.

Romance: Alive and Well on the Bestsellers List

2008-08-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

11 out of the top 20 NYT bestsellers this week in paperback mass-market fiction are romances.
2 more are husband-wife detective teams, which IMHO could be considered to have romantic elements.
And another 1 is a Janet Evonovich and Stephanie Plum, and we all know there's always a little romance where Stephanie is concerned.

That's 14 out of 20, people. Pretty nice odds, I'd say.

Cliche

2008-06-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

I was watching some videos of women caught on tape soliciting murder-for-hire.
http://by117w.bay117.mail.live.com/mail/TodayLight.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0&n=632440256
Interesting stuff, but hardly novel. If you tried to write that, you could count on getting the "that's cliche" line from critics, editors, agents, etc.

But, IMHUO, cliches are cliches because **it happens**. Happens all the time.

Women get pregnant to trap a guy into staying with them
Spouses murder for life insurance policies
Lovers murder over jealousy
Spouses abuse each other
Cops are often dysfunctional
Gangs deal drugs and murder in drive-by shootings
The Russian Mafia exists, along with many other mafia/gangs

So...why can't we write about them? I've always believed that we can write about them, that it's all in the presentation. What I haven't figured out is **how** to write those situations so they aren't quite so cliche.

How do you do it? What are your thoughts on the dreaded cliche?

Grrr...I'm rusty

2008-06-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

A great opportunity dropped into my lap a few days ago. The president of another local writer's organization invited me to a workshop with a wonderful editor/writer who has given workshops through my RWA chapter in the past.

The editor will be reviewing the first 15 pages of each student's mansuscript. Only problem is that I've had these first pages reviewed recently by a best-selling author who gave a similar workshop through our RWA chapter last month, and I haven't had time to make the suggested changes.

So, now that 3 of my 5 ultrasound related tests are out of the way (that's a long, ugly story) and I'm a registered sonographer...again...I'm working on the rewrites.

And...it's...PAINFUL. My words stick, my sentence structure is all gummed up and I'm self-editing every other word--all traits that are not typically a problem for me. At least they haven't been in the past.

Do you ever get rusty?

Switching Gears

2008-05-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

...well kind of.

You know I've gone back to work full time...plus call. Hence the screeching halt to my blogging. I haven't been writing, so I stopped blogging -- guess I figured if I wasn't talking about writing, I shouldn't talk about anything.

But I've decided to shift gears a bit and merge my overwhelming working life with my flailing writing life and my haggard personal life. And since hardly anyone reads my blog (except for the really important people in the universe--that being YOU), I figured I had free licence to make the change.

And since we're talking about change, I'll talk about the biggest change I've made since I started working again -- today I embarked on the South Beach Diet.

I didn't start it for myself even though I do have plans to lose a few pounds before Nationals in July (just like 80% of the other 3000 women attending), I'm more of a Weight Watchers girl as I lost 20 pounds with WW last year and kept it off.

Unfortunately, my darling daughter has inherited my overweight genes and has struggled with her weight since she was 3 years old. Now at almost 12, she's hit an all time high, and aside from the myriad of personal problems that wreaks in a little girl's life, her health is also suffering.

We went to see a specialist last year, and revisited her recently. She kept my daughter's medications at the same level, but introduced us to the South Beach Diet and said she wanted my daughter to start on it.

I'm doing it with her to give her motivation and support.

After my first full day on the program, I have to say...she's doing much better than I am. I hate it. Of course, I'm a carb fanatic -- carb lover -- carb aholic. So, of course I hate it -- the first two weeks are NO CARBS. Meaning, no bread, crackers, pasta, fruit, candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, frozen yogurt, sugar of any kind.

By mid day I had realized something dramatic--the difference between "not hungry" and "not satisfied".

Today I was not hungry. But I was also definitely not satisfied. Which made me downright irritable. I found the food choices I had to stick with maddening, especially when my work ordered out for pizza, and I had to bring in a strawberry shortcake for an employee's last day.

