Rofe – who is wise and wonderful and a lot of fun. She knows when to counsel, when to kick my butt, and when to let me stew and figure it out myself. A rare talent, that Jen.

What are the three most important lessons you’ve learned about yourself during your road to publication? And since then? 

• I am far more competitive and resilient than I thought I was. 
• I should have done this sooner but I was afraid of failing at it. 
• Good writing comes from a place of personal honesty. Always. 

Writers - wisdom to take to heart...

I

Post publication, my biggest lessons and struggles have been with balance. Publishing books is like having children –  in many ways your job is there for the rest of your life! And if you want to build a career, then you have to keep moving forward. So I think most writers struggle some with balancing the writing of new books, editing of ones about to come out, keeping up with publicity and appearances and on line stuff and still living life fully enough to ‘fill the well’ with experiences and observations to inspire the storytelling. Add in family, friends, and a day job and you’ve got a pretty packed schedule. I’ve had to learn to take things one day at a time, one project at a time.

How have you found writing different since being published?

Once you’re published, it occurs to you very quickly that writing is a job. It’s a job you wanted very badly, but a job nonetheless. Deadlines are a lot quicker. Most of us took years to write our first book. Then you sell the sequel and it’s like, okay, we want it in six months. Maybe less. And there is certainly an expectation – as there should be! – that you will continue to grow in the craft, write better and better books. (there are exceptions to this of course. Their names are JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, and Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. I have no idea how any of these women could ever surpass their iconic works. JD Salinger fits here, too.) So yes, writing is different now. But I still love it.

I told you, Alleywalkers, that Joy is brimming with information about how we can better tap into our inner writer. Feel free to connect with Joy via cyberspace: Website, Blog, YA Blog, Twitter, Facebook. 

Please stay tuned tomorrow for the conclusion of her interview, where she chats about social media, the first two books in the Dreaming Anastasia trilogy, and answers a time-old Graffiti Wall signature question! 

Oh, and she's giving away a SIGNED copy of book II in her trilogy - HAUNTED!! So come back to enter and spread the word!

Hearts ~