Now, at the end of the day, I am still not hungry, but my stomach hurts. You know that feeling of varied compression and release of your stomach when it's growling? Well mine feels contracted without any of the release. It just aches. And I'm tired. And did I mention cranky?

My daughter, on the other hand, didn't have any problem with the food choices and far less problems with the cravings. She did, however, mention (even before I did) that she too felt grumpy today and her stomach hurts as well.

But we're doing it. We've got our special stickers up on the calendar for our first completed day. Hopefully, we'll see the scale go down in another couple to keep us motivated.

If you have any low-carb/no-carb secrets, we're all ears.

Cool News

2008-03-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

Could use some cool news right about now...and the call came yesterday afternoon: Safe In Enemy Arms finaled in the 2008 RWA Golden Heart.

I've been drowning in work and studies related to work for the past 6 weeks, and my writing has taken a serious hit due to lack of time and energy, not to mention direction for the story I'm writing.

So, this news felt particularly nice.

Would love to hear from others who have finaled--this year or in the past.

So Out of Sync

2008-03-11T02:57:00.000-07:00

I knew working full time would take a certain toll on my writing, but I had no idea it would knock me so off course.

I thought I could write in between patients...in the down time that inevitably comes with the unpredictable hospital tides. I thought I could squeeze in some writing time in the morning before work. I thought I could write some more after work, in the evenings.

Not only is that not happening, but I can't even get a little exercise in or keep up with the mountainous laundry piles and paper trails and general junk growing all over my house.

I've been on the job now for a little over a month. Luckily, I like it. After 16 years of this occupation, I still love the challenge and art of creating the best possible pictures on the screen, of chatting with my patients, of taking care of people in need, and of teaching the next generation of sonographers to do the same. Sounds a little corny written out, but it is true.

((Now, the not-so-corny-all-American part? I also love the **paychecks**. But don't ever let anyone tell you the money makes it all worth the work. I learned a long time ago that there is a tipping point at which no amount of money would be worth the hell of sleep-deprivation and/or workaholism and all the fallout in your life that follows.))

I do, however, miss my other love--writing. Terribly. I'm lonely for involvement with my still-developing characters, anxious to get back to building my complex web of plot and subplot. I miss thinking about writing and talking about writing and studying writing.

**Sigh**

Things will even out eventually. I'm sure of that. If they don't slow down on their own, I'll put a little more pressure on my heels and create a bit of resistance. I have a couple of weekends away coming up in the next few months. Not on-your-own-to-do-nothing-but-write weekends, but also not get-called-in-to-work-every-half-hour-by-the-E.R.-weekends either. My husband has some vacation time coming, which will alleviate some of the household burden off my shoulders.

Have you ever hit a patch in your writing career where you couldn't foresee the time and/or space you needed to write becoming available?

In Good Company

2008-03-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

I'm a lucky little writer to be in such good company--both of my long-time crit partners are published authors.

Elisabeth recently got the call for a 3-book deal with Dorchester. I'm so excited for her!

Linda first sold in 2006, and currently has tallied 7 sales to Samhain.

So...to my multi-published crit partners...congratulations! When can we rub shoulders?

Bit of Good News

2008-02-21T20:33:00.000-08:00

I've been racking up the rejections lately. Doesn't matter how many times you do it or how many you manage to collect (I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of 350, now), they each still have their own little sting.

And given I had received requests for this manuscript and, ultimately, rejections on many of those partials after the agent had read the first few pages or chapters, I was (still am) thinking it may need some deep revision/alteration. (And we won't go into what number revision that would be.)

But today I received an encouraging note from the assistant to a prominant agent. She said she had enjoyed reading the first 50 pages of SAFE and would like the full manuscript.

A long way from that agent's desk, I know. But a step in the right direction. Baby steps...they'll eventually take you there.

What baby steps have you taken lately?

Joan...still putting one word in front of the other.

That Funky Feeling

2008-02-16T19:38:00.000-08:00

It's been following me for quite a while, a little like that cartoon raincloud follows a character, threatening to drench them just before splitting them in two with a stroke of lightning.

Occasionally, I out run that cloud, take another step forward in my story. That's when I think I'm on a roll, that I've escaped it for good. Which is exactly when things start to slip again.

It's okay. I've come to accept the lulls in my writing process. I have grown to trust the fact that I'll come back around to the sunshine in time. What I'm still not so good at is the wait. I feel anxious and preoccupied and moody when I can't get a story right. I know my rough spot at the moment is partially caused by the new job, partially caused by the many recent rejections from agents and partially because this story is complicated and difficult to write...but that does nothing to quiet those little doubt demons.

And that's where I'm at now, antsy and unsettled.

What do you do when that happens? How do you quell the little Mexican jumping beans in your belly?

Dun-dun-dun-duuuuuuuuun....

2008-02-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

You know what I'm talking about--that music in movies that amp the watcher's tension. We all know it's there, we all know it starts out soft, then deepens, then intensifies until it's all but blaring by the time whatever event is building in the movie climaxes.

I'm watching Double Jeapordy tonight. I really love this movie. I'm not sure why--I'm not one to analyze much. Especially not movies. Somehow I find using movies to decipher turning points and character development ... confusing, to say the least. Of course Ashley Judd is an incredibly strong, charming and versatile heroine, with a compelling mission--actually a dual mission, a truly evil villain and incredibly high stakes. And the tension ... constantly rising and becoming more complex.

But what hit me as I was watching it was the music during a scene where Ashley Judd, out on parole, had broken into a school to obtain the name and address of her target. Of course, the cops come and she's at risk of being exposed. If she's caught, she goes back to jail.

The music during this scene escalated from a low, barely noticeable background in increments as the situation became more dyer -- she hears a car outside, she turns off the lights, she continues to search the file cabinets -- more frantically now -- to get the info as she hears them enter the school and their voices and footsteps get closer.

And what I realized was that the music in movies is the equivelance of emotion in novels. The inner tension in both mind and body rise slowly and continue to amp as the situation becomes more risky, more complicated. To do that, I use internals, utilizing deep, third person pov and mix them with graduating physical responses to that stress.

So...how do you do it?

Playtime's over!

2008-02-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

So, I go back to working full time (+) tomorrow. (The + is for call I have to take after hours.)

I have mixed feelings about it, and I'm sure there will be good moments and bad moments, but I'm confident I'll do fine. It's not forever, I keep telling myself. I've got all my positive messages worked out for those rough times I'll inevitably encounter.

I'm definitely going to have to shift my writing schedule around a bit, but again, I've got a rough idea of how I'll make it work. I'll have to see how the day flows before I know if it will pan out or not.

Some of the changes I'm planning:

I'll shift my writing from mornings to nights on most days.
I'll brainstorm at work.
I'll utilize my alphasmart and my flypen for on-the-go story/character development.
I'll set aside specific time on the weekends to write.

How do you handle life shifts when those changes force you to make changes to your writing habits?

Laughter is the Best Medicine

2008-01-31T19:47:00.001-08:00

I've secretly always wished I could write funny. I even bought two different books on the subject. That's when I should have caught the clue--if you have to buy a book to understand how to write funny, it's NOT your strength.

I received this via my gym today and thought I'd pass it along.

The benefits of a belly laugh

No matter why you are giggling, studies have shown that a laugh will do you good. Laughter helps you deal with a variety of maladies including the stress of daily life. The benefit of laughter on your health is no joke. A sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but data is mounting about the things that laughter can do.

Short-term benefits

A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body, beginning with your face.

Long-term effects

Laughter isn't only good for a quick pick-me-up, it's also good for you over the long haul.

Laughter can:

• Stimulate your organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.

• Activate your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.

• Soothe tension and tummy aches. Laughter can ease digestion and stimulate circulation which helps reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and by decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more serious illnesses.

• Relieve pain. Research increasingly shows that laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural pain killers.

• Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make difficult situations a little bit easier.

How to have or gain a sense of humor

Are you afraid you have an underdeveloped or nonexistent funny bone? Developing or refining your own particular sense of humor may be easier than you think.

• Put humor on your horizon. Find a few simple items, such as photos or comic strips that elicit a chuckle from you or others. Then hang them at home, in your office or even on the visor of your car.

• Laugh and the world laughs with you. Develop a sense of humor about your own situation, and watch your stress begin to fade away.

• Think positive. Look for the positive or the humorous in every situation, and surround yourself with others who do the same.

• Knock-knock. Browse through your local bookstore or library's selection of joke books to get a few rib-ticklers in your repertoire that you can share with friends.

Laughter is the best medicine

Go ahead and try it. Turn the corners of your mouth up into a smile and then give a laugh, even if it feels a little forced. Once you've had your hearty chuckle, take stock of how you feel. Are your muscles a little less tense? Do you feel more relaxed or buoyant?

That's the natural wonder of laughter at work.

It's All in the Perspective

2008-01-30T15:20:00.000-08:00

You've heard it a million times--half full or half-empty? Eeyore or Tigger?

I'm working on a transition, spending more time in a Tigger state of mind than in an Eeyore state of mind. It's tough. Eeyore has been ingrained in me all my life, and he doesn't like being in a cage while Tigger bounces around outside the bars blowing rasperries at him.

So after forty years of seeing the glass half-empty, I'm trying to take a new perspective and see it has half-full.

I ran across this article with it's gleaming little gems and wanted to share with other Tigger-challenged writers out there.

From Robyn DeHart:

"Take the dreaded synopsis for example. How many of us have heard it called
such a thing? The word “dreaded” conjures up images of torture and pain,
something that is difficult or impossible to accomplish. Before I even began to write my first synopsis, I expected it to be horrible. Dreaded. And with these expectations, it was rather dreadful. "
"Another example is the “sagging middle”. When I started my first book I looked to that middle with trepidation. I was terrified. I studied cures to fix the certainty of my sagging middle. I can’t really remember the middle in that first book or whether or not it was particularly difficult or saggy, but I’ve written enough now to know that the middle is actually my favorite part. "

What's your favorite (or least favorite as the case may be) "saying" regarding your writing?

Robyn goes on to echo one of my own firm beliefs when she says:

"I’m a firm believer in embracing your own way to write, but I am also a firm believer in growth and education. I think writers who live their lives by “I cant’s”, “I onlys”, or “I nevers” do themselves an injustice. You never know what will or won’t work for you until you try. Try something before you make an opinion about it, and don’t allow another person’s experiences color your own. Keep an open mind - a mind willing and ready to learn. Make your own decisions about things like synopses and middles; the last thing you need is to question your ability because things aren’t like they’re “supposed” to be."

Thanks for the reminder, Robyn!

Q Factor

2008-01-24T20:52:00.000-08:00

Popped out some more queries today -- 15 to be exact. Received a few quick R's to the last set, one request for a few pages which was subsequently R'd. Lots still outstanding...which is a good thing...right?

How are your Q's going?

TIP: Less Is More

2008-01-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

I subscribe to a lot of lists that send me articles on writing. I've gained quite a bit of knowledge over the years from these aricles as well as hours and hours and hours of practice. I often think how I'd like to share some of this knowledge with other writers, but just as quickly remember that instruction is definitely not my forte.

So, I've decided to offer up some tips as described by those who are talented instructors echoing my thoughts and feelings on the subject.

Today's tip: Less Is More.

I find this a lot when critiquing, typically with young writers--not young as in age, but young as in length of writing career. I recognize it because I, too, made this mistake as a young writer. I sometimes still make this mistake and am constantly cutting in edits and revisions.

The culprit? 1) Not trusting your reader. They're much smarter than we give them credit for. Our audience is filled with seasoned romance readers. They understand the nuances of romance, they can read between the lines, they anticipate plot lines and character arcs. We don't have to explain it all to them.

2) Not trusting yourself. When you don't trust the strength of your writing, you tend to over-explain, over-simplify and repeat yourself. If you're truly showing and not telling, you won't need to over-write.

Here are a few tips from Caro Clarke:

"...since you don't want your readers to start with the wrong impression [of your character], you pile up descriptive scenes as soon as the story opens. "
"...personal appearance matters only when it influences a character's motivation or has an impact upon the story."
"...where description is necessary, avoid a solid, dull block of descriptive prose by integrating description with action, or by having the description filtered through the eyes of a character."
"...give the reader the fewest descriptive words necessary to convey the scene."
"...a basic rule of writing is to have nothing that does not propel the narrative, either because it furthers the action, or because it illuminates character within that action. Two people rushing through the night to the hospital is action, two people arguing in the car as they rush to the hospital is character development within action."

One other tip I heard somewhere in my writing travels was regarding description: Don't use more description in your manuscript in any one place than the character could take in or recognize within two minutes time under the setting circumstances.

Do you have tips on Less Is More that you can share?

Cool News

2008-01-20T14:54:00.001-08:00

SAFE IN ENEMY ARMS finalled in the Linda Howard Excellence Award contest.

Now I have to get it polished up for submission to the final judge: Lauren McKenna, Executive Editor, Pocket.

Oh...and out of those queries I sent which spurred my last post, I got a requested full from one of my top tier agents.

So...as I said in my post...JUST QUERY. (And then keep your fingers crossed.) :-)

JUST QUERY

2008-01-15T22:23:00.000-08:00

Wow, almost two months since I last posted. I guess those holidays that I swore wouldn't slow me down, slowed me down.

It's January 15th -- just about the right time to get back into the swing of the normal routine, right? Well, sorta. I've got some new things going on that I'll talk more about later.

Today, I'm talking about submissions. I have a bunch of excuses I could easily (and justifiably) use to delay sending off my next set of queries to the agents one tier down on my list. These include, but are not limited to:

I'm working full time
My husband is out of town
The house is a mess
There is laundry to be done
There are bills to be paid
There is homework to be supervised
It's too late (at night)
I have to get up early tomorrow
I'm too tired
I'm PMSing
I'm just going to get rejected anyway

But, I didn't focus on those (IMHO very valid) excuses. I just opened my computer, brought up my documents and got started. An hour later, my queries are out, and I feel good about that. It's a little like exercise--you don't particularly love it while you're doing it, but you feel much better after it's done.

So, just ignore your excuses (no matter how extraordinary, they are) and JUST QUERY.

Total sent: 12
Email Q's: 8
Mail Q's: 4

I still have 2 partials and 1 full out to agents, sent first of November. Not quite what I'd consider "written off", but also not particularly promising. I also still have 2 mailed Q's that have not received a response yet.

Share your querying progress (or woes).

An Untraditional Holiday

2007-11-23T15:17:00.000-08:00

I'm noticing more and more how untraditional my life has become. Moreso over the last five years with the rocketing advance of technology. Some of the changes have been undeniably good, others, not so much. But, that's another post.

This Thanksgiving, my husband took the kids to my parent's house for the long weekend. Because the last two holiday's with my family have been increasingly stressful (personality clashes among in-laws) and because my husband's been gone quite a bit (as is typical between fire season and union duties), I needed a break. I didn't want them to go without me, but neither did I want to accompany them. When I suggested staying home for the holiday, my oldest gave me those pained eyes and said, "But I want a "real" Thanksgiving. Grandma always has all that good food, and I just want to pig out."

A "real" thanksgiving. Which meant she wouldn't get one from me because I rarely (very, very rarely) cook. But also because I think she knows that I have so much to do around the house, that it would be a working holiday, not a fun holiday.

I know I should feel guilty for not providing my family with a more traditional Thanksgiving like I had as a kid. Should probably be at least slightly offended. Maybe I am. A little. But evidently not enough to change my ways. Not yet. I'll consider it again next year.

This Thanksgiving, I split my days between revising my Golden Heart entries and cleaning out my master closet. Between getting 90% of my Christmas shopping done and playing financial wizard to afford said Christmas shopping. Between printing and packaging my Golden Heart entries and loads of laundry. Dinner consisted of a bowl of Frosted Flakes.

Not altogether great, but it could have been worse. My kids and my husband had a good time with my family, and I got caught up on the things that would have stressed me out upon return if I'd gone with them. Not being nagged about "I want..." or "Can we..." or "Please..." didn't hurt at all.

And at the end of the day, traditional Thanksgiving or not, my humbling gratitude for all I have didn't change.

What type of untraditional holiday's have you had? What was your holiday like this year?

Submission Watch

2007-11-20T10:11:00.000-08:00

I think everyone is clearing off their desks before the holiday...cause I'm wracking up the rejections. And it's ever so much easier to use that as an excuse. Although, I have to say, the rejections this time around are a whole lot more positive than they were two years ago when I was doing this.

But, a rejection is a rejection. And, when I'm down in one area, I pick up in another to offset the negative atmosphere.

So...my latest endeavor (along with polishing my entries for the GH, continuing in Karin Tabke's first line contest, attending plotting workshops and moving forward with my new WIP) has been corraling fantastic instructors for online classes through my new RWA Chapter-Wine Country Romance Writers. We've really got a killer line up for 2008 and into 2009. Hope you'll be able to join us for a few.

And if there is something specific you'd like to take a class on, but can't find it anywhere, let me know. I'm always open to new ideas.

Have a safe holiday.

The Language Women Speak

2007-11-11T08:22:00.000-08:00

1. Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shutup.

2. Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes isonly five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch thegame before helping around the house.

3. Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on yourtoes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

4. Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

5. Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but it's a non-verbal statement often misunderstood bymen. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she iswasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Referback to #3 for the meaning of nothing.)

6. That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okaymeans she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you willpay for your mistake.

7. Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or Faint. Just say you're welcome.

8. Whatever: Is a women's way of saying F@!K YOU!

9. Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking, "What's wrong?" For the woman's response refer to #3.

Strange not-quite rejection

2007-11-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

I guess I think it's strange (or rather funny-strange) because I'm a pretty easy-going, difficult to offend, live-and-let-live sort of person. Obviously there are many who aren't...

Anyway, as you know (via my submission watch) I've been submitting to agents--a manuscript that I've never sent out.

Today I get an envelope with my familiar sticker (the one I put on my SASEs) and read the return address -- one of the higher tiered agents. Oh, dang, I thought -- another R. (Cause we all know if they really wanted to read the ms, they'd email or call.) But I open it and it's the first page of my manuscript with the first word circled and a handwritten note.

Okay, so these are the first few lines of my ms:

"Jesus!"

Reflectors rumbled beneath the tires and jolted Cassandra Christo out of her road trance. With a quick turn of her wrist, she realigned the BMW coupe into the middle of the lane.

Cassie exhaled a shaky breath, peeled her shoulder from the seat and lowered the window...

The agent circled, "Jesus!" And wrote: A lot of editors/readers are Christians--it's best not to offend the reader audience. Choose a different curse word then resubmit.

Resubmit? Wow, she must have liked the writing to ask me to resubmit after I'd offended her. And, yes, I know I offended her because after thinking about it, I remember reading that this particular editor is quite religious. But, heck, honestly, if that bothered her...I venture to say the rest of my work will really tweak her.

Still, she has a good point. Just because I'm so easy-going and not-easily offended doesn't mean others aren't--regardless of whether I was being careless (which I wasn't) or just ignorant (which I was).

I've been thinking about this subject a lot because I tend to use the Lord's name in vain in my dialogue. I also swear in my dialogue. I also have sex and violence in my books. Those are realities for my characters. (And to some degree for me--the swearing part at least.)

I was raised Catholic, I have (what I consider) a very strong spiritual relationship with God. I don't know how or why I compartmentalize, but I don't believe that those elements of my writing make me a bad person or even a bad "follower". It's just fiction.

But my previous agent wanted me to cut out some references to God in dialogue (not necessarily used in a negative way) because she said that a lot of people have strong feelings about God one way or the other and it's safer just to leave it out.

I was okay with that. But now, I'm writing another book where both my characters have a certain level of spirituality lingering from their childhood and I want to bring that into the story, but I've been putting it off because I don't want to offend. Another issue I've been tip-toeing around in this book is racism--white/Hispanic. Again, do I bring it out so it fits the characters, or do I push it to the background so I don't offend?

I don't know the answer. But I have decided to write this ms with the deepest characters possible, which means including both the religion and the racism. Hope it doesn't backfire on me.

What do you think about religious references in fiction?

Submission Watch

2007-11-07T18:30:00.000-08:00

Things are a bit slow. Typically, right after I send a Q or partial out, I get answers within a few days -- either Rs (majority) or, "Would like to see more."

Now, 3-4 weeks after sending the initial Qs and a few follow-up partials, I'm...yep, you got it...waiting.

It's been vewy, vewy quiet.

Wireless Amber Alerts

2007-11-04T11:33:00.001-08:00

This is pretty cool -- cool enough for me to promote it here, which I don't typically do.

Free text alerts when an Amber Alert goes out, organized by zip code.

I find it refreshing and encouraging when we use technology in a productive, helpful, philanthropic way.

Sign up. You never know...

A Good Reminder

2007-11-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

At Magical Musings today, their guest blogger, Jennifer Estep, said something that was a very good reminder for me.

She said:

Write the best darn book you can. It may be a cliché, but it’s true. I always get a bit depressed every time I read J.K. Rowling, Robin McKinley, or Donald Westlake. Because there’s no way I could ever possibly write anything as magical, beautiful, or funny as them. I can only write the stories in my head the best way I know how – and that’s enough. It’s got to be, since I don’t want to take an express trip to the funny farm. Do your best, then push yourself to do a little better, give a little more. That’s all you can do.

I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who gets a little down when I read fantastic prose or a riveting, non-stop plot, or deep, unique characters. And it never hurts to be reminded that you are as unique as the next person and that if you keep working at it, learning and growing as a writer, you'll get there.

J.K. Rowling was once where I am now. That's a strong reminder.

NaNoWriMo

2007-11-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

I just have to say...that is the strangest name. Couldn't we writers come up with something more creative, more interesting...more appealing?

Anyway, I've never done NaNoWriMo or BIAW (book in a week) or any other guided writing. In fact, when Elisabeth decided we were doing 1000 words/day for 100 days, I joined in, but then bottomed out after, what E...six days? I guess the good thing is that I made it that long, and I'm still writing, now up to 60k.

But my schedule just won't allow me to sit down and write 2000+ words a day. I've got two jobs, two very busy kids, .33 of a husband...etc., etc.

The big question -- excuses or realities? I'm not too proud to admit some could be excuses, but I'm also not naive enough to deny the realities of everyday life, either.

How do writers who are not paid full time writers (that's rather key here--if I was a full time writer, that's what I'd do...write), but work another job (or two) with kids at home and no nannies and housekeepers, write 2000 words a day?

I'd love to hear your methods, whether you're doing NaNoWriMo or not!